see Misrepresenter how many different Conceptions of the Mind and Affections or Motions of the Heart are express'd by this one and the same Word Worship And all these the Papists give to these several Objects due proportion being always observ'd according to their different Degree of Excellency So that tho they are all call'd by the same Name of Worship yet it signifies a different Affection of the Soul as due to each respective Object Upon this hinge turns this Controversie and if you would be so sincere as to explicate this Truth and not presently make every thing Idolatry where you see a Worship paid much of this Unchristian Wrangling which has disturbed the World these hundred and fifty years might be prevented for the future Mr. Thorndike was so honest as to give this notice to his Readers Epil p. 3. p. 353. Where he says that the words Adoration Worship Respect Reverence or howsoever you translate the word Cultus are or may be in despite of our hearts equivocal and the cause of this equivocation is the want of Words properly to signifie Conceptions which came not from common use St. Augustine declar'd this Truth long ago l. 10. de Civit. Dei c. 1. where he shews all these Words Servitus Cultus Religio Pietas Service Worship Religion Piety to be Equivocal and may be applied both to God and Creatures And thus Catholics many times use them without the least entrenching upon the Divine Prerogative or scandal to their Neighbour which had never been heightned to that degree as is at this day had not some as the Pharisees did to our B. Saviour stood by and taken as much pains to wrest every thing into a Wrong Sense as Charity obliges to interpret in a Right one And as Worship is understood in all this latitude 't is hard to make it out that Men are to pray to every thing they Worship or that Prayer is necessarily depending on it But then again if the Catechism by his Praying to means no more than Praying at or before Images I have nothing to say to it I only complain'd of it because by his Expression as it stands there he seems willing to have his Reader understand it that the Papists so pray to Images as if they expected to be heard by them or that They should obtain or grant their Request which is a most foul Misrepresentation But as for Praying before them 't is what we own and Practice And since to at and before come to be all one with him let the Words of Abjuration quoted by Spelman be thus Understood as Dr. Stillingfleet makes Bowing to the Name of Jesus and at it Idol of Ch. R. p. 111. Ed. 1. to be the same and then it plainly declares our Doctrine and we shall not fall out much upon this matter Publish'd with Allowance LONDON Printed by Henry Hills Printer to the King 's most Excellent Majesty for His Houshold and Chappel 1686. THE CATHOLIC REPRESENTER CHAP. VI. The Papist do's not believe but upon most Convincing Reasons Mysteries of Faith above Reason not contrary to it The Papist is not depriv'd of the Word of God nor kept from the Knowledge of the Gospel He does not Pray to the Cross more than Protestants pray to their Bibles or the Sacrament Three Protestant Queries Answered THe Papist Misrepresented knows no reason for the Religion he professes He 's over-ruled by Authority and is forc'd to submit his Belief to such Points as are contrary to his Reason He 's depriv'd of the Word of God and kept in a miserable Ignorance of his Duty both to God and his Neighbour THe Papist Represented very commendably enquires into the Reasonableness of his Belief He searches into the Motives of his Faith and here applys all the Reason he is able to Examine Consider Weigh and Judge of things aright not taking one step forward in order to give the least assent by Faith till his Judgment is thoroughly convinced that in Reason he 's bound to do it and that he should be self-condemn'd by his own Knowledge or Conscience if he did not submit upon such Evidence and full conviction This is what he is taught to do as to the Motives or Reasons of his Believing all those Points which are purely Mysteries of Faith. But although he has good Reason for giving his assent by Faith to all the Articles of Christian Religion Yet because the greatest part of them are above his Reason and therefore properly call'd Mysteries he cannot pretend to measure them by his short-sighted Reason no more than take the demensions of the Heavens by his Span which are out of his reach For how can Reason without a daring Presumption undertake to fathom such things which however agreeable to the Infinite Vnderstanding of God bear no proportion with any Created Faculties whilst encompassed with Flesh In the Mysteries therefore of his Faith his Reason is over-rul'd by Authority so that in these he goes much farther than his Reason will carry him His Reason indeed directs him to the Authority but then having discover'd this his Faith follows with Certainty and Security where Reason can give her no Light. Misrepresent Vpon this account it is I declare to my Followers that the Papists believe without Reason that whosoever will be a Papist must cast a Blind over all his Rational Faculties and by a slavish Obedience submit his Faith without controul Represent And for this very reason you are a Misrepresenter and slander the Papists For the Papists use their Reason as much as any Protestant in the World can do I have told you already they apply their Reason to search with the strictest scrutiny into all the Motives which are apt to make a thing Credible and never Submit their Faith but where their Reason upon the strongest and most convincing Arguments obliges them to it and that so forcibly that 't would be a contradiction to their Reason not to submit Can any Protestant do more than this Misrepresent Yes We search into the very Mysteries of the Christian Faith and believe no farther than is agreeable to our Reason at least so as not to be against it A Protestant by his Religion is so reasonable a Creature that no Authority in the World can oblige him to believe contrary to his Reason he 'll believe things above his Reason but not contrary to it Represent Thus you deceive your selves and all that follow you Why all this is nothing but what the Papists are taught to do You pretend to Reformation condemning the Papists for going Blindfold and yet what you do is downright Popery There 's no Papist in the World is taught to believe contrary to Reason they believe such Mysteries as are above Reason but nothing contrary to it Let me examine you a little in this Point and we shall soon find what agreement there is betwixt us You believe the Mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation Misrepresent Yes Represent But can any
THE Catholic Representer OR THE PAPIST Misrepresented AND REPRESENTED Second Part. Publish'd with Allowance LONDON Printed by Henry Hills Printer to the King 's Most Excellent Majesty For his Houshold and Chappel 1687. THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. OF the Veneration shewn to Images of Christ the Virgin Mary c. Whether the Papists Pray to Images in Relation to a Passage of a Book Entituled A Catechism truly Representing the Doctrines and Practices of the Church of Rome and its Vindication CHAP. II. Whether Papists Pray directly to the Cross as is positively Asserted by a Protestant with an Essay of a Heathen-Catechism after the Copy of the Truly-representing Protestant-Catechism in which this Calumny is publish'd CHAP. III. Whether the Doctrine of Transubstantiation be contrary to the Writings of the Primitive Fathers or agreeable to them The Papist believes his Senses in this Mystery as much as the Protetant being Notes upon a late Pamphlet Entituled The Papists Doctrine of Transubstantiation not agreeable to the Primitive Fathers CHAP. IV. The Form of the Catholic Church Establish'd by Christ No hopes of Salvation out of it The Practice of the Apostles and Primitive Church in this Point Good at this day The Protestants as uncharitably Damn the Papists as These are said to do the Protestants In reference to the Preface of Wholsom Advices from the B. V. c. CHAP. V. The Papist as to the Articles of his Belief follows the Method prescrib'd by Christ practis'd by the Apostles and the Primimitive Church The Method is of Divine Institution and more according to Reason than what Others follow The Word Worship is Equivocal and acknowledg'd so by St. Austin CHAP. VI. The Papist do's not Believe but upon most Convincing Reasons Mysteries of Faith above Reason not contrary to it The Papist is not depriv'd of the Word of God nor kept from the Knowledge of the Gospel He do's not Pray to the Cross more than Protetestants Pray to their Bibles or the Sacrament Three Protestant Queries Answer'd CHAP. VII The Vulgar among the Papists not depriv'd of the Word of God. They are better Instructed in the true Sense of it than those of other Perswasions who Teach themselves The Vnlearned and Vnstable wrest it to their own Destruction CHAP. VIII The Vulgar not permitted to read the Bible among the Papists for fear they should discover the Errors of their Religion an Absurd Calumny The Restraint is That there may not be as many different Words of God as there are Heads amongst them and may have something better Ground than their own Imagination to direct their Faith. A Word to a Lay-Friend CHAP. IX The Scriptures not always the Same to the same Person No Possibility of meeting in One Faith whilst Private Reason sets up for Interpreter of the Word of God. The Sham-Story of the Frogs and Crabs The Truth of the Anniversary Solemnity CHAP. X. Private Interpretation of Scriptures the Occasion of Divisions Some Protestant Divines call in the Assistance of Authority and Guides but all ends in the Private Spirit The Question started Where was the Protestant Religion as it is now Reform'd before Luther The Answers of some Protestant Divines CHAP. XI An Enquiry into the Religion of the Primitive Times and particularly That of Constantine the First Christian Emperor For the Satisfaction of those who desire to know whether the Protestant Religion was generally Profess'd amongst the Christians of those Purer Times CHAP. XII Protestant Historians shew us Popery in the Primitive Church under Constantine but no Protestancy The Christians of that Age never Protested against the Popish Doctrines professedly Taught and Practis'd in those Times Therefore they were no Protestants An Enquiry into the Religion of the Ages succeeding Constantine CHAP. XIII The Professors of Popish Doctrines in the Primitive Times no Protestants but Papists Popish Tenets not only the Opinions of Private Doctors but the Doctrine of the Primitive Church The Four First General Councils no Protestants CHAP. XIV No Protestant Harangue in the First Four General Councils to fill the Fathers Heads with Fears and Jealousies No Canons made by the said Fathers to prevent the Growth of Popery at that Time professedly Taught and Practis'd is an Argument that the Fathers of those Councils were no Protestants CHAP. XV. The Appeal of Protestants to the Primitive Fathers shewn Injurious to Protestancy from the Concessâ—ons of Protestant Writers Luther the Apostle of the Reformatiâ—â— disclaims the Doctrine of the Fathers as not being for his purpose of Reforming CHAP. XVI A New Way of making all the Popish Sayings of the Primitive Fathers to be Good Protestancy The Art of Interpreting do's Feats it makes way for Atheism and Infidelity THE PAPIST Misrepresented AND Represented SECOND PART CHAP. I. Of the Veneration shewn to Images of Christ the Virgin Mary c. Whether the Papists pray to Images in Relation to a Passage of a Book Entituled A Catechism truly Representing the Doctrines and Practices of the Church of Rome and its Vindication THe Papist Misrepresented worships the Images of Christ and his Saints he kisses them uncovers his Head falls down before them offers Incense and Prays to them and uses all such Postures of Worship as he would do to the Person or Persons thereby represented if they were present And whosoever thinks otherwise amongst them is accursed Catech. truly repres the Doctr. of the Ch. of Rome p. 42. THe Papist Represented is taught That the Images of Christ of the Virgin Mary and other Saints ought to be kept and especially in Churches and due Honour and Veneration given them not for that any Divinity or Vertue is believed to be in them or that any thing is to be asked of them or any confidence to be placed in them as was anciently done by the Heathens who put their trust in Idols but because the Honour which is exhibited to the Images is referr'd to the Prototype or Thing represented by them So that by the Images which he kisses and before which he kneels or puts off his hat he adores Christ and reverences his Saints whom the said Images represent This is what He is taught and are the Words of the Council of Trent Sess 25. And tho some endeavour to cast an Infamy upon this Doctrine and Practice by letting loose the School-debates amongst the multitude and raising Mists and Confusion from the disagreeâ—ng Opinions of Divines Yet in honest Practice he 's conscious to himself of doing no more than what he sees done every Day by such who commendably follow the regular Motions of Humane Nature the Dictates of unbiass'd Reason First therefore as Men judge it nothing but Decent and Reasonable to set forth and adorn their Houses with the Pictures of such Persons as belong to their Family of their old Friends Benefactors Governours such as they esteem and whose Memory they desire to preserve and honour So he cannot but think it as agreeable to Reason that the House of God be
same Reason tho the Pictures of Christ c. are nothing but Ink and Paper like others yet because the Stroks of that Ink are so ordered and drawn there that they Signifie and Represent to him Christs Nativity his Scourging at the Pillar or Passion on the Cross c. they are to him like a Chapter of the Bible it self informing him of the same Sacred Mystery teaching him the same Divine Truth and upon this Consideration are to him a part of Gods holy Word without any difference from that Chapter of the Bible which treats of that Mystery besides in the different Fashion of the Stroks and manner of laying on the Ink. And if in the Contemplation and Consideration of these Divine Truths and Sacred Mysteries thus Represented to him he stands with his Head uncover'd or on his knees he do's it only to express the Love and Honour which at that time enflame his heart towards God and the Veneration which he has for Christ in those endearing Passages And in these Actions and Postures he do's no more make a God of or give Idolatrous Worship to the Paper Ink or Colours of those Pictures or the Material Images than he makes a God of the Bible when in taking an Oath he stands with his Head uncover'd and kisses it or reads it on his knees or gives Idolatrous Worship to a Preacher when he hears him deliver Gods Word with his Headbare Let Divines therefore wrangle to the Worlds end and dispute whether this Honour this Reverence and Respect shewn to the Bible to a Preachers Sermon to Pictures or Images be the same or distinct from what is given to the Things Represented whether it terminates on them absolutely after an Inferiour manner or only relatively and so forth This they may go on with for the exercise of their Wits and Tongues and others may scatter these Notions amongst the Crowd for the Confusion of Mankind and the Disturbance of weak Brains but for his part he 's little concern'd with these Debates He 's certain he believes in Worships and Adores only One God who Created and Redeemed him and by whose Mercy and Grace he expects Salvation and he confesses that all Pictures Images c. relating to Him or his Saints are nothing more than Paper Colours Wood Stone c. meer Creatures not to be confided in Yet as long as he sees that Christians full of Devotion and Zeal can kneel down before a piece of Bread for its being a Figure or a Representative Commemoration of Christ his Goodness and Passion and yet to the Honour and Glory of God. As long as he sees Men full of Scorn and Rage can shew their Malice to a great Prelate by exposing his Effigies to the contemptuous Shouts of the Rabble carrying it in a mock-Procession and committing it to the flames and this without having it decided whether it be the same Dishonour shewn to the Image and to the Person and whether it be the same Respect and Reverence given to the Sacramental Figure and to Christ or a different As long as he sees this he cannot doubt to Honour and Reverence Christ before an Image relating to him notwithstanding the Speculative Scruple whether it be the same or a distinct Veneration given to God and to the Image 'T is a sufficient satisfaction to him that all the Love Respect Honour or Veneration he has for the Bible for a Sermon for a Picture or Image of Christ c. is wholly for the Sake the Love and Honour he bears to Christ and howsoever he expresses it whether by kissing these Commemorative Signs by Bowing by Kneeling by Incensing c. yet as long as these are only so many different ways or speaking Testimonies of the affection of his Soul towards God as God is his Witness who sees his heart he can have no scruple in performing them no more than others who being sensible of a diflerent motion in their Souls towards Queen Mary and her Sister Queen Elizabeth express the Love the Respect and Honour they have for the latter by placing her Picture in their Churches by keeping her Day in a certain Veneration by ringing of Bells burning Candles lighting Bonfires all which are nothing but so much Street-incense offer'd up to her Honour and Memory For what reason can he have to think that to be idolatrous when done to the Honour of God which he sees thus without scruple or fear of Idolatry perform'd to a Queen no otherwise Canoniz'd but by the Sainting breath of the Rabble This then is what he do's as to Sacred Images and tho his Adversaries by calling this worshipping adoring falling down to Images can presently raise a Notion of Idolatry in their unthinking Auditory yet 't is upon such Principles that their Dissenting Brethren pursuing the same Reasonings a little farther draw them under the same Infamy throwing the Coat over their Heads which they had cut out for others Shoulders But now as for Praying to Images 't is what the utterly detests as a thing contrary to all Reason and Religion The Council of Trent expresly declares to all of his Communion that no Vertue or Divinity is to be believ'd to be in Images nothing is to be asked of them nor confidence to be placed in them What praying then can there be to Images if nothing be to be ask'd of them For his part he could as well pray to the Monument to the Statues of the Kings in the Exchange or to the Giants in Guild-ball as to the Image of the Greatest Saint in Heaven and thinks 't would be as much to the purpose and vet if the True-representing Catechisme is to be heard the Papists do not only kiss the Images of Christ and his Saints but they likewise Pray to them God deliver him from such true Representing The Answer to The Papists Misrepresented c. p. 17 is so just to the Papists as to grant that They do not absolutely Pray to Images this in his opinion being a charge too absurd to be urg'd against the most brutish of Heathens And afterwards p. 22. when he comes to speak of Praying to Images he tells you of a Sense in which it may be taken that is If the world be so pleas'd to take it so and 't is that Praying to Images shall signifie not an oblation of Prayers to Christ's Image so as to expect to be heard by the Image but so as to expect to be rather heard by Christ himself for praying to him by his Image So that praying to Images comes to be the same as praying to Christ by his Image and afterwards within a line or two is nothing but praying where Images are or before Images Thus he do's not positively charge the Papists with praying to Images but only endeavours to prove it in some sense and then honestly and fairly explicates what he means by those words and at last do's not impute it as a Doctrine but only as a consequence that
Ammonites pray to Ashtoroth or Milcom He does not deny but in one of the Hymns us'd in his Church are found these words Hail O Cross our only Hope In this time of the Passion encrease Righteousness in the Just and blot out the Sins of the Guilty And these same words as likewise the whole Hymn are found in St. Ambrose's Works tho compos'd by that Learned Bishop Vincentius Fortunatus who liv'd in the fifth Age to be sung on Passion Sunday upon which day it is still us'd by his Church as part of that days Solemnity And if for these words of this Prelate whose Name is so often celebrated by Pious and Learned Men and his whole Church must be blackned with the Infamy of Idolatry and praying directly to the Cross then stand clear Paul have a care Chrysostome beware O Creed and you Common-prayer-Book look to your felf for if there be but any that will weigh you in this Scale if you have but a Grave Catechist that according to this Rule will Faithfully represent you you 'll be infallibly set out for nothing better then Professors of Folly and Nonsence Bundles of Absurdities and Prophaneness sitter for the diversion of Drolling Atheists than the Direction of any Christian Congregation 'T is but exposing some sentences and expressions found in them in the rigid and literal sence of the words to the Multitude and they 'll presently lose all their Authority of being Divine and become as Ridiculous as Popery which by these true-representing Arts has been made so infamous by its Adversaries As now if after the Method of this Faithful Catechism the Question should be thus ask'd concerning St. Paul Quest What regard had St. Paul for the material Cross A. He reverenc'd it above all things in Heaven and Earth expresly owning it for the only Subject of his Glory God forbid says he Gal. 6. 14. that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jefus Christ Again He look'd upon the Wood of the Cross as that which had purchas'd Mans Reconciliation to God as he directly confesses Ephes 2. 16. where he says Man was Reconcil'd unto God in one body by the Cross Would not the urging these expressions of St. Paul in the rigid sence of the Words as they signifie the material Wood of the Cross make him change his Colour in the Eyes of the Multitude and render him more like an Infidel than an Apostle of Jesus Christ for thus placing his Glory and Mans Reconciliation in a piece of Wood And if these same measures are applied to St. Chrysostom and other Fathers who flourish'd in the time of the Church's Purity will not they all appear disfigur'd with the horror of Superstition and Idolatry and carry the most infamous Marks of Popery in the very face of them St. Chrisostom says expresly that the Cross has broken the Gates of Hell has open'd the Passage into Heaven has made Paradise again accessible and confounded the power of Satan and a little before that every thing that contributes to our Salvation receives its perfection from the Cross St. Ephrem in almost the same words thus celebrates the Cross It has triumph'd says he over death 't is the Hope of true Believers the Light of the World the Key of Paradice the Overthrow of Heresies the Help of Religious Men the Establishment of Faith a great and secure Protection and the perpetual Glory of good Christians for ever Now let but these words of these Eminent and Primitive Christians be thrown amongst the Crowds with an innuendo as if spoken meerly of the material Cross and that they attributed so many excellencies to a piece of Wood what scandals would immediately follow How many contempts and scornful reproches would these Great Fathers receive from the presuming Multitude And how many compassionate Moans would the more Pitying Sex sigh out upon the darkness of that Age This would certainly have follow'd had it been the Fate of these Primitive Christians to have faln into True-representing Protestant hands or were there any faithful Catechism to have made Questions and Answers upon their Faith and Practice But certainly 't is not only the part of a Faithful Catechism that pretends to give a true account of mens Belief and Practice to lay down some words some expressions taken out of their Hymns their Epistles their Books and then leave them to the discretion of every undiscerning or prejudic'd Reader to interpret as they please and more especially it ought not to have pointed out to a false and mistaken sence which however literal is yet contrary to the meaning of those whose Doctrine it pretends to deliver No this is not doing faithfully 't is not true-representing If it would have made good its Title in the Frontispiece it should besides relating the bare words have given a faithful account of the sence in which Catholicks understand those words And therefore as to do right to St. Paul St. Chrysostom St. Ephrem c. besides giving a bare Narrative of their expressions it ought to be explicated to the people that in all those high Encomiums of infinit and divine Perfections and Effects attributed to the Cross they do not understand the meer Material Cross or piece of Wood but the Belief in the Mystery of the Cross the Passion of the Son of God or Christ Crucified which are all signified and represented by the Cross So to represent truly the Practice of Catholicks 't is not sufficient to set down the bare words of the Hymn but likewise their meaning ought to have been propos'd that with St. Paul St. Chrysostom St. Ephrem c. they do not understand barely the Material Cross but Christ crucified and that in that Holy time of the Passion in which that Hymn is sung their whole Devotion and Prayers are directed to Him who being born for us Men and our Salvation made peace through the Blood of his Cross So that the meaning of Catholicks in saying that Hymn is Hail O Christ our only Hope In this time of the Passion increase Righteousness in the Just c. This had been true-representing indeed but to pretend to faithful representing and then to set down only Words without their due Sence and Meaning is to represent by halves it has more of deceiving in it then representing having little of truth in it besides in Brags and Pretences This certainly is so insincere a Method that if allow'd there needs no more to blast the Credit and Reputation even os Truth it self and 't is very observable that there is scarce an Argument taken up by Protestants or any Means us'd by them for the defeating of Popery or making it Ridiculous to the Multitude but the same if follow'd on will infallibly ruin all Religion and turn Christianity out of the World Protestancy it self is not proof against its own weapons but that which brought it into the World will be certainly its overthrow with as many as have but
the ridiculing of Popery but the same if followed on will as certainly undermine the Truth of the whole Gospel and cut the Sinews of all Religion This Heathen-Catechist has not gone one tittle beyond the Copy set him in the True-representing Catechism and you see how fearfully it begins to work The citation of three or four words out of a Hymn was Argument enough to lay the Papists flat for so many stupid Sots and has any thing been here asserted against the Protestants but what has been supported by as plain and express words as those of the Popish hymn If in the one case therefore this way of proving do's not hold how comes it to be so conclusive in the other Misrepresent The Words 't is true of the Scripture cited in this Mock-Catechism are as plain and express as can be but they are here made use of in a sence never intended by those Divine Pen-men the Authors of Sacred Writ who tho they have the very words cited yet never meant them as here they are brought in their literal and rigid sence but some of them Figuratively some of them in Conformity to our Apprehensions some of them in the Person of another c. and begin thus understood they make no reflection upon Protestancy or Christanity but are truly edifying Repres This is honestly said and if you could but do so in any others case besides your own there would be more peace in this Nation and above half the Devils that disturb its quiet would be laid Had the True-representing Catechism but thus impartially interpreted the words of the Hymn above mention'd and given the true sence of it he had never been set upon the File of Misrepresenters But to charge bluntly an absurdity upon the Papists and to pretend to prove it against them from their own plain words without discovering their meaning is to do the same as our Heathen-Catechist has perform'd to the life defaming Christianity from the express words of Scripture and both alike by Misrepresenting Would you and such whose thriving depends much upon your Art see to give every thing its true weight and sence and shew the right side outward of every thing you expose to the admiring Crowds this sincere and honest dealing would much more recommend you to well meaning people than the more fashionable way of blackning and ridiculing your Neighbours But an ill habit is not easily laid by 'T is matter of some Admiration to me to consider how uneven your Proceedings are in this kind how readily you can discover a speech to be figurative when that sence best serves your own turn And how in other occasions nothing of Figure can be found when the literal sence will serve to cast an infamy upon the Papists The Fathers in their Works do very frequently address themselves to the Martyrs and Saints in Heaven desiring their Assâ—stance and Prayers that they would joyn with them in their Requests Nay they expresly say that the Saints ought to be pray'd to Now because this do's not favour your Cause in the literal sence 't is strange how industrious you are to suck out the substance and to blow it all up into a Figure and those express Prayers are no Prayers but rather Raptures Innocent Wishes Rhetorical Flights and Apostropâ—es On the other side tho the Papists are never any where directed to pray to the Cross have no Prayers to the Cross yet because in one of their Hymns are found two words literally implying a Prayer to it Oh! this must be taken literally here no Figure can be discover'd no Rapture no Innocent Wish Rhetorical Flight or Apostophe altho the whole Hymn be nothing but a Poetical composure which without any injury to Christian Truth takes the liberty of such Innocent Flights Thus are you sometimes for Figures and somtimes for no Figures managing every thing as will best contribute to the advancing your own Cause the running down Popery and making it odious with the People This seems to be your chief aim in all your Performances and the only Measure of your Comments and Interpretations I wish you would be more serious in a Concern of this moment and not expose thus the Reputation of the greatest part of the Christian World to the mercy of every little Conceit and petty imaginary Proof Such Arguments as these might serve well enough for a Christmas-Nights Entertainment but to insert them for a Catechism-Proof when the Subject is Religion and the Guidance of Souls is very unseasonable and improper especially when true Representing and doing it faithfully is pretended in the Frontispiece Misrepresent Do'nt run your self out of Breath upon this Point you have another yet to speak to viz. Why the Papists go in long Pilgrimages to certain Images if they do not Pray to them or hope to be better heard for Praying there Represent That 's another of the Catechism Proofs but for a Diversion there 's another Piece calls for a Word or two Publish'd with Allowance LONDON Printed by Henry Hills Printer to the King 's most Excellent Majesty for His Houshold and Chappel 1686. THE PAPIST Misrepresented and Represented SECOND PART CHAP. III. Whether the Doctrine of Transubstantiation be contrary to the Writings of the Primitive Fathers or agreeable to them The Papist believes his Senses in this Mystery as much as the Protestant being Notes upon a late Pamphlet intit'led The Papists Doctrine of Transubstantiation not agreeable to the Primitive Fathers The Papist Misrepresented by the wonderful Advantages of Implicit Faith and Prejudice is preserv'd in Ignorance and led into the most Monstrous of Errors By these helps the late Inventions of Men are shamm'd upon him for the Doctrine of the Primitive Church and what was never known to the Ancient Fathers takes place in his Creed as Their most constant and profess'd Doctrine This is evident in many Particulars but most clearly as to the Point of Transubstantiation which the Primitive Fathers were so far from holding that They believ'd the direct contrary Indeed we have from the Writings of the Fathers so many plain Places against this Doctrine that we cannot conceive how it came into the World so that notwithstanding the Papists pretence to Antiquity in this Point we shall find they are meer Gibeonits who have made use of their moldy bread and clouted shoes to deceive the People of the Lord and that they confidently lay claim to the Fathers for the defence of this Point which upon examination is found quite contrary to their Belief Sum. of the Pamphl THe Papist Represented admits nothing to take place in his Creed but upon such strong and convincing Motives that none can accuse him of Ignorance or Error but those who have their Judgments swallow'd up by Prejudice and whose Passion has over-run their Reason The Inventions of Men are with him but of little value they may be the Subject of his Opinion but no concern of his Faith This bids them
Protestant Reasoning discover or even apprehend how there can be three distinct Persons in One Divine Nature undivided or how God could be made Man be Born Suffer and Die But not to go so high Can you conceive it as agreeable to your Reason How all this World could be made out of Nothing Can you conceive What Eternity is to be without begining or ending For the Bodies of all the Sons of Adam to rise from the Dead after having pass'd through so many successive Corruptions How the Bodies of the Just shall become Spiritual and put on Incorruption And those of the Wicked be tormented for ever as long as God shall be God Can you conceive apprehend or by your Reason tell How these things can be Can your Reason by being Protestant open unto you these Mysteries And I hope you believe them with a firm and undoubting Faith. Misrepresent Yes I believe them all and to speak plainly I think they are far above the reach of all Humane Reason Man may endeavour to explicate them by Similitudes or some proportion in Nature but these still fall much short of the real Truth of those Mysteries and he that thinks he comprehends them does only deceive himself and like those who try to look the Sun full in the Face see nothing by presuming to see too much However notwithstanding this great disproportion the Mysteries of Christian Religion bear with humane Reason yet I believe them all with a firm and certain Faith to be true upon the Authority of God revealing them who is Truth it self Represent Spoke like a Christian and if all Protestants would joyn with you in this Sentiment there would not be so many Reasoning Atheists in the World as there are But give me leave Misrepresenter Is it not a very spiteful and un-neighbourly Trick that whilst you thus in private profess and own so sovereign a Truth as this and that you believe such Mysteries according to your Religion which your Reason can neither see nor understand Yet when you come to appear in Publick and are to win the favour of the People by declaiming against Popery you then dress out this in the Papists as the greatest piece of non-sense in the World 't is then nothing but going blindfold laying aside Reason a slavish Submission and a thousand worse things besides Come let me tell you this your putting on at pleasure different Faces is no credit to your cause And it makes some begin to think That many of your Popular Harangues have more of Policy in them than Religion that they drive more at keeping up a Party than saving of Souls Otherwise why should you in publick set that forth as Ridiculous in the Papists which in your more sober conversation between Friends you profess your selves and own as Reasonable and Christian Misrepresent This is nothing better than railery Why I don't blame the Papists upon this account I only pity and condemn them because Poor Souls they are forc'd to take up all Religion upon trust they are not allow'd the use of the Bible and so cannot examine by their own Reason the Doctrine of Christ and Mysteries of his Faith but without all Seeing or Reasoning must take all that 's given them for Good and so are merely led Captives depending wholly upon the Will of their Ignorant Guides and if they will but say as they say they are Good Catholics tho' they understand not a Word This is it I call going Blindfold hood-winking of Reason and slavish Obedience Represent You are come now to your Popular Topic and yet you cannot turn your self in it without Misrepresenting deceiving and stretching your Stories beyond the bounds of Truth You please your people by putting the Bible into their hands encouraging them to search the Scriptures to find out the Truth that so the Word of Christ may dwell richly in them in all Wisdom Then you tell them of the great Blessing they enjoy in as much as their lot is not fallen in those unhappy Places where the people can by no means procure the Reading of the Bible cannot come to the Knowledge of the Word of God or of their Duty but must walk in Darkness and see no Light. Misrepresent Well and is not this true Represent 'T is like the Truths you generally tell when you rail against the Papists It has a little of Truth in it and the Greater Part False It has a Truth for the Foundation but then you raise so many False Constructions Wrong Inferences and Misapplications upon it that the Truth is violently bore down and almost sunk into nothing Misrepresent Come let me take my Turn You Catechis'd me in one Point now let me examine you in another Do you Believe the Bible to be the Word of God Represent Yes I believe it to be the Word of God that it contains the Doctrine of Christ and as such I am commanded to Respect Honour and Reverence it and so I do sincerely desiring rather to lose my life than contemn or injure that Sacred Volume Misrepresent Do you think it convenient for the People to Know and Understand the Doctrine it delivers Represent I think it not only convenient but also necessary for them to Know and Understand it and that Salvation is not attainable by those who do not do as is there commanded or do not believe as is there taught Misrepresent Why then do you deprive the Vulgar and Ordinary People of this Holy Food of their Souls which you judge Necessary for their Salvation Why do you take the Light out of their Hands and force them to walk in darkness Represent The Ordinary People and Vulgar of our Communion have more of this Holy Food are better serv'd with this Light of Truth than those of any other Perswasion whatsoever and 't is nothing but an Aspersion of yours to say They are depriv'd of this Bread of Life and are left without Means of knowing their Duty to God and their Neighbour Do you but consider a little Misrepresenter Are those People depriv'd of the Word of God who are taught it by their Pastors by God's Appointment ordain'd to teach them Or does he take the better course to be instructed in his Christian Duty who leaving his Pastors goes about to teach himself Men don 't generally think that Flock to be depriv'd of its food which is carefully fed by the Shepherd neither is that Sick Man left without Means for his Cure who receives Prescriptions from the Physician without having the liberty of the Apothecarie's Shop to take what best suits with his Taste or his Phancy where tho' all be Good if rightly applied yet 't is easie mistaking the use of the Drugs and taking Killing ones instead of Curing Why then should you defame the Papists as not having God's Word dwelling in their hearts whenas tho' they do not receive it generally by Reading it themselves yet they are instructed in that Sacred Truth and fed with it by
the Scripture in their Memory more Texts at their tongue's command more of the Books in their hands but 't is where more care is taken for imprinting the true Sence of these Words in the Vnderstanding of the People and where is us'd the most prudential method for the leading them into the truth of all the Mysteries contain'd in that sacred Volume And in this Point the Papist will yield to none for it is an unquestionable truth that when a Book contains high Mysteries of Religion Mysteries superiour to all Sence and Reason and those not deliver'd in expressions suited to every capacity but obnoxious to various interpretations such as may be wrested by the unlearned and unstable to their own Destruction in this case 't is an unquestionable truth I say that that People is in all probability likely to have more of the true Sence of this Book and to be better informed of the truth of the Mysteries it contains who are instructed in it by the Learned of that Communion and taught it by their Pastors Prelates and those whom God hath placed over them to govern and feed the Flock than any other People who have the Book put into their own hands to read it and search it and satisfie themselves For why Are not the Pastors more capable of teaching the People than the People are to teach themselves Or is it commendable in Scripture only and Religion for every one to be his own Master which in any other matter whosoever doe's it shall be esteem'd a Fool We know Moses Deut. 31. 9. gave the Book of the Law to the Levites to keep and read it every seven years to the People and in King Jehoshaphats reign 2 Chron. 17. 9. the Priests and Levits did read it and teach the People so did Jeremy Jer. 36. by Gods command so Isaiah so Ezekiel so the Levits Nehemiah 8. 8. Read in the Book in the Law of God distinctly and gave the Sence and caus'd them the People to understand the Reading And did not our Blessed Saviour Luc. 4. 17. take the Book of the Prophet and read it and expound it to the People And was not this the Office of the Apostles and Deacons to interpret the Scriptures and instruct their Followers what they were to believe and doe For this intention was Ananias sent to Saul Peter to Cornelius and Philip to the Eunuch who professedly own'd he could not understand the Prophet in so necessary a Point as that of the Messias without an Interpreter How can I understand said he except some man should guide me Act. 8. 31. Since therefore the Papists in delivering the Scripture come nearest to this Method commanded by God in the Old Law prescrib'd and practis'd by Christ and his Apostles in the New what People can be better instructed in the true sence of it and understand more of the Mysteries of the Christian Faith than they With what Reason can it be urg'd against the Vulgar of his Communion that the Scriptures are hid from them that they are bred up in blindness and ignorance Do not the Pastors expound the Scriptures to them do not they instruct them in every Point of their Religion and teach them the whole Duty of a Christian Is it not this they do in their Pulpits in their Catechisms in the Confessionaries in so many hundred spiritual Books plainly laying before them their whole obligation both as to Faith and Good manners And is this to conceal from them the Scripture Is the Word of God hid from them because they have their Pastors to instruct them in it Or are they any ways injur'd because they have learneder men than themselves to teach them Is the Multitude a better Judge of Scripture and more able to discover the truth of it than those whom God has plac'd over them Has God so deserted the Pastors and Prelates of his Church and is the Flock of late become so Wise The Faith of Christ was first planted by Christ's Preaching it to the Multitude by the same way 't was propagated by the Apostles and so it is to be deliver'd down to the end of the World Faith comes by hearing By this means many Barbarous Nations saies St. Irenaeus l. 3. adv har c. 3. believe in Christ have the Doctrine of Salvation written in their Hearts by the Holy Ghost without the help of Books and religiously observe the Traditions believing in one God c. Now 't is certain the Truth of this Christian Faith with all its Mysteries is unquestionably preserv'd in Christs Catholic Church and the People are to receive it and not to find out their Faith and Religion every one for themselves If they are afraid of being deceiv'd when they rely on their Pastors for it they run ten times the hazard when they trust to themselves The Papist therefore is taught that since Christ has a Church upon earth in which is conserv'd the truth of the Gospel 't is safer and more prudential for the People to be instructed in this Truth from the Pastors of this Church and by this means come to the Knowledg of the Word of God that is of its true sence and meaning than by committing the Book it self into the hands of the Multitude and leting every one understand it for themselves He knows 't is a very popular thing and acceptable to the prying Multitude to have a Book at command which directs the Way to Salvation but since 't is not the Book is to save him but the Truth and Doctrine which it teaches he believes 't is better learning this from those who are Wiser and are commissionated from Heaven to teach than to venture at it himself without any Authority The unhappy Divisions among Christians sufficiently inform him that to such Readers as St. Peter calls unreary and ignorant however wise they may think themselves Aâ—ianism may be as obvious in this Book as Christs Divinity and that when such an one undertakes the interpreting of it 't is an hazard whether at the end he comes out Quaker Anabaptist Presbyterian Independent Mugletonian Socinian or Atheist 'T is a Venture whether the Trinity shall have place in his Creed or no whether he 'll allow of Baptism or any Sacrament and whether Cruelty cutting of Throats Oppression Tyranny Dethroning of Kings and Murder of Princes shall not with him become a necessary Duty and a true serving of the Lord. For all these and more damnable Doctrines has he seen preach'd up and practic'd by those who have had the Bible in their Banners who have been esteem'd Searchers of the Word of God and presumptuously made their Comments upon this Sacred Text. And is it not this abuse that has occasion'd so many Schisms and almost broken the Mystical Body of Christ into pieces That whereas all his Followers should be of one mind now no body knows what Religion his Neighbour is of but every Wall now parts Religions more than Seas did heretofore And
the whole is come to be no more than a Perswasion a Judgment an Opinion And now since these and infinite other mischiefs arise from the free permitting the Bible among the Multitude he thinks it commendable in his Church out of a true Solicitude for the Salvation of Souls to prevent these evils by teaching them the true Sence of this Sacred Volume and instructing them in their whole Duty as to all they are to believe and practice without leaving the Book to be scann'd by them as they please and so not permitting them to turn the Food of their Souls into Poyson or abuse that to theit Destruction which was ordain'd by Christ for their gaining of Heaven They are not therefore depriv'd of the Holy Scripture but have the whole benefit of it and all the comfort being instructed in the whole word of God only with this Advantage that 't is not left in their power to do themselves any mischief by abusing it And this is so ordered only in consideration of the Vulgar who are commonly very ignorant unsteady bold presuming or as St. Paul stiles them Vnlearn'd and Vnstable and easy to be deceiv'd whilst judicious men of his Communion any one that is Learned Prudent and Sober may be easily permitted to have the perusal of this Book to read it as much and as often as he pleases because such are not in danger of prejudicing themselves by false interpretations or preferring their own Sence before that which they receive from their Pastors and the Church 'T is not the Book therefore that is properly forbidden but only false and presumptuous interpretations of it and such only who are in all probability likely to do this are not permitted to read it And upon the whole there 's nothing more in this great noise of the Papist being depriv'd of the Word of God than that such as for the most part are not capable amongst them of reading it as they ought have not leave to read it and those that are capable may have in most Countreys leave to read it as they please Those that can read it to edification may have it at desire and those that are likely to read it to the perverting of Gods Holy Word and the destruction of their own Souls 'T is thought fit they should let it alone Publish'd with Allowance London Prnted by Henry Hills Printer to the King 's Most Excellent Majesty for his Houshold and Chappel 1686. THE CATHOLIC REPRESENTER CHAP. VIII The Vulgar not permitted to read the Bible among the Papists for fear they should discover the Errours of their Religion an Absurd Calumny The Restraint is That there may not be as many different Words of God as there are 〈◊〉 amongst them and may have something better ground that their own Imagination to direct their Faith a word to a Lay-friend Misrepresent YOu gave me no room to put in one word in your last but for all your long-winded Reasons there why the Vulgar of your Communion do not generally read the Scriptures I can apprehend no other but only that your Priesis and Jesuits being conscious of the unreasonableness of Popery and how contrary it is to the Truth of God's Word dare not allow the People the reading and perusirg it left finding their Religion not to stand the trial of the Scriptures they should discover the delusion and run over to the Reformation Represent I expect no better from you 't is your trade to make the worst of every thing the Papists do but the best on 't is your Misconstructions lie so open that there needs no more than a mere glimpse of Reason to discover all your Art. For if any of your Auditors should but once consider that tho' the Vulgar and unlearned of the Papists have not in some Countries the Bible promiscuously allow'd amongst them yet that in those same Countries and all others there 's no Colledge Vniversity Community or place of learning but where the Scriptures are publickly read and expounded if they should consider this I say Is it possible for them to believe that that Restraint is upon the Vulgar for fear they should see into the Foliies of their Religion If their Religion were so contrary to Scripture as you pretend is it not more likely the learned should make this discovery in their reading the Bible than the Vulgar if they had the like liberty Cannot Scholars as easily see the Truth of Scripture and what is erroneous and at defiance with it as the Vnlearned Or are the Errors and Foliies of Popery such that of necessity a man must be a Block-head to understand them Since when became Mechanics and Apron-strings so priviledg'd that to be bred up to the Anvil the Needle or the Ell should qualifie better for the understanding the Scriptures than application Study and the education of a Vniversity Or is it probable that every man amongst the Papists no sooner becomes Scholar but he turns Atheist That upon their search in the Bible they plainly see all the errors of their Religion and yet are so bewitched as to go on boldly and jocondly to the Devil without speaking a word or moving a step to save their own Souls or their Relations Come Misrepresenter this looks so like a sham of yours that I cannot but admire your confidence I wonder how you dare venture your credit in exposing such weak and ill-grounded Arguments You have men of sense and reason to deal with and 't is much they do not make exceptions But I suppose you rely upon the hearty Prejudice they have against Popery in which case you know they 'l take upon trust they 'l pin their Faith upon any mans Sleeve and let impossibilities pass for evident Truths without examination Misrepresent You may prove and preach as long as you please but I am sure thousands and thousands that I meet with will never believe otherwise than I tell you You do all things by design and you have no other reason notwithstanding all your loud pretences for keeping the Eible out of the hands of your common people but only the jealousie your Pastors have that by that Light they 'l see into the deformitys of Popery and prove Deserters Represent The men of this Creed are only such whose Eyes you have put out to lead them by the Nose after you where you please What ground can there be for this pretension at least here in England where the Bible in English or Rhemes-Testament is to be found in most Catholic Families If the Prohibition of not reading the Bible be as you pretend in other Countries for fear of the Vulgar discovering the Errors of their Religion How comes it they donâ—t make this discovery here Do you find so many Deserters in this Nation upon this score Many have quitted that Communion upon other motives best known to themselves but never any one I could meet with left them yet by reading and following the Word of God. Again
expected he should know or deliver truly the Doctrine of our Church who is so unhappy as not to know his own Mind But in one breath desires to be inform'd and Vows to follow wheresoever Truth â—or Charity shall lead him and in the very next without condition or reserve desires rather to die than to move one step from where he stands No this coming with Vow'd Docility in one hand and sturdy Presumption in the other is no good Argument of Sincerity and Honesty the qualities he so eagerly pretends to and ungroundedly questions in me Misrepresent Well but he has prov'd beyond the possibility of Reply that the Papists are on the Uncharitable side and Protestants on the Charitable out of your own Authors and your Charitable Doctrine to be new Popery Represent You have his Word for 't p. 8. But any besides a Layman will call it only a Say-so instead of a Proof His Protestant Charity which he even boasts of is the granting Salvation to Papists upon no other score than Invincible Ignorance and for this he thinks them p. 6. Charitable to a high degree And yet this is the very same Charity Papists have for Protestants the allowing of Salvation possible for such as through invincible Ignorance remain separate from the Church being a common opinion of the Modern and Antient Schoolmen And all those who pronounce so severely against Protestants 't is against Protestants remaining such as he words it p. 8. that is Obstinately and Pertinaciously continuing in Error and Schism in which circumstances Papists too are allow'd no claim to Salvation by Protestants Now where 's the Contradictions and the two sorts of Popery he brags of p. 8. Come Misrepresenter I look upon your Friends put to a hard shift when they begin to talk of New Popery They have been making the Papists odious these hundred Years for their Vncharitableness to Protestants and now the Disguise begins to wear off and the Papists appear as Charitable as Protestants nothing can serve to amuse the people and hinder their seeing the delusion but the noise of New Popery This may do with some but methinks a Sincâ—â—e Layman who desires to be led into all Truth p. 5. might be glad to find Men better than he thought them and not seek for one disguise to palliate another If his mind be tinctur'd with the Blood that runs in his Veins p. 11. yet assure him a Friend of his wishes heartily 't wou'd flow something Cooler and cause in him a more Even Pulse than to require as he does p. 12 nothing less than an Infallible Certainty to better his Opinion of the Papists whilst yet a Fallible Perswasion will content him for all the rest of his Religion Publish'd with Allowance LONDON Printed by Henry Hills Printer to the King 's Most Excellent Majesty for his Houshold and Chappel MDCLXXXVI THE CATHOLIC REPRESENTER CHAP. IX The Scriptures not always the Same to the same Person No Possibility of meeting in One Faith whil'st Private Reason sets up for Interpreter of the Word of God. The Sham-story of the Frogs and Crabs The Truth of the Anniversary Solemnity Misrepresent YOur last attempt of Proving the Scriptures to be as various in the Heads of Protestants as there are Heads amongst them was very Bold and I am perswaded now you are Cooler you 'l disown the Assertion Represent What I said was to lay before you the Reason why amongst the Catholics the Reading of the Bible is not promiscuously allow'd the Vulgar And to that end I shew'd you that the Ordinary People in all Nations being for the most part Vnlearned and Vnstable wheresoever the Canvassing the Scripture is freely permitted them without exception they generally understand it several ways and consequently what is the Scripture to Them is Multiplied and made as Numerous as their different Conceptions and Imaginations of it And now I 'll go farther with you for 't is not only thus in several People but even the same Person many times has the Faculty of Multiplyiâ—g the Word of God. For how many are to be found amongst the Vulgar who according to their different Humours as their Interest changes according to the different Impressions they receive from Confidents especially such as have gain'd their good Opinion espouse different Doctrines and Perswasions and run through as many Sects as there are Divisions in the Nation And yet in all their Windings they still follow as they imagine the Scriptures always guiding themselves by what they think the Word of God evidently speaks to them Don't you see how to these same Persons the Word of God is not always the same It alters according to Seasons and Times and 't was one Word of God directed them the last year another this and it may be another before the next So that tho' it be always the same Vnchangeable in their Hands as to the Letter yet it often changes in their Heads as the Meaning Misrepresent This is a fine Whim to undermine the Authority of the Scriptures But say what you will the Word of God is Plain Easie and Clear and God has given to every one Reason enough to Understand it the Reading it is comfortable the Following it a Duty And 't is an injury of the highest nature to deprive any tho the meanest Soul of so considerable a Blessing Represent If it be so Plain and Easie as you say how comes it there 's so little agreement in the Vnderstanding it How are there so many Different and Contrary Divisions Sects and Perswdsions in this One Nation How comes it that even in the Essentials of Christianity concerning the Trinity Incarnation the Divinity of Christ the Sacrament Baptism the Holy Catholic Church the Communion of Saints the Forgiveness of Sins the Resurrection of the Flesh c. there has been and at present is so great diversity amongst those that read the Scripture The business is you are for setting up every mans Private Reason to be Judge of Scripture If you have seen the Answer to the Protestant Plea for a Socinian you 'l find there p. 26. he points it out for the Mark of a Right Socinian to make Reason the Rule of the Scriptures Such a one says he makes Reason the Rule of that Rule And are not you far worse in this than the Rankest Socinian in the World whilst with him you do not make Common Reason the Measure of that Rule but every mans Private Reason which when put to the Test proves in Thousands and Thousands to be nothing better than Passion Prejudice Interest Imagination Guessing or Phancy Don't you find by experience there 's no such Trivial Proposal made but presently the Company 's divided there 's Head against Head Reason against Reason and this tho' the concern be but of Hay or Straw or the most obvious in the World Don't you see again that almost every Man's Reason is different as their Capacity Parts Education Temper Inclination Impressions are different