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
expected he should know or deliver truly the Doctrine of our Church who is so unhappy as not to know his own Mind But in one breath desires to be inform'd and Vows to follow wheresoever Truth â—or Charity shall lead him and in the very next without condition or reserve desires rather to die than to move one step from where he stands No this coming with Vow'd Docility in one hand and sturdy Presumption in the other is no good Argument of Sincerity and Honesty the qualities he so eagerly pretends to and ungroundedly questions in me Misrepresent Well but he has prov'd beyond the possibility of Reply that the Papists are on the Uncharitable side and Protestants on the Charitable out of your own Authors and your Charitable Doctrine to be new Popery Represent You have his Word for 't p. 8. But any besides a Layman will call it only a Say-so instead of a Proof His Protestant Charity which he even boasts of is the granting Salvation to Papists upon no other score than Invincible Ignorance and for this he thinks them p. 6. Charitable to a high degree And yet this is the very same Charity Papists have for Protestants the allowing of Salvation possible for such as through invincible Ignorance remain separate from the Church being a common opinion of the Modern and Antient Schoolmen And all those who pronounce so severely against Protestants 't is against Protestants remaining such as he words it p. 8. that is Obstinately and Pertinaciously continuing in Error and Schism in which circumstances Papists too are allow'd no claim to Salvation by Protestants Now where 's the Contradictions and the two sorts of Popery he brags of p. 8. Come Misrepresenter I look upon your Friends put to a hard shift when they begin to talk of New Popery They have been making the Papists odious these hundred Years for their Vncharitableness to Protestants and now the Disguise begins to wear off and the Papists appear as Charitable as Protestants nothing can serve to amuse the people and hinder their seeing the delusion but the noise of New Popery This may do with some but methinks a Sincâ—â—e Layman who desires to be led into all Truth p. 5. might be glad to find Men better than he thought them and not seek for one disguise to palliate another If his mind be tinctur'd with the Blood that runs in his Veins p. 11. yet assure him a Friend of his wishes heartily 't wou'd flow something Cooler and cause in him a more Even Pulse than to require as he does p. 12 nothing less than an Infallible Certainty to better his Opinion of the Papists whilst yet a Fallible Perswasion will content him for all the rest of his Religion Publish'd with Allowance LONDON Printed by Henry Hills Printer to the King 's Most Excellent Majesty for his Houshold and Chappel MDCLXXXVI THE CATHOLIC REPRESENTER CHAP. IX The Scriptures not always the Same to the same Person No Possibility of meeting in One Faith whil'st Private Reason sets up for Interpreter of the Word of God. The Sham-story of the Frogs and Crabs The Truth of the Anniversary Solemnity Misrepresent YOur last attempt of Proving the Scriptures to be as various in the Heads of Protestants as there are Heads amongst them was very Bold and I am perswaded now you are Cooler you 'l disown the Assertion Represent What I said was to lay before you the Reason why amongst the Catholics the Reading of the Bible is not promiscuously allow'd the Vulgar And to that end I shew'd you that the Ordinary People in all Nations being for the most part Vnlearned and Vnstable wheresoever the Canvassing the Scripture is freely permitted them without exception they generally understand it several ways and consequently what is the Scripture to Them is Multiplied and made as Numerous as their different Conceptions and Imaginations of it And now I 'll go farther with you for 't is not only thus in several People but even the same Person many times has the Faculty of Multiplyiâ—g the Word of God. For how many are to be found amongst the Vulgar who according to their different Humours as their Interest changes according to the different Impressions they receive from Confidents especially such as have gain'd their good Opinion espouse different Doctrines and Perswasions and run through as many Sects as there are Divisions in the Nation And yet in all their Windings they still follow as they imagine the Scriptures always guiding themselves by what they think the Word of God evidently speaks to them Don't you see how to these same Persons the Word of God is not always the same It alters according to Seasons and Times and 't was one Word of God directed them the last year another this and it may be another before the next So that tho' it be always the same Vnchangeable in their Hands as to the Letter yet it often changes in their Heads as the Meaning Misrepresent This is a fine Whim to undermine the Authority of the Scriptures But say what you will the Word of God is Plain Easie and Clear and God has given to every one Reason enough to Understand it the Reading it is comfortable the Following it a Duty And 't is an injury of the highest nature to deprive any tho the meanest Soul of so considerable a Blessing Represent If it be so Plain and Easie as you say how comes it there 's so little agreement in the Vnderstanding it How are there so many Different and Contrary Divisions Sects and Perswdsions in this One Nation How comes it that even in the Essentials of Christianity concerning the Trinity Incarnation the Divinity of Christ the Sacrament Baptism the Holy Catholic Church the Communion of Saints the Forgiveness of Sins the Resurrection of the Flesh c. there has been and at present is so great diversity amongst those that read the Scripture The business is you are for setting up every mans Private Reason to be Judge of Scripture If you have seen the Answer to the Protestant Plea for a Socinian you 'l find there p. 26. he points it out for the Mark of a Right Socinian to make Reason the Rule of the Scriptures Such a one says he makes Reason the Rule of that Rule And are not you far worse in this than the Rankest Socinian in the World whilst with him you do not make Common Reason the Measure of that Rule but every mans Private Reason which when put to the Test proves in Thousands and Thousands to be nothing better than Passion Prejudice Interest Imagination Guessing or Phancy Don't you find by experience there 's no such Trivial Proposal made but presently the Company 's divided there 's Head against Head Reason against Reason and this tho' the concern be but of Hay or Straw or the most obvious in the World Don't you see again that almost every Man's Reason is different as their Capacity Parts Education Temper Inclination Impressions are different
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
the Scripture in their Memory more Texts at their tongue's command more of the Books in their hands but 't is where more care is taken for imprinting the true Sence of these Words in the Vnderstanding of the People and where is us'd the most prudential method for the leading them into the truth of all the Mysteries contain'd in that sacred Volume And in this Point the Papist will yield to none for it is an unquestionable truth that when a Book contains high Mysteries of Religion Mysteries superiour to all Sence and Reason and those not deliver'd in expressions suited to every capacity but obnoxious to various interpretations such as may be wrested by the unlearned and unstable to their own Destruction in this case 't is an unquestionable truth I say that that People is in all probability likely to have more of the true Sence of this Book and to be better informed of the truth of the Mysteries it contains who are instructed in it by the Learned of that Communion and taught it by their Pastors Prelates and those whom God hath placed over them to govern and feed the Flock than any other People who have the Book put into their own hands to read it and search it and satisfie themselves For why Are not the Pastors more capable of teaching the People than the People are to teach themselves Or is it commendable in Scripture only and Religion for every one to be his own Master which in any other matter whosoever doe's it shall be esteem'd a Fool We know Moses Deut. 31. 9. gave the Book of the Law to the Levites to keep and read it every seven years to the People and in King Jehoshaphats reign 2 Chron. 17. 9. the Priests and Levits did read it and teach the People so did Jeremy Jer. 36. by Gods command so Isaiah so Ezekiel so the Levits Nehemiah 8. 8. Read in the Book in the Law of God distinctly and gave the Sence and caus'd them the People to understand the Reading And did not our Blessed Saviour Luc. 4. 17. take the Book of the Prophet and read it and expound it to the People And was not this the Office of the Apostles and Deacons to interpret the Scriptures and instruct their Followers what they were to believe and doe For this intention was Ananias sent to Saul Peter to Cornelius and Philip to the Eunuch who professedly own'd he could not understand the Prophet in so necessary a Point as that of the Messias without an Interpreter How can I understand said he except some man should guide me Act. 8. 31. Since therefore the Papists in delivering the Scripture come nearest to this Method commanded by God in the Old Law prescrib'd and practis'd by Christ and his Apostles in the New what People can be better instructed in the true sence of it and understand more of the Mysteries of the Christian Faith than they With what Reason can it be urg'd against the Vulgar of his Communion that the Scriptures are hid from them that they are bred up in blindness and ignorance Do not the Pastors expound the Scriptures to them do not they instruct them in every Point of their Religion and teach them the whole Duty of a Christian Is it not this they do in their Pulpits in their Catechisms in the Confessionaries in so many hundred spiritual Books plainly laying before them their whole obligation both as to Faith and Good manners And is this to conceal from them the Scripture Is the Word of God hid from them because they have their Pastors to instruct them in it Or are they any ways injur'd because they have learneder men than themselves to teach them Is the Multitude a better Judge of Scripture and more able to discover the truth of it than those whom God has plac'd over them Has God so deserted the Pastors and Prelates of his Church and is the Flock of late become so Wise The Faith of Christ was first planted by Christ's Preaching it to the Multitude by the same way 't was propagated by the Apostles and so it is to be deliver'd down to the end of the World Faith comes by hearing By this means many Barbarous Nations saies St. Irenaeus l. 3. adv har c. 3. believe in Christ have the Doctrine of Salvation written in their Hearts by the Holy Ghost without the help of Books and religiously observe the Traditions believing in one God c. Now 't is certain the Truth of this Christian Faith with all its Mysteries is unquestionably preserv'd in Christs Catholic Church and the People are to receive it and not to find out their Faith and Religion every one for themselves If they are afraid of being deceiv'd when they rely on their Pastors for it they run ten times the hazard when they trust to themselves The Papist therefore is taught that since Christ has a Church upon earth in which is conserv'd the truth of the Gospel 't is safer and more prudential for the People to be instructed in this Truth from the Pastors of this Church and by this means come to the Knowledg of the Word of God that is of its true sence and meaning than by committing the Book it self into the hands of the Multitude and leting every one understand it for themselves He knows 't is a very popular thing and acceptable to the prying Multitude to have a Book at command which directs the Way to Salvation but since 't is not the Book is to save him but the Truth and Doctrine which it teaches he believes 't is better learning this from those who are Wiser and are commissionated from Heaven to teach than to venture at it himself without any Authority The unhappy Divisions among Christians sufficiently inform him that to such Readers as St. Peter calls unreary and ignorant however wise they may think themselves Aâ—ianism may be as obvious in this Book as Christs Divinity and that when such an one undertakes the interpreting of it 't is an hazard whether at the end he comes out Quaker Anabaptist Presbyterian Independent Mugletonian Socinian or Atheist 'T is a Venture whether the Trinity shall have place in his Creed or no whether he 'll allow of Baptism or any Sacrament and whether Cruelty cutting of Throats Oppression Tyranny Dethroning of Kings and Murder of Princes shall not with him become a necessary Duty and a true serving of the Lord. For all these and more damnable Doctrines has he seen preach'd up and practic'd by those who have had the Bible in their Banners who have been esteem'd Searchers of the Word of God and presumptuously made their Comments upon this Sacred Text. And is it not this abuse that has occasion'd so many Schisms and almost broken the Mystical Body of Christ into pieces That whereas all his Followers should be of one mind now no body knows what Religion his Neighbour is of but every Wall now parts Religions more than Seas did heretofore And
Authority of the Church as being to decide Controversies of Faith Art. 20. and this is not to ordain or enforce any thing to be believ'd that is against the Scripture But whether that which it decides be against or according to Scripture this every man is to decide again by his own private Reason They maintain the Authority of General Councils But because these may err Art. 21. their Decrees have neither Strength nor Authority unless it may be declar'd that they be taken out of Holy Scripture But whether de facto they be taken out of Scripture or no this every Private Man must judge for himself And this Dr. Burnet asserts positively in his Exam. of Meth. p. 82. The Principle of Protestants with relation to the majority even in a General Council is That when any Doctrines are establish'd or condemn'd upon the Authorities of the Scriptures those who differ from them and do think that the Council misunderstood the Scriptures are bound to suspect themselves a little and to review the matter with greater application Yet if they are requir'd to profess that they believe opinions which they think false if they were never so inconsiderable no man ought to go against his Conscience And if any Synod of Protestants has decreed any thing contrary to this in so far they have departed from the Protestant Principles But the whole matter is more fully express'd by the Author of the Discourse before mentioned Concerning a Judge of Controversy Who p. 11. at the bottom clears it thus If you ask whose Judgment ought to take place the Judgment of the Church or of every private Christian I answer says he and mark it The Judgment of the Church of necessity must take place as to external Government to determine what shall be profess'd and practis'd in her Communion and no private Christian has any thing to do in these matters But when the Question is What is Right or Wrong True or False in what we may obey and in what not Here every Private Christian who will not believe without understanding nor follow his Guides blindfold must judge for himself and 't is as much as his Soul is worth to judge right Don't you see here there 's no Authority so Great and Safe amongst them but what is to be subject to the Censure of every Private Christian And tho' there be the Name of such a thing as a Church yet let that Command prescribe and ordain what it will to be receiv'd as the Truth and Faith of Christ 't is not That is to be obey'd or believ'd but being esteem'd as a piece of Formality not to be relied on every Man when he thinks fit must set himself up above Church and Authority and ee'n judge for himself Is not here every Controversy left to the decision of the Private Spirit And under the Notion of a Church a gate open'd to all the Fanaticisms and Quakerisms in the World By the Creed all Christians are bound to Believe the Holy Catholic Church And St. Paul Heb. 13. v. 7. commands all to Obey and Submit to those that are over them and this not only as to External Government but likewise as to Truth and Belief and therefore says he v. 7. Whose Faith follow But here you see tho' your Divines maintain the Authority of a Church yet there 's no Obligation on any Members of submitting to it as to any Point of Faith They must acknowledge it indeed as to the Governing or Politic part But as to the Christian or Believing part here every Christian as to what he is to obey and what not is to judge for himself And pray now what do's all this end in but the Private Spirit Can it desire any fairer Plea than this Certainly this their Church were it the Catholic Church the Ground and Pillar of Truth 't would not thus be commendably left to be over-rul'd by every Private Man's Reason There would not be this liberty for every one to run astray from it by preferring their own Judgment before the Decision and Judgment of the Church 'T was said heretofore and we know by whom Let him that do's not hear the Church he as a Heathen and a Publican But now it seems That Man alone is as Blind as a Heathen or Publican who do's not rather hear himself than the Church I wonder how long this has been so Misrepresent I le warrant you now you have got in your Head the Question Where was the Protestant Church before Luther But don't reproach this Church and perswade the World she is as yet but in her Infancy If you have seen a Book entit'led The Antiquity of the Protestant Religion You 'l see it there prov'd That the Protestant Religion was Anciently and Generally profest in the Christian World before the Reformation p. 1. Represent You have brought in this Question now by Head and Shoulders But since 't is staâ—ted satisfie me so far as to let me know where this Church was before the Pretended Reformation In what Country or Nation was it Visible Whether in the Eastern or Western World We have a fair Historical account of it from Luther's time to our days But I would willingly know where it was in all those Fifteen Hundred years from Christ's Ascension to the coming of the Prophet Luther as he is styl'd by Slydan Misrepresent Why this Author of the Antiquity of the Protestant Religion asserts it positively and proves That the Protestant Religion was Anciently and Generally profest in the Christian World before the Reformation And sure you that pretend to History and Religion cannot be ignorant Where that Religion was which was Anciently and Generally profest amongst Christians throughout the World. Represent Certainly then This Man must have had some extraordinary Revelation or made some New Discovery For the former Protestants who liv'd nearer Luthâ—r's time knew nothing of this Religion being Generally profess'd â—oannes Regius lib. Apol p. 176 Bishop Jewel Apol. p. 4. c. 4. d. 2. and Mr. Parkins Eâ—poâ— Cre p. 400. confeâ—s that before the days of Luther and Zuingliâ— the Church viz. Protestant was Invisible unknown unheard of that for the space of many hundred years an Vniversal Apostacy overspread the Whole face of the Earth and this Church was not then visible to the World. So that by what I see Authors don't agree in this matter And then besides this in a late Famillar Discourse betwixt a Minister and his Parishioner The Question being propos'd p. 14 Where was your Religion as it is now reform'd when Luther began his Reformation As to this particular the Minister answers It may be 't was in the Greek in the Abassine and Aegyptian Churches amongst the Armenian Christians It may be 't was in a Corner under a Cloud covered with Rubbish What if we say 't was no where Misrepresent Well and what then Represent Nothing but that I see 't is very hard to be found some find it Generally profess'd