ftants, and especially from fome of thefe, who are supposed to know what Popery is. And thus our Author makes as many turnings and doublings as ever any poor Hare did, which was almost run down. Because I have proved, that his Character of a Papift Mifreprefented, contains no Mifreprefentation in it, properly fo called, therefore forfooth we will not take Characters from a Papift, because we confute them, as foon as they make them, which is not very civil; and therefore hoping that we will be more civil to Proteftant Characters, he turns off the Difpute to them; never did any Man take more pains to defend Popery, than he does to prove a Papift to be Mifreprefented; it feems there is fomething in the World called Popery, which he is very much ashamed of, and it is well if it does not prove to be his own beloved Popery at last. I had told him as plainly as I could in Anfwer to his Character of a Papift Mifreprefented, what I called Popery, and what I take to be the general fenfe of Proteftants about it, and fhewed him evidently, that what he calls a Mifreprefentation is none; nay in moft cafes I have allow'd his own Character of a Papift Represented, and furely there is no Mifreprefentation in that,unless he has mifreprefented a Papift himfelf; and why is he not fatisfied with this? why fo much Zeal to prove us Mifreprefenters, when we are willing to fall with the Market, and to abate as much in the Notion and Idea of Popery, as they are pleafed to lower it? Why muft we be bound to juftifie that Reprefentation of Popery, which fome Proteftants have formerly made of it, when Popery was quite another thing, than the Bishop of Condom, and the Reprefenter have now made it, any more than they are bound to juftifie every thing, which Thomas Aquinas, or Bellarmin, or Vasquez have taught for Popery? But let us confider that Character, he has made of a Papift out of the Writings of Proteftants, only I must put him in mind, that he muft ftill diftinguish between matters of Reprefentation and Difpute. If the matter of Fact they charge them with be true, they are no Mifreprefenters; as for their Reafons and Arguments, I will no more undertake to defend all the reafonings of Pro testants, teftants, than I fuppofe, our Protefter will all the reasonings of Papists. The firft Mifeprefenter, he brings upon the Stage, is John Lord Archbishop of York in his Manual or three fmall and plain Treatifes, written for the ufe of a Lady, to preferve her from the danger of Popery. And all that I fhall fay to this, is, that if what he tranfcribes out of his Book, be a Mifreprefentation, it is not a Proteftant, but a Popifh, Mifreprefentation. For the Archbishop cites his Authors for what he fays, as the very Title of the Chapter tells us, which I fhall here prefent to the Reader, with all the References and Authorities as they are Printed in his Book, and leave the Protelter to confider of a good Reafon, why he left all these Authorities out. CHAP. VI. Reafons of refufal to leave the Romish Religion, collected out of Printed Authors. BEcau I cannot leave my Religion. I. Reason. Ecaufe we muft fimply believe the Church of Rome, whether it teach true or falle. Stapl. Antidot in Evang. Luk. 10. 16. pag. 528. And if the Pope believe there is no life to come, we must believe it as an Article of our Faith. Bulgradus. And we must not hear Proteftant Preachers, though they preach the Truth. Rhem. upon Tit. 3. 10. 10. And for your Scripture, we little weigh it. For the Word of God, if it be not expounded as the Church of Rome will have it, is the word of the Devil. Hofius de expreffo verbo Dei. II. Reason. Pap. II. Reafon. You rely too much upon the Gospel, and S. Paul's Epiftles in your Religion; whereas, the Gofpel is but a Fable of Chrift, as Pope Leo the tenth tells us. Apol. of H. Stephen fol. 358. Smeton. contra Hamilton pag 104. And the Pope can difpenfe against the New Teftament. Panormit, extra de divortiis, And he may check, when he pleases, the Epiftles of S. Paul. Carolus Ruinus Concil. 109. num. 1. Volum. 5. And controul any thing avouched by all the Apoftles. Rota in decif. 1. num. 3. in noviff. Anton. Maria in addit, ad decif. Rota nov. de Big. n. 10. And there is an eternal Gofpel, to wit, that of the Holy Ghoft, which puts down Chrifts. Cirellus a Carmelite fet it forth. III. Reafon. You attribute all your Salvation to Faith in Chrift alone. Whereas, He is the Saviour of Men only, but of no women. Dial. of Dives and Pauper, compl. 6. cited by Rogers upon the Artic. and Poftellus in fefuits Catech. l. 1. cap. 10. Nay to fpeak properly, S. Francis hath redeemed as many, as are faved fince his days. Conformit. of S. Fran. And the blood of S. Thomas à Becket, Hor. Beat. Virg. And fometimes one man, by his fatisfactions, redeems another. Teft. Rhem, in Rom. 8, 17. IV. IV. Reafon. In your Church there is but one way to remiffion of fins, which you call Faith in Chrift; but we have many. For we put away Our Venials,with a little Holy Water,Teft. Rhem. in Rom.8. 17. f1. Merits of the B. Virg. Hor. B. Virg. 2. The Blood of Becket, Ib. Mortals, by 3. Agnos Dei, or Holy Lambs, Cerem. 4. Little parcels of the Gofpel, Breviar. Taxa Camer.apud. Esp.in 1. ad Tim.. V. Reafon. You ftand too precifely upon your Sacraments,and require à true Faith, in the partakers. Whereas with us, to become a Monk, or a Nun, is as good as the Sacrament of Baptifm. Aquin, de Ingref. Relig. l. 2.6. 21. And the very true, and real Body of Chrift may be de voured of Dogs, Hogs, Cats and Rats, Alex. Hales, part.. 4.9. 45. Thom parte 3. q. 8. art. 3.. VI. Reason. Then for your Minifters, every one is allowed to have his wife; or else inforced to live chaftly: whereas with.us, the Pope himself cannot difpenfe with a Prieft to marry, no more than he can priviledge him to take a Purse. Turrianus found fault withal by Caffan. consult. art. 23. But Whoredom is allowed all the year long. See Sparks's Discovery, pag. 13. and conftitut. Othen, de concubit. Cleric, removend. And And another fin for fune, July, Auguft, which you must not know of: Allowed for this time by Sixtus Quartus to all the Family of the Cardinal of S. Lucie, Veffel. Grovingenf. tract. de indulgent, citat. à facob. Laurent. Jefuit. lib. pag. 196. vide fo Wolpi lection, memorab. centen. 15. pag. 836.. For indeed the wickedness of the Church men is a prime Argument of the worthinefs of the Roman Church. Bellar. 1. 4. de Rom. Pont. cap. 14. artic. 28. And the Pope can make that righteous, which is unrighteous, l. 1. Decretal. Greg. tit. 7. c. 5. And yet can no Man fay unto him, Sir, why do you fo? In extrav. tom. 22. titul. 5. c. ad Apoftolatus. VII. and laft Reafon. You in the Church of England have caft off the Bishop of Rome, whereas the Bishop of Rome is a God. Dift. 96. c. fatis evidenter, & Panorm. cap. Quanto Abbas. The Ufe and Application of this Doctrine you may find in the next Chapter, and a particular proof that fome Do&trines of the Roman Church destroy justice towards Men in all relations; as the Popes power of difpenfing with the duties of all relations: their Doctrines of probabilities, of mental refervations, that the intention regulates the action, that no Faith is to be kept with Hereticks; that the Pope may depofe Princes, and difpofe of their Kingdoms, pardon, nay canonize King-killers, and abfolve Subjects from their Allegiance, &c. I know our Author calls all this Mifreprefentation, but that is not our Difpute now; but whofe Mifreprefentation it is. It is plain, this is not Proteftant but Popish Popery; for not Proteftants, but Papifts, were the Original Authors: And I doubt not, were it worth the while, it might eafily be proved, that the groffeft Mifreprefentations, which this Author charges on Proteftants, are only tranfcribed out of Popifh Authors; and this he feems to own, when he is fo angry with us for proving thefe Mifreprefentations, as he calls them, by appealing to their own private, but approved, Doctors, who have in plain, terms afferted thofe things, which poor Proreftants must not repeat after them, without incurring the Cenfure of Mifreprefenters. Now |