your religion if I may so call it is the farthest from that which is styled the old Protestant then from any other way professed and owned in England 4. And is it come to that that you have raised so many Sects among us for the Sects are but your by-blowes that we have but this sad choice left either to be swallowed up by them or to close with you This is plain English 1. Reas. Roman Catholique was the Religion of England a thousand years Ans. the Roman Catholique way was not the Religion of England but the corruption of its Religion these thousand years Although however that 's not the Christian Religion that is of a thousand standing onely our Religion was the Word of God for 1400 years to which the Papist added their Idolatry superstition and tradition these 900. years the Religion of England was alwaies contained in the Lords Prayer the 10 Commandments the Articles of Faith the Doctrine of the Sacraments the Order and Discipline we have now established by Law the corruptions of Rome were only of late brought in upon these foundations and are now removed by Law and really it 's strange that humane corruptions such as Popery is should claim the same right with Gods institution such as Judaism was one institution of God may give place to another by degrees though it give not place to the corruption of men not for an hour We have buried your way in honour our care is how that it rise not again in dishonour As the Primitive Christians suffered that generation of Jews which was bred up in Judaism to continue their own way though they suffered neither Jews nor Gentiles to be bred up in it in the next generation so we used that generation we found here at first very civilly but would not suffer any more to learn that way The Apostles that suffered Jews to practice their way for the present would not suffer them to teach it for the future and we who indulged Papists in the first generation after the Reformation to live in their own perverse way would not allow them to pervert others in the next generation And as we would not force a Heathen as he saith to our way so would we not suffer him to perswade others from our way we would not compel Heathens or Papists who in some places are little better then Heathens to the truth but we would restrain them that they should not seduce others to their errours Reas. But shall the old Protestant who confesseth Rome a true Church and himself derived from her persecute her and call her a Whore let the Presbyterian c. Answ. Let the world know that the old Protestant bears as little honour to the corruptions of Rome as the Presbyterian and that the Presbyterian bears as much honour to the truth of Rome as the old Protestant and that both for we will not by your Artifices be divided any further then needs must own her as a true Church though they do not own her as a corrupued Church They will allow the Church of Rome and they maintain their own here they condemn not them that live in communion with the Church of Rome because they have the foundation of Religion They allow them not the same priviledge with those of their own communion because they build dangerous things upon that foundation we own all Protestants for Christians yet we hang them for murder and felony so we own Papists for Christians yet we punish them for superstition and Idolatry Reason 3. If we acknowledge they have all things necessarie to salvation then we should indulge them An. Indeed you hold as you say the fundamental truth by which men may be saved but you hold likewise some errors in judgement and corruptions in practice contrary to those fundamental truths by which men may be damned we embrace your faith and yet we oppose the heresies you hold contrary to the faith I love a man though I hate his disease I love the Religion of Rome I hate her prophanation of that Religion if any man be saved in Rome it 's by the truths we and you hold in common and not by those abominations we punish in you and we must needs say that we restrain you not as Christians whom we shall see in Heaven one day but as Idolaters and Hereticks whom except you repent we shall never see in Heaven 1 Cor. 6.9 Gal. 5.20 21. 4. Reason We differ but in small questions and opinions c. therefore 1. Answ. If so small the difference between us why so great your cruelty towards us were we burned massacred tortured banished imprisoned famished upon quirkes and differences in words rather then in real points 2. But is the worshipping of Creatures but a quirkâ—s with you is saying to a peice of bread Thou art God but a trifle and to God Thou art not able to instruct us for salvation without humane tradition but a Toy 5. Reason Because we own one rule of Faith with them that is Scripture and tradition we ought to tollerate them Answ. We disown this reproachful insinuation we own no rule of Faith but the Scripture by which we try all humane writings judging in our selves what is right and though we have the Fathers and the first Councils against you yet we desire nothing but the Scripture for our selves we reverence the practice of the Ancients we walk by the rule of Scripture as we would do as they did so would we walk by the same rule they did 6 Reason The Lutherans agree with the Papasts elsewhere therefore c. Ans. I. How the Lutherans agree with Papists we say not we are sure the Papists agree not with Lutherans what else means the quarrels plots seditions tumults discontents we hear of every day 2. We walk not by example but by rule 3. This favour the Lutherans and Hugonots got by arms and keep by interest before we know how they were used 7. Reason As to what you say of commerce and marriage we establish not our religion upon policie but upon piety we look not what is most advantagious but what is most lawfull although yet it be the interest of forreigners as much to be of our Religion as it is ours to be of theirs the English peace and trade is as much their advantage as theirs is ours as for the Earl of Bristow he told King James and King Charles that for which he was questioned by the Duke of Buckingham in Parliament As for the Earl of Leicester he did a little regard Richleau as he did him and he hath lived to see as great a Cardinal court the English when resolute in their way though never so severe to Catholiques their resolute are fooled the resolved are feared as for the Queen of Bohemia if we had followed Her interest she might have been the greatest Queen in Europe and the Lord would have let the World have seen that it was the highest advantage in the World
FAIR-WARNING OR XXV REASONS Against Toleration and Indulgence of POPERY WITH THE Arch-Bishop of Canterbury's LETTER TO THE KING AND All the Bishops of Irelands Protestation to the Parliament to the same Purpose With an Answer to the Roman-Catholicks reasons FOR INDVLGENCE ALSO THE Excellent Reasons of the Honourable HOUSE of COMMONS Against INDULGENCE With Historical Observations thereupon London Printed for S. U. N. T. F.S. 1663. TO THE KINGS Most Excellent MAJESTY May it please your Majesty I Have been too long silent and am afraid by my silence I have neglected the duty of the place it hath pleased God to call me unto and your Majesty to place me in And now I humbly crave leave I may discharge my conscience towards God and my duty to your Majesty And therefore I beseech your Majesty give me leave freely to deliver my self and then let your Majesty do with me what You please Your Majesty hath propounded a Toleration of Religion I beseech you Sir take into your consideration what the Act is next what the Consequence may be By your Act you labour to set up that most damnable and heretical Doctrine of the Church of Rome whore of Babylon How hatefull will it be to God and grievous unto Your good Subjects the true professors of the Gospel that your Majesty who hath often disputed and learnedly written against those wicked Heresies should now shew Your self a Patron of those Doctrines which Your Pen hath told the World and Your Conscience tells Your self are superstitious idolatrous and detestable Besides this Toleration which You endeavour to set up by Proclamation cannot be done without a Parliament unlesse your Majesty will let your Subjects see that You will take unto your self a liberty to throw down the Laws of the Land at your pleasure What dreadfull consequence these things may draw after them I beseech your Majesty to consider And above all lest by this Toleration and discontinuance of the true profession of the Gospel whereby God hath blessed uâ— and under which this Kingdome hath for many yeares flourished Your Majesty do not draw upon the Kingdome in generall and your self in particular Gods heavy wrath and indignation Thus in discharge of my duty towards God to your Majesty and the place of my calling I have taken humble boldnesse to deliver my conscience And now Sir doe with me what you please I am Your most faithfull Subject and Servant G. Canterbury TO THE Right Honourable THE LORDS AND COMMONS Assembled in Parliament Humbly sheweth THat the Religion of the Papists is Superstitious and Idolatrous their Faith and Doctrine erronious and hereticall their Church in respect of both Apostaticall To give them therefore a Toleration or to consent that they may freely exercise their Religion and professe their Faith and Doctrine is a grievous sin and that in two respects For first It is to make our selves accessary not only to their superstitious Idolatries Heresies and in a word to all the abomâ—nations of Popery but also which is a consequent of the former to the perdâ—tion of the seduced people which perish in the Deluge of the Catholick Apostacy And as it is a great sin so also a matter of most dangerous consequence the consideration whereof we commend to the wise and judâ—cious Beseeching the zealous God of Truth to make them who are in Authority zealous of Gods Glory and of the advancement of true Religion zealous resolute and couragious against all Popery Superstition and Idolatry Amen Ja Armachanus Auth Medensis Ro Dunensis c. Richard Cork Cloyne Rosses Tho Kilmore Ardagh Mich Waterford and Lismore Mal Casohellen Tho Hernes Laughlin Geo Deceus Andr Alachadeus Theo Dromore Franc Lymrick Since then neither in right reason and true policy of State it is either becoming or safe for Christian Magistrates to have no acknowledgment of any face of Religion so farre among their people and Subjâ—cts as to stablish own and command it nor is it any piety for Christians to be alwayes scepticks in Religion ever unsatisfied and unresolved and unestablished in matters of Gods worship and mans salvation still ravelling the very grounds of Religion with endless cavells and endless disputes Since the Word of God is neer and open to direct all men in the wayes of God and since what is necessary to be believed and obeyed in truth and holinesse is of all parts in Scripâ—ure most plaine and easie No doubt but Christian Magistrates are highly bound in Conscience to God and in charity to the good of their Subjects to whom they must do more good then they are desired to do by the Vulgar to establish those things as to the extern order Ministry form and profession of Religion both in doctrine and duties which they shall in their conscience judge and conclude upon the best advice of learned and godly men to be most agreeable to the will of God as most clearly grounded on the Word in the general tenor and analogy of it and as most fundamentally necessary to be believed and obeyed by all Christians whereto the Catholick beleife and practice of all Churches more or lesse agreeing gives a great light and direction Christians must not be alwayes tossing to and fro in Religion as if nothing were true fixed and certaine in Religion nothing heretical corrupt and damnable in opinion and doctrine nothing immorall unlawfull and abominable in practice nothing perverse uncharitable and uncomely in seditions schisms and separations John Wigorn. Twenty five Reasons Against Toleration of Popery Reason 1. THat way which seduceth poor Souls from the great Rule God hath given to live by and be saved is not to be tolerated shall we allow them among us who take away from Immortal Souls all the sure foundation they have against the time to come shall we endure them among us whose business it is to hide the eternal counsel of God from men Popery doth seduce poor Souls from the great Rule of life Papistis and shall they be tolerated make it part of their Religion to perswade us that we should not search the Scripture wherein we may have life Catholicks and shall they be Indulgent make it their business to keep us from the holy Sriptures which are able to make us wise unto salvation perfect and thoughly furnished unto all good works they of Rome and shall they be connived at draw poor Souls from the word of God that is able to build us up and to give us an inheritance among them that are sanctified they said that there should be such among us endeavour that we should not prove what is the good the perfect the acceptable will of our God that without knowledge of this will the people should perish they and what can Satan do more disuade poor Souls from reading the Scriptures they persuade them that the Scriptures ought to be in an unknown Tongue that hearing poor Souls might hear and not understand the things that belong to their peace
must we needs have these among us that may persuade people too much inclined of themselves to sit in ignorance among us who after all our pains to instruct an ignorant world now persuade poor souls to be still alienated from the life of God to have their understanding still darkened to retain still the blindnesse of their hearts and can the enemy of mankind do any more shall we have those in the midst of us who notwithstanding all our endeavours to teach the world a saving knowledge of God shall yet and alas the murderer from the beginning desires no more persuade mankind that it is a vein thing to be filled with the knowledge of Gods will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding no Christian state can Tolerate those people whose Religion is to keep the world in ignorance of all Religion who know we must love God yet will not suffer us to know him who know we must obey him yet wil not suffer us to know his will Reason 2. That way that persuades men to believe and live by the traditions of men and to make the word of God of none effect is not to be tollerated how can a King who must give an account of himself to God answer for his connivance at that profession which teacheth men to live not by the will of God that made them but by the will of men like themselves How can Kings answer it if they suffer men to live by the Law of men and not of God will God endure that the world should be governed by the Creature and not by the Creator But Popery takes men off from the wil of God they say we have no Scripture but what the Pope allow do not they teach and that among Christians too that we must think the Scripture the word of God no longer than the Church saith it is so do not they write and that among us that waite upon God to hear the Scripture weekly and dayly that their customes and opinions are to be the Rule and foundation of our faith as well as the Scripture do not they equal the Popes decrees to Gods word and say their Church may impose new Articles of faith upon poor Souls every day prefering the judgement of the Church before the counsel of God that say the authority of the Church in its Laws is above the authority of God in the Scripture and yet the authority of the Pope in his decrees is above the authority of the Church in her Laws that say God in his word did not say enough to save men did not speak cleerly enough to instruct them in the knowledg of the truth Be wise O ye Kings be instructed O ye Judges of the Earth to what end hath he set up you but to see that men should walk according to his will to what end hath God advanced you but to see that men lived according to his Law hath God raised you up and will you suffer Anti-Christ to advance himself above every thing that is called God doth not God see this doth not he observe it Reason 3. That way which buildeth the salvation of men upon the Infallibility of one man is not to be tolerated Popery doth so therfore c. O Princes do you not watch over your people for good have you any care of precious Souls will you endure those men that will not suffer us to rest upon the foundation of God which standeth sure and allure us to trust in the foundation of men that wil fail wil you indulge men that delude your people to rely upon man that is a lye and the son of man that may deceive will your God keep silence when he observes you looking on men making one another a God and yet keep silence will you stand by and see God robbed of his honour and vain man indeavouring to be as God and use not that power God gave you to punish hath he pulled down the usurpers of your throne and will you not keep under the usurpers of his attributes hath he overturned them that would be Kings as well as you and will you encourage them that would be infallible as well as he can you stand still and see so many perish and led away in that great Errour of the wicked That man is Infallible O suffer not that way which leadeth us to man bottometh us upon man and leaveth us short of God Reason 4. That way that leaves men no certain way to be saved is not to be Tolerated Popery is that way c. When poor Souls would know how to be saved They say hear the Church If he say how shall I know wether the Church is infallible They say by the Scripture how shall we know the Scriptures they say by the Church O wil you suffer your subjects O ye Kings to be thus led in a maze to be thus perplexed in a circle for eternity is this your kindness to give them leave to be utterly at a loss for another world Is this Indulgence to let them live and dye they know not how besides its a cruel Favour to let people throw away their Souls upon these uncertain traditions decrees c. that the most learned can hardly understand if you love them keep them to the Law of God which is perfect converting the Soul the Testimoney of the Lord which is sure making wise the simple the commandement of the Lord which is pure enlightning the eyes the fear of the Lord which is clean enduring for ever the judgements of the Lord which are true and righteous altogether however be not so unmerciful us to let Christians cease to hear the Scripture that they may hear the Pope cease to be Christians that they may be Papists Reason 5 Being there is but one safe way to Salvation do you think that the Protestant way is that way or is it not If it be not why do you live in it If it be how can you find in your heart to give your subjects liberty to go another way can you in your Conscience give them leave to go on in that course in which in your conscience you think you could not be saved Reason 6. A way to serve God which no man can know must not be Tolerated O we must not be Indulged to worship we know not what Popery is a way that no man can certainly know For the Papists way is to believe as the Church believes Now a man knoweth not whether he believe a right in that way if he is not sure 1. That the Church of Rome is the true Church 2. That this Church is by the promise made to St. Peter infallible 3. That the Pope is Peter's true successor 4. They must know that he is rightly qualified duly well-chosen to his place 5. Whether the Cardinals the People or the Emperour have the right power to make a Pope For there have been Popes chosen by all these at one time 6. They must know which of