meet for any Christian to appeal from Christ's Words to his own Senses or Reason for the examining the truth of what he has said but rather to submit his Senses and Reason to Christ's Words in the obsequiousness of Faith And that being a Son of Abraham 't is more becoming him to believe as Abraham did promptly with a Faith superiour to all Sense or Reason and whither these could never lead him With this Faith it is he believes every Mystery of his Religion the Trinity Incarnation c. With this Faith he believes that what descended upon our Saviour at his Baptism in Jordan was really the Holy Ghost though Senses or Reason could discover it to be nothing but a Dove With this Faith he believes That the Man that Joshua saw standing over against him with his Sword drawn Josh 5. 13. and the three Men that Abraham entertain'd in the Plains of Mambre Gen. 18. were really and substantially no Men and that notwithstanding all the information and evidence of Sense from their Colour Features Proportion Talking Eating and many others of their being Men yet without any discredit to his Senses he really believes they were no such thing because God's Word has assured him of the contrary And with this Faith he believes Christ's Body and Blood to be really present in the Blessed Sacrament though to all appearance there 's nothing more than Bread and Wine Thus not at all hearkning to his Senses in a matter where God speaks he unfeignedly confesses That he that made the World of nothing by his sole word That cured Diseases by his Word That raised the Dead by his Word That expell'd Devils That commanded the Winds and Seas That multiplied Bread That changed Water into Wine by his Word and Sinners into Just Men cannot want Power to change Bread and Wine into his own Body and Blood by his sole Word And this without danger of multiplying his Body of making as many Christs as Altars or leaving the right hand of his Father But only by giving to his Body a supernatural manner of Existence by which being left without eztension of parts and rendred independent of place it may be one and the same in many places at once and whole in every part of the Symbols and not obnoxious to any corporeal Contingencies And this kind of Existence is no more than what in a manner he bestows upon every Glorified Body Than what his own Body had when born without the least violation of his Mothers Virginal Integrity When he arose from the Dead out of the Sepulchre without removing the Stone When he entred amongst his Disciples the Doors being shut And though he cannot understand how this is done yet he undoubtedly believes That God is able to do more than He is able to understand VI. Of Merits and Good Works HE Believes Christ's Death Passion to be inneffectual and insignificant and that he has no dependance upon the Merits of his Sufferings or the Mercy of God for the obtaining Salvation but that he is to be sav'd by his own Merits And for this reason he very zealously buisy in Fasting in Whipping himself in Watching in going in Procession in wearing Hair-shirts and using a thousand such like Mortifications And having done this he thinks himself not at all beholding to God for his Salvation and that to give him Heaven will be no favour It being now his due upon the account of his own Meritorious Atchievements without any God-a-mercy to Christ's Passion or his Makers Goodness HE believes it damnable to say that Christ's Death and Passion is ineffectual and insignificant And that 't is the Doctrine of Devils to believe That he has no dependance for his Salvation upon the Merits of Christ's Sufferings or the Mercy of God but only upon his own Merits and good Works 'T is his Faith to believe That of our selves we are not sufficient so much as to think a good thought that the Grace by which we are justified is given us purely gratis upon the account of Christ's Merits moreover that no Man how just soever can Merit any thing either in this life or in that to come independant on the Merits and Passion of Jesus Christ Nevertheless that through the Merits of Christ the Good Works of a Just Man proceeding from Grace are so acceptable to God that through his Goodness and Promise they are truly Meritorious of Eternal Life And this he has learn'd from the Apostle 2 Tim. 4. 8. where he is taught that there is a Crown of Justice which our Lord a just Judge will render at the last day not only to Saint Paul but also to all those that shall have fought a good fight and consummated their course kept the Faith and lov'd his coming Knowing therefore that at the day of Judgement he is to receive according to his Works He endeavours by good Works to make his Vocation and Election sure And in following this Councel he thinks he no more offends against the fulness of the Merits of Christ's or God's Mercy than the Apostle does in giving it VII Of Confession HE believes it part of his Religion to make Gods of Men foolishly thinking that these have power to forgive sins And therefore as often as he finds his Conscience oppress'd with the guilt of his Offences he calls for one of his Priests who are commonly more wicked than himself and falling at his feet he unfolds to him the whole state of his Soul and having run over a Catalogue of his sins he asks of him Pardon and Forgiveness And what is most absurd of all he is so sillily stupid as to believe That if his Ghostly Father after he has heard all his Villanies in his Ear does but pronounce three or four Latin words making the sign of a Cross with two fingers and a thumb over his head his sins are forthwith forgiven him although he had never any thoughts of amendment or intention to forsake his wickedness HE believes it damnable in any Religion to make Gods of Men. However he firmly holds that when Christ speaking of his Apostles said Joh. 20. 21. Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven and whose sins you shall retain they are retained He gave to them and their Successors the Bishops and Priests of the Catholick Church Authority to Absolve any truly Penitent Sinner from his sins And God having thus given them the Ministry of Reconciliation and made them Christ's Legates 2 Cor. 5. 18. 19. 12. Christ's Ministers and the Dispensers of the Mysteries of Christ and given them power to loose on Earth whatsoever was to be loosed in Heaven Matt. 18. 18. he undoubtedly believes that whosoever comes to them making a sincere and humble confession of his sins with a firm purpose â—â—â—mendment and a hearty Resolution of turning from his evil ways may from them receive Absolution by the Authority given them from Heaven and not doubt but God ratifies
and as Represented And as different as the One is from the Other so different is the Papist as reputed by his Maligners from the Papist as to what he is in himself The One is so Absurd and Monstrous that 't is impossible for any one to be of that Profession without first laying by all thoughts of Christianity and his Reason The Other is just contradictory to this and without any farther Apology may be expos'd to the perusal of all Prudent and Vnpassionate Considerers to examine if there be any thing in it that deserves the hatred of any Christian And if it be not in every Point wholly conform to the Doctrine of Christ and not in the least contrary to Reason The Former is a Papist as he is generally apprehended by those who have a Protestant Education such as whensoever reflected on is conceiv'd to be a perverse malicious sort of Creature Superstitious Idolatrous Atheistical Cruel Bloody-minded Barbarous Treacherous and so Prophane and every way Inhumane that 't is in some manner doubted whether he be Man or no. The other is a Papist whose Faith is according to the Proposal of the Catholick Church which by Christ's Command he is oblig'd to believe and hear and whose whole design in this World is for obtaining Salvation in the next And is it not strange that these two Characters so directly opposite so wholly unlike one the other that Heaven and Hell is not more should agree to the same person 'T is certainly a strange piece of injustice and yet not at all strange to those who know that they that follow Christ shall be hated by the World that those who study the Wisdom of Heaven shall have the repute of Fools and that as many as attend the Lamb shall be painted in the Livery of Satan Our Fore-fathers were so before us all the Primitive Christians the Apostles and even the Lamb himself our Redeemer Calumny ever follow'd them Mis-representation waited upon them and what wonder that Infamy was their constant Attendance And now if the Orthodox Christians have thus in all Ages had their double Character one of Justice exactly drawn from what they really believ'd and practis'd the other of Malice copied from them as Mis-represented 'T is not at all strange to find it so now in our days when Calumny Malice Ignorance c. are as powerful as ever who though from the beginning of the World that is above five thousand Years they have made it their chief business to Paint Copy and Represent Things and Persons yet they never did it with so much injury so altogether unlikely as they do now to the Papists there being scarce any one Point of their Faith and Profession which they do not either blindly mistake or basely disguise The Papists believe 't is convenient to pray before Holy Images and give them an inferiour or relative respect These describe the Papists Praying to Images and Worshipping them as Idols The Papists believe 't is good to desire the Prayers of the Saints and Honour them as the Friends of God These Paint out the Papists as believing Saints to be their Redeemers and Adoring them as Gods The Papists believe that Christ left a Power in the Priests of his Church to Absolve all truly Penitent Sinners from their Offences These Represent the Papists as believing That the Priests can infallibly forgive all such as come to Confession whether they Repent or no. The Papists believe there 's Power in the supreme Pastor upon due Motives of granting Indulgences that is of releasing to the Faithful such Temporal Penalties as remain due to their past sins already remitted as to their guilt on condition they perform such Christian Duties as shall be assign'd them i. e. humble themselves by Fasting Confess their sins with a hearty Repentance Receive Worthily and give Alms to the Poor c. These make the Papists believe That the Pope for a sum of Mony can give them leave to commit what sins they shall think fit with a certain Pardon for all Crimes already incurr'd and that there can be no danger of Damnation to any that can but make a large Present to Rome at his death The Papists believe That by the Merits of Christ the good Works of a just Man are acceptable to God and through his Goodness and Promise meritorious of eternal happiness These report That the Papists believe they can merit Heaven by their own Works without any dependance on the work of our Redemption The Papists worship Christ really present in the Sacrament true God and Man These say they fall down to and worship a piece of Bread Some Papists maintain the Deposing Power These will have it to be an Article of their Faith and that they are oblig'd to 't by their Religion Some Papists have been Traytors Rebels Conspirators c. These make these Villanies to be Meritorious among the Papists and that 't is the Doctrine of their Church And thus there is scarce any one thing belonging to their Faith and Exercise of their Religion which is not wrong'd in the describing it and injuriously Mis-represented And if any be so curious as to desire to be satisfied how this comes about let him but stand by any of the Undertakers while they are taking the Copy of Popery and observe their Method and he may soon come to the bottom of the Mystery He may see them seriously viewing some of her Tenets and upon a short consideration immediately to fall to the making Inferences and deducing Consequences then down go these for so many Articles of Popery They go on and see other of her Tenets and these containing Mysteries such as Reason cannot reach to when Faith is not an assistant they are presently follow'd with variety of Absurdities and seeming Contradictions And down go these to the former for so many Articles of Popery They pass on to others and these being not conform to the Principles of their Education several Mis-constructions are presently rais'd upon them and down go these for so many Articles of Popery They look forward and seeing others in the practice of which many Abuses have been committed then down go the Abuses for so many Articles of Popery Hence they turn to the Court of Rome and as many Disorders and Extravagancies as they find there so many Articles of Popery They enquire into the Actions and Lives of her Pastors and Prelates and as many Vices as many wicked Degsins they discover there so many Articles of Popery They examine the behaviour of her Professors and whatsoever Villanies whatsoever Treasons and Inhumanities they find committed by any that own themselves Members of that Communion down they all go for so many Articles of Popery They hear the reports of such as have deserted her Authority and tho' through their extravagancies and rashness they deserve not credit even in a trifle yet their whole Narrative shall be accepted and all their idle Stories be summ'd up for so many
the Dispensers of the Mysteries of Christ resolving to turn from his evil ways and bring forth Fruits worthy of Penance there is then and no otherwise an Authority left by Christ to Absolve such a Penitent Sinner from his Sins which Authority Christ gave his Apostles and their Successors the Bâ—shops and Priests of the Catholick Church in those words when he said Receive ye the Holy Ghost whose Sins you shall forgive they are forgiven unto them c. II. Though no Creatare whatsoever can make condign satisfaction either for the Guilt of Sin or the pain Eternal due to it This satisfaction being proper to Christ our Saviour only Yet penitent Sinners Redeemed by Christ may as Members of Christ in some measure satisfie by Prayer Fasting Alms-Deeds and other Works of Piety for the Temporal Pain which by order of Divine Justice sometimes remains due after the Guilt of Sin and Pains Eternal are gratis remitted These Penitential Works are notwithstanding satisfactory no otherwise than as joyned and apply'd to that satisfaction which Jesus made upon the Cross in virtue of which alone all our good Works find a gateful acceptance in God's sight III. The Guilt of Sin or Pain Eternal due to it is never remitted by Indulgences but only such Temporal punishments as remain due after the Guilt is remitted These Indulgences being nothing else than a Mitigation or Relaxation upon just causes of Canonical Penances enjoyn'd by the Pastors of the Church on Penitent Sinners according to their several Degrees of Demerit And if any abuses or mistakes be sometimes committed in point either of granting or gaining Indulgences through the Remisness or Ignorance of particular Persons contrary to the ancient Custom and Discipline of the Church such abuses or mistakes cannot rationally be charg'd on the Church nor rendred matter of Derision in prejudice to her Faith and Doctrine IV. Catholicks hold there is a Purgatory that is to say a place or State where Souls departing this Life with Remission of their Sins as to the Eternal Guilt or pain or yet Obnoxious to some Temporal Punishment still remaining due or not perfectly freed from the Blemish of some Venial Defects or Deordinations as idle Words c. not liable to Damnation are purg'd before their Admitance into Heaven where nothing that is defil'd can enter Furthermore V. Catholicks also hold That such Souls so detain'd in Purgatory being the Living Members of Christ Jesus are Reliev'd by the Prayers and suffrages of their Fellow-members here on Earth But where this place is Of what Nature or Quality the Pains are How long each Soul is detained there After what manner the suffrages made in their behalf are apply'd Whether by way of satisfaction or Intercession c. are Questions superfluous and impertinent as to Faith VI. No Man though just can Merit either an Increase of Sanctity or Happiness in this Life or Eternal Glory in the next independent on the Merits and Passion of Christ Jesus the Good Works of a just Man proceeding from Grace and Charity are acceptable to God so far forth as to be through his Goodness and Sacred Promise truly meritorious of Eternal Life VII It is an Article of the Catholick Faith That in the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist there is truly and really contain'd the Body of Christ which was deliver'd for us and his Blood which was shed for the Remission of sins the substance of Bread and Wine being by the powerful Words of Christ charg'd into the substance of his Blessed Body and Blood the Species or Accidents of Bread and Wine still remaining Thus VIII Christ is not present in this Sacrament according to his Natural way of Existence that is with extention of parts in order to place c. but after a supernatural manner one and the same in many places and whole in every part of the Symbols This therefore is a real substantial yet Sacramental presence of Christ's Body and Blood not expos'd to the External Senses or obnoxious to Corporal Contingences IX Neither is the Body of Christ in this Holy Sacrament seperated from his Blood or his Blood from his Body or either of both disjoyn'd from his Soul and Divinity but all and whole living Jesus is entirely contain'd under either Species so that whosoever receives under one kind is truly partaker of the whole Sacrament and no wise depriv'd either of the Body or Blood of Christ True it is X. Our Saviour Jesus Christ left unto us his Body and Blood under two distinct Species or Kinds in doing of which he instituted not only a Sacrament but also a Sacrifice a Commemorative Sacrifice distinctly shewing his Death or Bloody Passion until he come For as the Sacrifice of the Cross was perform'd by a distinct Effusion of Blood so is the same Sacrifice commemorated in that of the Altar by a distinction of the Symbols Jesus therefore is here given not only to us but for us and the Church thereby enrich'd with a true proper and propitiatory Sacrifice usually term'd Mass XI Catholicks renounce all Divine Worship and Adoration of Images or Pictures God alone we Worship and Adore Nevertheless we make use of Pictures and place them in Churches and Oratories to reduce our wandring thoughts and enliven our memories towards Heavenly things And further we allow a certain Honour and Veneration to the Picture of Christ of the Virgin Mary c. beyond what is due to every prophane Figure not that we believe any Divinity of virtue in the Pictures themselves for which they ought to be Honour'd but because the Honour given to Pictures is refer'd to the Prototype or things represented In like manner XII There is a kind of Honour and Veneration respectively due to the Bible to the Cross to the Name of Jesus to Churches to the Sacraments c. as things peculiarly appertaining to God also to the glorify'd Saints in Heaven as Domestick Friends of God yea to Kings Magistrates and Superiours on Earth as the Vicegerents of God to whom Honouâ— is due Honour may be given without any Derogation to the Majesty of God or that Divine Worship appropriate to him Furthermore XIII Catholicks believe That the Blessed Saints in Heaven replenish'd with Charity pray for us their fellow-members here on Earth that they Rejoyce at our conversion that seeing God they see and know in him all things suitable to their happy state but God is inclinable to hear their Requests made in our behalf and for their sakes grants us many favours That therefore it is good and profitable to Desire their Juteocession And that this manner of Invocation is no more injurious to Christ our Mediator or superabundant in it self than it is for one Christian to beg the
Or that can forgive him his sins for a sum of Money â„Ÿ Amen VII Cursed is he that believes that Independent of the Merits and Passion of Christ he can Merit Salvation by his own good Works or make condign satisfaction for the guilt of his sins or the pains Eternal due to them â„Ÿ Amen VIII Cursed is he that contemns the Word of God or hides it from the people on design to keep them from the knowledge of their Duty and to preserve them in Ignorance and Errour â„Ÿ Amen IX Cursed is he that undervalues the Word of God or that forsaking Scripture chuses rather to follow Humane Traditions than it â„Ÿ Amen X. Cursed is he that leaves the Commandments of God to observe the constitutions of Men. â„Ÿ Amen XI Cursed it he that omit any of the Ten Commandments or keeps the people from the knowledge of any one of them to the end they may not have occasion of discovering the Truth â„Ÿ Amen XII Cursed is he that Preaches to the People in unknown Tongues such as they understand not or uses any other means to keep them in Ignorance â„Ÿ Amen XIII Cursed is he that believes that the Pope can give to any upon any account whatsoever Dispensations to Lie or Swear falsly Or that 't is Lawful for any at the last hour to protest himself Innocent in case he be Guilty â„Ÿ Amen XIV Cursed is he that encourages sins or teaches Men to defer the amendmeut of their lives or presumption of their Death-Bed-repentance â„Ÿ Amen XV. Cursed is he that teaches Men that they may be Lawfully drunk on a Friday or any other Easting-day tho' they must not taste the least bit of Flesh â„Ÿ Amen XVI Cursed is he who places Religion in nothing but a pompous shew consisting only in Ceremonies and which teaches not the People to serve God in Spirit and Truth â„Ÿ Amen XVII Cursed is he who loves or promotes cruelty that teaches People to be Bloody-minded and to lay aside the meekness of Jesus Christ â„Ÿ Amen XVIII Cursed is he who teaches it Lawful to do any wicked thing tho' it be for the Interest and Good of Mother-Church or that any Evil action may be done that Good may come of it â„Ÿ Amen XIX Cursed are we if amongst all those wicked Principles and Damnable Doctrine commonly laid at our Dores any one of them be the Faith of our Church And Cursed are we if we do not as heartily detest all those Hellish Practices at they that so vehemently urge them against us â„Ÿ Amen XX. Cursed are we if in an answering and saying Amen to any of these Curses we use any Equivocations Mental Reservations or do not assent to them in the common and obvious Sense of the Words â„Ÿ Amen And can the Papists then thus seriously and without check of Conscience say Amen to all these curses Yes they can and are ready to it whensoever and as often as it shall be requir'd of them And what then is to be said of those who either by Word or Writing charge these Doctrines upon the Faith of the Church of Rome Is a lying spirit in the mouth of all the Prophets Are they all gone aside Do they back-bite with their tongue do evil to their Neighbour and take up reproach against their Neighbour I 'le say no such thing but leave the impartial Considerer to judge One thing I can safely affirm that the Papists are foully Mis-represented and shew in publick as much unlike what they are as the Christians were of old by the Gentiles that they lie under a great Calumny and severely smart in good Name Persons and Estates for such things which They as much and as heartily detest as those who accuse them But the comfort is Christ has said to his Followers Ye shall be hated of all men Matt. 10. 22. and St. Paul we are made a spectacle unto the World and we don't doubt that who bears this with patience shall for every loss here and content receive a hundred fold in Heaven For base things of the World and things which are despised hath God chosen 1 Cor. 1. 28. FINIS The CONTENTS 1. OF Images Page 1 2. Of Praying to Saints 2 3. Of Praying to the Virgin Mary 4 4. Of Relicks 5 5. Of the Eucharist 6 6. Of Merits and Good Works 8 7. Of Confession 9 8. Of Indulgences 10 9. Of Satisfaction 11 10. Of Reading the Holy Scripture 12 11. Of Apocryphal Books 13 12. Of the Vulgar Edition of the Bible 15 13. Of the Scripture as a Rule of Faith 17 14. Of the Interpretation of Scripture 18 15. Of Tradition 19 16. Of Councils 20 17. Of infallibility in the Church 22 18. Of the Pope 25 19. Of Dispensations 27 20. Of the Deposing Power 29 21. Of Communion in one kind 31 22. Of the Mass 32 23. Of Purgatory 34 24. Of Praying in an Vnknown Tongue 37 25. Of the Second Commandment 39 26. Of Mental Reservations 41 27. Of Death-bed Repentance 42 28. Of Fasting 43 29. Of Division and Schisms in the Church 45 30. Of Fryars and Nuns 46 31. Of Wicked Principles and Practices 48 32. Of Miracles 52 33. Of Holy Water 53 34. Of Breeding up People in Ignorance 55 35. Of the Vncharitableness of the Papists 57 36. Of Ceremonies and Ordinances 61 37. Of Innovations in Matters of Faith 67 Roman-Catholick PRINCIPLES In Reference to GOD and the KING PARAGRAPH I. Of the Catholick Faith and Church in General I. THE Fruition of God and Remission of Sin is not attainable by Man otherwise then in and by the Merits of Jesus Christ who gratis Purchas'd it for Us. II. These Merits of Christ are not apply'd to Us otherwise than by a Right Faith in Christ III. This Faith is but One Entire and Conformable to its Object being Divine Revelations to all which Faith gives an undoubted assent IV. These Revelations contain many Mysteries transcending the Natural Reach of Humane Wit or Industry Wherefore V. It became the Divine Wisdom and Goodness to provide Man of some Way or Means whereby he might Arrive to the Knowledge of these Mystrries Means Visible and Apparent to all Means propotionable to the Capacities of all Means Sure and Certain to all VI. This Way or Means is not the Reading of Scripture Interpreted according to the Private Reason or Spirit of every Disjunctive Person or Nation in Particular But VII It is an Attention and Submission to the Doctrine of the Catholick or Vniversal Church established by Christ for the Instruction of all Spread for that end throughout all Nations and visibly continu'd in the Succession of Pastors and People throughout all Ages From which Church Guided in Truth and secur'd from Errour in Matters of Faith by the promiss'd Assistance of the Holy Ghost every one may and ought to Learn both the Right Sence of the
prayers and assistance of another in this World Notwithstanding all which Catholicks are taught so to relie on the prayers of Others as to neglect their own Duty to God in Imploring his Divine mercy and Goodness in mortifying the Deeds of the flesh in Despising the World in loving and serving God and their Neighbour in following the footsteps of Christ our Lord who is the Way the Truth and the Life to whom be Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS Apog c. 2. Sp. Anno 286. Par. 5. a Spond An. 362. b Id. Anno 66. c Apo. c. 40. d Apo. c. 3. e P. 1. pag. 936. Ep. ad Rom. Cor. Eph. Redemption in Christ a Eph. 2. 8. 1 Cor. 15. 22. applicable by Faith b Mark 16. 16. Heb. 11. 6. Which is but One c Eph. 4. 4. d Ja. 2. 10. Supernatural e 1 Cor. 1. 20. Mat. 16. 17 By the Divine Providence to be Learnt f Isa 35. 8. g Joh. 9. 41 h Mat. 11. 25. i John 15. 22. Nor from private Interpretation of Scripture k 2 Pet. 3. 16. Pro. 14. 12. Mat. 22. 29 l 1 Joh. 4. 1. 6. Pro. 12. 15. m Matth. 18. 17. Luk. 10. 16 n Psal 2. 8. Isa 2. 2. c. cap. 49. 6. Matt. 5. 14. and guided by the Holy Ghost for that end o Is 59. 21 Joh. 16. 13 Eze. 37. 26. Eph. 5. 25. 1 Tim. 3. 15 Mat. 16. 18 p Mat. 28. 23. Joh. 14. 16. q Deu. 17. 8 Mat. 23. 2. This Church is the same with the Rom. Cath. r Can. 6. 8. Joh. 10. 16. Rom. 15. 5. Joh. 17. 22 Phil. 2. 2. From the testimony of which we receive the Scripture to be Gods Word s Mat. 16. 18. 1 Tim. 3. 15 Mat. 18. 17. t Isa 59. 21 Joh. 14. 26. Divine Revelations onely matters of Faith What Heresie and what Schism u 1 Cor. 11. 19. Mat. 18. 17 x Tit. 3. 10 1 Cor. 1. 10. cap. 12. 25. How matters of Faith are propos'd by the Church y Joh. 5. 39 z Act. 15. per tot a 2 Thes 2. 15. cap. 3. 6. 2 Tim. 2. 2. b Ja. 2. 18. What is the Authority of GEneral Councils Gal. 1. 7 8. a Deu. 17. 8. Mat. 18. 17 Act. 15. per tot Luc. 10. 16. Heb. 13. 7. 17. An Explanation of the same Authority b 1 Tim. 6. 20. c Jo. 14. 16. A Deduction from thence concerning Allegiance A second Deduction concerning the same Declar. fac Sorb The Bishop of Rome Supreme Head of the Church but not Infallible d Mat. 16. 17. Lu. 22. 31. Jo. 21. 17. e Eph. 4. 11 c. Nor hath any Temporal Authority over Princes 1 Pet. 2. v. 12. c. The Church not responsible for the Errors of particular Divines King-Killing-Doctrine Damnable Heresie Conc. Const Sess 15. Personal misdemeanours not to be imputed to the Church No Power on Earth can authorise Men to Lie Forswear Murter c. Equivocation not allowed in the Church 2 Cor. 1. 12. a Ez. 18. 21. 2 Cor. 7. 10. Of Sacramental Absolution b Ps 32. 5. Pro. 28. 13. c Act. 19. 18. 1 Cor. 4. 1. Jam. 5. 16. d Lu. 3. 8. e Joh. 20. 21 c. Mat. 18. 18 f Tit. 3. 5. Of Satisfaction by penitential works g 2 Cor. 5. 3. h Acts 26. 20. Jonas 3. 5. c. Psa 102. 9. c. Ps 109. 23. Dan. 9. 3. Joel 2. 12. Luk. 11. 41 Act. 10. 41. i 1 Pe. 2. 5. Indulgences are not Remission of Sins but only of Canonical Penances k 1 Cor. 5. 5. c. l 2 Cor. 2. 6. Abuses herein not to be charged on the Church There is a Purgatory or State where Souls departing this Life with some blemish are purify'd m Numb 14. 20 c. 2 Sam. 12. 13. c. n Pro. 24. 16. Ma. 12. 36. and cap. 5. 22. 26. o Mat. 5. 26. 1 Cor. 3. 15. p Rev. 21. 27. Prayers for the Dead available to them q 1 Cor. 15 29. Coll. 1. 24. 2 Mac. 12. 42 c. 1 Jo. 5. 16. Superfluous Questious about Purgatory Of the merit of good Works through the merits of Christ r Jo. 15. 5. 16. s Mat. 16. 27. Cap. 5. 12. Cap. 10. 42. 2 Cor. 5. 10 2 Tim. 4. 8. Christ really present in the Sacrament of the Eucharist t Mat. 26. 26. Mar. 14. 22. Lu. 22. 19. 1 Cor. 11. 23 c. cap. 10. 16. But after a supernatural manner Whole Christ in either species Hence Communicants under one kind nowise depriv'd either of the Body or Bloud of Christ u Jo. 6. 48. 50 51 57 58. Acts 2. 42. Of the Sacrifice of the Mass x Luk. 22 19 c. y 1 Cor. 11. 26. z Heb. 13. 10. a Lu. 22. 19. b Mal. 1. 11. Worship of Images wrongfuly Imposed on Catholicks c Luk. 4. 8. d Ex. 25. 18. 1 Kin. 6. 35. Luke 3. 22. Num. 21. 8 Acts 5. 15. Yet there is some Veneration due both to Pictures And other sacred things e Jos 7. 6. Exod. 3. 5. Psal 99. 5. Phil. 2. 10. Luk. 3. 16. Act. 19. 12. f Jo. 12. 26. g 1 Pet. 2. 17. Rom. 13. 7. Prayers to Saints lawful h Rev. 5. 8. i Lu. 15. 7. k 1 Cor. 13. 12. l Ex. 32. 13 2 Chron. 6. 42. m Romaus 15. 30. Yet so as not to neglect our Duties n Jam. 2. 17. 30 c. o Rom. 13 14. p Ro. 12. 2. q Gal. 5. 6 r Joh. 14. 6
above the sentence pronounced in that Tribunal Loosing in Heaven whatsoever is thus loosed by them on Earth And that whosoever comes without the due Preparation without a Repentance from the bottom of his heart and real intention of forsaking his sins receives no benefit by the Absolution but adds sin to sin by a high contempt of God's Mercy and abuse of his Sacraments VIII Of Indulgences HE believes that his Holy Father the Pope can give him leave to commit what sins he pleaseth Especially if he can make him a present of a round Sum of Money he never need doubt of an Indulgence or Pardon for himself and his Heirs for ever for all sorts of Crimes or Wickedness he or any of his Posterity may have convenience of falling into And having this Commission in his Pocket under the Pope's Broad-Seal he may be confident that Christ will confirm and stand to all that his Vicar upon Earth has granted and not call him to any account for any thing he has done although he should chance to die without the leâ—â— remorse of Conscience or Repentance for his sins HE believes it damnable to hold that the Pope or any other Power in Heaven or Earth can give him leave to commit any sins whatsoever Or that for any Sum of Money he can obtain an Indulgence or Pardon for sins that are to be committed by him or his Heirs hereafter He firmly believes that no sins can be forgiven but by a true and hearty Repentance But that still there is a Power in the Church of granting Indulgences which concern not at all the Remission of sins either Mortal or Venial but only of some Temporal Punishments remaining due after the Guilt is remitted So that they are nothing else but a Mitigation or Relaxation upon just causes of Canonical Penances which are or may be injoyn'd by the Pastors of the Church on Penitent sinners according to their several degrees of demerit And this he is taught to be grounded on the judiciary Power left by Christ in his Church of binding and loosing whereby Authority was given to erect a Court of Conscience to assign Penalties or release them as circumstances should require And this Authority he knows Saint Paul plainly own'd 2 Cor. 2. 6. where he decreed a Penance sufficient says he to such a man is this punishment And 2 Cor. 2. 10. where he released one For your sake speaking of the Penance injoyn'd the Incestuous Corinthian I forgive it in the Person of Christ And what Money there is given at any time on this account concerns not at all the Pope's Coffers but is by every one given as they please either to the Poor to the Sick to Prisoners c. wherefore they judge it most Charity And tho' he acknowledges many abuses have been committed in Granting and Gaining Indulgences through the default of some particular Persons yet he cannot imagine how these can in Justice be charg'd upon the Church to the prejudice of her Faith and Doctrine especially since she has been so careful in the retrenching them As may be seen by what was done in the Council of Trent Dec. de Indulg cum potestas IX Of Satisfaction HE believes very injurously of Christ's Passion being perswaded that his Sufferings and Death were not sufficiently satisfactory for our sins but that it is necessary for every one to make satisfaction for themselves And for this end after he has been at Confession the Priest injoyns him a Penance by the performance of which he is to satisfie for his offences And thus confidently relying upon his own Penitential Works he utterly evacuates Christ's Passion and though he professes himself a Christian and that Christ is his Saviour yet by his little trusting to him he seems to think him to be no better than what his Crucifix informs him that is a meer Wooden one HE believes it damnable to think injuriously of Christ's Passion Nevertheless he believes that tho' condign Satisfaction for the Guilt of Sin and the pain Eternal due to it be proper only to Christ our Saviour yet that Penitent Sinners being Redeem'd by Christ and made his Members may in some measure satisfie by Prayer Fasting Alms c. for the Temporal Pain which by order of God's Justice sometimes remains due after the Guilt and the Eternal Pain are remitted So that trusting in Christ as his Redeemer he yet does not think that by Christ's Sufferings every Christian is discharg'd of his particular Sufferings but that every one is to suffer something for himself as Saint Paul did who by tribulations and in suffering in his own flesh did accomplish those things that wanted of the Passions of Christ and this not only for himself but for the whole Church Coloss 1. 24. and this he finds every where in Scripture viz. People admonish'd of the greatness of their sins doing Penance in Fasting Sack-cloath and Ashes and by voluntary austerities endeavouring to satisfie the Divine Justice And these Personal Satisfactions God has sufficiently also minded him of in the punishments of Moses Aaron David and infinite others and even in the Afflictions sent by God upon our own Age in Plagues Wars Fires Persecutions Rebellions and such like Which few are so Atheistical but they confess to be sent from Heaven for the just chastisements of our sins and which we are to undergo notwithstanding the Infinite Satisfaction made by Christ and without any undervaluing it Now being thus convinc'd of some Temporal Punishments being due to his sins he accepts of all Tribulations whether in Body Name or Estate from whence-soever they come and with others of his own chusing offers them up to God for the discharging this debt still confessing that his Offences deserve yet more But these Penitential Works he is taught to be no otherwise satisfactory than as joyn'd and apply'd to that satisfaction which Jesus made upon the Cross in virtue of which alone all our good Works find a grateful acceptance in God's sight X. Of Reading the Holy Scripture HE believes it part of his Duty to think meanly of the Word of God to speak irreverently of the Scripture to do what he is able to lessen the repute of it and bring it into disgrace And for this end he says it is obscure full of ambiguous expressions plain contradictions not fit to be read by the Vulgar nor fit to be Translated into Vulgar Languages And without respect to Christ or his Apostles prophanely Preaches that no Ten Books in the World have done so much mischief to Christianity as this one And under a vain pretence of preventing farther inconveniences endeavours to deprive all of this Spiritual comfort of this Divine Food of this Heavenly Light that so being kept in darkness they may be also preserv'd in ignorance and Damn'd Eternally HE believes it damnable in any one to think speak or do any thing irreverently towards the Scripture or by any means whatsoever to bring it into dis-repute or
them that did not assist his Majesty either with Person or Purse or both And they can say that Charles the First was murder'd in cold blood by his Protestant Subjects after many hundred Papists had lost their Lives for the preventing that Butchery and that Charles the Second being pursued by the same Subjects for his Life sav'd it amongst the Papists XXI Of Communion in one kind HE believes that he is no longer oblig'd to obey Christ's Commands than his Church will give him leave And that therefore tho' Christ instituted the Sacrament under both kinds and commanded it to be receiv'd so by all yet he thinks it is not necessary for any to do so now but Priests because his Church forsooth hath forbidden the Cup to the Laity And put a stop to the Precept of Christ who said Drink ye all of this Mat. 26. In submission to which Church-Prohibition all the poor people of his Communion contentedly rest while they see themselves defrauded of great part of that benefit which Christ left them as his Last Will and Testament for the comfort of their poor Souls and the Remedy of their Infirmities HE believes that he is oblig'd to obey all the commands of Christ and that neither his Church nor any other Power upon Earth can limit alter or annul any precept of Divine Institution contrary to the intention of the Law-giver Neither is the Denial of the Cup to the Laity a practise any ways opposite to this his Belief He being taught that tho' Christ instituted the blssed Sacrament under both kinds and so deliver'd it to his Apostles who only were then present and whom he had made Priests just before yet he gave no command that it should be so receiv'd by all the faithful But left this indifferent as is evident from his own words where he attributes the obtaining life everlasting the end of the Institution sometimes to the receiving under both kinds sometimes under one as when he says If any Man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever He that eats Me even he shall live by me He that eats of this bread shall live for ever John 6. v. 51 57 58. And a curious Reader may find as many Texts for thus Receiving under one kind as for the other And St. Augustine was so far of this Opinion that he says that Christ himself administred the Sacrament to some of his Disciples under one kind only viz. to those two going to Emaus Luk. c. last 30. And that the Apostles afterwards did often practise the like when they assembled to break bread Acts 2. c. Which places He and other Fathers explicate of the Sacrament Aug. l. 49. de Cons Evà ng And that this was the Custom of the Primitive Christians to give it under one kind to Children to the Sick and that men on a Journey us'd so to carry it with them is attested by all antient Writers and modern Historians Nay he finds that this was the practice of the Church to Communicate under one kind only or else under both as every one thought good especially in all Private Communions for the first four hundred years after Christ and that the first Precept of Receiving under both kinds was given to the Faithful by Pope Leo I. in the year 443. and Confirm'd by Pope Gelasius in 490. not for the correcting any Abuse that had crept into the Church but for the discovering the Manichees who being of opinion that Christ had no true Blood and that Wine was the Gall of the Devil us'd to lurk among the Christians and receiving under the form of Bread only as the rest did remain'd un-distinguish'd till by this Obligation of all Receiving the Cup which they judg'd unlawful and abominable they were all detected And now if a thing till that time Indifferent was for these Motives determin'd by an Ecclesiastical Precept and so observ'd for many hundred years without scruple or questioning the Authority why should he doubt to submit to the same Authority when upon different Motives and Circumstances they Issue forth another Precept Few doubt of this in the matter of Eating strangled Meats and Blood which tho' forbid by the Apostles Acts 15. and so unlawful is now by another Order and upon other circumstances become a thing Indifferent and like other things And why then should he scruple in this especially since there 's no Injury done nor he defrauded of any thing For believing the Real Presence of Christ in the Sacrament he consequently believes whole and living Jesus to be entirely contain'd under either Species And that receiving under one kind he is truly partaker of the whole Sacrament and not depriv'd of either the Body or Blood of Christ XXII Of the MASS HE believes an insufficiency in the Sacrifice made by Christ upon the Cross And that his Death will little avail us in order to our Redemption unless we by daily Sacrificing him to his Father perfect what he began And therefore little taking notice of St. Paul's words to the Hebrews Chap. 10. 14. where he says that Christ our High-Priest by one Oblation hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified He thinks he shall never be sanctified but by the Offering made by his Mass-Priests upon their Altars when they say Mass and thus wholly relying upon this Superstition an invention of some crafty Pope for the deceiving Widows and Credulous Women he is taught to neglect the Passion of Christ and to put no hopes in his Merits and the work of our Redemption HE believes that the Sacrifice made by Christ upon the Cross was altogether sufficient That by It he Sav'd and Redeem'd us paying the Debt of sin and satisfying the Infinite Justice of his Father That by It he procur'd means for our Salvation which means are Faith and Good Works and most honourable to God is the Offering a Sacrifice And as Christ's Worshipping of God Christ's Fasting Christ's Praying and suffering for us does not hinder or evacuate our Worshipping of God our Fasting our Suffering our Praying for our selves So neither did his Sacrifice hinder or evacuate all Sacrifices for ever But as he instituted Fasting Praying and suffering for his Followers that by so doing they might apply what he did to themselves so also he instituted a Sacrifice that by It they might apply the merits of his Sacrifice and make it beneficial to their Souls So that though he firmly believes that Christ offered Sacrifice for our Redemption and by one only Offering spoken of by St. Paul perfected by way of Redemption the Sanctification of all those that are Sanctified Yet he also believes that to receive the benefit of this Offering we must also do our parts by our Good Works concurring with Christ so becoming Labourers together with God 1 Cor. 3. 9. and in some manner purifying our own selves 1 Joh. 3. 3. and therefore not omit the best of all Works which is Sacrifice proper to none but God Which our