almost inevitably detain'd in their Perswasion by the prejudice of Education and an Invincible Ignorance will upon a sincere general Repentance find mercy with God. Misrepresent Enough of this dry reasoning What do you say to a Piece not long since publish'd Wholsome Advices from the Blessed Virgin to her Indiscreet Worshippers which being compos'd by one of your own Perswasion has laid you more open than all your Adversaries could do Come let me tell you the blow that comes from a Friend is the severest and this true Representer has quite blasted all your Representing Characters and Expositions Represent Then I see you intend I should sâ—t up for Reader of Anatomy upon all the Pamphlets that come into the World. I am highly oblig'd to you for the kindness but I think the Scavanger has much tbe better Office who has nothing but Dirt and Sinks to deal with much less offensive than to be always raking in filthy Calumnies fulsome Incongruities and noisome Impertinencies No Misrepresenter I would not undertake it tho I were certain to enlarge my Interest and become as Popular as you have done by your so taking knack of Misrepresenting However to pleasure a Friend as you are I 'll touch at some particulars which seem to fall within my Province of Representing Misrepresent Why I hope there 's no Misrepresenting there you don 't sure do that ill office to one another I thought none but Protestants had been Misrepresenters Represent Yes yes 't is Protestant Misrepresenting I mean to be at As long as it has a Protestant Preface to it never question Misrepresenter but I shall find your finger in it And what think you of the sourth and fiâ—th leaves of the Preface where he sets out the Papist as Weak as Confident as Ridiculous as Foolish as he can well make them are not these Colours of your laying on Misrepresent He do's not assert this barely without giving a Reason for 't He says your pronouncing Damnation against all those that are separated from your Church is an argument of the weakness of your Cause and that your declaring all others to be out of the way of Salvation is only because you are at a loss for other Reasons to convince Mens Vnderstanding and therefore by these Threats and Thunders you work upon their Passions which to considering Men proves nothing more than your own Confidence and Ridiculousness and makes them doubt whether in this you have more of the Fool or the Artist And what Misrepresenting I pray you in this Represent Never more Unreasonable Misrepresenting then when Calumnies are set out with the Colours of Reason You Friend see but with one eye and I fear have that Curse upon you to think even contradictions reasonble so they be but in favour of the Cause you have espous'd He gives a Reason you say for what he says But is it reason or fair dealing in him to load the Papists with the most Ignominious Names and Ridicule them to the Multitude for making such Declarations in reference to such as are out of their Communion which is nothing more than what is done by his own Church nay what he himself do's most solemnly make before he concludes his Preface almost in the same breath with which he so positively declaim'd against the Papist Consider this a little if Considering be not out of thy power The Papists declare that such as separate from the Faith and Communion of their Church sounded by Christ and continued down from the Apostles under a visible Succession of Pastors and Teachers do by that depart from the Truth from the Doctrine and Commands of Christ and consequently are out of the way of Salvation This by the Preface-maker is presently set out for Thundering of Hell and Damnation 't is their Confidence 't is the Weakness of their Cause puts them upon it and for so doing they are void of Charity And yet see how condemning this in the Papists he do's the very same thing himself hear his solemn Profession which he makes in the presence of God the last page of his Preface but one I do here solemnly profess says he in the presence of God that I cannot but conclude the Worship the Doctrines and Practices of the Church of Rome to be so extremely dangerous that nothing but invincible Ignorance of which God only can be judge can give us any reasonable hope of their Salvation who live and die in that Communion Is not here the very same sentence pronounc'd by Protestants a-against the Papist which the Papists declare against the Protestants And yet He that Unchurches the Papists for so doing thinks himself as safe in the very doing of what he condemns that he could venture the Salvation of a thousand Souls if he had them upon the ground on which he stands Pray now tell me how that comes to be so safe so reasonable and secure in Him and his Church which in the Papist he condemns for so Vncharitable and Ridiculous Or how happens it that having dress'd up the Papists in a Fools-coat and afterwards slipping it over his own shoulders he thinks himself to look so Wise and Grave upon 't Come Misrepresenter here 's more of your hand in this Preface then I expect you 'l own if you had net by your malignant influence indispos'd the Author's eye-sight Red and Yellow had been the same Colours to him upon a Protestant-back as upon a Papist Misrepresent Come you wrong the Author by your Misconstructions he do's not say the Papists are damn'd but that their condition is extremely dangerous and this do's not leave them without hope of Salvation Represent 'T is true he 'll allow the Ignorant and Fools of his Communion so much Charity as to think the Papists way he sav'd But for the judicious and learned Protestants who go by Reason who consider and weigh things no such Charity in them there 's no Reasonable hope says he of their Salvation who live and die in that Communion of the Papists So that if any are so Charitable amongst the Protestants 't is for want of being advis'd for want of being better instructed in their Religion 't is for want of being like those that Guide 'em for want of Reason for there 's no Reasonable hope says he of their Salvation no reasonable hope at all unless it be for such of them whose invincible Ignorance will excuse them And is not this the very same which is most frankly allow'd the Protâ—stants by the Papists who after they have been proclaim'd so often to the gaping Crowds for most Vncharitable Damners Thunderers of Hell and Damnation against the poor Protestants do not advance their damnation one ace farther against them then the Protestants themselves most solemnly in the presence of God and after good consideration do against the Papists There being no Papist but what will grant such Protestants hopes of Salvation who living piously and repenting sincerely of all offences through invincible
were put over them for their rule and direction they might be perfectly join'd together in the same mind and same judgment 1 Cor. 1. 10. That they might be preserv'd in the Unity of Peace and be no more Children rossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine Ephes 4. 14. And that the People or Flock might have no scruple or solicitude upon them for fear of being led into Error by these Apostles and Pastors but might securely and without anxiety of Spirit rest under their Guidance and Direction Christ did most solemnly promise the said Overseers the Apostles and Pastors the assistance of his Holy Spirit I am with you always even unto the end of the world Mat. 28. 2c The Comforter the Holy Ghost shall teach you all things Jo. 14. 26. By which effectual Promise they were constituted Guides were taught all Truth and all those secur'd from Error who committed themselves to their Instruction The Catholic Church being thus constituted and ordian'd by Christ himself and provided with Apostles and Pastors divinely assisted for the instructing the Flock in the Mysteries of the Christian Faith with an obligation on all that heard them to believe upon pain of damnation He that believeth not shall be damn'd Mat. 16. 16. it is certain that all such as did separate themselves from the Communion of the Apostles either by contradicting or disbelieving their Doctrine or being refractory to their Government did in this most heinously offend the Divine Majesty and exclude themselves from the hopes of Salvation the former by rejecting the true Faith without which 't is impossible to please Him Heb. 11. 6. the latter by disobedience resisting the Ordinance of God They that resist shall receive to themselves damnation Rom. 13. 1. 2. This was the Face and Constitution of the Church of Christ in the time of the Apostles Salvation being promis'd to those that believ'd He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and Damnation threatned to disbelievers He that believeth not shall be damned Mar. 16. 16. So that 't was no Uncharitable but a most Evangelical Assertion in the Evangelist to say The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved Act. 2. 47. And the declaring that there was no Salvation out of their Church was nothing but a necessary Doctrine The Church being thus by Christ himself founded the Pillar and Ground of Truth 2 Tim. 3. 15. consisting of Pastors and Teachers to instruct and of the Flock under an indispensable obligation of receiving and Submitting to their Instruction it was so to continue to the end of the World Christ's Spirit being to abide with her for ever Jo. 14. 16. The Promise of his assistance being not limited to the Persons of the Apostles but annex'd to their Function As therefore St. Paul when he left Ephesus Act. 20. 28. appointed others to oversee and rule the Flock with their Commission from the holy Ghost So he and the other Apostles when they departed this Life had others to succeed them for the Direction and Government of the Faithful And as those who cut themselves off from the Communion of the Apostles incurr'd the guilt of Damnation by unavoidably in so doing erring in Faith or Disobedience so likewise all those who separated from the Communion of their Successors it being at all times most certainly true that there was no true Faith nor true Charity in any that separated themselves from the Doctrine and Government of the Church of Christ over which the Apostles were Overseers and Rulers for their time and their Successors to be so after them to the end of the World. This as to the Apostles is evident from the severe censure of Deceivers pronounc'd against all those who endeavour'd to make Divisions in their time Ephes 4. 14. where they are said to work by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive And 2 Tim. 2. 18. Such as dissented from the Apostles are condemn'd for erring concerning the Truth and overthrowing the Faith. And Tit. 3. 11. They are said to be subverted and in sin and to be condemn'd of themselves And as to their Successors the Practice of the Primitive Church in the time of her confess'd Purity is a most convincing Argument there being none that in the first three or four Centuries ever separated from them either in point of Doctrine or making Schisms tho under the most colourable pretext of Reforming Errors or rejecting Innovation but were declar'd Innovators as men to be avoided as cut off from the Mystical Body of Christ by the Pastors and Overseers then in being The Rule of St. John 1 Joh. 4. 6. being always the standard-Measure of the Church He that knows God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us hereby know we the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error Here then 't is evident that the Catholic Church in the time of the Apostles as also of their Successors was the Depository of the true Faith and that to dissent from her in Faith was to fall into Error to divide from God He that hears you hears me and he that despises you despises me Luke 10. 16. If he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen and a Publican Matth. 18. 17. and consequently no Promises of Christ nor Salvation to be expected by such who were not of her Communion This same One holy Catholic Church he believes to have continued in all Ages it being at all times true what has been always said by the Faithful in the Creed I believe the holy Ca-Cholic Church and that 't is to remain to the end of the World assisted by the Spirit of God and preserv'd from teaching errors according to the Promise of Christ Matth. 28. 20. Joh. 14. 16. So that as then so now at this time there is a Church succeeding that of the Apostles which teaches all Truth and from which none can separate without erring in Faith or incurring the guilt of Schism Sins altogether inconsistent with Salvation And because after most serious Considerations and the weighing of all Reasons he believes this Church to be that in whose Communion he is he do's not question but what is truly affirm'd of the Church of the Apostles and succeeding Ages and those that fell from it is most true of the same Church now in being of which he 's a Member and of all those who separate from it upon what pretext soever And however this may be painted out for Vncharitablenss yet 't is certainly the very Doctrine deliver'd by the Apostles and the Practice of the Primitive Church And when the worst has been made of it yet still he do's not come short of Dr. Tillotsons Charity for notwithstanding all this yet so much Charity he has and he desires always to have it as to hope that a great many of other separate Perswasions who live piously and have been
currant Testimonies of the Ancient Fathers are so certain and evident that many Learned Protestants upon this Consideration refuse to stand the Test of their Authorities thinking it far more advantageous to their Cause to give them a general Disclaim Hence Mr. Whitaker affirms the Popish Religion to be patcht up out of the Fathers Errors Cont. Dur l. 6. p. 423. And Dr. Humfrey most severely reprehends Mr. Jewel for his so bold Appeal to the Primitive Fathers affirming that herein Mr. Jewel gave the Papists too large a scope was injurious to himself and after a manner spoil'd himself and the Church Misrepres So then I see you intend to claim the Fathers not only of Constantine 's Time and the Following Ages as Abettors of Popery but likewise Those who in the First Centuries immediately succeeded the Apostles And what Room then do you leave for Protestancy Repres 'T is not only I that claim Them but even the Protestants themselves you see of the precedent Age such who were not asham'd to speak the Truth make a surrender of them laying aside all Pretensions either to Them or their Doctrine And when they have disown'd all the Fathers one by one from Clement Ignatius Irenaeus who liv'd in the Apostles Days and succeeded them in their Function to S. Jerome Austin Leo Gregory the last of which surviv'd the Fifth Century when they have declar'd that Antichrist began his Reign and obscur'd the Light of the Gospel even from the Time of the Apostles I wonder what Room as you say there 's left for Protestancy It savours something of a Mystery methinks call'd Nonsense to say the Protestant Religion is the same Pure Religion as was Anciently and Generally Profess'd amongst the Fathers and Christians of the Primitive Church and then to condemn the same Fathers and Christians of the Primitive Church for being infected with Popery and giving way to Antichrist Wherefore to avoid these Inconveniences if you 'l take my Advice Misrepresenter I believe you had better pretend no longer Right to the Primitive Fathers but as you have condemn'd the Eight hundred Years next before the Reformation of Damnable Errors and Popish Superstitions to take one step further back and e'en take in the other Six hundred Years too and so condemn them all in the lump from Christ's Time to Luther for being Papists and Popishly affected Never Mince the matter They were all Men you know and subject to Error and when you are once in 't is as easily condemning your Fore-fathers for Fourteen Ages as for Eight Your First Reforming-Apostles were something of this mind and thought it no more difficulty to Censure and Condemn the Primitive Fathers than Those they found in the time of K. Henry 8. but were for Reforming all with the same Hand Hearken a little to your courageous Luther In the Writings says he of Jerome there is not a word of True Faith in Christ and Sound Religion Tertullian is very Superstitious I have held Origen long since Accursed of Chrysostome I make no account Basil is of no worth he is wholly a Monk I value him not of a Hair Cyprian is a Weak Divine The Apology of Philip Melancthon far excels all the Dostors of the Church and exceeds even Austin himself Coll. Mens c. de Patr. Eccles And in another place The Fathers says he of so many Ages have been plainly Blind and most Ignorant in the Scriptures They err'd all their Life-time and unless they were mended before their Deaths they were neither Saints nor pertaining to God's Church To. 2. l. de Serv. Arbit Peter Martyr is of the same mind and therefore says plainly That as long as we stand to Councils and Fathers we shall always remain infected with the same Errors viz. of Popery And certainly Misrepresenter these Your First Setters up for Reformation were in the Right on 't for nothing can possibly so strengthen Protestancy and justifie the Separation as this Levelling Divinity For your Going by halves and pretending to be of the Religion of the First Ages of the Church fills People with Doubts and Scruples whilst looking back upon the Professors of those Times instead of Protestancy they find so much Popery amongst them Publish'd with Allowance Printed by Henry Hills Printer to the King 's Most Excellent Majesty for his Houshold and Chappel M DC LXXX VI. THE CATHOLIC REPRESENTER CHAP. XVI A New Way of making all the Popish Sayings of the Primitive Fathers to be Good Protestancy The Art of Interpreting do's Feats it makes way for Atheism and Infidelity Represent HOW stands your Head to day Misrepresenter have you Consider'd the Proposal I made you at our last Meeting Are you for disclaiming all Title to the Primitive Church and Huffing those Ancient Fathers as Luther Peter Martyr and others did who designing a Through-Reformation were alike for calling those Great Doctors to an account of the First Ages as they did those they found in the Time of King Henry 8 Or are you for Reforming upon These First Reformers and taking in those Primitive Fathers of the Church for Protestants which They cast off and Condemn'd for Papists Misrepres I have Consider'd this Matter very seriously and taken the Advice of Friends upon the Point And therefore to be short with you I value no more the Saying of Luther than he did Those Ancient Fathers whom he condemn'd as Weak Divines Superstitious and Valu'd not of a Hair. He was so near the Times of Darkness that he could not well look back and make Judgment of any thing behind him Repres Nay I commend you in this 't is only just to serve him in his kind 'T was Tertullian's Saying Curâ—â—nm idem licet Marcionitis quod Marcioni If Marcion has rebell'd against the Church why should his Followers think much to rebel against him And since Luther cast off all Authority and valu'd not the Writings and Doctrine of the most Eminent Fathers of the Primitive Church why shou'd any one think much of undervaluing him by his own Example If Luther could so easily throw by S. Cyprian for a Weak Divine and S. Basil for being wholly a Monk is not this Precedent enough for any Follower of Luther to cast him off for an Apostate Friar and an Ambitious Divine Well but if you Reform upon Luther in this Point and don 't think fit with him to lay aside all the Writings of the Ancient Fathers as Erroneous and Superstitious what do you do with all those troublesome Passages in their Works wherein They are such Positive Asserters of Popish Doctrines that 't is impossible for any Man to take the Authors for any thing but Papists which do's not well suit with your Claim to them as Protestants Misrepres Pish I value no more these Difficulties than Luther did the Fathers that is not of a Hair. If the First Reformers bad their Eyes but half open what 's that to us who have the Noon-light of the Gospel shining upon us