HE believes that the Faith of his Church may receive new Additions every day And that he is not only oblig'd to believe what Christ taught and his Apostles but also every Definition or Decree of any General Council assembled by the Command of the Pope So that as often as any thing is issued out by the Authority of any of these Church-Parliaments and order'd to be believ'd he thinks himself under pain of Damnation immediately bound to receive it and having added it to his Creed to assent to it with as Firm Stedfast and Divine a Faith as if it had been Commanded by Christ himself and Decreed in the Consistory of Heaven And by this means he never comes to understand his Religion or know what he is to Believe but by the continual Alterations Additions Diminutions Interpretations of these Councils he is preserv'd in a necessary Confusion and tho' he changes often yet he fondly thinks himself always the same HE believes that the Faith of his Church can receive no Additions and that he is oblig'd to believe nothing besides that which Christ taught and his Apostles and if any thing contrary to this should be defin'd and commanded to be believ'd even by Ten thousand Councils he believes it damnable in any one to receive it and by such Decrees to make Additions to his Creed However he maintains the Necessity and Right of General Councils lawfully Assembled whose business it is not to coin new Articles of Faith or devise Fresh Tenets but only as often as any Point of Receiv'd Doctrine is impugned or call'd in question to debate the matter and examine what has been the Belief of all Nations who are there present in their Prelates in that Point And this being agreed on to publish and make known to the World which is the Catholick Doctrine left by Christ and his Apostles and which the new-broach'd Error And by this means to prevent the loss of infinite number of Souls which might otherwise be deluded and carried away after new inventions not being capable by their own knowledge and abilities to distinguish betwixt Truth and Falshood and discover the subtilties of every crafty Deceiver And in this case he believes that he is oblig'd to submit and receive the Decrees of such a Council the Pastors and Prelates there present being by Christ and his Apostles appointed for the decision of such Controversies They having the care of that flock committed to them over which the Holy Ghost has made them Overseers to feed the Church of God Acts 20. 28. and to watch against those Men who should arise from among themselves speaking perverse things to draw Disciples after them Ib. vers 30. And he having receiv'd Command as likewise the whole Flock of Christ to obey their Prelates and to be subject to them who watch and are to render an accouut for their Souls Heb. 13. 17. with an assurance That He that heareth them heareth Christ and he that despiseth them despiseth Christ Luk. 10. 16. And withal being taught that as this way of the Antients of the Church and Prelates meeting in case of any danger threatning their Flock or any new Doctrine arising was the means instituted by Christ and practised by the Apostles in the first planting of the Church for the preventing Schisms and preserving Vnity among the Faithful and that they should speak and think the same thing and be perfectly joyn'd together in the same mind and same judgement 1 Cor. 1. 10. So it ought to be the means in all succeeding Ages for the preventing Divisions and conserving Vnity among the Faithful And that therefore as that Controversie concerning the necessity of Circumcision Act. c. 15. arising in the Apostles time was not decided by any private Person nor even by Paul and Barnabas who nevertheless had received the Holy Ghost and one would have thought might have pretended to the Spirit and a Heavenly Light but by a General Meeting of the Apostles and Elders of the Church at Jerusalem who were consulted by Paul and Barnabas about this Question So all other Disputes and Difficulties of Religion arising in succeding Ages ought to be refer'd to the Successors of the Apostles whose Charge Dignity and Office is to continue to the end of the World tho' they are dead in Person who are to consider of the matter Acts 15. 6. as the Apostles did while all the Multitude keeps silence ver 12. without any one presuming on any Learning Gift Virtue Prayers or Inspiration to intermeddle in the Dispute or put an end to the Question This being none of their business or obligation but only with all Patience and Humility to expect the Determination of their Prelates and Elders and receive it with the same expressions as those Good Christians did heretofore who rejoyced for the consolation Act. 15. 31. And unless this that the Apostles did and their Obsequious Flock be taken as a Pattern in all Ages for the ending such-like difficulties he believes 't is impossible that Believers should stand fast in one Spirit with one Mind Phil. 1. 27. and be not carried away with divers and strange Doctrines Heb. 13. 9. XVII Of Infalibility in the Church HE believes that the Pastors and Prelates of his Church are Infallible and that like so many Divine Oracles or petty Familiar Deities they are exempt from Errour and cannot deceive But this especally when they are met together in a General Council It being a main part of his Faith That then they are secure from all mistakes and that it is as impossible for them to decline either to the right hand or to the left in any of their Definitions and Decrees as it is for God to leave Heaven and become the Author of lies Thus fondly believing these to be assisted with a necessary Infallibility like Gods whom their Ignorance ill Example and Debauch'd Lives to a true Considerer scarce speak to be Men. As if God Almighty did so blindly throw his Benefits and Graces amongst his Creatures that none should have a more powerful assistance of God's Truth and Infallible Spirit than those in whom there was least of God to be found HE believes that the Pastors and Prelates of his Church are Fallible that there is none of them but may fall into Errours Heresie and Schism and consequently are subject to mistakes But that the whole Church can fail or be deceiv'd in any one Point of Faith this he believes impossible knowing it to be built on better promises such as secure her from all Errour and danger of Prevarication Her Foundation being laid by Christ against which the Gates of Hell shall not prevail Matt. 16. 18. The Power that protects her being Christ himself Behold I am with you all days Matt. 28. 20. The Spirit that Guides and Teaches her being the comforter of the Holy Ghost who shall teach her all things and suggest to her all things that Christ has said to her Joh. 14. 26. The time
of his Person 'T is not therefore any uncharitableness in his Church to declare plainly this miserable unhappystate of all such who wilfully oppose and seperate from the Doctrine of Christ deliver'd by the Apostles and continued in the Catholick Church and of such who disobey and seperate from the Government of the same Church which Christ has Commanded all to hear and obey But 't is her Zeal so to do and the same solicitude for the salvation of Souls which mov'd the Apostles heretofore to Preach the like Doctrine to their Flock as also the Primitive Christians to expel their Communion and Anathematize all such who by broaching erroneous Tenets contrary to any point of Receiv'd Doctrine or by disobedience did wilfully divide themselves from the Belief or Discipline of the Catholick Church Such as were Marcion Basilides and Bardesanes who were Condemn'd in the First Age for opposing that Article of our Faith in which we believe the Resurrection of the Dead such the Archonticks Condemn'd likewise for denying the necessity of Baptism Such Tatianus c. for Preaching Marriage to be unlawful Such the Millenarians for maintaining a thousand Years Reign of Christ upon Earth with his Saints in sensual pleasures And so in all Ages others were condemn'd upon the like account It having been always a received Custom even in the purest time of the Gospel for the Elders and Prelates to whose charge Christ committed the care of his Flock to oppose all those that by new Doctrin or by making Schisms and Divisions did disturb its peace and not to permit any that by such like means did endeavour to destroy his Unity so much desired and recommended by the Apostles So that they were equally declar'd Enemies of Christianity who denyed Christ and they who confessing Christ did yet contradict and reject any part of his Doctrin And this upon the Principle that Christian Faith ought to be entire For that every Article Mystery and Point of it being deliver'd by the same hands and recommended by the same Authority whosoever did oppose any one Point of it was immediately judg'd guilty of all in discrediting the Authority on which the whole stood equally grounded And this is that great Truth proclaimed above thirteen hundred years ago and now every where read in St. Athanasius's Creed Whosoever will be saved before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholick Faith Which Faith except every one do keep Whole and undefiled without doubt he shall perish everlastingly By which words was made known to the Christian World the Sense and Doctrine of the then pure and unspotted Church as receiv'd from Christ and his Apostles That it is in vain for any one to hope for Salvation unless he first believe the Catholick Faith and that whosoever does not believe it Whole and Undefiled shall certainly perish everlastingly Which is a Doctrin like that deliver'd by the Apostle concerning the observance of the Laws of God that as whosoever fails in one is made guilty of all so also whosoever disbelieves one Article of the Catholick Faith does in a manner disbelieve all There being no more hopes of Salvation for one that denies obstinately any one Point of the Catholick Faith tho' he believes all the rest than there is for one who keeps Nine of the Commandments with the Breach of the Tenth An obstinate opposition against one Point of Faith and a sin against one Commandment being as certainly damnable as if 't were against all There being the same reason and an equal necessity that the Observance of God's Law and the Assent to the Catholick Faith be alike entire and Whole And now being convinc'd that none can believe to Salvation but he that embraces the Catholick Faith thus wholly and entirely by an equal submission to all the Mysteries contain'd in it without opposition to any And being likewise convinc'd that no one can arrive to the true knowledg of this Faith with an assurance of its Integrity but by receiving it as propos'd and believ'd by the Church of Christ Which Church was founded by the Son of God watred with his Bloud and by an infallible assistance of the Holy Ghost by which it was to be taught all Truth to the end of the World was secur'd from the danger of being deceiv'd or deceiving others to the consummation of things he does not doubt but as in the Apostles time so also ever since and at present God addeth to this Church daily such as shall be saved Acts 2. 47. there being no entire faith necessary to Salvation to be found out of this Church and no possibility as St. Cyprian says that God shall be a Father to any who own not this Church for his Mother But now where and which this Church is and what Society of Men are Members of it among such variety of Pretenders though it may seem a great difficulty to some to distinguish yet to him it is none at all for since there is no other Church besides the Roman Catholick which has had a continued and visible Succession of Bishops and Pastors in all Ages since the Apostles no other that has converted Infidel Nations to Christianity no other that has always preserv'd Peace and Unity amongst its Members all of them speaking the same thing and being perfectly join'd together in the same mind and the same judgment no other that by assembling the Elders and Prelates has oppos'd in all ages Heresies and Schisms and condemn'd all those who not sparing the Flock have spoken perverse things endeavouring to draw away disciples after them no other that has in obedience to the command of Christ send Apostles amongst Infidels and Unbelievers for the preaching to them the Gospel and instructing them in Christianity and by this way without Arms or blood have spread their Faith throughout the World No other that by evident and undeniable Miracles have prov'd the truth of her Doctrin No other but what has begun by seperation whose first Preachers have gone out from this the time of their first Preaching and shewing themselves to the World being upon Record and their new Doctrine censur'd and condemn'd by that Church from whence they separated Since I say there 's no other Society or Christian Congregation in the World to which these certain Marks of the Church of Christ does agree 't is evident to him that this is the only true Church that whosoever denies any Article of her Faith denies so much of Christ's Doctrin that whosoever hears her hears Christ and whosoever obstinately and wilfully is separated from her is in the same distance sparated from Christ himself and finally that God addeth to this Church daily such as shall be saved Acts 2. 47. 36. Of Ceremonies and Ordinances HIs Church upon the presumption of being Apostolical and Commissioned by Christ has brought in such an infinite number of unnecessary superstitions Ceremonies that the whole exercise of her Religion consists in nothing but a vain
Scripture and all other Christian Mysteries and Duties respectively necessary to Salvation VIII This Church thus Spread thus Guided thus visibly continu'd in One Vniform Faith and Subordination to Government is that Self-same which is term'd the Romau Catholick Church the Qualifications above-mentioned viz. Vnity Indeficiency Visibility Succession and Vniversality being applicable to no other Church or Assembly whatsoever IX From the Testimony and Authority of this Church it is that we Receive and Believe the Scriptures to be God's Word And as She can assuredly tell Us This or That Book is God's Word so can she with the like Assurance tell us also the True Sense and Meaning of it in Controverted Points of Faith The same Spirit that Writ the Scripture Enlightening Her to understand both It and all matters necessary to Salvation From these Grounds it follows X. All and only Divine Revelations deliver'd by God unto the Church and propos'd by her to be believ'd as such are and ought to be esteem'd Articles of Faith and the contrary Opinions Heresie And XI As an Obstinate Separation from the Vnity of the Church in known declar'd Matters of Faith is Formal Heresie So a wilful Separation from the Visible Vnity of the same Church in matters of Subordination and Government is Formal Schism XII The Church proposes unto us matters of Faith First and chiefly by the Holy Scripture in Points plain and intelligible in it Secondly By Definitions of General Councils in poins not sufficiently Explain'd in Scripture Thirdly By Apostolical Traditions deriv'd from Christ and his Apostles to all Succeeding Ages Fourthly By her Practice Worship and Ceremonies confirming her Doctrine SECT II. Of Spiritual and Temporal Authority I. General Councils which are the Church of God Representative have no Commission from Christ to Frame New Matters of Faith these being sole Divine Revelations but only to Explain and Assertain unto Us what anciently was and is Receiv'd and Retain'd as of Faith in the Church upon arising Debates and Controversies about them The Definitions of which General Councils in Matters of Faith only and propos'd as such oblige under pain of Heresie all the Faithful to a Submission of Judgement But II. It is no Article of Faith to believe That General Councils cannot Err either in matters of Fact or Discipline alterable by circumstances of Time and Place or in matters of Speculation or Civil Policy depending on meer Humane Judgement or Testimony Neither of these being Divine Revelations deposited in the Catholick Church in regard to which alone she hath the promiss'd Assistance of the Holy Ghost Hence it is deduc'd III. If a General Council much less a Papal Consistory should undertake to depose a King and absolve his Subjects from their Allegiance no Catholick as Catholick is bound to submit to such a Decree Hence also it follows IV. The Subjects of the King of England lawfully may without the least breach of any Catholick Principle Renounce even upon Oath the Teaching or Practising the Doctrine of deposing Kings Excommunicated for Heresie by any Authority whatsoever as repugnant to the fundamental Laws of the Nation Injurious to Sovereign Power Destructive to the Peace and Government and by consequence in His Majesties Subjects Impious and Damnable Yet not properly Heretical taking the Word Heretical in that connatural genuine sense as it is usually understood in the Catholick Church on account of which and other Expressions no-wise appertaining to Loyalty it is that Catholicks of tender consciences refuse the Oath commonly call'd the Oath of Allegiance V. Catholicks believe That the Bishop of Rome is the Successor of S. Peter Vicar of Jesus Christ upon Earth and the Head of the whole Catholick Church which Church is therefore fitly stil'd Roman Catholick being an universal Body united under one visible Head Nevertheless VI. It is no matter of Faith to believe That the Pope is in himself Infallible separated from a General Council even in Expounding the Faith By consequence Papal Definitions or Decrees though ex Cathedra as they term them take exclusively from a General Council or Vniversal Acceptance of the Church oblige none under Pain of Heresie to an interior Assent VII Nor do Catholicks as Catholicks believe that the Pope hath any direct or indirect Authority over the Temporal Power and Jurisdiction of Princes Hence if the Pope should pretend to Absolve or Dispence with His Majesties Subjects from their Allegiance upon account of Heresie or Schism such Dispensation would be vain and null and all Catholick Subjects notwithstanding such Dispensation or Absolution wouldbe still bound in Conscience to defend their King and Countrey at the hazard of their Lives and Fortunes even against the Pope himself in case he should invade the Nation VIII And as for the Problematical Disputes or Errors of particular Divines in this or any other matter whatsoever the Catholick Church is no wise responsible for them Nor are Catholicks as Catholicks justly punishable on their account But IX As for the King-killing Doctrine or Murder of Princes Excommunicated for Heresie It is an Article of Faith in the Catholick Church and expresly declar'd in the General Council of Constance that such Doctrine is Damnable and Heretical being contrary to the known Laws of God and Nature X. Personal Misdemeanors of what Nature soever ought not to be Imputed to the Catholick Church when not Justifiable by the Tenents of her Faith and Doctrine For which Reason though the Stories of the Paris Massacre the Irish Cruelties or Powder-Plot had been exactly true which yet for the most part are notoriously mis-related nevertheless Catholicks as Catholicks ought not to suffer for such Offences any more than the Eleven Apostles ought to have suffer'd for Judas's Treachery XII It is an Article of the Catholick Faith to believe that no Power on Earth can License Men to Lie to forswear and Perjure themselves to Massacre their Neighbours or Destroy their Native Countrey on pretence of promoting the Catholick Cause or Religion Furthermore all pardons and Dispensations granted or pretended to be granted in order to any such Ends or Designs have no other Validity or Effect than to add sacriledge and blasphemy to the above-mention'd Crimes XII The Doctrine of Equivocation or Mental Reservation however wrongfully Impos'd upon the Catholick Religion is notwithstanding neither taught nor approv'd by the Church as any part of her Belief On the contrary simplicity and Godly sincerity are constantly recommended by her as truly Christian Virtues necessary to the conservation of Justice Truth and Common-security SECT III. Of some Particular controverted Points of Faith I. EVery Catholick is oblig'd to believe that when a Sinner Repents him of his Sins from the bottom of his Heart and Acknowledges his Transgressions to God and his Ministers
above the sentence pronounced in that Tribunal Loosing in Heaven whatsoever is thus loosed by them on Earth And that whosoever comes without the due Preparation without a Repentance from the bottom of his heart and real intention of forsaking his sins receives no benefit by the Absolution but adds sin to sin by a high contempt of God's Mercy and abuse of his Sacraments VIII Of Indulgences HE believes that his Holy Father the Pope can give him leave to commit what sins he pleaseth Especially if he can make him a present of a round Sum of Money he never need doubt of an Indulgence or Pardon for himself and his Heirs for ever for all sorts of Crimes or Wickedness he or any of his Posterity may have convenience of falling into And having this Commission in his Pocket under the Pope's Broad-Seal he may be confident that Christ will confirm and stand to all that his Vicar upon Earth has granted and not call him to any account for any thing he has done although he should chance to die without the leâ—â— remorse of Conscience or Repentance for his sins HE believes it damnable to hold that the Pope or any other Power in Heaven or Earth can give him leave to commit any sins whatsoever Or that for any Sum of Money he can obtain an Indulgence or Pardon for sins that are to be committed by him or his Heirs hereafter He firmly believes that no sins can be forgiven but by a true and hearty Repentance But that still there is a Power in the Church of granting Indulgences which concern not at all the Remission of sins either Mortal or Venial but only of some Temporal Punishments remaining due after the Guilt is remitted So that they are nothing else but a Mitigation or Relaxation upon just causes of Canonical Penances which are or may be injoyn'd by the Pastors of the Church on Penitent sinners according to their several degrees of demerit And this he is taught to be grounded on the judiciary Power left by Christ in his Church of binding and loosing whereby Authority was given to erect a Court of Conscience to assign Penalties or release them as circumstances should require And this Authority he knows Saint Paul plainly own'd 2 Cor. 2. 6. where he decreed a Penance sufficient says he to such a man is this punishment And 2 Cor. 2. 10. where he released one For your sake speaking of the Penance injoyn'd the Incestuous Corinthian I forgive it in the Person of Christ And what Money there is given at any time on this account concerns not at all the Pope's Coffers but is by every one given as they please either to the Poor to the Sick to Prisoners c. wherefore they judge it most Charity And tho' he acknowledges many abuses have been committed in Granting and Gaining Indulgences through the default of some particular Persons yet he cannot imagine how these can in Justice be charg'd upon the Church to the prejudice of her Faith and Doctrine especially since she has been so careful in the retrenching them As may be seen by what was done in the Council of Trent Dec. de Indulg cum potestas IX Of Satisfaction HE believes very injurously of Christ's Passion being perswaded that his Sufferings and Death were not sufficiently satisfactory for our sins but that it is necessary for every one to make satisfaction for themselves And for this end after he has been at Confession the Priest injoyns him a Penance by the performance of which he is to satisfie for his offences And thus confidently relying upon his own Penitential Works he utterly evacuates Christ's Passion and though he professes himself a Christian and that Christ is his Saviour yet by his little trusting to him he seems to think him to be no better than what his Crucifix informs him that is a meer Wooden one HE believes it damnable to think injuriously of Christ's Passion Nevertheless he believes that tho' condign Satisfaction for the Guilt of Sin and the pain Eternal due to it be proper only to Christ our Saviour yet that Penitent Sinners being Redeem'd by Christ and made his Members may in some measure satisfie by Prayer Fasting Alms c. for the Temporal Pain which by order of God's Justice sometimes remains due after the Guilt and the Eternal Pain are remitted So that trusting in Christ as his Redeemer he yet does not think that by Christ's Sufferings every Christian is discharg'd of his particular Sufferings but that every one is to suffer something for himself as Saint Paul did who by tribulations and in suffering in his own flesh did accomplish those things that wanted of the Passions of Christ and this not only for himself but for the whole Church Coloss 1. 24. and this he finds every where in Scripture viz. People admonish'd of the greatness of their sins doing Penance in Fasting Sack-cloath and Ashes and by voluntary austerities endeavouring to satisfie the Divine Justice And these Personal Satisfactions God has sufficiently also minded him of in the punishments of Moses Aaron David and infinite others and even in the Afflictions sent by God upon our own Age in Plagues Wars Fires Persecutions Rebellions and such like Which few are so Atheistical but they confess to be sent from Heaven for the just chastisements of our sins and which we are to undergo notwithstanding the Infinite Satisfaction made by Christ and without any undervaluing it Now being thus convinc'd of some Temporal Punishments being due to his sins he accepts of all Tribulations whether in Body Name or Estate from whence-soever they come and with others of his own chusing offers them up to God for the discharging this debt still confessing that his Offences deserve yet more But these Penitential Works he is taught to be no otherwise satisfactory than as joyn'd and apply'd to that satisfaction which Jesus made upon the Cross in virtue of which alone all our good Works find a grateful acceptance in God's sight X. Of Reading the Holy Scripture HE believes it part of his Duty to think meanly of the Word of God to speak irreverently of the Scripture to do what he is able to lessen the repute of it and bring it into disgrace And for this end he says it is obscure full of ambiguous expressions plain contradictions not fit to be read by the Vulgar nor fit to be Translated into Vulgar Languages And without respect to Christ or his Apostles prophanely Preaches that no Ten Books in the World have done so much mischief to Christianity as this one And under a vain pretence of preventing farther inconveniences endeavours to deprive all of this Spiritual comfort of this Divine Food of this Heavenly Light that so being kept in darkness they may be also preserv'd in ignorance and Damn'd Eternally HE believes it damnable in any one to think speak or do any thing irreverently towards the Scripture or by any means whatsoever to bring it into dis-repute or
disgrace He holds it in the highest Veneration of all Men living he professes it to be the Dew of Heaven Oracles of God Fountain of Eternal Life that to prophane it is to incur the guilt of Damnation And that we are rather bound to lose our lives than concur any way to its prophanation 'T is true he does not think it fit to be read generally by all without Licence or in the Vulgar-Tongues Not for any dis-respect to it But I. Because he understands that private Interpretation is not proper for the Scripture 2 Pet. 1. 20. II. Because that in the Epistles of Saint Paul are certain things hard to be understood which the unlearned and unstable deprave as also the rest of the Scriptures to their own perdition III. Because God hath given only some to be Apostles some Prophets other-some Evangelists and other-some Pastors and Doctors Eph. 4. 11. For these Reasons he is taught That 't is not convenient for the Scripture to be read indifferently to all men but only such as have express Licence and good testimony from their Curates that they are humble discreet and devout Persons and such as are willing to observe directions in the perusing this Sacred Volume That is take notice of all Godly Histories and imitable examples of Humility Chastity Obedience Mercy to the Poor c. and all such places as are apt to provoke and stir up the hatred of Sin fear of God's Judgements love of Virtue c. and in all Hard Obscure and Disputable Points to refer all to the Arbitrement of the Church to the judgement of those whom God hath appointed Pastors and Doctors Never presuming to contend controul teach or talk of their own Sense and Phansie in deep Questions of Divinity and high Mysteries of Faith but expecting the sense of these from the Lips of the Priest who shall keep knowledge and from whose mouth they shall require the Law Mal. 2. 7. And this Caution is used lest that the Scripture coming into the hands of a presuming sort of proud curious and contentious People be abused and perverted who make it their business to enquire into Dogmatical Mystical High and Hidden secrets of God's Counsels into Predestination Reprobation Election Pre-science and other such incomprehensible Mysteries and upon the presumption of I know not what Spirit immediately become Teachers Controllors and Judges of Doctors Church Scripture and all and acknowledging no Authority left by Christ to which they are to submit under pretence of Scripture and Gods Word make way for all sorts of Prophaneness Irreligion and Atheism So that 't is not for the preserving Ignorance he allows a restraint upon the reading the Scriptures but for the preventing a blind ignorant Presumption And that it may be done to edification and not to destruction and without casting the holy to dogs or pearls to swine XI Of Apocryphal Books HE believes it lawful to make what Additions to Scripture his Party thinks good and therefore takes no notice of the antient Canon approved by the Apostles and Primitive Christians but allows equal Authority to the Books of Toby Judith Ecclesiasticus Wisdom and the Macchabees as to the other part of the Scripture although these were always rejected by the Jews never extant in the Hebrew Copy and expresly condemn'd by St. Jerome as not Canonical and never admitted by the Church but only of late years in some of their Synods which made these Innovations contrary to the sense of their Ancestors HE believes it damnable to add and thing to the Scripture And yet allows the Books of Toby Judith Ecclesiasticus Wisdom Macchabees to be Canonical because the Church of Christ has declar'd them such not only in these later Ages but even in the Primitive times St. Gregory Nazianzen Orat. de SS Macch. who lived in the year 354. Also St. Ambrose lib. de Jacob. vit beat An. 370. Innocent I. Ep. ad Exup They were also received by the Third Council of Carthage Anno 419. which approv'd all these Books as Canonical Can. 47. and was subscrib'd by St. Augustine and confirm'd in the Sixth General Synod August lib. 2. Doct. Christ cap. 8. So that to him 't is of little concern whether they were ever in the Hebrew Copy the Canon of the Church of Christ being of much more Authority with him than the Canon of the Jews He having no other assurance that the Books of Moses and the four Gospels are the true Word of God but by the Authority and Canon of the Church And this he has learn'd from that great Doctor St. Augustine who declares his mind plainly in this case saying That he would not believe the Gospel except the Authority of the Catholick Church mov'd him thereunto Contra Ep. Fundam c. 4. Now he is well satisfied that many doubted whether these Books were Canonical or no and amongst others St. Jerom because the Church had not declar'd them so But since the Church's Declaration no Catholick ever doubted no more than of other Books viz. of the Epistle to the Hebrews the Epistle of St. James the second of St. Peter the second and third of St. John St. Jude 's Epistle and the Apocalyps All which were for many years after the Apostles time doubted of but afterwards declared and receiv'd as Canonical This he finds St. Jerome expresly confessing of himself viz. That for some time the Book of Judith seemed to him Apocryphal to wit till the Council of Nice declar'd it otherwise Praef. in Judith The like he affirms of St. James's Epistle that it was doubted of by many for several years Paulatim tempore procedente meruit authoritatem By little and little in process of time it gain'd Authority De viris illus verb. Jacobus For this reason he matters not what Books have been reputed Apocryphal by some and for some years But only what Books are Receiv'd and Declar'd by the Church Canonical in what year and at what time soever For believing the same spirit of Truth assists her in all Ages he looks upon himself equally oblig'd to receive her Definitions of the Year 4. 19. as of any of the precedent years It not being possible for Christ to fail of his Promise or the Holy Ghost to err or misguide the Church in that year more than in any other XII Of the Vulgar Edition of the Bible HE makes no Conscience of abusing the Scripture and perverting for the maintenance of his Errours and Superstitions And therefore though he dares not altogether lay it by lest he should by so doing lose all claim to Christianity Yet he utterly disapproves it as it is in its genuine Truth and Purity and as allow'd in the Church of England and crying this down he believes it unlawful to be read by any of his Communion And then puts into their hands another Volume which in its Frontis-piece bears the Title indeed of the Word of God with the names of the Books and Chapters but in the
context of it is so every where full of Corruptions Falsifications and intolerable Abuses that it almost every where belies its Title and is unfit for any one who professes himself a Christian HE believes it a damnable sin to abuse the Scripture or any ways to pervert it for the maintenance of Errours or Superstitions and thinks himself oblig'd rather to lay down his life than concur to or approve of any such Falsifications or Corruptions prejudicial to Faith or Good Manners For this reason being conscious that in all Ages there has been several Copies of this Sacred Volume quite different from the Originals in many places either through the mistake of the Transcribers or malice of others endeavouring by this means to gain credit to their new Doctrines He is commanded not to receive all Books indifferently for the Word of God that wear that Title but only such as are approv'd by the Church and recommended by her Legitimate And such is that he daily uses commonly known by the name of the Vulgar Translation which has been the principal of all other Latine Copies in all Ages since the Primitive times much commended by Saint Augustine and never altered in any thing but once heretofore by the Holy Studies of St. Hierome And twice or thrice since being review'd by Authority and purg'd of such mistakes as in length of time had crept in by Transcribers or Printers faults And that this Translation is most pure and incorrupt as to any thing concerning matter of Belief or difference in Religion is not only the Doctrine of his Church but also the Sentiment of many Learned Men of the Reformation who approve this Version and prefer it before any other Latine one whatsoever Beza in his Preface to the New-Testament Anno 1559. blames Erasmus for rejecting it Paulus Fagius cries out against all that disallow it Cap. 4. Vers Lat. Paraph. Chald. Ludovicus de Dieu with admiration confesses it to be most Faithful in Not. ad Evang. Praef. Causabon prefers it before the Greeks Text now in use and acknowledges that it agrees with the Antient Manuscripts in Not. ad Evang. Act. Grotius professes to the World that he highly esteems it for that it contains no erroneous Opinions and is very Learned nulla dogmata insalubria continet multum habet in se eruditionis Praef. Annot. in vet Test And for this reason he refers his Annotations generally to this Translation as he declares himself So that seeing this Version is deliver'd to him with the approbation of his whole Church and is commended by most Learned Adversaries he thinks he has great reason to receive it and that he may peruse it without any danger that can come to him from any Corruptions or Falsifications And because he has not the like assurance of the English Translation allowed by Protestants or any other made since the Reformation by any of that Perswasion but sees that there has been almost as many different Translations made and publish'd by these as there had been Men of different Humours different Spirits and different Interests whereof none have ever approv'd the Versions of any of the rest but cry'd out against and Condemn'd them of many Alterations Additions Detractions and Forgeries Bucer and the Osiandrians exclaiming against Luther Luther against Munster Beza against Castaleo Castaleo against Beza Calvin against Servetus Illyricus against Calvin and Beza Our English Ministers against Tindal and his Fellows And this not upon the account of some oversights or light mistakes or the following of different Copies but accusing one another of being Absurd and senseless in their Translations of obscuring and perverting the meaning of the Holy Ghost of Omissions and Additions of perverting the Text in eight hundred forty and eight pieces of corrupt and false Translations all which in express Terms has been charg'd by great Abbettors of the Reformation against a Bible yet us'd in England and ordered to be read in all Churches by Queen Elizabeth and to be seen in the Abridgement of a Book deliver'd by certain Ministers to King James pag. 11. 12. In Mr. Burges's Apology Sect. 6. Mr. Broughton's Advertisement to the Bishops And in Doctor Reynold's refusing before the King at Hampton-Court to subscribe to the Communion-Book because it warranted a corrupt and false Translation of the Bible For these and such other reasons he is commanded not to read any of these Translations but only that which is recommended to him by the Church XIII Of the Scripture as a Rule of Faith HE believes it lawful nay that it is his obligation to undervalue the Scripture and take from it that Authority which Christ gave it For whereas Christ left this to the World as the Rule of Faith and as a Sacred Oracle from whence all his Followers might be instructed in the Precepts of a good life learn all the Mysteries of their Faith and be resolv'd in all difficult and doubtful Points of Religion He is taught flatly to deny all this and to believe that the Scripture is not capable of desiding any one point of Controversie or reconciling the different Sentiments of Men in Religion And thus demeans himself towards the Word of God in a manner most unbecoming a Christian HE believes it damnable to undervalue the Scripture or take from it the Authority given it by Christ He gives it all respect due to the Word of God he owns it to be of greatest Authority upon Earth and that it is capable of leading a Man to all Truth whensoever it is rightly understood But to any one that mis-understands it and takes it in any other sense than what was intended by the Holy Ghost he believes it to such a one to be no Scripture no Word of God that to such a one it is no Rule of Faith nor Judge of Controversies And that what he thinks to be the Doctrine of Christ and Command of Heaven is nothing but his own Imagination and the suggestion of the Devil And since by the experience of so many thousand Heresies since our Saviour's time all pretending to be grounded on Scripture he finds that almost every Text of the Bible and even those that concern the most Essential and Fundamental Points of the Christian Religion may be Interpreted several ways and made to signifie things contrary to one another and that while thus contrary meanings are by several Persons drawn from the same Words the Scripture is altogether silent without discovering which of all those senses is that intended by the Holy Ghost and leading to Truth and which are Erroneous and Antichristian He is taught to believe that the Scripture alone can be no Rule of Faith to any Private or Particular person not that there is any thing wanting on the Scripture-side but because no private person can be certain whether amongst all the several meanings every Text is obnoxious to that which he understands it in is the Right or no. And without this certainty of
Truth and security from Errour he knows there 's nothing capable of being a Rule XIV Of the Interpretation of Scripture HE believes that his Church which he calls Catholick is above the Scripture and prophanely allows to her an uncontrollable authority of being Judge of the Word of God And being fondly abus'd into a distrust of the Scriptures and that he can be certain of nothing even of the Fundamentals of Christianity from what is deliver'd in them though they speak never so plainly he is taught to rely wholly upon this Church and not to believe one word the Scripture says unless his Church says it too HE believes that the Church is not above the Scripture but only allows that Order between them as is between the Judge and the Law And is no other than what generally every Private Member of the Reformation challenges to himself as often as he pretends to decide and doubt of his own or his Neighbours in Religion by interpreting the Scripture Neither is he taught at all to distrust the Scripture or not to relie on it but only to distrust his own private Interpretation of it and not to rely on his own Judgement in the Resolution of any doubt concerning Faith or Religion though he can produce several Texts in favour of his Opinion But in all such cases he is commanded to re-cur to the Church and having learnt from her the sense of all such Texts how they have been understood by the whole Community of Christians in all Ages since the Apostles and what has been their Receiv'd Doctrine in such doubtful and difficult Points he is oblig'd to submit to this and never presume on his own Private Sentiments however seemingly grounded on Reason and Scripture to Believe or Preach any New Doctrine opposite to the Belief of the Church But as he receives from her the Book so also to receive from her the sense of the Book With a Holy Confidence that she that did not cheat him in delivering a False Book for the True one will not cheat him in delivering a False and Erroneous sense for the True one her Authority which is sufficient in the one being not less in the other And his own Private Judgement which was insufficient in the one that is in finding out the True Scripture and discerning it from all other Books being as incapable and in-sufficient in the other that is in certainly discovering the meaning of the Holy Ghost and avoiding all other Heterodox and Mistaken Interpretations XV. Of Tradition HE believes the Scripture to be imperfect And for the supplying of what he thinks Defective in it he admits Humane Ordinations and Traditions of Men allowing equal Authority to these as to the Scriptures themselves thinking himself as much oblig'd to submit to these and believe them with Divine Faith as he does whatsoever is written in the Bible and confessedly spoken by the Author of all Truth God himself Neither will he admit of any one to be a Member of his Communion although he undoubtedly believes every Word that 's written in the Scripture unless he also assents to these Traditions and gives as great credit to them as to the Word of God although in That there is not the least footstep of them to be found HE believes the Scripture not to be imperfect nor to want Humane Ordinations or Traditions of Men for the supplying any defects in it Neither does he allow the same Authority to these as to the Word of God or give them equal credit or exact it of others that desire to be admitted into the Communion of his Church He believes no Divine Faith ought to be given to any thing but what is of Divine Revelation and that nothing is to have place in his Creed but what was taught by Christ and his Apostles and has been believ'd and taught in all Ages by the Church of God the Congregation of all True Believers and has been so deliver'd down to him through all Ages But now whether that which has been so deliver'd down to him as the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles has been by Word of Mouth or Writing is altogether indifferent to him he being ready to follow in this point as in all others the command of St. Paul that is To stand fast and hold the Traditions he has learn'd whether by Word or by Epistle 2 Thess 2. 15. And to look upon any one as Anathema That shall preach otherwise than he has thus receiv'd Gal. 1. 9. So that as he undoubtedly holds the Scripture to be the Word of God penn'd by Prophets and Apostles and inspir'd by the Holy Ghost because in all Ages from Moses to Christ and from Christ to this time it has been so Taught Preach'd Believ'd and Deliver'd successively by the Faithful and never scruples the least of the truth of it nor sticks to assent to it with a stedfast and Divine Faith altho' they are not nor have not at any time been able to prove what they have thus taught and deliver'd with one Text of Scripture In the like manner he is ready to receive and believe all that this same Congregation has together with the Bible in all Ages successively without interruption Taught Preach'd Believ'd and Deliver'd as the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and assent to it with Divine Faith just as he does to the Bible and esteems any one Anathema that shall Preach otherwise than he has thus receiv'd And although some may seriously endeavour to convince him that several Points of Faith and other Religious Practices which he has thus receiv'd and believes are not the Doctrine of Christ nor Apostolical Institutions but rather Inventions of Men and Lessons of Antichrist and should produce several Texts of Scripture for the proving it He is not any thing surpriz'd at it As well knowing that he that follows not this Rule of Believing all to be of Christ that has been universally taught and believ'd as such by the Church of Christ and of understanding the Scripture in the same sense in which it has in all Ages been understood by the same Church may very easily frame as many Creeds as he pleases and make Christ and his Apostles speak what shall be most agreeable to his Humour and suit best with his Interest and find plain proofs for all And make no more difficulty in producing Scripture against Christ's Doctrine than the Jews and the Devil did against Christ's Person who never wanted their Scriptum est It is written when 't was necessary to carry on their designs And if there were any thing in these sort of Arguments to make him doubt of the truth of any Point of Doctrine thus receiv'd he thinks it might make him call in question the Truth of the Scripture and the Bible it self as soon as any thing else They all standing upon the same foundation of the Church's Tradition which if it fail in one leaves no security in any XVI Of Councils
that she is to be thus protected taught and assisted being not only while the Apostles liv'd or for the first three four or five hundred years next after but for ever to the end of the World Behold I am with you all days Matt. 28. 20. He will give you another Paraclete that he may abide with you for ever Joh. 14. 16. And the thing that she is to be thus taught to the end of the World being all truth He shall teach you all truth Joh. 16. 13. Now being assured by these Promises that the Church of Christ shall be taught all Truth by the special assistance of the Holy Ghost to the end of the World he has Faith to believe that Christ will make his Words good and that his Church shall never fail nor be corrupted with Antichristian Doctrine nor be the Mistress of Errours but shall be taught all Truth and shall teach all Truth to the consummation of things and that whosoever hears her hears Christ And whosoever despiseth her despises Christ and ought to be esteemed as an Heathen or a Publican Matt. 18. 17. The like assistance of the Holy Ghost he believes to be in all General Councils which is the Church representative as the Parliament is the Representative of the Nation by which they are especially protected from all Errour in all Definitions and Declarations in matters of Faith So that what the Apostles pronounc'd concerning the Result of their Council Act. 15. 28. It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to Vs He does not doubt may be perfix'd to all the Determinations in Point of Faith resolv'd on by any General Council Lawfully Assembled since that time or to be held to the Worlds end The Assistance being to extend as far as the Promise And tho' 't is possible that several of the Prelates and Pastors in such an Assembly as also many others in Communion with the Church of Christ should at other times either through Pride or Ignorance prevaricate make Innovations in Faith teach Erroneous Doctrines and endeavour to draw numbers after them yet he is taught that this does not at all argue a Fallibility in the Church nor prejudice her Faith but only the Persons that thus unhappily fall into these Errours and cut themselves off from being Members of the Mystical Body of Christ upon Earth Whilst the Belief of the Church remains pure and untainted and experiences the Truth of what St. Paul foretold That Grievous Wolves shall enter in among you not sparing the Flock Also of your own selves shall Men arise speaking perverse things to draw away Disciples after them Act. 20. v. 29. 30. which as it prov'd true even in the Apostles time by the fall of Nicholas and his followers as also of several others So it has been verified in all Ages since by turbulent and presuming Spirits broaching new Doctrines and making Separations and Schisms But this without casting any more aspersion on the Church or Congregation of the Faithful than the fall of Judas did on the Apostles or the Rebellion of Lucifer on the Hierarchy of Angels which was no more than that such wicked and presuming Spirits went out from amongst them and were expell'd their Communion as unworthy Neither does it reflect at all on the Churches Authority or make the truth of her Doctrine questionable to him that many of her Eminent Members Doctors Prelates and Leading Men have been or are great enormous Sinners infamous for their Pride covetousness or other Vices whatsoever The Promises of God's continual and un-interrupted assistance to his Church being not to be frustrated by the wickedness of such particular Men tho' in great Dignities These Promises being made surer to her than ever the Jewish Church Which nevertheless stood firm in her Authority and the Delivery of Truth notwithstanding the frequent Idolatry of the People Nadab and Abihu's Consecrated Priests offering strange Fire Corah Dathan and Abiram's making a great Schism and the sins of Moses and Aaron and other High-Priests in all her succeeding Ages Nay tho' all things touching Religion and Virtue were in a manner run to decay in our Saviour's time both in Priests and People yet did he maintain the Authority of the Jewish Church and commanded all to be Obedient and submit to those who had the superiority without calling in question their Authority or doubting of the reasonableness of their Commands The Scribes and Pharisees says he Matt. 23. 2. sit in Moses 's Chair All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and do But do ye not after their works If therefore God's special assistance was never wanting to the Church of the Jews so as to let it fail in the Truth of its Doctrine or its Authority notwithstanding the Pride Covetousness Cruelty Impiety Idolatry of many of her Levites Elders Priests and High-Priests Why should not he believe the same of the Church of Christ which as St. Paul says is built on better promises and that it remains entire in the Truth of her Doctrine and her Authority notwithstanding the viciousness of many of her Governours Especially since he 's in a manner confident that there has been nothing so infamous acted by any Priests Prelates Popes or others since Christ's time but what may be follow'd Nay was out-done by the Priests of the Jews XVIII Of the POPE HE believes the Pope to be his great God and to be far above all the Angels That Christ is no longer Head of the Church but that this Holy Father hath taken his place and that whatsoever he Orders Decrees or Commands is to be received by his Flock with the same respect submission and awe as if Christ had spoken it by his own mouth For that his Holiness having once receiv'd the Triple-Crown on his Head is now no more to be look'd upon as Man but as Christ's Vicar whose Office it is to Constitute and Ordain such things as Christ forgot when he was upon Earth not throughly considering what would be the Exigencies of his Flock in future Ages And for this intent he is assisted with a certain Mysterious Infallibility such as hides it self when he is upon his own Private Concerns exposes him to all the Designs Cheats Malice and Machinations of his Enemies and lets him be as easily over-seen as imprudent as silly as his Neighbours But when he comes into his Chair to hear any Publick Business then it begins to appear and protects him from all Mistakes and Errors and he becomes immediately full of the Holy Ghost though he had the Devil and all of Wickedness in him just before HE believes the Pope to be none of his God neither Great nor Little That he is not above the Angels but only a Man He believes that Christ as he is supreme Master Governour and Lord of all created things so also of his Church of which he acknowledges him to be the Founder and Head But as notwithstanding this Lordship and Headship of Christ
his Communion it having been their Custom ever since Oaths were first devis'd against them rather to suffer the loss of their Goods Banishments Imprisonments Torments and Death it self than Forswear themselves or protest the least Untruth And 't is not out of the memory of Man that several might have saved their Estates and Lives too would they have subscrib'd to and own'd but one Lie and yet refus'd it chusing rather to die Infamously than prejudice their Conscience with an Vntruth So that it seems a great Mystery to him that those of his Profession should have Leave and Dispensations to Lie and Forswear themselves at pleasure and yet that they should need nothing else but Lying and Perjury for the quiet enjoyment of their Estates for the saving their Lives for the obtaining Places of highest Command and greatest Dignity such as would be extraordinarily advantagious for their Cause and the interest of their Church And yet that they should generally chuse rather to forego all these so considerable Conveniences than once Lie or Forswear themselves And is it not another great Mystery that these Dispensations for Lying and Swearing should be according to the Receiv'd Doctrine of his Church and yet that he or any of his Communion were never instructed nor inform'd of any such Diabolical Point nay had never come to the knowledge of it had it not been for the Information receiv'd from some Zealous Adversaries such as relate either meerly upon Trust or else such as have receiv'd a Dispensatiou of Lying from the Devil that they might charge the like Doctrine on the Church of Rome and the Pope XX. Of the Deposing Power HE believes that the Pope has Authority to dispence with his Allegiance to his Prince and that he needs no longer be a Loyal Subject and maintain the Rights Priviledges and Authority of his King than the Pope will give him leave And that if this Mighty Father think fit to thunder out an Excommunication against him then he shall be deem'd the best Subject and Most Christian that can first shed his Prince's Blood and make him a Sacrifice to Rome and he 's but ill rewarded for his pains who after so Glorious an Atchievement has not his Name plac'd in the Kalendar and he Canoniz'd for a Saint So that there can be no greater Danger to a King than to have Popish Subjects he holding his Life amongst them only at the Pope's pleasure 'T IS no part of his Faith to believe that the Pope has Authority to dispense with his Allegiance to his Sovereign or that he can Depose Princes upon any account whatsoever giving leave to their Subjects to take up Arms against them and endeavour their ruin He knows that Deposing and King-killing Power has been maintain'd by some Canonists and Divines of his Church and that it is in their Opinion lawful and annex'd to the Papal Chair He knows likewise that some Popes have endeavour'd to act according to this Power But that this Doctrine appertains to the Faith of his Church and is to be believ'd by all of that Communion is a malicious Calumny a down-right Falsity And for the truth of this it seems to him a sufficient Argument that for the few Authors that are Abettors of this Doctrine there are of his Communion three times the number that publickly disown all such Authority besides several Vniversities and whole Bodies that have solemnly condemn'd it without being in the least suspected of their Religion or of denying any Article of their Faith Those other Authors therefore Publish their own Opinions in their Books and those Popes acted according to what they judg'd lawful and all this amounts to no more than that this Doctrine has been or is an Opinion amongst some of his Church but to raise it to an Article of Faith upon these grounds is impossible Let his Church therefore answer for no more than what she delivers for Faith let Prelates answer for their Actions and Authors for their own Opinions otherwise more Churches must be charg'd with Deposing and King-killing Doctrine besides that of Rome The Vniversity of Oxford having found other Authors of Prenicious Books and Damnable Doctrines destructive to the Sacred Persons of Princes their State and Government besides Jesuits as may be seen in their Decree publish'd in the London Gazette July 26. 1683. In which they condemn'd twenty seven false impious seditious Propositions fitted to stir up Tumults overthrow States and Kingdoms to lead to Rebellion Murder of Princes and Atheism it self Of which number only three or four were ascrib'd to the Jesuits the rest having men of another Communion for their Fathers And this Doctrine was not first condemn'd by Oxford What they did here in in the Year 1683. having been solemnly done in Paris in 1626. Where the whole Colledge of Sorbon gave Sentence against this Proposition of Sanctarellus viz. That the Pope for Heresie and Schism might depose Princes and exempt the Subjects from their Obedience the like was done by the Vniversities of Caen Rhemes Poictoirs Valence Bourdeaux Bourges and the Condemnation subscrib'd by the Jesuits And Mariana's Book was committed publickly to the flames by a Provincial Council of his own Order for the discoursing the Point of King-killing Doctrine problematically Why therefore should this distoyal Doctrine be laid to his Church when-as it has been writ against by several hundred single Authors in her Communion and disown'd and solemnly condemn'd by so many famous Vniversities And why should the Actions of some few Popes with the Private Opinions of some Speculative Doctors be so often and vehemently urg'd for the just charging this Doctrine upon the Faith of the Church of Rome which to a Serious Impartial Considerer are only meer Fallacies capable of Libelling all Societies in the World of overthrowing all States and Kingdoms and only fit Arguments for Knaves to cheat Fools withal There Being no Government in the World which might not be easily proved Tyrannical No Religion Perswasion or Society which might not plausibly be indicted of Atheism If the Actions Pretences Claims and Endeavour of some few of their Governours and Leading Men the Opinions Writings Phansies of some Authors be allow'd as sufficient Evidence for the bringing in the Verdict of Guilty upon the whole When Malice therefore and Envy have done their worst in this point to render the Papists bloody and barbarous to the World yet 't is certain after all that Popish Princes sit as safe in their Thrones enjoy as much Peace and Security as any other Princes whatsoever And that the Papists in England can give as good proofs of their Loyalty as the best of those that clamour so loud against them They can bid defyance to their Adversaries to shew any one Person of Honour and Estate amongst them or even four of any condition whatsoever that bore Arms against Charles the First during the whole time of his Troubles They can make good that there was scarce any amongst
Saviour Jesus Christ instituted at his last Supper when leaving unto us his Body and Blood under two distinct Species of Bread and Wine he bequeath'd as a Legacy to his Apostles not only a Sacrament but also a Sacrifice A Commemorative Sacrifice lively Representing in an unbloody manner the bloody Sacrifice which was offered for us upon the Cross and by a distinction of the Symbols distinctly shewing his death Christ's until he come This he gave in charge to his Apostles as to the first and Chief Priests of the New Testament and to their Successors to Offer commanding them to do the same thing he had there done at his last Supper in commemoration of him And this is the Oblation or Sacrifice of the Mass which has been observ'd perform'd frequented by the Faithful in all Ages attested by the General Consent of antient Canons universal Tradition Councils and the practice of the whole Church mention'd and allow'd of by all the Fathers Greek and Latine and never call'd into question but of late Years being that Pure Offering which Malachy Prophecying of Christ foretold should be offer'd among the Gentiles in every place Mal. 1. 11. as it is understood by several Fathers and particularly S. Cypr. l. 1. c. 18. advers Jud. S. Jerom S. Theodoret S. Cyril in their Commentaries upon this Text S. Augustine l. 18. c. 15. de Civit. S. Chrysost in Psal 95. and others XXIII Of Purgatory HE believes contrary to all Reason the Word of God and all Antiquity that besides Heaven and Hell there is a third Place which his Church is pleas'd to call Purgatory a Place intended purely for those of his Communion where they may easily have admittance after this life without danger of falling into Hell For that though Hell was designed first for the punishment of Sinners yet that now since the blessed discovery of Purgatory Hell may easily be skip'd over and an Eternal Damnation avoided for an exchange of some short Penalty undergone in this Pope's Prison where he never need fear to be detain'd long for that if he has but a friend left behind him that will but say a few Hail-Maries for his soul or in his Testament did but remember to order a small sum to be presented to some Mass-Priest he never need doubt of being soon Releas'd For that a Golden Key will as infallibly open the Gates of Purgatory as of any other Prison whatsoever HE believes it damnable to admit of any thing for Faith that is contrary to Reason the Word of God and all Antiquity And that the Being of a Third Place call'd Purgatory is so far from being contrary to all or any of these that it is attested confirm'd and establish'd by them all 'T is expresly in the 2d of the Machabees c. 12. where Mony was sent to Hierusalem that Sacrifices might be offered for the slain And 't is recommended as a Holy Cogitation to Pray for the Dead Now though these Books are not thought Canonical by some yet St. Augustine held them as such and says they are so received by the Church l. 18. de Civit. But whether so or no One thing is allow'd by all viz. That they contain nothing contrary to Faith and that they were cited by the Antient Fathers for the Confutation of Errors forming of good Manners and the explication of the Christian Doctrine Thus were they us'd by Origen for Condemnation of the Valentinan Hereticks Orig. in cap. 5. Ep. ad Rom. thus by St. Cyprian Lib. de Exhor Mart. c. 11. thus by Euseb Caesariensis Lib. Praepar Evang. 11. c. 15. thus by St. Greg. Naz. Ambros c. And he is in a manner certain that these Books would never have been put to this Vse by these Holy and Learned Fathers they would never with such confidence have produc'd their Authority nor would they have been read by the Church in those Golden times had this Doctrine of a Third Place and of Prayers for the Dead which they maintain been any Idle Superstition a meer Dream contrary to Reason the Word of God and Antiquity or had it been any Error at all The being also of a Third Place is plainly intimated by our Saviour Matth. 12. 32. where he says Whosoever speaks against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him neither in this World neither in the World to come By which words Christ evidently supposes that though these shall not yet some sins are forgiven in the World to come Which since it cannot be in Heaven where no sin enters nor in Hell whence there is no Redemption it must necessarily be some Middle-state And in this sense it was understood by St. Augustine nigh twelve hundred Years ago as is manifest in his Works Civ Dei l. 21. c. 13 24. lib. 6. cont Julian c. 15. so also by St. Bernard against the Hereticks of his time In the same manner does St. Gregory the Great L. 4. Diacl c. 39. so by St. Augustine understand those words of St. Paul 1 Cor. 3. 15. He himself shall be saved yet so as by fire Where he thinks him to speak of a purging fire Aug. in Psal 37. So the same Father understands that Prison of which St. Peter speaks 1 Pet. 3. 19. to be some place of Temporal Chastisement Aug. Ep. 99. And if this great Doctor of the Church in those Purer times found so often in the Bible a Place of Pains after this Life from whence there was Release how can any one say without great presumption that the Being of a Third Place is contrary to the Word of God Neither can the Antiquity of this Doctrine be more justly call'd in question of which is found so early mention not only by this Holy Father but even by others his Predecessors the Disciples of the Apostles and the best Witnesses of their Doctrine Dionys l. de Eccl. Hier. c. 7. In Actis SS Perpet Felicit mention'd and approv'd by S. Aug. l. I. de Anima ejus Orig. c. 10. l. 3. c. 9. l. 4. c. 18. Tertul. l. de Cor. Mil. c. 3. Cypr. Ep. 66. ad Cler. Arnob. l. 4. cont Gen. pag. ult and many others quoted at length by the Learned Natalis Alexand. Tom. 9. Hist Eccl. dissert 41. And as for the Reason of this Tenet he is bound to think it does not want it since he finds it abetted by such Virtuous Learned and Considering Men whom he dares not reckon Fools never hearing that these us'd to Believe but upon very good Grounds and substantial Reasons And he thinks he is able to give some himself by what he has learn'd from the Scriptures and these Fathers For having been taught by these First That when a sinner is reconcil'd to God though the Eternal Punishment due to his sins is always remitted yet there sometimes remains a Temporal Penalty to be undergone As in the case of the Israelites Num. 14. who by Moses's Prayers obtain'd Pardon for their Murmuring and yet
must needs have Words let him behold with the eye of Faith the gaping Wounds of his Redeemer and see if those speak nothing to his Soul If they do not 't is because he wants Faith It nothing therefore concerns his Devotion that the Mass is said in Latine If the Church has order'd it thus so to preserve Vnity as in Faith so in the External Worship of God and to prevent alterations and changes which it would be expos'd to if in Vulgar Languages and other good Reasons What 's that to him He should receive but little advantage if it were in his Mother Tongue For besides that the greatest part is said in so low a voice that it is not possible he should hear it the Words do not belong to him That 's only the Priest's Office and the Obligation is to accompany the Priest in Prayer and Spirit to be a joint-Offerer with him to contemplate the Mysteries there represented and to excite in his Soul Devotions according to the exigency of every Passage According to the Directions he finds in his English Prayer-Books of which there are extant great variety set forth for the help of the Ignorant by which they are taught the meaning of every Part and Ceremony of the Mass and how to apply their Devotions accordingly And if at any time he be present at other publick Devotions as the Church-Offices the Litanies solemn Thanksgivings Exequies c. which are all perform'd in Latine or should say any private Prayers or sing an Hymn in the same Language which he ununderstands not yet is he taught that this may be done with great benefit to his Soul and the acceptance of God if at these occasions he does but endeavour to raise his thoughts to Heaven and fix his heart upon his Maker For that God does not respect the Language of the Lips but of the Heart does not attend the motion of the Tongue but of the Mind and if these be but directed to him in Thanksgiving in Praising in Petitioning in Humiliation in Contrition and such like Acts as circumstances require he need not doubt but that God accepts his Prayers and Devotions It being an undeniable thing that to say Prayers well and devoutly 't is not necessary to have attention on the Words or on the Sense of the Prayers But rather purely on God Of these three Attentions this last being approv'd by all as of greatest perfection and most pleasing to God And this he can have whether he understands the Words or no. It being very usual and easie for a Petitioner to accompany his Petition with an earnest desire of obtaining his suit though the Language in which it is worded be unknown to him XXV Of the Second Commandment HE is kept in Ignorance as to an Essential part of his Duty towards God never being permitted to know the Commandments but by halves For in the Books deliver'd to him for his Instruction such are Catechisms and Manuals the Second Commandment is wholly left out And he by this means Superstitious Worship and is taught to fall into all sorts of down-right Idolatry And then the Commandments he does learn are in such disorder by a confusion of the two first into one and a cutting the last into Two by putting only three in the first Table and seven in the Second That no reason can be able to justify this mangling and chopping in opposition to all Authority and Antiquity HE is instructed in his whole Duty towards God and most especially in the Ten Commandment He is taught to understand them all and every one that there 's an Obligation of observing them under pain of eternal Damnation and that whosoever breaks any one of them loses the Favour of God and as certainly hazards the loss of his Soul as if he broke them all And though in the short Catechisms and Manuals in which the whole Christian Doctrine is deliver'd in the most compendious and easie method in condescendence to weak Memories and low Capacities the Second Commandment as 't is reckon'd by some be wholly-omitted Yet is it to be seen at length in other Catechisms and Doctrinal Books to be met with every-where in great plenty And if any one should chance not to see any of these yet would he be out of of all danger of falling into any Superstitious Worship or Idolatry for that having read his First Commandment Thou shalt have no other Gods before me he is taught that by this he is commanded to Serve Love Adore and Worship one only True Living and Eternal God and no more That 't is forbidden him to Worship any Creature for a God or to give it the honour due to God and that whosoever Worships any Idols Images Pictures or any graven thing whatsoever the Object be whether in Heaven above in the Earth beneath or in the Waters under the Earth for God breaks the Commandment by committing Idolatry and stands guilty of an inexcusable and most damnable sin Now having been taught that this is the intent of the first Precept of the Decalogue he thinks there can be but little danger of his becoming Superstitious in his Worship or an Idolator for want of the Second there being nothing in this but what he is fully and expresly instructed in by having learn'd the First it being rather an Explication of this than any New and Distinct Precept And for this reason he finds them in his Books put together as One or rather as the first Commandment with its explication by which means it comes about that there are only Three in the first Table teaching him his Duty towards God and seven in the latter concerning his Duty to his Neighbour which is the Division assign'd by St. Augustine And tho' St. Hierom observes not this method but divides them into Four and Six yet there being no direction in Scripture concerning the Number of the Commandments to be assign'd to each Table nor to let us know which the first which the second which the third Commandment or which the last He is taught that 't is but an unnecessary trouble to concern himself about the Number of them or Division when-as his whole business ought to be the Observance of them in his Life and Conversation XXVI Of Mental Reservations HE is taught to keep no Faith with any that are reputed Hereticks by his Church and that whatsoever Promises he has made tho' never so positive and firm with this sort of People he may Lawfully break and cheat and cozen them without any scruple And though he must not do this by down-right Lying and telling Vntruths for that would be a sin yet he may make use of any indirect ways such are dissimulation Equivocations and Mental Reservations and by these means draw them into his snares And this without fear of offending God who is well pleas'd with these kind of pious Crafts allows of these Holy cheats HE is taught to keep Faith with all sorts of People of
permits a moderate use of it as at other times But is so far from giving liberty to any of her Flock of committing Excesses that she declares Drunkenness and all Gluttony whatsoever to be more hainous and scandalous sins on such Days than on any other They being expresly contrary not only to the Law of God but also to the intention of the Church which appoints these times for the retrenching Debaucheries and conquering our vicious Appetites And now if any of his Profession make less Scruple of being Drunk on a Fasting-day than of eating the least bit of Flesh he knows nothing more can be said of them than of many others who will not break the Sabath day by doing any servile Labour on it for all the World looking on this as a most Damning sin and yet at the same time have little scruple of Swearing Cursing Lying or revelling the greatest part of the day Which is not because they have more liberty for these than the former they being all most wicked Offences but because they that do thus are but Christians by halves who with a kind of Pharisaical and Partial Obedience seem to bear some of the Commandments most zealously in their Hearts while others they trample under their feet scrupling many times at a Moat and on other occasions passing by a Beam undiscern'd For which their Church is not to be accountable but They themselves as being guilty of a wilful blindness and a most unchristian negligence This is the real case of such of his Communion who on days of Humiliation while they abstain from Flesh yet give scandal by their Intemperateness They have a Command of God by which they are oblig'd on all days to live soberly and to avoid all Gluttony and Drunkeness and on Fasting-days besides this Command of God they have a Church-precept by which they are bound if able to eat but one Meal in a day and that not of flesh And now if some are so inconsiderate and careless as to be scrupulously observant of one of these Commands and wholly negligent of the other 't is not because their Religion teaches them to do so which detests and condemns all such scandalous partiality and complying with their Duty by halves but because they shut their ears to all good Instruction and chuse rather to follow their own corrupt Appetites than the wholsom Doctrine of their Church XXIX Of Divisions and Schisms in the Church HE is of a Religion in which there are as many Schisms as Families And they are so divided in their Opinions that commonly as many as meet in company so many several Tenets are maintain'd Hence arise their Infinite and endless Disputes and the disagreement of their Divines who pretend to give a true and solid explication of the Mysteries of the Christian Faith and yet differ in as many Points as they write of Besides what variety of Judgements are there in their Religious Houses and Cloisters none agreeing with another in their Foundation Institution and Profession This being of the Religion of St. Dominick That of St. Francis a Third of St. Bernard Others of St. Benedict and so without number so that as many Orders as many Religions And yet they pretend to Christian Unity amidst this diversity growing upon them every day HE is of a Religion in which there are no Shisms or Separations all the Members of it however spread through the World agreeing like one man in every Article of their Faith by an equal submission to the Determinations of their Church And no one of them tho' most Learned and Wise ever following any other Rule in their Faith besides this of assenting to all that the Church of God planted by Christ assisted and protected by the Holy Ghost proposed to the Faithful to be believ'd as the Doctrine of the Apostles and receiv'd as such in all Ages Which is all unanimously to believe as the Church of God believes No one of his Communion ever doubting of this or scrupling to receive any thing after this Crurches Declaration And now tho' they all thus conspire in every point of Faith yet there is great diversity among School-men in their Divinity-points and Opinions of such matters as are no Articles of Faith and have no relation to it but as some circumstance or manner which being never defin'd by their Church may be maintain'd severally either this or that way without any breach of Faith or injury to their Religion And of these things only they dispute and have their Debates in manner of a School-Exercises without any disagreement at all in their Belief but with a perfect Vnity The like Vnity is there amongst their Religious Orders all which say the same Creed own the same Authority in the Church of Christ and in every thing prosess the same Faith and have no other differences than as it were of so many several steps or degrees in the practice of a Devout and Holy life Some being of a more Severe and Strict Discipline others of a more Gentle and Moderate Some spending more time in Praying others more in Watching others more in Fasting some being intended for the Catechising and breeding up of Youth others for taking care of Hospitals and looking after the Sick others for going amongst Infidels and Preaching to them the Gospel of Christ and for such like Pious and Christian Designs to the greater Glory and Honour of God Which differences make no other difference in the several Professors than there was between Mary and Martha who express'd their Love and Service to their Lord in a very different imploy but both commendably and without any danger of prejudicing the Vnity of their Faith XXX Of Fryars and Nuns HE is taught to have a high esteem for all those of his Communion who cloistering themselves up become Fryars and Nuns a sort of People who call themselves Religious and are nothing but a Religious Cheat under the cloak of Piety and pretence to Devotion deceiving the World and living to the height of Wickedness under the notion of Saints The vow Chastity Poverty and Obedience and observe nothing less but live in all respects so irregular and scandalous that were there to be taken a compendions draught of all the Luxury Pride Covetousness Irreligion and other Vices through the whole World it might be modell'd according to what is acted between any of these 4 Walls in which these Recluses live without danger of omitting any thing that is wicked and unchristian HE is taught to have a high esteem for those of his Communion who undertake that sort of life which according to Christ's own direction and his Apostles is pointed out as the best A sort of People who endeavour to perform all that God has Commanded and also what he has Counsell'd as the better and in order to more perfection They hear Christ declaring the danger of Riches they therefore embrace a voluntary Poverty and lay aside all Titles to Wealth and Possessions St.
unlearned high and low Secular and Ecclesiastick that have been scandalous in their Lives wicked in their Designs without the fear of God in their Hearts or care of their own Salvation But what then Is the whole Church to be condemn'd for the vicious Lives of some of her Professors and her Doctrine to stand guilty of an many Villanies as those commit who neglect to follow it If so let the Men of that Society Judgement or Perswasion who are not in the like circumstance fling the first stone Certainly if this way of passing Sentence be once allow'd as just and reasonable there never was nor ever will be any Religion or Church of God upon the Earth 'T is but reck'ning up the Idolatries Superstitions Cruelties Rebellions Murders of Princes Impieties and other such like Enormites committed by the Jews as they stand Recorded in Scripture and 't is immediately prov'd that the Jews were never the chosen People of God nor their Law the Dictates of Heaven 'T is but making a List of the Misdemeanours Irregularities Abuses Excesses Treacheris Simony Seperation Discords Erroneous Doctrines to be found even in the time of the Apostles and their Followers and they are all effectually prov'd to be the Disciples of Antichrist and that the Worlds Redeemer had no sooner ascended into Heaven but his Apostles left him and began to set up for Schism and Vice By this way Constantine may be evidently condemn'd for an Heathen because he murdered his Wife and his Son And the Religion of Theodosius be mark'd out for Atheism because by his Order seven Thousand Thessalonians were Treacherously Massacred in three hours space without distinction of Sex or Age or the Innocent from the Guilty A confident Undertaker would find no difficulty in proving all this especially if he had but the Gift of exaggerating some things mis-representing others of finding Authorities and Texts for every idle Story of charging the extravagant Opinions of every single Author upon the Religion they profess of raking together all the Wickedness Cruelties Treacheries Plots Conspiracies at any time committed by any ambitious Desperado's or wicked Villains And then positively asserting that what these did was according to the Doctrine of that Church of which they were Members and that the true measures of the Sanctity and Goodness of the Church in whose Communion these Men were may be justly taken from the Behaviour of such Offenders But certainly no Man of Reason and Conscience can allow of such Proceedings No sober Man would ever go to Tybourn and Whetstones-Park to know what is the Religion professed in England according to Law Nor would look into all the Sinks Jakes Dung-hills Common-shores about Town from such a Prospect to give a true Descripion of the City Why therefore should the Character of the Church of Rome and her Doctrine be taken only from the loose Behaviour and wicked Crimes of such who tho' in Communion with her yet live not according to her Direction She teaches Holiness of Life Mercy to the Poor Loyalty and Obedience to Princes and the necessity of keeping the Commandments witness the many Books of Devotion and Direction made English for Publick benefit written originally by Papists and great numbers there are God be prais'd who practice this in their Lives And now if there be many also who stop their Ears to good Instruction and following the Suggestion of their own ungovern'd appetites of Pride Ambition Covetousness Luxury c. so lay aside all concern of Salvation and become unchristian both to God and their Neighbour that they are a shame to their Profession Why should the Church be represented according to the Wickedness of those that neglect her Doctrine and not rather by the Piety and Exemplar Lives of such as follow it Is not this to deal by her if we may use such a Comparison as 't is generally done by the Sign of St. Dunstan near Temple-Bar on which tho' the Saint be drawn almost in the full proportion and there 's no more of the Devil on it besides the reaching towards him with a pair of Tongs yet 't is describ'd only by the name of the Devil-Tavern without the least mention of the Saint And is not this partiality unjust and these piece-meal Descriptions unreasonable Let the Character of the Church be given according to what she teaches and not according to the Writings of every positive Opiniator and the Practices of every wicked Liver and then there 's no fear of its coming out so ugly and deform'd Neither let any one pretend to demonstrate the Faith and Principles of the Papists by the Works of every Divine in that Communion or by the Actions of every Bishop Cardinal or Pope For they extend not their Faith beyond the Declarations of General-Councils And standing fast to these they yet own that many of their Writers are too loose in their Opinions that all Bishops and Cardinals are not so edifying as becomes their State and that Popes may have their failings too A Pope is a Temporal Prince keeps a Court has variety of Officers about him And if he has Flatterers and Mis-informers too 't is nothing but what all Princes are sensible of but cannot remedy And hence he doubts not but 't is possible that he may be engag'd in unlawful undertakings and invite others to the like And are not all other Princes subject to this too But what then These Actions of Popes concern not the Faith of those who are in Communion with them they may throw a scandal indeed upon the Religion but they can never alter its Creed But what need any other return to the numerous Clamours made daily against the wickedness of the Papists 'T is a sufficient vindication of their Chief Pastors and Popes to use the words of a Person of Quality that among two hundred and fifty that have now Successively bore that Charge there are not above ten or twelve against whom their most malicious Adversaries can find occasion of spitting their Venom and that a Challenge may be made to the whole World to shew but the fifth part of so many Successive Governours since the Creation of which there have not been far more that have abus'd their Power And as for their Flock and People owning this Authority 't is true many wicked things have been done by some of them and too may like Libertines neglect the care of their Souls But however the Generality of them live like Christians few come to them but with their Religion they change also their Manners for the better Few desert them but such who seem to be fall'n out with all Christianity And whosoever will look into any of our Neighbouring Popish Towns as Paris Antwerp Gaunt c. will find in any one of them more Praying more Fasting more receiving the Sacraments more visiting of Prisoners and the Sick more Alms-giving than in any ten Towns of the Reformation XXXII OF MIRACLES HE is so given up to the belief
of all Nations do every where understand and yet these espy no such Ridiculosities which fright them from their Faith but notwithstanding the seeing all through and through they yet admire all for solid holy and Apostolical and remain stedfast in their Profession how can it be imagin'd that the vulgar weak and unlearned sort did they but understand all as well as they would espy any such Errors and Superstitions which these others with all their Learning and Judgment cannot discover No he thinks there 's no reason to fear that what passes the Test among the Wise and Learned can be groundedly call'd in question by the Multitude 35. Of the Vncharitableness of the Papists HIs Church teaches him to be be very uncharitable it being her constant Doctrin that none out of her Communion can be saved So that let a man be never so honest in his Dealing never so just to his Neighbour never so charitable to the Poor and constant in his Devotion to his Maker yet all this shall avail him nothing if he be not a Member of his Church 'T is not enough for him to believe in Jesus Christ to confess him his Redeemer to believe that he died for our Sins that he rose again and ascended into Heaven unless he believes and assents to every Article and Tenet declar'd by any of his General Councils for that obstinately to deny any one of these does as certantly place him at the Left hand of the Judge as if he perversly stood out against the truth of Christianity and denied Jesus Christ to be God And by this means as many as by his Church are mark'd out for Schismaticks or Hereticks are to expect nothing but Damnation or rather are condemned already HIs Church teaches him no uncharitableness at all and the Doctrin she delivers concerning the desperate Estate of Hereticks and Schismaticks is nothing but what she has learnt from the mouth of Christ and his Apostles Among the last advices recommended by our Saviour at his Ascension is found the Sentence of Doom pronounced against all such as would not receive the Doctrin preach'd by the Apostles Preach the Gospel says Christ Mark 16. 16. to every Creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleiveth not shall be damned And this is all his Church delivers in this point repeating the same Sentence of condemnation against all such as will not recieve and believe the Doctrin left by Christ and preached by his Apostles And if among those that believe not she comprehends not only Infidels and Heathens but also all Hereticks and Schismaticks 't is nothing but what she has receiv'd from the Apostles who did not only shake the dust off their Feets in witness against those who denyed them entrance and refused to believe in Jesus but also denounc'd such of the Brethren to stand guilty of damnation who notwithstanding their belief in Jesus that he died for the Redemption of Man and that rising again he Ascended into Heaven did make Divisions amongst the Faithful or Preached any new Doctrin contrary to what they had deliver'd St. Paul is very express in this who foretelling Timothy 1 Tim. 4. 1 2 3. of some who in latter times would come and Preach a Doctrin Forbidding to Marry and commanding to abstain from Meats which God hath created to be receiv'd brands them with the infamous Title of Men depart from the Faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrins of Devils In these words plainly letting him understand that though these Men would not deny Christ yet that their false Doctrin in those two other Points were enough to make them Seducers Deserters of Christ and Leaders to the Devil And does not he as expresly in his 2 d Epistle to Timothy c. 2. v. 16 17 18. condemn Hymeneus and Philetus for prophane and vain bablers increasers of Ungodliness and overthrowers of the Faith who concerning the Truth erred only in one Point saying that the Resurrection is past already By which 't is manifest to him that the Doctrine now taught him by his Church is nothing but what she has learnt from St. Paul and the rest of the Apostles it being deliver'd by them that he is a Lyar who denieth that Jesus is the Christ 1 Joh. 2. 22. And that every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God ib. c. 4. v. 3. And not only this but likewise A man that is an Heretick after the first and second admonition reject knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth being condemned of himself Tit. 3. 10 11. With this weighty advice to the Brethren in which they are commanded in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ to speak all the same thing that there be no divisions among them but that they be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment 1 Cor. 1. 10. For that having strife and divisions among them they will shew themselves to be Carnal and to walk as Men ib. c. 3. v. 3. That therefore there being but one Body and one Spirit one Lord one Faith and one Baptism they should endeavour to keep the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace and not be tossed to and fro like Children and carryed about with every Wind of Doctrin by the slight of men and cunning Craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive Ephes c. 4. v. 3 4 5 14. Who transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ are false Apostles deceitfull Workers 2 Cor. 11 13. But certainly accursed for that troubling the Faithful they would pervert the Gospel of Christ and preach another Gospel than that which had bin preach'd by the Apostles Gal. 1. 7 8. And this is the Sum of the Doctrin of his Church which believing that Faith is necessary to Salvation it being impossible whithout Faith to please God Heb. 11. 6. teaches likewise that the Faithful ought to hold fast the profession of their Faith without wavering for that not only they lose it who deny Jesus Christ to be God as some have done but also all those who endeavor to pervert the Gospel of Christ and in any point of Faith obstinately deny or teach otherwise than was taught by Christ and his Apostles as Hymeneus and Philetus did so that that Christian makes but a very imperfect and lame profession of his Faith who can only say I believe that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh and that he is God and Man the Redeemer of the world unless he can with truth add this likewise I also believe the whole Gospel that he preach'd and every point of Faith that he has taught and deliver'd to us by his Apostles there being the same Obligation to obey his Precepts and hearken to his Words as to acknowledge the Divinity of his Person and it being a sin of the same blackness obstinately to oppose any point of his Doctrine as to deny the truth
the observance of any in particular they teach that it is the Duty of the Flock to Obey Things indifferent after such Commands being no longer of choice but necessary and no less obliging than the Commands of a Father to his Child where in case the thing be not apparently sinful 't is no perswasion of the thing being superfluous can excuse an obstinate denyal from Disobedience It being more safe and Christian-like for all that are under any Government whether Natural Ecclesiastical or Civil to perform and comply with such things as they judge in their own private Sentiments Vnnecessary meerly upon the account of being Commanded than upon such considerations to disturb the order of Government and fly in the Face of Lawful Authority than which nothing is more opposite to the Principles of Christianity and destructive of all Humane Society And upon these grounds it is that the Papists founding themselves upon the sure foundation of Humility and Obedience have in all Ages acknowledged Overseers and Rulers over them to watch and feed the Flock to whom God hath given Power there being no power but of God and that whosoever resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Rom. 13. 1 2. XXXVII Of Innovations in Matters of Faith HIS Church has made several Innovations in Matters of Faith and howsoever she lays claim to Antiquity with a pretence of having preserv'd the Doctrine of the Apostles inviolable and entire Yet 't is evident to any serious Observer that the greatest part of the Belief is meer Novelties that bearing date from Christ or his Apostles but only from some of her own more modern Synods There scarce having pass'd any Age yet wherein there has not in these Ecclesiastical Mints been coyn'd New Articles which with the counterfeit stamp of Christ and his Apostles are made to pass for Good and Currant amongst his credulous and undiscerning retainers And besides these what a great number of Errours have been introduc'd at other times how many did Pope Gregory bring in and how many the Ignorance of the Tenth Age So that if we compare the Church of Rome now with the Primitive times of the first three or four hundred years there are no two things so unlike she is a Garden now but quite overgrown with Weeds she is a Field but where the Tares have perfectly choak'd up the Wheat and has little in her of Apostolical besides the Name HIS Church has never made any Innovation in Matters of Faith what she believes and teaches now being the same that the Catholick Church believ'd and taught in the first three or four Centuries after the Apostles And tho' in most of her General Councils there has been several Decisions touching Points of Faith Yet can no one without an injury to truth say that in any of these has been coin'd new Articles or Christians forced to the acceptance of Novelties contrary to the Scripture or antient Tradition These have only trodden in the Apostles steps as often as they have been in the like circumstances with them doing exactly according to the Form and Example left to the Church by those perfect Masters of Christianity And therefore as the Apostles in their Assembly Acts 15. determin'd the Cortroversie concerning the Circumcision and proposed to the Faithful what was the Doctrine of Christ in that point of necessity to be believ'd of which till that decision there had been rais'd several Questions and Doubts but now no longer to be questioned without the Shipwrack of Faith So in all succeeding ages the Elders of the Church to whom the Apostles left their Commission of watching over the Flock in their Councils have never scrupled to determine all such Points which had been controverted amongst the Brethren and to propose to them what of necessity they were to believe for the future with Anathema pronounced against all such as should presume to preach the contrary Thus in the year 325. the first Nicene Council declar'd the Son of God to be Consubstantial to his Father against the Arians with an obligation on all to assent to this Doctrine though never till then propos'd or declar'd in that Form Thus in the year 381. the Holy Ghost was declar'd to be God against Macedonius and his Followers in the first Constantinopolital Council And in the first Ephesin Anno 431. Nestorius was condemned who maintain'd two Persons in Christ and that the blessed Virgin was not Mother of God with a Declaration that both these Tenets were contrary to the Catholick Faith In the second Nicene Council Anno 787. Image-breakers were Anathematiz'd And so others at other times and at last in the Council of Trent was declar'd the Real Presence Transubstantiation Purgatory the lawfulness of the Invocation of Saints of keeping Holy Images c. against Luther Calvin Beza c. And now though in all these and the other General Councils the persons condemned took occasion from these New Declarations to cry out Novelties Novelties to fright the people with the noise of new coin'd Articles and that the inventions of Men were impos'd on them for Faith Yet 't is evident that these New Declarations contain'd nothing but the Antient Faith and that there had never been any such Declarations made had not the Doctrine propos'd in them being oppos'd and contradicted by some seducing Spirits who going out from the Flock endeavour'd by making Divisions to draw numbers after them So that the new Proposal of a Tenet is but a fallacious proof of the Doctrine being lately invented but a good Argument of its being lately oppos'd 'T is certain from Scripture Act. 15. that the Apostles had never declar'd the non-necessity of Circumcision had not certain men come down from Judea and taught the Brethren the contrary And that Consubstantiality of the Son had never been defin'd by the Nicene Fathers had not Arius with his Followers oppos'd this Catholick Doctrine And as certain it is that the Council of Trent had been altogether silent as to Transubstantiation Praying to Saints Purgatory c. had not Luther Calvin and their Disciples once professors of this Doctrine gone out from the Flock and upon the presumption of a New Light endeavour'd to perswade the Faithful that these Tenets then believ'd by the whole Christian World were no longer to be own'd but to be quite thrown by as Antichristian and Diabolical 'T was this oblig'd the Pastors to watch and take care of their Flock and therefore not flying away as the Hireling does when the Wolf catcheth and scattereth the Sheep they assembled together in a Body and declar'd to all under their charge that they ought not to follow strangers that howsoever these came pretending to the Shepherd's voice yet since they came not by the dore into the Sheepfold but climbing up some other way they were no Shepherds but Thieves and Robbers such whose business was not to feed but to steal kill and
destroy 'T was this made them encourage all under their care not to waver but to stand fast and hold the profession of their Faith and notwithstanding all pretences by no means to suffer themselves to be deluded and led away with strange Doctrine and that they might the better secure them from falling into Errours they gave them a Draught of their Christian Doctrine especially of all those points which these modern self-commissionated Apostles did preach against and endeavour to undermine particularly declaring to them the Faith they had been bred up in which they had receiv'd from their Forefathers and been deriv'd even from the Apostles Securing them that whatsoever was contrary to this was Novelty and Errour And now in the Pastors declaring this to the Faithful where was the Innovation The Council did nothing but propose fully and explicately what before their meeting was the Doctrine of all Christendom and had been so amongst the Primitive Fathers 'T was they made Innovation who preach'd contrary to the Doctrine thus believ'd and receiv'd which Luther was not asham'd to own himself guilty of plainly acknowledging that He separated from the whole World But it seems that the whole World was then corrupted and the Religion then every where profess'd was overgrown with Superstitions Errors and Abominations such as had crept into the Church some five Hundred Years before some nine Hundred and some a Thousand and 't was from these Luther separated intending to Reform Christianity and bring it to the purity of the Primitive times of the first three Hundred Years And was it not very strange now that so many gross Fooleries idle Superstitions and even down-right Idolatry should creep into a Church and spreading it self through all Nations infect the whole World becoming the publick profession of Christendom for so many hundred Years and be confirm'd and establish'd by the Laws of every Kingdom and that no body should take notice of any such thing either at its first Rise or in all its progress of so many Years Insomuch that had not Luther made the Discovery 't is likely we should never have come to the knowledge of these Thousand Years Errors and Corruptions No thinking Man certainly but judges it impossible that the very Fundamentals of Christianity should be shaken and the Religion planted by the Apostles turned into Idolatry and yet that no Learned Man should any where appear to contradict these Abominations no Zealous Pastors to withstand them no pious Princes to oppose them History sufficiently satisfies any Curious Reader that from the first planting of the Church there has been in no Age and Man yet that has preach'd any Heterodox and Erroneous Tenets and by introducing Novelties has endeavour'd to infect the minds of the Faithful with Heresie and Superstition but immediately have stood up Virtuous and Learned Men in defence of the Truth in their Writings and Sermons publickly confuting and condemning the Errours and giving an Alarm to the World to beware of such Deceivers and their wicked Doctrine and withal never omitting to Record their Names to Posterity with an account of the Year when they began to Preach under what Emperours and what was the occasion of their Revolt Was not all this and even more done against Arius How many appear'd against the Manichees How many against the Donatists against the Novatians against the Macedonians the Nestorians the Eutychians the Pelagians the Berengarians c. So that never any thing has made so much noise in the World so many commotions so many disturbances nothing has been so impossible to be carryed on with secresie and silence as the broaching any new Heresie the making a Schism the alteration of Religion the starting up of some new Society and Pretenders to Reformation What Tumults did all the fore-mentioned Apostles raise disturb'd at the Doctrine of Mahomet and the crying up the Alcoran What Stirs and Commotions at the Reformation of Church and Faith pretended by Luther Zwinglius and Calvin How then can it be judg'd in the least probable that great variety of erroneous Tenets and Antichristian Doctrin should be introduc'd by the Papists contrary to the sense and belief of all Christianity either in the fourth fifth sixth or tenth Century and yet that there should not be the least disturbance occasion'd by it no tumults or opposition but all done with so much quietness in such a profound Peace and Silence that had it not been for the News brought some Ages after we had never suspected the Alteration And is this possible Is it possible that the whole Christian World should change their Religion both as to the Internal Belief and external Profession and exercise of it and no body be sensible of the change so as to withstand the Abomination or to transmit to Posterity even so much as the least Word of its beginning or propogation Let any man upon some consideration tell me whether it be possible that this one little Kingdom of England should fall from this Pure Apostolical Doctrine it now professes into down-right Popery or any other way alter the whole Sheme of its Religion and have the Alteration confirm'd by several Acts of Parliament and continue in the publick Exercise of it for a thousand five hundred or even on hundred years and yet no one in this Kingdom or out of it should be sensible of the Alteration but also to be manag'd with such Policy and Craft that the whole business should be a Secret for many Ages And if this be scarce to be thought possible of this one Kingdom what can be imagin'd when 't is affirm'd of many Nations of the whole Christian World Can any thing look more like a Fable or Romance Or can any Rational Man barely upon such a Report condemn the Faith and Religion of his Ancestors for Novelty and Humane Inventions and quite laying aside this take him for the Rule of his Reformation who thus without Reason Justice or Truth has thrown such an Infamy upon all the Christians preceeding him for a thousand years But not to insist upon these reasonings for the wiping off the scandal of Novelty from the Doctrine of the Church of Rome 't would not be amiss here to look beyond the Tenth Century as also beyond the time of Pope Gregory And if in those earlier Christians nothing can be found of that Faith and Profession which is charged as Novelty and Errour against the Church or Rome all the Papists in the World shall joyn with their Adversaries and condemning Pope Gregory for a Seducer and all of the Tenth Age for so many Ignoramus's shall in one voice with them cry out against all such Doctrine Novelty Novelty Errour Errour But if on the contrary every Point thus challeng'd of Novelty shall appear to have been the Profession of the Faithful in the time of the Purity of the Gospel if before Pope Gregory we find that Invocation of Saints the Real Presence Transubstantiation Purgatory Prayer for the
Dead the Vse of Holy Images Relicks the Sign of the Cross Processions c. were a receiv'd Doctrine and common Practice of Christian in those Primitive times Then shall the Papists remain as they are as being of the sinne Faith and Religion with those Antient Believers without any Additions and Alterations and all their Adversaries ought in justice to return again to their Communion and making up one Quire cry out with them Blessed are they who believes as our Forefathers believ'd who receiv'd their Faith from the Apostles and their Successors and Accursed be they who separate from this Faith and upon the Noise of Novelty and Errour make Divisions in the Church and fall from her Communion believing Lies rather than Truth In order to this I intended in this place to have given the Reader a fair prospect of the Doctrine and Belief of the Fathers at the first five hundred years after Christ but finding the Matter to increase so much beyond expectation upon my hands I have reserv'd them for another occasion But however upon confidence of what I am able to produce in that point I cannot omit to assure the Reader that the chief and most material Points charg'd upon the Church of Rome for Novelty the Primitive Fathers do so plainly own to have been the Faith and Profession of the Church in their days and to have been deliver'd down and taught as the Doctrine of the Apostles that an impartial Considerer need not take much time to conclude whether are the greater Innovators those that now Believe and Profess these Tenets and Practices or they that disown or reject them 'T is evident that every Point of that Doctrine which is now decry'd for Popery and basely stigmatiz'd with the note of Errours introduc'd of late and of a modern invention is by many Ages older than those who are reputed to be the Authors that every particular Article laid to the Ignorance of the Tenth Century and to the contrivance of Pope Gregory are as expresly and clearly own'd and taught some Ages before as it is now at this day That those Great Men were as down-right Papists in these Points as we are now And that any disturber of Christianity might have as well defam'd them for believers of Novelties and Errours as we are now at this present The Faith that they profess'd then we profess now and if any of our Doctrine be Novelty 't is a Novelty of above twelve hundred years standing And who can question it not to be of an older date If it was the publick belief of the Christian World in the fourth Century who can be better Witnesses of what was believ'd before them even in the third Age than They They tell us that the Doctrine they maintain and deliver is the Faith of the Catholick Church receiv'd from their Fore-fathers and as it was taught by the Apostles and we don't find that in any of these Points they were challeng'd by any Authority or opposed by the Pastors of the Church or any Writers either then living or succeeding them but received always with great veneration And upon what grounds can any callenge them now Is it possible that any living now can give a better account of what was believ'd and practis'd in the third Age than They that immediately follow'd them Which will be more credible Witnesses of what was done in Forty Eight those that shall be alive fifty years hence or they that are not yet to come these thousand years If therefore these Holy Men declare to us the Doctrine they believ'd with an assurance that it was the Faith of the Catholick Church so believ'd by their Ancestors and as they had receiv'd it from the Apostles and their Successors do not they deserve better credit than others who coming a thousand years after cry out against all these several Points that they are nothing but Novelty and Errour 'T is evident therefore to him that this noise of Novelty was nothing but a stratagem for the introducing of Novelties and that those that brought an Infamy upon these Points by this aspersion might with as great applause every and as easily have laid a scandal upon other Article of the Christian Faith which they thought fit to retain and have had them all exploded for Novelty And this has been so far done already that even three parts of that Doctrine pick'd out by the first Reformers for Apostolical and conform to the Word of God we have seen in our days clamour'd against for Novelty and thrown by with as general Approbation and as clear Evidence of the charge as ever they laid by Transubstantiation and the Primacy The first Reformers cast off the Authority of the first Bishop as being a Novelty Others soon after cry'd down the Authority of all Bishops for a Novelty The First disown'd a great part of the Priestly Function as being lately crept in the Others disown'd all the rest and even Ordination it self as having all crept in together The First threw out a great number of Ceremonies as being not Apostolical but of a modern Institution The Others threw out even what they had retain'd for being no more an Ordination of the Apostles than the former The First laid by five of the Sacraments the Others laid by the other two And thus Novelty was the Word whensoever any receiv'd Doctrine of Christianity was to be outed and may to be made for a Novelty And he does dot doubt but that if the noise of Novelty continue long so unhappily successful as of late and the liberty be permitted to every presuming Spirit to fix this scandal upon whatsoever Doctrine or Institution they shall think fit that all Christianity is in a fair way of being thrown out of doors and the Bible Preaching Catechising Christ's Incarnation and Passion c. is as likely to be cast off for a Novelty as all the rest have been Those that will but shew to the People that even these things have been all receiv'd from Rome and that the Papists by their Missonaries spread these Doctrines over the World may soon perswade them they are nothing but Popish Inventions meer Novelties that those that began the Reformation did their business by halves and that the World will never be throughly Reform'd till all these Romish Superstitions are laid by with the rest they being of the same date He takes no notice thereof of all the clamours rais'd against several points of the receiv'd Doctrine of his Church his Faith is founded on better Principles than to be shaken with such a Vulgar Engine Novelty Novelty is a cry that may fright unthinking Men from their Religion but every serious Man will require better Motives than a Noise before he forsake any point of his Faith and 't is impossible he should joyn with any in condemning such things for Novelties which he finds the Profession of all Antiquity The Conclusion THese are the Characters of the Papist as he is Mis-represented
and as Represented And as different as the One is from the Other so different is the Papist as reputed by his Maligners from the Papist as to what he is in himself The One is so Absurd and Monstrous that 't is impossible for any one to be of that Profession without first laying by all thoughts of Christianity and his Reason The Other is just contradictory to this and without any farther Apology may be expos'd to the perusal of all Prudent and Vnpassionate Considerers to examine if there be any thing in it that deserves the hatred of any Christian And if it be not in every Point wholly conform to the Doctrine of Christ and not in the least contrary to Reason The Former is a Papist as he is generally apprehended by those who have a Protestant Education such as whensoever reflected on is conceiv'd to be a perverse malicious sort of Creature Superstitious Idolatrous Atheistical Cruel Bloody-minded Barbarous Treacherous and so Prophane and every way Inhumane that 't is in some manner doubted whether he be Man or no. The other is a Papist whose Faith is according to the Proposal of the Catholick Church which by Christ's Command he is oblig'd to believe and hear and whose whole design in this World is for obtaining Salvation in the next And is it not strange that these two Characters so directly opposite so wholly unlike one the other that Heaven and Hell is not more should agree to the same person 'T is certainly a strange piece of injustice and yet not at all strange to those who know that they that follow Christ shall be hated by the World that those who study the Wisdom of Heaven shall have the repute of Fools and that as many as attend the Lamb shall be painted in the Livery of Satan Our Fore-fathers were so before us all the Primitive Christians the Apostles and even the Lamb himself our Redeemer Calumny ever follow'd them Mis-representation waited upon them and what wonder that Infamy was their constant Attendance And now if the Orthodox Christians have thus in all Ages had their double Character one of Justice exactly drawn from what they really believ'd and practis'd the other of Malice copied from them as Mis-represented 'T is not at all strange to find it so now in our days when Calumny Malice Ignorance c. are as powerful as ever who though from the beginning of the World that is above five thousand Years they have made it their chief business to Paint Copy and Represent Things and Persons yet they never did it with so much injury so altogether unlikely as they do now to the Papists there being scarce any one Point of their Faith and Profession which they do not either blindly mistake or basely disguise The Papists believe 't is convenient to pray before Holy Images and give them an inferiour or relative respect These describe the Papists Praying to Images and Worshipping them as Idols The Papists believe 't is good to desire the Prayers of the Saints and Honour them as the Friends of God These Paint out the Papists as believing Saints to be their Redeemers and Adoring them as Gods The Papists believe that Christ left a Power in the Priests of his Church to Absolve all truly Penitent Sinners from their Offences These Represent the Papists as believing That the Priests can infallibly forgive all such as come to Confession whether they Repent or no. The Papists believe there 's Power in the supreme Pastor upon due Motives of granting Indulgences that is of releasing to the Faithful such Temporal Penalties as remain due to their past sins already remitted as to their guilt on condition they perform such Christian Duties as shall be assign'd them i. e. humble themselves by Fasting Confess their sins with a hearty Repentance Receive Worthily and give Alms to the Poor c. These make the Papists believe That the Pope for a sum of Mony can give them leave to commit what sins they shall think fit with a certain Pardon for all Crimes already incurr'd and that there can be no danger of Damnation to any that can but make a large Present to Rome at his death The Papists believe That by the Merits of Christ the good Works of a just Man are acceptable to God and through his Goodness and Promise meritorious of eternal happiness These report That the Papists believe they can merit Heaven by their own Works without any dependance on the work of our Redemption The Papists worship Christ really present in the Sacrament true God and Man These say they fall down to and worship a piece of Bread Some Papists maintain the Deposing Power These will have it to be an Article of their Faith and that they are oblig'd to 't by their Religion Some Papists have been Traytors Rebels Conspirators c. These make these Villanies to be Meritorious among the Papists and that 't is the Doctrine of their Church And thus there is scarce any one thing belonging to their Faith and Exercise of their Religion which is not wrong'd in the describing it and injuriously Mis-represented And if any be so curious as to desire to be satisfied how this comes about let him but stand by any of the Undertakers while they are taking the Copy of Popery and observe their Method and he may soon come to the bottom of the Mystery He may see them seriously viewing some of her Tenets and upon a short consideration immediately to fall to the making Inferences and deducing Consequences then down go these for so many Articles of Popery They go on and see other of her Tenets and these containing Mysteries such as Reason cannot reach to when Faith is not an assistant they are presently follow'd with variety of Absurdities and seeming Contradictions And down go these to the former for so many Articles of Popery They pass on to others and these being not conform to the Principles of their Education several Mis-constructions are presently rais'd upon them and down go these for so many Articles of Popery They look forward and seeing others in the practice of which many Abuses have been committed then down go the Abuses for so many Articles of Popery Hence they turn to the Court of Rome and as many Disorders and Extravagancies as they find there so many Articles of Popery They enquire into the Actions and Lives of her Pastors and Prelates and as many Vices as many wicked Degsins they discover there so many Articles of Popery They examine the behaviour of her Professors and whatsoever Villanies whatsoever Treasons and Inhumanities they find committed by any that own themselves Members of that Communion down they all go for so many Articles of Popery They hear the reports of such as have deserted her Authority and tho' through their extravagancies and rashness they deserve not credit even in a trifle yet their whole Narrative shall be accepted and all their idle Stories be summ'd up for so many
Articles of Popery They peruse every scurrilous Pamphlet and abusive Libel and such ridiculous Fables as are only fit for a Chimney-corner they borrow thence and set them down for so many Articles of Popery They turn over every Popish Author and whatsoever light loose or extravagant Opinions whatsoever Discourses carried on either through Flattery Disgust or Faction appear in any of them they are all mark'd out for so many Articles of Popery And by these and such like means is finisht at last a compleat draught of Popery in which she is render'd so foul monstrous and abominable that there can be nothing raked from the very sinks of Turcism nothing borrow'd from the wild Africans or barbarous Americans that can make her more odious or add to her deformity Why and is not Popery then such as 't is thus generally painted No 't is no more like it than Monarchy is to that which turbulent Republican Spirits shew for it when displaying to the multitude some Miscarriages of State Frailties in Persons in Dignities Abuses of Government c. they cry out Behold this is Monarchy By these means making it Infamous among the People that they may more easily overthrow it And are not the Papists such as they are commonly Represented No They are no more alike than the Christians were of old under the Persecuting Emperors to what they appear'd when cloathed with Lions and Bears Skins they were exposed in the Amphi-theatre to Wild Beasts under those borrow'd Shapes to provoke their Savage Opposites to greater fury and that they might-infallibly and with more rage be torn in pieces Let Monarchy be shewn in its own colours and the Christians be expos'd in their own form and one will have but few Maligners and the others will meet with a more Tame behaviour even from the wildest Beasts Let any but search into the Councils of the Church of Rome even that of Trent than which none can be more Popish let them peruse her Catechisms that ad Parochos or others set forth for Pastors to instruct their Flock and for Children Youth and others to learn their Christian Doctrine of which there is extant great variety in English Let them examine Vernon's Rule of Faith and that set forth by the Bishop of Condan Let them look into the Spiritual Books of Direction Those of Bishop Sales the Following of Christ the Christian Rules the Spiritual Combat Granado's Works and infinite others of this sort which Papists generally keep by them for their Instruction And then let them freely declare whether the Papists are so ill principled either as to their Faith or Morals as they are generally made appear A little diligence in this kind with a serious inquiry into their conversation their manner of Living and Dying will easily discover that that of Beast with which they are commonly expos'd to publick is not theirs but only of the skin that is thrown over them The Papists own that there are amongst them Men of very ill Lives and that if every corner be narrowly sifted there may be found great abuses even of the most sacred things that some in great Dignities have been highly vicious and carried on wicked Designs That some Authors maintain and publish very absurd Opinions and of ill consequence But these things are nothing of their Religion they are Imperfections indeed the Crimes the Scandals of some in their Communion but such they are so far from being oblig'd to approve maintain or imitate that they wish with all their heart there had been never any such thing and desire in these Points a thorough Reformation Tho' the Imprudences therefore the Failings the Extravagencies the Vices that may be pick'd up throughout the whole Society of Papists are very numerous and great and too too sufficient if drawn together for the composing a most Deform'd Antichristian-Monster yet the Popery of the Roman-Catholicks is no such Monster as 't is painted Those things which are commonly brought against them being as much detested by them as by the Persons that lay the charge of their dis-favour and having no more relation to them than Weeds and Tares to the Corn amongst which it grows or Chaff to the Wheat with which it lies mix'd in one heap A Papist therefore is no more than he is above Represented and whosoever enters that Communion has no obligation of believing otherwise then as there specified And though in each Particular I have cited no Authorities yet for the truth and exactness of the Character I Appeal to the Council of Trent And if in any Point it shall be found to disagree I again promise upon notice publickly to own it And as for the other Part of the Papist Mis-represented it contains such Tenets as are wrongfully charged upon the Papists and in as many respects as it is contrary to the other Character in so many it is contrary to the Faith of their Church And so far they are ready to disown them and subscribe to their Condemnation And though any serious enquirer may be easily satisfied as to the truth of this yet for a publick satisfaction to shew that those Aominable Unchristian Doctrines are no part of their Belief however extravagant some men may be in their Opinions the Papists acknowledge that a Faith assenting to such Tenets is wholly opposite to the Hononr of God and Destructive to the Gospel of Christ and do publickly invoke God Almighty's Judgements upon that Church which teaches either publickly or privately such a Faith And since 't is lawful for any Christian to answer Amen to such Anathema's as are pronouno'd against things apparently sinful the Papists to shew to the World that they disown the following Tenets commonly laid at their dore do here oblige themselves that if the ensuing Curses be added to those appointed to be read on the First day of Lent They will seriously and heartily answer Amen to them all I. Cursed is he that commits Idolatry that prays to Images or Relicks or Worships them for God â„Ÿ Amen II. Cursed is every Goddess Worshiper that believes the Virgin Mary to be any more than a creature that Honour her Worship her or puts his Trust in her more than in God that believes her above her Son or that she can in any thing command him â„Ÿ Amen III. Cursed is he that believes the Saints in Heaven to be his Redeemers that prays to them as such or that gives Gods Honour to them or to any creature whatsoever â„Ÿ Amen IV. Cursed is he that Worships any Breaden God or makes Gods of the empty Elemeats of Bread and Wine â„Ÿ Amen V. Cursed is he that believes that Priests can forgive sins whether the sinner repent or no. Or that there 's any Power in Earth or Heaven that can forgive sins without a hearty repentance and serious purpose of amendment â„Ÿ Amen VI. Cursed is he that believes there 's Authority in the Pope or any others that can give leave to commit sins
Or that can forgive him his sins for a sum of Money â„Ÿ Amen VII Cursed is he that believes that Independent of the Merits and Passion of Christ he can Merit Salvation by his own good Works or make condign satisfaction for the guilt of his sins or the pains Eternal due to them â„Ÿ Amen VIII Cursed is he that contemns the Word of God or hides it from the people on design to keep them from the knowledge of their Duty and to preserve them in Ignorance and Errour â„Ÿ Amen IX Cursed is he that undervalues the Word of God or that forsaking Scripture chuses rather to follow Humane Traditions than it â„Ÿ Amen X. Cursed is he that leaves the Commandments of God to observe the constitutions of Men. â„Ÿ Amen XI Cursed it he that omit any of the Ten Commandments or keeps the people from the knowledge of any one of them to the end they may not have occasion of discovering the Truth â„Ÿ Amen XII Cursed is he that Preaches to the People in unknown Tongues such as they understand not or uses any other means to keep them in Ignorance â„Ÿ Amen XIII Cursed is he that believes that the Pope can give to any upon any account whatsoever Dispensations to Lie or Swear falsly Or that 't is Lawful for any at the last hour to protest himself Innocent in case he be Guilty â„Ÿ Amen XIV Cursed is he that encourages sins or teaches Men to defer the amendmeut of their lives or presumption of their Death-Bed-repentance â„Ÿ Amen XV. Cursed is he that teaches Men that they may be Lawfully drunk on a Friday or any other Easting-day tho' they must not taste the least bit of Flesh â„Ÿ Amen XVI Cursed is he who places Religion in nothing but a pompous shew consisting only in Ceremonies and which teaches not the People to serve God in Spirit and Truth â„Ÿ Amen XVII Cursed is he who loves or promotes cruelty that teaches People to be Bloody-minded and to lay aside the meekness of Jesus Christ â„Ÿ Amen XVIII Cursed is he who teaches it Lawful to do any wicked thing tho' it be for the Interest and Good of mother-Mother-Church or that any Evil action may be done that Good may come of it â„Ÿ Amen XIX Cursed are we if amongst all those wicked Principles and Damnable Doctrine commonly laid at our Dores any one of them be the Faith of our Church And Cursed are we if we do not as heartily detest all those Hellish Practices at they that so vehemently urge them against us â„Ÿ Amen XX. Cursed are we if in an answering and saying Amen to any of these Curses we use any Equivocations Mental Reservations or do not assent to them in the common and obvious Sense of the Words â„Ÿ Amen And can the Papists then thus seriously and without check of Conscience say Amen to all these curses Yes they can and are ready to it whensoever and as often as it shall be requir'd of them And what then is to be said of those who either by Word or Writing charge these Doctrines upon the Faith of the Church of Rome Is a lying spirit in the mouth of all the Prophets Are they all gone aside Do they back-bite with their tongue do evil to their Neighbour and take up reproach against their Neighbour I 'le say no such thing but leave the impartial Considerer to judge One thing I can safely affirm that the Papists are foully Mis-represented and shew in publick as much unlike what they are as the Christians were of old by the Gentiles that they lie under a great Calumny and severely smart in good Name Persons and Estates for such things which They as much and as heartily detest as those who accuse them But the comfort is Christ has said to his Followers Ye shall be hated of all men Matt. 10. 22. and St. Paul we are made a spectacle unto the World and we don't doubt that who bears this with patience shall for every loss here and content receive a hundred fold in Heaven For base things of the World and things which are despised hath God chosen 1 Cor. 1. 28. FINIS The CONTENTS 1. OF Images Page 1 2. Of Praying to Saints 2 3. Of Praying to the Virgin Mary 4 4. Of Relicks 5 5. Of the Eucharist 6 6. Of Merits and Good Works 8 7. Of Confession 9 8. Of Indulgences 10 9. Of Satisfaction 11 10. Of Reading the Holy Scripture 12 11. Of Apocryphal Books 13 12. Of the Vulgar Edition of the Bible 15 13. Of the Scripture as a Rule of Faith 17 14. Of the Interpretation of Scripture 18 15. Of Tradition 19 16. Of Councils 20 17. Of infallibility in the Church 22 18. Of the Pope 25 19. Of Dispensations 27 20. Of the Deposing Power 29 21. Of Communion in one kind 31 22. Of the Mass 32 23. Of Purgatory 34 24. Of Praying in an Vnknown Tongue 37 25. Of the Second Commandment 39 26. Of Mental Reservations 41 27. Of Death-bed Repentance 42 28. Of Fasting 43 29. Of Division and Schisms in the Church 45 30. Of Fryars and Nuns 46 31. Of Wicked Principles and Practices 48 32. Of Miracles 52 33. Of Holy Water 53 34. Of Breeding up People in Ignorance 55 35. Of the Vncharitableness of the Papists 57 36. Of Ceremonies and Ordinances 61 37. Of Innovations in Matters of Faith 67 Roman-Catholick PRINCIPLES In Reference to GOD and the KING PARAGRAPH I. Of the Catholick Faith and Church in General I. THE Fruition of God and Remission of Sin is not attainable by Man otherwise then in and by the Merits of Jesus Christ who gratis Purchas'd it for Us. II. These Merits of Christ are not apply'd to Us otherwise than by a Right Faith in Christ III. This Faith is but One Entire and Conformable to its Object being Divine Revelations to all which Faith gives an undoubted assent IV. These Revelations contain many Mysteries transcending the Natural Reach of Humane Wit or Industry Wherefore V. It became the Divine Wisdom and Goodness to provide Man of some Way or Means whereby he might Arrive to the Knowledge of these Mystrries Means Visible and Apparent to all Means propotionable to the Capacities of all Means Sure and Certain to all VI. This Way or Means is not the Reading of Scripture Interpreted according to the Private Reason or Spirit of every Disjunctive Person or Nation in Particular But VII It is an Attention and Submission to the Doctrine of the Catholick or Vniversal Church established by Christ for the Instruction of all Spread for that end throughout all Nations and visibly continu'd in the Succession of Pastors and People throughout all Ages From which Church Guided in Truth and secur'd from Errour in Matters of Faith by the promiss'd Assistance of the Holy Ghost every one may and ought to Learn both the Right Sence of the
the Dispensers of the Mysteries of Christ resolving to turn from his evil ways and bring forth Fruits worthy of Penance there is then and no otherwise an Authority left by Christ to Absolve such a Penitent Sinner from his Sins which Authority Christ gave his Apostles and their Successors the Bâ—shops and Priests of the Catholick Church in those words when he said Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose Sins you shall forgive they are forgiven unto them c. II. Though no Creatare whatsoever can make condign satisfaction either for the Guilt of Sin or the pain Eternal due to it This satisfaction being proper to Christ our Saviour only Yet penitent Sinners Redeemed by Christ may as Members of Christ in some measure satisfie by Prayer Fasting Alms-Deeds and other Works of Piety for the Temporal Pain which by order of Divine Justice sometimes remains due after the Guilt of Sin and Pains Eternal are gratis remitted These Penitential Works are notwithstanding satisfactory no otherwise than as joyned and apply'd to that satisfaction which Jesus made upon the Cross in virtue of which alone all our good Works find a gateful acceptance in God's sight III. The Guilt of Sin or Pain Eternal due to it is never remitted by Indulgences but only such Temporal punishments as remain due after the Guilt is remitted These Indulgences being nothing else than a Mitigation or Relaxation upon just causes of Canonical Penances enjoyn'd by the Pastors of the Church on Penitent Sinners according to their several Degrees of Demerit And if any abuses or mistakes be sometimes committed in point either of granting or gaining Indulgences through the Remisness or Ignorance of particular Persons contrary to the ancient Custom and Discipline of the Church such abuses or mistakes cannot rationally be charg'd on the Church nor rendred matter of Derision in prejudice to her Faith and Doctrine IV. Catholicks hold there is a Purgatory that is to say a place or State where Souls departing this Life with Remission of their Sins as to the Eternal Guilt or pain or yet Obnoxious to some Temporal Punishment still remaining due or not perfectly freed from the Blemish of some Venial Defects or Deordinations as idle Words c. not liable to Damnation are purg'd before their Admitance into Heaven where nothing that is defil'd can enter Furthermore V. Catholicks also hold That such Souls so detain'd in Purgatory being the Living Members of Christ Jesus are Reliev'd by the Prayers and suffrages of their Fellow-members here on Earth But where this place is Of what Nature or Quality the Pains are How long each Soul is detained there After what manner the suffrages made in their behalf are apply'd Whether by way of satisfaction or Intercession c. are Questions superfluous and impertinent as to Faith VI. No Man though just can Merit either an Increase of Sanctity or Happiness in this Life or Eternal Glory in the next independent on the Merits and Passion of Christ Jesus the Good Works of a just Man proceeding from Grace and Charity are acceptable to God so far forth as to be through his Goodness and Sacred Promise truly meritorious of Eternal Life VII It is an Article of the Catholick Faith That in the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist there is truly and really contain'd the Body of Christ which was deliver'd for us and his Blood which was shed for the Remission of sins the substance of Bread and Wine being by the powerful Words of Christ charg'd into the substance of his Blessed Body and Blood the Species or Accidents of Bread and Wine still remaining Thus VIII Christ is not present in this Sacrament according to his Natural way of Existence that is with extention of parts in order to place c. but after a supernatural manner one and the same in many places and whole in every part of the Symbols This therefore is a real substantial yet Sacramental presence of Christ's Body and Blood not expos'd to the External Senses or obnoxious to Corporal Contingences IX Neither is the Body of Christ in this Holy Sacrament seperated from his Blood or his Blood from his Body or either of both disjoyn'd from his Soul and Divinity but all and whole living Jesus is entirely contain'd under either Species so that whosoever receives under one kind is truly partaker of the whole Sacrament and no wise depriv'd either of the Body or Blood of Christ True it is X. Our Saviour Jesus Christ left unto us his Body and Blood under two distinct Species or Kinds in doing of which he instituted not only a Sacrament but also a Sacrifice a Commemorative Sacrifice distinctly shewing his Death or Bloody Passion until he come For as the Sacrifice of the Cross was perform'd by a distinct Effusion of Blood so is the same Sacrifice commemorated in that of the Altar by a distinction of the Symbols Jesus therefore is here given not only to us but for us and the Church thereby enrich'd with a true proper and propitiatory Sacrifice usually term'd Mass XI Catholicks renounce all Divine Worship and Adoration of Images or Pictures God alone we Worship and Adore Nevertheless we make use of Pictures and place them in Churches and Oratories to reduce our wandring thoughts and enliven our memories towards Heavenly things And further we allow a certain Honour and Veneration to the Picture of Christ of the Virgin Mary c. beyond what is due to every prophane Figure not that we believe any Divinity of virtue in the Pictures themselves for which they ought to be Honour'd but because the Honour given to Pictures is refer'd to the Prototype or things represented In like manner XII There is a kind of Honour and Veneration respectively due to the Bible to the Cross to the Name of Jesus to Churches to the Sacraments c. as things peculiarly appertaining to God also to the glorify'd Saints in Heaven as Domestick Friends of God yea to Kings Magistrates and Superiours on Earth as the Vicegerents of God to whom Honouâ— is due Honour may be given without any Derogation to the Majesty of God or that Divine Worship appropriate to him Furthermore XIII Catholicks believe That the Blessed Saints in Heaven replenish'd with Charity pray for us their fellow-members here on Earth that they Rejoyce at our conversion that seeing God they see and know in him all things suitable to their happy state but God is inclinable to hear their Requests made in our behalf and for their sakes grants us many favours That therefore it is good and profitable to Desire their Juteocession And that this manner of Invocation is no more injurious to Christ our Mediator or superabundant in it self than it is for one Christian to beg the