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A25960
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The arts and pernicious designs of Rome wherein is shewn what are the aims of the Jesuits & friers, and what means they use to obtain them, to the prejudice of this nation and the future involving it in misery, together with some proposals to prevent the same / by a person of their own communion, who turned romanist about thirty years since.
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N. N.
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1680
(1680)
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Wing A3895; ESTC R16343
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30,211
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46
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from them shewing as I verily perswade my self a most wicked and hostile resolution to be taken up by the Consistory of reducing England if ever they shall be able to the Communion of the Catholick Church and obedience of the Apostolick Sea not by any fair proper Christian and Apostolick means or endeavour but by Fire and Sword Compulsion and Violence and with all the Miseries and Calamities that War and Foreign Tyranny can bring upon us unless God of his Goodness in mercy prevent it Proposition XXII That to prepare the way to this work and to facilitate the bringing about their design it is their business at present as much as may be to keep up the Divisions that are amongst us in point of Religion and by all arts and means to obstruct and hinder a perfect reconciliation and a firm Union betwixt his Majesty and the generality of his Subjects that so all Parties remaining still in the old Fewd and at distance one with another and all likewise more or less in disgust and disaffected to the Royal Government and Interest we may all for want of Union amongst our selves be the more easily subdued when time shall be to the yoke they are making for us Proposition XXIII That therefore to prevent the hideous mischief that will certainly first or last follow and fall upon this Nation through the wicked practices and industry of this Party if timely care be not taken to the contrary and to disappoint the devilish designs of those who machinate and project such misery to us the only and most effectual means under God would be if all True hearted English of what Judgment soever in point of Religion could be perswaded timely to unite both Counsels and Affections for one of These without the other will do but little good and to be jealous of every thing or motion that tends to disunion either of the Subjects from their Sovereign or of the People amongst themselves Proposition XXIV That this Union can never be permanent and cordial unless some convenient Liberty of Conscience and Free-exercise of Religion at least in private be granted to all Dissenting Parties whatsoever without exception of any that profess themselves Christians Proposition XXV That this Liberty granted and a perfect Union of all English hearts following upon it would with God's help effectually secure us against all evil practices whatsoever of this nature and more disappoint the designs and counsels of our enemies than any other courses or counsels that can be taken by us and it being likewise a thing so consonant to the common grounds of Protestant Religion it cannot well be opposed by any Protestant nor would be I verily believe if once well set on foot by any Persons but such as care not how much they Sacrifice the Peace and publick Welfare of the Nation to their own Pride Passion and worldly Interests Proposition XXVI That therefore the deposing of all animosities rancour and ill-will against one another upon the account of any differences in Religion is a thing to be wish'd pray'd for and endeavour'd by all sorts of People that pretend to Religion as a thing far more consonant to Christian Piety and Charity and most conducing to our present and future safety and espâ—cially that great prejudice which too many English are apt to have against those of the Roman Catholick perswasion if they rightly consider'd the matter both Charity and Prudence would perswade them at length to lay it aside seeing it hath hitherto serv'd for nothing nor ever will serve to any other effect than to be a plausible and easie means for Ambition Covetousness Cruelty and Hyocrisie to advance themselves into Power and to exercise their Tyranny over us A Truth which this Nation hath been taught by so late and sad experience that we cannot think many Persons will be found in the whole Nation to dispure it Proposition XXVII Wherefore verily judging it an Expedient most fit for the general and secure Settlement of the Nation in Peace and Safety I shall take the boldness to wish That Liberty of Conscience to all Christians professing Faith in God and in our Lord Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures were by Act of Parliament made such a Fundamental Law of State as that it should be Treason or a Premunire Unpardonable for any Person in time to come whether in Parliament or out of Parliament to speak against it or to wish motion or argue for the Repeal of it Proposition XXVIII That in such case it would be the duty of us Catholicks in order to our having the benefit of the general Indulgence and Liberty aforesaid to be willing and ready at all times to give the State sufficient assurance of our Fidelity and Loyal Affections to his Majesty and the present Government and of our having nothing to do with the Pope Consistory or Court of Rome in any thing relating to Temporal Affairs or the Government of State but only in Things Spiritual and pertaining to our Faith and Conscience Proposition XXIX That though the Oath of Allegiance already by Law established be in it self both sufficient and fit for this purpose and the taking thereof by us Catholicks undoubtedly consistent with the Catholick Faith which we profess and with the duty of good Subjects yet because some cavillatory Objections are made against it and the pope upon mis-information hath by some private Breves forbidden the taking of it to prevent all scrupling and dispute about the matter it might be wish'd perhaps that a new Oath might be fram'd comprehending as particularly and expresly all things pertaining to Temporal Allegiance as the Wisdom of Parliament should think fit to prescribe But withall by an express Proviso declaring that notwithstanding any words in the Oath we are left free to acknowledge and give that respect to the Pope as chief Pastour of the Church which according to the Principles of our Faith is known to belong to him that is in matters meerly spiritual and pertaining to Faith and not in Temporal Affairs wherein his Authority Jure Divino is nothing at all out of his own Territories And as for that which he claims Jure Ecclesiastico by vertue of some Canons or by Prescription Custom c. we doubt not but these being all Titles of Humane Right meerly the power grounded upon them may upon just reasons be limited suspended or abrogated by the Sovereign Authority of each Nation Kingdom or State respectively for it self and as de facto in this and divers other Christian Kingdoms and Countries even of the Roman Catholick Communion it is abrogated or not acknowledg'd Proposition XXX That as the World goes and the Inclinations of People generally are the Parliament we think needs not much to fear that upon granting Liberty of Conscience to Roman Catholicks as well as others their Numbers should much encrease in the Kingdom and though they should encrease yet the State being assured of their Allegiance and Fidelity what harm
under disguise do both act and plead for all parties some for the Presbyterian others for the Independent Some for the Anabaptists others for the Quakers yea some perhaps even for the Protestant Church it self and Clergy of England though most feignedly and hypocritically all and only to drive on their own design which is to multiply dissensions amongst us and to keep the several parties at as great a distance and disunion of hearts and counsels as they can And in this craft they have thriven so well that from what I do certainly gather from the mouths and profession of some of them I can make little doubt but that at this present all or most of the principal and leading Men in all the dissenting Parties in England are if not brib'd or pension'd yet some way or other purchas'd gain'd wrought upon and abus'd mediately or immediately by these Ministers and Agents of Rome I do not except that religious and honest Gentleman and sincere Royal Convert I hope Mr. W. Pr. himself when living Proposition XVIII That the general drift and design of these Men being to make all parties as discontented with the State and present Government as they can and the Governours themselves odious to the people to this end they want not fit Instruments privately so far as they can and find it expedient to mis-counsel those that are chief in Government and by the advantage of pleasing and complying with their natural affections and passions to mis-lead them into such courses and to engage them in such resolutions as tend to nothing more than to expose their persons to publick hatred and contempt and their affairs to danger Proposition XIX That it is generally and no less certainly true both of the Princes and People of the several States and Regions of Christendom that they do all of them more or less render themselves obnoxious to the practices of the Roman Court by this means that is to say by their Unwary and ill-advised pursuing of their private passions and Affections of their private and particular Interests Animosities Ends without due regard to the dictates of Reason Religion Piety Justice and Virtue which is requisite and that the crafty complyant managing of Peoples Inclinations and passions by the hands and industry of such Agents as she makes use of is to speak the truth the very Neptunes Trident of Rome hâc movet componit aquas I mean it is the chief Art and Engine where by that Court not much unlike the Woman mentioned in the Apocalypse sitting on many Waters moderates at this day the publick affairs of Christendom Apoc. 17.5 and tempers them all to her own Interest Proposition XX. Now as the designs of the Roman Consistory are in a manner wholly mundane secular and aiming at temporal Things to wit the upholding and advancing in what they can their worldly Interests of Profit Power and Authority c. So are the Principles by which they act and the Doctrines and Maximes by which the Divines attending that Court do instruct and direct them no less corrupt spurious and perniciously different from the genuine Maximes of Christ's Holy Gospel and from the true Primitive Catholick and Apostolick Doctrine of the ancient Fathers Evil and debauched practices suppose most commonly a debauch'd and perverted judgment it being not otherwise so easie for Satan to tempt persons especially of Sacred Character and Function to the Transgression of Divine Law without first perverting their Understanding with false Notions and Opinions by means whereof they are made to think it either no sin at all to act contrary to what the Commandment of God requires of them or at most but light and Venial sin which by another errour no less dangerous than the former they make no account of nor scruple to commit whensoever their passions or corrupt Interest inclines them thereto Neither can it be denied but what through immoderateness of Disputation what through vain subtilty of speculation wherein every one strives to exceed each other what through presumptuous and unadvised decision of matters not to say that through direct compliance with their own or others inordinate affections for Interest sake the Doctrine of the Modern Schools is extreamly much corrupted and degenerated from the ancient Primitive purity even in all the Heads of Christian Morality and Piety of which with God's help a further account may be given in due time and place At present it may suffice only to mention some few Maximes that are more than ordinarily was wont to be heretofore put in practice and pursued by the Roman Court. CONSISTORIAL THEOLOGIE OR A COLLECTION OF Some few of those Corrupt Uncatholick Maximes which are now in chief Vogue and Currant at Rome and by which the Resolutions and Proceedings of the Roman Consistory are at present governed 1. THat Catholicks may in some cases so far dissemble their Religion as to deport themselves both in Religious Assemblies and otherwise as protestants or any other Sectaries Which Proposition is variously defended by them Some assert absolutely that a Catholick living or having occasion to be and abide in any Uncatholick Country be it with Hereticks Turks or pagans if he be not known to be a Catholick may without scruple conform himself exteriourly to all the Rites and Customes of that Country even in matters of Religion Others limit and restrain this Liberty only to such cases and times wherein he is not bound to make express confession of his Faith Which cases being so rare and seldom as they are taught to be Viz. when one is publickly questioned for his Faith before Authority or the like it comes to the same in effect with the former assertion Viz. that where a Man is not known nor suspected to be a Catholick or a Christian he may if he will feign himself an Heretick or Pagan A Third sort require the Pope's Dispensation to do this that is to dissemble their Faith and certain it is if any credit may be given to Priests themselves and to their own Writings That the Pope doth grant such Faculties to English Missionaries and no doubt to others too where like cause requires it and that ore tenus by word of mouth only which I suppose is for greater secrecy and that the matter should not be too generally or publickly known the Pope I say doth grant in such manner Faculties to Jesuits and other Priests to dispense with Catholicks for going to Church and being present Sacris Ceremoniis Haereticorum when they find it necessary II. That upon the same ground Viz. the Pope's Dispensation or Permission the Oath of Supremacy is now also allowed to be taken by Catholick people which was formerly held so Unlawful and they give a reason for it Viz. because there is now so they pretend when and where they think good a better Vnder standing between the Court of England and Rome than hath been in former times III. That for the avoidance of a greater