Head over Christendom became potent and submitted to by most Christian Princes as the whole World once became an Arrian so the whole Church became a Prophanist till the intolerable Pride and Insolence of their Prelates and Ignorance and Debauchery of their Clergy mov'd some of the German Princes who groan'd under their intolerable Yoke to murmur at it and discourse of Reformation which encouraged John Huss and Jerome of Prague and after them Luther with many other both German and French Divines to declare publickly against the Pride and Debauchery of the Clergy with their cheating Indulgences but his Holiness with their Eminencies though they confess'd there were cause yet disdain'd a sorry Fryar should be the Promoter When I was at Worms said Luther the Bishop of Magdeburgh came unto me and said I know we have an evil Cause in hand and that your Doctrine is right yet for some reasons best known to our selves we neither may nor will receive it In like manner the Cardinal of Saltsburgh said unto me we know and it is written in our Consciences that Priests justly might marry and that Matrimony is far better than the shameless and wicked Whoring which Priests drive and use yet notwithstanding said he we must neither alter nor reform it for the Emperor will not suffer Germany to be disturbed for the Conscience sake Luth. Colloq 325. In the Council of Lateran ann Dom. 1515. they first concluded the Article of the Resurrection though the Pope had been infallible long before and then also decreed that a Cardinal might lawfully keep but five Whores and Youths to be his Chamberlains c. But they had his Holinesses stores of his tolerated Stews to supply their wants besides his vast treasure of Indulgences to pardon these venial Sins Surely said Luther some fearful Destruction attends them who practice such horrible abominations that if with my eyes I had not seen them I should never have believed them fol. 324. And then writes the Generation as he titles it of the abominable Desolations of Antichrist the Son of Hypocrisie the Son of the Devil saith he The Devil begat Darkness Darkness begat Ignorance Ignorance begat Error and his Brethren Error begat Free-will and Presumption out of Self-conceit Free will begat Merit Merit begat Forgetfulness of God Forgetfulness begat Transgression Transgression begat Superstition Superstition begat Satisfaction Satisfaction begat the Mass-offering Mass-offering begat the Priest of Unction the Priest of Unction begat Misbelief Misbelief begat King Hypocrisie Hypocrisie begat Trading with Offerings for Gain Trading for Gain begat Purgatory Purgatory begat the yearly solemn Vigils yearly Vigils begat Church livings Church-livings begat Mammon Mammon begat swelling Superfluity swelling Superfluity begat Fulness Fulness begat Rage Rage begat Freedom Freedom begat Rule and Dominion Dominion begat Pomp Pomp begat Ambition Ambition begat Symony Symony begat the Pope and his Brethren about the time of the Babylonian Captivity after the Babylonian Captivity the Pope begat the Mystery of Iniquity the Mistery of Iniquity begat sophistical Divinity sophistical Divinity begat rejecting of the holy Scripture rejecting of holy Scripture begat Tyranny Tyranny begat slaughtering of the Saints slaughtering of the Saints begat contemning of God contemning of God begat Dispensation Dispensation begat wilful Sin wilful Sin begat Abomination Abomination begat Desolation Desolation begat Anguish Anguish begat Questioning Questioning begat searching out the Ground of Truth out of which the Desolator the Pope called Antichrist is revealed Thus you have the Rise and Growth of Error and Prophaneness how they gained ground against Truth and Piety step by step by a person that lived in an age of Discovery and made it his business to detect their Errors and Prophaneness Now from this polluted Fountain hath flowed all the Debauchery of Christendom and since the reformed Churches have so tenaciously contested about the true Forms many of them have lost the true power and holy Life of Religion and degenerated into Romes Prophaneness and doubtless will lick up their Errors and Superstitions rather than part with their Lusts when they come in competition for when once a people have prostrated themselves to all sorts of vitious Manners what should restrain them from imbibing all sorts of corrupt Doctrines Consciences once hardened by a custom in Immoralities can never much struggle for the truth of Divinityes And no History sacred or civil gives an account of any age so depraved in their Morals as this we live in Never did men so glory in those Vices Turks and Pagans would blush at as the debauched Christians of this age never did any so attempt to outface Sobriety Temperance and Chastity as if they were the properties of a sneaking peasantly Humour compared with their Heroick Vices how have men learned to degrade humane Nature as if the Nature of Brutes were more excellent that live as if they had abandoned the common hope of Mankind relating to a future state and even say as their predecessors in Voluptuousness and Atheism Let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall die The Taverns c. are their Oratories and their Devotion scurrilous Drollery at all things serious as if they designed to jeer all Morality and Divinity out of the world and esteem all men out of their wits that are not mad enough to be free Denisons of their Bedlam if these men do believe there is either Heaven or Hell they must suppose the difference is so little they would not give much to choose or else they dream of a Paganish Elysium where all sensual Delights will be enjoyed and conclude what is to be the Happiness of the next world cannot be the Sin or Misery of this if they do believe there is a God it must be as Psal 50. a God that is altogether such an one as themselves these Fools that make a mock of Sin are neer akin to those Fools that say in their Hearts there is no God Psal 14.1 for they 'l worship none devoutly but Bacchus and Venus and their Servants ye are saith the Apostle to whom ye obey c. If their Senses did not convince them of the contrary their Reason is so depraved they would conclude grim Death durst not arrest persons of their Quality and Mettle though every Vice they so welcom are Deaths Serjeants and daily seise them and post them away to their dreadful Eternity Had they but leisure to consider how many of their jovial Companions have been haled out of the world by Adultery and Drunkenness c. and would but observe how many maimed Souldiers to Bacchus and Venus creep up and down the streets it might convince them if God hath not given them up to a reprobate sense c. that this way of sin is not the way of safety either to Body or Soul If they believe a Judgment to come they fancy they shall be there treated like Gentlemen they cannot believe their own Consciences who they have enslaved and kept silent
and State both against Foreign Invasions and intestine Rebellions they own no Government nor Jurisdiction that is forreign nor any other but that which the Laws of the Land have established to which they have sworn Allegiance and are and will be subject not only for Wrath but for Conscience sake so far as answers the great end of Government few prudent Statesmen but will judge it is the Interest of the State of Ireland considering its circumstances not only to continue their Indulgence towards those they have but to declare a Toleraon of all Protestants of what Nation or Opinion soever principled as before is declared which has been the Practice of all Princes and States courting Trade as I shew at large in the the Chapter of the Policies of Trade I never read of any Prince or State that persecuted their dissenting Subjects but from one of these considerations 1. From Conscience to propagate Truth and suppress Error but this way of converting Souls by Prison Banishments and Death I read not hath been much in use with Protestant Princes or States since the Reformation 2. Or Jealousie of the Safety of their Interest and in this case it is irrational for any sort of Dissenters Papists or others to expect Protection from that Prince or State to whom they will not give the best Security in their power of their Allegeance and peaceable deportment The States of Holland and New England who pretend the highliest to Liberty exact it and it is a Principle in Nature for every Being to provide for its own saftety much more for that Being on whose safety all others depend Therefore it is not only the Duty but the Interest of all Dissenters not only to give the utmost security for their Loyalty in their power but to avoid all occasions of appearing engaged in any Faction that may happen in the State for though the matters controverted be only of a civil nature and have no tendency to Religion but rather the safety of the State and Honor of the Prince yet that side Dissenters shall generally appear for will be reflected on by Churchmen if not by Statesmen to design some Faction against the Government that were I to choose a Parliament man or a Magistrate of a City c. I would neither give my Vote for a Dissenter nor for a prophane debauched Conformist if there were a sober pious good Church-man to be had 2. As Dissenters in prudence ought to be of no Faction in a State so to avoid all manner of just provocations toward the Governors whilst they enjoy the liberty of worshipping God in the way their own Consciences dictate it is not reasonable they should expect the liberty of reflecting on that Religion the Law of the Land establishes by which they are indulged there is little ground to believe any of the godly persons we read of as Joseph and Moses in Pharaohs Court good Obadiah in wicked Ahabs Daniel Nehemiah and the three worthies c. in Babylon the Christians in Cesars Houshold did carry themselves offensively towards their fellow Courtiers much less towards their Princes they served though most of them Pagans it is not rational to suppose any of those good men reproved or censured the Religion of their Princes publickly but it is manifest they made a publick profession of their own and more vehemently when it was most dangerous so to do as Daniel when the King published his Decree Chapt. 6. and Obadiah when by the instigation of Jesabel Ahab persecuted the Prophets and Mordecai and Esther when Hammon contrived the destruction of the Jews but whilst they were permitted quietly to enjoy their own Worship I do not find they either writ or spoke against the Religion of the Country they were in and St. Paul disapproves it being accused by Tertullus the Orator before Felix for a mover of Sedition and prophaning the Temple c. Acts 24.6 he denies the Charge v. 12. saith he they neither found me in the Temple disputing with any man neither raising up the people neither in the Synagogue nor in the City c. but this I confess saith he by the way they call Heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers v. 14. that is I meddle not with their Religion nor matters of State but practice my own I only preach the Gospel of Peace and walk as becomes it so in his second Arraignment before Festus chap. 25 chap. 18. he makes his defence thus neither against the Law of the Jews neither against the Temple nor yet against Cesar have I offended any thing at all c. Now if these things had not been faults St. Paul would not have endeavoured to vindicate but rather have justified himself he was no time-server nor man-pleaser 1 Thess 2.4 So in his third Arraignment before Agrippa chap. 26. how humbly and condescendingly did he express himself as before to the other two and when the King told him too much Learning made him mad v. 24. or a Fanatick he humbly replied I am not mad most noble Festus but speak the words of truth and soberness Now if these things be written for our learning how unlike it is the spirit and behaviour of such Christians under sufferings for Conscience sake that think they can never bear a faithful Testimony except they do it stubbornly and rudely therefore let Dissenters who wish well to the common Protestant Interest be cautious whilst they press after Gospel Purity they break not the bonds of Gospel Unity and whilst they seperate from what they judge humane to be wary they reject not what will prove divine Worship though there may be a just and pious Separation as Bishop Bramhall before cited delares Yet there may be also a sinful Schism as every particular Sect allows when it is from themselves and an Error in Schism will be found a greater Sin when it proceeds from Pride of mind and Self-conceitedness than an Error in Conformity when it proceeds from Charity and a godly fear of sinning on the other hand Therefore it is safest to separate from things rather than persons or Churches to own every Church so far as they own the Truth and only separate from what is in your Consciences manifest Error and Superstition Bish Bramhall p. 271. Go as far as upright Conscience will give leave to manifest a love to Union and an hatred of Division and that it may appear you separate not through Stubbornness and Faction but singly to maintain a good Conscience towards God and that with all Christian Charity and Humility towards others especially your Superiors this would suit with St Peters Advice to be ready always to give an account to every man of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear 1 Pet. 3.15 and secure you from suffering as evil doers and busie bodyes c. for it is better if the will of God be that you suffer for well doing than for evil doing saith St. Peter 1
Adultery 18. That according to a probable Opinion if a Tax imposed on Merchandize is not just it is lawful to use false Weights to gain the more and if he be charged for so doing he may deny it by Oath making use of equivocal expressions when he is brought upon Interrogatories before a Judge Escober ad M.J. p. 93. A Tenent useful to Merchants but pernicious to the Farmers of Customs 19. That he who hath a will to commit all the venial sins that are doth not sin mortally Granados Diana Muchat ad M.J. p. 98. as they do that question the Popes Infallibity 20. That a man doth not commit any sin or is guilty of any irreverence towards God when he presumes to address himself to him in his devotions having an intent mortally to offend him Ad M.J. p. 98. 21. That a religous man having made use of a Woman may kill her if she offer to discover what passed between them Ad M.J. p. 19. You may easily guess what Religion this religious man is of You may read their pious slights as they call them Letter 10. p. 137. to 155. in the business of Confession Pennance and Absolution They affirm Absolution ought not to be denied or delayed though the Sinner continue in habitual sins against the Laws of God Nature and the Church though you discover not the least hope of amendment M.J. p. 145. vid. the Bishop of Machlin's Collection and Rejection of 43 horrid Errors ad M.J. p. 90. But what is yet mentioned are but little piccadilloes only inconvenient to neighbourly Society and civil Converse betwixt private persons and to blast their Reputation or deceive them of their Good and Lives is but a petty Retale trade Therefore I shall hint a few of their Whole-sale Merchants that trade for Empires Kingdoms and States which are the great Arms of the Tree of Supremacy c. the other but small Boughs and some of them twigs comparatively And that you may believe their deposing and dethroning Kings is from good Authority read the Reasons given by Saunders the Jesuit published by Ursinus p. 190. If the Pope be infallible which no Roman Catholick dare question there is great reason he should be supream and make Laws for the regulating the Consciences of fallible erring Princes and States the first we read of that assumed this supream Power as an Article of the Catholick Faith was Hildebrand which Dr. Paget observes pag. 248. and records his infallible princely Canons I shall only mention these few That it is lawful for the Bishop of Rome to make new Laws for the necessity of the times which all Princes and States are obliged to observe though they cross their own Laws and hazard the ruine of their Interest or Lives That the Pope only may use Imperial Robes lest temporal Princes should mistake their carnal Emperor for their spiritual Lord and Master That all Princes shall kiss the Popes Feet his Hands being seldom clean from Blood or Lips from Blasphemy That it is lawful for him to depose Emperors c. because they are so much his slaves as to let him That no general Synod might be called without his Holiness Command lest they should proceed contrary to his Instructions which his Council of Trent durst not do That he ought to be judged by no man lest they should judge him as others his predecessors to be Atheists Conjurers Blasphemers perjured persons Traytors Tyrants Whoremongers Sodomites infectious monsters of men That he is not to be accounted Catholik that agrees not with the Church of Rome Vid. Ursinus pag. 204. to 240. that never yet agreed with her self in any thing but what tended to the propagating Error and suppressing the Truth That Subjects do not sin when they refuse without reason alledged to submit to a Law whereof there hath been a legal Proclamation made by their Prince Ad M.J. p. 92. That Clergymen are not subject to secular Princes nor obliged to any obedience to their Laws even though those Laws are not any way contrary to the State Ecclesiastical pag. 92. Saith Bellarmine if the Pope should command us to sin we are bound to obey him Others say if the Pope should lead thousands to Hell we must not reprove him vid. Pooles Nullity of the Romish Faith p. 243. And admit their Popes to be such as Baronius Platina Genbrandus and others of their own Authors describe them to be monsters of men rather Defilers than Rulers of the Roman Seat prodigious slaves to all Vices and the wickedst of men none more filthy that is admit the Popes be as bad as Vice can make them yet saith Bellarmine Kings are rather Slaves than Lords Church-men being as far above them as the Soul is above the Body that Bishops who are at the Popes nod may depose them Nay saith Masconius Prins Romish Positions of Rebellion 1650. the Pope is above Law against Law and without Law and therefore can do all things he is Rex Regnum and Dominus Dominantium in short he hath the same Tribunal with God himself vid. Regula juris Romani quoted by Ursinus p. 193. Well might one of their great Clergymen say when he found a Bible he knew not who was the Author of it but sure he was some pestilent Heretick for he every where condemns the Doctrines of our Church Pooles Nullity of the R. F. p. 218. Their Sublimity and Immensity is so great said Cassenius Ursinus p. 186. no mortal man can comprehend it no man can express it no man can think it vide Bishop Taylors Dissu Part 1. He can increase the number of the holy Scriptures dethrone Kings and dispose of all temporal Dominions at his pleasure punish them with temporal punishments and this Power is more necessary over Princes than over Subjects if he could not depose Kings and compell their Subjects to execute his Power his Power were not only inefficax but insufficiens Review of the Council of Trent ' An excommunicate King may with impunity be deposed or killed by any one ' Suarez Des Fid. lib. 3. cap. 23. ' Nay F. Parsons affirms p. 149. that if any Christian Prince whatsoever decline the Roman Religion c. he presently loseth all Power and Dignity before any Sentence of the Pope is pronounced and his Subjects are absolved from all Oaths of Allegiance and ought to reject such a one from the Government of Christians by the strictest bond of Conscience and the utmost hazard of their Souls for he hath ipso sacto lost his Kingdom ' Id. p. 109. 149 160. ' The Pope is not only advanced by these Papal Janisaries above all the Emperors and Princes but above all that is called God ' vid. Prynnes Roman Positions of Rebellion 1650. Dr. Du Moulins Vind. Answ to Apolog. 1666. But to compleat all the rest lest any Promise or Faith engaged to Hereticks when Policy of State requires it should after
their Antiquity and so frequently challenge our Protestant Divines to shew them where our Religion was before Luther should imbibe a Religion they cannot shew where it was before Loyola so many years his junior is hard to give the reason of unless it be this one that since the Light of the Gospel hath shined in the world their Deeds of Darkness could no ways be hid nor defended either by Scripture or Reason only by bloody War and cruel Inquisition by destroying the Lives of their Opponents in order to shut their eyes and stop their mouths And having thus far endeavoured to vindicate my self against the censure of Presumption in treating upon Politicks and from uncharitable Severity in my Descants on Religion I shall submit the whole to the Judgment of the charitable judicious and for the rest as much slight their Censure as they despise my Labour THE CONTENTS PART I. CHAP. I. Shewing the reasons why Ireland is so little improved in Trade and Wealth I. FRom the Impediments it is subject unto not common to other Countreys Pag. 1 1 Impediment The unsetledness of the Countrey p. 2 3 4 2 Impediment From the perplexity of the minds of the people p. 5 3 Impediment From its plenty of Provision p. 5 6. 4 Impediment From the height of the Interest of Money p. 7 5 Impediment From the lowness of Farming and purchasing Land p. 7 6 Impediment From the low esteem the generous and worshipful Calling of a Merchant is of in the Countrey p. 8 9 7 Impediment is from the lowness of the Credit of the Tradesmen of the Countrey p. 10 1. Arising from the delatoriness of Law-proceedings ibid. 2. From the smalness of their Stocks ibid. 3. From the bad payment the Gentry c. make to the Tradesmen ib. Expediences proposed for remedy of this grand obstruction p. 11 12 13 Honourable Titles are made contemptible by dishonourable qualities p. 15 Theodosius the Emperor made severe Edicts to reform it p. 16 Our Virgin Queen was careful of the Virginity of Honour ib. The Institution of Baronists by King James with their qualifications p. 16 17 CHAP. II. SHews the second Head of the Causes of Irelands not improving in Trade c is from its excessive consumption of forreign growth and Manufacturies p. 18 Why some Countreys may consume more than others with much less damage p. 19 The vast consumption of our Wealth by forreign Silks c. exceeding twenty to one above our Grand-fathers which ruine our own Manufacturies p. 20 21 France gains by their gay Attire and modes ibid. If poor Ireland imitate rich England in Garb it will be begger'd p. 22 Englands care to prevent their ruine by excess in Apparel by sumptuary Laws p. 23 24 25 The spruce Garb especially of the meaner sort besides the consumption of our Wealth is attended with many other intollerable inconveniences p. 26 27 28 Not only England but the Jews and Heathens had their sumptuary Laws by which Harlots or Women of ill fame were prescribed their Attire p. 29 30 The contempt put upon gay Clothes by the most Puissant and Wise Emperors and Princes p. 30 31 32 We consume more by riot and excess than the Kings Revenue amounts to p. 32 33 The opinion of Mr. Fuller Luther and Bishop Hall of this Childish vanity of gay Clothes p. 33 34 35 CHAP. III. OF Wealth-consuming and Trade-obstructing Debaucheries p. 37 1. Profane Oaths p. 38 39 Bishop Hall's Censure p. 39 40 Profane swearing is the preparatory cause of false swearing p. 40 The viciousness of the Papals in point of Perjury p. 41 Whilst profane Swearing passeth for a venial false swearing will never be esteemed a mortal sin p. 42 2. Wealth-consuming Debauchery is Gaming p. 42 1. High Gaming amongst the Gentry pag. 42 43 2. Chiefly peasantly and mechanick Gamesters that consume their time and money in Bowling-Alleys p. 43 3. Wealth-wasting Debauchery is Whoreing p. 44 1. The wealthier sort in their costly Misses alias Strumpets p. 46 48 It fills the Countrey with Bastards to the great charge of Parishes p. 45 The several motives to Strumpets to prostrate themselves p. 46 47 This Vice effeminates a people and unfits them for warlike Employment p. 48 Several Instances of the ruining nature of this vice p. 48 49 The severity of the Laws and punishment of this Sin by Turks and Pagans p. 49 50 CHAP. IV. Of the most Wealth-consuming Debauchery of Drunkenness THe dismal effects of it p. 51 Bishop Hall's Sentence p. 52 53 Luther's opinion p. 54 The great consumption of Wealth by our Wine-bibbers p. 54 By our Ale-topers ibid. The loss of the labour of many persons able to work employed as Drawers and Tapsters c. p. 55 The damage of our Manufactures by Drunkenness ibid. Youth debauch'd by drunken Masters and Masters undone by drunken servants p. 56 Drunkenness a sin oft inflicted upon a Nation in judgment and a fore-runner of destruction p. 57 Expedients proposed for remedy p. 57 1. Statutes against it to be executed upon Tiplers and Taverns ibid. 2. Observes how the lives and healths 〈◊〉 many persons are destroyed by it 3. The ensnaring practice of healthing t◠be restrain'd and rejected especially a◠the Tables of Magistrates and persons 〈◊〉 Quality p. 58 59 The practice of Healthing sinful both in the Provoker and Accepter p. 60 Heathens abominated and severely punish'd Drunkenness of which several Examples p. 61 Drunkenness hath been the ruine of many great Kingdoms and States instance p. 62 63 64 The opprobius Epithetes given of Drunkards by Heathens p. 64 65 Drunkenness fatal to Armies p. 65 66 67 68 CHAP. V. Observing the spring from whence all the Debauchery of Christendom flows DEbauch'd Christians worse than debauch'd Pagans p. 69 Debauchery in Christendom proceeded from the Fountain of all filthiness Rome p. 70 Holy Places holy Ceremonies c. crowded holy lives out of the Church ibid. Confest by their own Prelats p. 71 Declared by Luther in his Genealogie of the Pope as Anti-Christ p. 72 73 Consciences once seared by a custom of Immoralities can never long struggle for truth in Divinity p. 73 The present generation of Debauches in Christendom exceed all we ever read of in former ages or Pagan Nations p. 74 Some live as if they had abandoned all thoughts of future State all belief of a God Judgment Heaven or Hell They turn all seriousness either in Divinity or Morality into a Ridicule p. 76 CHAP. VI. States the intollerable charge Ireland is at by maintaining Foreigners to its peculiar interest in the most profitable Employments 1. BY the Court of Claims p. 79 2. By Farmers of the Kings Revenue p. 80 3. The Contracters for the Treasury p. 81 4. Pensions and Annuities to Absentees p. 82 5 Foreign Merchants and their Factors p. 82 83 6. Trading in Foreign Ships p. 83 7. By Absentees drawing over the Rents p. 84 85 86 87 8. The Attendants of our Nobility
propagating Manufactures as I shew at large in that Treatise The second Expedient is to procure Laws against single Life enjoyning all English Protestants to marry the Males before the age of 25. and Females before the age of 22. or from that time to pay a yearly penalty by Statute to be presented by the Grand Juries and limited by the Discretion of the Bench not exceeding the eighth part of their visible Incomes to be imployed towards the maintenance of poor Orphans 1. This would somewhat restrain these abominable Fornications and Adulteries so frequent if we would take St. Pauls counsel Let every Man have his own Wife and every Woman her own Husband c. other mens Wives would not be so often debauched nor our Parishes so charged with Bastards 2. This would much increase an English Breed for the Countries Defence as I elsewhere shew ten of whom are worth twenty bred and brought up in England The neglect hereof gives the Irish a great advantage who are generally more fruitful and besides inure their Children more to hardness in their Nursings from whence they generally live whereas our nice English Women destroy their Children by too tender Nursing c. that if they live many of them are good for little but to make Carpet-Knights on though they do retain Spirit and Courage yet their Bodies are so inured to tenderness and delicacy the hardships of Winter War would kill more than the Sword 3. This would much tend to the planting our Towns for single persons content themselves with a Room in anothers House and Marriage would necessitate them to become House-keepers and Families would require their Industry to maintain but while single they live idlely if not debauchedly And in order to encourage the meaner sort to marry to countenance that ancient English Custom of Bridals wherein every person not receiving Alms in the Parish brings in something according to their ability towards the young Couples Housekeeping to the great incouragement of painful industrious young people and obligeth them whilst single to be the better Labourers and Servants that their honest Reports might increase their Bridals And further that a provision be made where Parents are not able to dispose of their Children to honest Trades to put them out Apprentices on the Country Charge which would much tend to the planting of our walled Towns and promoting the Manufactures as I shew at large in that Treatise But that which would above all other Expedients tend to the strengthening the English Interest would be to endeavour a right understanding and charitable Union betwixt all sober pious Protestants in matters of Religion the want thereof increaseth groundless Jealousies of each other and strengtheneth the Confidence of the common Enemy to the Protestant Interest that they are easily run down as in the Massacre 1641. they at first declared their displeasure was only against the Puritannical party and then only the English not the Scots but I suppose I need not inform you how soon all Protestants became the equall objects of their Fury and barbarous Cruelty Therefore by English Protestants I mean all that are not Papists and agree with the Religion established by Law in all its Fundamentals nay in all its Substantials that believe the same Creed and make the same Translation of the Scriptures their Rule of Faith and Manners and no people can be esteemed of a different Religion that agree in what is Jure Divino though they differ in some things that are Jure Humano Although they may scruple external Communion with some particular Churches yet if they retain internal Communion with the universal Catholick Church in all parts of the world they are no Schismaticks Saith a reverend Prelate Bishop Bâ—â—â—â—â—alls Vindicatioâ— of the Church of England pag. 14 15. The Communion of the Christian Catholick Church is partly internal partly external the internal Communion consists principally in these things to believe the same entire substance of saving necessary Truth revealed by the Apostles and to be ready implicitly in the preparation of the Mind to embrace all other supernatural Verities when they shall be sufficiently proposed to them to judge charitably one of another to exclude none from the Catholick Comunion and hope oâ— Salvation either Eastern or Western or Southern or Northern Christians which profess the antient Faith of the Apostles and primitive Fathers established in the first general Councils and comprehended in the Apostolick Nicene and Athenasian Creed to rejoyce at their well-doing to sorrow for their Sins to condole with them in their sufferings to pray for their constant perseverence in the true Christian Faith for their Reduction from all their respective Errors and their re-union to the Church in case they be divided from it that we may be all one Sheepfold under that one great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls and lastly to hold an actual external Communion with them in votis in our desires and do endeavour it by all those means which are in our power This internal Communion is of absolute necessity among all Catholicks p. 16. But saith he there is not the like degree of obligation to an exact Communion in all externals there is not so great a Conformity to be expected in Ceremonies as in the Essentials of Sacraments c. in the Explication of Articles of Faith as in the Articles themselves nor in the Superstructures as in Fundamentals c. p. 17. nor in Scholastical Opinions as in Catechistical Grounds not to Ecclesiastical Constitutions as to Divine Ordinances not such a strict adherence to a particular Church as to the universal So in his Answer to the Bishop of Chalcedon Essentials must not be pressed too far least we draw out Blood in stead of Milk c. it doth not follow because true Faith is essential therefore every point of true Faith is essential or because Discipline is essential therefore every part of right Discipline is essential or because Sacraments are essential therefore every lawful Rite is essential p. 4. Whatsoever toucheth not the Heart of Religion is not Schism p. 8. Saith my reverend Author 'T is a preposterous Zeal like Hell hot without Light that makes different Opinions different Religions in his Answer to S.W. p. 40. Who please to read this learned Author in point of Schism will find that he differs from those fiery Zealots that dare affirm Schism to be a greater Sin than prophane Swearing Drunkenness or Whoring c. but by the same rule they like the Religion of Bellarmine Suarez Vasquez c. for they say so better than Bishop Hall Sanderson Usher Bramhall or Taylor for not only they but all the pious Divines I have read of the Church of England are of another Opinon most of the sober Dissenters in Ireland will submit their Cause to be weighed in these Protestant Scales and own themselves for Schismaticks if their Character condemn them and it is required by the Divine Law Lev. 19.36
Principles nay against the common Law of Nature and Nations such as render humane Society more dangerous than brutish who prey not on nor devour those of their own kind but rather unite their strength in common dangers for common safety In the stating of which I shall observe this method 1. Propose the Principles themselves and shew you what they are and how esteemed by their own Authors 2. To observe their original from whence they proceed 3. The Authority by which they are approved and confirmed and by whom rejected and condemned 4. Their natural Consequences what they must produce 5. The actual or practical Operation of them what Work they have already done in the world 6. Their Inconsistency with the just Power of Princes and States c. 7. Shall give give some Reasons why it is not only the Duty but the Interest of the Irish Papists to reject and explode them above all other Papists in the world First Sect shews what those Principles are that are so incompatible with humane Society and civil Peace It may be said of them as the unclean Spirit replied to Christ Mark 15. they are legions the detection and rejection of which hath engaged many of our Protestant Authors to write many great Volumes to conâ—ute them as Dr. Fulk Willet Field Jewell c. and later Chillingworth Stillingfleet Poole and of Ireland Bishop Usher Bramhall Taylor c. with several of our dissenting Divines as Mr. Baxter c. besides many German and French Protestant Doctors But to avoid prolixity I shall chiefly observe what is asserted by the Author of the Mystery of Jesuitism Mystery of Jesuitism p. 296. who is so thorough a Papist that he asserts the Church of Rome to be the only true Church out of which there is no Salvation and therefore his Testimony and the Doctors of Sorbon c. whom he vindicates in their opposition to their Casuists and Schoolmen c. is without exception But that they may be known by their proper names I shall stile them Jesuitical Tridentine Tenents the Jesuits laid the Cockatrice eggs and the Council of Trent hatch'd them into flying Serpents into mortal stinging Scorpions as I shall observe in the 5th Section The first born of this viperous brood was the Popes personal Infallibility which though contended for from Boniface 3. yet was never received nor imposed as an Article of Faith until that illegal Council of Trent but attributed to General Councils only but this was so needful a point without which they could never have attained that one thing necessary the Popes personal Supremacy and of these two Parents were begot that litter of bloody Tenents which as I shall shew Sect. 5. hath since made Christendom an Acheldama or field of Blood 1. Their Doctrine of probable Opinions whereby they may not only reject all Doctrines of Faith c. If two nay if one grave Doctor maintain the grossest Error it is a probable Truth M.J. p. 71. But they thereby justifie the declining all Rules of Morality 1. No man is bound to obey his Superior though the superior Opinion be the more probable nay though just but he may embrace what is most acceptable to himself M.J. p. 78 83. 2. It is lawful to kill a man for a Box o' th' ear either given or offered and to kill an Informer a Witness or Judge if he suspect they will be corrupt pag. 91. 3. To kill a man for the Lye or opprobrious speeches affrontive signs or gestures pag. 94. 4. If a man take our Goods to the value of a Crown it is no sin to kill him pag. 97. 5. If there be reason to suspect a man will disgrace him by opprobrious speeches it is lawful to kill him pag. 97. 6. To kill a Jansenist if he reflect upon their Society much more a Hugonite pag. 98. For the justifying of these Opinions is cited Escober Molina Tanerus Becanus Reginaldus Lay-man Lessius Amicus Filusius Carramuel and other Jesuits 7. Judges may receive Gifts and give their Sentence in a probable Opinion against a more probable Opinion in his own Judgment cited Castro Palata Escober and Layman pag. 103 104. 8. If a man gain an Estate by violence rapine and extortion c. in order to his honorable Subsistance rather than it should be scattered amongst his Creditors he may turn Bankrupt and delude his Creditors with a good Conscience cited Escober Lessius c. pag 108 109. 9. It is lawful nay charitable to direct a Thief about to rob a poor man to quit him and rob a rich man Vasquez Escober c. pag. 109. 10. If a man entreat a Souldier to beat his Neighbour or fire his House that hath offended him he is not obliged to repair him especially in Ireland pag. 109 110. 11. Goods purchased by Crimes as by Murder c. is lawfully possest and the person not obliged to make restitution Escober c. page 112 113. 12. He then asserts the Doctrine of Equivocation and Mental Reservation and how to have a false thing believed for a truth without lying useful to baffle a true and to prove a sham Plot vid. Ursinus p. 197. 13. Saith Sanchez page 129. a man may swear he hath not done a thing he really hath by understanding within hlmself that he did it not on such or such a day or before he was born c. this is a thing of great convenience on many occasions and is always necessary or advantageous p. 130. and is absolutely necessary when confessing the truth would discover Plots against Heretical Princes c. or any ways reflect on the Catholick Cause 14. Promises oblige not when a man hath no intention to engage himself when he makes them p. 130. this is a probable Opinion for more than two grave Doctors assert it 15. A man may lawfully deflower a Virgin if she consent provided he direct his intention aright to pass for a Gallant c. though the Father hath just cause to be troubled at it yet neither she nor the person to whom she prostitutes her self is guilty of sin and lest any bold Heretick should presume to question the truth of this necessary Point they give this reason for it For the Maid is in possession of her Virginity as well as her Body she may dispose of it as she pleases and to whom she pleases p. 132. A necessary Doctrine for the better keeping the Vow of Chastity 16. Saith Escober p. 134. a wicked intention as haply looking on a Woman with an impure desire joyn'd with that of hearing Mass as a man oft hinders not a man from fully performing the duty especially in Venus Temple 17. That an Ecclesiastick surprised in Adultery by the Womans Husband may lawfully kill him in his own defence saith Escober Ad M.J. p. 94. The merit of the Murder is to expiate the sin of