rather belong to Emperours and Terrestrial Princes than to the Ministers of Jesus Christ who has assured us that his Kingdom is not of this World John 18. 36. Which is a certain Argument that under the name of Spiritual this Temporal Power is but a Tyrannical Usurpation much more grounded on the Predictions of the Revelations than the Precepts of the Gospel 'T is an Empire whose Princes are as so many Slaves to Ambition and Covetousness whose Votes are to be bought and who in the Election of a Head that has no Power but what he attributes to himself do bear a part even with Kings who are scared without reason by his imaginary Thunder What likelihood is there that the Truth of God or rather God himself can be found amongst so much corruption and Bribery which fills the Conclave That Holiness cannot be fix'd in its Throne but by the mercenary suffrages of these Men That St. Peter cannot preserve his Chair safe but by secret and unjust Contrivances What likelihood that men led by Interest which doubtless is the greatest God they own and men whose manners are so impure and depraved can any long time agree with the purity of the Gospel And by what Vices could they more justly fall into a Reprobate sense 'T is really a very strange thing to me that the Doctors of the Roman Church imagine themselves upon an ill-grounded Presumption to be the most reasonable of all men and perceive not that they may err as well as those who cry'd out The Temple the Temple Jer. 7. 4. as they do now the Church the Church If it be so that it cannot err why could not St. Peter from whom it receives this great Privilege bestow it on that of Antioch What could his Death contribute more to it than his Life What signifie Places which have not had any particular Promises or Seats which are not more ancient than others In what have the Errors of Asia out-done those of Europe What Holy Oracles have ever fore-told that Rome should be the Jerusalem of the Universe What an unhappiness has it been to other Churches that they have not been able to continue even one Age without their Impurities when the Church of Rome alone has been for fifteen free from Error If she must persevere in the Faith even to the end what did St. Paul think when he plac'd her amongst the wild Branches grafted on the Olive tree and consequently more liable to be cut off than its own natural ones and why would he pronounce a threatning upon her which was never likely to come to pass Those certainly who have design'd to build her up have ruin'd her and those who have enrich'd have destroy'd her 'T is extremely hard to make a just agreement between the love of the things of the Earth and those of Heaven Or can Faith Piety or Virtue subsist long amidst Luxury and Abundance Corruption generally begins with our Manners which when once so perverted as to arrive to their height they have no manner of Respect for those things that are Sacred nothing then so Holy or Religious which they turn not into Profaneness 'T is then men cannot away with the pure Doctrine 't is then they make Doctors after their own fashion that those are invested with Authority who least deserve it and who insolently violate the Divine Commands 'T is then their Preachers become fearful and cowardly holding many things as indifferent which are indeed very pernicious and thus at length they allow what at first 't was uneasie to 'em even to connive at The Romish Religion has been too long consistent with the Power of the World the Princes and Nobility the Magistrates and People side with it and have for many Ages supported its Authority This is a sign of it s not being the true Church since that frequently needs Tryals of Affliction and whose greatest Enemy is the World it self I must confess that sometimes the Preaching of the Gospel does convert whole Towns and Provinces nay even Kingdoms but they continue not long without disturbance the Jealousie of their Neighbours the Treachery of their own People and Servants set on foot by the Church of Rome and what is worst of all their abuse of Gods blessings and their prosperous Condition which is generally attended by a corruption of Manners do in a little time create to 'em Crosses and Disquiets Their Tranquillity and Peace would be extraordinary and wonderful if it lasted one Age but this Terrestrial resting-place is not appointed for their Happiness How long has the Reign of Jesus Christ been that of this World how long have the Nobles the Learned and the People submitted to the Jurisdiction of the Church How long has it been that true Christians have not been persecuted How long since Servants are become greater than their Masters And by what new Gospel have they made even Caesars and the Princes of the Earth Tributary No no there is no Society of men let 'em be what they will can have the name of a Church by any Temporal Estate but by the alone Profession of Embracing and of teaching the incorrupted Doctrine and the Truth Thus the Doctors of the Age with an insufferable Confidence brag that they have not in the least alter'd either the Commandments of the Law or the Articles of Faith but that they have closely adhered to the very foundation of ' em But is it not to break the Law which God pronounc'd with his own Mouth and writ with his own Hand sometimes to accuse it of being insufficient and then of superfluity and to retrench such words from it as they like not when they deliver it to the people Is it not to violate the Faith to apply themselves to any other Mediators than Jesus Christ and to subvert that Order he has appointed both for a Form of Prayers and that of Sacraments Those who have but an indifferent knowledge of the Pagan Religion must own that three parts of what they see practis'd in the Celebration of the Mass as to their Habits their Gestures or Ceremonies were the invention of and established by Numa Pompilius King of the Romans Yet no one has so much as thought of making him pass for a Prophet or a Messenger sent by God seven hundred years before the coming of Jesus Christ to declare what sort of Worship and Religion that of the Christians should be But hereupon to satisfie you they give you fine words telling you that these Ceremonies of the Heathens by introducing of 'em into the Church are sanctify'd By the same reason those things that were borrow'd by the Jews of Idolatrous Nations and which they brought into the Temple should have been sanctify'd even by the Temple But neither Priests or Prophets ever imagined they could appease the jealousie and anger of the Eternal by a specious excuse so well devis'd 'T is unseasonable to use the flowers of Rhetorick and to entertain those with glittering
afterwards worship the Sun the Moon the whole Host of Heaven or of Hell There is no Religion so extravagant which he does not favour nor is there any one displeasing to him but the true He hath first added Gods to Gods carry'd their Idols to the Holy place and then hath found out wayes of opposing the Scripture by Scripture and by untrue Interpretations on it created false Beliefs He hath served himself of the Light only to dazle and of Truth to disguise falshood the better to put off his Impostures He has his Learned men to teach and dispute his Professors of Religion to give Examples of living well his Priests his Prophets Martyrs and Confessors And yet men are not sensible by what Spirit they are led so obdurate are they and given up to Satan they are so fully possess'd with and infatuated by him that they scarce think that he is They are so profane and presumptuous have so mighty an Opinion of their own Natural Reason that they pretend to reform the Works of their Maker and to judge of the Word of God as if barely Humane They content not themselves with what they learn from Divinity without the aid of Philosophy and confound both the one and the other and thus insensibly forsaking the Profession of Christians become as Heathens They employ themselves in the search of nice and curious Questions and not regarding what is clear and evident take a pride in raising Doubts and Scruples and in a collection of Contradictions and affected Difficulties pervert themselves and others from the knowledge of the Truth They take when they please figurative Expressions literally they make the worst Interpretations on those things that are obscure and doubtful and when they meet with Words of a double Sense they be sure take that which suits best with their Interest and Designs They puzzle each other with specious Reasons and their Judgment is so weak as to allow that two Contradictories may be maintain'd by equal Proofs One would believe they learn that they may be more ignorant and that they study to be Scepticks and by these means they make Knowledge of less Value than Ignorance it self In Effect if Humane Knowledge was grounded on any Certainty those who pretend so perfectly to understand the Art of reasoning well would be all of the same Belief but if their Opinions are so very different and divided and yet that there is but one Truth in what can they be so understanding in a certain crabbed knotty artificial Divinity only full of Metaphysical Terms which neither the Prophets or Apostles judg'd necessary to Salvation or rather have not at all known and of which according to their Example 't is much better to be ignorant than knowing In Humane Inventions in Chimaera's and odd Pictures and indeed in all things capable of producing Errors and of destroying Reason by its own subtilty you meet with some who are always vainly prating eternal Disputants that employ their whole study in contradicting others and who are concern'd more for a false Syllogism than for the Peace of the Church or the Happiness of the World They never engage in any Conference but with a resolution not to yield in the least for the love of the Truth but only to endeavour either to seduce their Adversaries by all manner of perswasions and promises or at least to supplant 'em by Artificial Stratagems They fear nothing so much as granting one Point lest then they should be obliged to allow all If any of 'em does in the least yield he loses all his Credit with his Party and if sincere but in one act 't will be look'd on by 'em as an unpardonable fault They are alwayes armed with the fallacious Arguments of the Schools and Proofs grounded on certain Maxims which they lay down and oblige them to maintain as Principles of unquestionable Truth which must admit of no Doubt or endure any Examination and on these depend the infallible consequence of what they believe or what they endeavour to perswade us to For though their Impostures are apparent yet they so disguise 'em as to make 'em plausible that they may keep the People by their pious Cheats in their impious Devotions They know how to take the advantage of the Enemy they are well skill'd in shifting the most formal Assertions they subtilly refine the very substance of the Matter and the state of the Question they have their Sophistical Distinctions their set Comments their Evasions and Defeats and thus every one in their Disputes as in War aims only at Conquest Execrable Souls who regard more the defence of their Honour and Interest than their Religion it self and who look after what they are to object or answer rather than what they ought to believe who value not their want of Faith provided they appear not to be void of Reason Why should we hope from these men for a candid and faithful Interpretation of the most hidden things who only endeavour to render more obscure those which are clear and evident and who so change the Ordinances of God that 't is easie to discover it for with the assistance even of common sence our Eyes alone may be just Judges of it But we are not to expect other fruits from their Animosity or Obdurateness who are only free and sociable with those who suffer themselves to be instructed or wholly govern'd by 'em For they are not capable of knowing more having as they presume learn't all they can and proposing to themselves only the teaching of others are pleas'd to be rather esteem'd the Masters of Error than the Disciples of Truth But 't will be asked me if in a Consideration of so great weight as this I can pretend without Presumption that my Opinion herein is infallible or at least more enlighten'd than that of the Learned themselves I answer that I profess to embrace no other than what is establish'd on the clear Evidence of Scripture intelligible by the meanest of men and which it has pleas'd God to reveal to the humble and hide from the proud No other than that by which I am taught that no one ought to presume beyond what is written 1 Cor. 4. 6. That 't is absolutely forbid either to add or take from it that those who promote God's Honour and Service barely by humane Doctrines do it in vain and by their Traditions make the Law of no effect No other than that which presses me to avoid profane Questions vain and impertinent Disputes and unreasonable Contradictions of a Knowledge falsly so called which 't is difficult to pursue without erring from the Faith and becoming even impious Besides I answer that these Demands cannot be justly propos'd to those who serve themselves only of their Sense and Reason to know the Voice of their Lord and Father to receive his Commands and obey him who presume not boldly to intermine their own idle Conceits with his Ordinances and who expound the
finding the first or last which alone merits the name of Divinity To what are we come that we must even now with Industry endeavour to prove the Truth of the being of a God! Is not this indeed to affront men as reasonable as our selves to shew 'em what each particular Sence does constantly prove to ' em Is not this to teach those to see who have their Eyes open and tell others they have the use of Reason who profess themselves men Shall we add to these Considerations the frequently repealed Arguments of those who have undertaken so high but just and reasonable a Defence In effect if there was no God How could the World be Could it be the Workmanship and the Workman of it self Could it be before it was How can these agree and yet but the same World If it be eternal and is independent on any first Cause that Order which we observe and must be an effect of admirable Wisdom with all those Powers which are differently communicated to each part would in a manner prove what some have fancied That it is God himself For it is not in the least probable that it's Beauty it 's Order and Duration can be the effects of blind and confus'd Chance Can we imagine that from thence could proceed such long and regular Successions of Time and Motion Can we attribute to that so much Care and Wisdom as to be able to make so different Causes tend to the same Effect This certainly under another Name would be God himself and his Blasphemers would meet in every place what their guilty Souls are afraid of finding any where otherwise What is this Fortune but a vain and insignificant Title an imaginary Idol that exists but in our Fancies to which we erroniously attribute such Effects of whose Causes we are ignorant She appears to us less or greater according to our Proportion of Knowledge and if we could but free the World from Ignorance the Notion of Fortune would be laid aside 'T is then the Deity of the ignorant which no wise man adores and I cannot but wonder how those who plead for her can believe themselves reasonable since according to the Opinion they have of all things they must confess they were made by Chance and consequently that they move act and speak so There are amongst these some who pretend to believe a God but at the same time make him careless and idle slothful and wholly unconcern'd in the Affairs of the Universe at least in all sublunary things imagining perhaps says one that this would be too great Trouble to him As if their Impieties could give him any Comfort or Satisfaction Is not this to deny whilst they own him and boldly to confine the Actions of an infinite Power Is not this to make to themselves a God who cannot barely act as a Man to allow him Understanding without Counsel a Will without Freedom Goodness without Communication in a Word a Being without a Being and less than that of the Elements which comes nearest to no Being at all But not to insist farther on the universal chain of Causes with their Effects which plainly demonstrate that things of the sublimest nature are assisted by those of the lowest and that these necessarily depend on the same Wisdom and Power by which they are made and conserv'd Who is he that in his Anger chastises both Kings and People that removes the Scepter from one and gives it to another that overturns Empires and in an instant changes the Face of Estates and to shew that this is done by his Power has long since foretold it by the Mouth of his Messengers and Prophets Who was it that punish'd the Sins of men by a miraculous Flood acknowledged by all the World and by whose Advice was one only Family saved from it Who was it that promis'd such a Deluge should never return and who has so faithfully kept his Promise What Spirit foresaw the coming of the Messias three or four thousand years of whom the Prophets have so particularly spoke as if they as well as the Apostles had seen him From whom but God himself or some Angel sent from him were those Predictions of the Posterity of Abraham of the Throne of David and of that Lamp which should be kept in his Family of the dispersing and rejecting of the Jews and the Conversion of the Gentiles If it be told me that there are Mathematicians Astrologers and Wise men who foretell things to come I must ask by what hand they are writ in the Heavens in such Characters that men can read 'em and who has plac'd the Signs in the Stars or rather their Vertues and Causes which the same men cannot comprehend It must needs be that those who are not touch'd with these Considerations are blinded with Passion that prevents their Reason who from Custom become obstinate and from Ignorance stupid We find that there are many very wise and knowing in all worldly things nay are ignorant and insensible of nothing but Divine ones But if I am not deceived most bear in their Breast both their Accuser and Judge and will earlier or later be forc'd to say as others have done We are so weary of the ways of Iniquity that we can endure 'em no longer CHAP. III. THUS whatever presents it self to our sight do's speak of a God and prove that he is but what he is neither all those Objects nor all our Reason can discover to us Yet so much as we know of him is sufficient to make us believe and worship what we don 't perfectly know Let it be then that the continu'd course of Causes and Effects is not infinite that all things either reach or tend visibly to their End that from the Ancientest of Books in respect of which all others are but new and imperfect we know the Origine and Rise of all Nations That the Powers of the Heavens are become weak that the Age and Strength of Men are impaired in comparison of that account we receive of 'em in Sacred and Profane History it does evidently appear that God created the World and for an additional Perfection to his greatest Work made Man after his own Image that is wholly conformable to his Will not in Essence but Imitation and as Perfect and as Happy as the Noblest Creature could be He was plac'd in an honourable Station between Beasts and Angels was the Bond of the Universe the End of all created things over which he had eternally commanded had he been only but obedient to his Creator But not content with those abundant Favours he had received rashly aspires to a degree above his Sovereign endeavours to rise higher than the Top it self and aiming at something in nothing was near returning to that first Nothing from whence he came How strangely bold What high Presumption is it to covet being equal with God! What base Incredulity to accuse him of falshood or Envy What horrid Ingratitude and Rebellion to
Time of a Woman to make a Man that will us restore to Life again Thus is the Divine and Humane Nature mysteriously united and without the Properties either of the one or the other being changed The Son of God is joyn'd in Unity of Person with the Son of Man I say the Son and not the Father because we cannot have for Intercessor that Person to whom he must intercede He who sends cannot be sent and then as the Father does nothing of himself but all things by the Son 't is reasonable that the second Creation should be made by the same as the first was Who can more effectually speak than He who is the Word it self Who can better renew in us the Divine Image than He who first form'd it and who can better bestow on us the right of Children than the Possessour of it But it is not enough that He makes Satisfaction or that that be imputed to us but 't is necessary that this Grace be conferr'd upon us that it be apply'd to us which is the Office of the Spirit that equally proceeds both from the Father and the Son 'T is He that does both enlighten and purifie us that makes us understand love and believe these Mysteries that makes us as he did the Blessed Virgin conceive our Saviour He is the Bond of Love that unites us to Divinity 't is the true anointing by which we are made Kings Priests and Prophets To conclude This is He who gives himself as a Pledge and assurance of the Promises of a future Life of the Resurrection and of Glory This great Mediator is then come and as he was foretold not as a Conquerour as a Cyrus or Alexander but a man of sorrows consecrated by his Afflictions the publick Victim of Mankind whose Merit is sufficient for all but only applicable to those who believe in him He is come not to shed the Blood of others but his own to overcome Rebellion by Obedience Force and Power by Weakness and Pride by Humility and this makes him appear greater and more Divine as well as us to admire and adore him Behold the sole Object of Religion which is not onely to save Man but of him to make a God without prejudice to the Divine Unity or Holy Trinity For what name can we give the Son of man who makes one and the same Person with the Son of God And of what Race ought we to esteem those whom he has vouchsafed to honour with the name of Brethren Now this Religion is establish'd not by Contention or private Conspiracy not by the favour of Kings or the suffrage of the People not by the cunning of Philosophers or the Eloquence of Orators not by a multitude of men as the Mahometan or by numbers of Gods as the Pagan but by the alone publishing of the simple and naked Truth Yet this Truth notwithstanding all manner of opposition has flourish'd and made it self known throughout the World It has so prevailed that Errours of all sorts have been confounded all Sects dispers'd and wasted false Oracles with Idols and their worshippers have fall'n before it CHAP. V. AFter that which we are taught concerning the only way of Man's Salvation What can we learn from all the Religions in the World To what would Mahomet perswade us if the Name of Christian be so hateful to him if he differs from the Religion of Jesus Christ to which all the Prophets do so strongly adhere Is it not strange that so many inspired men should be rais'd at different Times and at distant Places to foretell the coming of one Man alone who was to be rejected by his own and receiv'd by all the other Nations of the Earth Undoubtedly after what we learn of him from the Scriptures and those Commands it lays upon us as well as those Instructions we receive from 'em we have no need of being longer curious but to submit and obey Let those who make to themselves Gods appoint Services for 'em 't is otherwise with him who is not made by our Opinion but is the Maker of us all His Will cannot be discover'd by our Conceit or vain Imaginations but by his Word alone this he gives us as a Light to guide us and woe be to them who call this Light Darkness The Knowledge which it teaches us is so sublime and excellent that Man could never have found it out and then so consonant to Reason that 't is impossible to consider of it well and not approve of it It first represents Man to himself informing him of his Weakness and Misery then comforts him and no sooner discovers his Disease to him but offers him a Remedy against it It contains many Revelations and Predictions confirm'd after a long Succession of Time by certain Events whose end is the Salvation of the Creature and the glorifying of the Creator The Naturalness the End the Stile the Antiquity the Strength the Duration and divers other Marks which eminently appear in it do so clearly prove it's Divinity that it seems to be God himself who speaks Man therefore must attend and be silent Has the Truth of any History of the greatest and most flourishing Empires been so much strengthned by its Friends as this has even by its Enemies What other begins with the World continues from Age to Age speaks of things to come as if present and ends with the World it self 'T is the way of Salvation the Gate of Heaven and he who endeavours to enter by any other is a Thief 'T is the model of Perfection that shews us of what Good or of what Ill we are capable and teaches us to examine to know and reform our selves 'T is the true Paradise where grows the Tree of Life whose Leaves are for the Health of the Gentiles To conclude they are the Words of the Almighty writ by him and equally dispens'd to his Servants and Friends being neither kept or hid from any one of those who belong to his Election Whoever then knows that there are Holy Scriptures for to instruct men how they ought to serve God and what Recompence they may hope for and does not carefully consult 'em whatever Profession he may make of Religion is a Lyar a Hypocrite and deceives himself since they are writ as well for the meaner sort as the greatest Doctor for Women as Men and for Children as their Fathers If there be any who having once read 'em though out of Curiosity perhaps and are not so taken with 'em as to read 'em continually 't is a very ill Sign Is it to deal fairly or indeed Is it not to declare they receive the Devils Wages and take his part to prevent the Salvation of men when they forbid the reading of 'em to so many pious Souls who thirst after the Word of Eternal Life Let Hereticks and Turks conceal the Falseness of their Doctrines and Errors but let the Gospel of Jesus Christ being Truth it self be expos'd and visible
the external Profession which taking up either from their Birth or Custom they easily forsake what their perverse Humours forbid 'em to love or know and if they have been initiated in good Principles they end in bad ones Thus the Purity of the Gospel in whatever Town or Province it has been received has scarce proceeded to the third Generation and the Apostles themselves lived only in those Churches they founded Errour insensibly creeping into the place of Truth God already threatned them to extinguish their-Light or to transfer it letting 'em see that Faith was not a particular Priviledge to one Place Family or People and that the Church being Catholick could not be subjected to the Power of one King or the Government of one Priest It is in vain Men pretend to settle a durable State or find a lasting Sovereign good in this Life they cannot long endure even Prosperity it self and the alone way to ruine 'em is to grant 'em even their own Desires If our first Parents placed in Innocence amidst the Fruit and Flowers of a delightful Garden could not withstand the Persuasions of the Evil Spirit though he took on him only the form of a Serpent and offer'd 'em but an Apple to tempt 'em how then shall they who are Sinners by Nature resist him when he appears as an Angel of Light and offers them all the Advantages they can possibly desire 'T is certain that the Devil for the most part does seduce men by a Paradise of Pleasures to cast 'em into the bottomless Abyss of Hell and 't is by a Hell of Pains and Afflictions that God does usually try men to exalt 'em to the Glory of Paradise Riches are of so great Disadvantage to their Possessors that they keep 'em as a weighty Burthen from ascending to Heaven They are so incoherent with the Profession of the Gospel that he who had the Command of all and could have employ'd 'em without Abuse voluntarily makes himself poor to procure us eternal Salvation and to make us rich by his Poverty In effect what History asserts is acknowledg'd by all good men that the great Presents of Emperours and the vast Gifts of Lords and Ladies have been the most dangerous and fatal Poyson that could have been spread in the Church for from hence Piety began to grow cold and to yield to the Business of the Age and all Christian Vertues were soon stifled by Luxury and Abundance These Benefactors who are so highly magnifyed do sufficiently prove that they were unacquainted with the Will of Jesus Christ and with the Calling of his Ministers since they bestow on 'em such mighty temporal Riches as to make 'em Sharers of the Kingdom of this World Wealth on a sudden encreasing so much made those who were true Believers plainly foresee that none but the ambitious and covetous none but ill men would be advanc'd to Preferment in the Church and that it would be brought to the unhappy Extremity of being govern'd only by it's Enemies Since then I know not by what Permission of Heaven Corruption has been so rife that the Ecclesiasticks are become worse than Seculars They have receiv'd their Authority from men which they ought to have had alone from God in so religious a Profession and if they have been concern'd in spiritual Affairs it has been rather to command than serve to raise themselves to great Honours and to make themselves Bishops over the rest of Bishops They have imitated him who not satisfy'd with the Joys of his Fellow-Angels boldly aspired to the utmost height of Pride saying in his Heart I will raise my Throne above the Stars and shall be made like to the Almighty Instead of a due Observation of that Worship and Service God himself has appointed they have despis'd it's Simplicity affecting Pomp and Bravery in their Devotions and as they say themselves sanctifying the Ceremonies of Paganism by introducing of 'em into the Church Not being able to endure the Purity of Doctrine without altering and disguising of it into a thousand Shapes they have to this purpose made choice of Preachers after their own fashion who raising nice and scrupulous Questions have understood 'em as little as their Hearers and whatever Colour of Sense they may bear being pronounc'd in elegant and florid Words they both seem equally satisfy'd We have seen that poor Worms just risen from the Dust and ready to return thither again have insolently taken upon them the Title of Gods and commanded the very Angels as their Guards and have dispos'd of Heaven and Hell at their Pleasure as of their Estates But what likelyhood is there that those who are rais'd only by Corruptions by Bribery by Threats Promises or private Bargains should be the infallible Dispensers of God's Will and Judges of Men's Faith What Patience would not be tyred to see those who are alone guided by the Spirit of Interest who make the Church an House of Trade and Den of Thieves transported to such heights of Impiety as to make the Holy Ghost an Accomplice of all their Crimes Their Pretences of having Power in Heaven makes 'em seem to affect less the Good of the Earth that we may believe that the Divine Authority and theirs are equal But as they are Lyons in Cruelty so are they Horse-leeches for Covetousness being always finding out new Methods of laying numberless Impositions on the People For to pass by their several Excommunications Injunctions transferring of Causes and Exactions under pretence of War against the Enemies of Christianity there is no end of their first Fruits Bulls Indulgences Canons Cases of Conscience Pardons for Faults and Penances and superabundant Satisfactions All these Inventions make Sins venial so far as they are vendible for they set to sale their Prayers Sacrifices and prostitute even Heaven and God himself so that he that offers most has the Bargain Horrid Inventions that transform Simon Peter into Simon Magus who make as much as in their Power Jesus Christ a Tyrant and his Apostles Mercenary Hucksters What Divinity That those who are but able to pay for it shall in a Moment be deliver'd from the Torments of Hell at least from those of Purgatory tho' the Sins they have committed are never so enormous whilst others remain there thousands of Years unless perchance Poverty either voluntary or forc'd or Fastings even to the murdering of themselves or some other sort of Severities of Nakedness or whipping do redeem ' em But besides this spiritual Merchandize and exposing things sacred to Sale by what divine Inspiration do they absolve Subjects of their Oaths of Fidelity and dispense with their Allegiance to their lawful Princes whom they endeavour rather to terrifie than reform and that dreadful Inquisition which renders 'em deaf to the just Remonstrances of those who breath after Reformation only is it an Imitation of the Meekness and Clemency of Jesus Christ or of the barbarous Cruelty of Herod who put to Death so many Innocents
Neighbour Exod. 24. 16. by this is meant those are to be called Hereticks who embrace no other Religion but what is prescrib'd by the Word of God Then when 't is said speaking of the Communion As often as you shall eat of this Bread 1 Cor. 11. 26. The Sence of this is That you shall eat no Bread And when 't is said Tarry one for another 1 Cor. 11. 33. The meaning of this is That Masses shall be said without Communicants And thus of the rest They render the Scripture intricate and difficult only that they may be consulted as Oracles and their Authority absolutely depended on If Philosophy was so necessary for men to discharge their Duty to God the mean and ordinary people of the World could never know any thing of it against that place of Scripture which says That he hath hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and has revealed 'em unto Babes Matth. 11. 25. It is not to be hoped that a well establish'd Couference can either clear or dissipate this Darkness since most men design only the maintaining the first Opinion they have receiv'd or setting a Value and Reputation on their Profession Disputes indeed are dangerous for those who manage 'em ordinarily grow passionate and sharp or ambitious of Conquest at least of not being overcome I have never observ'd those of the Church of Rome to deal with Sincerity their Religion has so little of Religion in it that it scarce ever suffers 'em to act in any thing without consulting their Humane Interest or without having studied all manner of Tricks and Cunning As the Children of this World are in their Generation wiser than the Children of light Luke 16. 8. They are assured of the Victory before the Combat They are certain they shall be countenan'd by those who preside and be applauded by the Voice of the Multitude They are assur'd of him on whose Account the Dispute is made and to have the better by any way whatever unless that of Reason Otherwise they amuse the Standers by and lose the time in repeating long Quotations and will always speak thrice as much at least as their Adversaries They will not dispute with equal Strength or Arms they will be both Party and Judges and pretending a Sovereign Jurisdiction over all things that belong to Religion will not be determined but by themselves they will admit of no Advice or allow any Councils but what are made up of men all obliged to the same Interest They will resolve nothing but after their own Way their own Policy their own Customs or Prejudices which confirm their Errors instead of removing of ' em But if they were well assur'd that Truth was of their side it being certainly the strongest tho' the least known yet ought they to be so charitable to us as to say Assemble the learned'st of your Men together and we on our parts will do the same We 'll receive your Reasons in Writing signed with your hands and we 'll return you ours with the same Freedom But these Hypocrites these self-interessed Men of seared Consciences will not run the Risque of ruining at once both their Religion and their Fortunes 'T is not their design to draw men to their Party by the Power of Truth they know no way to do it but by Corruption by Liberty and fair Promises They make it their business to find out amongst those of the Reform'd Religion and especially the Pastors a Judas who may be prevailed on to sell himself to betray their Master and Brethren But to what purpose these Perswasions or these Compulsions To what end this Dispute or rather this insufferable Wrangling Is it not only to prove to us that those who prostrate themselves before Images are not Idolaters Is it not to perswade us to go every day before the Altar to observe the going forward and backward the Gestures the mysterious Ornaments of a Priest that turns his Back upon us and to oblige the People to say Amen to several repeated Words and murmuring Noise of a Tongue which for the most part they understand not 'T is for this they make so much Disorder in the World 't is for this they promise they threaten and persecute the Saints even to over-come 'em as far as 't is possible for 'em and make the very Stars fall from Heaven 'T is this which does afflict us and this which does often amaze us 'T is this would make us sink under our Fear and Sorrows but on this account the Holy Trinity comes to our Assistance the Holy Ghost does comfort and withal assure us That the Son shall not lose one of those whom the Father has given him Joh. 17. 12. and 18. 9. Moreover Providence and Truth are so gloriously triumphant over their Enemies that they find themselves caught in those Snares they laid for others Whoever shall attentively read the Books of Controversie so refin'd as they are at this Time will perceive that those of the Reform'd Religion do apparently surpass all others and that there are only such who are contentious stupid or harden'd and given up even to a reprobate Sense that receive not from 'em as full Satisfaction as Reason it self can offer To conclude Aristander I am forc'd to tell you that I find not so much as one remaining Spark of the pure Gospel any shadow of true Christianity in all this Roman Hierarchy 'T is a Body labouring under an irrecoverable Leprosie an Hydropick Body puffed up with it's ill Humours 'T is sick of a Lethargy that sleeps the Sleep of Death from which no Voice is strong or loud enough to awaken it On the contrary I am fully satisfy'd with the Profession of the Reformed Churches which instruct me in the Divine Commands without any Mixture of Humane Inventions I find there preached the pure and plain Truth of a Jesus Christ crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. who brings healing under his Wings Mal. 4. 2. who makes the Deaf to hear and the Blind to see and in a Word even the Dead to rise again Matt. 11. 5. to enjoy the for-ever-blessed Life of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost who lives and reigns eternally Amen A LETTER to a Lord at Court who would have perswaded him to turn Catholick MY LORD SInce the Care you are pleas'd to have of me in all my Concerns extends it self even to the Salvation of my Soul I humbly beg your Lordships leave to give you my Opinion on this Subject and 't would be an extreme Pleasure to me was it not contrary to yours 'T is not without Astonishment that I have observ'd in the World so many different Religions which are all maintain'd by their Patrons with an equal Positiveness one believing he has as much Reason on his side as the other But 't was yet greater Amazement to me to see that God does so manifestly make himself known to men that will not listen to him and who are so obdurate not