• . . V. .•(

!*4

Presented to the LIBRARY of the

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

by

Hugh Anson-Cartwright

^

1 • ^ (4T

A

POPISH PAGAN

• The FICTION of

A PROTESTANT HEATHEN.

In a Converfation betwixt a Gentleman of the STATES of HOLLAND a Deift by Profeffion, and a Dodtor of Heathen Mythology.

Faithfully Tranflated from the DUTCH.

Martini geftans virgo Martina coronam, Ejeflo bine Martis numine, Templa tenet.

Mars hence expell'd ; Martina, martyr'd Maid, Claims now the Worfhip, which to him was paid.

Dr. CONYERS Mi DDLETON'S Tranflation, Page 169.

THUS CORRECTED

Mars hence expell'd ; Martina Virgin, crown* d Martyr, names now the Temple, Go D has own'd.

By CHRISTIANUS.'

Anfwer a fool according to his folly, left be be wife in his own conceit. Proverbs xxvi. 5.

LONDON:

Printed in the YEAR MDCCXLIII.

ft rnifi

THE

PREFACE.

HAD once Thoughts of de dicating this Tranflation to Dr. Conyers Middleton, Author of the inimitable Letter from Rome, with its Prefatory Difcourfe j judging no one could have fo juft a Title to my little Labor, as he, from whom our Dutch Mytbo- logift has not been amamed, not only to borrow the greateft mare, I may fay, his whole Part in this Difpute -, but likewife to adopt the very Letter itfelf as his own. But, Alas ! the unexpected News of the Death of that renown'd Gentleman, publim'd lately in our Papers, has deprived me at once of a *

Worfliipfal

* I am fenfible that the Doftcr will have the Word War/hip to import nothing lefs than Divine Adoration ; therefore, I do here fmcerely proteft that, by calling him Worfm!-ful, a Title due to every Juftice of tie Peace, I never thought him,

A 2 nor

iv lie P R E F A C E.

Wcrftiipful Patrcn> Bencfaftor and Pro- teftor.

'Tis true, P.mcgyric when beftow'd upon a Perfon that is either Phyfically or Morally dead, is lefs fubjedt to be cenfured as Flat tery j it cannot, by tickling the Ears, fwell the Imagination with Self-Conceit; but then I hope my Reader will not be offended, if I frankly own my narrow Circumflances will not allow me to throw away time j nor am I acquainted with the Generolity of the .Doctor's Heirs.

What therefore remains for me only to .do is,- to obviate an Objection or two, which probably may ftartle forne into a Doubt whether the Perfons introduced as Difpu- tants in this Converiation are not fictitious.

Some will perhaps fay, they cannot be fuch as the Title-Page fpeaks them 3 becaufe it is plain from the Prelude, that the Doctor is a Parfon, and by confequence, mould be a Doctor of Divinity , rather than of Heathen Mythology. But if we confider that it is

nor fliall think him ddorallt in any State whatfocver. The fame Declaration I make concerning the Word Protestor, ano ther Deifying Term of his ; tho* 'tis wha; he himfelf fuo for in his Epijlle Dtcticatory.

no

tte PREFACE.

no new thing for Parents to miftake a Child's Vocation, and apply a Youth to what neither Nature nor Grace ever intended him, the Difficulty will foon vanifh. It is alfo manifeft, that no great Knowledge of Divinity is required for the reading our Common-Prayer, or the making of an ele gant Sermon.

No Papift will deny but that this often happens among them even ; tho' they boaft, that Divinity in their Univerfities is a Sci ence eafilier attain'd to ; where Youth is firft train'd up in the Art of reafoning, and then have prepared for them the Doctrines of the Scriptures, the Fathers, and the Synodical Decrees of the Prelates of the Church, the eflential Parts of that Learning properly be longing to the Character of a Divinet ranged under certain Heads.

Befides, if a Man has all his Life time been wrapp'd up in the Clajfics, human Lite- rature and pedantic Obfervations •, if the main of his Studies has been in the Heathen Poets, &c. it mu ft be much more rational to conclude him a Dotforized Mytkologift, ex cepting an Error in the Commencement.

A 7 The

We PREFACE.

The fecond Objection concerns his

Friend Who can be perfuaded that a

prof eft Delft mould pretend to know fo much of Popery ; much lefs fhew fo much Zeal in it's Defence, in an Article he would fcarce think worth his while diving into ?

I anfvver j it is very well known that among the Literati there are a great many Deifts in Holland as well as elfewhere j and many, without doubt, have made it their Diverfion, as this Gentleman owns of himfelf, to pry into the Tenets of the feveral Sectaries that have divided Chriflendom within little more th~n two hundred Years. Some have done it with a better Motive. The Author of Monf. De Fenelon's Life declares of himfelf, that being u born in a free Country where " the Mind of Man difcovers itfelf in all ct it's Forms without Reftraint, he ran thro' " the greateft Part of the Religions there " profefled in the Search of Truth. The <l Fanaticifm or the Contradiction which " prevails in all the different Syftems of the " Proteftants gave him an Averfion to all " Sefts of Chriftians. "

But " as his Heart was not corrupted by ff the great Paflions, his Underftanding

" could

The P R E FA C E.

" could not relifli the Abfurdities of A- tc theifm, ... So that he then thought to " take Refuge in fober Deifm;" tho', as the Event proved, .Pyrrho's * Golden Chain, was not ftrong enough to bind his tottering Confcience.

I have not related this Example with a View of affigning a Caufe for Deifm ; but as a Proof, that a Deift, ipfo fatfo, that he is fuch, is not therefore to be imagin'd unac quainted with Religions j and our Deift has given a very good Reafon why he made Popery the Subject of his Curiofity.

As for his Zeal in Defence of a Papijh Article ; the Suppofition is a Miftake. All the Zeal he mews is in Defence of his Friend's Honor, by inftilling into him, if pomble, common Senfej and perfuading him not to embark further into a Science, quite without the Limits of his Sphere, the Art of Demonstration.

This however puts me in mind of a third

Difficulty not fo eafily digefted If the

Gentleman's Zeal to preferve his Friend's

* A Greek Philofopher, firft Founder of the Stcpticki', a Spft much in Falhion now-a-Days.

A 4 Credit

viii Me P R E FA C E.

Credit was fo ardent, how came their private Colloquies to fee Light ? It is not likely that the Doctor himfelf would have publim'd them

I cannot fay it is ; and, to be fincere, the Queftion is what I cannot give a pofltive

Ahfvver to A Friend of mine, fenfible

of my Misfortunes, fent me the Dutch Copy , thinking that by the Tranflation of it, for want of better Employ, I might make a Penny. How he came by it, is what I never thought of inquiring into, in my Letter of Thanks : yet, if one may give Liberty to conjecture, fomething may be alkdged in the Deift's Behalf.

It is very likely that after each Meeting, •when retired, he penn'd down what had been faid pro and con ; perhaps too, he added at his leifure Hours fuch Texts as in the Dif- pute he could fcarce cite exactly verbatim -, which done, the whole might have been communicated to a third Perfon, and by this Means become public, Procter inters tionem.

After all, if what has been alledged to jnftify the Title-Page is not fufficient to convince the Reader that it is genuine ; I

hope

The P R E F A C E. ix

hope at leaft, he will not think he has a Right to arraign the Tranflator.

The Author of the Catholic Chriftian, publim'd in Englijh, may wonder perhaps no Mention is made in this Preface of his Performance ; but as he is a Noun Sub/tan- tive among us, I will conclude with ex- preffing my Satisfaction in the Pleafure his learned Antagonlft would have felt, was he alive, to find his Glory making it's way thro' the Continent.

N. B. // was not in my Power to examine all the Citations in fonte ; nor, had it been, Jhould I have thought it my Duty. Indeed, as to thofe of the Scripture, I have been particularly careful to make ufe of our Proteflant Tra?iflation j how ever Jhould any Miftake be found among them, or the reft, I will willingly cor* reft it the frft Opportunity that is offer V.

The FICTION of A PROTESTANT HEATHEN.

;/ a Converfation betwixt a DEIST and a Dottor of HEATHEN MYTHOLOGY.

CHAP. I.

The PRELUDE.

DEIST.

HIS is kind, Do6tor, to come and pafs a few Weeks with an old School-Fellow and Fellow- Travel ler — I have fome Dozens of La- crym* Cbrifti left, that are fuper-ex- cellent •, we will fee 'em out — He was a toping Papjl that baptized it, without doubt ; an honefb Fellow — What Mirth did it afford us while we were among thofe Italian Pagans, to find their fuperftitious Priefts had taken the Hint, and

adopted

A POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of

adopted the Name to make People believe this the Neftar, Chrift died to regale their Demi- Gods with — But how do you do, Doctor ? You did not ufe to look fo down in the Mouth ; what is the Matter.

MYTHOLOGIST. Very well, Sir ; thanks be to Jupiter.

DEIST. Have you feen a Popijh Book lately printed, intitled 'The Catholic Cbrijlian Inftruc- ted, &c ?

MYTHO. Seen it, Sir! Yes I have feen it: And tho* I am not difpofed at prefent to be merry, I can afiure you " it gives me a fenfible " Pleafure to obferve, what thefe Miflionaries of " Rome are forced to confefs, that my little Per- ** formance is a real Obftacle to their Defigns ; '* and that one of the firft Steps necefiary to- «c wards advancing the Popijh Intereft in Holland, " is to overthrow the Credit both of the Letter *« and it's Author. "

DEIST. This is glorious, indeed! — I have often obferved 'tis their common Cant, that GOD and the Devil are always at odds ; and they will tell you to this very Day, that a Serpent was the Deftruction of Man's Happinefs ; that a Meflias was neceflary to overthrow it's Sovereignty — I can't help thinking the fubtle Animal would feel a fenfible Pleafure, was he as fenfible of his Ex ploit—This puts me in mind of Acbekils fight ing for Ddanira •, there was only one that dared

to

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN.

to attack hittv, and tho* he turn'd himfelf into i Serpent at laft, he could not withftand the in vincible Hercules. *

MVTHO. Hold, Sir ! You carry the Jeft too far.

DEIST. It came into my Head, Doctor-, and I could not ftifle it — Both this and the Lacrym* Cbrijliy with a little of your Embroidery, might

have cut a good Figure in your Memoirs But

furely, Doctor, this Popi/b Writer meant to efta- blifh you a Reputation rather than blaft your Credit.

MY THO. He " has thought fit, in a Preface " to his Work, to attempt a Confutation of my *' Letter from Rome, which every Reader, he " fays, whether Proteftant or Papift, would " expect, that he fhould take fome Notice of, *' as it is directly levell'd at their Ceremonies, " and has been fo well received, as to pafs thro* •" three Editions within the compafs of a few " Years."

DEIST. Well! And I hope you will thank him for the Compliment — One of your Polite- nefs can do no lefs.

My THO. Yes, Sir; fince he likes the Sport he (hall have enough on'c — «« I cannot think

* Ovid. Lib. ix. Metam. Fab. i Nee tarn

Turpf fuit n)inci, quam contendijje decorum eft ; Magnaque dat nobis tantus Solatia Victor.

" it

4 A POPISH PAGAN -the Fi&ion of

*' it ftrange, that a Man, whofe avow'd Defign " and fole Employment amongft us is to make " Converts to the Romijh Church, mould treat a " Work with feme Acrimony, that was publifh'd " with no other View, than to blaft his Hopes, " and obtlrtid his Endeavours, to delude the " People of this Republic. "

DEIST. No, no; You and I are too well acquainted with their Bigotry to think this ftrange .._. We were both Eye-witnefTes of that Splendor and Majefly with which we faw GOD every where adored ; with what Zeal the Memory of Chrijiian Heroes, whom the Almighty has figna- lized as Favorites, and crown'd with Eternal Blifs, is preferved •, how they are Honored and Venerated by all, from the lowed to the hiahefb Rank of Mankind •, what care they take to fur1- nim every Place, even the public Roads an'd Streets, with proper Objects to fill the Minds of the Illiterate, with what their Saviour had done for them, and to fpur the Jktbftd on' to an Ob- fervance of the Gofpel Virtues, in Imitation of their Fore-fathers ; particularly to frequent Prayer. \Yhen we faw all this pra&ifed, and in fove- reigh Contempt of what even had been our early See Page Entertainment, firfb Knowledge, and our only "^%*f» the Herocs of Ovid, Virgil, &c. with ^e wfto^e Tribe of Pagan Deities ; oh ! How our Spirits hurried with Indignation ! — - For my part, I was for a long time refolved, in fpite ofjude, to

blafpheme

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN.

blafpheme and ridicule the wholeP<//>//£ Revelation — You, I know, was confined by Rules of Con formity within a narrower Compafs — However the World muft allow your learned Pen as Im mortal as are the Gods it has deliver'd from Popijh Slavery — But let us hear your Adverfary.

MYTHO. " Our Catholic therefore, in the " Execution of bis Task, fets out with a general " Accufation againft me of foul Play, and Dif- " ingenuity, and a Refolution to fupprefs the " Truth."

DEIST. Sure the Man was Blind ; for tho* feme Truths are not to be told at all Times, you have given broad Hints — Pray, what are his Proofs ?

MYTHO. He pretends *' my Charge againft <c them is grounded only on certain Ceremonies

• • *J .vlt

44 and Obfervances of lefs Moment, without *« taking Notice of the fubftantial Parts of their *« Religion j their Belief of the Scriptures ; of " the Three Creeds ; of the Trinity ; the Eucha- ** rift, Sacrifice, &c. which none will pretend to " be derived to them from the Pagans. "

DEIST. I muft own, Doctor, you was a little too religioufly Scrupulous in fome Points — Had I been in your Place I would certainly have lafh'd them in their Fundamentals — To prove the Belief of Scriptures, the 'Three Creeds and the Trinity compatible with Heathenifm, might in deed feem an Undertaking adapted only to the

Genius

6 A POPISH PAGAN the FitJion of

Genius of a Bedlamite Divine ; but all the World knows, that the Heathens offer'd Sacri fices, and what does it fignify what* or to whom, as long as you could make out the Derivation ?

Nor do I think you ought to have left their Creed wholly untouch'd— -- For Example, upon that Article, be descended into Hell, our Apoftle Lib. H. Calvin was bold enough to afiert " That Chrift's Injl. (. 1 6. « corporal Death was not fufficient for to re- " deem, US', but that after .having defpairM on " theCrofs, he fuffer'd the Death of Jiis Soul ; '" that is to fay, his Soul after a corporal Death, " fuffer'd the Pains of the damn'd in Hell. " * Now fuppofing Chrift to be GOD, here are three outrageous Blafphemies •, and I doubt not but you might as fafely have applied the Fable of iJ. Me- Qrpkeus's Journey into Hell to redeem his Be- ab \ l°ved Eurydice : Strip it of it's Poetical Drefs, I will anfwer you may fhape it fit.

' • i • •*

Ad Styga T'tcnaria eft aufus dcfcendere porta.

You fee, Doctor, I have not forgot all the dar ling Stories of my youthful Days, tho' my Em ploy has taken another turn for fome Years ^paft.

* Luther Tom. 'ii\. Wittemp-. in Sp.i6. Says: As (Thrift fuffer'd^ with exceeding Pains the Death of the Body ; fo it feems he fufter'd afterwards the Death of the Soul in 'Hell. Epinus a learned Lutheran fays the fame, in Pf. 16. and Mr. Fulk and Parkins avow this to be the exprefs Dodtrine of

Jlliricus, Latimer, and Loffius See Pax evobis by E. G.

Freacher of the Word. Anng 1685. Page 35.

M Y T H O.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN,

MYTHO. Sir, was it feafonable to enlarge upon my Plan, I could fwell my Letter into a Folio Volume ; but, as you yourfelf juftly ob- ferved, I am obliged now and then to wear a Gown — Befides you fee this Popijh Author has already artfully thrown out a Distinction between Ceremonies and Subftantials ; and what for, but " to confound the true ftate of the Queftion, " and to prepoflefs the Reader with a Notion, " that inftead of Popery, I am attacking Chri- " flianity itfelf, and fuftaining the Caufe of " Infidelity, not of Proteftantifm ? " What would thefe Papifts have faid, had I attacked their Creed ?

DEIST. Pray, Doctor, give me leave to ask you one Queftion — My Religion you know is Deifm ; yet I have made it my Diverfion to pry into the Tenets of moft Sectaries, but parti cularly into thofe of the Church of Rome, being infpired with an early Hatred of a People I had fo often heard defcribed as Monfters of Barba rity and Folly, fo that nothing in our Travels fur- prized me more than the great Candor, Humanity page and Politenefs we found in all tbofe whom we had the Honor to converfe with at Rome, tho* your Char after and Profeffion were well known \ and the particular Civilities we received from Perfons of the firft Diftinftion both in the Church, and the Court — Let me now ask you one Que- B ftion

8 A POPISH PAGAN the Fittion of

ftion — Is not the Creed a Part of Popery or the Religion of the prefent Romans ?

MY THO. Yes it is, and what then ?

DEIST, What then! Does not your Letter rn it's 'Title- Page promife an exaff Conformity be tween Popery and Paganifm, or the Religion of the prefent Romans derived from that of their Heathen Ancejiors ? And can this be made out •without taking notice of the Subftantial Parts of their Religion ? Without touching upon their

Creed ?

MY THO. What do you mean, Sir? Are you turn'd Paptft at laft ?

DEIST. No Doctor, no-, not fo warm! I told you before, Revelation is a Jeit to me. — I am not for Defpotick Power — A Liberty of thinking and faying what I pleafe is my Profef- fion — But would you not be forry to hazard a Victory by the flip of a Pen ?

MY THO. No danger; nor did my Pen flip — My Proliant Readers, the Illiterate at leaft, and fome few bigot Ladies have a large Stock of implicit Faith when ever the Difpute is turn'd againft Popery ; they will take the 'Title- Page for granted --•-- And as to the Papifts, I have a double Salvo for them — In the firft Place, I mall tell them «« that it is Popery alone, '"* not their Belief \ with which I am engaged ^ c< or that Syftem of Ceremonies and Doctrines*

" which.

A PROTESTANT HEATHEN. " which is peculiar to the Romi/h Church, as " diftinguifli'd from other Cbrijlian Churches: " the Source of which I have undertaken to lay " open, by an hiilorical Deduction of Fads, " to trace it's Origin in a direct Line, from Pa- " gan down to Popijh Rome. "

DEIST. A cunning Diftinction ! I fancy I can guefs at your fecond Salvo — No Book of this Nature is bound to anfwer exaftly the Title

it's Author is pleafed to give it Nor can

they prove that beggarly Precept, tbou Jhalt not bear falfe Witnefs again/I thy Neighbour, was in tended to favor them, even fuppofing it frill in force — Leviticus xxv. 36, 37. it's forbid to take Ufury from a Brother, no mention made of a Stranger ; and I have heard fome fay the Jews are ftill fond of the Distinction.

MYTHO. Sir, your Obfervation, tho* juft, would be improperly penn'd — MyBufinefs muft be only to continue the Charge, by " examining " our Author's Exceptions to it, in the Order " as they lie in his Preface, and by vindicating *e all the particular Proofs of it, alledged in my " Letter, to which he has thought proper to " give an Anfwer •, the chief of which, as he " tells us, are, Incenfe^ Holy Water* Lamps " and Candle^ Votive Offerings^ Images, Chapels " on the Way -fides and Tops of Hills, P roc efforts, '* Miracles. On thefe I fhall join iflue with '* him, and endeavour to fliew, that his De- B 2 " fence

io A POPISH PAGAN the Fiftion of

" fence of them is not only frivolous and eva1- " five, but tends rather to confirm, than to con- ' fute the Inference, which I have drawn from *' them. " *

DEIST. Shake Hands, Doflor; I love my old Friend for his Courage ; and there is not a Man in all the United- Provinces more capable of performing the Task — If you will . admit me once more a Companion, we will confer Notes.

MYTHO. With all my Heart.

DEIST. And what if I mould aft the Ca tholic f It may be of fome Service perhaps, to wards (lopping their Mouths. -— You know, Doc tor, in a Paper War^ we muft not only think what we ourfelves can invent -, but likewifc what an Adverfary can anfwer -, what he may let pafs, what he will grant, and what he will deny : and tho* I would not have you to be nice with the Rules of 'right 'Rtafonitrgt yet Sophiftry mould not be too plain — But you muft allow me to deliver with Freedom what I judge the Papifts may think or fay.

MY THO. Sir, I accept your gracious Of fer — Your Pafs- time, you fay, is to pry into the Chriftian Tenets j fo that you may poffibly furniih now and then a necefiary Thought — -

* N. B. Our Mythologijl entirely forgot this Promife, as one may judge by his never aiming, in the leail, to put it in Execution.

My

rf PROTESTANT HEATHEN. ir

My Years, I muft own, have been moftly fpent in the Exercife of my ProfefTion.

DEIST. Before we enter upon the Subject, I muft propofe one Objection againft your Plan in general, which did not occur that Moment — If I am not miftaken, 'tis Popery alone you de clare to engage with '* or that Syftem of Cere- " monies and Doctrines, which is peculiar tq " the Romi/h Church, as diftinguifh'd from other " Chriftian Churches. "

MYTHO. Very right.

DEIST. And thefe Ceremonies and Doctrines you fpecify to be Incenfe, Holy Water, Lamps, • &c. On thefe you join Ifiue with your Anta- gonift.

MYTHO. I do fo ; and will make good my Promife, I warrant.

DEIST. One query firft — Is not the Ruffian Greek Church a Chriftian Church ?

MYTHO. I have always heard it is.

DEIST. It certainly is not Part of the Romi/h Church — They d\ proteft againft the Pope's Su premacy — Rome looks upon them as Heretics for denying the Proceffion of the Holy Ghoft from the Son, &c. And as guilty too of feveral grofs Superftitions.

MYTHO. I am glad of that — The Papifts are but too many already ; and the greater they compute the Number of Heretics, the longer will be the Lift of Proteftants.

B 3 DEIST.

A POPISH PAGAN the Fittion of DEIST. True, Doctor ; but I find thefe Ruffian Protefbnts are fond of Incenfe, Holy Water* Candle s^ Votive Offer ings , Image s^ and Procejjions.

MYTHO. Mabillon fpeaks of their Images ; but where the deuce have you pickt up the reft ? DEIST. Alex. Rofs is my Voucher in his UANSEBEIA, or View of all Religions — - I fuppofe Miracles in RuJJia are foure Grapes, he does not fay they boaft of them : Nor does he mention Chapels on the Way -fides and Tops, of Hills ; but * ' they place fuch Virtue in the " Crofs, that they advance it in all their High- " ways, on the Tops of their Churches, on the " Doors of their Houfes, and are upon all Oc- " cafions figning themfelves with it, &c. — '* Now the Conclufion is this : If you infill upon Jncenfe, Holy Water, &c. being peculiar to the Roman Church^ the Papifts will proclaim you guilty of a notorious Falfhood at your firft fetting out j or of fupine Ignorance, a Crime I would

Thus according to Dr. Conyers Middkton, Page 179. Edit. 4. the Doftrine of the Real Prejencc in the Sacrament of the Eucbariji involves a piece of Idolatry peculiar to Popijh Rome ; tho' according to his Lutheran Brethren, who make no fmall Number among his all Protejlants, this fame Doclrine is a re vealed Article of the Chriftian Faith. It is probable that the Doctor does not know how Luther himfelf treated the Zuingti- ans, &c. upon this Subject, and therefore I would advife him to perufe the Bi/kop of Meaux^ Hiilcry cf Variations, before he publiihes a fifth Edition

not

<7 PROTESTANT HEATHEN.

have them fo much as fufpect you are capa ble of.

MYTHO. How fo, Sir?

DEIST. The Cafe is evident — For how can Ceremonies or Doftrines, call them as you pleafe, be peculiar to the Romans that are practifed by the Greeks ? How can the Romijh Church be faid to be diftinguijtid by fuch Ceremonies from other Chrijlian Churches •, except you can prove them Pagan in Italy and not in Ruffla — Every Man of Senfe will difcern the Fallacy.

MYTHO. Is that all? Really, Sir, you are foon feared — The Papifts will have enough to do to anfwer for themfelves, without cudgeling their Brains about Ruffia — As for Alex. Rofs^ you fay he is an Englijh Author ; and who, in the Name of Heftor^ will think of him, in Holland?

DEIST. However, Doctor, you can't fay but I meant well. Let us come now to the Point.

CHAP. II.

Of the foremention'd CEREMONIES in GENERAL.

DEIST. " A S to feveral of thefe Articles, " V"v your Antagonift, I find, ** makes one general Apology j--- that you are 64 " miftaken

f 4 ^A Pop ISM PAGAN tie Flftion of

<e miftaken in thinking every Ceremony ufed by " the Heathens, to be Heathenifh, fmce the " greateft Part were borrow'd from the Worfhip " of the true GOD ; in Imitation of which the " Devil affected to have his Temples, Altars, " Priefts, and Sacrifices, and all other Things, " which were ufed in the true Worfhip. — This *' he applies to the Cafe of Incenfe^ Lamps, Holy " Water, and Proceffions ; and adds, — that if " you had been as well read in the Scriptures as " you would feem to be in the Heathen Poets, " you would have found the Ufe of all thefe in " the Temple of GOD, and that by GOD'S own " Appointment.1*

MYTHO. " I mail not difpute with him " about the Origin of thefe Rites ; whether they " were fir ft inftituted by Mofes, or were of -prior " Ufe and Antiquity among the ^Egyptians. The " Scriptures favor the laft ; which our Spencer " flrongly afferts, and their Calmet and Huetius " allow."

DEIST. And to tell you my real Sentiment ; he would value no more what our Spencer afferts, than what our Calvin afferts — What you fay of Calmet and Huetius ^ may perhaps be only a Lo gician's franfeat to an out of the way Argument. — At lead he will fcarce take your Word for it, or think himfelf obliged to know any thing of the Matter till you bring Proof— But the Scrip tures, you fay, favor the laft ^ this indeed, well

defended,

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 15

defended, might frand a fhort Siege: and if you will undertake, Manichaan like, to demonftrate two Gods, and the evil GOD the Author of the Old Teftament. I will anfvver for it, you will ftrike the laft Blow : other wife I am afraid your Adverfary's Argument will hold it's Ground.

MYTHO. Not at all ; for " fhould we grant " him all that he can infer from his Argument, " what will he gain by it ? "

DEIST. What will he gain, Doctor! Why he will gain this ; that your whole Letter from the 'Title -Page to the Finis, is proved, by his Ar gument, one continued Impofture -, all a Bite, entirely grounded upon this one &\fe Principle:-- - Whatfoever the HEATHENS praftifed in their WORSHIP is IDOLATROUS, let who will praftife it — Nay, he will tell you, your Prin ciple is blafphemous in it's Confequence, becaufe it makes GOD the Author of an Idolatrous Religion.

MYTHO. But, Sir; " were not all thofe " beggarly Elements wiped away by the fpiritual " Worlhip of the Gofpel ? Were they not all " annull'd, on the Account of their JVeaknefs " and Unprofitablenefs^ by the more perfect Reve~ " lation of JESUS CHRIST ?"

DEIST. Hold, Doctor; be a little more garded in your Exprefiion — If you think to make bold with Mofes, they will not allow you the fame Liberty with GOD —The Difpute about

the

16 A POPISH PAGAN the Fiftion of

the Origin of thefe Rites in Queftion, will not be whether they were .firft instituted by Mofes ; but whether they were Jirft in/tit uted by GOD him- felf — Mofes, lay they, was only GOD'S Herald, appointed to promulge the Law — Now, was I perfuaded that GOD inftituted thefe Rites, whe ther firft or not ; I, who am not Scrupulous, jfhould think it an impious Blafpbemy to call them beggarly.

.g. MYTHO. Why fo ? Did not St. Paul call Heb- viL them weak and unprofitable ?

DEIST. Yes, he did; and if you will believe the Catholics, it was becaufe GOD did not in_ ftitute any Rites of the Old Law, as Inftruments or Chattels, by which he convey'd Grace into the Soul •, this was a Privilege in Petto for the Sacra ments of the Gofpel — But, fay what you will, the Word beggarly, in our Language, is an Epithet that carries with it a contemptible, a wry affronting Sound-— I would advife you to leave it out.

MYTHO. May be I may in my next Edition

To go on with my Difcourfe, " if then I

46 mould acknowledge my Miftake, and recall " my Words -, and inftead of Pagan, call them " Jewijh Ceremonies, would not the Ufe of " Jewijh Rites be abominable (till in a Chriftian " Church, where they are exprefsly abolifh'd and " prohibited by GOD himfelf?"

DEIST.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 17

DEIST. I have told you already what fort of a Miftake it is, and, what mull become of your Letter if it is a Miftake — But, Dear Doctor, confider you are to peribnate the Divine -—What! Are all and every one of GOD'S Inftitutions, promulged by Mofes, become abominable ? Is the Tithing Law now aboliftfd, prohibited by GOD bimfelf, becaufe it was once a Jewijh Rite ? Or muil it ftill be ftiled Jewi/h ? This would make a P— n fwear — Pray, where did we take the Hint from for Churching of Women ?

MYTHO. Sir, lean prove what I have ad vanced—" But to purfue my Adverfiry's Ar- " gument a little farther : While the Mofaic " tPvrJbip fubfifted by divine Appointment in " Jerufalem^ the Devil likewtfe, as he tells us, " bad Temples and Ceremonies of the fame kind^ " in order to draw Votaries to his Idolatrous " Worjhip, which after the Abolition of the " Jewi/h Service, was carried on ftill with great " Pomp and Splendor; and above all Places at " Rome ; the principal Seat of his Empire. " Now it is certain, that in the early times of " the Gofpel, the Cbriftians of Rome were cele- «' brated for their zealous Adherence to the Faitb " of Cbrift, as it was deliver'd to them by the « Apoftles. "

DEIST. Right!

MYTHO. Yes, and cc pure too from every " Mixture of Jewi/h or Heatheni/h Superftition. "

DEIST.

1 8 A POPISH PAGAN the Fi&ion of

DE IST. So far I dare fay he will join Hands, excepting you mean to call GOD'S Infti tut ions, ) Jewijh Superftitions.

MYTHO. Bat " after a Succefiion of Ages, •*« as they began gradually to deviate from that *' Apoftolic Simplicity , they introduced at dif- " ferent times into the Church the particular " Ceremonies in queftion. "

DEIST. You fuppofe what you mould prove •-- Your Antagonift will naturally ask you how- many Ages had pafs'd before the Roman Chri- Jlians began to deviate ; and what you mean by Apoftolic Simplicity. -.-If you mean a Worfhip that is chiefly interior, fmcere, humble, and not mix'd with Falfity and Error, he will tell you none preach it but themfelves, witnefs his own little Book. Read his fixteenth Chapter and you will find that, as Rome was once the principal Seat of the Devil's Empire, now it is the prin cipal Seat of GOD'S Empire. — But if, by an jipoftolic Simplicity you mean treating GOD like a Cobler, without Ceremony <> ferving him with out Pomp or Grandeur ; he will call this Cahi- niftical Folly ; and you will fcarce perfuade a Papift to envy our Devotion.

MYTHO. But Sir; did the Apoflles woriliip GOD with Pomp and Grandeur ?

DEIST. They would certainly have done fo, had they had it in their Power.

MYTHO. How do you know that?

DEIST.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 19

DEIST. All in good time — Can you prove they would not ?

M Y T H o. They did not, and is not this Prpof enough.

DEIST. Admirably clinch'd ! — But in the Name of Wonder how could they then fhew that Pomp and Splendor with which Chriftians adore the Almighty now ?-— You forget, Doc tor, the Perfecutions the Chriftians at Rome, and every where elfe, lay under for three hundred Years, till the firft Chriftian Emperor Conftan- tine the Great, took them into his Protection,

't? and

Read in Eufebius Lib. 3. c. 33. &c. Vit/e Conftantini, the Defcription of a beautiful {lately Piece of Architecture Conjlantine creeled at Jerufalem, adorn'd with moil exquifite Workmanmip, marble Pillars, it's Cieling lined with the pu^ reft Gold, with an Altar placed in the middle. Which the Hiftorian fays, the Emperor furniih'd with Ornaments, and Do- .naries of Gold, Silver, and Jewels, not to be number'd — Nee dicipotejl qiwt quantifqueOrKamentis& donariis partim ex aura Sjf Jrfttti, partim tx gemmis lllud d'werfimade yenujlaint . Jbid. c. 43. Vid. Hiit. Eccl. Lib. 10. c. 4.

S. Hier. in Cap. 8. Zachar. Tom. 3. Edit. B B. Pag. 1746. In tantam rabiem perfeattorum feritas excitata eft, lit etiam conciliabula nojlra deflruerent, iti<vinos libros ignibus trade- rent, omnes inful<e, metalla, carcr.rcs ConfeJJbrum & Mar- tjrum catenates gregilus implerentur, Quis eo tempore credent rursum Ecclejtas conjlruendas ab his if-fis q:i: ante dejlruxtrant ? Non quod iidem homines fuerint ; fed quod eadem Regalis j-c- tejlas, qufs prius fedebat in infidiis cum divitibus, y quafi Se~ natus-confulto, Cbrifti nsmen conabatur extinguert, nunc tx- penjis Reipublica Ecclc/tarum Bajilicas extruat, {ff exaltet in jwnma fcfligia ; at nan folitm Laquearia & tftfa fulgentia

20 A POPISH PAGAN the Fi&ion of

.- and built them, as did his Mother St. Hehna, moft magnificent and pompous Churches. But I would not have you date hence the Defection of the Romans from the Apoftclic Simplicity •, this would be fpeaking your Mind too plain.

MYTHO. I don't know what I may do if I am vex'd.

DEIST. No Doctor, no; you had better prove that Chriftians ftill ought always to ferve GOD, as if they were in a State of Persecution, fculking about in Holes and Corners ; it would come to the fame.

MYTHO. But what, Sir! Did the Apoftles make ufe of Ceremonies too, in their Divine Service ?

DEIST. Neither you nor I can prove the contrary. — Without the help of Revelation ; the Law of Ntfture tells me there is a GOD ; that he alone ought to be adored in Spirit and Truth, as Sovereign Lord and Creator of the Univerfe, on whom all things eflentially depend, as Phi- lofophers term it, in ejje, fieri, & confervari ; and if this fame Law has infpired all Nations with a Notion that earthly Princes are to be treated with Ceremony, ferved with Grandeur and Magnificence -, with what Ceremony, with what

auro decoret, fed parietes diverji marmoris <vefiiat crttjlif, & divinos Libras quos prius tradebat incendio, nunc deauratos & purpuratos iff ganmxrum varietate difiinZlos in cujisdiam Ro- mani veneratur Status.

Magnificence

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 21

Magnificence ought we to ferve the KING op KINGS? Ought not the Body to pay Homage to it's Maker as well as the Soul ? Is it not equally dependent ? — And Experience teaches us that Ceremonies exprefiive of thofe Sentiments of Adoration, Gratitude^. Joy, Sorrow, Admira tion, &c. in which the Soul cannot be too often employ'd •, Experience, I fay, teaches us that fuch Ceremonies increafe and inflame thofe very Sentiments from which they flow— -'Tis true, a Hypocrite may fhew a pious Out-fide -, but what then ? Mud a Lamb caft off his Skin, becaufe a Wolf now and then cloaths himfelf in a Lamb's- Skin ? For my Part, I never could imagine an inattive Orator felt himfelf the Paflions he mean'd to imprint ; and tho* his Thoughts might be bright, he always left me as he found me — There can fcarce be any vigorous Action of Life within, but it will manifeft itlelf by external Symptoms — Now, this is Reafon, Doctor, without Revela tion ; and as I believe the Apoftles were good Men in their way j this is the Reafon why I be lieve they ferved GOD with all the Ceremony, Pomp and Splendor their Circumftances would permit.

MYTHO. This was not your way of talking when we were at Rome together.

DEIST. Education, Doctor, Education! I told you already, that was the Reafon I talk'd then like an Atheift— Such are the ftrange Effects

of

22 A POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of

of Education, that I know an Engli/h Clergy man of Cambridge Univerfity, once a Tutor to a Baronet's Son, now a Panto-Vicar ; who own'd that, after he was a grown Man, he thought all the Fictions he had been taught in Virgil, Ovid, &c. were real Truths : This you will fay is furprifing — But to return to myfelf : I cannot but be perfuaded there is a GOD ; and that Nature

MY THO. Stuff! We have had enough of your Law of Nature ! —You forced me to interrupt the Thread of my Difcourfe upon the Popijh Ceremonies — I was going to ask " whence we " can think it probable that the Romans fhould " borrow them ? From the Je°jvi/h or the Pagan " Ritual ? From a Temple, remote, defpifed " and demolifh'd by the Romans themfelves, or <c from Temples and Altars perpetually in their " View, and fubfifting in their Streets -, in which " their Anceftors and Fellow-Citizens had con- " ftantly worfhipped ? "

DEIST. To this Rhetorical Repetition your Antagonifl has anfwer'd already that they took them from the Bible,

MY THO. From the Bible !

DEIST. Yes, Doctor, from the Bible ; and the Anfwer will ftand good, till you prove they had no Bible, or that their Chrijlian Ancestors •were Heathen Mythologifts, and not Divines-, which I am afraid will be a hard Task.

But

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 23

But before you proceed, tell me -,-— what was k you would be at juft now, by faying, " the " Chriftians of Rome were celebrated for their " zealous Adherence to the Faith of CHRIST, " as it was delivered to them by the Apojiies* " pure from every Mixture either of Jewijh or " Heatbenijh Superjtition ? " What do you mean by Superftition ? Would you make us believe the Primitive Chriftians of Rome abominated every Mofaic Law the Jews had been tied to by Divine Appointment ? If fo* I am confident you never read the Afts of the Apqftles : Turn over to the fifteenth Chapter, and you will find that the Apoftles and Ancients being aflembled re-enacted that once Jewijh Law, of abftaining from 'Things ^ lt ( ftr angled and from Blood -, and publifh'd it, with m, ^°, a Vifum eft enim Spiritui Sanfto 6? nobis, as Ghoft and necejjary to be obferved then by the converted to us, &c. Gentils. verfe z8-

Now, Doctor, what will the Papifls think of that bold AfTertion of yours, viz. " The Ufe of " Jewijh Rites is abominable in a Chriftian " Church, where they are exprefsly abolilh'd, and *' prohibited by GOD himfelf ?" It is likely they will teach you a piece of Divinity, you will be obliged to own yourfelf unacquainted with'. All thofe Rites, fay they, that are Types or Figures of a future Mejflias are, without doubt prohibited ; they would be abominable in a Chriflian Church : It would be likewife abominable to pretend that C Chriftians

24 A POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of

Chriftians are ftill fubjed to the Mofaic Law, Of to any one Branch of it •, as fuch thus far they will allow you to conclude from St. Paul ; but if you infer that there is no one Law^ no one Cere mony in the Jewijh Ritual that a Chriftian Church can adopt, the Quakers will thank you ; but the Papifts will certainly fend you to School to learn Pans ty Logick •, and one or other may be impudent noium. enough to mention the unlucky Bridge.

MYTHO. I expect they will treat me with better Manners ; at leaft till they are difcharged of Paganifm.

DEIST. My Opinion is, they will make you the fame Compliment upon your Paganifm or Heathenijh Superjlition^ as upon your Jewijh Superftition : They will fend you to the fame School — Your Adverfary has told yon, I need not repeat it, where they took the Ceremonies from, you ground your Accufation upon ; it is your Bufinefs to prove they could not.

MYTHO. " TheQueftion can hardly admit " any Difpute : The Humor of the People, as *« well as Intereft of a corrupted Priefthood would " invite them, to adopt fuch Rites, as were '*' native to the Soil, and found upon the Place ; *' and which long Experience had (hewn to be "*« ufeful, to the Acquifition both of Wealth and *' and Power. Thus by the mod candid Con- *c ftruction of this Author's Reafoning, we mud " neceflarily call their Ceremonies Jewijh ; or by

" pulhing

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN.

«« pufhing it to it's full length, lhall be obliged «« to call them, Devilijh. "

DEIST. Why, Do&or! You are in aPafiionl Sure you will never pretend that, your calling a Priejlhood corrupted is a Demonftration of their adopting a Pagan Ritual, when they could find all they wanted elfewhere — Then, to fay the Rites inftituted by Almighty GOD were calcu lated for the Acquifition both of Wealth and Power ; and, by puihing Fury to it's full length, to call them Devilijh-, what will the World think ? None but an Atheift or a Manich<ean can be the Author of fuch Language.

But that your Argument may appear in it's full Glory, I will form it into a Syllogifm — Accord ing to your Adversary, GOD inftituted the Jewifh Ceremonies in quejlion for bis own Service, and tha Devil, an artful Mimic, borrowed them for his j but, as you will have it, it is indifyutable that the Roman Chriftians could not derive their Cere monies from the Jewilh Ritual ; therefore, by your Adverfary*s reafoning, we muft neceffarily call them Jewifh ; or by pufhing it to it's full length, /hall be obliged to call them Devilifh. — Do but add that the Minor is Euclid's Lib. cc. Prop. 1000. and that the Conference is evident, by Idem Jimul t/e fcf non ej/e neceffe eft ; and the Argument perhaps may catch fome Fool or other.

C 2 CHAP.

26 A POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of

CHAP. III.

Of INCENSE.

MYTHO. £11 R, I think I have fufficiently

f^ fmoked our Catholic upon his

general Apology, we will come now to Particular?.

DEIST. 'Tis no great Matter, call it Apology or -Proof.

MYTHO. " He obferves that I begin my " Charge with the Ufe of Incenfe, as the mod " notorious Proof of their Paganifm, and, like *« an artful Rhetorician, 'place my Jirongeft Argu- *4 ment in the Front. "

DE i ST . I cannot fay but 'tis reafonable enough to fuppofe fo.

MYTHO. <c Yet he knows that I have af- " fign'd a different Reafon for offering that the «4 firft : Becaufe it is the firft thing, that ftrikes <" the Senfes, and furprifes a Stranger, upon his " Entrance into their Churches. "

DEIST. That is, a Stranger to Scripture ; as we were when we travelled — Was I to enter one of their Churches now, it would be apt to put me in mind of what St. John tells us he few once in a Vifion. * The Candles too, generally

more

* Revelat. viii. 3, 4. dn other Angel came and flood at the , having a golden Cenfer : And there was given unto him much Inccnfe, that he Jhonld offer it with the Prayers of the

Saints

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 27

snore numerous than their Cenfers, upon every Altar, ftruck my Senfes full as much •, and would naturally make me think of what the good old Simeon faid of Chrift. -f But be the Reafon what it will, our Catholic will not think it worth a' Conteft.

MYTHO. I am full as indifferent, and there fore " it (hall be my flrongeft Proof, if he will <( have it fo, fince he has brought nothing, I am " fure, to weaken the Force of it. "

DEIST. Perhaps, poor Man, he was too dull to fee any Force it had.

MYTHO. tf He tells us that there was an " Altar of Incenfe in the Temple of Jerufalem ; " and is furprifed therefore, how I can call it " Heatbenijb. "

DEIST. 'Tis true, he fpeaks of that fame Altar, and fends you' to Exodus xxx. where you may find how the Incenfe was to be made by. GOD'S own Ordinance — And had I not known your Drift, I fliould have been equally furprifed to hear you call it Heatheni/h in a Country where you would pafs for a Chriftian ', and, by confe- quence, bound to believe the Scriptures.

Saints upon the golden Altar, which cwas before the Throne of GOD — And the Smoke of the Incenfe ('which came) with the Prayers of the Saints, afcendcd up before Goo, out of the Angers Hand.

\ Luke ii. 32. A Light to enlighten the Gent Us, and the $lory of tfy People Ifrael.

C 3 MYTHCK

a 8 A POPISH PAGAN the Fi&ion of

MYTHO. I call it fo notwithflanding -, be- caufe, tho' GOD'S own Ordinance, " yet it is " evident, from the Nature of that Inftitution, " that it was never defign'd to be perpetual ; *' and that during it's Continuance, GOD would " never have approved any other Altar> either in ct Jerufalem or any where elfe. "

DEIST. I fuppofe you will ftile this a De- monftration too by and by — There was an Altar of Incenfe in GOD'S Temple ; but, it was not to be perpetual; therefore, it is Heatheni/h. — But, you fay, 'tis evident that during the con tinuance of that Altar, GOD would never have approved any other Altar, either in Jerufalem, or

tiny where elfe Our Catholic will tell you it is

evidently a Fiftion, and perhaps he will fend you

to your Pagan Library to find it a Father. In

reality, who can imagine that, had there been a

A devout Wj10je Qfy or a RepubHc Of fucn Families as was

'» ' that of Cornelius in the Afts ; and they had built

one tKat J

Temples to the true GOD with an Altar of Incenfe all in each ; who, I fay, can be fo fimple as to jmag}ne GOD would have refufed them his Ap-

c. c ap. probation ?

•• 2. *

MYTHO. " But let him anfwer direclly to " this plain Queftion ; was there ever a Temple " in the World not ftriclly Heatheni/h, in which <e there were feveral Altars, all fmoking with " Incenfe^ within one ffew} and at one and the " fame Time. "

DEIST.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN.

DEIST. Anfwer me directly to this; was there ever a Nation in the World, not ftrictly Heatbenijb) in which there were feveral Cities or Towns, with fe-veral ftately Churches within one View ? " It is certain you muft anfwer in the '* Negative. "

MYTHO. 'Tis true, Sir; yet it is certain, that there were many fuch Nations in the Pagan World, and are as many ftill in the Chriftian World ; and fince there never was an Example of it but what was Paganijh, before the times of Cbriftianity, how is it poffible that it could be derived to them from any other Source ? Or when we fee fo exact a Refemblance in the Copy ; how can there be any Doubt about the Original ?

DEIST. Surely, Doctor, you won't print this I Your Gown is a pretty Income — I was talking the other Day with a Perfon of Rank, tho', by the by, znAtheift in Praxis, upon this very Subject-— His Opinion too was, that Churches were certainly Heatheni/h ; that both a confiderable Revenue and Power would accrue to the Republic if they were down, and we mould have no Sons of the Clergy to provide for ; that therefore he was refolved to make the Motion in our next general Affembly

N. B. In my Copy, for Nations, I found Temples; fot World, Rome; for Crljlianityt Popery; but No-body, I believe, will doubt but I have follow *d the fincereft Reading in the Margin.

C 4 of

30 'A POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of

of the States for their Deftruftion — Nor, fays he, can I find any Reafon why every Mafter of a Family might not be it's own Prieft, as it was before the Mofaic Law.

MYTHO. Well, Sir-, and what of all this?

DEIST. Why, Doctor, you know the Con- fequences — Befides it's likely every Prieft might ereft an Altar, as Noe, Abraham and Jacob did ;

1 2^ 33*

and I know you hate an Altar as much as you do Incenfe.

MYTHO. True, Sir j 'tis Incenfe and Altars. I am quarrelling with — Had they continued in

the PofTefiion of my old Friends But what

has been faid of Churches is under the Rofe. I am in no Apprehenfion of their being deftroy'd, or of any Motion being made towards it ; for you all know that Gentlemen of our Cloth are of fmgular Service, if it be only to keep out Popery, and preferve our Liberty of thinking and faying what we pleafe of Religion. To return therefore to the Charge. " What my Antagonift alledges <c in favor of Incenfe is nothing to the purpofe ; " that it was ufed in the Jewifh Church, and is <e of great Antiquity in the Chriftian Church ; and " that it is mentioned with Honor in the Scrip- " tures ; which frequently compare it to Prayer, " and fpeak of it's fwett Odors afcending up to " GOD, &c. which figurative Expreflions, he " fays, would never have been borrow'd by the *' facred Penmen from Hcathenijh Superjlition. "

DEIST,

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN.' 31

DEIST. Neither the Jewi/h nor the Chriflian Church is of any Authority with us Deifts ; nor the Scripture, more than an other Hiftory -, fo that we may fay all this is nothing to the Purpofe. Yet I am fo far of his Mind, that I cannot be lieve facred Penmen^ fuppofing them fuch, would borrow fuch Expreflions from Heathenijh Super* ftition —- This feems to me falfe Heraldry.

MYTHO. Why fo? Are " fuch Allufions «' lefs proper, or is the thing itfelf lefs fweet, " for it's being applied to the Purpofes of Ido- « Jatry. "

DEIST. No •, nor for it's being applied to the Purpofes of Chriftianity — But when David laid : Let my Prayer be directed before thee as In- Pfalm* cenfe^ &c. I prefume it was to the true GOD c^~ z-- he fpoke, and that he was better verfed in Mofes's Ritual than in Jupiter's. -—How ever, if, rather than the Papifts mould efcape, you will ftand to it, that the facred Penmen could not know what was done in the Church of the true GOD, and therefore mud have form'd their Similes up on an Idolatrous Worjhip ; the Papifts will have the Pleafure, at leaft, of fuffering the Calumny in good Company.

MYTHO. Sir, Jncenfe conftantly was applied to the Purpofes of Idolatry " in the times even ^ of the fame Penmen , and according to their " own Accounts, on the -Altars of Baal^ and " the other Heathen Idols. "

DEIST,

32 A POPISH PAGAN tie Fittion of

DEIST. Good, Dear Doctor, your Antago- nift has told us already, that the Devil is an art ful Mimic ; — The Queftion now is, whether, therefore, the Allufion is lefs proper, or the thing itfelf lefs fweet, lefs facred, when applied to facred Purpofes, and 'on the Altar of GOD ? You fliould have been proving the Affirmative all this time -, and I do not perceive you have fo much as aim'd at it. — You fhould prove that Man's Reafon was only given him to copy by what he could fee ; and that the Papifts could have no other Original to copy by than a Pagan Ritual. Till you have done this, your Parallel muft appear ridiculous ; and let me tell you, every Chriftian muft judge your Innuendo^ concerning the facred Penmen? impious.

MYTHO. Pray, Sir; " when Jeremiab re-

Chap. xliv. " bukes the People of Judab for burning Incenfc

17. See « t0 fa Queen of Heaven, can one help imagin-

>Mp. vu. tt jn^ tkat ^ js prophetically pointing out

** the Worfhip now paid to the Virgin, to whom,

" they actually burn Incenfe at this Day under

«c that very Title? "

DEIST. I know, was a Papift here, he would fend you to St. Jude to fee your own Picture propbettcafy portray'd. ---For my Part, I con- fefs freely, I never fo much as once thought of the Virgin when I read that Rebuke, and I have read it often •, and for what I know, you are the firft Prophet the D— -1 ever reveal'd the

Application

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 33

Application to — Anfwer me one Queftion — As a Chriftian don't you believe CHRIST is GOD ?

MYTHO. Yes as a Chriftian, I do.

DEIST. Then certainly you believe the Virgin Mary is Cbrift's Mothtr^ the Mother of GOD •, which is a Title fhe glories in more, than (he would in that of being Queen of twenty thoiifand Heavens, if there were fo many.

MYTHO. That may be.

DEIST. May be, Doctor! What do you mean ? It is certainly fo, if me be a Woman of Senfe — And as to the Title that affronts you fo much ; I muft own that, had I the Difpofal of the Places in Heaven, as they fay Chrift has, I would certainly make my Mother Queen of Heaven ; for me was one of the beft of Mothers to me ; fo that I cannot wonder that Chrift fhould favor his with the Dignity.

MYTHO. Hold, Sir! Are not our Wives dearer to us than our Mothers ? Methinks you ought to give your Wife the Preference.

DEIST. In' Heaven, they fay, there is neither Marrying nor giving to Marriage —- 1 mould chufe to have my Wife in the Elyfian Fields, Dodor.

MYTHO. Well judged !

DEIST. Tho* I think we are fomewhat out of the Road — Have we done with Incenfe ?

MYTHO.

34 <A POPISH PAGAN the Fittion ef

MYTHO. One Remark more will compleat the Victory — " If it be a juft ground for re- " taining a Practice in the Chriftian Church, be- *c caufe it was enjoin'd to the Jews ; what will ** our Catholic fay for thofe Ufages, which were '* actually prohibited to the Jews, and never " practifed by any, but by the Heathens and the '« Papifts ? "

DEIST. Not knowing how long your Story may laft, I muft beg leave to interrupt you — The very Suppofition you here fet out with is a Falfe one — Our Catholic indeed proves that In- cenfe cannot be vaM'&Heatheni/h in their Churches^ but by an Atheift becaufe it was enjoin'cj by Go D himfelf to the Jews ; becaufe the Prophet Ma-, lachi, as his Words are render'd in the Proteftant Bible, foretells Chap. i. ver. 1 1. that in the Church of Chrift Incenfe jha.ll be offer 'd in every Place to GOD'S holy Name; becaufe St. John, whcr undoubtedly was no Heathen, in his Revelqt. Chap. v. ver. 8. and Chap. viii. ver. 4. &c. reprefents , to us Odors and Incenfe burning before GQD in, the Heavenly Jerufalem -, becaufe, infine, Holy David defired that his Prayer might afcend as Incenfe in the Sight of Go D ; thus it is our Ca tholic has proved that their Incenfe is not Hea- thenifh : — But mould you ask him what Reafon, what juft Ground there is for infthuting the Ufe of Incenfe in a Chriftian Church, he will not anfwer, becaufe it was enjoin'd to the Jews ; no,

he

d PROTESTANT HEATHEN.' 35

he feems to underftand too well his Profefiion : JHe will tell you, it can ferve now for the felf fame Purpofes, baring Sacrifice ; it fpeaks Honor and Refpect ; it is now as proper a Symbol of Prayer, and by confequence proper to put People in Mind of praying, and what their Prayers ought to be, to afcend to the 'Throne of the Al mighty. — If you and I do not like the Admo nition, what then ? Is praying to the true GOD Heatheni/h, becaufe the Heathens pray'd to their falfe Gods ?

MYTHO. We have had enough of Incenfe. " What will our Catholic fay for thofe Ufages " which were actually prohibited to the Jews ic and never practifed by any, but by the Hea- f c tbens and the P apt/is ? "

DEIST. You don't mean eating Swine- Fte/h, I hope •, for I know none that have praclifed it fince the Prohibition, but the Heathens, and the Papijls with their By — Blow Defcendents.

MYTHO. Sir, you have a mind to be merry — But what I mean is a matter of too great a Concern for a Jeft — " All the Egyptian Priefts, «« as Herodotus * informs us, had their Heads

Jhaved

* One would be apt to guefs, the Do&or thought Herodo tus and Cothmodus were Contemporaries with Mofes — Or did he defign his Readers fhould imagine a thoufand or eleven hundred Years betwixt Mofes and Herodotus •, and about fixteen

or

A POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of " Jhaved and kept continually bald. Thus the *' Emperor, Commodus, that he might be ad- " mitted into that .Order, got himfelf Jhaved and " tarried the God Anubis in Proceffion. And tc it was on this Account moft probably, that c. « the Jewijh Priefts were commanded nottojhave xxj- 5- cc tfair £{eads, nor to make any Baldnefs upon xhV 20 " them. Yet this Pagan Razure or fanfare , as " they chufe to call it, on the Crown of the " Head, has long been the diftinguilhing Mark '« of the Romi/b Priejlhood. "

DEIST. And you ask me what our Catholic •will fay to this ? Why really, Dodtor, I am afraid he will fay you are Brain-Jick^ and leave you to Rave alone. — We were both Eye-Witneffes that a great Part of their Priefts wear Periwigs ; a great many wear much more of their own Hair than you or moft of our Parfons •, a great many wear Calots or Caps to cover their fanfare. —- After all, I never faw a Set of Men in all my

or feventeen hundred betwixt Mofes and Commodus, too trifling a fpace of Time for a Change in Religion and Manners among Heathens ? But was one of our own Countrymen, buried fomewhat upwards of two hundred Years ago only, now to rife again, he could not know his own Country by either.

N. B. There Is no projthane Hijtory ivbatfoever that cau Light us up to within Jtx hundred Tears of Thefeus, or the War of Troy ; which happen 4 three hundred Tears after Mofes'j Time. — See Note p. 60. Vol. I. of Plutarch's Liv« in Englifh.

Travels

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN.

Travels that took more Delight in this Pagan- Rafure than your Brotherhood, not excepting your own beloved Self. But the Romijh Priefts, you fay, wear a Tonfure as a diftinguiihing Mark ; and why fo ? To put them in Mind, that the Mafter they profefs to ferve wore a Crown of 'Thorns —Their Crime is, that neither you nor I like fuch Remembrance-Books, and this is the reafon why you rail at them •, firft becaufe they will not allow the Mofaic Laws abomina ble ; and fecondly, becaufe they will not obfervc 'them.

MYTHO. Sir-, will our Catholic deny that Go D commanded the Jewi/h Priefts not to /have their Heads , in opposition to the /Egyptian Prieft- bood ?

DEIST. Yes, he would; if he thought it worth his while to mew you cite Scripture Texts at random — But, I dare fay, to pleafe you he will allow Beard and all : Tho' one might be apt to infer againft you and our Spencer^ that GOD in giving the Mofaic Law did not copy after the Heathens.

MYTH®.

We are taught Levitic. xlx. 28. and Dcuter. xiv. i. Where the Law concerning fhaving and fcarifying is repeated, that the whole Je<wijk Nation, and not the Pricjihod only, was forbid to tnsurn for the Dead after this manner ; <&/z. by rounding the Corners of their Heads, marring the Corners of their Beards^ or making Cuttings in the Ykjh ; which either was or had been a way o£ Mourning pra&ifed by fomc ; jho' I don't find, the

Scripturt

38 A POPISH PAGAN the Fiction of

MYTHO. That's nothing---! will go on with - my Argument — " It was on the fame Account, " we may imagine, that the Jeivijh Priefts were " forbidden to make any Cuttings in their Flejh : *' Since that likewile, was the common Practice " of certain Priefts, and Devotees among the " Heathens, in order to acquire the Fame of a " more exalted Sanctity. Yet the fame Difcipline, 44 as I have fhewn in my Letter, is conftantly " practifed at Rome, in fome of their folemn " Seafons and Proceflions, in Imitation of thofe " Pagan Enthujiajls : As if they fearch'd the " Scriptures, to learn, not fo much what was tc enjoin'd by the true Religion, as what had " been ufeful at any time in a falfe one, to " delude the Multitude, and fupport an Impo- " fture."

DEIST. One would be apt to believe, was St. Paul alive, and you in the fame Humor, you would firft dub him a Pagan Enthufiaft^ and then proclaim him Captain of the Flagellant cs ; as if he fearch'd the Scriptures^ to learn, &c.

MYTHO. Did St. Paul make Cuttings in his Flejh ?

Scripture mentions who. One thing I take to be certain;,, which is : That the hooking in this Law here is altogether as impertinent to what Herodotus, who knew nothing of thoie Times, is faid to relate, and Com?nodus to have done the fecond Age of the Chrijlian JEra, as it is to our Mythologiffs Ccm- mentum ; ignorantia; dicatu, an malitia: ? Both.

DEIST;

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN." 39

DEIST. If one may venture to believe him, he was fo far from being in Love with it, that he did not treat it with good Manners : Nay, I cannot help thinking he chaftifed his Body with more Severity, a great deal, than any one you faw in the Proceffion to St. Peter's — Mark what he fays of himfelf : Centundo corpus meum, &? in \ Cor. i*. fervitutem redigo ; thus your Friend Beza has ver' ult' tranflated "tVwTnafca, and Dr. Hammond tells us it fignifies to beat Black and Elm. Now you know the Blood is pretty near the Skin ; and as 'tis likely St. Paul did not make a mam Fight, nor cudgel himfelf with an Oaken Stick, he mufl have made ufe of fome fuch Inftruments you faw at Rome •, and this, as he fays, left that by any means when I have -preach* d to others ^ I myfelf Jhould be a caft-away, a Reprobate— —A little after, he exhorts the Corinthians to imitate his Example : Be ye followers of me^ as I alfo Kid. c.xl am of Chrift. Methinks, Dodlor, I have given I§ you a Sermon without intending it.

CHAP. IV. Of HOLT WATER.

DEIST. IT) U T I perceive, Doctor, our JL) Catholic brings the fame Autho rity in Defence of Holy Water ^ that he brought for Incenfe. He fays, we find mention of Holy D Water,

A Poristt PAGAN the Fiftion of Water, that is, Water fanttified for Religious Ufes, in the moft facred Records of the Divine Law ', long before the Heathens abufed it to their Superftition.

MYTHO. Yes, and what is more wonderful, he adds, " that I might with as good a Grace, " ftave proved the Sacrament of Baptifm to be *' Heathenifh. It is furprizing to hear fuch a c' Defence from any one, who calls himfelf a " Chriftian. "

DEIST. I fuppofe you mean the Parallel : Or elfe I cannot think it furprifing that a Chriftian fhould defend his Thefts by Scripture.

MYTHO. Yes, Sir ; I mean his Parallel-—- <c The Sacrament of Baptifm was ordain'd by " CHRIST, in the moft folemn Manner, and " for the moft folemri- Purpofe, as the eflential 46 Rite of our Initiation into his Church ; while " there is not the lead Hint in any Part of the " Gofpel, that any other Water was either " neceflary or proper, or ufeful in any Degree " to the warning away of Sin. "

DEIST. By this Profefilon of Faith of yours, your Antagonjft will ne*er be able to guefs whether you believe Baptifm itfelf neceflary, proper, or ufeful in any Degree to the wafhing away of Sin.

MYTHO. JTis fufficient, Sir, to fhew that tc his Zeal feems to have carried him beyond his " Prudeace ; and he forgets what Ground he is

" treading,

a, PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 41

ct treading, if he fancies, that he can defend in " this Proteftant Country what he might affirm " with Applaufe in a Popi/h ; that the Inftitutions " of CHRIST fland upon no better Foundation " than the Injunctions of the Pope, or at leaft of " the Popi/h Church.

DE IST. As foon as 'The Catholic Chriftian, &c. appear'd, I made it my Bufmefs to enquire into the Character of the Author ; and all that knew him told me, he is a Man of great Learning^ and of an unfeigned Piety ; fo that I can fcarce imagine he would chufe to be condemned by his own Church as Impious ; which would cer tainly be all the Applaufe he would meet with, was he to pronounce, in a Popijh Country, that the Inftitutions of CHRIST ftand upon no better Foundation, than the Injuuftiont of the Pope, or the Popi/h Church. But I fuppofe, Doctor, you talk by the Rule of Contraries ; * for it is noto rious^

* We have heard one ask in full Convocation ; " Why elfe

do I hear feme explaining the Divine Nature of CHRIST in

fuch a Manner, as that the fame might be almofl faid to be

in any Angel ? Why elfe do I hear others acknowledging,

that nothing can be true which is not demonftrable by human

Knowledge : That Reafou is fufficient to inftruft us in our

whole Duty : That it is poflible, Hell Torments may not be

eternal ; and that a Man who had been a grievous Sinner in

'• Life might appeafe the Wrath of an offended GOD, without the

' Interpofition of one to make Expiation for him?" The Dean

c/"Winchefter bh Character of the Engliih Clergy, &c. Page 36.

— Another as gravely replies. " Out of thy own Mouth will

Da "I

42 A POPISH PAGAN the Pittion bf

rious, that hei^e one may both Say and Print, with the ApplaVife of Numbers, that the Inftitu- tlons of CHRIST (land upon- no better Founda tion than, £sV. that is, upon no Foundation at all.

MYTHO. What does he then rhean by the Companion ?

DEIST. Lord, Doctor! Can't you fee? He tells you in the fame Place^ that Holy Water \vith them is a Memorial of Baptifm , as

1 anfwer thee. Jult before you ask, What was the

Reafon that St. Paul injtfted fo much upon J unification by Faith, but St. James as milch upon J unification by Works : Why truly, that they endeavoured, you fay, to accommodatt their Difcourfes for the Benefit of thofe to whom they ivere deliver d. If you will allow then, Mr. Dean, that thefe two great Apoftles, whom you affirm to have been both of the fame Opinions, might very prudently and juftly enforce fuch different, if not contrary Doflrine with Regard to fo fundamental a Point, only to render their Difcourfes more fuitable to thofe they were deliver'd to ; why will you not allow the prefent Clergy to make fome fmall Conceffions to the Unbelievers amongfl us, in order to reclaim them from their fatal Errors ? For 1 think it is only common Charity as welf as Reafon to conclude, that whenever they do make Concef fions of tliat Nature, they do it with that good End in View. " Heavens f WJiat is Religion come to now 1 Believe, if you will, nothing can be true that you cannot denionftrate — Believe St. Paul's Epiitle to be the Word of Go D ; or St. James's ; ~- or neither; — or Both! — Horrid' Believe, if you will, GOD the Author of contrary Doctrines! — And this is what this Gentleman ftiles immediately after a moderate and complying Condufl, not bearing upsn the Edges, but Jlcering in the Middle. Ibid. Page 14. Dedic.

that

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 43

that in the Old Law was a Figure of it : And if you will but take Pains to read his Book Chap. ii. and xxviii. you will find he teaches a vaft Difference between the two — • What therefore he means by the Companion is

this: That Man who will not fcruple to

cenfure and ridicule as Heatheni/h every Rite the Pagans once mimic*d, thos it had been in ftituted by GOD himfelf, would not (lick if he dared to cenfure and ridicule even Baptijm as Heatbeni/h •> but you are that Man, who will not fcruple to cenfure and ridicule as Heatbenijh every Rite the Pagans once mimic'd, tho* it had been inftituted by GOD himfelf, therefore, you would not ftick, if you dared > to cenfure and ridicule even Baptifm as Heatbenifo : Your Rea- fon would be, becaufe the Pagans of old in entering into their Temples ufed to be fprinkled with Water ', long before CHRIST inftituted that Sacrament. This I take to be the Purport of his Argument ; only inftead of faying what you would do, he modeftly fays what you might do. Now, Doctor, what do you imagine he will think of your Surprife ?

MYTHO. J neither know, nor care what he thinks.

DEIST. All a Sham, indeed, Doftor; for the fake of introducing an old, thread-bare, tatter'd Calumny.

D 3 MY T fig.

44 ^POPISH PAGfAN the Fi&ion of

MYTHO. Let him fay what he will — " I *' have mention'd one Uie of their Holy Water, *' in a Feftival at Rome, call'd the Benediftion of *c Horfes, which feems to perplex him. He *c dares not deny the Fact, yet labors to render " it fufpected, and declares; that tho1 he had " fpent the greateft Part of his Life abroad, he " had never feen nor heard of any finch thing. " DEIST. You forget to take Notice, that he could not find in the Roman Calendar a Feftival

f*o prp T J I

Eidit. iv. ' call'd tne Benedi^on of Horfes^ as you was pleafed to term it in your Letter ; and can you blame him for not being too credulous ?•--- r But you fancy he is perpkx'd, and tho' he dares not deny the Fad:, yet he labors to render it fuf- peeked---- 1 cannot fee he has toil*d much, nor any Reafon he could have to perplex himfelf— — However, I think he has given you a fly In nuendo that you was Once an Idolater. , MYTHO. Sure, Sir, I could not overlook an Accufation of that Nature !

DEIST. I cannot tell that neither ---Tell me, ftiould you employ a Pnk-Pockei to exercife his Function, and it comes to be known, would you not be deem'd a Pick-Pocket in the Eyes of the World ?

MYTHO. Without doubt. DEIST. 'Tis the very fame to employ a Man to perform an Idolatrous Action \ only Idolatry is 3 Crime of a much deeper die in the Sight of GOD.

Now

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 45

Now this is what he has put you in mind of, from the authentic fcftimony you have obliged the World with of Eighteen- Pence in your Note- Book of Expences.

MYTHO. Is that all ?

DEIST. I thought you was not fcrupulous. Go on.

MY T HO. 'Tis certain, Sir, our Catholic doubts of the Fact > " but whatever he thinks, or would " feem rather to think of it, I know the thing " to be true from the Evidence of my own Eyes,: ** Yet as I had no defire, that the Reader fliould «' take my bare Word for that, or any other " Fad in the Letter, I took Care to add fuch " Teftimonies of it, as every one will allow to <e be authentic. " *

DEIST.

* N. B. Dr. Conyers MiMeton in his Prefatory Dfiourfe Page \ 5 . makes the fame Declaration Word for Word ; yet a Friend of his has put him in mind, that his citing Hofphtian, Scaliger, and Spanbcim, Proteftants, Pell-mell with Catholics \vas only in order to impofe upon his Reader, and make him believe the Catholic Caufe abandon'd by it's own Communion : That the Antiquaries, he is pleafed to refer to, concerning St. Or eft e, are of a Trade at Rome with the Man at London, who mews the Tombs in tf'ejtminjler Abbey at Two-pence a Head ; — and that fomething lefs excufable than Ignorance mull- have influenced him in his falfe Transitions : Durant. e. g. de Kit. lib. I. c. 5. is made to fay, in Englifi, by the Doctor Page 152. " That the Images of our Saints often work fignal " Miracles, by procuring Health to the Infirm, and appear- " ing to us often in Dreams, to fuggeft fomething of great «' Moment for our Service. " Whereas Germanus Patriarch of Conjlantinople, whole Words the Do&or miftook for Durant^^ D 4 fays

46 A POPISH PAGAN the Fi&ion of

DEIST. As to the Facl in queftion you may be very eafy — By what I have read myfelf in the Catholic Chrijlian^ the Author will not difpute it I dare fay-— All you can infer from his Doubt is, that he never was at Rome, at leaft upon St. Anthony's Day ; and that he has too much Senfe to be too credulous.

M Y T H o. That is not all — I infer moreover, " if he really be a Stranger to fo extraordinary a

" Practice,

fays that the Saints, not their Images, have procured Health to the Infirm, and appeared, Sec. Extra omnem contro-verjjam eft, Sanflorum Imagines mirifea dejlgnare mlracula, ut & dibilibus tvalctudo bona PER EOS conc\lietur, firpeque in jomniis ap[>arenttj optima quceque noils confidant. — Another Falfification of the like Nature is his accurate Verfion of the two Latin Verfes, I chole to phce on the Title-Page of this Work. And a third is his Tranfladon of Mal/H/on's Account of the melting of St. JanuariuSs Blood, Page 209. no lefs liable to the Imputa tion of Fraud : Mabillons Words in plain Englijli import, — - ihat the Blood, when placed ne#r the Head, is feen, or feems, to melt, that part of the Phyal being fet uppermoji, from which- it ought naturally to fall Into the lower Part ; in the Interim a Mafs or t-vJo are celebrated, while the Blood is dropping. Ad prajfentiam capitis colliquifieri videtur, ampulla ea parte, qua fanguis naturaliter in fubjeftam ampullae partem cadere debet, fufpensa ; miilk interim una duaeve, dum ianguis decidat, cele - brantur. MabilL Iter. Ital. />. 106. cited by Dr. Cony. Mldd. and Paraplirafed thus : " Mabilloi!s Account of the Facl feems " to folve it [the melting of St. Januariu?* Blood] very *' naturally, without the Help of a Miracle : For during the *' time thut a Mafs or ti»o are celebrated in the Church, the *f other Priefts are tampering \\ith this Phyal of Blood, which is "' fufpwded a^ ^je ''••''bile In Juch a Situation^ that as foon at (' any part of it begim to melt by the Heat of their Hands, or

" ither

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 47

" Practice, he muft be an improper Advocate of " a Caufe, of which he owns himfelf to be " ignorant. "

DEIST. Give me leave, Doctor, I think you are quite out. — A Man muft be but a 'Two- fenny Divine that can't judge, when the Cafe is ftated whether an Action be Idolatrous, or no, I am fure : feeing it would not make him a Penny wifer.

*( other Management, it drops of courfe into the lower Jide of " the Glafs 'which is empty ; upon the firft Difcovery of which, " the Miracle is proclaim'd aloud, to the great Joy and Edi- f fication of the People. " — See, Friendly Ad-vice to C — rs

M n, D. D. Page 39, SfC. 1 could not help inferring

here the{e few Remarks, to do Juftice to my Country, by letting the Doftor fee we have not all abandon'd both Honor and Truth— :-'Tis to be hoped, and I really believe, few are capable of fwallowing every Lye and idle Story he is bold enough to think the Public pleafed with, even at the Expence of his own Reputation. — I have look'd too in the Er.glijh Catholic Tran- jlation, for his pretended Popijh Fabrications of Scripture, Page 66 and 67 . but can't find one of them ; nor do I know of any Catholic Divine that alledges them in Proof of thofe Points the Doctor mentions. However, for the better Underftanding of what St. Paul fays, Heb. xi. 30. J will venture to fend him to Joflwa vi. where he will find that they encompaf^d JERICHO, in Proceflion, with the Ark of the Lord, once a Day for fix Days, and on the feventh Day, feve n times. In the interim ; be it known to the Doclor that there is a Colleflion, printed in Germany, of above a thoufand 'Texts, very much abufed in the firft Protejlant Translation that ever was. As for tint in genious Author Mr. Serces ; tho' I never read him, I can guefs at his Merits by the Doctor's Praifes ; and with as little Danger cf erring, as in judging of a Saint by Fwr's Calendar.

MYTHO.

A POPISH PAGAN the Pitt ion <f MYTHO. " The learned -Mabillon^ as I have " obferved, .intimates his Surprife at this, as well " as many other Parts of their Worfhip, which " he had never fesn, till he travel I'd into Italy ; 44 but inftead of defending, chufes either to " drop them- in Silence, or to give them up as " fuperftitious -, which might have been the Cafe " alfo of our Catholic, if he had been better in- " form'd of the Fads, which he has undertaken " to vindicate, "

DEIST. Did you never hear talk of Don Quixot and his Exploits ? I mult own, Doctor,

you found your own Trumpet to Perfection.

Has not our Catholic proved by Reafon itfelf, that it is pious to blefs, to beg GOD'S Blefling upon, any thing GOD has created for Man's Ufe and Benefit ? Does he not mew the Practice is war ranted by Scripture ? Read his twenty eighth Chapter, where he tells you why and wherefore j and cites St. Paul's Words. And for fear you mould be difpofed to believe nothing but Gofpei, the only Rule you juft now call'd for to judge Holy Water by, he has prevented you by alledg- ing Gofpel Proof, that the Minifters. of CHRIST have a Power over the Devil ; and by Confe- quence, to reftrain him from hurting, difauleiing, or abufing any of GOD'S Creatures to our Harm-- -- Now to difprove all this, you muft prove the Words of Sr. Paul falfe : You mud prove, that the Devil has no Inclination to hurt his Enemies,

and

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 49

and thofe he is afraid ef lofing ; or that Go D upon no account leaves him in a Capacity. But, believe me, Ridicule is no Argument \vi:h Men that believe a reveal'd Religiorvand profds it.

MYTHO. If it be fo eafy to judge a Cafe as you make it, how came Mabillon to be fu'rprifed at this, and many other Parts of their Worfhip ? What was the Reafon he did not defend them ? No, Sir, 'tis plain he chofe rather to drop them in Silence, or to give them up as fuperjlitious — *'. But if thefe Men of Learning, and Teachers 4C of Religion, know fo little of what is done at cc Rome, how eafy mud it be to impofe upon the *' poor Catholics in Holland^ and keep them in " the Dark, as to the more exceptionable Parts '* of their Worfhip, which are openly avow'd " and practifed abroad, to the Scandal of all the " Candid, and Moderate even of their own *' Communion. "

DEIST. If Recrimination was a Juftificatiofy I am afraid, your Antagonift would not want for Matter without the help of mean Artifice. As to the poor Catholics in Holla-ad I do not perceive, by what Conversion I have had with them, they are under any Apprehenfion from that Quarter. Thofe in Amfterdam fee things often Blefs'cl ; and tho* it be not ufual among them to blefs Horfes, I have heard them fay they cannot comprehend why it may not be pioufly done, fince GOD has deftin'd them fo ferviceable to Mankind — Nay,

one

50 A POPISH PAGAN the Fiction of

one of them, who had read your Letter, told me t'other Day, that, as he did not doubt but the Doctor had chofen the moft exceptionable Parts of tbeir IVorfhip to difplay his Wit upon, he was become -A.ftanc.her Catholic, if pofilble, than ever : And it will be very much if fome of our Reli gious Protejtants, finding t\\z Letter fo little anfwer it's Title- Page, &c. don't fufpeft you have eft- gaged in a bad Caufe ; for, let me tell you, I have heard fome Mutterings amongft us.

To your Queries concerning the learned M.abillon>is> defending and proving ; your Anta- gonift will anfwer, he knows of no Knight Errant , Mabillon had to encounter ; that according to

P?.ge 142. your Letter^ he makes no other Reflection upon ble/mg of Horfes, than that it was new and un- ufual to him : Now a great many things in dif ferent Countries, may be noted by Travellers new and unufual to them without the leaft Surprife. * But fome Parts of their Worfhip, you fay, Ma- billon chufes to drop in Silence ; if fo, 'tis to be fuppofed you don't know what they are, and therefore cannot talk pertinently upon them,

* For Example ; was one of our illiterate Proteftants to go jnto Denmark and fee Crucifixes in Protejlant Churches, with fewer a I Ceremonies of the Roman Church, and his Protejleurt Brethren obliged to go to Confejfion before they receive the Sa crament he would be furprifed at it : But one of our learned Pro* tejlants could behold all this without the leall Surprife ; tho* what they faw would be equally new and unufual 'to both. Sfee Pat. Gordon's Geographical Grammar.

Others

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 51

Others you are for making the Papifts believe ks •gives up as Superftitious •, make them believe then you are a Man of your Word, or you will not be believed neither in that, nor in what you fo confidently affert of the Scandal of all the Candid ', and Moderate of their own Communion.

MYTHO. Well, Sir, fay what you will, I will infift upon it, that our Catholic is afhamed of this Benediftion of Horfes -, and fmce " he is " fo much afhamed of it, I can give him fuch " Light into the Origin of it, as will make him " proud of it probably for the future •, from a " Story, that I have obferved in St. Jerom -, " which fhews it to be grounded on a Miracle^ " and derived of a Saint : I mean St. Hilarion ; " the Founder of the Monaftic Orders in Syria " and Palaeftine. "

DEIST. Depend on't, he will take St.Jeronfs Word at any time ; and if he anfwers the De- fcription I have had of him, he will give you thanks for any new Difcovery of this kind.

MYTHO. The Story is this: — *' A Citizen <e of Gaza, a Chriftian, who kept a Stable of *' running Horfes for the Circenfian Games, " was always beaten by his Antagonift, an " Idolater ; the Matter of a rival Stable. V For the Idolater, by the help of certain *' Charms, and diabolical Imprecations, con- " ftantly damped the Spirits of the Chriftian's " Horfes, and added Courage to his own. The

" Chriftian

52 A POPISH PAGAN the Fitficn of

<e Chriftian therefore in Deipair, applied him- " felf to St. Hilarion, and implored his Afii- " ftance : But the Saint was unwilling to enter " into an Affair fo frivolous and prophane ; till •' the Chriftian urging it as a necefiary Defence " againft thefc Adverfaries of GOD, whofe In- '«' fults were levell'd not fo much at him, as at " the Church of CHRIST ; and his Entreaties " being leconded by the Monks, who were " prefent ; the Saint order Jd his earthen Jugg, " out of which he ufed to drink, to be fillM "• with Water and deliver'd to the Man : who « prefently fyrinkkd bis Stable > his Hcrfes, his «' Charioteers, his Chariot, and the very Bounda- " ries of the Courfe with it. Upon this, the " whole City was in wondrous Expectation : " The Idolaters derided what the Chriftian was <c doing-, while the Cbriftians took Courage, and " allured themfelves of Victory ; till the Signal " being given for the Race, the Chriftian's tc Horfes feem'd to fly, whilft the Idolater's " were laboring behind, and left quite out of '* Sight •, fo that the Pagans themfelves were " forced to cry out, tbat their God Marnas was <c conquered at laft by CH R i s T. "

DEIST. More than you would have done, Doctor, had you been prefent.

MYTHO. " Thus this memorable Function, " borrow'd originally from the Pagan Sprinklers " of the Circenfian Games, . appears to be as *w " ancient

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN.

ee ancient almoft in the Church as Monkery itfeif, " and one of the firft Inventions, for which " Popery ftands indebted to that religious In- " ftitution. " Hier. Tom. iv. p. 8d Ed. B.

DEIST. Are not you indebted, Doctor, for this Popijh Legend, to our Catholic ? He fends his Readers to St. Jerom, among the reft, in the Life of Si. Hilarion, to be inform'd of the Mi racles that have been wrought by Holy Water

But, be that as it will; I doubt very much whether your Rallery in the Conclufion will not be taken, by every Chriftian, for a Piece of im pious Wit. A Papift's Remarks upon the Story will be thefe — In the firft Place, as you relate it, it does not appear that the Pagan fprinkled bis Stable, his Horfes, &c. with what Face then can you infer that the memorable Funftion, as you call it, was borrow'd from the Pagan Sprinklers ? Secondly, It appears that, tho* the Devil loved Pagan Sprinkling, as you have taken Pains to

Holy Water was in ufe among Clriftians before this. For in the Reign of Conjlantin the firft Chrijlian Emperor, when the Jews by Magical Enchantments hinder'd the building of a Church, we have in St. Epiphanliis this blefling of Water ufed effectually by the Holy Count Jofepb : Who after he had made the Sign of the Crofs upon it, pray'd thus : In the Name of Jefus of Nazareth, may this Water have Power againji the Magical Charms and Enchantments they have ufed, and may it re flare to the Fire it's natural Force, that the Hou/eofGoo may Ic finijtfd. See Plain and rational Account of the Catholic Faith. Edit. 3. Page ici.

fhew

54 A POPISH PAGAN the Fitficn of

Page 137* fliew in your Letter •, yet he loves Holy WatcV ^c- full as little as you do, and therefore would not adopt it one of his Rites. Thirdly, This Story fhews what Faith the Primitive Chriftians of the fourth Age had in Holy Water, who certainly could know, with more eafe and better than you, what the Apoftles had taught the Chriftians of the firft Age. Fourthly, Tho' St. Hilarion might think the Petition made to him by this Citizen of Gaza too trifling, yet the Event was Demon- ftration that GOD approved of the Faff ; and it proves the Truth of St. PWs Words, every

i Tim. iv. Creature is fanttified by the Word of Go i>

45" and Prayer — But what is ftill more remarkable

is to come.

You muft know that Dr. Conyers Middkien has lately publifh'd a Book in England, in which he relates this felf fame Story, and upon it a Friend of his directed to him the following

Friendly Note. " They fay, he means the Papifts,

Advice to „ tjjat as yOU tooj, tke pajns to tracc th'ls gene^

M n " dittion of Horfes up to the Reign of Julian

D. D. «< the Apojiate ( who I dare fay was as angry at page 32. <c what happen'd at Gaza as you can be for your " Heart ) and cite St. Jeromes Account of it, " you ought not to have fupprefs'd what he re- " lates as the Confequence of the Fact, viz. That '* many Pagans were fo fully convinced of " CHRIST'S fuperior Power above their Idol " Mamas, that they not only confefs'd it in

" Words,

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 55

f « Words, as you acknowledge, but immediately <c became Chriftians. What could be your Mo- " tive for fecreting this remarkable CircumftancCj " you beft know ; but, fome will be apt to «e think, you rather wifli perhaps, that they had " remain'd Pagans, than have been beholden " for their Converfion to a Popijh Miracle. " To conclude this Affair : If you will follow my Ad vice, never cite Jerom, Augujlin or any of the Popijh Fathers ; no, not even Scripture. 'Tis a vulgar Saying, Every Cock may crow upon his own Dunghill ; and thofe are Legendaries fome of the Popijh Priejls are fuch ftupid Fools as to wafte their beft Spirits upon.

CHAP. V.

Of LAMPS and CANDLES.

DEIST. T^T OW, Doc~lor, we are cOmc " to ^^ " the Lamps and Candles which " are conftantly burning before the Altars of " their Saints j " of GOD, I mould have faid: What has our Catholic to fay for thefe ?

MYTHO. Why, " he tells us once more; " that tho* the Devil had procured them to be " fet up in his 'Temples, yet they were appointed " originally by GOD for the Service of his "Taber- " nacle-y and were not therefore Heathenifh, but " the Mofaic Worjhip. "

E DEIST.

56 A Popisrt PAGAN the Fiftion of

DEIST. One may rationally believe the Father of Lyars was cunning enough not to tell the Pagans from whence he copy'd their Rites, that

they might take them for Originals. This

Dutch. Argument of your Antagonift, in plain EngUJh* fpeaks you guilty of the fame Art — Your whole Work, as I faid before, is calculated to make the Ignorant believe what was- the Original is only a Copy, and what was but a Cofy is the Original •, by which Stratagem, whatfoever you find practifed in the Catholic Church and by the primitive Chrijlian Saints, for that the Idolaters once aped the fame, you immediately fligmatize it as Idolatry ; and, to make the Pill go down the more glibly, or elfe, rather than own yourfelf ignorant of Scripture and it's Antiquity, you even charge GOD himfelf with being a Cofift.

MYTHO. Sir, " to this I need not repeat, " what I have already faid on the forgoing AN " tides."

DEIST. Right, Doctor; Repetitions, except they be well managed, are but fulfom Meat.

MYTHO. " I had deduced the Origin of " thefe Lamps from sEgypt, upon the Authority <c of Clemen s stlexandrinus : But he declares, that «« Clemens fays no fuch thing. "

DEIST. One of you, I am fure, muft be miftaken ; or worfe.

MYTHO. " Yet he does not think fit to tell " us, what it is that he has faid, nor how near

" it

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 57

w it approaches to the Interpretation^ which I " have given of it — Clemens exprefly aicribes *6 the Invention of Lamps to the ^Egyptians* *c in which he is follow'd by Eufebius ; and fince " Lamps were ufed in all the Pagan 'Temples ?' from the earlieft Times of which we have any " Notice, I take it for a necefiary Confequence, " that the ^Egyptians were the firft who made " ufe of them likewife in their Temples. "

DE IST. Your Antagonift, I dare fay, Doctor, was he here, would tell you neither Clemens nor Eufebius would have been fo filly as to draw the Confequence ; therefore, for you to father it up on Clemens firft, and now to call it an Interpre tation^ whatever he faid, he would certainly think it, adding Stupidity to Forgery. — Nor can I be angry with him for not troubling his Reader with who was the Inventor of Lamps ; the rather, becaufe I believe he had a mind to fpare you, by leaving the World at Liberty to think you might have been mifled — To fet you right in Chrono logy , I will — be bold to hazard one Repetition — Our Catholic has faid, that the five Books of Mofes are Records of a far more ancient Date than any you can produce for the Ufe of Incenfe among the Heathens ; he will fay the fame of Lamps. In Exodus you may find the Defcription of a Tabernacle, a Place of Worfhip, and all it's rich Appurtinances, Lamps, Candlefticks, In- cenfe^ &c. not framed after an Egyptian Model* E 2 but

58 A POPISH PAGAN tie Fitfidn of

Chap. 25. but by a PATTERN SHEWED to Mofes ON THE MOUNT ; and he will defy you to prove the Being of a Heathenijh Temple in ^Egypt be fore it. How then can you afiert, that Lamps were uftd in all the Pagan 'Temples from the ear- lie ft timeSy of which we have any Notice, and therefore take it for a necejfary Confequence, that the ^Egyptians were the jwft who made tife of them in their 'Temples •, how can you fay this without owning yourfelf ignorant of thofe Times of which Scripture alone can give us any account to be depended upon ? — * But there is another Argument come into my Head not inapplicable to the whole Subject of your Difpute — We will fuppofe the Pagans were the firft that built ^Temples i made uie of Lamps ^ &c. And we muft own it was the Devil firft infpired them with a Notion of paying to himfelf the Honor due only to GOD. Now, what taught them that thefe ex ternal Ceremonies v/ere proper Teftimonials of fuch Sentiments of Piety which naturally flow from a ftrong Difpofition to Divine Worfhip ? Proper, I call them, becaufe GOD approved them in his own Worfhip : But by whom were the Pagans taught this ? If by the Devil, then he knew them to be fuch, and what wonder if he ftruggled for them? If Nature was their Dittatrix in this Point, it's Rules are flill the fame. — This, Doctor, is an unlucky Dilemma, every ordinary Reader will be capable of im proving :

a PROTESTANT HEATHE£ proving : And I cannot help thinking myfelf, when I am ferious, but that the Devil was as cunning in ftripping our Reformation of thofe Sentiments, in Holland, where among fo many Religions we can find none, as he was formally in adopting them.

MYTHO. Be all that as it will " this at leaft " is certain, that the Ufe of Lamps in Chriftiani " Churches was eondemn*d by many of the " primitive Bijhops and Presbyters, as Superfti- <e tious and Heathenijh. But all thefe our Catholic- <e makes no Scruple to brand with the Title, of " Heretics •, tho* many of them, perhaps, might " more truly be call'd, the Protejlants of the <e Primitive Church. "

DEIST. He will make you a Prefent of therii all to a Man. — But fince there were fo many that you can't name all, you might mention pref. fome few — Your Antagonift indeed has named 1 3. Vigilantius and Fauftus the Manich^an -, and I can tell you for your Comfort, he will never fcruple copying after St. Jerom and St. Auguflin.

MYTHO. Sir, I will inflance particularly Vi gilantius -, who, by all that I have been able to obferve about him, incurred the Charge of Herefy for no other Crime, than that of writing againft Monkery ; the Celibacy of the Clergy ; praying for the Dead •, worjhifping the Reliques of Martyrs -, and lighting up Candles to them, after the manner of the Pagans.

E 3 DEIST.

60 A POPISH PAGAN the Pitfion of

DEIST. I have he;-.rd too, that he cali'd Con- tinency a Herefy^ and Modefty the Nurfery of Luft — However this may do for the Prefent: Tho* mould our Cacholic unluckily think of our un married Parfons and Ladies, it would found hut a courfe Compliment. — Bat I do not fee why we have not as good a right to Fauftus : He hated Virginity as much as yourfelf \ and no lefs ridiculed Temples^ Altars, Incenfe^ Lights^ &c.

MY THO. " But St. Jerom has given the " moft rational Definition of Herefy, where he " fays, that thofe who interpret Scripture to any " Senfe, repugnant to that of the Holy Spirit, " tho' they mould never withdraw themfelves " from the Church yet may be juftly call'd " Heretics."

DEIST. Much more, if they withdraw them felves from the Church.

MY THO. " By which Criterion, the Romi/b *c Church will be found much more Heretical* ** than any of thofe, who either in ancient or «c modern Times, have feparated themfelves from. <6 it's Communion on the account of it's Doc- «c trines. "

Some Years ago, tho' within the Memory of Man, a No ble Peer of the upper Houfe difcarded an Intimate for a Pecca dillo with one of his Maids — Whether this Affront fent Mr. Chap on a Tour through Italy in fearch of new Modes> I cannot fay : But had his Lordlhip llood indebted for his Edu cation to a Vigilantius furely Gratitude had obliged him to let every Servant in his Family have her fill.

DEIST.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 61

DEIST. Good Go D ! Do6lor ! What a Hodge Podge of Heretics have you made Proteftancy, fhould our Catholic take it in his Head to attack it inftead of your Worjhip ? I never yet met with two Hollanders in a Company, when Religion was the Topic, but they contradictorily differ'd in interpreting Scripture •, nay, I defy you to find me the Man, that interprets Scripture, that is not contradicted by Hundreds that mail con tradict each other, even in thofe Points contain'd in our oppojite Profefftons of Faith publim'd fince our happy Reformation began : Can all thefe In terpretations be according to the Holy Spirit ? Is not Scripture as interpreted by each Man, each Proteftant's Rule of Faith ? Does not every Pro- teftant claim an equal Right? What a handle have you given your Adverfary here would he make ufe of it ? But there is no Danger. He knows too well what a Definition is, and what a Criterion is, to call St. Jerom's Afiertion either, in rigor. But he would tell you, he knows of no ancient or modern Heretics who have feparated themfelves from the Communion of the Romifo Church^ but on the account of her Doftrines ; that is, of their DoRrines being condemn'd by Her's : Nor was ever any Heretic condemn'd by her, but call'd her Heretical in his turn ; for Self-conceit^ Recrimination and Obftinacy are the three effential Conftitutives of a Rebel, whether to Church or State.-— After all, Doctor; I cannot E 4 forbear

A POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of Forbear faying, and 1 hope you will not take it amifs, if you print this Comparifon between the Romijh Church and all Ancients and Moderns who have feparated from her, there is not a Man of Senfe of your own Communion, that knows what Heretics have been, fince even Luther fir ft ftarted an jipoftky but will blufh to find among us

MYTHO. Sir, fpeak your Mind out; I know you are my Friend.

DEIST. No, Do6lor ; it may be eafily gueft.

MYTHO. Then it fliall go. . DEIST. That is your Affair. In the interim* fince you are fo fond of citing St. Jerom, and for a Sentence no Papift will deny, when it is pronounced againft a Perfon, who wittingly and willingly interprets Scripture wrotig, or olftinately perfifts in his Error when admonifh'd by due Authority ; — here is another of the fame Popijh. Saint. — " In obedience to no one but CHRIST, " I am join'd in Communion with your Holinefs " ('tis to Pope Damafus he writes) that is, to " the Chair of Peter : Upon that Rock I know " the Church is built •, whofoever out of this " Houfe eats the Lamb, he is a Prophane. If

Ego nullum primum, nijt Cbrijlum fequens, JZeatitudini tute^ Id eft, Catbedres Petrl, communions confocior ; Juper illam Pe- tram cedificatam Ecclefiam fcio ', quicumque extra bane domum Jlgnum comederit, profanus eft. Si quis in Area No'e non fuerit, feribit regnant e Diluvio. Non novi Vitahm, Me/etium refpuo, ignoro Paul: num. Quicumque tecum non colligit, fpargit. 5. Hier. Epift. 57. ad Damafum, Tom. 4. Part. 2. Pag. 19.

" any

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 63

(( any be not in the Ark of No'e\ he fhall perilh

<£ whilft the Deluge rages Whofoever doth

" not gather with you, he fcatters. " — What do you think, Doctor, of this Criterion ? But hear how he defcribes Vigilantius ; and 'tis likely he had better Intelligence of him than any you can come at elfe where. " There has ftarted up " on a fudden, fays St. Jerom, Vigilantius or " rather Dormitantius, who with an unclean " Spirit battles it againft the Spirit of CHRIST, *' and denies that the Tombs of the Martyrs " are to be venerated. Vigils, he fays, are to

«* be condemn'd Chaftity be calls Herefy,

<c Modefty the Nurfery of Luft Condemn'd

" by the Authority of the Roman Church, he " rather Belch'd than Breath'd in the midft " of Pheafants and Swine's Flefh — That Cala-

Exortus e/l fubito Vigilantius, feu <ver!us Dormitantius, qui Immundo Spiritu pugnet contra Cbrijii Spiritum, & Martyrum •neget Sepulcbra <veneranda : damnandas dicit effe Vigilias J . . . . Continentiam befrejett ; Pudicitiam libidinis Seminarittin .... Hie Rowana? Ecclefi<£ author itate damnatus^ inter pbafides a<ves iff carnes fuillas nan tarn emijlt Spiritum quam eruffamit — JJle caupo Calaguritanus .... Su<£ *venena perfidies Catholics Fidei fociare conatur ; impugnare Virginitatem, odijje Pudi citiam ; in convi'vio facularium contra Santlorwn jejunia pro- clamare .... Pro nefas ! Epifcopos fui fceleris dicitur habere confortes ; Jt tamen Epifcopi nominandi Junt, qui non ordinant Diaconos, niji prius uxores duxerint -, nulli ctslibi ere denies Pudicitiam ; imo oftendentes quam fantte wi'vant qui male de omnibus fufpicantur : £3* niji prtegnantes uxores euiderint Clc~ ritorum, infantefque de ulnis Matrum <vagientes, Cbrijii Sa- non tribuunt. S. Hier. adv. Vigilantium. initio.

4 i

gunan

64 A POPISH PAGAN the FWon of

" gurian Huckfter endeavours to blend the

" Venom of his Perfidy with the Catholic Faith J " to impugn Virginity, to hate Modefty ; to " cry out againft the Fafts of the Saints, in

<e fecular Banquets Strange Villany ! He is

*e faid to have Bifhops Companions of his wicked- *' nefs ; if fuch are to be named Bifhops, who " ordain not Deacons unlefs they be firft mar- " ried ; not believing any fingle Perfon can be " Modeft ; yea, fhewing how holily they live *c who fufpect all of Evil ; and unlefs they fee « Clergymen's big- bellied Wives, and Infants " crying in their Mother's Arms, they do not «* give the Sacraments of CHRIST.'* I don't know how you may admire this Piece of Paint ing ; 'tis my Opinion you would not like it, was it intended your own Picture : And, to tell you the Truth, if 'tis put to my Choice, upon my Death- Bed, whofe Company I would keep in the next World, Vigilantiufs or St. Jeromes, I Jhould not be long in determining for St.Jcrom's \ tho* you mould trumpet Vigilantius the greateft Saint, that either the primitive or the modern Proteftant Church ever had.

CHAP.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN^

CHAP. VI. Of DONARIA or VOTIVE OFFERINGS.

MYTHO. " TV /TY next Inftance, Sir, of " J[ VX the Popijh Paganifn is, the " Number of their Donaria or Votive Offerings " hanging around the Altars of their Saints: " Where our Author having nothing to alledge " from Scripture, nor any Example from Anti- *c quity, but what is purely Heatbenifo is forced " to change his Tone, and to declare ; that " things innocent in themfelves cannot be ren- " de.'d unlawful, for having been abufed by the " Heathens ; and that it cannot be difagreeable " to the true GOD, that thofe, who believe " themfelves to have received Favors from him " by 'the Prayers of his Saints, fhould make a «' public Acknowledgement of it. "

DEIST. By your double Art of AJJimilation and Application , there is no Devotion you cannot turn into pure Heathenifm. You could Metamor- pbofe the Hiftory of the Creation, the Giants , the Deluge into Heathenijh Fidtions ; and prove the Trinity was Plato's Syftem, above three hundred Years before the Cbriftians thought of it. — But however you may feem to be out of Humor with Gratitude to GOD at prefent; was his Britanic Majejly to call you over to the See of Canterbury, I dare fay, on this Condition you would in -per-

•petuam

66 A POPISH PAGAN the Pittion of

petuam rel memoriam, gladly ere£t him a Marble Statue, as a Votive Offering all Presbyter as you are* ay, and pull off your Hat too, every time you pafs'd it, without the leaf} Remorfe of Con- fcience : ferioufly Speaking ; L Scripture or Anti quity neceflary to convince a Man that Gratitude is a Virtue ? That Memorials of Favors received from Heaven are T\fti monies of a grateful Soul ? One really would imagine you had cited a won- derous deal of Scripture to prove Incenfe, Lamps , &c. Hcatbeni/h in the Churches of the true GOD ; whereas inftead of this, you have proved all that fhave Pagans ; and becaufe you don't love Scourges, you tell us, GOD forbid Cuttings in the Flejh. Your Difcovery too of the Invention of Lamps out of Clemens Alex, and Eufebius, is full as great a Proof of your Skill.

Your Antagonift has not once menfion'd Scripture, but the very Word has thrown you into a violent Fit of the Spleen \ therefore when he is fparing, take care not to conclude, hailily, all is gain'd— -- His intent maybe, to try your Behaviour in a Foci's Paradife. For Example, in this prefent cafe he might have fent you ta Theodore!, who relates the fame approved Prac tice in his Days : He might have bid you read Gen. xviii. where we find that Jacob fet up a Stone for a Pillar, as a grateful Memorial of the Apparition he was favor'd with, in the fame Place -, which he calls a dreadful Place and thQ

Houfe

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 67

Houfe of GOD. — Jo/hua like wife, by GOD'S Order, commanded twelve Stones to be fix'd as a c^ iv. Memorial unto the Children of Ifrael for ever^ of

their Paflage through Jordan. Your Antago-

nift might have told you this, and concluded ; that the Devil, had he not known it before, might have learn'd from Scripture Fatts that a -public Acknowledgment of Bleffings received is a Practice agreeable to GOD.

MYTHO. What Sir! " Can a Practice be " filled agreeable to GOD, or call'd Innocent, *c which is a confefs*d Copy of Paganifli Super- " ftition ? "

DEIST. No, Doctor ; but a Practice ought to be ftiled agreeable to GOD, which is a proved Diftruction of Paganifli Superftition -, a con- fefs'd Copy of Jacob's and Jo/hua^ Devotion.

MYTHO. Can that Practice be ftiled agreea ble to GOD " which tends to weaken our De- " jDendence on GOD, and to place it on thofe, " who are not probably in a Condition, either " to hear or to help us ? "

DEIST. No; but that Practice ought to be ftiled agreeable to GOD, that daily puts us in mind of our Dependence on GOD, and of having recourfe to him in our Afflictions and Wants ; of our Obligation of acknowledging GOD'S in- finit Goodnefa and Mercy to Mankind, and our own Unworthinefs ; of honoring thofe whom GOD has glorified, and begging the Continuation

of

68

PbiL xi. iz.

Catholic Cbrijlian ch. xxiv.

A POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of

of that Charity they had while Mortals, for us left behind to vwrk out our Salvation in fear and trembling.

MYTHO. But, can a Practice be (tiled agree able to GOD, " which imprints the fame Vene- " ration for the Chriftian Saints ', that the Pagans *' paid to their Subordinate Deities ; and transfers " the Honor due to GOD, to the Altars ofde- " parted Mortals ? "

DEIST. No, Doctor, no; but that Praftice ought to be ftiled agreeable to GOD, which, in- ftead of banifhing Religion and Altars^ keeps them both in the Pofieffion of GOD, the fole Author and Giver of all Good\ which imprints a due Veneration for GOD'S Saints, acknowledging in them no Power of helping us but by Prayer, and fulfilling GOD'S Will •, which teaches us to <c neglect no Means by which we may be for- " warded in our Progrefs to a happy Eternity ;

" and therefore to pray ourfelves without

*6 ceafmg, and procure the Prayers of our Bre- <c thren in Heaven as well as of thofe on Earth -, <e that GOD may have the Honor and we the •* Profit of fo many more Prayers. "

MYTHO. Such a Worfhip,

DEIST. What Worfhip, Dodlor ? Such a Worfhip as I have defcribed ?

MYTHO. No, Sir-, that which I have de fcribed : " Such a Worfliip, I fay, fo far from ** being Innocent even, muft necefiarily be con-

" demn'd

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 69

«« demn'd by all unprejudiced Men as Prophane <e and Idolatrous, as it will more evidently appear *e to be, from our Confideration of the next Ar- C6 tide, their Worjhip of Images. "

DEIST. Doctor, there is not a Papift, I am, fure, in the four Quarters of the World, that will not condemn, and, to fpeak their own Lan guage, anathematize it, by Belly Book and Candle^ as Prophane, Idolatrous, Paganifh^ Heatheni/h^ and whatever you will : But then they will draw an ugly Confequence out of your Reaibning, which is, that, The Honor they pay to the Saints being the Honor you judge only due to GOD, you cnly ivor/hip GOD as a Creature ; and what is this but being an Atheift ? Let me advife you to con our Catholic well over, and if the Preface is not fufficient to clear up your Underftanding, read Chap. 24, 25, 26, 27. or you may come to be anfwer'd in the Words of the Royal Prophet : " Be ye not as the Horfe, and Mule, which pfal? " have no Underftanding. "

CHAP. VII. Worjhlp of 1 M A G E S, &c.

MYTHO. " /~\^ *^i& Head, our Catholic 44 \^J pours out all his Rage " againft me. " You have taken Notice of it, Sir, I don't doubt.

DEIST.

76 A POPISH PAGAN the Fiftion of

DEIST. Yes, Doctor, I have read hirri ; tho* I can't fay he is Mafter of much Rage, if he has bcqueath'd to you all he had.

MYTIIO. He " charges me with Slander and " Mifreprefentation, and notorious Untruths. "

DEIST. And you have charged their whole Church with Superftition and Paganifm.

MYTHO. He fays, " that I am no better " Friend to Chriftianity than to Popery •, that I «' imitate the ancient Heretics^ and Copy my " Arguments from the Apoftate Julian. " *

DEIST. You have call'd the Crofs, that is, the Banner of CHRIST, ridiculous; and faid their whole Church has copy'd their Worjhif) from the Heathen Idols — Now allowing you both in the wrong, which you will fay is a Contradiction ; whether is guilty of the greateft Outrage and Clamor ? You who attack the greateft Body of Chriftians in the whole World, in one Commu nion^ in which you yourfelf muft own there are a great many Prelates and Doctors eminent for their Learning ; you who charge all with Idola try* the blackeft of Crimes, and their whole

* Thus does Dr. Conyers Mlddleton Copy his Spleen againft Reliques from the fame Julian, from Ennomius, and from Eunaphfs a Pagan Writer of the fame Age. See St. Greg. Naz. Or at. iii. T. i. p. 76, 77. St. Jerotn, Lib. cent. Vigilantium and Eunapius in JEdefa. See all this and more in a Book call'd The true Church of Chrijl, &C. Printed Anno 1715, from Page 368. Part III.

Priefthood

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 71

Jriefthood with deluding the Multitude^ and fup+ porting the Impojlure for the fake of Wealth and Power ; or your Adverfary, who, in Defence of that Church, charges one Man alone with Slander and Mifreprefentation ; with being no better Friend to Chriftianity, &c ? In my humble Opinion, an unbiafs'd Multitude will .not think

you have Reafon to complain your Stock is

too low. — *Tis true, he'll fay, I know CHRIST himfelf was call'd a Blafphemer, and no wonder if his Spoufe muft undergo the fame Fate ; but is this is an Argument that I muft ftand mute ?

M Y T H o. By this at leaft, our Catholic " mews, in what manner he would filence me " if he had me under his Difcipline. "

DEIST. He would fcarce undertake to make a Black White ; but he would teach you, that Calumny is a damnable Sin, and the greater, the more Perfons it is levelled againft, and the blacker the Crime is that they are charged with.

M Y T H o. " But I can eafily forgive his " Railing, while I find myfelf out of his Power ;• " and rejoice that we live in a Country, where " he can ufe a Liberty, which no PoptJ&Govem- " ment would indulge to a Protellant. "

DEIST. Doctor, was our Republic to indulge the Papifts, prior Pofieflbrs, the fame Liberty with the reft of our Fellow- Subjects, it would only be acting according to the eftablifh'd Prin ciples of our Reformation : So a Popijh Govern- F ment,

A POPISH: PAGAN the Fitfion of ment, by not allowing more Religions than one, acts according to it's Principles •, now I cannot help thinking it commendable, in any Set of People, to act according to Principle, tho* the Judgment may err in it's Choice •, and, you1

know, we acknowledge no Infallibility.

Revenge and Spite can never be miftaken for Virtues. — To do the Catholics Juftice, I have always heard the whole Circle of my Catholic Acquaintance, not a few, fpeak with a great deal of Gratitude of the Lenity of the Govern- ment in tolerating to them a Share of that Liberty every other Subject, let him be of what Perfua- lion he pleafes, claims a Right to. But in an- fwer to your Reflexion, they would fay : Was any of the Popi/h Priejls fo mad as to publifli an infamous Libel to traduce all the Reformed Churches, Bijhops and Presbyters, as Mahometans* he would pafs his time very ill, even under a Popijb Government ; and any Protejiant might, without being at the pains of Writing, by a bare Prefentation of his Church's Articles, expole the Impoftor, and have him punifh'd. They would add ; that they do not doubt but your Antagonift freely forgives you, not becaufe he finds himfelf out of your Power -, but becaufe he has learn'd the LORD'S PRAYER.

My THO. Sir, «c the ground of all this Cla- <c mor, is, my treating their Image Worfhip, *' as Idolatrous..'*

DEIST,

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 73

DEIST. I hope you do not count this a Pec cadillo, Doctor ! Had you only faid, you your felf could not pray before an Image without pay ing it a Divine Adoration, or that you knew of no other Worjhif, 'tis probable your Antagonift would have pitied your Ignorance in Silence: But, as it is, in Proof of your Slander and Mif- reprefentation, he thought himfelf obliged to put you in mind of your genteely behaved way of exprefimg yourfelf, when you tell your Reader 5 that, was he in one of the Popijh Churches, " he Letter *c would not be long in Sufpence, before he faw j£J™ • " the fmifliing Act and laft Scene of genuine Page 156. *' Idolatry, in Crouds of bigot Votaries, pro- Catholic <c ftrating themfelves before fome Image cf Wood " or Stone, and paying divine Honors to an Idol 9. " of their own erecting. "

MYTHO. " Yet he does not pretend to con- <c tradict my Facts ; but the Inference only that " I draw from them ; and fince he cannot over- " throw my Premifes, is the more enraged at " my Conclufion."

DEIST. Indeed, Doctor, you will expofe yourfelf egregioufly — What great piece of Rage is there in your Antagonist faying " fome may " pofilbly apprehend, from the way that the " Doctor fpeaks of the Martyrs of CHRIST, " that he is no greater Friend to Chriftianity in " general than he is to Popery : For tho' fome " ancient Heretics have objected of old to the F 2 «« Catholic

74 -A POPIHS PAGAN tie Fi ft ion' of

ec Catholic Church, as he now does, that we " had but changed our Idols in worfhipping the " Saints inftead of the Pagan Deities, which was " the Objection of Vigilantim and of Faitftus the " Manicbccan, as we learn from the Writings of " St. Jerom again ft Vigilantius^ and of St. Au- " guftin againft Faufius Lib. xx. c. 21. yet no " one, that pretended to the Name of Chriftian, " ever ventured to prefer the Pagan Deities " before the Martyrs of CHRIST. This was " an Extravagance that none but Julian the " Apoftate was capable of, from whom the " Dcftor has copied it." ..... Now all this is Fa6l, you canndt deny it.

But, fay you, be does not •pretend to contradict my Faffs : — That is ftrange. Have you not

He was St. CYRIL ALEX. To this Objection of Julian, that Chri- Rijbop of {Kan Religion is worfe than the Jews ; becaafe the Jews Alexan- worihip a Go D, whereas Chriftians worfhip a IVretcb, or rather dria from many Wretches', " reply'd, We neither believe, that the Saints " are Gods, nor do we give them divine Worfhip, but only a «£ relative Honor. Yet we Honor them very much; becaufe " they flood up couragioufly in the Defence of Truth — 'Tis " not therefore any Inconvenience ; or rathef it was neceflary, " that thole who had behaved themfelves with fo much Worth, " fhould have perpetual Honors. " Lib. 6. cant. Julian.

THEODORE r thus accofls the Heathens: " Why do yoj, " that have made Gods cf fo many dead Men, quarrel with " us, who do not make Gods, but Honor the Martyrs as molt *' faithful Witnefles and Servants of GOD." Tom. iv. Edit. Par. Anno 1642. p. 597. Thefe two Witnefles, St. Cyril and ^heodoret are fufficient Proof, from whom the Dodor copies his Accusation. See, The True Church of Chrijl Jbewd, &c. Tart III. Page 275.

told

the Tear 412, /;'// 444.

<? PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 75

told us we might fee them paying divine Honors to an Idol of their own erecting ? And will you impofe fo much upon our Judgments, as to tell us now you did not intend this as a Fafi, but; as an Inference only ? Or can you have the Af- furance to fay, your <dntagonjft does not contradict it ? I fee, Doctor, you are all of a Piece. — 'Tis true; while we were in Italy, we faw Crouds of People in Churches upon their Knees praying before the Images and Pictures of CHRIST and his Saints : A difconfolate Spectacle for us then. to amufe upon ! But Proferpina, your ever faith ful Friend in Diftrefs, flew foon to your Relief^ and prefenting you with two Labels, on one of which was writ, imagine yourfelf in a Heathen Letter Church expetting a Sacrifice ; on the other, be caft ^om Rome cut Devils by Beelzybub the Prince of the Devils ; the Vifion revived your drooping Spirits : You immediately allured me, you could read the in- moft Recedes of every Papift's Heart diametri cally oppofite to his Profejjion ; and prove Idola try ftill in Poffeffion of it's full Glory — How this can be done and a Chrijlian Outjide prefcrved, I own am at a Lofs to guefs •, particularly fince I have read your Letter an.d your Antagonist's

Anfwer. The Undertaking has reduced you

to a Necefiity of making Faols and Inferences^ Premtfes and Conclufion, one and the felf fame thing of ridiculing all that a Chrijlian calls Sacred. r— -Suppofmg I mould demonstrate, from your F 3 own.

76 A POPISH PAGAN the Ft&ion^f

own Letter that you hate Chriftianity •, what would you fay ?

MYTHO. Say, Sir! I hope I have not fpoke fo plain as that comes to, neither.

DEIST. You have fpoke fo plain that the. Task is not difficult : Will you hear it ? MYTHO. Yes; I can hear it. DEIST. All who hate CHRIST and his Saints hate Cbriftianity : But, you hate CHRIST and his Saints : Therefore, you hate Chriftianity. MYTHO. Prove the Minor. DEIST. I will fo— All who hate the Pictures and Images of CHRIST and his Saints, hate CHRIST and his Saints: But, you hate the Pictures and Images of CHRIST and his Saints: Therefore, you hate CHRIST and his Saints.

MYTHO. I defy you, Sir, to prove the Major of this Syllogifm.

DEIST. Do you, Doctor ? Patience! Does not a uniform, conftant and univerfal Experience furnifh an evident Proof?

MYTHO. It does, without doubt. DEIST. But, a uniform, conftant, and uni- verfal Experience teaches us, that whatfoever is the Affedion of our Soul towards a Perfon, whether Love or Hatred, the fame extends in Proportion to his.Piflure, and vice verfa -, there fore, if you hate a Perfon you cannot but hate his Picture ; if you hate a Pifture you cannot but hate the Perfon it reprefents. The fame of

Love,

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN, 77

Love. — Who can fay that, where they have a true Love, a real Honor and Eft e em for a Perfon, ihey do not likewife Love and EJleem his Piflttre9 and defire to have it by them ? Are they not pleafed in looking upon it? Do they not give it the mod honorable Place, and value it above things, in Price, ten times the Value ?

MYTHO. I hate this Syllogiftical way of Reafoning. 'Tis rank Popery I will maintain it, / know it to be true from the Evidence of my own

j •/ «^

Ears ......

DEIST. There, Doctor, there is the Pifture of my Dear Wife •, I would not part with it for the Guineas that could cover it ; tho* it is not, by one tenth, fo handfome.

MYTHO. Town, Sir, I cannot be fo fenfible.

DEIST. I do not pretend to determine how fenfible you can be of Love ; but your Hatred muft be very keen when you call the Images

* o

and Pictures of CHRIST and his Mother •, &c. by the odious Name of Idols.

MYTHO. Sir, " I had defined Idols, upon ." the Authority of St. Jerom^ to be Images of <w the Dead: Where our Catholic is fimple " enough to imagine, that I included in my " Definition, all Images and Pictures whatfo- " ever of the t)ead •, and calls it therefore a <c Brat of my own, which I falfly father upon " St.

F 4 DEIST.

78 A POPISH PAGAN the Fiftion of

DEIST. Well he might: For I am con* vinced St. Jerom was not fo fimple as to call Images of the Dead, a Definition of Idols.

MYTHO. " Yet every Man muft fee, that I " could mean no other Images, but fuch as had " Temples, Altars and a Religious Worfoip in- " ftituted to them ; for fuch are all the Images " of the Popijh Church •, and of all fuch Images " of the Dead, I fhall affirm again with St. Jerom, et that they are true and proper Idols. "

DEIST. But unlefs you play your Cards more cunningly, tho* you may increafe your Reputa tion of a Foul-Player, you will inevitably be beqfted every Shuffle. — What do you intend by this bold Aflertion, fuch are all Images of the Popi/h Church ? — A Fa ft or an Inference ? Is it to be one of your Premifes, or a Condujion ? You know as well as I, and every one knows that has travelled with any Curiofity, that no fuch thing is to be found in Catholic Countries as an Image or a Pifture to which a Temple, Altar, or a Religious Worfhip is inftituted.

Hence, Doctor, I conclude : Our Catholic will not appear fo Jimple as you would have him ; Fir/I, becaufe you own, you intended Images of the Dead as a Definition ; which, to be good for any thing, muft contain the whole thing defined, and belong to nothing elfe : Secondly, becaufe it is plain, that, by faying " St. Jerom " has determin'd the Word Idol to the very

44 cafe.

€i PROTESTANT HEATHEN." 79

**" cafe in Queftion, telling us, that by Idols are Letter

«' to be under flood the Images of the Dead, " you lfge !.$

1 Com. m

meant to put a trick upon your Readers, by ifa.xxxvii. making them believe, that every Pifture or Image 'idola in- in a Chriftian Church muft be an Idol. Without teT !£'™us

Imagines

this Stratagem, you knew, that the Fathers and mortuomm the Chriftian Emperors condemning Images in the Pagan Churches would be nothing to the Purpofe.

But, what is the Reafon, Doctor, you do not Sanfii nan mention another Text of St. Jerom your Antago- ^ nift has furnifh'd you with: 'The Saints are not fej ^i to be called the Dead but the Living ? Would not tei- Lib.

this fomewhat fpoil your Sport ?

_,. . . _ gilantium,

MYTHO. Sir, " it is not my prefent Defign

" to enter into a formal Difcuflion of the Nature " of Idolatry. "

DEIST. However ft range this may appear, you are certainly much in the right on't : For this would bring on a formal Explication of the Words, Suferftition^ Worfbi-p, &c. and unravel the whole Myftery of Iniquity — Befides, 'tis beft, you know, to fifh in troubled Water.

MYTHO. Idolatry " according to every Senfe *e of it, as our Divines have * fully demonftrated,

" is

* Notwithftanding that Dr. Mlddleton boafts fo often of his Demonftrations ; yet, allowing him firft two Years to Study Logic, a Catholic will defy him to form any one Argument in his own Writings, or in any of his Predeceflbrs of the fame

Kidney,

8o A POPISH PAGAN the Fi&ion cf

" is now exercifed in Popijh Rome, upon the " very fame Principles, on which it was for- " merly praftifed in Pagan Rome. "

DEIST. That is, upon Scripture and the Chriftian Creed— Stoutly faid, Doctor! And in deed, what fignifies mincing the Matter ? The Sincerity of your Intention will crown your Labors as it did theirs — I remember to have

Epift-557. heard or read, that the learned Grotius in a Letter to the Proteftant John Gerard Voffius, tells him, they who did not believe the Popes to be Anti- chrift, neverthelefs judged it necefTary to give fuch Interpretations for the Public Good of Pro-

E at i tefiant R-digion — The fame Voffius anfwers, that he himfelf having told a certain Mini ft er of Dcrcbt, whom he calls, Thick- Scull, that he mould not impofe on the People, even agairift Popery ; that Minifter prefently ask'd him, if he was for taking the Papifts part, whom, faid he, we cannot run down too much, that the People may the more deteft their Church. This, adds Vqfjius, is much the fame as fome faid to me at Amfterdam : Why mould not we fay the Pope is Antichrift ? Muft we leave off faying fo, and make the People leave our Communion more and more, as if too many did not leave it already ?

Kidney, into a Syllogifm which carries the leaft appearance of a Demonftration of any one Point in Queftion. On the con trary ; it will evidently (hew kfelf fet to the Tune of the Doodle Noodle Barrifter; and an evident Infult upon Reafon.

MY THO.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. Si

MYTHO. " The purpofe of my Letter, is *' to illuftrate this Argument by the more fenfi- '" ble Evidence of Fact ; and in fpite of the " Cavils and evafive Diftinctions of their Schools, " to fhew their Wcrjhip of Images or of Saints, tc call it which they will, to be properly and " actually Idolatrous. "

DEIST. Without fo much as letting us know what Idolatry is -, what you mean by it. — But now you put me in mind of School-Diftinftions, I wonder, Doctor, it never came into your Head before, to place them among the Pagan Rites — Did you never hear 'em ftigmatiz'ed as Popery by fome of our Controvertifts ? Or, are not Popery and Paganifm fynonimous Terms ? Or, is it be- caufe you have experienced a Diftinttion to be now and then a Balfamic, and fo think it worthy your Worfhip, as, they fay, fome Pagans hereto fore worfhipp'd an Onion for fome fuch like Reafon ?

MYTHO. Where have I made ufe of Di ftinctions ?

DEIST. I will only Inftance in three. — Your Letter in it's Frontifpiece, carries an exaff Con formity between Popery and Paganifm , or the Re ligion, &c. to verify which, and fcreen yourfelf from an Objection, Diflinguo^ fay you •, that is, a Conformity between that Syftem of Ceremonies and J)oftrines peculiar to the Romijh Church, and Paganifm^ I grant ; an exaft Conformity between

the

82

Strom. 1. i. c. 16.

Letter

144

A POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of the Popijh Religion and Paganifm, I deny. — So will the Word peculiar, if you remember, require another Diftindtion, to fave you from attacking the Greek Protejtants.

Again ; according to you, Clem. Alex, afcribes the firft Ufe of Lights or Lamps in Temples to the ^Egyptians : Dijiinguo, fay you once more ; that is, Clem. Alex, really does fo, I deny -, that it is my Interpretation of his faying only, they firjt invented Lamps, I grant.

Again, Images of the Dead, fay you, and up on the Authority of St. Jerom, is the Definition ef Idols; to juftify which you have another Dijiinguo : Not all Images, but feme Images.

MYTHO. And do you call thefe their School-' Dijiinftions ?

DEIST. I beg pardon, Do6lor: this is ano ther Dijlinttion I did not think of — Their School-DiJlinftions, like the Chymift's Limbeck, Separate the pure Element from Mud and Drofs -, whereas it is a Wit's Province to confound Ideas. — But, after all, is there no real diffe- rence between Idols and thofe Images or Piflures we faw in the Popijh Churches ?

MYTHO. Sir, <c our Author defines Idols, tl to be fuch Images only as are fet up for Gods, " and honor'd as fuch ; or in which fome Di- *' vinity or Power is believ'd to refide by their tl Worfhippers; who accordingly offer Prayers

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN^ 83

«• and Sacrifice to them, and put their truft in «« them. "

DEIST. He tells you like wife that his Defini- Pref. Page tion is " according to the Ecclefiaftical Ufe of ' " the Word, adopted by the Holy Fathers and " all Antiquity. "

MYTHO. Yes, and c< fuch, fays he, wen «< tie Idols of the Gentiles. "

DEIST. He adds, " and fuch were thofe *' Images of the Dead, of which St. Jerom " fpeaks. "

MYTHO. " And fuch, I fhall venture to " fay, are the Idols of Papijts. "

DEIST. Right! I thought it would not be long before you attacked their Creed.

MYTHO. " What elfe can we fay of thofe " miraculous Images, as they are call'd, in every " great Town in Italy^ but that fome Divinity " or Power is univerfally believed to refide in " them ? "

DEIST. The Papifts will tell you; if you have Free-will to fpeak truth, you may fay, what you know they all fay and believe, that they are nothing but Pieces of Painting or Carving ; a meer Reprefentation of fome Myjlery or Holy Perfonage ; with no more Power refiding in them than in a Stone or a Block of Wood.

MYTHO. " Are not all their People per- <e fuaded, and do not all their Books teftify, that " thofe Images have fometimes moved themfefaes

" from

84 A POPISH PAGAN the FiSilon of

" from one Place to another •, have wept, " and wrought many Miracles ? And does not <c this neceflarily imply an extraordinary Power " refiding in them ? "

DEIST. From this Inference of yours, a Pa- pi/I will be apt to conclude, you either believe there is no GOD -, or you believe his Omnipotence confined to Heaven. In my Opinion ; it betrays fuch an unpardonable piece of Ignorance in one who is fuppofed to preach the Truth fometimes ; that, tho it might perhaps pafs in one of our Country Churches, 'tis furprizing how you can think of hazarding your Reputation upon it in Print.

MYTHO. Pray, why fo, Sir?

DEIST. Why, Doclor; Don't you know- that Aprons and Handkerchiefs, nay even a Sha dow, are faid to have wrought Miracles ?

MYTHO. Popifh Miracles, without doubt ?

DEIST. That's the cafe! 'Tis likely you Chap. xix. have not had time to turn over the Atts of the

12.

Apoftles. We find there ; that from St. Paul's Body were brought unto the Sick, Handkerchiefs, or Aprons, and the Difeafes departed from them, &c. The fame miraculous Cures are faid to have Chap. v. been perform'd by St. Peter's Shadow. — Now the Queftion will be, whether the Believers, who had experienced fuch Wonders, thought any Di vinity or Power refided in thofe Handkerchiefs or Aprons \ or in St. Peter's Shadow ? You dare not

lay

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN^ 85

fay they did. No, Doctor ; if thofe Miracles were wrought, and you dare not deny it -, they were certainly wrought by GOD himfelf. The whole Power was his own, and refided in him.

Did not the Poor Man'j Ax-bead move from ^ ' 4' the bottom to the top of the Water and fwim, ^p. ^ upon Elifta's cafting in a Stick ? Was not Naa- Ibid. man the Syrian cured of a Leprofte by dipping chaP 5- himfelf feven times in the River Jordan by the Holy Propbefs Prefcription ? And would you perfuade your Reader that Eli/ha, or the poor Man, and Naaman, thought the Divinity or fome Power refided in the Iron, Water, or the Earth Naaman took with him into Syria ? Or, can you with your Magisterial Gravity dogma tize, that thofe Miracles neceflfarily imply an extraordinary Power refiding in a Shadow, &c.

Did not Almighty GOD fpeak to Mofes from above the Mercy Seat made of pure Gold ; from „ *' between the two Cherubims, which he order'd to Exoj ' be made of the fame Matter and placed there ? And a Papift would ask you, if he cannot now as eafily form a Voice as it were from an Image, or 'Tears trickling down it's Cheeks, either to punim, or in deteftation of fuch like Antichri- ftian Impieties, your Letter, he will fay, utters

in almoft every Page. You may perhaps tell

us once more, that all thefe Examples are nothing to the purpofe ; but, was I in your place, I would not anfwer, that Mi racks are ceafed : This

can

86 A POPISH PAGAN the Pittion of

can be no Prop to our Inference ; and it may* come to be return'd with a furly Diftinction ; infer Hollandos, concedo •, inter Catholicos, nego. As much as to fay, Miracles are Pearls too va luable to be thrown away upon Scepticifm and Infidelity.

MYTHO. The Queftion is not about what Naaman or Elifoa, &c. believed ; but what the Papifts believe. " In the High- Street of Loretto " which leads to the Holy Ploufe, the Shops are " fill'd with Beads ) Crucifixes^ Agnus* s Dei's, " and all the Trinkets of Popijh Manufacture ; *c where I obferved printed Certificates , or Te- " ftimonials, affixed to each Shop, declaring " all their Toys to have been touched by the blefl'ed " Image : which Certificates are provided for " no other Purpofe, but to humor the general " Perfuafion both of the Buyer and the Seller, " that fome Virtue is communicated by that " Touch, from a Power refiding in the Image . " Tit. chap. DEIST. Who told you fo ? Have you really a '• mind to pafs for a Cretian ? Had any Papift a

handful of that Ground GOD hi mfelf pronounced Exodus iii. Holy, and Mofes was not allow'd to (land upon, but bare footed ; had he a Sprig of the Buflj that burnt without confuming, or a Handkerchief, that had touched St. Paul's Body, he would be fonder of them than of an Agnus Dei or Beadsy and efteem them Holy Reliqnes ; yet was one to ask him if either h.id any Virtue or Power

communicated

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 87

communicated to it, or redding in it ; he would anfwer without delay, the Queftion could have only enter'd the Head of a dull Man. But what can a Chriftian judge of your Affection towards their SA vi ou R, when you call the Crucifix, a Trinket, a Toy ? I need not repeat this Argument.

MY T HO. " In one of the Churches at Lucca, " they mew an Image of the Virgin with the " Child JESUS in her Arms, of which they re- Mr- " late this Story, that a blafpheming Game- ™%*

Travels at

6 Her, in Rage and Defpair, took up a Stone ittecttt " and threw it at the Infant, but the Virgin, to " preferve him from the Blow, which was " Jevell'd at his Head, fhifted him inftantly <e from her right Arm into the Left, in which " he is now held •, while the Blafphemer was tc fwallow'd up by the Earth upon the Spot ; " where the Hole, which they declare to be un- " fathomable, is ftill kept open and inclofed " only with a Grate, juft before the Altar of the " Image. The Virgin however received the " Blow upon her Shoulder, whence the Blood " prefently iflued, which is preferved in a Cry- <l ftal, and produced with the greateft Ceremony, " by the Prieft in his Veftments, with Tapers 44 lighted , while all the Company kifs the " facred Relique on their Knees. Now does not <c the Atteftation of this Miracle naturally tend " to perfuade People, that there is an attual ** Power refiding in the Image, which can defend G " itfelf '

88 'A POPISH PAGAN the FtStton of

" itfelf from Injuries, and inflict Vengeance ort «' all, who dare to infult it ? "

DEIST. Upon my Word, Doctor, I thought

t'Me Inf. you was going to ask me, whether this Miracle

se II7' does dot tend to perfuade People that the Image

is made of Flefh and Blood. But if the Story be

true, don't you think the Blafpbemcr was juftly

punifh'd ? — No-body will fuppofe you do.

For all that, was any one to throw a Stone, in a Rage, at my Mother's Pifture or my Son's, my Paflion would icarce be idle, if my Sword was ; and the Villain would take care how he enter'd my Houfe again.

LavleJe MYTHO. " One of the moft celebrated

S, Dominic « Images in Italy is that of St. Dominic, cf

p. 599- « Surriano in Calabria, which, as their Hiflories

's " teftify, was brought down from Heaven about

p. 602. " two Centuries ago, by the Virgin Mary in

41 Perfon, accompanied by Mary Magdalene and

<c St. Catharine. Before this glorious Picture, as

" they affirm, great Numbers of the Dead have

" been reft or ed to Life-) and hundreds from the

«« Agonies of Death ; the Dumb, the Blind., the

tf Deaf, the Lame have been cured, and all forts

" of Dif cafes and mortal Wounds miraculoufty

«' beal'd : All which Facts are attefted by public

" Notaries -, and confirm'd by the Relations of

" Cardinals, Prelates, Generals and Priors of

" that Order ; and the Certainty of them fo

*' generally believed, that from the ninth of

" July

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 89

*e Jdy to the ninth of Augufl, the Anniverfary «« Feftival of the Saint, they have always counted " above a hundred thoufand Pilgrims, and many " of them of the higheft Quality, who come " from different Parts of Europe, to pay their " Devotions, and make their Offerings to this rt Pifture."

DEIST. You are acquainted, Doctor, and fo prefht0iy am I, with feveral of the Popijh Perfuafion, Difcourfe. Men of great Probity, Politenefs and Humanity : c- And tho* it cannot be prefumed we know all who deferve that Character, yet I expect to hear you have found out fome among thofe Notaries^ Cardinals or Prelates ; or, at leaft, among thofe of the Quality, who would fcarce think it their Intereft to be chowfed of their Senfes and Money to boot. Tell me -, how many have feign'd themfelves Dead, or fvvell'd their Legs, &c. to carry on the Farce ? Sure, you have fpared no Pains to make Difcoveries, fince you was re- folved to engage your Honor !

MY THO. Before I enter upon my Reflections I muft tell you another Story. " Aringhus, Roma Sub- *' touching upon this Subject, in his elaborate "«•«». " Account of Subtcrrane outs Rome, obferves ; that Tom- 2* " the Images of the BkJJ'ed Virgin Jhine out con- ?' \ 4* " tinually by new and daily Miracles, to the " Comfort of their Votaries, and the Confufion of " all Gain-fayers."

90 A POPISH PAGAN the Fiftion of

DEIST. Then I am pretty fure he did not know you.

MYTHO. " Within thefe few Years, fays he, " under every Pope fucceflively, fome or other " of our facred Images, efpecially of the more " ancient, have made themfelves illuftrious, and " acquired a peculiar Worfhip and Veneration " by the Exhibition of frem Signs •, as it is no- " torious to all, who dwell in this City. But " how can I pafs over in filence the Image of " St. Dominic ; fo confpicuous at this Day for *c it's never ceafing Miracles ; which attract the " Refort and Admiration of the whole Chriftian " World. This Picture, which, as pious Tra- cc dition informs us, was brought down from " Heaven, about the Year of our Redemption, ** 1530, is a mod foiid Bulwark of the Church " of CHRIST, and a noble Monument of the <e pure Faith of Chriflians, againft all the im- ec pious Oppofers of Image- Worfhip. Thevene- *' rable Image is drawn indeed but rudely, with- tc out the help of Art or Pencil ; sketched out " by a celeftial Hand ; with a Book in it's right, " and a Lilly in his left Hand ; of a moderate " Stature^ but of a grave and comely Afpedt, " with a Robe reaching down to the Heels. " Thofe who have written it's Hiftory, aflerr, *e that the Painters in the Attempt to copy it, " have not always been able to take fimilar " Copies i becaufe it frequently aflTumes a diffe-

" rent,

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 91

'* rent Air, and Rays of Light have been feen '* by fome to ifTue from it's Countenance •, and " it has more than once removed itfelf from one *' place to another. The Worfhip therefore of ** this Picture is become fo famous thro* all " Chriftendom, that multitudes of People, to " the Number of one hundred ihoufand and up- " wards i flock annually to pay their Devotions " to it, on the Feftival of the Saint : And tho' " it be ft range, which I have now related, yet u what I am going to fay is ftill ftranger, that " not only the original Piffure, made not by «« human but by heavenly Hands, is celebrated ". for it's daily Miracles, but even the Copy of it, <c which is pioufly preferved in this City, in the " Monaftery call'd St. Mary's above the Minerva > '* is famous alib in thefe our Days for it's per- " petual Signs and Wonders, as the numberlefs " votive Offerings hanging around it, and the " Bracelets and Jewels which adorn it, teftify. " DEIST. What, Doctor, do you mean by all this ? To ' reafon me into Popery ? Miracles at- tefted by public Notaries ; confirm'd by Cardinals and Prelates ; believed by thoufands ; by many even of the bigheft Quality ; notorious to the whole City of Rome, &c. without the leaft Proof of Forgery •, and fuch Miracles too ! Would not this make an Atheift ftagger ? You may indeed convince the World, by fuch Relations, that you are a Sceptic ^ but you will never prove that GOD'S G 3 Law*

93 rA POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of

Laws contradict the Dictates of Reafon, which infpires a Refpeft and Veneration for every thing that reprefents what is Holy> or belongs to what is Holy : And you know very well, that this is all every Catholic means by Worjhip in point of Images.

MYTHO. Sir, was you in the lead Danger,

what I have to fay would foon fet you to rights

pfce£rf£. again. " All their Apologifts indeed declare,

JJkjf- « what our Catholic alfo fays on this Head, Page 251. ****

" that they do not afcribe thefe Miracles to any " Power in the Image itfelf ; but to the Power " of GOD ; who is moved to work them by the " Prayers and Interceflion of his Saints, for tl^e " Benefit of thofe who have fought that Inter- " ceflion before their Pictures or Images ; and " in order to bear Teftimony to the Faith and " Practice of the Church in this particular Ar- *' tide."

DEIST. It is not the firfb time the Devil has been forced to tell the Truth — Did you not tell me juft now that fome Divinity or -Power is univerfally believed to refide in Images? " That <c Certificates declaring all their Toys to have *8 been touched by the BleJJed Image of Loretto, ?< are provided for no other Purpofe, but to ?' humor the general Perfuafion of the Buyer *' and Seller, that fome Virtue is communicated " by that Touch from a Power refiding in the *6 Image ? " And now you tell me, that all their

Divines;

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 93

Divines teach point Blank the Reverfe -, that all their Apologias give you the Lye — Can any Man of Senfe be brought to imagine, that the People univerfally believe the Reverie of what they are taught, or are ignorant of what all their Divines declare, and what they have in their Catechifms tranicribed from the Decrees of their Councils ? I mean in a Country where they are taught, that it is from the Paftors of the Church they mult underftand the true Senfe of reveal'd Doctrines. Can any Man of Senfe be perfuaded, that Bffiops and Priefts of different, extenfive, and diftant Nations, of different Interefts can combine in carrying on a Delufion, in Oppofition to what they all explicitly Teach and Profeis ? Indeed, Doctor, this is an unlucky Omen -, it fmells Rank.

MYTHO. " But, Sir, how can we think it " pofllble, that the Deity can be moved to exert " his Power fo wonderfully for the Confirmation *' of fuch ridiculous Stories, of Piftures and " Statues fent down from._Heaven ; which while " they blafphemoufly impute to the VVorkman- " fhip Q$ Saints i or Angel 's, or of GOD himfelf^ " are yet always fo rudely and contemptibly per- " form'd, that a moderate Artift on Earth would *' be afhamed to call them his own ? "

DEIST. The Queftion, if I underftand it,

will not be, what we have a mind to think pof-

ftble or ridiculous. — In a Difpute with a Papjft,

jt will not fignify one Straw what a thoufand of

G 4 us

94 -A POPISH PAGAN the Fitticn of

us think. You know, we can fubfcribe, with an Oath even, to Articles ; and not think ourfclves

obliged to believe half of them But who ever

told you that Miracles are wrought in Confirma tion of Pictures and Statues fent from Heaven ? Not our Catholic. 3Tis but a Moment fmce you gave us, in his Name, two quite different Reafons ; and all their Apologifts, you own, alledge the

fame ; not even 'Aringhus excepted. As to the

particular Story of St. "Domini? s Picture being brought from Heaven, or any other -, every Papift will think himfelf at full Liberty to believe it, disbelieve it, or fufpend his Judgment, according as he judges the Authority, it's grounded upon, more or lefs prevalent. By what I myfelf have read in their Divines, I can venture to anfwer for it i prove you but the Story falfe, or any other Miracle, they fhall j%in with you, not only in calling it ridiculous', but alfo in branding the Importer an Impious Knave : Yes, and thank you for the Difcovery ; tho* they will tell you at the fame time that, if ridiculing was proving, the Belief of a GOD would have been banifh'd long ago our Republic.

MYTHO. Pray, Sir! How can you anfwer for the Thanks my Difcoveries would meet with?

DEIST. Very rationally, and without the leaft fear of a Papift's flinching : Becaufe their Divines all teach, that it is a damnable Sin to to forge a Miraclea or to publifh Counterfeits for

true

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN^ 95

true ones ; not one of them dare to deny, but that it is a damnable Sin to make Go D the Author of a Lye, tho' the Lye be in itfelf, in their Lan guage, a venial Sin only.

MY THO. But, Sir; is it not blafpherr.ous to impute the Workmanfhip of an Image, a mo derate Artift would be afhamed to call his own, to the Saint s^ or Angels ', or to GOD himfelf? *

DEIST. Your Antagonift would tell you, that either you look upon Blafpbemy to be no Sin ; or you are as little capable of judging what it is, as you affect to be of judging what Worjhip is. For my Part I own I mould think it Atbeiftical^ to allow the Shame of the beft Artift in the Uni- verfe to prefcribe Rules to the Omnipotent — I can adore the Divine Will in the Production of a Gnat, with the fame Submiffion as in the Production of an AngeL

MY THO. " Is it at all credible, that the " Saints in Heaven mould be as bufy and am- " bitious as their Votaries are on Earth to ad- " vance the peculiar Honors of their feveral «' Altars, by their continual Intcrceffions at the " Throne of Grace ? "

* We learn from Origin, Lib. 6. cent Celfum, that this Heathen derided the Chriftians for worfhipping, as Go D, a little deform d Man. I will not imitate our Mytkologijl fo fer as to pretend every Simile demonftrates an Ape ; but I will venture to fey, the fame Spirit that furniih'd Celfus with his Objection was the Doftor's Prompter,

DEIST.

96 A POPISH PAGAN the Fi&ion of

DEIST. I guefs'd where you had been dip ping ; and take it from me, the Papifts will doubt whether or no you believe there are any Saints in Heaven. They will be fure you have no Notion of that State of Blifs, no more than a Heathen. They will teach you, that in Heaven there is neither Ambition nor Hurry : That the Saints, without the leaft Buftle, can be employed in glorifying GOD, to whom they know all Ho nors and Altars belong, and execute at the fame time what Orders he is pleafed to charge them with for the Increafe of his Glory upon Earth ; that they can likewife pray for us Mortals with out the leaft Danger of being tired.

MYTHO. But is it at all credible " that *' their whole Care above, if they really have " any which reaches to things below, mould *c be employ 'd, not for the general Advance- " ment of Religion and Piety among Men, " but of their own private Glory and Worlhip, *' in preference to all their Competitors ? No " the Abfurdity of fuch Notions and Practices " makes it necefiary to believe, that they were " all occafionally forged for the Support of fbme " lucrative Scheme •, or to revive the expiring *' Credit of fome favorite Superftition, which '* had been found highly beneficial to the Con- " trivers of fuch Forgeries. "

DEIST. Pray, Doctor, what lucrative Scheme have you to fupport ? What favorite Superftition

have

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 97

have you to revive ? Thofe that don't know you might ask the Queftion ; for thefe Noodle Noti ons of the Saints being Bufy and Ambitious, &c. of their neglecting the General Advancement of Religion and Piety, &c. fuch Notions, I fay, with you, are Conclufions fo monftroufly abfurd, that they muft of neceffity have been occafionally forged by a Hobbs ; and tho* you have adopted them, was your Benefice or Proteftantifm in Danger, as they are not, I am afraid they would not prove fo highly Beneficial as you may imagine.

MYTHO. Sir, you miftake me. — The ab- furd Notions I mention are Inferences I draw from the Popijh Practices —— What I call For- \ geries. are their Miracles. — " For the very " Effect, of which they boaft, as a Proof of ce the Miracle, betrays the Fraud -, and the Mul- *' titude of Pilgrims and Offerings, to which " they appeal, inftead of demonftrating the " Truth of the Fact, does but expofe the real tc Ground of the Impofture. 'J

DEIST. Juft fo, Doctor, have I, in my younger Days, with many of my Companions, argued againft, or rather ridiculed Divine Pro vidence itfelf. — But if thofe Notions are your Inferences, where is the Miftake in faying you have adopted them ? I could never imagine them the Produft of a Popijh Brain — Pray, Doctor, againft our next Meeting put this laft Sentence of yours into a Syllogifm, that we may better

comprehend

98 A POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of

comprehend the Fraud with the Force of your Dsmonftration, or Impofture, call it which you pleafe •, but be fure not to forget the Fox in the Fable, that quarrell'd with every one's Tail be- caufe he had loft his own — Example, you know, is a ftrong Incentive.

I could likewife wifh you would oblige the World with your learned Comments upon the Miracles related by St. Auguftin. He can furnifh you, Lib. xxii. de Civ. Dei, c. viii. and in his Sermons with upwards of threefcore and ten, wrought in his Diocefe, when he was Bifhop about the Year 425, at the Relic-ues of the glo rious Martyr St. Stephen in lefs than two Years time. He allures us even of a greater Number wrought at the fame Saint's Reliques, during that time, in other Parts of Africa. Among thefe, he mentions Lucillus, a Bifhop near Hyppo, miraculoufly cured of a Fiftula j and a blind Woman, who recover*d her Sight by putting Flowers, which had touch'd the Reliques, to her Eyes — Of thofe done in his own Diocefe, he relates three Perfons raifed to Life, with other Miraculous Cures ; at fome of which he himfelf was prefent.

Now, your Admirers will doubdefs be glad to hear you holding forth upon, what Divinity and Power St. Augujlm thought refided in thofe Reliques ; what Virtue he imagin'd was commu nicated from them to the Flowers : How Bufy

and

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN'. 99

Ambitious he fancied St. Stephen in advancing the 'peculiar Honor of his Altar, and promoting his own private Glory and Worjhip in Preference to his Competitors, with a Negled of the General Advancement of Religion and Piety among Men — Or if thefe Inferences be ftupid Atheiftical Blaf- phemies, as St. Auguftin would certainly have judged them -, tell us, what would he have faid of the Logician, and his Skill, that concluded them ?

If here is not matter enough to work upon ; the fame Saint, loc. cit. Civ. Dei. & Lib. ix. Confejf. and St. Ambrofe Epift. liv. in Edit. Eene- dit. Epift. xxii. will inform you of many others, and moft Authentic Miracles, done at the Re- llques of the Holy Martyrs Gervajius and Pro- fteifms, at Milan, Anno 386, of that of a blind Man, call'd Severus, who approaching to the Reliques, was before all the People, prefently reftored to his Sight, St. Ambrofe alfo prefent. — Miracles done at the 'Tomb, and by the latercef- fion of St. Felix, a Prieft of Nola, are attefted by St. Paulinus, Carm. 16.21, 22. and St. Au- guftin Epift. cxxxvii. & Lib. de cura pro mortuis cap. xvi. .As others at the Reliques of St. An drew, St. Luke, and St. Timothy, are attefled by St. Jerom Lib. cont. Vigilantium, and by St. Gre~ gory Nazianzen, Orat. iii. qu<e eft i. cont. Ju-

lianum. Tom. i. Edit. Par. 1630. Page 36.

Numbers of fuch Legends you may find in the

Popijb

ico A POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of

Popilh Antiquities, give yourfelf but the trouble to fearch — Nor would it be amifs, I think, to clofe the Rear with that remarkable Paffage of I'heodoret, who was Bifhop from about the Year 420, till 457 or 58- " We fing often, fays he, " to GOD every Day the Praifes of the Martyrs ; " and thofe that are in Health, pray that it may *' be continued ; thofe that are Sick, pray that " they may be cured •, thofe that want Children, " pray for that Bleffing, &c. Thofe who arc " about to take a Journey, ask of the Martyrs " that they would be their Companions, and " Guides upon the Road. Such as are return'd " fafe acknowledge the Favour •, not approach- " ing to them as if they were Deities ; but pray- " ing to them as moft fanctified Men, and de- " firing them to be InterceJJors for them. And " that thofe 'who ask faithfully, obtain their tc Requefts -, it appears by the Donaries ivitnejfing " their Cures. For fome hang up the Refem- " blames of Eyes, fome of Feet, others ofHands^ •' made of Gold or Silver. Which their Lord, " howfmall and inconfiderable fo ever the Gifts <{ be, difdains not to accept, meafuring the Gift " by the Ability of the Giver — Thefe mew the " Martyrs Power, and that the GOD whom " they worfliipp'd, is the true GOD." Thus 'fhecdor. de cv.randh Gr Decorum affeflionibus Serm. viii. qui eft de Martyribus, Tom. iv, Edit. Par, Anno 1642. p. 605. D.

MYTHO.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 101

MYTHO. Sir, I don't know what I may do if provok'd. *' But to return to my Antagonift: " If we mould ask him once more, whether " there ever was a Temple in the World, not " purely Heathenim, in which there were any " Images erefled on Altars, for the purpofe of " any Religious Worfhip whatfoever ; he muft " be obliged to anfwer.in the Negative. "

DEIST. 'Tis very probable, he will fcarce think it worth his Breath to contradict you : But if you will take a trip into Rujflia you may find there Churches, neither purely Heatbenijh nor yet Popijh, full tf Images — And in Denmark, among Seet Gor' your Lutheran Brethren, you will perhaps meet f.a^ Crucifixes.

MYTHO. " He would be forced likewife to " confefs, that there were many fuch Temples " in Pagan Rome, and particularly the Pantheon, " which remains ftill in Chriftian Rome ; on " who's numerous Altars as there formerly flood tf the Images of as many Pagan Divi or Idols, *' fo there are now {landing the Images of as " many Popi/h Divi or Saints ; to whom the This every •c prefent Romans pay their Vows and offer J''"1^^!11

iiiv is P ulic

*' Prayers, as their Inclinations feverally lead becaufe all' " them to this or that particular Altar : And no ^w are

*' Man will pretend to fav, that there is not the ^ade ,to

/> ^ r i <* GOD alone,

4 greateft Conformity between the prefent and the

" ancient Temple -, or that it would not be dif- " ficult to furnifli out a private Room more

14 exactly

102 A POPISH PAGAN the Fittion of

<e exactly to the Tafte of the old Romans, than " this Popi/h Church ftands now adorn'd with all " the Furniture of their old Paganifm. "

DEIST. That is to fay, Doctor-, whether we adore GOD, honor his Saints and beg their In- terceflions ; or adore Beelzebub with his infernal Legions ; the Worfhip is all the fame — It is to fay ; no Man will pretend but that the Images of a Crucified SAVIOUR, his Virgin Mother with thofe of the twelve Apoftles, are exattly to the 'Tafte of the old Romans ; the Furniture of their old Paganifm ; they fpeak an exaft Confor mity with the Idols of Jupiter, Venus, Bacchus, &c. thefe Pagan Di-vi, and thofe Popi/h Di-vi are all of the fame Clan — What will a Chriftian be obliged to call this, Doctor, by pujbing it to it's full length ?

CHAP. VJII.

fame SUBJECT continued.

MYTHO. " TYTE are inform'd by Plato, " V V tnat there were Images in " the Temples of JEgypt from the earlieft An- " tiquity. '*

DEIST. What do you mean by the earlieft Antiquity ? Plato could learn nothing to be de pended upon of the Times that preceded Mofes, but from Scripture,

MYTHO.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 103

MYTHO. Well, Sir; — " and it appears " evidently from Scripture, that they fubfifted u there as well as in Pal*ejline> before the time ec of Mofes. "

DEIST. No- body will deny but that there were Images in jEgypt -and elfewhere before the time of Mofes ; but that they were in Temples before his time, is fo far from appearing evi dently from Scripture^ that it does not appear there was a Temple*

MYTHO. Sir, the being of & Temple before Mofes's time is a Point I mall not inflft upon 5 but you will own there were Images.

DEIST. I have already told you, no-body denies it.

MYTHO. " The ftridt Prohibition of then! *' therefore to the Jews, while feveral other " Rites of the Heat bens v?tre indulged to them, in <c condefcenlion to their peculiar Circumftances " and carnal Affections, carries a ftrong Inti- " mation, that Images are of all things the *

" moft

* Alex. Rofs> who cannot be fufpefted of inventing Lyes to

defame the Reformation, after he has number'd in one Que-

ftk>n twenty four Sefts fprung from Lutkercmifm, concludes

thus: " Hence we may fee what a dangerous Gap hath been

made fmce Luther began to oppofe the Church of Rome, for the

little Foxes to defray CHRIST'S Vineyard ; what multitudes

of Tares ha<ve gro-ivn up among the good Corn in the Lord's

Field ; 'what trcublefome Frogs, nvorfe than thofe ofj£,gypt,

have crawl'd into moft Metis Houjes; ivkaf Swarnn of

Locufts have darkened the Sun of Righteoufnefs wuhilft he

H

104 <A POPISH PAGAU the Fttfton of

" mod dangerous to true Religion ; as tending " naturally to corrupt it, by introducing Super- " ftition and Idolatry into the Worfhip of GOD.'* DEIST. Remember, Doctor, how you con cluded our laft Difcourfe — Can any mortal Man alive believe true Religion or the Worjhif of one Go D Part of your Concern ?• No, Doctor, no ; you have verified the good old Proverb, As we tonverfe fo we become^ you have Idolized every Hero, Heathen Hiftory or Fiction has furnifh'd your darling Study ; and now, Spleen and Rage at their Difgrace has engaged you to pawn your All for a Letter of Mark to make Reprifals, with out allowing you a Screen — However for fear you mould continue proclaiming every Falfhood a Demonftration, and after all plead the Want

of

" was Jhining in the Firmament of his Church. " Sefl. 8. 9. iz.Vievu of all Religions. And Sefl. 12. 9. 12. fpeaking of the Englifi Nation in particular he fays : " We received Chri- " ftianity as foon as any Nation in Europe : Whether by the " preaching of St. Peter, or St. Paul, or Simon Zelotes, or " Jo/tfb °f -drimatbea, I know not ; but all agree we re- " ceived it very early, and have continued ever iince in the «' Profeflion thereof; neither was there ever any Nation more " devout and zealous in the Advancement thereof, as our " goodly Temples, Monafteries, Hofpitals, Colleges and Schools " can witnefs ; but alas f now Quantum mutamur ab illis Au- tf gfigen's? What is there kft among u$, but the bare Sktle- " ton of Religion, the Pital Subftance thereof being eat up " and confumed by Herefas and Blafpbemies, worfe than any " Sarcophagus. I may here with Jeremiah complain, that " from the Daughter of Sinn all her Beaut}- is departed, her

" Princes

G PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 105

of a charitable Admonifher j here is your An- fwer — You fuppofe, in the firft Place, that Images were ftrictly forbid the Jews «, that is, you equivocate ftill. Your Antagovifi has proved the Suppofition falfe from the Command Go D numbx&m lay'd upon the Jews to make Images -, even the See Catb.

Imare of a Brazen Serpent for the miraculous $•

9 Page 2481

healing of thofe who were bit by the fiery Ser pents. Secondly ; you fuppofe that feveral other Rites of the Heathens were indulged to the Jews; this again your Antagonift has flatly deny'd, and the Denial ftill ftands good : What then muft the Conclufion be, drawn out of fuch Premifes ? — A Chriftian, he would fay, would rather have argued thus : JTis evident from Scripture that GOD commanded the Jews, tho* prone to Idolatry, to make two Cherubims of beaten Gold,

" Princes are become like Harts, &fr. How is the Gold become " fb dim, and the moil fine Gold changed, and the Stones of " the Sanctuary are fcatter'd in every Corner of the Streets, " &c. " By this fhort Sketch our Doflor might have learn'd that there is one thing much more dangerous to true Religion, than Images.

Addit. The fame Author, having given a Defcription of the Ranters, 9. 16. makes the following Remark, which, I don't doubt, will be as great a Pleafure to a certain Englijh Doflor as the above-mention'd muft have been to the Dutch- Mytbologift. " But this Age, fays he, which is much more " fruitful of Religions, than of Good-works, of Scripture " Phrafes than of Scripture Practices ; of Opinions than of " Piety ; has fpawn'd more Religions, than that Lady of Hoi- " land did Infants : " That is, more than one for every Day in the Year.

H 2 and

io6 A POPISH PAGAN tie Fi&ion i>f

and to place them over the Ark of the Covenant in the very Sanfluary of his Temple ; therefore Images ought not to be ftiled dangerous to true Religion, much lefs the moft dangerous of all things, &c.

Again, if GOD prefcribed to the Jews any Rites the Heathens had made ufe of; no Man can deny, a Manicb<ean excepted, but fuch Rites were in themfelves Innocent at leaft, and not Ido latrous. Thus, you fee, Doctor, with what Arms you have provided your Adverfary, inftead of proving your Text.

MYTHO. " The Chriftian Emperors, as I *£ have intimated in my Letter, ftrictly prohi- " bited their Pagan Subjects, to light up Candles* tc offer Incenfe, or hang up Garlands to fenflefs ** Images : For thefe were then reckon'd the «' notorious Acts of genuin Paganifm. "

DEIST. So would our Catholic reckon them now in a Pagan Temple ; what is more, fuch he would reckon bowing, kneeling, praying, adoring, &c. But, why was you fo unfmcere, Doctor, in your Letter, as to leave your Readers to guefs whether or no the Prohibition did not ex tend to the Chriftian, as well as to the Pagan Subjects ? Or rather, to incline us to judge the Prohibition was univerfal? I knew, 'tis true; but a Papift has a right to ask the Queftion — However he cannot fay but your Interpretation makes amends,

MYTHO.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 107

MYTHO. Sir, the Papifts are ready enough to cenfure every Communion but their own -, and '* yet we now fee all thefe very A6ts, / *' have mentioned) perform'd every Day in Pepi/h Cl Countries to the Images of the Popi/h Saints."

DEIST. The Difparity is this, Doctor ; the Images of the Popijh Saints are Images of Saints indeed ; but the Images of the Pagan Dtvt, were Images of Devils , either poflefs'd or obfefs'd by Devils. Now you may plead the Caufe of a Romulus as long as you pleafe, and panegyrize his Virtues, you wijl never perfuade a Papift to pay him, or any thing that belongs to him, the leaft RefpeEi or Veneration ; they would not buy your Favor at fo dear a Purchafe.

MYTHO. " In a Word, fince there never *l was an Image in the Temple of the true GOD, *c in any Age of the World ; yet a perpetual Ufc *c of them in all the Temples of the Heathens ^ " it is in vain, to difpute about the Origin 5 the " thing is evident to a Demonftration ; they " muft neceflarily be derived to the prefint *c Romans , from thofe, who always ufed, and 44 not from thofe who always detefted them ; " that is, from their Pagan^ not their Chriftian " Anceftors."

DEIST. What do you fay, Doftor ? Was not

Salomon's Temple a Temple of the true GOD ?

I mould not at all wonder if you are told the

D---1 owed you a Shame for defending hisCaufe

H 3 fo

ic8 A POPISH PAGANY&? Fi&ion of

fo ridiculoufly — You put me in mind of Punch in the Puppet-foow ;

In bluftering Mood he kicks, and fwears Nonfenfe is Demonflration.

Strange ! Becaufe the Devil is an Ape, muft it be an evident Confequence, evident to a Demon- ftration, that our Reafon extends itfelf no farther than mimicing 1 How far you may anfwer for your own, I will not fay •, but I have told you already, Nature itfelf forces us to love and defire

our Cu- l^e Ima&es °f thofe we efteem and value ; and

ftom, that there is not a Cobler or a Porter in the World, mentis compos, but knows as well as the ableft

the Devil Divine, that a Perfon may be honored or affronted.

the Pope by a Refpeft or Contempt levelled at his Pifture.

andP«- Are not Malefactors hang'd or burn'd in

^"^

Effigies ? Do we not fee the Pictures and Images of our Friends and Sovereigns treated with Honor and Refpeft ? And will you conclude, that this is a LeiTon taught us only in a Heathen School ? No, Doctor, no ; this Tendency of our Paflions to Reprefenta fives, and whatfoever belongs to the Object of our Love or Hatred, proceeds cer tainly from an inbred Principle of Nature ; to deny it, is to give the Lye to the general Voice of all Mankind ; 'tis affronting Reafon, to put a trick upon our Understanding. — - So that, tho* your ftiiing the Primitive Fathers, who encou raged Piflures in Chrijlian Churches, Pcgan An-

cejiors

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. ceftors of the prefent Romans is a fcurrilous Piece of Impiety, no Chriftian will difpute your Till* to ; yet to pretend they muft have taken their. Inflections from the nal Pagans, is fuch a Piece of Nonfenfe, that you will never be believed to fpeak as you think.

MYTHO. Sir, " they may quibble as long " as they pleafe, and talk of their Decrees and " Canons , * contrived to amufe the Public, and " elude the Arguments of Proteflants, by fubtle " and fpecious Diftindions, while every Travel- r.ies of " ler, who fees what panes at the Shrine of fome few «e any celebrated Saint , or miraculous Image in mra, en

9 ° of the lame

" Italy, will be convinced by ocular Demon- perfuafion " ftration, that their People are train'd up, in- with him- " ftrucled and encouraged to believe, that there {" " is a Divinity or Power refiding in tbofe Images^ *e and that they actually offer up Prayers and put "their Trui in them."

DEIST. You may as well tell us, whether they do or no, you will have it fo -, all the World mall believe it, tho* at the fame time you take care to tell them what you fay is not true. — For all that, I hope the Catholics will continue a better Opinion of Travellers, for my own fake — They may be fure that there is not one Pro- teftant Traveller in a thoufand that intends to de file the Prefs with his Memoirs •, and fewer there are Sapientipotents to thank you for the Compli-

* Ridiculous beyond meafure!

H 4 ment

A POPISH PAGAN the Fittion of ment you pafs upon their Judgments. But, Doctor, if neither Decrees nor Canons ; add, nor Catechifms, nor Profejfions of Faith ; nor the Writings of their Divin.s made public to all the World, and which, you yourfelf fay, teach that there is no Divinity or Power refjding in Images of any Kind 5 that they neither offer up Prayers to them, nor put their truft in them ; if all this, I fay, is not fufficient Proof of a People's Belief, and what they are train'd up to, how can any Proteftant Church in Chriftendom prove her Belief mCbrift. You might talk till Doom's- Day, was an Adverfary to take it into his Head to difpute this Article, he would not want for fuch Arguments as you are pleafed to call ocular De- monjlrations . And as to your own Perfon in par ticular, he would pretend to prove by real De- tnonjlration, that you don't believe one Article of the Creed-, nor would one Diftinftion, or Inter pretation, or Quibble, call it which you pleafe, fave your Bacon.

MYTHO. But, Sir; " If there is no fuch '' Belief amongft them, as this Catholic affirms, " for what Purpofe do they expofe thofe Images 11 fo folemnly, and carry them about ProceJJio- " nally on all Occafions of public Diftrefs. "

DEIST.

How very different is this Mythologies fcarrilous Language from the Dean of Winchejler\ Reflection in his Sermon preach'd before the Convocation on the fecond of December laft, and

printed

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. in

DEIST. Common Senfe, when join'd with common Honefty, would fay ; it is to move the People by the Sight of thofe Images, to glorify GOD and thank him for the BlefTings beftow'd upon his Saints ; to excite the People at the fame time, to implore GOD'S Mercy, and beg the Saints to join their Prayers, for a fpeedy Delive rance.

MYTHO. " Is there any Charm in a Block " of Wood or Stone to produce Rain, or avert " a Peftilence ? Or can fenfelefs Images have " any Influence towards moving the Will of " Go D ? No •, their Priefts are not fo filly as " to imagine it. "

DEIST. No, Doctor -, nor fo filly as to teach it. But they will tell you, both Scripture and

printed by Order ; in which fpeaking of Non Rejidence, he fays : " Even among the Roman Catholics, this Non rejident " tribe are, it is faid, very rare : So that if we were to con- tf fider them not with regard to what they believe, but to the " Diligence with which they look after their Flocks, we mould " think that they were the Reform'd at prefent, and our Re- " formation was ftill to come? " See the Dean of Winche- fter'.; Character of the Englijh Clergy, &c. Page 40. — And Page 17. the following remarkable piece of Advice the Dean gives his Brethren ; <vi-z. They Jhould fo manage Matters, that if they mujl take a Diverjion, or indulge in a lawful Pleafure nvw and then, it Jhould appear to be accidental, and not as if they had fought after it, or voluntarily embraced it ; his Tranflator, a Member of the lower Houfe of Convocation, cries out : " What Pharifee ever taught or pradifed fuch a " grofs piece of Hypocrify ! What Popifh Prieft e-ver counte- *J nanced Juch a monjlrous Prevarication. "

Experience

i r2 A POPISH PAGAN the Fiction of

Experience has taught them, that there is a very great Charm, if the Word may be allow'd, in the Prayers of the Faithful and of the Saints \ and that they have a great Influence towards moving the Will of Go D .

MYTHO. Sir, you are out; quite out, in deed. — " The fole End of producing them " is, not to move GOD, but the Populace ; to " perfuade the deluded Multitude, that there is e< a Power in the Images that can draw down " Bleffings upon them from Heaven : A Doc- " trine that repays all their Pains of inculcating *' it, by a perpetual Supply of Wealth to the " Treafury of the Church. This therefore, as " it appears from undeniable Fac"h, is the uni- " verfal Belief of all Popi/h Countries ; grounded *' as they all afiert, on the Evidence of perpe- *' tual Miracles, wrought by the particular <e Agency of thefe facred Images, of which I *c could produce innumerable Inftances from " their own Books. "

DEIST. None of them will doubt but Almighty GOD has wrought innumerable Miracles in Favor of thofe who have, before a Picture, begg'd his Aid, and the Saint's Interceffion, with Confidence^ Humility, and Perfeverance -, yet they will not believe one of your chufing without very good Authority — - How is it poffible they fhould, when you have the aflurance to tell us, they all offer t their Belief of a POWER IN IMAGES is

grounded

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 113

grounded on the Evidence of perpetual Miracles^ wrought by the PARTICULAR AGENCY of thefe IMAGES; tho* never any one, Man, Wo man, or Child among them, ever told you they were Fools enough to believe any fuch thing ; tho' their common Catechifms •, tho' all their -dpologifts, you have own'd, give you the Lye ? How can you poflibly expect any Man of Senfe will believe, as I faid before, you believe your- felf. — *Tis but this Moment you told us, that their Priefts, who are no fmall Part of the Uni- verfal, the All-, are not fo filly as to imagine it. How unluckily fome Perfons want Memory ! Not that you will be fufpefted to have repeated this out of an itching to tell the Truth ; don't miftake me : No ; 'tis plain you meant it only for the fake of repeating them Knaves — But we will hear your Reafon once more, fmce you feern to take fo much Pleafure in it — The Popi/h Priefts teach their People from their tender Infancy, that there is no Power or Virtue rejiding in any Image ivhatfoever ; their Books of Inftru&ion both in Latin and the Vulgar Tongues deliver the fame Doctrine ; not one can be produced that teaches the contrary: You know all this; yet you will have it that thefe very Priefts produce Images in Procefllons to perfuade the deluded Mul titude^ that there is a Power in them that can draw down Bleffwgs from Heaven: A Doclrinf that repays all their Pains of inculcating //, by a

perpetual

-A POPISH PAGAN the Fittion of perpetual Supply of Wealth to the Treafury of the Church. Can any thing be more monftroufly Nonfenfical ? But, Pray Dodor ; what great Wealth did you or I fee in the Church ^reafury in Italy ? The Churches themfelves, 'tis true, are a great many of them richly adorn'd ; but did we find their Clergy's Table better fet forth than ours ? — One would think if they all agreed to be Knaves together, they might as well agree to be Knaves for fomething — Should they all commence Proteftants at once, who could rob them of their Benefices ? And, what you know ly Experience is no weak Bait, every one might enjoy his Help-Mate -9 free from the Drudgery of a long and daily Divine Office, and tendering the Sacraments to the Well and Sick — What; would it fignify how the Churches are furnifh'd ?

MYTHO. I cannot think our Catholic^ in a Proteftant Country, will have the Impudence to call all Proteftants Knaves.

DEIST. No, Do&or ; nor do I think he will in any Country — You and he are of a quite dif ferent Profeflion — Nay, I am fure there is no Catholic but believes there ate People morally honeft in all Communions •, tho' they think we err in Religion, and thereby have deprived our People of all the Sacraments but Baptifm, which our SAVIOUR inftituted as Chanels for the Con veyance of Divine Grace, to enable us to obferve the Law of Nature. A great many even have

abolifh'd

'A PROTESTANT HEATHEN.

abolifh'd Baptifm ; and our Cafaimfts, you know, don't think it fo mighty necefiary as to leave good Company, or put themfelves in a Hurry, rather than a Child mould die without it. As to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, whether taken in one or both Kinds ; * if it be nothing but Bread and Wine it will do full as well, to eat the One and drink the Other at home ; a little Memory will compleat the reft : And fuch is the Sentiment of ninety nine in a hundred according to fober Computation, witnefs Prac tice. — See a plain Account of the Nature and End of the Sacrament , &c. London, Anno 1735. But furely, the Catholics may take the Liberty of cenfuring as Knaves their Priefts^ who fly from their Vows and commence hjidels to GOD — Experience even has taught us, not one of thefe Renegades will flick at dirty Work : And put them upon our Japan Veflels, they can, with as little Remorfe as yourfelf, tread upon a Cru- see ciftx, and profefs we are not Cbriftians> we are Geography. Hollanders.

Before

* Dr. Conyers Middleton in his Prefatory Difcourfe Page 70. pretends that " Our SAVIOUR Matth. xxvi. 27. exprefly com- " manded all bis Difciples to Drink of the Cup; " Without taking notice of what his Adver&ry had told him Page 6 a. viz. that the All that were then prefent were the twelve dpojiles only, who fulfili'd the Precept ; And they all drank ef it. St. Mark xiy. 23. but perhaps thje Doctor did not

know

i- 1 6 A POPISH PAGAN the Fi&ion of

Before I quit this Paragraph, I muft defirc

you will, at your Leifure, tell me your Opinion

of David's Sentiments concerning the Ark^ when

he with all his People, thirty thoufand, fetch'd

2 Sam. vi. it in Proceflion from Abinadab's Houfe, and

Uzzab was ftruck Dead for daring to touch it

Did David and his People imagine there was a

Divinity, a Power, a Virtue in the Ark which

could inflift Vengeance, on all who dared to infult

it? My Reafon for infilling upon your Anfwer

is, becaufe I find our Catholic has recommended

this Story to your Perufal with the following

Smart Reflexion : «« I fear the Doftor has no

Pref. Page <t great Opinion of this kind of Monuments

Z7« *' of Antiquity; the lels, becaufe he finds

know that our Bleffed SAVIOUR had feventy Difciples befidcs. St. Luke x. I .

Again, he fays ourSAviouR " Declared, that without tf drinking, they could haw no life in them, John vi. 53." Without drinking what? A little Wine? Our SAVIOUR'S Words are ; Verily, verily I fay unto you, except ye eat of the flejh of the Son of Man, and drink his Blood, ye have no Life in you. The belief of this is what the Doftor Page 179. calls " an Extravagance referved for Popery alone ; and what " an old Roman could not but think too grofs, even for " ^Egyptian Idolatry to Swallow. " Thus it is he makes bold with CHRIST himfelf, and contemptibly exchanges GOD'S Au thority for a Cicero's Ridicule of Pagan Folly : But can he jeverfe the Decrees of the All-Powerful? If he cannot, I am affraid he will find himfelf in a poor Pickle at that Tribunal, where neither Quibble nor Ridicule can withftand the Evidence of this one Demonilration : GOD hat faid Jo, therefore it i; truf.

" therein

^ PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 117

*e therein frequent mention of Miracles, which *' are things he can never Digeft, wherever he <c meets them."

There is likewife one thirig more I would re commend to your Confideration — By prying into the Popijh Divines, I perceive 'tis an univer- fally received Opinion among them, that every Clergyman who enjoys an Ecckjmftical Benefice is obliged under mortal Sin to give to the Poor all above what is fufficient for his decent Mainte- nance, avoiding all Extravagancies, and his Con- fcience is charged with it ; can you remember to have feen this Doctrine in ourPntf<?/?tf«/Cafuifts? A Man of your Genicus^ may eafily afford us fome Rallery or, &c. upon the Subject. But, now let us hear a few more of your pretty Stories, for I fee you are in a travelling mood.

MYTHO. " In a Collegiate Church of Re- " gular Canons, called St. Mary of Im$ntnetat " about fix Miles from Florence ', there is a mira- " culous Pifture of the Virgin Mary^ painted by *' St. Luke, and held in the greateft Veneration " thro' all Tufcany. "

DEIST. I know the Tufcans are Chriftians, and by confequence I can eafily believe they have a vaft Veneration for every thing that belonged to CHRIST •, particularly for his Virgin Mother.

MY THO. This Picture, " as oft as that State " happens to be vifited by any Calamity, or in- " volved in any peculiar Danger, is fure to be

*' broughfi

ii8. ^4 POPISH PAGAN tie Fittibn of

te brought out, and carried in Procefiion thro* *' the Streets of Florence ; attended by the Prince " himfelf, with all the Nobility^ Magiftrates and " Clergy •, where it has never fail'd to afford them " prefent Relief in their greateft Difficulties. " DEIST. Tho' I cannot wonder that CHRIST, who loved his Mother without doubt, fhould alfo love her Pifture •, yet it is very furprizing that fuch venerable Perfonages as Magiftrates , Nobility, and PRINCES, mould lift themfclves among the deluded Multitude. — Surely, Doctor, the Prayers of the 'Tufcans are very fervorous on thefe Occa- fions. One would imagine GOD intended to render this Picture full- as famous, as was once

John v. the Pool Bethefda ; and fliew that the Catholics are as much his Favorites as ever the Jews were. One thing I am pretty certain of ; had our Re public fuch a Picture, without their Religion thy would efteem it an ineftimable Treafure.

MY THO. " In Teflimony of what I have <{ related they produce Authentic Acts and Re- " cords, confirm*d by public Infcriptions, fetting " forth all the particular Benefits miraculoufly " obtain*d from each ProcefTion •, and the feveral " Offerings made on that Account to the facred " Image^ for many Centuries paft, down to " thefe very Times : From the Notoriety of " which Facts it became a Proverb over Italy, *l that the Florentines had got a Madonna , which " did for themy whatever they plcafed. "

DEIST.

a PkOTESTANT HEATHEN.

DEIST. The Proverb, I muft own, founds fomewhat too familiar, as moft Proverbs do — But can you fay, your favorite Pagans, Herodo tus, Plutarch, Virgil, Ovid, Cicero and fuch like, produce authentic Atts and Records for Proof of what they relate ?

MYTHO. " Among the numerous Infcrip- <e tions of this Sort, there is one in the Church

" of Impruneta, to this Effect •, That the

" facred Image being carried with folemn " Pomp into Florence when it was vifited by a " Peftilence for three Years fucceffively, and re- " ceived with pious Zeal by the great Duke, " Ferdinand II. and the whole Body of the *' People, who came out to meet it, and having " marched about the City for three Days in Pro- *' cefiion, the Fiercenefs of the Peftilence began " miraculouily to abate, and foon after entirely *' ceafed. Upon which the Magiftrates of Health, " by a general Vow of the Citizens, made an " Offering often thoufand Ducats of Gold to be ** emplo^d in providing Portions for twenty *' young Women of Impruneta to be difpofed of «« annually in Marriage, and placed that Infcrip- " tion as a Monument of fo fignal a Benefit, " A. D. 1633,"

DEIST. I hope, Doctor, you are provided with authentic Teftimonies of the Falfity of this Inf crip tion -, or elfe, was a Papift to tell me, a Sceptic could not defire a ftronger Proof for any

I Jiiftorical

120 A POPISH PAGAN the Fi&ion of

hiftorical Fact, I fhould not know how to give him a rational Denial. Pray inftruct me.

MYTHO. By and by — At prefent I mud go on with my Story — " During the time of " thefe Procefiions, they always infcribe certain " Hymns, or Prayers, or Elogiums of the Virgin, " over the Doors and other confpicuous Places " of each Church, where the Image repofes itfelf " for any time •, in order to raife the Devotion <e of the People towards the facred Object before " them/'

DEIST. I fuppofe you mean, towards the Virgin^ whofe Pifture they have before them — And indeed, when once a People is perfuaded that CHRIST is GOD ; to be devout to the Mother of Go E> is only following the Dictates of natural Reafon.

M y T H o. " In a Procefiion made A. D. 1711, " the following Infcription was placed over the *c principal Gate of one of their great Churches « —-The Gate of celeftial Benefit. The Gate " of Salvation. Look up to the Virgin herfelf.

" Pafs in to me all ye who defire me Who-

" foever fhall find me, will find Life and draw «c Salvation from the Lord. For there is no one, «« who can be faved, O molt Holy Virgin, but " thro* Thee. There is no one, who can be " deliver'd from Evils, but thro' Thee — There «« is no one, from whom we can obtain Mercy, " but thro* Thee. n

DEIST,

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 121

DEIST. In what Language, Doftor, was this Infcription ?

MYTHO. In La fin.

DEIST. Then it was not made to delude the Populace, I prefume. But, pray, let us have it in Latin.

MYTHO. You mall fo " Janua cceleftis

" Beneficii. Janua Salutis. Ipfam Virginem at- «' tendite. Tranfite ad me omnes qui concupifci- *' tis me — Qui me invenerit, inveniet vitam 6c . *' hauriet falutem a Domino. Nemo enim eft qui ** falvus fiat, O San&iffima, nifi per te. Nemo " eft qui Liberetur a malis nifi per te. Nemo 46 eft cujus mifereatur Gratia nifi per te. "

DEIST.

For the Information of the Ignorant and the Weak, the following Notandum, is the Catholic literal Meaning of the figurative Expreffions in this Infcription. •

N. B. Firji, CHRIST himfelf being the celeftial Benefit, cur Salvation ; Mary, the Mother of CHRIST, is call'd the Gate thro' which this celejlial Benefit, our Salvation enter'd the World. Secondly, Come to me all you ivt:o defer e me, is an In vitation to all, that defire to partake of her Glory, to follow her Exam pie, in the Virtues of 'Humility, Purity, Obedience, £c. and to beg her Prayers. Thirdly, Whofoe-ver Jhall find me, viz. in their Hearts by Love, mud love my Son, who is my GOD and his Go D ; and if he loves my Son he will obey his Command ments, and by Confequence will find Life and draw Salvation from him, the Lord. Fourthly, There is no one Saved, no one deliver'd from Evils, no one on^vhom our SAVIOUR, who is all Grace, has Mercy, but thro Thee ; becaufe it was Thee alone he was pleafed to chufe for his Mother ; and by Confequence, it was Thee and thy Obedience he made an Initrument of Man's Redemption, by demanding thy Confent, Luke i. 38.— -Fifthly, I 2 Mary

122 A POPISH PAGAN the Fiffion of

DEIST. I did not doubt but you would make the moft of a Translation — Had you turn'd the laft Sentence into Ewglijh thas : 'There is no one on whom Grace has Mercy, but thro* 'Thee ; in- ftead of faying, from whom we can obtain Mercys it would but have been, what the World calls fair-dealing. Again, a School-Boy would have given a better Turn to Tranfite ad me, than youf Pafs in lo me : And was you to ask an Italian to tranflate the two following Sentences, inftead of your can be he would fay /j, without the leaft lofs of their Beauty. — You will perhaps fay, thefe are childifh Criticifms — So be: But when a few innocent Hyperboles are metamorphofed into Herculean Clubs by one that would pafs for a Man of fome Learning, is it not to be fuppofed he expefts to be laugh'd at ?

Mary indeed cpenst &c. Her Charity being great, viz. pro- portion'd to the Dignity of the Mother of GOD, fhe mercifully prays for all ; fo that all partake, or may partake of her Prayers, if they are not obflinately rebellious againft her Son's Commands. Captives have been redeemed by her Prayers, the Siek have been cured, the Sad comforted; the Sinner has obtain'd Grace to repent, and by confcquence Pardon, by her Prayers ; fo have the Jujl received increafe of Grace by their Good-works, to which GOD, moved by the Virgin's Prayers, infpired them. And as all Good is to the Glory of the *vuhole Trinity ; as there is Joy in the Prefence of the Angels of GOD, over one Sinner that repents, Luke xv. 10. by Confequence, the Fit-gin, by her Prayers being instrumental to a Sinner!s Repentance, is an Inilrument to the Joy of the Slngels, and the Glory of the whole Trinity.

MYTHQ*

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. MYTHO. Sir, in theConclufion, of the fore ~ faid Infcription, are thefe Expreffions ; " Mary " indeed opens the Bofom of her Mercy to all ; M fo that the whole Univerfe' receives out of her " Fulnefs. The Captive, Redemption ; the Sick, " a Cure ; the Sad, Comfort •, the Sinner, Pardpn -, <* the Juft, Grace -, the Angel, Joy j the whole ** Trinity, Glory. " Now what can we fay of a " Devotion fo extravagant and blafphemous, but " that it is a Revival of ihe old Herefy of the Col- " lyridians -, maintain'd by a Sett of filly Women ; " who fell into their foolijh Error or Madnefs, <e as Eppbanius calls it, thro* an Exccfs of Zeal " towards the bleffed Virgin^ whom they refolved *c to advance into a Goddefs, and to introduce ** the Worfhip of Her as fuch into the Chri- « ftian Church. "

DEIST. Doctor, I know the Catholic Tenets fo well, that I cannot think there is the leaft Danger, tho* their Devotions have always been the fame to the Bleflfed Virgin, ever fmce even Chriftianity was in it's Infancy -, fo that, 'tis my Opinion, our Catholic in return will make you the Compliment St. Jerom made to Vigilantius .- 0 infelicem holninem^ & omni lacrymarum fonte •plangendum ! And I make no doubt but St. Epi- phanius would have rank'd you among the Anti- dicomarianite Heretics, had you been in his time, for your excejfive Contempt of the Mother of GOD. --— As to the Infcription that fcandalizes you fo I 3 extremely:

124 A POPISH PAGAN the Fi&ion of

extremely : Expect no better Satisfaction from a

Papiftt than the Verdict CHRIST pafied once

Mattb.xv. upon the Pbarifees : — Let them alone ; they are

J4- blind leaders of the blind -, and if the blind lead

the blind, both JJoall fall into the ditch.

I myfelf could furnim you with much more

authentic Memoirs for a Controverfy of this

Concern, than any you can call from fuch in-

fignificant Vouchers, and full as pithy. For

In the fe- Example — St. Iremeus fays : As Eve, by her

condAge Difobedience, was thcCaufe cf Death, &c. fo was

^^ J " Mary, by her Obedience, made, the Caufe of her

own and all Mankind's Salvation — Tertullian :

In the The gin that Eve committed by believing, Mary

ge' blotted out by believing. — St. Anfelm calls Mary,

Twelfth the Repairer of the loft World, Queen of Angels —

ASe- St. Bernard ftiles her, Repairer of our Proto-

parenls ; Life-giver to their Pojlerity In fine,

you

8. Trenaeus. Lib. iii. c. 33. SicutE'va inobediens fa.Eia> & Jlli fcf uni--verfo generi bumano cau/a faSla eft mortis : Sic & Maria, — Virgo obaudiens, iff fibi & univerfo generi bumano caufa fa£la eft falutis. TertulL Lib. de came Cbrijli c. 1 7. in Virgine fadlum efle ait, Ut quod per ejufmodi Sexum abierat in Perdiiionem, per eundem Sexum redigeretur in falutem. Cre- didit Eva ferpenti, credldit Maria Gabrieli. Quod ilia cre- dendo dcliquit, hsec credendo delevit. 5. Anfelm. Lib. de Ex- cellentia Virginis Maria:, Orbzs perditl Reparatricem, Regir.am Angelonim. S. Bern. Horn. 2. in Evang. Miffus eft, Parentum Reparatricem, Poflerorum Vivificatriccm. In periculis, in anguftiis, in rebus dubiis Mariam cogita, Mariam innjoca. To thefe may be added Pbotiufs Sermon upon the Nativity of the BleJ/ed Virgin : Sed tu, 0 Virgo & Verbi Parent Propitiatio

me a.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 125

you might fill a Folio Volume with fuch Expref' fions, in Praife of the Blefled Virgin, drawn from the ancient Chriftian Fathers.

But what I wonder at moft is, that St. Epi- phanius himfelf is not number'd among the filly Collyridians, fince 'tis to him you own yourfelf beholden for the Knowledge of this Jjlly Sett, Had you employed a little more time in perufing his Works you would probably have (tumbled upon fome of his high Flights in Praife of the fame Lady — The Grace, fays he, of the Holy Virgin is immenfe She is a golden Urn con-,

txea etc Refogium apud Filium tuum, ac Deum noflrum inter ce- dens, ac Mediatrix accedens, Laudatores tuos, ab omni forde emnique macula depttrgatos, coelefti thalamo dignos effice. See The true Church of Chrift, &c. Part 3. Page 255. Ann* 1715.

S. Epiphanius, de Laudibus Beatae Marls Virginia, Tom. it. Pag. 292. Edit. Par. 1622. Gratia Sanftse Virginia eft im-

txenfa, $>u<e ejl urna aurea continent manna ccelejle ;

ftsfjSJfattU perennis font is ctukedine fatiat .. . . folo Deo except* cunftis fuperior exijlit ; ipfa enim eji cceli & terrte Me diatrix Per tet 6 Sanfla Virgo, medius obJiruSionis Paries

inimicitias dijffblvit : per te, Pax ccelejlis donata eft mundo : per1 te homines fa£li funt Angeli : per te homines appellati feint

amid, fer<vi, & Jilii Dei ; per te homines fiduciam habcnt

in ceelo erga Altijfimum. Thus, this Saint was not afraid to exprefs his Efteem of the Blefled Virgin. And if the Do&or will take the Pains to read him Hxr. 79. §. 7. he will find the Do&rine of all Catholics perfe&ly well exprefs'd, between the two oppofite Errors of the Colly ridians and the Do&or's Friend's, Hh&Antidico — Marianites — Let Maty be honor'd, fays St. Epi- pbanius, iy TI^IJ Ira. But let only the Father, Son and Koly Ghoft be adored, t;gfff)>,iw&<&w.

I 4 taining

126 A POPISH PAGAN the Fittlon of

taming the cdeftial Manna ; thofe that are

dry Jhe fills with the Sweetnefs of an ever running

Fountain Go D alone excepted, Jhe is fuperior

to all ; Jhe is Mediatrix of Heaven and

Earth thro* Thee, O Holy Virgin^ the mid dle Wall of Obftruftion dijjolves Enmities : Thro9 Thee heavenly Peace was given to the World : Thro* 'Thee Men became Angels \ thro* Thee Men were

called Friends, Servants and Sons of GOD •,

thro9 Thee Men have their Confidence in GOD.

Now, Doctor; you cannot be ignorant of what is meant by all this Rhetoric. You have pafs'd too much of your time away upon Cicero, not to be acquainted with Figures and Tropes — You know the Church of Rome believes CH R IST to be GOD, King of Heaven, King of Angels-, that CHRIST is Mercy, Grace, Salvation, &c. She believes Mary, tho* a pure Creature, the Mother of GOD ; Mother therefore of the King of Heaven, &c. Titles that fufrkiently juftify

all that Church has ever faid in her Praife.

In effect ; is it poffible to imagine any one can Love and Honor CH R i s T , that does not Love and Honor his Mother ? Can we imagine CH R i s T will love thofe who contemn Her ? Can Reafon help concluding her Interceffion to the Throne of Grace muft be powerful, her Charity extenjive? No ; and therefore the Catholics, conformable to their Belief, are taught to fay daily : Holy Mary, Mother of GOD, pray for us Sinners, now

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN.' 127

and at the Hour of our Death , Amen. That is,' they are taught to defire a Creature to Petition the Creator.

You know all this to be literally true •, and you ought to know that a Catholic never will fay to CHRIST, as Man, pray for us, for fear it fhould give Occafion to believe him only Man : and for you to pretend the Popiflj Devotions to the Blefied Virgin, all full of that fame Phrafe, pray for MS, are a Revival of the old Herefy of the Collyridians, an Introduction of the Worjhip of the Bleffed Virgin, as a Goddefs ; what can you think People will conclude, but that you have Jhaked Hands with common Veracity ? If you will follow my Advice ; tread in Clark's zndfFbtjMn'a Steps; or you may perhaps like Chubb for a better Guide: Work upon proving CHRIST is not GOD ; you will certainly catch them here, be- caufe they will never deny they adore him — Or -«lfe prove that, pray for us, is an Adi of Ado ration or fupreme Worfhip ; due to Go D alone : And to pufh your Argument to it's full Length, infift upon it that it is the felf fame thing to defire a Saint to pray to GOD, as to defire an Imp to pray to Beelzebub.

MYTHO. Sir, " I cannot difmifs the Story

" of this wonderful Pifture, without giving the

" Reader fome Account of it's Origin, as it is

' deliver'd by their Writers, not grounded as

" they fay, on vulgar Fame, but on public

" Records,

128 A POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of

" Records, and Hiftories, confirm'd by a per- '* petual Series of Miracles — When the In- " habitants of Impruneta had refolved to build a " Church to the Virgin, and were digging the " Foundations of it with great Zeal, on a Spot " mark'd out to them from Heaven •, one of " the Laborers happen'd to ftrike his Pick- Ax *e againft fomething in the Ground, from which " there ifiued prefently a complaining Voice or «' Groan. The Workmen being greatly amazed, " put a flop to their Work for a while, but <c having recover'd their Spirits after fome Paufe, *c they ventured to open the Place, from which <c the Voice came, and found the miraculous « Image. "

DEIST. Now you have done with your Story, tell us ; how many Popim Vouchers have you For it?

MYTHO. I took it from a Book intitled, Me- morie Iftoriche delta Miraculofa Immagine^ &c. in Firen. 1714. Quarto, Page 85, 202, 234, 53.

DEIST. So that the Author of every Story- Book you can pick up muft pafs upon the Public for, they produce ; their Writers ; they fay ; they affirm^ &c. In the Stile, I fuppofe, of a Tra veller. However I fee nothing impoffible in the Account you have given us concerning the Origin of this Miraculous Pifture, tho* 'tis a Story, I believe, few Catholics will think it worth their while to go to Im$runela to fearch their Archives

for-—

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 129

for — But fuppofmg it falfe ; does this prove the Infcription, in the Church of Impruneta, falfe; which according to your Account is not, now even much above a hundred Years fcanding ? Does it prove that Marriage Portions were never given to twenty young Women of that Place ?

MYTHO. Sir, " this calls to my Mind a <£ Pagan Story, of the fame Stamp, and in the <c fame Country, preferved to us by Cicero ', con- <e cerning the Origin of Divination. That a " Man being at Plough in a certain Field of ** Etruria^ and happening to ftrike his Plough <e fomewhat deeper than ordinary, there flatted " up before him out of the Furrow, a Deity, <e whom they call'd fages. The Plough-man " terrified by fo ftrange an Apparition made " fuch an out-cry, that he alarm'd all his Neigh- *' bours, and in a fhort Time drew the whole •<e Country around him ; to whom the GOD, in <c the hearing of them all, explain'd the whole <e Art and Myftery of Divination : Which all " their Writings and Records affirm'd to be the *' Genuin Origin of that Difcipline, for which <c the old 'Tufcans were afterwards fo famous. " *

DEIST.

* I have often heard fay, " Travellers lye by Authority ; " but it was never known, Tranflators could claim the Privilege ; nor is it to be thought, the Doctor would impofe on fo great a Man as Cicero • — Thofe therefore, that may have the Curiofity to read this ridiculous Story in Cicero himfelf, Ihould take No tice diat by Retards, our Doctor means conjuring Booh ; that

by

130 A POPISH PAGAN the Fittion of

DEIST. Did you ever read the Creed, Doctor, without being put in Mind of Orpheus^ defcent into Hell ? - I expected you would fmile.

MYTHO. Well I may " Thefe two

" Stones, forged at different Times, in the " fame Country, and for the fame End of fup- *' porting an Idolatrous Worfhip, bear fuch a <e Refemblance to each other, that every one " will fee the one to have been a bungling Imi- " tation of the other. "

DE IST. You have bungled it with a Witnefs ; and fo bungled it, that even with the Help of it*s Embroidery, viz. forged at different times, in the fame Country, and for the fame End of fupporting an Idolatrous Worjhip -, none but a Tages or a Coufin German could have divined a Refemblance.

Your Argument, Doctor, if it may be allow'd this Nonfenfical Appellation, is, I fuppofe, what you would have call'd, an Argumentum a pari ; and muft run thus : — The Pagan Tufcans, to fupport an Idolatrous Worfhip^ forged the ftart- ing up of a 'Tages out of a Furrow, before the Plough, who taught them the whole Myftery of Divination ; therefore, a pari, the Ckriftian Tufcans, to fupport an Idolatrous Wor/hip, forged

by all the Tufcan Writers, he means only fame Conjurers. — . And if Cicero does not fay that the Vufcans either believed or called their Tages a Deity, we ought with Gratitude to acknow ledge the important Difcovery oif an Idol hitherto perhaps un known to the whole Tribe of Heathen Mythologifu.

th<3

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN." 131

the Invention of the Bleffed Virgin's Image, un der Ground, while they were digging the Foun dations of a Chriftian Church at Impruneta Now our Catholic will fay, and all the World will agree, that when a repeated Calumny is brought in begging the Queftion, as the only Dif- proof of an Hijlorical Faft, it is a ftrong Proof that the Calumniator is Nonplufs'd.

MY T HO. Indeed ! — They fhall fee that — They fhall fee I can fhew my Teeth ftill.

DEIST. I did not mean, Doctor, they would pretend to put a Padlock upon your Mouth, or clap your Pen in Chains : According to them, every Man has Free-will — If a Man will walk F ^ in the way of Cain, and run greedily after the juje r. error of Balaam for a Reward, and perifh even 1 1 •

in the Gain -fay in? of Core, Dathan and Abiron, See Gen-

, , / i \t , iv. far

who can hinder him r ,, , .

J\umb. XYI.

MYTHO. I will " Say of the Popijh Ma- & 22. *' donna, what Cicero fays of the Pagan Tages, *' that none can be fo filly as to believe that a " GOD was ever dug out of the Ground j and that " an Attempt to confute fuch Stories would be as " filly as to believe them. "

DEIST. Right! Then our Catholic, and all of his Perfuafion, in your own Judgment (land acquitted.

MYTHO. 'Tis true, Sir; betwixt Friends, my Defign in collecting thefe Memoirs, was not to declare the real Sentiments of a Papift to my

Protejiant

132 A POPISH PAGAN the Fiftion of

Proteftant Readers ; but to admonifh our Papifts, by unqueftionabk Fatts and Injlances^ by ocular Demonftration^ with what Colours of Folly and Impiety I could paint their Practices, with the Help only of Equivocations , Sophiftry, Calumny^ and a magifterial Air, when pufh'd to their full length and exerted without Referve or Reftraint ; and to lay before them a Sketch of what Forge ries and Impoftures I have at Will, to cloud their Church, if their Popijh Priefts continue multiply ing of Profelytes.

DEIST. Ex ungue Leonem !

MYTHO. For Example : I would tell thernj that " their conftant Method of recurring to " different Saints in their different Exigencies, is " nothing elfe, as many Writers have obferved, tf but an exact Copy of the Pagan Superftition, " grounded on a popular Belief, that their Saints., " * like the old Demons, have each their diftincl: " Provinces, or Prefectures afllgn'd to them j " fome over particular Countries, Cities, Socie- <e ties, and even the different Trades of Men ; " others over the feveral Difeafes of the Body* " or the Mind ; others over the Winds, the Rain^ " and various Fruits of the Earth. " -f

DEIST,

* The Dodlor's linking the Mother of GOD and the twelve dpojlks in one Chain with the old Demons, is another evident Demonftration that he is no Chriitian.

•f- Some may be apt to think this Account of the Pojtifi popu lar Belief, is intended as a Grotetk Comment upon CHRIST'S * . Promiffj

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. DEIST. This is riff raff Stuff" indeed-— But, give me leave, Doftor ; who are thefe Obferva- tors you would make the Simple believe fo clear- fighted ? Reformers ? I take it for granted, the Papifts will put you in mind of c£ertulliatf$

Golden Rule ; here it is, examine it well :

" Nobis & fi quserendum eflet adhuc & Temper, *e ubi tamen quasri oportet ? Apud Haereticos " ubi omnia extranea & adverfaria noftrae fidei, '* ad quos vetamur accedere ? Quis fervus cibaria * c ab extraneo, ne dicam ab Inimico Domini fui " fperat ? Quis Miles ab infoederatis, ne dicam

Promife, read Re<v , ii. 26, 27. " And he that overcometh and " keepeth my Works unto the End, to him will I give Power " over the Nations: (and he {hall rule them with a Rod of " Iron ; As the Veffels of a Potter {hall they be broken to " Shivers ) even as I received of my Father. " But, I am of Opinion, the Doftor knew nothing of the Matter j -—like Wits of an Infidel Age, he mot at random.

If we were ftill to fearch for Truth, where muft Enquiry be made ? Among Heretics, where all is foreign and contrary to our Faith, whom we are forbid to approach ? What Servant hopes for Food from a Stranger, not to fay his Mailer's Adver- {ary ? What Soldier, except a Deferter, a Renegade, a Rebel, receives Pay from a Non- Confederate King, not to fay an Enemy? The old Woman even (Luke xv.) fought for her Drachma within her own Houfe : The Importunate even ( Luke xi. ) knock'd at his Neighbour's Door : The Widow even ( Luke xviii. ) had recourfe to a Judge that was not an Adverfary, tho' he was hard-hearted. No one can expecl Support where Deftru&ion attends him : No one is enlightened by him, by whom he is darken'd. Let us therefore feek within our own, and of our own, and from our own. Tertull. Lib. de Pr&fcrip- . C. il,

" hoftibus

*34 -A IMPISH PAGAN the Fittion of

" hoftibus Regibus, donativum & ftipendsum " captat, nifi plane defertor, & transfuga & " rebellis? Etiam anus ilia intra tectum fuum " drachmam requirebat : etiam Pulfator ille " Vicini januam tundebat : etiam Vidua ilia, " non inimicum, licet durum Judicem interpel- " labat, Nemo inde ftrui poteft, unde deftrui- " tur. Nemo ab eo ilium inatur, a quo conte- " nebratur. Quaeramus ergo in noftro, & a " noftris, & de noftro. " You muft therefore jfind them out fome better Voucher.

MYTHO. Sir, nothing fo eafy. What will they think of Orlgen ?

DEIST. What Origen ! Who do you mean, Doclor ?

MYTHO. Mean! Why old Origen: Don't you know him ?

DEIST. Origen the Alexandrian Prieft ! . MYTHO. The fame.

DEIST. The Origen that writ eight Books againft our Friend Celfus, fifteen hundred Years ago?

MYTHO. Ay, the very fame.

DEIST. And he it is, that is to teftify that the modern Remans are Pagans ; to bear witnefs of their prefent popular Belief! But, Doctor, jefting afide : I know you are fo far from pre tending to Miracles, you mortally hate them ; i Samuel and the Witch of Endor is no more ; how will yOU contrive ?

MYTHO,

A PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 135

MY THO. Verily, Sir, I fee it is high time to adjourn ourDifpute — Did ever mortal Man fee a Book in Print without a Margent. — Let me tell you, Orig. con. Celf. viii. p. 399. will cut no fmall Figure in a clear Letter: It would found nobly ex Cathedra. Befides ;

Of the Truth of my Story if any does doubt, We have WitneJJes ready to fwear it all out.

Yes, and '« that GOD'S Rebuke to the Apofta- " tizingjews, is full as applicable to thePapifts, " for committing Whoredoms with their Idols, " and faying, / will go after my Lovers, who " give me my Bread and my Water \ my Wo oil " and my Flax ; mine Oil and my Drink — for *' they did not know, that I gave them their Corn *' and Wine and Oil, and multiplied their Silver " and Gold, which they prepared for Baal. " Hofea ii. 5, 7.

DEIST. Vevent les gens d'efprit I Shake Hands, Doctor, the Day is our own , by Jove f

P. S.

// muft be own*d our Deift is extremely polite in

fending the Do ft or to Bed flujh'd with Vittcry

Had. St. Jerom been there he had certainly told bim what he told Vigilantius : Diabolus nunquam plus quam per os tuum deprehendirur blafphe- mafTe. The? a modern Papift, in all probability K would

xxvi. 4.

A POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of, &c. would chufe rather to follow the Wife-marts Pre- fcript : Anfwer not a fool according to his folly, left thou alfo be like unto him.

'The fecond Evening*! Converfation came to the Franjlator after the former was. fent to the Prefs, There is tikewife a fbird, which be thought proper to omit, becaufe the Public has been already pro- mifed a particular freatife concerning Miracles.

A SECOND

EVENING'S CON VERSATION^

The fame Subjett of IMAGES, Sec.

continued.

DEIST.

ELL, Doclor ! — If our Catholic had been here laft Night, you had prepared him a Scouring. — I could not forbear Laughing, even a Sleep. MYTHO. Ha, ha, ha! — I fancy he would

foon have wifh'd himfelf in a warmer Climate.

— I had cool'd his Courage for him — Ha, ha,

ha!

DEIST. Ay --And was he but fenfible of his Efcape ; — poor Man ! How he would hug him felf incog. — But I cannot think you have done with him yet — You have denounced Popes, Cardinals, Bijhops, Priefls, Emperors, Kings, Princes, Nobility, Gentry, Judges, &c. &c. all, and by far the greateft All in the Chriftian Uni- verfe of one Belief j you have denounced them K 2 all

ijS A POPISH PAGAN the Fiftion of

all a Pack of vile Impoftors •, Villains for whom hanging is too good. — What if we fliould raifc a Hue and Cry, and burn them all in Effigies ?

MYTHO. What I have advanced I will ftand to.

DEIST. No Queftion, Doclor ; you are fure enough.

MYTHO. And now, if you pleafe Sir, wfe will purfue our Catholic — He has the Afiurance, notwithstanding fo many pregnant Demonftra- tions —

DEIST. And every Syllable a Sefquipedale.

MYTHO. Sir-, I repeat it again : What I fay I will ftand to.

DEIST. Why fo grim, Doctor, all on a fudden ? A Papift might have thrown in the Reflexion •, and you have allow'd me to per- fonate your Antagonift. — Pr'ythee let us hear him out. Wherefore —

MYTHO. Sir-, what I was going to fay is

this " Our Catholic proceeds to affirm, that

•' all the Devotion paid to their Saints extends no

Pref. Page « farther, than to defer e their Prayers ; and that

9» I0> '2- cc fa Piftures and Images of them, which we fee

" in their Churches, are no more than mere Me-

44 mortals, defigrfd to exprefs the EJleem, which

" they retain for the Perfons fo reprefented -, or

" as Helps to raifz their Affections to heavenly

" things ; and that every Child amongft them

*c knows this to le true. "

DE IST.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN.

DEIST. Perhaps it may prove improper; or you might add, that they refpeff thofe Memorials and honor them ; and then inform your Readers once more, that all the Popt/b Apologifts fpeak the lame Language.

MYTHO. *« Yet I have demonftrated — »•

DEIST. Again !

MYTHO. Yes-, " I have demonftrated, from ** their public * Infcriptions, as well as the ex-

*' plicit Teftimonies of their Writers. "

DEIST.

* The Infcriptions here mention'd are, 'tis to be fuppofed,1 thofe tranfcribed by Dr. Middl. Page 178. Edit. 4. who, with Boldonius, finds Fault in particular with " the Abfurdity of " putting the Saints before GOD him/elf '; and imitating too ** clofely the ancient Infcription, .... where the fame Impro- " priety is committed in regard to Jupiter" — Let who will applaud the Doctor's Zeal for the Glory of his Jupiter, or imitate his Spleen againft the Saints, becaufe the Papijh, fbr- footh, have robb'd the Heathen Gods of their Epithets and re- ftored them to the right Owners : My Intention is only to free the Protejiant Reader of a Pkarifaical Qualm, in cafe it mould happen to threaten-— Let him therefore turn to St. Luke i. 42. where St. Elizabeth, inspired by the Holy Ghojl, mentions the Happinefs of the Mother, before that of the SON; and to Rev. i. 4, 5. where St. John, in his Blcfiing to the Churches of 4Jta, mentions the Seven Spirits before JESUS CHRIST. And as to the Powers, Characters and Attributes, as the Doftor calls them, apply'd to the Saints ; there is notzPfoteJlant Poet or Rhetorician that would fcruple, in a Declamation, to honor the King with them all. — Not one of them fgnifies fa much, by far, as Sacred Majefty ; not one of them carries fo llrong an Import as mojl High, tnoft Mighty, and lUuftriout Princes ', Titles given to our Dukes of the Blood Royal.

Mantuanus, it feems, as cited by the Do&or Page 177.

Edit. 4. has taken the Liberty to exprels by one Word the

K. 3

140 A POPISH PAGAN tie Fitiion of

DEIST. What.

MYTHO. " That thofe Images are placed *' by them in their Churches, as the proper " Objects of religious Adoration ; f and that " they afcribe to their Divi, or Saints, who are " reprefented by them, ' the very fame Titles, " Powers and Attributes, which the Heathens

Worjhip, the Pagans paid heretofore to their Marst and the Worjhip now paid by the Cbriflians. to St. George ;

Ut Martem Latii, fee nos Te, Dive Georgit Nunc colimus, &c.

Thus did the Sacred Pen-man, i Chron. xxix. 20. exprefs by one Word the Worjhip paid to Go D and the King : '< And all «' the Congregation blefled' the LORD GOD of4 their Fathers, fc and bowed down their Heads, and worjhipped five. LORD and " the King. " I hope no Chriftian will imagin it was one and the felf fame Worjhip paid to Both. — Nor will I find Fault with the Doctor's Tranflation of the foregoing Latin Verfe :

As Mars our Fathers once ador'd, fo now

To tbee, O George, ive humbly projlrate birw,--<.

Bccaufe every pious Child may be faid to do the fame, when he kneels down and asks his Father's Bleffing; /. e. to pray for him. If the Word pr oft rate be intended to mean any thing more, it is all the Doctor's own.

' f See Dr. Middleton 's Prefatory Difcourfe, Page 51. — If N. Bailey be acknowledged a competent Judge of our Language, Adore and Worjhip are Terms equally equivocal. — Tis agreed they are fo in other Languages — - Adorable, when applied to Men, denotes Worthy of all Honor and Refpett: And Adoration does not only fignify the fuprerne Worjhip due to GOD alone ; but likewife Refpe&, Reverence, SubtniJJicn, However, 'tis plain our Heathen, as well as Dr. Wddleton, would have only fupreme Worjhip or divine Adorn:?* underftood by their Readers; and therefore they arc anfv, c: 'd accordingly.

" afcribed

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 141

" afcribed to their Deities ; invoking them as " Tutelary Divinities ; as prejiding over their " Temples i and the Affairs of Men ; as mojl " powerful, invincible i and always ready to help " and relieve their Votaries. All which is con- " firm'd by the conftant Stile of their Prayers, " and the exprefs Language of their Liturgies, " Miffals and Breviaries, fet forth at Rome by " public Authority : In which the Virgin is " call'd the Mother of Mercy , Hope of the " World^ the only Truft of Sinners ; and the <c Saints addrefs'd to under the Titles of Inter- " c effort, Protestors, and Difpenfers of Grace. " DEIST. What a ftrange Medley is here, Doctor! — To begin at the Fag-end — I myfelf have read in a Popijh Legend, much of a Date with Popery, a Sentence wherein the Apoftles are ftiled Minifters of CHRIST, and Difpenfers or i Cor. iv. Stewards of the Myjleries of Go D •, the Latin J • Word made ufe of is Difpenfator \ nor do J doubt but this fame Sentence may be found tran-

fcribed in fome Liturgy, Miffal or Breviary

I am like wife fure, the Papijls efteem the Apo-

ftles great Saints -, they look upon the Myjleries of

GOD as fo many Graces, and very great Graces ,

by him inftituted for the Salvation of Mankind.

— Now Doctor ; what do you chink their Anfwer

will be?— -This, or fome fuch like. — GOD

chofe Saints for his Minifters, and the Defpenfers

of his Myjleries -, - — the Devil, to be even with

K 4 him,

142 A POPISH PAGAN the Fiftion of

him, chofe Luther, Calvin, &c. &c. &c. and no- vijfimis temporibus your own dear Worfhip, for his

Minijlers and the Difpenfers of bis Myfleries :

Tit for Tat ; — why muft the Doflor be jealous ?

Secondly ', --- What Protection it is they expect and beg of the Saints, you yourfelf fufficiently explicate by adding the Word, IntercefTors. * Not but that they believe, at the fame time, the Saints very powerful, and always ready to execute GOD'S Commiffions.

Thirdly, When a Popijh Prieft chriftens a

Child, he gives it the Name of fome Chriftian Saint. Churches confecrated by Popijh Bijhops to the Service of Almighty GOD are alfo commonly call'd by the Name of a Chrijlian Saint, v. g. St. Peter's Church, St. Paul's Church, St. George's Church, &c. — Why fo ? — - To excite the Faith ful to beg particularly of thofe Saints, whofe Names they and their refpective Churches bear, to intercede for them at the Throne of Mercy ; and thus become their Patrons and Protectors. For this fame End, have diftinft Societies of different Trades chofe their Patrons. — But to lay, as you fay ; that the Papifts invoke them as tutelary Divinities -, or that any Saint, even the Mother of GOD herfelf, was ever call'd a. Divinity or a Deity by a Papift ; is what, in fober Latin,

* If Dr. Cony. MicM. had been defirous the World ftiould take Notice of it, it would probably have been dignified^ like the reil, with Italics.

ought

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 143

ought to be ftiled putidum mcndacium: A Refor mation Calumny of the grofieft Size. If you pretend it as an Inference you have demonftrated, your Antagonift would fay, your Demonftrations, if they demonftrate any thing, demonftrate you an Atheift ; by demonftrating that you have no Idea of a GOD, but what is compatible with, that of a depending Supplicant -, an Idea fix'd upon every Saint by the exprefs Language of all the Popi/h Liturgies , Miflals, and Breviaries that ever were publifh'd. ---This fame double Anfwer is as eafily adapted to that other Afiertion of yours, viz. that Images are placed by Papifts in their Churches i as the proper Objefts of Religious Ado- ration.— -You may, if you will, demonftrate till Doom's-Day •, the only rational Conclufion muft be this : — As you have no Notion of the Effence and incommunicable Perfections of an IN- CREATED BEING; by Confequence, neither have you a juft Notion of the SOVEREIGN WORSHIP due only to fuch a BEING. — You are unacquainted with every Worjhip^ the Motive of which is not Flejh ; and therefore you con clude every fuch Worjhif) muft be that the Divines ftile Supreme.

Fourthly , — No Papift, as ever I could hear of, ever ftiled a Saint^ no not even the Mother cfGon, a Self-exiftent •, an Eternal; an Om- nifcient ; an Omnipotent, reaching from End to ) mightily t and fweetly ordering all things ;

an

144 -^ POPISH PAGAN the Fiftion of

an Immenfe ; an Independent ; our Creator ; Au - thor of Nature and Grace ; Immutable ; Ejjential Unity ; Ejjential 'Tnttb ; Ejfential Goodnefs ; Ejjential Mercy ; Ejjential Juftice, &c. — - 1 men tion all thefe Divine Attributes and Perfections, Doctor, becaufe I know they are not the Objects of your Thoughts, the Subject of your Medita tions— "No Papift, I fay, will afcribe to a Saint any one of thefe Perfections •, tho* every Papift will tell you, that the Minds of Thoufands are daily employ'd upon them --- But to deny that the Saints are very powerful ; that their Intercef- fion is very prevailing with Almighty GOD to wards obtaining for us our pious Requefts ; that they are always ready to help us thus, and relieve us ; to deny all this, is to betray a ftupid Igno rance of the -Glory they enjoy, and deny them now that Charity * they were po(Tcfs'd of when in this State of <Tryal.-—\ fuppofe likewife they may be juftly (tiled, by a.Chriftian, .invincible-, they whom neither Tribulation, nor Diftrefs, nor

Rom. vm. J . nr;?/-

s-. Perfection, nor Famine. ', nor Nakednejs, nor Peril* nor Sword, nor.ali the racking Tortures of Hell's Invention, could feparate from the Love

* Perhaps .Dr. bliduhton will play with this Word too — Thoufands there are and Thoufands of Proteftants that under- ftand nothing by it but an Alms . The De ijfs meaning is the Love of GOD for his o-ivn Sake, becaufe be is infinitly amiable ; and the Lo<ve of cur Fello-iv-Crcatures for GOD'S Sake. I hope the Reader will cxcufe this cateclijlical Remark, confidering 'tis to inftrudl fas Ignorant.

•f

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 145

of CHRIST: They whom all the infernal Powers, with all your Might, Doftor, fuperadded, cannot difpoflefs of their prefent Felicity.

Fifithly, — But I perceive, Do£tor, what Frets you moft is the Devotion paid by Catholics to the .Bleffed Virgin ; the Reafon of which has been! already given, and one muft give up all claim tp common Senfe to deny it's . being juft— - You know very well : 'tis highly ridiculous to pretend we Love and Adore the Son, while we refufe to Love and Honor, the Mother. And this, fays the Papift, the cunning old Sophifter knows full as well; and therefore endeavours where he can to extripate the latter, that the former may vaniih by confequence,

Sixthly, — The Catholics make no Difficulty of calling the Blefied Virgin, Mother of Mercy ; becaufe they can demonstrate Go v to be MERCY; becaufe they believe CHRIST GOD, and that the BleJJed Virgin is his Mother ; and by confe- qaence the Mother of Go D , therefore the Mother , of Mercy. — Now no-body can deny that GOD is MERCY but an Atheift or a Heathen ; nor can any one deny that CHRIST is GOD without affirming Chrijlianity an Impofture and com mencing Deift — But, fay they, there is no vaft Pittance between a Speculative Dejft, and a Practical Atheift : Ergo.

•Seventhly, But, Doctor; tell me; where

did you find thofe Words ? 'Hope of the World ; (be. only Trujt of Sinners. My-

146 A POPISH PAGAN the Fiftion of

MYTHO. Sir, you may read at your leifure the " Salve Regtna, and the Office Beat* " Virginis. "

DE IST. I have read thofe Prayers, and have a flrong Fancy you cite Falfe — That the Papifts place a great Confidence in the Ble/ed Virgin's Interceflion, 'tis manifeft : 'Tis likewife evident that She is often call'd upon to be our Advocate, to intercede for us ; and the Prayers that clofe the Hours, in the Office, are adrefs'd to GOD, to beg his Bleffings thro* her Interceflion. And is not this, in plain Englijh, to beg of GOD that he would hear our Prayers and Her's too ? Is not this centering their Hope in GOD ? But let us fuppofe a Cafe that is very poffible — A young Gentleman, who has had a Chriftian Education, becomes a Criminal, and is legally condemned for the firft Facl — Tho* he fmcerely repents ; yet he is loth to die, and therefore draws up two Petitions ; one to his Majefty and the other to a noble Peer — In this he earneftly entreats his Lordjhip in the moft engaging Terms, to inter cede with the King for his Pardon-—- He tells him, be is his only Hope , his only Tru/l •, that he/hall always efteem him his Deliverer^ his Protestor. -— Now ; would any Man of common Senfe con clude from fuch Expreflions, that this unfortu nate Criminal made a King of his Noble Patron i or that he had no Hope or Confidence in the King's Mercy ? — Or, muft not a Man be impioufly

mad

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 147

mad even to pretend, he will demonftrate this Criminal's Hope is not centered in GOD alone ; or that be transformed his Lord/hip into a Go D ?

MYTHO. Sir; do you fuppofe this Criminal to be a Papift ; — Or any thing elfe ?

DEIST. Doftor ; to fuppofe him any thing, would not fuppofe him a Chriftian ; and there fore you may fuppofe him a Papift if you will.

My T HO. Then I am your Man ; and I hope you will not tell me I am void of common Senfe, or impioufly mad.

DEIST. Nay, Doctor; what I would tell you, is not the Queftion.

MYTHO. Sir; did you ever take Notice of what Maldonatus has, in Mattb. v. 35 ? I hap- pen'd to light upon it by chance.

DEIST. What is that, pray?

MYTHO. Why, " he calls it an impious and <c filly Error of tbe * Proteftants, to think that " no Religious JVor/hip is due to any but to " GOD." f

DEIST. Very likely.

* He means thofe that rail againft Papifts, and bellow a Hue and Cry of Popijh Idolatry.

•f- N. B. The Reader is defired to be always mindful, tliaC our Heathen would have him by Worjhfy underftand Adoration ; and by Religious Worjbty, Divine Adoration. Therefore where ever he meets with Worjhip in a Popijh Writer, he concludes iris Work done ; - — Jufl in the fame Manner as I ftiould, was I to pretend to demonftrate a Man an Afs, becaufe be is an Animal,

MYTHO.

14$ A POPISH PAGAN the Fi&ion of

MVTHO. " And fome of their expurgqtory tc Indexes go fo far, as to expunge all thofe " Paflages of the Prim! five Father s, which " teach, that Creatures ought not to be adored. "

DEIST. This I call doing Bufinefe. .— But pray, if one may be fo bpld, where, did you meet with this Eomcer ? -^\{\ <.i

MYTHO. Sir, if the Papijls want farther Satisfaction, let them- read " Index Expurgat. " Madrit. 1612.'* ;<JV rnc \ Drn i?.^ 20ri \\\-f

DEIST. What! That great, huge,; thick, big Book ? 'Tis but juft now, you fent the.m a hunting among Liturgies, MiJJals and Breviaries \ and cut them out a Journey t;o Rome before" they begin, the Sport. — There is a, good deal of Protejlant-implicit-Faiih fcatter'd here and there, enough for this and ten times more; but the Papifts will beg your IVor/hip's Pardon ; and as a juft Compliment due to your Merits, they will afTure you, that, had you not purchafed a Charter from the Father of Lyars> you never could have arrived to the Perfection of fo thorough -paced a Mimic.

But Doctor ; one Queilion. — Is there any fuch Thing as a Religious Worfltip^ but what ought to have GOD for it's immediate Object ,? MYTHO. No certainly. x ,\r DEIST. To avoid quibbling, take notice ;-— by a Religious Worfl.np, I mean a Worfoip that does not belong to common and civil Life, as

Grotius

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 149

Crotius * explicates it ; a Worjhip that has not Nature for it's Motive, but Grace •, fomething, infine, fupernatural. — Once more then ; — is GOD alone the immediate Object of every fuch intelligible Wor/hip ?

MYTHO. What have I been demonftrating all this while ?

DEIST. What follows — All thofe who affirm GOD alone the immediate Object of every intel ligible Religious Worjhip, are Atheifts or Heathens ;

— but You, and fome few more of the fame Kidney, affirm GOD alone the immediate Object of every intelligible Religious Wor/hip ; ergo, you and fome few more, &V. are Atheifts or Heathens.

— I know you are not averfe to Repetitions, Doctor; and what perfuades me this may be more welcome in it's new Drefs, is the great Labor it has coft you yourfelf, to demonftrate the Minor. The Major is proved thus : — All thofe who affirm GOD alone the immediate Object of every intelligible Religious Wor/hip, affirm him the immediate Object of a Religious Worjhip which evidently fpeaks it*s Object a depending Creature •, but, thofe who affirm Go D the imme diate Object of fuch a Religious Worflnfo muft be

* Ambigua eft religioji cultus dppellatio. Nam £ff religiofut eft honos qui foil DEO defertur : & relig to/us eft, qui OB DEUM defertur Angelis & Apoftolis. Neque enim is honor ad (ommunemcivilemqKSvitampertinit. Gvotius, in Animadvert Rivet. Pag. 43.

Atheijls

150 'A POPISH PAGAN the Fiflion of

Atheifts or Heathens : ergo^ all thofe who affirm GOD alone the immediate Object of every intel ligible Religious Worjhip, are Atheifts or Heathens.

MVTHO. Hold, Sir! Not fo faft! There is no fuch Religious Worship intelligible, that evi~ denly fpeaks it's Object a depending Creature ; -— I'll maintain it.

DEIST. You will !

MYTHO. Yes--- 1 fee well enough what you would be at. — The next Inference is, that the Religious Worfoip the Papijis pay to a Saint fpeaks evidently it's Object a depending Creature ; and, if evidently, then 'tis impofiible for them to imagin a Saint to be a GOD. — But I'll main tain the Suppofition is falfe.

DEIST. You feem to have a good Guefs, Doctor •, and notwithftanding your Pofitivenefs in contradicting the Suppofition, I will venture to prove it.

The Refpett and Honor paid to a Saint on account of the fupernatural Favors and Perfections he has received and Hill receives, in their Con tinuation, from a SUPREME OMNIPOTENT BEING, his CREATOR and ours; Petitions directed to a Saint to beg of him to entreat his CREATOR to extend thofe Favors and Per- feftions to us Mortals -y all this, I fay, is a Re ligious Worfoip very intelligible, but it evidently fpeaks the Saint y who is it's Object, a depending Creature ; ergo. — Now for your Proof.

MYTHO.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN, 151

MYTHO. Sir; your Argument is what I did not expect : It may ferve for another Meeting. We will go on if you pleafe with our Materials already prepared.

DEIST* Willingly, Doctor; willingly.

MYTHO. " The Abbot de Marolks —

DEIST. Pray, who is he?

MYTHO. A French Me moire -Writer.

DEIST. Oh! Mighty well !

MYTHO. " The Abbot de Mar dies relates d ts Converfation, in which he was once engaged, **- with a Capuchin, who had been employ'd in " feveral Miffions, and a celebrated Preacher of €i France •, iii the Prefence of an Hugonot Gen- *c tie man ; for whofe fake the Abbot took occa- ** fion to fpeak of Images in the fame moderate " Strain, in which our Catholic thinks fit to " treat them in his prefent Addrefs to Proteftants; " —'That they were -placed in their Churches, not Memoires " for the People to adore, or put their Truft in de M. de " them ', lut to edify their Senfes, by the repre- Marollcs-

P3T" T O

«« fentation of holy Things. But the AbbotV Dif- \ 6 «c courft gave Offence both to the Frier and the *£ Preacher ; they— —

DEIST. To judge by the Echantillon you give us of Monf. U Abbe's Penetration, one may pro nounce him no Conjurer. I never heard any Catholic lay, Images were placed in Churches, for the People to Adore, or put their T'ruft in them. But, is there no Refpett or Veneration, but; what L involves

i$z A POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of

involves Adoration ? Yes certainly there is.

Muft one of Neceffity place a Truft in every thing we revere ? No fure, no. — Thus would common Senfe have reafon'd ; and thus, 'tis pro bable we {hall hear the Capuchin and Preacher reafon if the Tale be compleat. But I can fancy already Monf. X* Abbe of a different Opinion j and therefore, from what he had faid was not, he ridiculoufly concluded all to be faid of Images Was, that they edify Peoples Senfes by reprefenting holy Things. And do you call this, Doctor, fpeaking in our Catholic* s moderate Strain ? — It founds pitiful, indeed it does, Doctor, to conceal the Sentiments of an Antagonifl^ for the fake of a filly Tale cull*d out of a Memoire- Writer. — But lee us hear the Frier and the Preacher.

MYTHO. Sir, you are apt to be too much in hafte, or you would not interrupt me fo often-— DEIST. Dear Doctor, you know long Stones are tedious without a Parenthefis now and then to difplay their Beauties ---Come; let us hear the Frier and Preacher.

MYTHO. You fhall — offended, poor Souls \ " they infifted on a higher Degree of Veneration, " urged —

DEIST. Pray Doctor, don't be Angry. — What Degree of Veneration had Monf. LtAbbe allow'd to Images ? I heard of none.

My THO.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 153

MYTHO. —Sure, Sir ! — Is it not a kind of Veneration to honor them with a Place in their Churches ?

DE IST . Always ? — If fo ; fome of our re- form'd Churches venerate Mofes and Aaron more than CHRIST. — Tho' perhaps the Reafon may ftand thus; — was CHRIST'S Image placed in our Churches i the People might grow fo fond of him, as to adore him, if they knew how : Whereas Mofes's Horns keep off all Danger of Idolatry both in refpect to himfelf and his Com panion •, for let Horns be ever fo fafhionable and becoming, 'tis Love begets them, not they Love. This puts me in mind of a Story, I have heard. — 'Tis but fhort. — '« A Jew with a Proteftant " Acquaintance went once into a Popi/h Chapel " in Amfterdam^ out of Curiofity : They had " not been there two Minutes before they<?^, " pointing at the CRUCIFIX, fays to his " Companion ;--- was it not for thefe People, " thai Man had been forgot long ago in this " Country. "--- 1 hope, Doctor, you will excufe this Interruption, too long I own ; but I promife you, mould your Memoire laft an Hour, it fhall go current.

MYTHO. Really Sir; had it not been for the Reflection on CHRIST'S Image and Mofes's Horns , my Patience had tired;-— but that is excellent ; — tho' not quite Sterling yet, 'tis excellent — it pleafes me prodigioufly.

L 2 DEIST,

154- ^4 POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of

DEIST. Come then, let us have the I'ale out, - MYTHO. That you • fliall — wherefore the Frier and Preacher not only infifted on a higher Degree of Veneration-, but they " urged -the " Stories of their miraculous Images, 'and the- " extraordinary Devotion, '"that' was paid by the w: Pope, I the B I/hops, and the whole Church to *' fame of them, which had been known to fpeak, <c or were -brought down from Heaven, or made <6 by -the Hands of Apoftles • and Angels ; or had " been cotifecrated on the account of fame particular " Virtues* and were carried for that Reafon in «c Procejfiensi "mxl worjhipped on Altars^ as well as *' the'1 f acred R'eliques •, tvhofe Miracles could nvt , "be conttfied by any, ,but bbilinate Heretics, who ' ct would fooner renounce the Teftimcny of their " Senfes, than., be convinced of their Errors. In *>* Jhor't the Capuchin declared, that the Authority " of t'he Church was the fole Rule of Faith; and <•* that to reftfi it, was a manifeft Rebellion, and " worthy of the IfiJl'Puni/hmenL And this Opinion " after a!!, maintain'd by the Frier, is the " genuin Notion of Image -worfljip, which pre~ " vails at this Day in the Romifb Church, and " efpecially in Italy, as I have fully demonstrated cc by the Fads above recited. "

DEIST. I cannot -think, Doclor, but you will feem afraid your Antagonijl, as well as your Proteftant Readers, mould doubt of your being a Dsmsnjtratcr -- And I wonder full as much, -.T you

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 155

you will think of citing a French Memoire- Writer in a Work, which you intend All-Proteftants fhall take for Gofpel — A Frenchman, you know, is the Object of our Averfion, and the bittereft Satire we can invent. For,, tho* the Sorbon has of late Years produced a fet of People call'd Janfenifts or Quefnellifts •, who are Cahinifts by Principle -, tho' in their exterior Worfhip, till better times, Catholics -, and, by confequence, Men of the propereft Complexion imaginable to carry on our All-Proteftant Reformation ; yet fuch.is. our Antipathy to that Nation, that we look upon a Frenchman and a Lyar to be almoft fynonimous Terms. I myfelf have travell'd through France, and been incog, in feveral different Con verfat ions •, particularly at Paris ; where the Galilean Privileges have been the common Topic of every one's Admiration and Zeal. — Once, I remember, I inconfiderately ask'd the following Queftion : Gentlemen, what are thofe Gallican Privileges you talk fo much of? When up-fhrted zSorbonijl, a Petit Cokt complimented with the Title of Monf. L'Able,9 an Eleve of Port Royal, and cry'd out ; Mais Monfieur -, croyez voits le Pape infallible done ! You may imagin I was furprized — But that very Moment the Decree pafs'd to take the Pope to . pieces. They diffected his whole Conduit ; and each claim'd his Share in prefcribing Rules L 3 and

156 - A POPISH PAGAN tie Fitfion of

and Laws to the Court of Rome ; for Popes, Cardinals , and Bifhops ; and Deftruction to Religious Orders, or what you call Monkery \ and all this with an Air that demonftrated, inftead of one infallible, a full dozen. A thing as com mon to thefe Gentlemen as it is to a Frenchman to talk : 'Tis their true Charafleriftic. ——Now fuppofing your Antagonifl mould ask you, whether your Abbot was not a Crow of the fame Neft — For my Part, I know no more of him, than what you have been pleafed to tell me. — He may perhaps be one of that modern SeR, in the Republic of Literature, call'd Egotifts ; who, to trumpet a Victory, delight in making Men of Senfe talk Nonfenfe ; or are ever infulting over the imagined Ignorance of their Fore-fathers, to purchafe a Reputation of being witty or learned ; when, GOD knows! If they have any thing good, they themfelves are fenfible 'tis only a Cojy.

But be your Memoir e- Writer who he will, I dare fay ywr Antagonift will not think him worth his Notice, for two Reafons. Firft, Becaufe we are told by the Capuchin, that 'tis a manifeft Rebellion, and worthy of the lafl Puni/hment to rejift the Authority of the Church ; and this fame Man is faid to declare, in the fame Breath, that the Authority of the Church is the fole Rule of Faith : A Propofition diametrically oppofite to the Doctrine of that Church ; by which we are

taught,

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 157

caught, as an Article of her Faith, that the Scripture and Apojlolical 'Traditions are alfo Rules cf Faith. — Is not this Nonfenfe ?

Secondly, Neither the Capuchin nor the Preacher could be ignorant of what their Church com mands all Bijhops and Inftruclors to teach, viz. « that the Images of CHRIST, of the Virgin- " Mother of GOD, and of other Saints are to " be had and kept efpecially in Churches, and catieaetSx> " that due Honor and Veneration is to be paid " to them ; not that any DIVINITY OR " VIRTUE, for which they Jhould be worfhippedt " is BELIEVED to be IN T H E M j or that any " thing is to be ask'd of them, or that TRUST *c is to be put in thm, as did heretofore the " Gentils, who placed their Hopes in Idols ; *' but becaufe the Honor which .is given to " them, is refer'd to the Prototypes reprefented

Mandat Saaffa Synodus omnibus Epifcopls, & caterli do-

cendi munus curamque fuftinentibus, ut, fideltt diligenter

inftruant, docentes .... Imagines . . . Cbrijli, Deipar<e Virginis, tf aliorum Sanflorum, in templis pr<efertim babendas & reti- nendas, eifqut debitum honorem & venerationem impertiendam ; Noil quod credatur inefle aliqua in iis Divinitas, vel virtus, propter quam fmt colendz, vel quod ab eis Jit aliquid petendum, *vel quod fiducia in imaginibus jit figenda ; <vcluti olint fiebat a Gentibus, quee in Itiolis fpem fuam collocabant ; fed quoniam honos, qui eis exbibetur, rcfertur ad Prctotypa, qiia: ill<e re- prefentant ; ita ut per imagines quas ofculamur, & coram quibus caput aperimus & procumbimus, Chriftum adoremus j {3* Sanflos, quorum ilia jimilitudinem gerunt, veneremur. Cone. Trid. SS. 25. De invocatione, veneratione, & reliquiis San6lo- rum, & facris imaginibus.

L 4 te by

158 A POPISH PAGAN the Fiction of

" by them ; fo that by the Images^ which we *' kifs, and before which we pull off our Hats " and Kneel, we adore CHRIST, and venerate " the Saints, whofe Likenefs they bear. " Now is it likely that the Capuchin, who flickled fo much for his Church's Authority, mould prove himfelf, that very inftant, a Rebel, worthy of the loft Punifroment 3 No, Doctor ; fuch Stories as thefe will not go down with Men of Senfe. -— Go on, Doctor.

: v i G v «•-. s&ii \CK <• f;:s:ij o N. B. FIRST,

By the Extract Dr. Middkton has given us in French from Monf. L'Abbe one 'may eafily fee, that a Story lofes nothing by an Infidel Pen — Thefe Words, qui vouloit quelque chofe. de plus, faid by Monf. Herfaut, are EngUJtid by the Doctor thus : I'hey injifted on a higher Degree of Veneration : What we are told of all, viz. Dun &f I'autre ...... marquerent mefmes les refpefts

extraordinaire?, this the Doctor tranflates, they .... urged the extraordinary Devotion, &c. and

for reveries fur les Autels, we have given us, worjhipped on Altars. --- But what ftill more be trays the Doctor's Malice or want of Underftand- ing, is the following Sentence : " The Capuchin " declared, that the Authority of the Church ** was the fole Rule of Faith ;" which is what his Memoire- Writer does not fay. His Words are ; — - Le Capucin ejlima, 'qiCil f allot t defmdre

tout

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 159

tout ce que DEglifl revolt •, — que cela feul eftoit la regie de la Foy. " The Capuchin was of " Opinion, we Ihould maintain all that the " Church receives •, that that alone was the Rule

«' of Faith. " What alone ? - — What the

Church receives. — He neither faid, qu'elle feule -, nor que fan Author it e feule ; nor feule regie. —

TV. B. SECONDLY,

The Character our Deift gives of the Quefnel- lifls is literally true. They are all Infallible* to a Man, and fome fay there is a Club of thefe Dijfetters and Sovereign Law-givers in our great Metropolis : But what Progrefs they make in the Reformation — 'Trade is not fo eafily determin'd. I myfelf once happen'd to break in upon one of them, and it was pleafant enough to hear him facetioufly dictating an Anatomy Lefture upon the Court of Rom, to a Lady who had had her Edu cation at Paris. Soon after I was enter'd the Dif- courfe fell upon the Council of I'rent^ and one thing I remember particularly faid, which was this : --- " Father Paul's Hiftory of that Council " was fincere as to the Facts, tho* a Grain of «« Allowance was to be given for a little Em- " broidery : But, in his Judgment truly, Monf. " Duptn's Hiftory was a juft Medium between *' Father Paul's and Pala-vicinus's." — Now, 'tis pretty well known that Father Paul's Hiftory ivas fent over Sheet by Sheet^ as it was compofed,

to

160 A POPISH PAGAN the Fittion of

to King James I. who at length Publifh'd the whole with the Advice and Corrections of George Abbot) Archbifliop of Canterbury. * And Burnet has taken Care to let the World know, that the fame Father Paul was a good Prctejlanl in a Monk* s Drefs ; that our Englifh Liturgy was his Pattern ; that he endeavour'd to bring the Vene tian Republic to a Separation from not only the Court) but alfo the Church of Rome ; and thought himfelf in a corrupted Church and an idolatrous Communion ; where neverthelefs he remain'd 5 "heard ConfeJJions and faid Mafs ; foftening the Reproaches of his Confcience by omitting a great Part of the Canon, and holding his Tongue in thofe Parts of the Office that were againft his Confcience. This is, jura, perjura, fecretum pan ders noli) with a Witnefs. See Bilhop Burnet's Life of William "Bedell^ Bifhop of Kilmore in Ireland^ to whom the Hypocrite difcover'd the Secrets of his Soul.

* Hoc non prtftermittam, quo eertlus omnibus innotefcat, fcriptam effc a Patre Paulo Veneto Tbeo/cgo, (Hiltoriam Cone. Trid. ) art ts jam inter Pontificem Pauhm V. & Rcmpublicam Venetam dijpdiis, Mtijfajque propediem ad Rcgcm noftrum Jaco- bum Jingulas feparatim Scbedas fecundum Qrdinem quo fuccef- Jive compilabatitur ; qui confident c & corrigente Domino Abbatio drcbiepifcopo Protejiantium Caniuarienji, totam farraginem tandem collefiam, in lucem edidit ; Archiepifcopum 'vero de excmplarilus fideliter accurateque defcribendi:, non nimis fulfill anxium <verendum ejl. Franc. Davenport. Summa Veteris Theol. &V. Dial. 23. in fne.

Archbifhop

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 161

Archbimop Abbot's Character drawn by the Earl of Clarendon runs thus : " He had been " Head or Matter of one of the pooreft Col- €< leges in Oxford, and had Learning fufficient «* for that Province. He was a Man of very *£ morofe Manners, and a very four AfpecTr, <e which in that time was call'd Gravity ; made " Bifhop before he had been Parfon, Vicar, or " Curate of any Parifli Church in England, or " Dean or Prebend of any Cathedral Church; " and was in Truth totally ignorant of the " true Conftitution of the Church of England^ " and of the State and Intereft of the Clergy, as " fufficiently appear'd through the whole Courfer " of his Life. fHe confider'd Chriftian Religion " no otherwife than as it abborr'd and reviled " Popery, and valued thoie Men moft who did that <e the moft furioufly. For the ftrid Obfervation " of the Difcipline of the Church, or the Con- <s formity to the Articles or Canons eftabliih'd, he " made little Enquiry, and took lefs Care ; and «« having himfelf made a very little Progrefs in " the ancient and folid Study of Divinity, he ad- <c hered only to the Doctrine of Cahin, and for " his Sake did not think fo ill of the Difcipline " as he ought to have done. " See, The Lives and Characters, 6fc. of Proteftant Bi/Jwps, &c. by John Le Neve, who tells us likewife, it was by means of Antonius de Dominis, that Abbot 64 got Father Paul's Hiftory of the Council of

" Trent

162 A POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of

" Trent tranfmitted in MS. by Parcels into " England. " — Such were the Fabricators of that famous, and fo much boafted, P rot eft ant Hiftory of a Popijh Council !

As to Dupin, the great Favorite of the Hol landers and as much applauded by the Socinians, efpecially by Monf LeClerc, one cannot read him without wondering at his Pride and Impudence

Often difgraced by the Catholics on account

of his fcurrilous and impious AfTertions, he as often folemnly retracted, and as often return'd to the Vomit -, fo that he was defervedly ftiled by them the Proteus * of their Days.

MYTHO. " I have faid in my Letter ; that Cl feveral of the ancient Heroes were more worthy ' " of Veneration, than fome of the modern Saints, " who have difpoffejjed them of their Shrines ; and " that I Jhould fooner -pay divine Honors to the " Founders of Empires, than to the Founders of " Mono/Series. "

Letter DEIST. What you faid was this : " For my

Page 164. " part I fhould fooner be tempted, to proftrate

Edit. 4. tt myfeif before the Statue of a Romulus or an

" Antonine, than that of a Laurence or a Da-

44 mian -, and give Divine Honors rather with

tc Pagan Rome, to the Founders of Empires,

" than with Poptflj Rome, to the Founders of

" Monafteries. "->- What do you think ? Will

* A Sea God, who tum'J himfelf into all Shapes.

not

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 163

not they call you a pitiful Interpreter of your own Words, much more of other People's.

MYTHO. I do not know but they may, and like cur Author " aggravate what I have faid " into a heavy Charge againft me •, .as if I were " offended, to fee the Heathen Temples converted <c into Chriftian Churches, and had actually pre- " ferr'd the Pagan Deities, before the Martyrs of " CHRIST. "

DEIST. What Preference you have given and to whom, muft plainly appear to every one that reads your Letter.

MYTHO. Yes ; and neverthelefs {e according " to his Cuftom, he either widely miftakes, or " willfully mifreprefents my meaning. "

DEIST. I am afraid, Doctor, he underflood it but too well, I have not yet obferv'd one Ex ample 6f what you are pleafed to call his Cuftom — - Let us hear him fpeak for himfelf. " The " Doctor, it feems, is offended that the Pan- " ibeon and other Temples of the Pagans have " been changed into Churches of the Blefled " Virgin and the Saints ; and thinks that the " old Pofieflbrs (the Heathen Deities) had a et better Title to them than the Mother of " CHRIST or his Martyrs ; and declares, that " he fliould be much more inclined to pay his " Devotion to a Romulus or ^Antthiifte^ than to *' (the illuftrious Martyrs) Laurence or Damian, " Page 33, 34. " All literally true, without

the

164 -^ POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of

the leaft tittle of a Miftake or Mifreprefentation: And the following Remark is as juft. " I fup- '.' pofe, by the fame Rule, he muft take it very " ill to find fo many Popifh Churches, nigher " home, changed into Proteftant Temples, " without fo much as taking the Pains to new " chriften them: So that without going to " Rome, we may find a Laurence an Alban> and " a great Number of other R omijh Saints in the " very Heart of London. For fince he openly " declares, that the Pagan Deities had a jufter " Title to Religious Veneration than any of " thefe Saints, confequently a Church of St. Lau- " rence muft needs give him more Offence *c than a Temple of Bacchus. " I add, or of Venus either. Pref. Page 12, 13.

If torn*- MYTHO. Sir; " as to the genuin Saints and rence is <{ Martyrs Of the Chrijlian Church^ .that* is, all Worjhip, " thofe, who, in paft Ages, have lived accor. liow came « ^jng to the Rules of the Gofpel, or died in

theDoftor4t pefence of jt j reverence them as highly, as totranflate *> ,J

juft now, " they ought to be reverenced by any Lhriltian,

" yet mall never be induced to Worjhip * them :

* So fays Doctor MiJtUtM. — - But Clamier, a Protejlant Divine, affures us, the reformM Churches agree that there is a Worjhip due to Saints and Angels ; and that there are Examples and facred Precepts for both. Ergo, the Doctor is not an All — Proteftant — " X>aia -pajl Deum, fua funt inter " Creaturas differ entite ; prinw dngelontm turn etiam Homi- 11 num:-— Confentitur etiam in fat, eft tpiemdam CULTUM

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 165

*e I confider them as illuftrious Proofs of the " Excellence of the Chriftian Doctrine; and " ftiining Examples of Piety and Fortitude to " all fucceding Ages. "

DEIST. This Interpretation, Doctor, like that upon Origin, is a Day too late. Be fides k makes bad worfe — 'Tis evident, in the Extract of your Letter, which 1 have given, there is no Diftinction made between Ancient and Mo dern Saints •, and tho* your Suppofition of Wor- /hipping^ that is, of faying divine Honors, is a Calumny you have endeavour'd all along to im- pofe upon the World, 'tis evident you give the Preference of your Veneration to a Romulus and an Antonine before a Laurence and a Damian ; before a Paul the Hermit, an Hilarion, a Gre gory 'Thaumaturgus, a Gregory of NiJJa, a Jerom^ an Ambrofe, a Chryfoftom, an Auguftin, a Eafil a Paulinus, and many more fuch ancient Saints^ all to Monkery inclined for your Gofpelj fb that your pretended Reverence for the genuitt Saint! and Martyrs of the Chriftian Church, thofe illuftrious Proofs of the Excellence of the Chriftian Doftrine, &c. is, as evidently, only a Feint.

MYTHO. What is my Gofpel ?

' A CREATURIS INFERIORIBUS DEBITUM PRJECELLES- TIBUS. Nee defunt aut Angelorum ab Hominibus, out Uomlnum ab allis Cultorum turn exempla turn Praceptd

* facra, " Chamier. Tom. 2. Lib. 1 8. c, I. § 5.

DEIST.

i66 A POPISH PAGAN the FiStion of

DEIST. I mean what a Chriftian^ if he thought on it, might call fo. — Not that I imagin any one would judge it the Rule you altogether fquare by ; no ; I believe they are taught better. But, mould it, I fay, be thought on, the Prac tice of it will be judged the only Merit by which your Pagan 'Heroes could claim your Efteem.

MYTHO. Well, Sir, what is it?

DEIST. A Defer iption of thofe Pagan Heroes., to the Life.

M Y T HO . By whom ?

DEIST. I would not for. the World, Doctor, a Papift were here. — Take this Scripture -, and read St. P#///'s Eptftle to the Romans^ Chap. i. from Verfe 21

MYTHO. Well, Sir; fay what you pleafe ; — " as for the Pcpijh Saints, I believe feveral «' of them to be wholly fictitious ; many more " to have fpent their Lives contemptibly ; and *{ fome of them even wickedly : And out of ct thefe three Clafies, let our Author chufe were " he will ; out of the fictitious ^ the contemptible, " or the wicked. "

DEIST. My Word for it, they are all your own. Fox's Calendar is an Abomination.

MYTHO. And " I fhall venture to affirm " once more, that I would fooner worfhip Ro- " mulust orjftttpriJtte, than any of them j fooner <c pay my Devotion to the Founders, than to

" the

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 167

C£ the Dijlurbers * of Kingdoms •, fooner to the " Benefactors^ than to the Perfectitors of Man- " kind', and this is the whole that I have ever ".rneant. "

DEIST. As much as to fay, St. Laurence and St. Damian were both Difturbsrs of Kingdoms, and Perfecutors of Mankind. And why fo ? Firft, becaufe they Difobeyed their Princes by refilling to Sacrifice to Idols ; Secondly, becaufe f Lau rence^ Cofmas and Damian, three Saints, are ve nerated j by Chriftians in thofe very Temples* where Antonine, Romulus and Remus, three De- theDoftor vils were adored by Pagans. The firft Reafon pkafes;

indeed, is only a leval Prefumption or Infe- ! e. . °

,-?.., ln itfdf is

rence ; but the fecond is what you exprefly re- vervharm-

proach the Papifts with ; and to it you tack your lefs. Declaration of Preference. A convincing Proof of your being highly offended,, to fee the Hea then 'Temples converted into Chriftian Churches j

* The Doftor, without doubt, will reckon St. Ambrofe among the reft, becaufe he ftoutly refilled the Empreis juftina. and her Son Valentintan who both had a mind to reftore Aria- •nijm. — Befides, every body knows he obliged the Emperor <theodofuti to public Penance for the Maflacre at Thefialonica.

•j- Another Reafon why St. Laurence is not the Dcclor's Favorite may be, the Complaint he made to Xyftus, his Bilhop, feeing him dragged to Martyrdom : Whither go you, my Father •, ivz'tbout your Son ? Whither run you, O holy Eijhop, without icing accompanied by your Deacon ? You never ufed to OFFER SACRIFICE without a Miatjier, &C. St. Ambrofe Lib. i. Oificicr,

M and

i68 A POPISH PAGAN the Fifiion of

and that you actually preferr'd the Pagan Deities', before the Martyrs of CHRIST.

MYTHO. " But our Author calls it a noto- " rious Falfhood to fay, that many of their " Saints were never heard of but in their Le- " gends -, or had no other Merit but of throw- " ing Kingdoms into Convulfions, for the fake " of fome gainful Impofture. '*

DE IST. And can you wonder at hrm ? MVTHO. " Yet I have produced feveral In- " fiances of the firft Sort, which every reafona- " ble Man muft think decifive. "

DEIST. Say you fo! Pray, what are they ? MYTHO. Why " in the cafe of Evodia, <c St. Viar^ Amphibolus, and Veronica. "

DEIST. Right! — I remember them now. Pref. Page MYTHO. " But no fucb Saints^ he fays, H- J5- « were ever honored in their Church : By which he " means nothing more, as he himfetf explains " it, than that they never were formally cano- « nized, and entered into the Roman Martyr ology ~y " which is nothing to the Purpofe ; fince as I " have fhewn from unqueftionable Authority, •' they were all honor*d with Altars and Images., " and openly worfhipped in Catholic Countries, at " Saints and Martyrs. **

DEIST. Well, butDoflor! I fcaree remem ber a Word of this. For example -, I do not remember that your Antagonift mentions For mally or Materially -, tho* he lays neither Julia

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 169

£vodiay nor a St. Viar was ever honor'd in their Church. And indeed what you have given us concerning them appeared to me aniles Fabul<e ; Tales of a Tub with which 'tis ufual for Travel lers or Itinerary Writers to amufe the Public.

But what, is dill more furprizing, I do not re member that you had the Confidence, what ever your Thoughts were, to mention an Altar or *

an

* For Proof of what the Delft fays. I will give the Reader thofe Stories tranfcribed from Dr. Middletmh Letter, Page 172. Edit. 4. — " Mabillon gives a remarkable Inltance of afcrib- " ing Martyrdom and Satntfhip to mere Pagans, in an old " Stone, found on the Grave of a Chrijlian with this Infcrip- " tion D. M. JULIA EVODIA FILIA FECIT MATRI. And " becaufe in the fame Grave there was found likewife a Glaft " Phial, or Lacrimatory Veffel tinged with a reddifh Colour, " which they call Blood, and look upon as a certain Proof of " Martyrdom, this Julia E*voaia, though undoubtedly a Hta- " then, was prefently adopted for a Saint and Martyr on the " Authority of an Infcription that appears evidently to have " been one of thofe above mention'd, and borrow'd from a '• Heathen Sepulchre. But whatever the Party there buried " might have been, whether Heathen or Cbrijlian ; it is cer- " tain however, that it could not be E<vcdia herfelf, but her " Mother only, whofe name is not there fignified. " O ! The Wife-acre ! — - And it is as certain, that the whole Story of this Adoption is mere Forgery, let who will be the Author of it ; as it is that neither Altar nor Image is mentioned in it — But the next Story, Page 173. makes the Rotnai: Antiquaries, it feems, fomewhat more knowing. " The fame Author men- " tions fome Original Papers, which he found in the Barba- " rine Library, giving a pleafant Account of a Negotiation " bet\veen the Spaniards and Pope Urban the VHIth, inRe- •• lation to this very Subjeft. The Spaniard 't, it feems, have " a Saint, held in great Reverence in fome Parts of Spain, M 2 " caird

170 A POPISH PAGAN the FiElion of

an Image in Honor of a Julia Evodta, or afl Amphibolus •, nor an Image in Honor of Viar 5 and now you are refolved to have the Afifurance to pretend you have proved it by unquejlionable

Authority.

As to Amphibolus in particular ; — I have read

* Printed a Litany of Englijh Saints with Prayers, col lected from the Roman and other Mijfals for merly ufed in England •, but, not a Word of Ampbibolus : Tho' I muft own, UJber's Reafon, if it be his, for denying Ampbibolus to have

been

' call'd Viar ', for the farther Encouragement of whofe Wor-

' Ihip, they foHicited the Pope to grant feme fpecial Indulgences

1 to his Altars ; and upon the Pope's defiring to be better

' acquainted firft with his Character, and the Proofs, whicli

' they had of his Saintjhip, they produced a Stone with thefe

' antique Letters S. Viar, which the Antiquaries readily faw

' to be a fmall Fragment of feme old Roman hfcription, in

' memory of one who had been Pr<?fefiu S. Viarum or Over-

" fe&r of the Highways. " — - I have not Mabillon ; if I

had perhaps I might take the Pains to look into him ; but by

the Latin Extraft the Doftor has given us, ail we are told is, that

Urban being petition d by feme Spaniards (perhaps, if the Story

be real, two or three ignorant Pilgrims, who had found the

Stone by chance ) to grant Indulgences for the Worjhip of a Saint,

(wbofe Name is VIAR, &c. a Stone was Brought on which

thefe Letters n^tre left S. VIA*., &c. Alterum notatu dig-

num, quod Urban us ab HiFpanis quibufdam interpellatus de

concedendis indulgentiis ob cuitum Sandi, cui nomen VIAR,

&c. allatus eft Lapis in quo has literas reliquse erant S. VIAR^

&c. Vid. Mabill. Jier. Ital. Pag. 145. Now, 'till the Doctor

thinks fit to inform us, in what Part of Spain a S. VIAR is,

»r was ever, vvorihipped ; in what Teivn, or Village, Church,

cr

<? PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 171

been a Perfon, (becaufe forfooth, 'the Word is derived from the Greek , and fignifies a rough Jhaggy Cloak) to me proves no more than, UJhcr fignifying in Engli/h a School- Whipfler proves there never was the Man, call'd Biflwp UJher. —

And as to Veronica.

MYTHO. Sir; Veronica^ " tho* the Name " only of a Pitture^ was advanced into a Perfon9 " by the Authority of Pope Urban, and placed " as fuch upon an Altar ^ in the Face of all " Chriftwdom in St. P tier's at Romefj Yet all " Men who know any thing of Hiftory, either " facred or prophane, mud neceffarily be con-

or Chapel his Altar is, or was ever, to be found ; I fliall think myfelf at full Liberty to believe both the Spanijh Bi/hop: better Papifts than to allow a Worjhip contrary to their Church's Precepts ; and the pretended Negotiation, &c. a Piece of Em broidery draughted by the Dodtor according to his own Fafliion, - - The third Story, Page 1 74. runs thus. We have in Eng land an Jnftance ftill more ridiculous, of a fictitious Saint/trip, in' the cafe of a certain Saint, call'd Antphibolus ; who accor ding to our Monkijb Hiftorians, was El/bop of the IJle of Man, and felloe-Martyr and Difciple of St. Allans, yet the learned Bijhop UJher has given good Reafons to convince us, that he ' owes the Honor of his Saintfhip, to a miftaken Paflage in ' the old Afts or Legends of St. Alban : Where the Atnpbi bolus ' mention'd, and fince reverenced as a Saint and Martyr, was ' nothing more than the Cloak, which Alban happen'd to < have, at the time of his Execution ; being a Word derived ' from the Greek, and fignifying a rough Jhaggy Cloak, which ' Ecckftajlical Perfons ufually wore in that Age, — " But where is Anipbibolus's Altar or his Image ? 1 am afraid after all, his Canonization will be intirely owing to the Doftor, or to er, or fomc fuch Authentic 'Recorder.

M 3 " vinced,

172 A POPISH PAGAN the Fiftion of

" vinced, that the whole Story, not only of " the Saint, but of the Picture alfo^ which they *' expofe on certain Feftivals with the greateft " Pomp, and for the Original of which diffe- " rent Cities contend, is a mere cheat and For- " gery. "

DEIST. Doclor, you are miftaken, excepting by all Men you mean all Fools. For tho* no Catholic will think himfelf obliged to believe every Tradition they will call pious ; yet no Man in hi* Wits, I mean, no Chriftian, can talk of it in your Strain, without pofitive Reafons to difprove it ; which, by what I have read, I am

fure neither you, nor any body elfe can bring.

What therefore I was going to fay upon the Sub ject was this. 'Tis plain even from the Infcrip- tion * you have copied, that Veronica is not by it fliled even Pious; much lefs is me propofed to be honor'd as a Saint. — But Veronica, you (ay, a^e was not any real P erf on, but the Name given to the Picture itfelf by the old Writers, who men tion it j being formed by blundering and confound-

* SALVATORIS IMAGINEM VERONIC/E

SuDARIO EXCEPTAM

UT Loci MAJESTAS DECENTER CUSTODIRET URBANUS vin

PONT. MAX.

MARMOREUM SICNUM

ET ALTARE ADDIDIT CONDITORIUM

EXTRUXIT Ex ORNAVJT. Ibid. Pag. 175.

ing

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 173

ing the Words VERA ICON, or true Image, &c. One may eafily fee through this blundering Reflexion^ Doclor ; but all the World knows they can vie with your Men of Senfe, and found Criticifm too, providing you do not tack impious to it — No-body doubts, but that the Pifturc it f elf was call'd Vz R A ICON by the Ancients ; an4 'tis very likely a compound Name was, by Uley form'd of thofe two Words, and attributed to the pious Woman fuppofed to have been fa- vor'd with it upon her Handkerchief; and what of all that ? Would fhe be the only one, or the firft, who had gain'd a new Name from fome particular Incident in Life ? If you would know her true Name, confult Baronius ad Annum, 34. * he will tell you it was Berenice ; and then you may fet your Brain to work to difprove the Fa<5t ; but I would advife you, firft to take another trip to Rome and confult the M S. lodged there

* Baron, cit. loquens de Inftrumentit PaJJionis Cbrifti atque Septtlcbri remanentibus, de fudario b&c habet. " Ipfum fuda- *' rlum infuper, quo Caput Domini eft in<volutum in Sepulcbro, *' quod divina wirtutc ab incendio remanferat ill/efum, ejje " tranjlatum ad Pofteros, Beda tejlatur, de locis Sandlis Chap. " r. Ab hot diver fum fudarium illud exiftimaiurt quod a " Berenice faciei Domini fanguine {3* fudore afperjfs admotutn, " ejufdem Dominici <vultus fffigiem in fe retinuit, ut habet " Chriftiana. traditio, & libellus tnanufcriptus de tranjlatione " ejus Romam fafta, qui ajferiiatur in Vaticana Bibliotbeca, " teftatur. De eadem Berenice, qua £ff Veronica dicta habeturt " deque Imagine Cbrifti velo except a, Methodius Epifcopus, " antiqwu Cbronographus mtminit. "

M 4 in

174 -^ POPISH PAGAN the Fittlon of

in the Vatican "Library ; by which you may learn how the Romans came by the Piflure. Infine, be the Origin of it what it will, 'tis the PicJure of their SAVIOUR they expofe to Public Vene ration •, not the Picture of the Woman -, who is little thought of by thofe, who pray before the

Altar in St. Peter's Church. Nor will they

worfhip any Saint but thofe canonized, or Beati fied, or enter'd into the Roman Martyrology. So that, when all comes to all, a Papift may fay, your own dear unqueftionalle Authority will ftand for ever a deciftve Proof to every reafonalle Man, that you are an infignis falfarius ; an Importer of the firft Magnitude.

MYTHO. Sir; " 'tis a thing confefs'd, and " lamented by the gravefl of their own Com- " munion, that the Names and Worfhip of " many pretended Saints^ who never had a real " Exiftence, had been fraudulently impofed " upon the Church. "

DEIST. I do not believe that.

MYTHO. Yes, Sir; " the celebrated Dr, *l John de Launcy, was famous for clearing " the Calendar of feveral, who had long been " worfhipped in France, as the Tutelary Divi «c of fpme of their principal Towns. "

DEIST. 'Tis to be imagin'd then, he puts others in their Places ; for I perceive their Ca lendar is as long as ever.

MYTHO.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 175

MYTHO. That maybe •, but " it ufed to be1 " faid of him, that there never pafs'd a Year, in " which he did not pluck a Saint out of Paradife"

DEIST. Who told you all this?

MYTHO. See Boyle's Dictionary in Launoy.

DEIST. Doctor; he is all your own; my Word for it.

MY T HO. ct In the Catacombs of Rome which, *' in the times of Heathenifm, was the Burial - " Place of the Slaves, and poorer Citizens. " *

DEIST. Can you bring any Voucher ', Doctor, for this piece of Hiftory, older than Lutheran Proteftantifm.

MYTHO. No matter.

DEIST. Perhaps Biiliop Burnet taught it you.

MYTHO. What then ?

DEIST. They will fay, 'tis a Lye, you may be fure.

MYTHO. What is that tome? — In thofe Catacombs, " where the Bones of Pagans and " Chriftians lie jumbled promifcuoufly together, te if they happen to find a little Phial, or piece of " Glafs tinged with red, at the Mouth of any " particular Hole, they take it prefently, as the ^ learned Montfaucon -f informs us, for a cer tain

* This Forgery without a Proof may, with all my Heart, be number'd one of the Credenda of Dr. Middletotts wifh'd for Reformation.

•f- His words cited by Dr. Middleton, Page 172. are: S* forte rubare quodam in imo tinfia vitrea ampulla fuerit, pro

arguments

176 A POPISH PAGAN the Fittion of

*« tain Proof of Martyrdom ; and by the help " of the next Infcription, that they can pick up " from fome neighbouring Grave-Scone, pre- *' fently create a new Saint and Martyr to the " Popijh Church. "

DEIST. This, one might be apt to imagin, was to fupply Launofs petty Larcenies. How ever, Doctor; I can find no Change in their Martyrology •, no Addition from the Catacombs within my Memory : So that your little Phial, &c. your new created Saints and Martyrs is all a Tale to the old 'Tune. — But, now I think 'ont, there is at Rome what the Romans call a facred * Zribtatal, learned and attentive, eftablifh'd for the Infpectiorj of what is in the Catacombs, and what is taken out ; — did you ever confult any of thofe Gentlemen about the Rules they follow in diftinguifhing Reliques of Martyrs from thofe of other primitive Chriftians there buried ? Did they ever tell you a little Phial, or -piece of Glafi tinged with red was a certain Proof of Martyrdom ?

argumento Martyrii habetur. Mont. Diar. It. Page 118. If by chance a Glafs Phial is tinged at the bottom with red, 'tis eiteem'd an Argument of Martyrdom. He neither fays, a cer tain Proof, nor a fuffident ; and if he had, his Authority would not fignify a Rum.

* One Petrus Rofftnus fpeaking of the Catacombs at Rome adds : «i>/ fin0 Carpi de San fit Martiri intieri : Per la ricfrca, t ricognitione de quali iii e ijlltuito un facro Trikuxa/i, pieno di fapere, & attentione. II Mercuric Errante Delle Grandezze di Roma, &c. Lib. 3. Pag. 66.

MY THO.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 177

MYTHO. But, Sir; " Mabillon^ as I have " obferved, wifhes, that they would be more " fcrupulous on this Head, and not forge fo " many fabulous Stones of Saints, without any " certain Name : nor impofe Pagan ifh Infer ip- " tions for Chriftian upon the Church. "

DEIST. Doctor; one thing I know. When I fet myfelf upon inquiring into Religions, 1 did not think Travellers my beft Informers. You have, 'tis true given us a broken PafTage out of Mabillon's Iter. Ital. Pag. 225. to this Effect: / wi/h they would imitate this Piety ^ who devife feign* d Hiflories of Saints lately found without certain Names to the Confufion of true Hiftories ; Tes, and they who fometimes divulge Pagan In- fcriptions for Chrijlian. * But what this Piety is Mabillon would have imitated, you do not tell us ; nor who thofe are he carps at. Perhaps he fpeaks only of fome Vagabonds (and fuch there are in all Countries) who wander under pretence of a Pilgrimage, in order to be entertain'd at the Expence of Charity. But be that as it will ; if Mabillon^ Ibid, be your Author, as you fay he is, for the Story of Julia Evodia, which I know to be falfe, what credit can he gain

* Utinam bane Religionem imitarentur, qul Sanftorum rt- cens abfqui certis nominibus in<ventorum Jiflas Hiftorias com- minifcuntur ad confujionem verarum Hijloriarum, into £5* Qui Paganorum Infcriptiones aliquando pro Chrijlianis vulgant. Mabill. cit.

you,

178 A POPISH PAGAN the Fittion of

you ? * But there is another thing, Doctor, which you had like to have made me forget. 'Tis a paffage I have read cited from St. Cyprian Epift. 68. where he accufes Martialis, among other atrocious Crimes, of having buried his Children in the fame place where Heathens were buried. •f Which I as well as Baronius, take to be a certain Proof, that the Primitive Chriftians ab- horr'd a Heathen's Company when dead, as much as his Religion when alive — And will not

* After all, Dr. Middleton feems fenfible enough that here, in England, we have " certain Men who are too apt to con- " fider their own Opinions, as the ftandardof Chriftian Faith ; «' and to treat even the Defenders of our Religion, as Defer- " tors, if they do not fubmit to Aft under their Direction. " See Pref. Difc. Page 81. And why may we not fuppofe there are in other Countries as Self-conceited ; who think no thing rightly tranfa&ed, becaufe they are not of the Council.

•f St. Cyprianu! cum Martiakm f< nefando Idohlatrite libella " infamatum dixit, h-fc addit : Martialis quoque prater " Gentilium turpia & lutulenta Cotzvivia & Collegia diu fre- " quentata, £3* jilios in eodem Collegia, exterarum Gentium " more, apud profana Sepulcbra depofitos, & alienigenis confe " pultos ; aft is etiam public e babiiis apqd Procurator em Duce- " narium oltemperajfe fe Idololatriif, & 'Chriftum negajfe " coritejlatus fit. " Baron, -ad An: 258. — The Burial place for the Slaves and poorer Citizens, in the time of Heatbeniftn was the Puticuli, without the Exquilian Gate, given away by Auguftus to his Favorite Maecenas, who turn'd it into 'fine Gar dens. A plain Proof that they did not ufe to bury their Poor in Vaults, fuch as the Catacombs are.

Hue prius angujlis ejeffa cadaniera cellis Confervas <vili portanda locabat in area. Hoc miferee Pleli Jlabat commune Sepulchrum, &c.

Hor. Lib. i. Sat. 8.

this

d PROTESTANT HEATHEN.

this utterly fpoil the Compliment you make your Friends, of the Catacombs ?

MYTHO. " Our Catholic himfelf, in this " very Work, where he is labouring to give ** the moft fpecious Turn to every Part of their " Worfhip. "

DEIST. Nor can a Chriftian defire plainer or more convincing Proofs for Truth ; which is what they fay he extremely delights in. And, what is more wonderful, I find him all of a-piece, from the firft to the laft ; as is indeed their whole Scheme of Religion.

MYTHO. You mall fee that. — He " is, '* I fay, forced to allow fuch a Confufion and *' Jumble among the Martyrs and their Re- " liques, as approaches very nearly to what I «' am now affirming. "

DEIST. A Papift will fay; as nearly as an Angel of Light to the Rulers of Darknefs.

MY T HO. Sir ; " he fays, that many of their

<c Saints having borne the fame Name, it eafily

<c happens, that the Reliques, which belong to Page

" one, are attributed to another, and that there

" are many ancient Martyrs, whofe Names at

ft prefent are unknown, yet whofe Reliques

** have all along been honor'd in the Church ;

*c and that it was eafy for the Ignorance of

" fome, or the Vanity of others, to attribute to

<6 them the Names of other Saints. "

DEIST.

A POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of

DEIST. Be pleafed to add, Doctor, what follows : " fo that all thcfe may be true Reliques, *' notwithftanding they don't all belong to the •e Saints to whom they are attributed. " Now I fee nothing in all this, but what is very reafo- nable.

MYTHO. Don't you? " The old Athenians tc were call'd Superftitious by the Apoftle, for ' creeling an Altar to the unknown GOD. "

DEIST. Well they might.

MYTHO. " But our Papifts, we fee, by " their own Confeflion, ereft Altars to unknown " Saints^ and unknown Reliques. "

DEIST. We were talking juft now of the Catacombs , Doctor; — it puts me in mind of an old Story ; but, I dare venture, 'tis a true one. — Julian the Apoftate, perceiving the Chri^ ftians frequent with Conftancy and Fervor, the Tombs of the Martyrs, reproach'd them with it, and pretended it a Superftition in Imitation of the Jews ; of whom Ifaias had faid : In * Sepulchris & Speluncis dormiunt propter Infomnia ; But St. Cyril, it feems, rebuffed the Pagan af terwards, for his Blafphemies ; and pronounced his Parallel, a Dream worthy an Apoftate and a Mad man, t

* They fleep, for the fake of dreaming, in Sepulchres and Caves. Ifaias chap !xv 4. Edit. Septuag.

f Dlgnijfimum hoc plane Jpojiata viro, ac penihts delirantt f omnium S. Cyrillus, Lib. 10. in Julianum. Set Rom. Subter. Lib. i.e. 3.

MYTHO.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 181

MYTHO. " Upon the mention of thefe Re* " liques, I cannot help obferving, that the fu« <c perftitious Veneration and folemn Tranjlations " of them, which make fo great a Part of the " Popijb Worfhip. " ......

DEIST. Tho' to fpeak the Truth, we do not hear of any of thefe folemn Tranflations once in an Age — But remember, Doctor ; Conftantine the Great, and firft Cbriftian Emperor, had the Reliques of St. Andrew, St. Luke, and^St. ^Timothy tranflatcd to Constantinople -, where, witnefs So crates, he built them a noble Church, nelmpera- Se

tores, & Sacer -dotes, Apoftolorum Reliqttiis all- Li^' l • c- quando dejlituerentur. 2 '

MY THO. That is nothing to the purpofe. — It only " affords another Inftance of a Practice " clearly derived to them from Paganifm. "

DEIST. To whom, Doctor? To Conftantine and his Clergy of Conftantinople ?

MYTHO. Pmaw ! — I was not even think ing of Conftantine. 'Tis the Papifts I am talk ing of.

DEIST. But why may not Conftantine come in for a Share with Aurelius Arcadius, who in time, had Samuel's Bones tranflated mto'fbracia ; and alfo the fever -alEi- Jhops that carried them wrapped up in Silk, in a golden Veffel ? Nor would you exclude St. Jerom himfelf, I am perfuaded, had you taken Notice

of

182 A POPISH PAGAN the Fittion of

of what he writes concerning the Reliques of St. Andrew, &c. at Conftantinople. *

MYTHO.

* Andes dicere, illud nefcio quid, quod in modico vafculo transferendo colis ? Quid ejl illud, nej'cio quid? Scire dejideroj expone manifcjlius, ut tota lilertate blafpbetnes. Pulvifculum, inquit, nefcio quod in ttiodico vafculo pretiofo linteaniine cir- cumdatum. Dolet Martyrum reliquias pretiofo operiri'velamine, & non *vel pannis, <vel cilicio colligari, <ve I projici in flerqui- linium ; «/ folus Vigilantius ebrius & dormiem adoretur. Ergo facrilegi fumus quando Apofiolorum Bafilicas ingreditnur ? Sa- crilegus fuii Conftantinus Imperator, qui JanRas Reliquias Andre<£, L»c<£ & Timothei tranf.ulit Conflantinopolim, apud quas D&tnones rugiunt, & inbabitatores Vigilantii illorum fe fenfire preefentiam confitentur ? Sacrilegus dicendus ejl & nunc <Aurelius Arcadius, qui oj/a Bcati Samuelis longo poji tempore de Jud&a tranjlulit in 'Ikraciam ? Omnes Epifeopi non folum Jacrilegi fed & fatui judicandi, qui rein *vilij(]itma.m, iff cineres dijfolutos in f erica, & <vafe aureo portaverunt ? Stulti omnium Eeclefiarum Populi. qui occurrerunt fanflis Reliquiis, & tanta. fatitia, qiiafi prszfenfem, viventemque Prophetam cernerent fufeeperunt, ut de Pal&Jlina ufque Cbalcedonem jungerentur po- pulomm examina, & in Cbrifli laudem una <voce refonarent * S. Jerom Cont. Vigilant.

St. John Chryfoftom, in a Sermon upon St. Ignatius, con gratulates the People of Antiocb on the folemn Tranflation of that Martyrs Reliques to their City, in the following terms. — *' Goi> deprived you of him for a fhort time, and has reftored " him with greater Favor ; and as thofe who borrow Money *' reftore with Intereft what they received ; thus GOD having " taken away for a little while this precious Treafure to mew " it to Rome, has brought it you back with greater Glory. — " You bought him your Bilhop, and you have received him a " Martyr — You bought him with Prayers, and you have " received him with Crowns. — - And not you alone, but all " the interjacent Cities. — For how do you think they wers

« affefted,

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 183

MYTHO. With all my Heart; include them all j let me but tell my Story.

DEIST. Very well ! Therefore

MYTHO. " The Superfluous Veneration and

" folemn *£ranjlation of Reliques afford

" another inftance of a. Practice, I fay, clearly " derived to them from Paganifm j the whole " Procefs and Ceremonial of which, as it is ". exercifed at this Day. "

DEIST.

affefted, when they. beheld his Retinues brought back? — -

What Pleafure did they feel ? How glad were they ! — With

what joyful Acclamations did they embrace him crown'd ! —

As Spectators, rifmg with Shouts from the Pit, lift aloft the

generous Champion that has conquer'd all his Adverfaries,

and fuffer him not to touch the Ground 5 but carry him

home on their Shoulders, honoring him with innumerable

Praifes ; fo likewife, all the Cities, one after the other,

" receiving this Saint brought back from Rome, and carrying

" him upon their Shoulders, accompanied him to Antiocb,

" celebrating the crown'd Martyr, deriding the Devil that his

" cunning had fucceeded contrary to his Expectation. And

" then it was he did good to all thofe Cities, and was their

" Inftruclion ; and he has enrich'd this Country to this very

" Day."

St. Jerom tells us, thefe Reliques were depofited in the Suburbs of Antiocb, ad Portam Dapbniticam. Lib de Script. Ecclef. — - But what is full as much worth the Doctor's Atten tion, is the great Number of Miracles wrought by Almighty GOD in Favor of thofe Chriftians who vifited them, teftified by the fame St. Chryfoflom : " Non aliter quam Thefaurus quidam " perpetuus, qui quotidie exhauritur, & nunquam deficit ; fie " etiam Beatus hie Ignatius cunclis ad fe accedentibus benedicens, " fiducia ac ftrenua alacritate, magnaque fortitudine plenos N " remittit

d POPISH PAGAN the Fittion of DEIST. Singing David's Pfalms, Hymns and Anthems in Honor of C H R i s T and his Saints ?

MYTHO. Yes, Sir ; " the whole Procefs and " Ceremonial, as it is exercifed at this Day, " may befeen in Plutarctfs account of the 1'ran- " flat ion of the Bones of Thefeus, from the Ifle of u Scyrus to Athens : And as this Refolution was ** firft fuggefted to the Athenians by an Appari- " tion of 'Thefeus himfelf, and injoin'd to them " afterwards by the Delphic Oracle ; fo tbe Dif- " covery and Tranjlation of their Reliques in the

*' remittit domum. Itaque non hodie tar.tum fed quotidie con- fluimus, fpirituales ex eo fruftus percipientes. Quifquis enim cum fide ad ilium accedit, magnis afficitur Beneficiis. Sanc torum enim noh modo corpora, fed ipfi loculi & monumenta fpirituali gratia conferta funt. "

" Not unlike an everlafting Treafure, which is daily empty ing and never fails ; fo this holy Ignatius, Biefling all that approach him, fends them home full of Confidence, and ilrenuous Alacrity, and great Fortitude. Therefore we flock to him not only this Day, but every Day, receiving from him fpiritual Fruits. For whoever approaches him with Faith, is greatly benefitted. For not only the Bodies of the Saints, but alfo their Coffins and Tombs are fill'd with fpiritual Favors. " This, and much mere has St. Cbryfoflcm concerning the Ve neration of St. Ignatius s Reliques ; by which 'tis made evident, what Efteem the Chriftians had of the Reliques of Martyrs, in the Beginning of the Second Age ; when, being all without doubt Difciples of the Apoltles, with great Veneration and Joy they tranflated die Relieves of St. Ignatius from Rofne to dtiticch ; notwithftanding the then raging Perfecution ; without dread of the Envy and Cruelty of Heathens, or the tedious Difficulties of a long Journey. See Baron, ad Annum, 1 10.

" Romifi

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN, 185

" Romi/h Church, are ufually grounded on fome " pretended Vipon or Revelation from Heaven. "

DEIST. I fuppofe, Doctor, what you hint at *4f« chiefly, is the Tranflation of the Reliques of j^'c^l St. Gervafus and Protafius, found by St. Ambrofe, Del. c. 8. Dei monitu. — But 'tis likely your Score can S' •?***' furnifh the Papifts with a larger Catalogue of thofe pretended Revelations, as you call them, for the Diicovery of Reliques, than they are aware of.

MYTHO. Ay, Sir-, ' St. Ambrofe and all! They are all of the fame Stamp. " When Cimon " then had conquer'd the Ifland of Scyrus, — Seek, in

DEIST. What, Doctor! I hope you are not 1j£'1%M' going to give me the Story of 72>f/f«j'sTran(lation ! D-j-c 6"2>

MYTHO. Sir, you mall fee the Conformity.

DEIST. No, Doctor, no. — I make no man ner of doubt but that this Story is better known by your Beaux Efprits, and Gentlemen of polite Literature^ than thefolemn Tranflation of Jacob's Reliques perform'd by his Son Jofeph ; or the Tranflation of Jofepb\ or the dead Man raifed See Gea* to Life by touching the Bones of Eli/ba the Pro- ^'xod , phet ; tho* the Bible is handled, dog-ear'd and Jo/b. 24. tofs'd about by every Tinker. -— You have been fcf often told, that the Devil is apifli. He faw I3' - upon Divine Record the great Veneration paid to GOD'S Servants and to their Remains ; — he could read in Records ftamp'd, I fay, with GOD'S Great-Seal, much older than your Hea then Authors, an Account of a folemn Pro- N 2 ce/ton

i §6 A POPISH PAGAN the Fiftion of

ceffton made for feven Days together, and fign*d the feventh Day with a Miracle ; — he found the Defcription of a Temple, with all it's Appurte nances, Images, Lamps, Incenfe, Holy Water, &c, built and furnim'd by GOD'S fpecial Command, after that Model, and no other, Jhevfd to Mofes upon Mount Sinai ; — - he could perceive the Zeal with which Handing Monuments were creeled, as Memorials of GOD'S EleJJings •, all this, you have been told, the Devil knew, and therefore was refolved to lay in his Claim ; 'till the faithful Followers of CHRIST difpoffeffed the Knave of his Spoils, and reftored them to their true Owner. This laft Stroke, you will fay, was vexatious •, but'the Papifis, I am afraid, will glory, when they find the only Shift left to vindi cate your Friend's Honor, is turning theTables, and changing them with the Robbery. — For what, in the Name of Reafon ! can be more ridi culous, than to pretend to prove, that priorPrac- tices are only Copies drawn from thofe you have no account of but from fubfequent Ages ? Which is the Sum Total of your Inveftives ; tho* you did not know fo much when you undertook them.

MY THO. " But to purfue the Objections of " our Catholic ; he declares my Account of << St. Orejle, whofe Name I fuppole to have been " derived from the Mountain SoraRe, on which " his Monaftery now Hands; to be ridiculous

" beyond meafure."

DEIST.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 187

DEIST. And fo do I, Doctor!

MYTHO. " Yet Mr. Addifon, who was no ct ridiculous Author, has related it as a certain " Fact; which he borrow'd probably from fome " of their own Writers, or at leaft from fome " of the Antiquaries of Rome, among whom I " heard the fame Story."

DEIST. Excellent Authority, o' my Word, Doctor ! The Antiquaries of Rome, much of a Trade with the Man who fhews the Tombs in Weftminfter- Abbey at two Pence a Head, told you fo -, ergo, 'tis a certain Fact. I will not deny but Mr. Addifon was a Man of polite Lite rature, a Man of Senfe too ; but when Party- Spleen is carried to fuch a Pitch, that any thing muft ferve for an Argument ; Mr. Addifon might be as ridiculous as yourfelf. Among the Englijh Regicides there were, I believe, fome Men of Learning and Senfe ; yet I am fully perfuaded their whole Procefs and Reafoning was not only impious but highly ridiculous.

MYTHO. " But, Sir, if the Notion of ffti- " tious Saints, be fo notorioufly Falfe, as he " aflerts it to be, let him tell us, if he can, in. " what Hiftory we may find the Acts of thofe " very Saints, whom I have named, and whom " their Church adopts as genuin, St. Orejle, " Baccho, Quirinus, Romula, & Redempta, Con- <><" cordia, Nympha, Mercurius*"

N 3 DEIST.

1 88 A POPISH PAGAN the Fi&ion of

DEIST. If my Preface to the Satisfaction you

demand be fomewhat Prolix, I hope, Doctor,

you will not lofe Patience. — According to the

Engli/h Hiftorians, there was a time when " Ab-

" beys falling into Hands who underftood no far-

Collier. <« ther than the Eftates, their Libraries were mi-

Vol 2 b " ferably difpofed of. The Books inftead of be-

i. p. 19. " ing removed to Royal Libraries, to thole of

" Cathedrals, or the Univerfities, were fre-

«' quently thrown into the Grantees ; as things

*' of {lender Confideradon — Now thefe Men

" oftentimes proved a very ill Protection for

" Learning and Antiquity. Their Avarice was

" fometimes fo mean, and their Ignorance fo

'* undiftinguilhing, that when the Covers were

" fomewhat rich, and would yield a little, they

<l pull'd them off, threw away the Books, or

" turn'd them to wafte Paper. " Thus many

noble Libraries were deftroy*d. Nay fo great a

Spoil was made in the Republic of Learning,

Collier, that John Bale, fometime Bifhop of OJ/ery in

Ibid. Ireland, a Man remarkably averfe to Popery, and

the Monaftic Inftitution, gives this lamentable

Account of what he himfelf was an Eye-Witnefs

to. — " I know a Merchant, who mail at this

" time be namelefs, that bought the Contents

" of two noble Libraries for forty Shillings

" a-piece ; a Shame it is to be fpoken. This Stuff

" has been occupied inftead of Grey- Paper by

" the fpace of more than thefe ten Years. A

" prodigious

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 189

*c prodigious Example this is, and to be abhorr'd " of all Men, who Jove their Nation as they " Ihould do. Yea, what may bring our Realm " to more Shame, than to have it noifed abroad, " that we are Defpifers of Learning? I judge " this to be true, and utter it with Heavinefs, " that neither the Britons under the Romans and " Saxons , nor yet the Englijh People under the ** Danes and Normans , had ever fuch Damage " of their learned Monuments as we have feen C£ in our time. "

But Bale is not alone in this Charge — Fuller

breaks out into a paflionate Declamation upon

this Occafion, and complains " that all Arts

" and Sciences fell under the common Calamity

" — How many admirable Manufcripts of the

" Fathers, Schoolmen and Commentators were

" deftroy'd by this Means ? What number of

" Hijiorians of all Ages and Countries? The

" Holy Scriptures themfelves, as much as thefe

*' Gofpellers pretended to regard them, under-

" went the Fate of the reft. — If a Book had

" a Crofs on't, it was condemn*d for Popery ;

**,and thofe with Lines and Circles were inter-

«6 preted the black Art, and deftroy'd for con-

" juring. And thus, as Fuller goes on, Divi-

" nity was prophaned, Mathematics fuffer'd for

" correfponding with evil Spirits, Pbyfic was

" maim'd and Riot committed on the Law

" itfelf. "

N 4 There

1 90 A POPISH PAGAN the Ft&ion of

Echard. There was a time when " Luxury, Oppref- Hift.Engl. cc £on^ an(j fj[acreci to Religion, had over-run

Page 312. " tne higher Rank of the People, and counte- " nanced the Reformers, merely to rob the " Church. " When the famous Angervillian Li brary, a choice Collection of Books, firft com piled by Angerville Bifhop of Durham, was de- ftroy'd : when the two noble Libraries of Cob- ham, Bifhop of Winchefter, and that of Duke

Collier. Humphrey, underwent the fame Fate. tc Thefe " Books were many of them plated with Gold " and Silver, and curioufly embofs'd. This, *' as far as we guefs, was the Superftition which 81 deftroy'd them. Here Avarice had a very " thin Difguiie, and the Courtiers difcover'd of " what Spirit they were, to a very remarkable

" Degree Merton College had almoft a Cart

" Load of Manufcripts carried off, and thrown " away to the moft fcandalous Ufes — This " was a flrange Inquifition upon Senfe and Rea- " fon, and fhew'd, that they intended to feize <c the Superftitious Foundations, and reform them «£ to nothing — The Univerfities languifh'd in

Edward «' their Studies the Remainder of this Reign, " and were remarkable for nothing but fome " trifling Performances in Poetry, and Gram- " mar. Jl

* See "John Bale, Declaration on Leland's Journal, Anno,. 1549. Fuller, Church, Hift. B. 6. Page, 335. & Collier, Loc. cit. & B. 4. Page 307.

There

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN] 191

There was a time, Doctor ! When " the Unmet c* open Lewdnefs in * which many lived, with- Htf-°f

] ' the Re-

' out Shame and Remorle, gave great Occa- form.v0i. " fion to their Adverfaries to fay, they were in 3- Page " the right to afifert Juftification without Works, Zl ' " fmce they were, as to every Good- work, re- " probate : when their grofs and infatiable fcram- *' bling after the Goods and Wealth that had *c been dedicated with good Defigns — With- " out the applying any Part of it to the pro- " moting of the Gofpel, the Inftruction of " Youth, and the relieving the Poor, made all " People conclude that it was for Robbery, " and not for Reformation, that their Zeal " made them fo active : When, the irregular and «?!?% c< immoral Lives of many of the Profejfors of the the Re- <c Gofpel gave their Enemies great Advantage to/3m-pa8e *c fay, they ran away from Confeffwn^ Penance, 2l~° " Fafting and Prayer, only that they might be " under no Reftraint, but indulge themfelves in " a licentious and dijjblute Courfe of Life : Whfn^ " by thefe things that were but too vifible in

* There was a time when Ulrich Zuinglius, with fome other Jpoftate Priejls prefented a Requeft to the Common- Wealth of Siaitzers for Wives, declaring that he and his had render'd them felves infamous, by the Deeds of the Flefh, to the great Scandal of the Faithful. See Zxinglftt'* Works Tom. i. fo/. 115. & 1 19, faff. This was the Man who took up the Cudgels, with O.ecolampadius, in Favor of Carlojladius againit the Doctrine of the Real Prefence preach'd by Luthtr.

<c fome

A POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of

" fome of the more Eminent among them, the " People were much alienated from them ; ". and as much as they were formerly againft " Popery ', they grew to have kinder Thoughts " of it, and to look on all the Changes that " had been made, as Defigns to inrich fome " vicious Courtiers, and to let in an Inunda- " tion of Vice and Wickednefs upon the Na- " tion. "

There was a time, when " a Commiffion be- " ing granted to reform the Univerfity of Ox- Collier. « ford, the Vifitors were fo fond of Novelty, Page «6 " fhat they ridiculed the Univerfity Degrees, and " difcouraged the Exercifes. They call'd the <{ Univerfities the Seats for Blockheads, and the " Stews of the Whore of Babylon •, and the " Schools had commonly no better Name? " than the Devil's Chapel j when, infine, Sacrz- Camden. " legious Avarice ravenoufly invaded Church Introd. to tt livings, Colleges, Chanteries, Hofpitals, and s <c Places dedicated to the Poor, as things Super-

of Queen

Elizabeth " ftitious ; Ambition and Emulation among the

Page 5. " Nobility, Prefumption and Difobedience among

" the Common People, grew fo extravagant and

** infolent, that England feem'd to be in a down-

"' right Frenzy. "

MYTHO. But what, Sir! — DEIST. Hold, Doctor! I had like to have forgot — There was a time too, when the Eng-

lijh

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 193

lijh Clergy was compofed of Coblers, Weavers^ In Tinkers, 'Tanners, Cardmakers, Tapfters, Fidlers, Taylors, Bag-pipers, Alebajiers, &c. *. betf*

M Y T H o. But what is all this to St. Orefte, &c ?

DEIST. Right, Doctor! But I knew the Narration would pleafe you. A thorough -paced

Reformation is your Heart's Content Now

before I fatisfy your Curiofity : I muft defire you to compare Ages. Not to mention the Moors in Spain, and the Mahometans in Afia ; confider the Ravages made in Italy by the Goths, the Vandals, the Hunns, partly Idolaters, partly Arians •, when Bifhops were feized, Priefts Jlain, &c. Churches overthrown, Horfes jlaUed at the Altars ^CHRIST; the Rellques of the Martyrs dug up f Refle6t upon the Havock made in Africa, when neither Churches, nor Church-

* This Dr. Hey I'm informs us of, tho' in quoting the Words ofMrRafta/, Page 347. See likewife, Page 286, 287.

•f- Horret animus temporum nojlrorum ruinas perfequt. Vi* ginti y eo amplius anni funt, quid inter Conjlantinopolim & Alpes Julias quotidie Romamis Sanguis effunditur. Scytiam, Thraciam, Macedonia™, Dardaniam, Daciam, TheJ/alonicam, dchaiam, Epiros, Dalmatian, cunftafqut Pannonias Gothus, Sarmata, §>uadus, Alanus, Hunni, Vuandali, Marcomanni t'ajiant, trahunt, rapiunt. Quot Matrons, quot Virginef Dei, iff ingenua nobiliaque corpora bis beliuis fucre ludibrio ?

Capti Epifcopi, interfeSii Presbyteri, Subverfee Ecclefi<et

ad Altare Cbrifti ftabulati equi, Martyrum ejfofe reliquiae. Ubique ludus, ubique gemitui & plurima mortis Imago, &C. S. Jerom Efijl. 3 . qu& ejl ad Heliodorum. Colon. Anno, 1616.

yardst

194 <A POPISH PAGAN the Pittion of

yards, nor Monafteries could efcape their fa- vage Hands. *

MYTHO. And then !

DEIST. Why then, you may conclude, and if you will not, every reafonable Man will, that it is no wonder if the Memory of feveral Mar- tyrS) as to their Names, has been preferved ; tho* their Acts could not efcape the common Ruin. — However, Doflor! If you will confult Baronius, you may perhaps judge proper to change yourTone, and not bid Defiance to prove Perfons have had a Being, becaufe forfooth, you or Mr. Addifon, never knew them.

St. Orefre f was martyr'd Anno, 311. in the Perfecution of Dioclejian in LeJJer Armenia. He was a Soldier, and difcover'd to be a Chriftian by a gold Crofs he carried upon his Bread, which appeared by chance. An Argument you would have liked much better, again ft his Saintjhip j than a ridiculous Derivation. See his Ads in Su- rius Dec. 13. out of Melaphraftes.

St. Concordia was St. Hippolitus's Nurfe, and fhe fuffer'd with him and nineteen more, all of

* Ab eorum, viz. Vandalorum Arianorum contaglone nullui reman/it locus immunis, pr<rfertin in Ecc/efiis, Bajilicifque ^5*

Cacmateriis, & Monafteriis fceleratius fai<viebant. Uticenfis Lib. i. tf/WAringhum, Rom. Subterr. Tom. 2. Lib. 5. c. i.

•f- Hujus tf aliorum Marfyrum res geft<s confc ripttf junt ah Evfebla Monacbo, & Auracints tradittr. PaJJus eft Sebaftt itt Armenia minori. B.iron ad An. 311.

his

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 195

his Family, a few days after St. Laurence had fuffer'd. Witnefs St. Laurence's Ads, MS. Vat. &? Vallicel. See Ear on. ad Annum^ 261.

St. Bacchus^ alias Baccho^ fuffer'd Martyrdom in Cale Syria^ and St. Sergius with him ; their many Miracles render'd their Memory famous not only among Chriffians, but even among the Infidels. *

St. Quirinus, Bifhop of Scifcia, had a Stone tied to his Neck, and was thrown from a Bridge into the River. He fuffer'd about the Year, 308. See Baron. & Eufebius in Chronic. Prudent ius compofed a Hymn in Honor of him. Periftepb. Hymn. vii. You may find another St. Quirinus mentioned by Surius May, 3. 6? Baron, ad Annum, 132.

St. Mercurius Martyr fuffer'd at Cxfarea in Cappadoda Anno, 254. See Baron. Ibi. & ad Annum^ 363. — And now, Doctor ! I will tell you a Story that mall make you Smile. 'Tis taken out of the Life of St. Bafil writ by Helladius, his Dif- ciple and Succeffor. — St. Bafil ftanding once before an Image of the BleJJed Virgin^ that had

* In fuperiori Syria, quee appellata ejl slugufta Euphratefiat Sergias £ff Bacchus darijjlmi Martyres occubuerunt, quorum Memoria vlrtute Miraculonim nan in Cbrijlianos tantum, fed etiam in Inf deles, ut fuo hco difiuri futnus profagata eft. Ex tant eorum a£la, fed in aliquibus em ndanda, Earon. ad Annum* 309. I have read too, that Juftinian the Emperor, built Churches to thek iVicraory both at Conjlantinofle and at Pto- tttnaii,

on

196 A POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of

on it likewife the Pifture of St. Mercurius Mar tyr; he befeech'd Almighty GOD to free the World of the Apoftate Julian. Upon which he faw the Martyr for a little while darken'd, and then holding a bloody Spear in token of what was to happen. — See St. John Damafeene, Orat. iii. de Imagin. and the Ads of St. Bafil writ, as reported, by Amphilochius, mSozomen. Hift. Lib. vi. c. 2. & Niceph. Lib. x. c. 34. & 35.

MYTHO. The Dewce ! — They are all Po~ pijh Legends, Faith !

DEIST. Nay, Doctor ! I thought to make

you merry ; but I fee you are out of Humor

Yet ; — One Word more ! For St. Romula & Redempta^ Virgins, confult Baron, ad Annum, 592. and St. Gregory the Great, Horn. xl. & Dialog. Lib. iv. c. 15. and St. Nympba you will find in Baron. Not. ad Martyr. 3. Idus. Nov. — Now I have done, Dodlor !

MYTHO. Sir; they are all Popijh Legends, you may depend on't!

DEIST. Pray, Doftor •, before Luther was born, what other Legends had we, but Heathen Legends, and Popijh Legends ? And if you claim thofe, as your own Property, the fole Subject of your Belief ; why may not Papifts lay claim to thefe ? Did you expect they would fend you to Plutarch ? — For

St. John Cbrjfcjlom in a Panegyric upon St. Meletius wit- ncfles that whether leading or writing, he had always before him St. PWs Figure.

my

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 197

my Part; I am fully perfuaded, no Man of Senfe, who has any Knowledge of Church Hi/lory, can doubt, but that all thefe Names, which you call in Queftion, were the Names of Perfons, who all, except Romula zndRedempta, fuffer'd for their Faith in CHRIST ; nor can we doubt but they have been all without Exception, venerated as Saints by the whole Chriftian Univerfe ever fince their Death, till Luther's Days.

But, Doctor ! The mention I made juft now of Julian, puts me in mind of another Story related by Sozomen ; * 'tis this : " Julian being " inform'd of the Statue of CHRIST, erected " in Ctffarca Philippi^ by the Woman cured of " the bloody Flux, Matth. ix. the impious Apo- " jlate order'd it to be taken down, and his own <c put up in the Place. Which done : A violent " Fire from Heaven fell, and cut the Heathen's " Statue in two about Breaft-high ; the top " Part fixing itfelf on the Ground head upper- *e moft -, which till Sozomen's Days was extant, « black and burnt with the Lightening. At " the fame time that this was done, the Hea-

" theng

* Sozom. Lib. v. c. 20. See likewife Nicephorus, Lib. x.

Eufebius, Lib. vii. Htft. c . 1 7. Calls the Ereftion of this Statue of our SAVIOUR a Piece of Hijlory worthy Pojleritys Memory j and the Statue itfelf, with that of the Supplicant Woman kneeling before it, a worthy Monument then continuing of the Benefit con- ferr^J. upon her. He tells us, that at his Fe e t there grew up from the Ground a certain unknown Herb as high as the Hem

198 A POPISH PAGAN the Fittion of

" thens dragg'd the Statue of CHRIST with '" fuch Violence, that it was broke ; but the *' Chriftians, Doctor! Gather'd the Pieces and " placed them in a Church ; where, fays the " Hiftorian, they are now kept. "

MYTHO. But, Sir! What will you fay to their Canonizations ?

DEIST. I cannot tell, 'till I hear what Ob jections you have prepared.

MYTHO. " The Creation of Saints , Sir, is " become as common almoft, as the Creation «' of Cardinals •, there having feldom been a " Pope, who did not add fome to the Calendar.

of the brazen Image's Garment curing all kind of Maladies .... Neither, fays he, is it any Wonder that thofe among the Gen- tils, lubo 'were cured by our SAVIOUR made and fet up fuch things : Since ive have feen the Piflures of his Apoitles, viz. of Paul and Peter, and of C HRIST kimftlf • . . . kep't preferred. Fsr the Men of old, of a Hcathenijb Cujlom, ufed to Honor in this Manner fuch as they counted SAVIOURS. — Becaufe, tho' the Law of Nature was, in Heathens, almoft totally extincl i yet Gratitude was, and is, a Virtue fo fingularly Amlablt in the Sight of GOD, that the ZVwVhimfelf delighted in being it's Objeff, and was therefore refolved to preferve a Senfe of it in his Votaries ; fo that when any of them were to be converted they did not want to be taught the Virtue, but the true Author of all Good, to whom alone 'tis due. — That the Woman's Fa£t was agreeable to Almighty GOD, and he approved of the Statue, the Miraculous lit,b is a plain Dcmonftration to all thofe, in whom the Idea of a GOD is not fo obfcured by Infidelity, but thst they are dill fenfible, Falfliood, in any Dif- gaife whatfoever, cannot gain upon Infnite Truth to be it's Voucher ; — And that the primitive Chriftians refpeSed and <veneruted the faid Statue, is evident from their gathering ifs Picas, anil lodging them in a Church.

" Benedift

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 199

ce Benedift XHIth, canonized eight ; in one Sum- "' mer j and his Succeffbr Clement Xllth, the laft " Pope, four more. "

DEIST. GOD be praifed! Cry the Papifts. They are pretty pofitive their Church will never be without it's Saints — If you do not believe the Holy Catholic Church, they do.

MYTHO. " During my ftay at Rome, I faw " the Beatification of one Andrew Conti, of the *c Family of the Pope, then reigning, Innocent " XHIth -, for this is another Source of fupplying " frejh Saints to the Church; when to humor " the Ambition of the Pope, or the other 4C Princes of that Communion, this Honor is " conferr'd on fome of their Name and Family : " And as there muft be a Teftimony of Mira- *s cles, wrought by every Perfon fo canonized or " beatified^ either when Living or Dead, fb I " was curious to inquire, what Miracles were " afcribed to this beatified Andrew ; which I " found to be nothing elfe, but a few con temp- '* tible Stories, deliver'd down by Tradition, " which fhew'd only the Weaknefs of the Man, <c and the Abfurdity of believing, that GOD " mould exert his Omnipotence for the Pro- " duftion of fuch Trifles. " *

* 'Tis to be fuppofed, the Doflor, in Iiis next Edition, will tell us what thbfe Trifles were, and give us, at leaft, an Epitome of the Procefs made in the Examination of Andrew Cout^s Life and Miracles ; or elfe, I cin tell him, he will not be believed ; — nor, probably, then neither.

O DEIST,

200 A POPISH PAGAN the FiStion of

DEIST. That is; he had neither writ the Life of a Heathen, nor furnifh'd the News mongers with his •political Memoirs. • He had not taken the Life of one of your Heathen Heroes for the Plan of his Conduct. — But after all, Doctor This is only, as I told you before, imitating the Fox in the Fable. — Again, what do you mean by that repeated Fxpreffion of yours, the Abfur- dity of believing that GOD jhould EXERT HIS OMNIPOTENCE fcr .... Trifles ? Say what you will; it founds, in your Mouth, fomewhatyf/£<?//?/- cal. —- Did Almighty GOD exert bis Omnipotence for a Trifle, when he Ml I'd the Widow* s VeJJels with Oyl, 2 Kings iv. or did he not ?

MYTHO. Sir; " as to the Proof of Miracles, " which is effcntial to thefe Canonizations, every " one will conceive, how eafy it muft be in a " Function, contrived to ferve the Intereft of " the Church, and the Ambition of it's Rulers, " to procure fuch aTcftimonial of them, as will " be fufficient for the Purpofe. "

DEIST. How eafy foever you may conceive it, I cannot think you can reafonably expect every-body's Corn to be meafured by your own Bulhel. I have often h ard, that, fince the Reformation, Oaths, in fome Places, are become fo common, that one may, upon an Emergency, purchafe them by Dozens any Day in the Week, at half a Crown a-piece : But I never heard, that they were put to Sale in Italy* Go on,

MYTHO.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 201

MYTHO. cc In the Deifications of ancient " Rome, the Atteftation alfo of a Miracle was " held necefTary to the Act. In the Cafe of " Romulus y one Julius Proculus, a Man faid to 4 ' be of a worthy Character, took a folemn " Oath, that Romulus himfelf appeared to him, //. " and ordered him to inform the Senate, of his Bali car. " being called up to the Ajfembly of the Gods, Lib- 2- P " under the Name 0/Quirinus, and in the Deifi- 11 cation of the Cxfars, a Teftimony upon Oath, " of an Eagle* s flying out of the Funeral- Pile to- " wards Heaven, which was fuppofed to convey " the Soul of the Deceafed, was the eftaUi/tid " Proof of their Divinity." Now.

DEIST. And you would make poor illiterate People believe all this is a Model of the Popijh Canonizations ?

MYTHO. Sir! " As thefe Pagan Deifications *6 are the only Patterns in Hiftory for the Popijh " Canonizations, fo the Invention of Miracles " is the lingle Art, in which modern Rome is " allow'd to excel the Ancient. "

DEIST. Now, Doftor! You have done it!--- Preaching the Gofpel Doffrine ; inculcating the Eight Beatitudes •, the Conditions necefiary for being a Follower of CHRIST ; the Necellity of Faith, of believing all that Almighty GOD has reveal'd ; of Hope and Charity, of frequent Prayer, of Penance, of carrying the Crofs ; the proper Means for arriving to Perfection, ( confiding in O2 the

202 A POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of

the perfect Love of Go D , and that Order , Divine Providence has eftablifh'd ) by voluntary Poverty, Chaftity and Obedience -, all taught by CHRIST and his Apoftles -, all this, Doctor ! according to you is no Excellence ! — You have indeed fpoke plain enough all along ; but this is outragioufly plain. — What ! — Were there no Saints cano nized in Scripture ? Were not the Apoftles cano nized as faft as they died ? Let me tell you, Doc tor ! You know, and all the World knows, that for a Perfon to be declared a Saint by modern &ome, neither one Witnefs, two nor three, nor three to that will do : And another difference be twixt ancient and modern Rome is that, that an- fwer'd the Defcription St. Paid gives, Rom. i. from verfe 21. to the Life-, and yet if many more Oaths than one had been required for a Deification it may be queftion'd whether they could have been eafily found.

N. B.

The next Thing the Doctor entertains his flojt with, is in an Invective againft 'Thomas Becket in order to prove him a Rebel, " of a moft daring, <e turbulent, feditious Spirit ; inflexibly obfti- " nate, infatiably ambitious, intolerably info- " lent; whole Violence the Pope himfelf endea- cc vour'd in vain to moderate i as it appears, " fays the Doftor, from fuch Monuments, as " tie Papifts themfelves nuift allow to be au-

c< thentic,

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 203

ee thentic, &c. " I have not thought it necefiary to copy the Whole ; becaufe it may be feen Word for Word, in Dr. Middl. Prefat. Difc. Page 68, &c. with this only Difference, that the Hottan - der, in the Conclufion, declares, he had pick'd out an Engli/h Saint preferably to any other, in Gratitude to that Nation, whofe Virgin Queen had afiifted his Countrymen in their Rebellion againft their then lawful Sovereign.— To this Invective the Deift anfwers •, Firft, that, had the Doctor added Debauchery and Blafyhemy, &c. he mould have thought he intended a Panegyric upon our Primitive Reformers. — Secondly, that, without any Difpute, the Papifts would allow the Letters of Thomas Becket's Enemies to be authentic Mo numents of Calumny -, which the Doctor has al ready taken a great deal of Pains to mew he delights in. Thirdly* that the Doctor fhew'd by his Inveftive, he could not be difpleafed at the Sacrilegious Murder of Thomas Becket ; — This makes me fuppofe he put on a particular Smile in declaiming. — 'Tis well known that Becket •was barbaroufly murder'd in his own Cathedral, when at Divine Service, and the leaft expected ; his Prince being wrought into a Reconciliation, and he return'd from his Exile and peaceably fol- licitous in the Care of his Flock. — Fourthly, that the Voice not only of the whole Nation, but of .the whole Univerfe, Princes and People, had O 3 born

204 -^ POPISH PAGAN the Fitfion of

born teftimony of his Innocence for four hun dred Years together, till Henry VHIth, a Prince that never fpared a Woman in his Luft^ nor Man in his Anger, declared him a Rebel, and had Sentence executed upon his Bones, * — Fifthly, that tho* a Prince's Clemency fometimes may ex tend to a Rebel even ; yet a Prince troftrating and penitenlially venerating one that had been a Rebel to his own Perfon, is an Abfurdity beyond the Limits of Pqffible, it even outftretches Fittion itfelf. Thus the Deift.

MYTHO. " Let our Catholic tell us.alfo if " he pleafes, what Opinion his Church enter- *c tains of Garnet the Jefuit, who was privy " to the Gunpowder- Plot, and hanged for his " Treafon. " -f

DEIST.

* Which would have been the Cafe of Henry lid. if Becket had been guilty.

•f- Tho' we have a Cecils Holy-Day, as King "James was wont to call it, witnefs Lord Cobbam and others, to eternize the Me mory of the Gunpowder-Plot ; yet I am apt to think, Dr. Mid- dletoris chief motive for mentioning it, was his Fear, left it ihould be forgot — - Not to be behind hand with him, therefore, in this Piece of providential Care ; I defire his Admirers to remember the Murder of Queen Mary ; the Advice given in Council by Robert Dudley Earl of Lcicejlcr to difpatcb her by Poifon, and that a Divine ivas fcnt by the fald Earl privately to Walfingham tofatisfy him that it was lawful. See Cambdcn in £)ueen Elizabeth's Life, Page 3 45.— -6. — Let them re member the df affixation-Plot form'd by John Ritthet: Earl of Gtnvry againft King James ; how his Majefty was forced to ftruggle for Life with Alexander the Earl's Brother, and his

truly

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 205

DEIST. AhomePuih, Dodlor! That's pos! — However I will venture to tell you, in his Name, that the Opinion his Church entertains of Garnet is neither good, bad, nor indifferent .

MYTHO. " If he dares, Sir, to fpeak his " mind, he will declare him to be a Sain', and " a Martyr of CHRIST ; for. " —

DEIST. Pr'ythee, Doctor ! Let's feel thy Pulfe ! — Can't thou really imagin the Pope thy Antagonift ?

MYTHO. " Such he is held to be at Rome « andSt.O/»*r*s. "

DEIST.

truly miraculous Deliverance ; recorded by Cambden cit. Page. 596. but more at large by Sanderfon, Page 227. - — 8. — 9. A Holy-Day was kept yearly in Remembrance of it as long as King James remain'd in Scotland j but after his Acceflion to the Crown of England it was buried in Oblivion, becaufe not one After in the Confpiracy was a Papijl. — Nor ought we to forget the Ryeboufe-Plot, to aflaflinate King Charles the Second and his Royal Brother in their Return from New-Market ; pre vented by an accidental Fire which obliged the King and the Duke to leave New-Market fooner than was expeded, and by confequence before things were in a readinefs for the Execution cf that horrid Confpiracj, as 'tis jufUy call'd by the Bijhop of Rocbefter, who writ the Hiftory of it ; and the Reader may be fure no Papijls were concern'd in it, fince no Day of Humilia tion is kept in 1bankfgifving. — A Reafon perhaps may be demanded by fome, why I call the fifth of November Cecil'* Ho!j Day : 'Tis becaufe King James himfelf was wont to call it fo, witnefs Lord Cobban and others. He knew the Gunpowder- Plot was a Contrivance of Cecil, a Perfon deeply read in Poli tics ; who had inherited the double Spirit of his Predeceflbr O 4 Walfingbamt

206 A POPISH PAGAN tie Fitfion of

DEIST. What ! Garnet is held to be a Saint V &c. at Rome and St. Omer's ? — By whom ?

MYTHO. Yes, " yet all Proteftants will " rank him, I dare fay, among thofe Saints* " whom I juftly call the Difturbers of Kingdoms ; " and who merited the Honor of their Saint/hip^ " not by fpreading the Light of the Gofpel, " but fcattering Firebrands and Deftrudlion " through the World. "

DEIST. This is frill a Pig of your own Sow, Doctor ! I told you before Fox's Calendar is an Abomination to a Papift ; and if Garnet had any hand in the Gunpowder-Plot^ directly or in directly ; if he knew any thing of it, otherwife

Waffingbatn, knew all his Tricks of Legerdemain and could, as feafonably difcover Plots as contrive them. So that I may fafely fay, the King and Parliament were in no Danger of be ing hurt, having no lefs a Man than the prime Minifter of State for their Tutelar Angel. Not that this leflens, in the leaft, the Crime of Catesby and his twelve Popi/h AJ/bciates ; who I as firmly believe had a Defign to blow up King James, as I be lieve what Sanderfon and other Proteftant Hijiorians have left recorded ; -viz. that the Father of that fame King was effe&u- ally blown up by the Earls of Murrey, Morton, Botbwell, and others of the Reformed Church cf Scotland concern'd in the fame Confpiracy. — The Proofs for the Gunpowder-Plot's be ing CeciTs Contrivance would take up too much Room here : They may be feen in, A plain and rational Account of the Ca tholic Faith, &~c. 3. Edit. Rouen 1721. Append. § 5. From whence and the preceding §. 1 borrow 'd thefe Notes. The Reader will find there, if he takes the Pains, Osborn a Prote ftant Writer cited, who Page 34. confefles plainly that the Plot in queilion was a neat Device of the Secretary.

lhan

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 207

than by Sacramental Confejfion^ and did not dif- cover it \ or if he knew it by Sacramental Con- fijfim, and did not all he lawfully could to put a Scop to it, he certainly deferved what he got ; and I am fure, all Papifts, to a Man, would give him up. — But who told you Garnet is held to be a Saint at Rome and S/.Omer'j ? — •• We'll fuppofe, without granting, the Father who Ihew'd you the Jef Mil's Houfe, at each of thofe Places, told you he efteem'd Garnet to be a Saint ; what can one infer from this -, but that he thought the Englifo Courts ojf Judicature not Infallible^ and Garnet condemn'd without being guilty, or any way a Partaker in the Crime he was arraign'd for. — But to tell us that their Church muft think what a Jefuit thinks, or that our Catholic pretends to the canonizing Prero gative ; this, I fay, in my humble Opinion, Doctor, portends a Frenzy ; and the lead the World can fay of it is, that 'tis monftrouQy im pertinent to think your Readers fuch Fools.

MY T HO. " Our Author cannot comprehend, " why I mould bring in the Adoration of the " Hofi among the other Articles of my Charge ; " fince by my own Confeffion, I find no Re- " femblance of it in any Part of the Pagan Wor- " fhip : But I have given a good Reafon for my " not finding it there, which might have taught '" him alfo, why 1 brought it in. "

DEIST.

20 8 A Po P i s H P A G A N the Fitfion of

DEIST. Pray, Do&or, what is that ?

MYTHO. " Becaufe it was too abfurd for the " Practice even of the Heathens. "

DEIST. What? To believe a GOD, who is e/entiatty Truth.

MYTHO. Sir, they " thought, that none " could ever be fo mad, as to make it a point " of Religion, to eat their GOD. "

DEIST. Were not the Apoftate Jews at Ca pernaum, Join vi. of the fame Opinion.

MY T H o. Sir ! That is not the Queftion. What

the Heathens thought " I fliew'd from the Au-

See Pref. " thority of Tally ; whom I prefer therefore,

Pa£e *$• « Our Author fays, to the Apojiles and Evan-

" gelifis. "

DEIST. I did imagin he was not fo fhort fighted as you feem'd to make him ; — Tho5 after all, I do not underftand why you fhould not be allow'd to demonftrate by the fame Rule, fully an Interpreter of CHRIST'S Words and Mofes a Copift of Heathen Rites.

MYTHO. Right ! " as if thofe facred Writers ** had exprefly declared the Sacramental Bread, " to be GOD ; which all Proteftants deny, in " in that grofs and ridiculous Senfe, in which " the Papijls interpret them. "

DEIST. All your own, indeed Doftor! All Nonfenfe ! You muft be once more your own Interpreter, if you intend to be fpoke to on this

Subject.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN.

Subject. What is Catbolicifm ? What is Lulls- ranifm ? You muft ftudy the Difference.

MYTHO. " It is not my prefent purpofe to e{ examine the real Merit of Tranfubftantiation. "

DEIST. You ought to have unclerftood, at leaft, the meaning of the Word.

MYTHO. " I fhail take Notice only of one " Argument, that he alledges for it, which, if

" it has any Force, muft be allow'd indeed to

r tL " be conclufive ; that the unerring Authority of «, .^

" the Church has declared it to be true, and en- Page 32, *{ joined the Belief of it ; and after fuch a Deci- 47> 52> " fion, that it is the fart of an Infidel r, rather " than a Chriftian, to ask, how can this be ?

DEIST. Some Jews took the Liberty once to ask the Queftion, how can this Man give us •* V his Flejh to eat ? And becaufe CHRIST would 3 not give them Satisfaction ; becaufe he did not explicate the How -, but perfifted in his Aflertion, and enforced it with an Oath. *

MYTHO. What then?

DEIST. Why truly, Doctor! they went off. And no Paptft mall perfuade me, but we are as free Born as any Jew in Chriftendom.

* Verily, <verily, I fay unto you, except ye eat the Fle/h of the Son of Man, and drink his Blood, ye have no Life in you — Whofoe*ver eateth my Flejb, and drinketb my Blood, hath eternal Life, and Iivill ralfe him up at the lajl Day. — For my Flejb is meat Indeed y and my Blood is drink indeed. John vi. 53,

54> 55-

MYTHO.

CIO A POPISH PAGAN tie Fittion of

MYTHO. Sir, " this is the laft Refort of

" Popery ; the Sum of all their Reafoning ; to

" refolve all Religion into an implicit Faith , and

" a flavifh Obedience to the Authority of the

ov? " Church ; which by innumerable 'Texts of Scrip-

Page 47. " turet foys our Author, is declared to be the

*c indifpenfable Duty of every Chriftian. "

DEIST. Nay, Doctor! As for implicit Faith, no People in the World have a greater fhare of it than we Infidels •, and had you not known it, you would never have fet Pen to Paper •, you would fcarce now venture at faying, our Author 1 declared a flavijh Obedience to the Authority of the Church, the indifpenfable Duty of every Chri ftian -, nor could you have had the Aflurance to pretend, they refolve all Religion into an implicit

Faith. They know what they believe, who

they believe, and why they believe ; and prove, both by Scripture and Reafon, that their Faith is highly rational, when in Obedience to GOD'S repeated Commands, they rely on the Church's Decifions.

MYTHO. " We may fpare ourfelves then the " pains of thinking, and inquiring ; drop the " perilous Task of ftudying the Scriptures ; " the Church^ like an indulgent Mother, takes " all that Trouble upon herfelfj warrants her " Doctrines to be Divine ; and infures our " Salvation, on the (ingle Condition of taking " her Word for it."

DEIST.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN.

DEIST. I fuppofe, Doctor! Now you have erected the Battery. Don Quixot — Like you will ftorm it.

MYTHO. " All Proteftants muft fee the " horrible Effects of fuch a Principle ; an In- ce quifition ready to fatisfy all their Doubts ; a " Prifon and Tortures prepared for thofe, who " dare to ask their Priefts, what Nicodemus " ask'd our SAVIOUR, bow can thefe things " be ? "

DEIST. O Learning! O Wifdom ! - — If I do not give CHRIST the Lye in thofe Words :

'This is my Body — My Flefh is meat indeed ;

I am to be laugh'd at for a Mad-man upon the Authority of a Tully. — Should I believe that CHRIST has built his Church upon a Rock, and that the Gates of Hell, the Powers of Darknefs, and Error, foall not 'prevail againjl her ; fhould I believe that CHRIST will always be with the Teachers of his Church even to the End of the World -, that he is the Way^ the 'Truth, and the Life ; that the Holy Ghoft, the Spirit of 'Truth, fhall abide for ever, with the fame Teachers of the Church, and guide them into all 'Truth \ mould I believe that this Church is by confcquence juftly ftiled the Pillar and Ground of the Truth -, mould I believe, I fay, that CHRIST fpoke Truth in all this i or that he meant what he faid, I am to be clapp'd into an Inqivfition : So that mould I have a. mind to be call'd a Cbrijlian, you are

refolved^

212 A POPISH PAGAN the Fittion of

refolved, it fhall be flill a protejling one in fpite of Faich.

But Doctor ! Would you fuppofe thinking and inquiring neceffary, and the perilous 'Task too of Jludying the Scriptures ?

MYTHO. Don't you comprehend that?

DEIST. Perilous talk! 'Tis a Popijh Expref- fion ! — Then again ; fpare ourfehes tbe Pains of thinking and inquiring ! Was all this for want of Argument ?

MYTHO. Strange!

DEIST. Pray, Doctor, explicate yourfelf. — 'Tis certain the Popi/h Clergy, think, inquire^ and Jludy the Scriptures. They acknowledge it a Duty incumbent upon them to teach their Flocks what Almighty GOD has been pleafed to reveal, and require of us to believe and practife ; witnefs your Antagonift.

MYTHO. Pray, Sir! Who talk'd of Believ ing ! One would fwear you had not converfed with Men of Letters, this Age ! — Has our Re formation been working all this Time, and we ftill to be the Slaves of Faith !

DEIST. What do you mean then by think ing and inquiring ?

MYTHO. Why, Sir! — You are to think firil •, then inquire. — You are to think —

DEIST. Oh! This thick Scull of mine! — I take you, Doctor, I take you ! — I am to tiiink firft what I have a mind to believe ;

MYTHO.

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN.

MYTHO. Ay! You are again at your Be lieving !

DEIST. Well, Doctor-, let what will be your Meaning -, * your Antagonift has proved by the Texts I juft now quoted, and more, that GOD himfelf has warranted the Church's Doflrines to be Divine ; and aMured us in the plained Terms imaginable that me mall never lofe her Charter^ never ceafe being the Pillar and Ground of the 'Truth. — 'Tis not therefore her Word, as you ridiculoufly infer j 'tis GOD'S Word infures a Papijl's Dependence — The 'Texts your Ant ago- nift has brought are clear, I fay, and precife : p™ They, Sun-like, dart their Evidence, and will 48, 49 fland, at the Grand Tribunal, the Tefb of all the Art of a Julian^ all the Cunning of a Vigi- lantius, or a Faujlus, &c. This, you are all fenfible, muft eafily be perceived by all thofe who read the Scripture with a Notion of it's be ing the Word of GOD, and they themfelves being to be taught by it what they ought to be lieve — By fuch, you know, the Church's loft-

* I take the Doftor's Meaning to be this : Think of loving Popery as the Devil loves Holy Water ; then enquire ; iearch every Rake- Kennel's Treafure ; the Scriptures too may by im pious Readers furnifti here and there a Text for Profanation and Blafphemy to enliven the Rhetoric. This, 'tis true, he calls a Perilous Stuffy ; but for no other Reafon, I believe, than bc- canfe the Veil is thin and the Dearly-Beloved often difcovei the Hypocrite, and read Railing and Calumny p.gaiui^ Popery the Sum Total of his Chrijiian Profe/fiea.

ing

214 A POPISH PAGAN the Fiftion of

ing Prerogative would foon be found out ; the pleafing Security in depending on GOD'S Promife would loon be felt,, foon valued ; and therefore, to divert the People's Thoughts, they are to be threaten'd with Prifon and Tortures -, you muft ding their Ears with the dreadful Sound of an Inquifition, and frighten them into a Perfuafion, that the impious Queftion of the A f oft ate Ca- pharnaites, how can this Man give us his Flejh to eat ? And the pious Queftion of the humble Nicodemus, how can thefe Things be ? Are ftamp'd with the fame Seal. MYTHO. What Seal ? Sir!

Page 65, DEIST. Nay, how fhould I reconcile that? Reprobation was engraved on the former j on the latter Predejlination. — Look to it, Doctor ! — 'Tis this Diftinction, that made " our Ca- " tholici '* in mentioning the Cafe of a Prote- ce ftant, converted to their Faith, who may hap- <c pen to be pofiefied dill with fome Scruples, " concerning Communion in one Kind, declare, that he Jhould remit fuch a Perfon to the Church and her Authority, and to all thofe Divine Promifes recorded in Scripture, by which we are affured, that in hearing the Church and her Pajlors we are fecure ; that CHRIST and.

* Thofe who have not Middle-ton may find him out, by continuing the §, Page 67. as follows: — " Haw can thefe " things be ? Thus our Catholic, in mentioning the Cafe of a «' Proteftant, £c. " omitting what is in a different Chara&er.

his

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. zi

bis Holy Spirit Jball be always with them, to guide them into all Truth •, and that the Gates of Hell /hall never prevail againft this Autho rity. So that a Chriftian Soul " has nothing to €< Fear, in conforming herfelf to the Authority <e and Practice of the Church of GOD j but very " much, in pretending to be wifer than the <l Church^ or making a Scruple, to hear and " obey her fpiritual Guides. "

MYTHO. Who fpeaks plain now! — I told you what was to be fear'd ! — What's prepared for fuch Scruples !

DEIST. GOD blefs your Wwjbifft Under- Handing ! — - While you was dictating Inquifition? Prifon, Tortures^ &c. out of your Notes, I caft an Eye upon them, and faw you had given an infidel 'Tack to an innocent Advice ; and maim'd it to boot. So that, I was refolved to prevent it.

MYTHO. " In this Doctrine &f franfubftan- «' tiation, we fee a remarkable Inftance of the " Prolific Nature of Error •, "

DEIST. You j eft, fure!

MYTHO. Yes, " and how one Abfurdity " naturally begets another."

DEIST. Surely,. Doctor! You jeft.

MYTHO. " The firft Confequence vt'Tran- " (ubftantiation was, to render one half of the " Sacramental Inftitution fuperfiuous, by deny- " ing the Cup to the Lairy. "

P DEIST.

A POPISH PAGAN the Fittlon of

DEIST. This, Doctor! A Papift will fay iff a Confequence of your Worfhip's Ignorance only. For in the Popi/h Syftcm, that Half of the Sacra mental Inftitution is infinitely more necefiary than in any Proteftant Syftem; which, in Complai- fance to it's Founder, deprives GOD of a Sacri fice, lege 'Talionis. However, Doctor, they will certainly own the Cup not neceflary in Lay- Communion.

MYTHO. u Though our Saviour exprefly " commanded all his Difciples to drink of it. "

DEIST. Where ? When ? What ?

MYTHO. " St. Mattb. xxvi. 27. an&Jobn " Vl- 53- ne declared, that without drinking? " they could have no life in them. "

DEIST. Will not drinking by Proxy quicken the ftanch Proteftant ?

MYTHO. " Yet grant them their franfub- " Jiantiation, and the Conclufion is natural, 'as " our Catholic has deduced it ; for whofoever^ " fays he, receives the Body of CHRIST, mofi <c certainly receives his Blood at the fame timer Cbrifl. tt fince the B0dy which he receives, is a living

Pajre 64

65. *' Body, and cannot be without Blood. 'There is

cc no taking CHRIST -by Pieces ; whoever re- " ceives him, receives him Whole ; and Jince he " is as truly and really prefent in one Kind, as in " both, he brings with him confequently the fame " Grace, when received in one Kind, as wbm * ' received in both.

DEIST.

a PROTESYAKf HEATHEN. 2lJ

DEIST. Then you own our Catholic's Con- Clufion natural, if he be but allow'd his fra/t- fubftantiation ?

MYTHO. Yes: — " But if they were dif- " pofed to ufe their Reafon on this Occafion, a " Conclufion, fo contradictory to the exprefs " Inftitution of the Gofpel, would convince " them of the Fallhood of thofe Principles j " by which they were led into it ; and oblige " them to diftruft their Premifes, which have " always been difputed, rather than reject a. " clear Precept of CHRIST, on which there " never was, or can be any reafonable Difpute."

DEIST. ^Tranfubjlantiation is a long Word ; have you faid your all, Doctor ?

MYTHO. Sir-, I warn'd you before, that it fhould not be my prefent Purpofe to examine it's real Merit.

DEIST. Or call things by their real Names.

MYTHO. What then ?

DEIST. Why, Doctor! I find all and

always i withfuch like Particles, give you neither Trouble nor Thought. — But what is all this great

Fttfs, this mighty Pother about Drinking i1

Drinking of what ? — Pr'ythee tell us, Doctor ! That Smile is not natural. Come ; — tell us. — You will not ? But why ? --- 1 cannot think 'tis Shame •, tho' there is not the leaft mention of drinking Wine, much lefs a Precept, either Mattb. xxvi. John vi. or i Cor. xi. 23. In this P 2 Parijh

2i8 A POPISH PAGAN the Pittion of

Parijh one may reafonably compute three hun dred Souls at Age -, and how much Wine do you think is drunk at Church during the Year ? Faith, Doctor ! One only Bottle per Quarter is carried to Church •, and the Parfon has generally a large Share left him to carry Home to Madam Parfonefs. •

MYTHO. Well, Sir! And is not that right? No wafte.

DEIST. No, Doctor! — Juft as it mould be — No wafte. And, what is worth the whole, People and Parfon content. Whereas, was you to tell our Lads and Laffes ferioufly, they could have no Life in them without drinking a little Wine at Church, which, with a Bit of Bread, they know is all you have in your Power to give them, they would laugh in your Face ; — caH you a canting Dotard •, — and by a kiffing Dance demonftrate the Folly of your Afifertion.

Now Doctor ; let us fee whether you or your Antagonifl is beft difpofed to ufe Reafon, I mean in Favor of Truth --- You fay CHRIST, Mattb. xxvi. 27. exprefly commanded all his Difciples to drink of the Cup ; -—your Antagonift, Page 62. proves this abfolutely Falfe, becaufe the All who were then prcfent were only his twelve Apoftks-,

not one tenth of your All, and to the Apoftles Andfhrt ' ,.oi,

all drank was the Command exprefly directed; drink ye

of it. St. all of it •, which was fulfilled by them, and is v- daily fulfilled by their Succeflbrs in faPrieflbood,

who

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 219

•who all do what CHRIST then bid them do St. fiike in Remembrance of him. — But you are fenfible, xxu< *' the Prieftbood is what you have no Share in, and therefore you would forge an Argument to make People believe it's Function and Lay -Communion upon a level.

You pofitively afTert, and thafs all, that " their " Pfemifes have always been difputed •, " this again our Catholic proves absolutely falfe. Their Doctrine of the Real Prefence, which is that Part of Travfubftantiation you' mean, was never publicly, data opera, attacked till about * feven

1 hundred

* I hope I may be allow'd to fland our Mytbologijl^ Friend for once — If Berengarius was the firft that direcily, apcrta fronte, attack'd the Popifh Doftrine of the Real Prefence, he certainly was not it's firft Enemy. —-St. Ignatius Martyr thus fpeaks of Simon Magus, Menander and their Abettors, who in the firit Age denied the My Aery of the Incarnation : " they " abftain from the Eucharift and Prayer, becaufe they confefs *' not the Eucharift to be the Flefh of our SAVIOUR JESUS ** CHRIST, which fuffer'd for our Sins, which the Father

" raifed to Life. " Ab Eucharijlia £3* Oratione abjlincnt,

eo quod non confiteantur Eucbariftiam carnem effe Salvatoris noflri Jefu Chrijli, qute pro peccatis no/iris paj/a eji, quam Pater benignitate fua fujcitavit. Epift. ad Smyrnenfes Edit. Cotel. Pag. 874.

Again ; towards the End of the tenth Age, fome Mani- cktfans in France held, that " in the Prieft'i Confecration there " is not the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of CHR IST. " Non ej/e Sacramextum corporis & Sanguinis Cbrijli in confc- cratione Sacerdoth : But then they pretended likewife, .thai: " CHRIST was not born of the Virgin Mary ; that he did « ' not fuffer for Men ; that he was not truly put into a Sepulchre ; " and that he did not rife from the Dead. " Cbrijlum de Virgins:

P 3 Mar iii

22O A POPISH PAGAN the Fiffion of

hundred Years ago by Berengarius^ when it was, and till when it always had been, the Doctrine of all Chrifiendom — We all know that Beren- garius himfelf was condemn'd in no lefs than fourteen Councils held during his Life-time in different Parts of the World j that he retraced and died penitent, fenfible of his Error — We know that Luther, Proto-Apoftle of our Refor-

Epiji. ad rnation, tho* he own'd he had ftudied a long confu(:e jtj ancj woul(i acknowledge him

felf much obliged to any one that could fhew him how, yet he could never be brought to deny <vafa&1 frj by a^ tne Arguments Satan could make ufe Uaff. Sa- of, in the famous Conference he had with him j terd. Tom. of ^j^ LutJygr himfelf has given us an Account zzS &e at large- WG know witn what Scorn and bitter

Maria natum non fuiffc, neque pro hotninibus paJjTum, nee <vere in Sepulchro po/ttttm, nee a mortals furrexiffe. See the A£ls of the Council of Orleans held Anno 1017.

Anno 1025, was held a Synodal Arras, by Gerardus Bifhop of Catnbray and Arras both, in which a Seft call'd Gundulfians, from one Gundulfus an Italian, was condemn'd for rejeding Baptifm and the Sacrament of the Altar. The Afts of this Synod are. gxtant Tom. iii. Spicilegii. Whether the Doclor will thank me for this Information I cannot tell ; tho' I do not in the leaft Doubt, but he will efteem them all Primitive Prote- Jlants. — The firft that writ direftly againft the Real Prefence •was one John Scotus Erigena, who died, as 'tis believed, Anno 884. His Book is not now exant, nor do we find, that it, or it's Bcdtrine, had any Abettors before Berengarius ; who becaufe he had praifed it, was obliged himfelf to throw it into the Flames in a Council at Rome Anno 1059.

Language

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 221

Language he treated Zuinglius and Oecolampadius with their Follower s\ your Predecefibrs, Doctor!

Our Catholic has demonftrated this fame Doc trine of the Real Prefence by Scripture, back'd with folid Reafon ; and with " the Authority *' of all the ancient Fathers, whofe plain Tefti- " monies may be feen in an Appendix to a Book " entitled, a Specimen of the Spirit of the dijjent- ic ing Teachers, &c. Anno 1736." — He has taken care to inform his Readers of " the per- " petual Confent of the Greeks, and all the Ori- " ental Chriftians, demonftrated by Monfieur " Arnauld and the Abbe Renaudot in their " Books bearing title, la Perpetuits de la Foy, " &c. confirmed by the authentic Teftimonies " of their Patriarchs, Archbilhops, Bifhops, *6 Abbots, &c. by the Decrees of their Synods " againft Cyril- Liicar -, by the Writings of <c their ancient and modern Divines •, and by " all their Liturgies : And acknowledged by *' many Protejlant WitnelTes. Now what can " be a more convincing Evidence of this Doc- " trine's having heen handed down by Tradition " from the Apoftles, than to fee all forts of " Chriftians, which have any Pretenfions to " Antiquity, all agreeing in it. " See Catb. Chrift. from Page 28.

After all, Doctor j I cannot help thinking thofefacred Words, THIS is MY BODY, com mand Refpe6t, even in a Difpute •, particularly P 4 from

222 A POPISH PAGAN the Fittton of

from one who would pafs for a Chriftian. Nor can I help faying, the Man that treats with a Ridicule their literal Senfe fo ftrongly fupported by Reafon and Authority, and fticks not to ftile it an Abfurdity, muft greatly expofe himfelf to be ftigmatized a Profligate or a Fool.

Your next Aflertion is, that the Papifts rejeft a dear Precept of CHRIST for giving the Cup to the Laity •, is it not ?

MYTHO. Very well.

DEIST. This Precept you imagine to have proved by two Texts. St. Matbxxvi. 27. and St. John v\. 53.

MYTHO. Well, Sir! And have I not proved it ?

DEIST. To that out of St. Matthew I hare fpoke already, Doctor. Now let us hear what your Antagonist fays to the fecond.

MYTHO. What can he fay ?

DEIST. The Words, Doctor, are thefe ; he is not afhamed of them : Except ye eat the F/e/b of the Son of Man, and drink his Blaod> ye have no Life in you.

MYTHO. What can be plainer ?

DEIST. No thanks to you, Doctor !-— No thing can be plainer, 'tis true — They are fo plain, that he has alledged them, Page 73. for a Proof of a Divine Precept.

MYTHO. To give the Cup to the Laity ?

DEIST. No, Doctor; no. — He plainly proves there is no fuch Precept.

MYTHO,

a PROTESTANT HEATHEU.

MYTHO. How fo ?

DE IST. In the firft Place he has demonftrated their Doctrine of the Real Prefence; and the Conclufion you acknowledge to be natural.

MYTHO. What? that one Half of the facra- mental Inftitution is fiiperfluous.

DEIST. That is Nonfenfe, in the Catholi; Syftem.

MYTHO. What then?

DEIST. That he, who receives under one Kind only, fulfils the Precept of Drinking, Doc tor, For there is no taking CHRIST by Pieces.

But befides that Argument, he proves there

is f\o Precept for Drinking., Firft, becaufe, John vi. 51, 57, 58. CHRIST exprefly promi- fes Life everlafting to thofe who eat only : / am the living Bread, which came down from Heaven : If any Man eat of this Bread, he Jhall live for ever : And the Bread, that I will give, is my Flejh, which I will give for the Life of

the World He that eateth Me, even he Jhall

live by Me He that eateth of this Bread, Jhall

live for ever. — Secondly, becaufe the Scripture, in many other Places fpeaking of Holy Com munion, makes no mention of the Cup. See St. Luke, xxiv. 30, 31. Afts ii. 42, 46. and xx. 7.

i Cor. x. 17. Thirdly, becaufe the ancient

Church mod certainly allow'd of Communion in one Kind, and pradtifed it on many Occafions. See 'Tertullian, Lib. ii. ad Uxorem, c. 5. St. Denys

of

224 ^ POPISH PAGAN this Fiftion of

of Alexandria, Epift. ad Fabrum Antiocb. re corded by Eufebius, Lib. vi. Hift. c. 34. St. Cyprian, Lib. de Lapfes. St. Eafil. Epift. 269. St. Ambrofe de Satyro Fratre. Paulinus in vita dmbrojii, &c.

Fourthly, Becaufe many learned Proteftants have acknowledged, that there is no Command in Scripture for all to receive in both Kinds. See Luther in his Epiftle to the Bohemians. Spalat en/is de Rep. Ecclef. Lib. v. c. 6. Bifhop Forbes, Lib. ii. de Eucharift. c. i, i. White, Bifhop of Elyy tfreatife en the Sabbath, Page 97. Bifhop Mon tague, Orig. Page 97.

Now, Doctor! What do you think People will fay ? — By the Citations you have produced, the World muft judge you have read the Catholic Chriftian — Whence can they imagin thofe bold AfTertions of yours can proceed : Comihunion in one Kind is contradictory to the exprefs Inftitution of the Gofpel : 'The Real Prefence of CHRIST in thzSacrament has always been difputed ; the Papijis rejett a clear Precept of CHRIST, on which there fiever was, or can be any reafonable Difpute ? Who, I fay, will People imagine could have been the Dictator? — I need not name him. Your whole Work demonft rates it's Author •, and thofe who have any Knowledge in thefe Difputes will defy you to mew, that a Pruept for Drinking was ever urged or once thought of, till the latter end of the fourteenth Century ; tho' the contrary

had

a PROTESTANT HEATHEN. 225.

had been often practifed from the Beginning of Chriftianity.

To conclude, Doctor : if you have a mind

to know the Prolific Nature of Error ; and how one Abfurdity begets another with neither Rhime nor Reafon, which is the true Cbarafteriftic of Herefy ; read but the Bifhop of Meaux*s Hijlory of Variations, or Alexander Rofs's View of all Religions, or the Titles only of Bocks daily Ad- verHfed ; you will find, that fince the Year 1517, Error has been, and continues iliii more Prolific, than in all the preceding Ages put together; and that Dr. Walton had too great Reafon for the following Complaint. " Arijlarchus., fays he, " heretofore could fcarce find feven Wife Men " in Greece, but, with us, fcarce are found fo " many Ideots : For all are Doctors, all divinely *' learned ; there is not fo much as the meaneft " Fanatic or Jack --pud ding who does not give " you his own Dreams for the Word of GOD. " For the Bottomlefs Pit feems to have been fet " open, from whence a Smoke has rifen, which " has darkened the Heavens and the Stars, and " Locufts are come out with S 'tings , a numerous *' Race of Sectaries and Heretics^ who have re- " new'tl all the ancient Hercfies^ and invented

" many monjlrous Opinions of their own*

<c Thefe have fill'd oilr Cities, Villages, Camps,

* Thefe are Dr. Middteton's all fiber Proteflants. Pref. Difc. Page 112.

" Houfes,

226 A POPISH PAGAN tbe Fittion of, 8cc.

" Houfes, nay our Churches and Pulpits too, " and lead the poor deluded People with them " to the Pit of Perdition. " Thus Dr. Walton^ in the Preface to his Polyglot -, who, if he had lived fomething longer, might have (till more juftly complain'd of Monfters of another Kind, v/hich have fince over-run the Land, viz, Atheifls, Drifts, Latitudinarians, Free-thinkers, &c. which have almoft banifh'd Religion from thefe Pro vinces i and laugh'd out of Doors both Belief and Practice of Chriftianity. And whence all this, Doctor ! But from your thinking, and inquiring and ferillous 'Task of ftudying the Scriptures with out a Guide ? Which, you may depend on't, would be our Catholic's Anfwer.

A N

A N

ALL-PROTESTANT

ADMONITION to

LIBELLERS.

H E Profeffion of Witlemlerg de clares, 7/V. de Or dine, that " if we *' mean a Mediator of Prayer, every •' good Man is another's Mediator thro* JESUS CHRIST. Becaufe 'tis every one's Duty to recommend the Salvation of others by his Prayers to GOD. v Bifhop Montague, in Antid.- Page 20. " I do not deny but the Saints are Mediators, as they are called, of Prayer and Intercsff.cn. — They interpofe with GOD by their Supplications, and

Si loqitcndum eft de Mediators Precationis, unufquifqite pins faff us eft alterius Mediator per J E s u M CHRISTUM. Proptcrea quod Offidum exigit, ut alter alterius Saltttem precilus fuij Deo commendet.

'* mediate

228 An ALL-PROTESTANT

" mediate by their Prayers. " Mr. Thorndikc is of the fame Opinion, in Epil. Page 355, &c.

" I grant, fays Bijhop Montague again, " CHRIST is not wronged in his Mediation. It " is no Impiety to fay, as they do, Holy Mary " pray for me, Holy Peter pray for me. " In vocation of Saints, Page 1 1 8 .

Dr. Fidk fays, l< I confefs that Ambrofe Au- " ftin and Jerom held it to be lawful. " Rejoin der to Briftow. Page 5.

Mr. 'Tborndike writes thus, in Epil. Part. iii. PaSe 358. " It is confefs'd that the Lights both " of the Greek and Latin Ghurch, St. B*/il> " St. Gregory Nazianzen, St. Gregory Nyflen* " St.dmfoffff, St. Jerom, St. Auftin, St.Cbryfo- *' Jtom, St. Cyril of Jerufalem^ St. Cyril of Alex- " andria, Theodore! , St. Fulgentius, St. Gregory " the Great, St. Z.W and more, rather all after " that time, have fpoken to the Saints, and de- " fired their Affiftance. "

Bifhop Forbes aflures us, de Invocatiotie Sanc torum, Page 321. that " the Litany has been ' l fung for many Ages in the whole Church, no *' lefs in the Eaft than in the Weft, likewife in *6 the North by the Mufcovites -, for Example ; " St. PETER, PI? AY FOR. us."

Mult is jam f<*ciiHs, in unl-ijerfa Eccle/ia, in Orietite non minus quatx in Occidente, etiam in Aquilone apud Mufccrjitas litania eft decant at a : Ut-puta, Satire Petre, Ora pro nobis.

And

ADMONITION to LIBELLERS. 229

And might not a P rot eft ant here cry out, as this Proteftant Bifhop did on another Occafion ; who dares impeach and condemn all thefe Chriftians* all thofe Saints of Idolatry ? What, but being confcious of having no Saint to pray for us, and .never expeding to be one of that Commit- »/0», can pofiibly favor Party -Spleen to fuch a Pitch;?

Mr*. 'Thorndikc delivers his Judgment concern - ing Images in the following Words--— " To the " Images of Saints there can be no Idolatry^ fo *' Jong as Men take them for Saints^ that is, *' GOD'S Creatures. Much lefs to the Images *' of our Lord. For it is the Honor of our <e Lord, and not of his Image. " Juft Weight and Meafures^ Chap. xix. Page 127. London, Anno^ 1662. and Page 128. he fays: " the fe- *' cond Council of Nic<ea teaches not Idolatry? <c by teaching to Honor Images : Tho* it ac- -*' knowledges that the Image itfelf is honored, " when it need not. For indeed, and in Truth, " it is not the Image ', but the Principal that is " honor'd by the Honor that is faid to be done " to the Image, becaufe it is done before the " Image. "

But his general Declaration, in Epilog. Page 146. is worthy of Notice. «« I muft, fays be? *' and do freely profefs, that I find no Pofition " neceflary to Salvation prohibited, none 'de-

{S ftruftive

230 An ALL-PROTESTANT'

«' ftruftive to Salvation enjoin'd to be believed

" by the Church of Rome. " And indeed,

what Man can aflure us he has found out any fuch Pofition, 'till he has proved his legal Pur- chafe of Popi/h Infallibility ?

That there is a Reverence and Refpect due to Images of CHRIST and his Saints , is granted on both Sides, if Bifhop Montague may be be lieved. — " Refpec~b, fays be, and Honor may

" be given unto them. The Proteftants do it

" You fay they muft not \\aveLatria-, fo we. " — There is a RefpecT: due unto, and given " to the Picture, Sign, Refemblance, Monu- " ment of the Saints, and of CHRIST. If this " you call Dulia ; we give it too — Let Prac- " tice and Doctrine go together ; we agree. " In Epijlomio Page 318.

Again ; " there is a Reverence, fays he, due

, " to the King's Picture : * — So there is a Re- I think c

fo truly. " verence due to the Images 01 CHRIST •, but

" what this is, the Matters are filent. We are <l neither told from the Pulpits, nor from the Chairs. " He calls it prefently after, convenientem Cultum ••> which in the Dictionaries would fignify a fut table

Eft Regies Imaglni debita Veneratio •— Imaglnllus ifa Chrifti debetur Veneratio, fed qutf ilia, conticcfcunt Magiftri, nee de Pulpit: 'i ant Cathedrii edocemur. Par. ii. Originum. §

H5- .

jumus,

ADMONITION to LIBELLERS. 231

JuniuSi a Proteftant Divine, writing againft Bellarmin, denies indeed a Religious Worjhip to Images, and fo do Papifts as fome Protejlants under-Hand that |Term : But then he affures us, that no Proteftant fays, Images are not to be •uoorjhipped. Nzmo nqftrum dicit non ejje colendas.

Apud Ric. Montague in Appellatlone Claris.

Pag. 255.

It was the Injunction of Queen Elizabeth, Anno r559> reinforced by the Canons under King James the Firft, Anno 1603, Can. 18. That whenfo- ever the Name of JESUS * mail be in any * Which Leflbn, Sermon, or other wife in the Church " but a pronounced, the Reverence be made of all Perfons young and old, with lownefs of Courtefy, o and uncovering of Heads of the Mankind as thereunto doth neceffarily belong, and hereto fore has been accuftomed.

N. B. As Queen Elizabeth was the then Head of the Church, me had an undoubted Right to teach her own Sex firft.

Arckbijhop Laud in a Speech to the Lords of the Garter i in the Star-Chamber, June 14, 1637 : I hope a poor Prieft may worlhip GOD with as lowly Reverence as you do, fince you are bound by your Order, and by your Oath, to give due Honor and Reverence Domino Deo, & Altari ejus ; to the Lord your Go D , and to his Altar ( for there is a Reverence "due to that too, tho* fuch as comes far Ihort of Divine Worfhip ) and this in

the

232 An ALL-PROTESTANT

the Manner as Ecclefiaftical Perfons both and do Reverence, Page 49.

Bifhop Andrews, in his Anfwer to Bellarmin chap. viii. page 147. fays : " the King, James I, " acknowledges CHRIST to be truly prefenr, " and truly to be adored in the Eucharift — I " alfo, with St. Ambrofe, adore the Flejh of " CHRIST in the Myfteries. "

Bifhop Forbes lays, " the founder Proteftants " make no doubt of adoring CHRIST in the <c Eucharift." Lib. ii. de Euchar. 2. §. 9. Again, " 'tis a MONSTROUS ERROR, fays he, of the " RIGID PROTESTANTS, who deny that " CHRIST is to be adored in the Eucharift, " except only with an inward Adoration of the " Mind, but not with an outward Act of Ado- " ration, as kneeling, or other like Pofture of " the Body. Thefe People commonly have not <« a right Belief of CHRIST in the Sacrament, «' in which he is prefent after a wonderful, but " real Manner." Ibid. §. 8.

Rex Cbrijlum in Eucharijla <vere pr&fentem, <vere & ado- randum jlatuit — Aw vero in Myjleriis carnem ChriJIi adora.- mus aim j4mbro/to.

An Chriflus in Euckarijla Jit adorandus^ Protejlantes faniaret non dulitant. — Immanis ejl rigidorum Protejlantum error, qut negcint Chriflum i?i Eucbariftia effe adorandum, nijt adoration* jnterna & mentali, non autem externo aliquo Jlgno ritu adora- tivo, uf geniculatione, aut aliquo alio conjimili Corforis Jitu, Hi fere omnes male de jtr&fentia Cbrijli Domini in Sacramento, rxiro fed vero modo preefentis, fentiitnt,

Bifhop

ADMONITION to LIBELLERS. 233

Bifhop &?«'s Expofition, Licenfed^w 1685. " O GOD Incarnate, how thou canft give us thy " Flefh to eat, and thy Blood to drink ! How " thy Flefh is Meat indeed ! How thou who art " in Heaven, art prefent on the Altar ! I can by " no means explain. But I firmly believe it all, " becaufe tbou haft faid it. And I firmly rely on " thy Love, and on thy Omnipotence to make " good thy Word ; tho' the Manner of doing it, " I cannot comprehend. " — Now \ why neither

Dr. <Trapp nor Dr. C Middleton can believe

a GOD Incarnate'sWord, or rely on Ins Love and Omnipotence, I eafily comprehend ; but I am al together at a Stand, why they mould vent fo much Pafllon againft thofe that do ; except it is, perhaps, to gain Profelytes j to Deifm mail I call it, or Atheifm ?

The former of thefe two Gentlemen has boldly pronounced it a thing impojjible in Nature and Reafon, for C H R i s T to be really and truly in many Places, in ten tboufand Places at once ; and whyfo? Becaufe foriboth he KNOWS it to be impoffible — This is what is call'd in our mo dern Controverfy, Demonftration. — 'Tis true ; he gives us two more Proofs : The one is, that GOD cannot ajjert a Contradiction ; which, proves him no Conjurer : The other, that it is contrary to his Senfes. — I could pity the poor Gentle man's Misfortune but that is not all : — Should

2 he

234 -A*1 ALL-PROTESTANT

he even find fuch a Propofition in the Bible, and there is fomething mighty like it, Atts ixth. nay, tho* with his Eyes he Jhould fee a Man raife the Dead, and declare that Propofition true ; he could not believe it: And merely becaufe be K NOWS i T impoffible. — It was certainly the fafeft way for him to bring no Reafons to mew it importable to the infinite and incomprehenfible Power of the Almighty : This vain Attempt would only have given new Occafions to his learned Antagonift, the Author of 'The Single Combat, to expofe his Weaknefs even more than he has done.

One may fuppofe the Prelate, laft mention'd, among the red of the Holy Fathers, had read St. Chryfoftom and St. Cyril, on St. John vi. 52.

Ho w can this Man give us his Flejh to eat ?

Thefe Words, which call in Queftion the Al mighty and Incomprehenfible Power of GOD, Horn 4; . would hinder them, fays St. Chryfojlom from be- injoan, lieving all other Myfleries and Miracles : They in the might as well have faid : How could he with G"ek' , five Loaves feed five thoufand Men ? This

Horn. 46. .

Tom 8 Quettion, H ow CAN HE DO THIS? Is a

/. 272. Queftion of Infidels and Unbelievers.

Lib. 4. in St. Cyril fay 9 that How, or How CAN HE

Joan. p. DO THIS? cannot without Folly be applied to

359»&c- GOD. Secondly, he calls it a Queftion of Blaf-

phemy. Thirdly, a Jewi/h Word, for which thefc

Capharnaites deferved the fevereft Punilhmenta.

Buc

ADMONITION to LIBELLERS.' 235

But to return to out All- Proteft ant Admonition-, we?U hear Dr. Beaumont :•

Ask me not then, How can the thing be done ? What Power of Senfe, or Reafon can digeft it ?

Fools, as you are, what Demonftration So evident, as this, my GOD profefs'd it ?

And if you once can -prove, that he can lie,

'This Wonder, and Him too, I will deny.

Dr. BEAUMONT in his Phyche CANTO XII.

Yet, as the fame Gentleman takes notice,

Wranglers will,

Becaufe they will be fo, be WR A N c L E RS ft ill.

IBID.

Dr. Taylor will have it, and I think with all Reafon, that " Idolatry is the forfaking the true " GOD, and giving Divine Worship to a Creature, " or to an Idol, that is, to an imaginary GOD — *' Now it is evident, that the Object of their " Adoration, in the BleJJed Sacrament, is the HC fpeaks " only true and eternal GOD, Hypoftatically]Q\tf& of the Ca- " with his Holy Humanity ; which Humanity tholics- " they believe actually prefent, under the Veil of " the Sacramental Signs. And if they thought *' him not prefent, they are fo far from wor- *' (hipping the Bread in this Cafe, that them- " felves profefs it Idolatry to do fo. Which is a *c Demonjiration, that their Soul has nothing in QL_ 3 " it'

236 An ALL-PROTESTANT

<c it, that is Idolatrical. The Will has nothing c* in it, but what is a great Enemy to Idolatry ; " and nothing burns in Hell, but proper Will." Liberty of Prophecying, Sect, xx. Numb. 26. — Thus this Gentleman proves, that tho* the Papifts were in an Error, in their Belief of Tranfubftan- tiaticn, yet no Chriftian can imagine that adoring CHRIST, in the Sacrament , would be Idolatry ; unlefs CHRIST be an Idol; which 'tis Blafphemy to think.

Mr. fhornaiKe is as pofitively of Dr. Taylor's Opinion : For will any Papift, fays he, acknow ledge that be honors the Elements of the Eucharift, cr, as he thinks , the Accidents of them, for GOD ? Will common Reafon charge him to Honor that, which he believes not to be there ? See chap. xix. page 125, &c. Juft Weights and Meafures.

In Bifhop Montague's Appeal, chap. xxx. the Contents are : " A Real Prefence maintain'd by " us. The Difference betwixt us and Popifh *c Writers is only about the Modus of CH R IST'S " Prefence in the Blefled Sacrament. Agreement " is likely to be made, but for the factious and

<e and unquiet Spirits on both Sides. " In the

Body of the Chapter he fays to his Adverfaries ; " the Real Prefence in your Divinity is flat <l Popery; but not in the Divinity of the Church <c of England. Concerning this Point, I faid, " and I fay fo dill, that, if Men were difpofed " as they ought unto Peace, there need be no

" Difference.

ADMONITION to LIBELLERS. 237

*l Difference. GOD forbid, fays Bifhop Bilfon9 **. we fhould deny, that the Fle/h and Blood of <c CHRIST are truly prefent, and truly received " of the Faithful at the Lo RD'S Table. It is ft the Doctrine that we teach others, and com- *£ fort ourfelves withal."

Bifhop Forbes tells us, Lib. i. de Euchar. Pag. 442, " the Greeks at Venice , and all other Greeks " adore CHRIST in the Euchar ift. And who, " fays he, dares impeach and condemn all thefe <£ Chriftians of Idolatry ? See alfo Page 412.

In the little Church of England Catechifm, for Confirmation ; to the Queftion, What is the inward Part or 'Thing fignified ? The Anfwer is i tfhe Body and Blood of CHRIST, which are VERILY AND INDEED taken and received by the Faithful in the L o R D 's Supper.

I muft beg Leave now to conclude this Admo nition in the Words of Mr. Thorndike — He that takes the Pope for Antichrifl, and the Papifts/0r Idolaters, fays this Gentleman, can never weigh by his own Weights, and mete by his own Measures ^ 'till he hates the Papifts, I add, and all thefe Proteflant Divines, even Queen Elizabeth herfelf, and the Church of England Catechifm, more than Jews or Mahometans, who cannot be Idolaters — Is not he, that runs from Rome with this Opinion^

Gr<?ci Venetns I'i'ventes, & reliqui etiam Graci omnes adorant Cbriflum in Eucbftrifta. El quis unfit bcs CbriJIianos Idololatriec arcej/ere, & damnare.

An ALL-PROTESTANT, in danger to forget the Proverb, ita fugias ne praster cafam, and run by the Door of GOD'S Church ? Juft Weights and Meafures, Chap. it. Page 9.

Therefore •, let not them lead the People by the Nofe, to believe that they can prove their Suppo- fition, when they cannot. Ibid. Page n.

In plain terms, we make ourfehes Schifmatics, by grounding our Reformation upon this Pretence of Idolatry — So that, Jhould this Church declare, that the Change, which we call Reformation, is grounded upon this Suppofition ; / muft then ac knowledge, that we are the Schifmatics, Ibid, Chap. i. Page 7.

POST-

POSTSCRIPT.

CANNOT help taking notice of a Piece of Dr. Middleton's profound Learning Page 125, &c. 4. Edit. " Should we allow, fays he, that " St. Peter had been at Rome, ( of which many " learned * Men however have doubted, ) yet *' they had not, I knew, any Authentic Monu- *« ments remaining of him, any vifible Footfteps ee fubfifting, to demonftrate his Refidence among ft them : And mould we ask them for any " Evidence of this Kind, they would refer us " to the Impre/ion of his Face on the Wall of the " Dungeon, in which he was confined : Or to a * e Fountain in the bottom of it, raifed miraculoujly «' by him out of the Rock, in order to baptize " his Fellow- Prisoners : Or to the Mark of our " SAVIOUR'S Feet in a Stone, on which he ap- " pear'd to him, and flopped him, as he was flying " out of the City from a Perfecution then raging : ^ In Memory of which there was a Church " built on the Spot, callyd St. Mary delle Piante,

* De Petri Romam ad-ventu, fede xxv. Annorum, fupremo fapitis fuppiicio ibidem, nemo, qui paullo bumanior fuerit, cre dere poffit, Scalig. in Joan, xviil 31. //. Vid. Trid. Spanb, ^/Lifcdlan. Sacr# Anti^. Lib. iii. Differtat. 3.

.«« or

240 POSTSCRIPT.

" or of the Marks of the Feet ; which Failing " into Decay, was fupplied by a Chapel, at the " Expence of our Cardinal Pool. But the Stone " itfelf, more valuable, as their Writers fay, than " any of the precious ones ; being a perpetual " Monument and Proof * of the Cbriftian Religion > * 4 is preferved with all due Reverence in St. Sebaf- " tiarfs Church ; where I purchafed a Print of <{ it, with feveral other of the fame Kind. Or " they would appeal perhaps to the Evidence <c of fome Miracle wrought at his Execution ; " as they do in the Cafe of St. Paul ; in a Church *' call'd at the three Fountains ; the place where *' he was beheaded : On which Occafion, it *c feems, in/lead of Blood there ijjued only Milk *' from his Veins ; and his Head, when feparated *l from the Body, having made three Jumps upon <c the Ground, raifed at each place a Spring of *c living Water, which retains ftill, as they would *' perfuade us, the plain fajle of Milk : -f Of all

* dring. who is here tranflated, calls this Stone a Monument ', &c. but not a Proof 'at leaft in the Text cited by the Do&or. — , Lafis "vero ilk digniffiwus & omni fret info lapide antefercndus, in D. Sebajliani Ecclejiam tranjlatus, ibidem, quo par ejl RelL giant's eulfu, in perenne Religionis Chrifliana monumentum af- fervatur. Rom. fubterran. Lib. iii. c. z\.

-f- Would tafting of it have poifon'd the Doftor r — — Cum facrum caput obtruKcaretur, non tarn fluenta Sanguinis, quam cendldijjimi lafiis rivuli, &c. — //. in ipfo auttm Martyrii loco tres adbuc ferexigui jugiter fontes, &C. horum primus fffteris dulcicr Jaforem laftii pra fe frrt, &C. Aring. Lib. iii. r. 2.

" which

POSTSCRIPT. 24.1

cc which Facts we have an Account in Baronius,

" Mabillon, and all their grtrveft Authors^ and ;' " may fee printed Figures of them in the De- ilem'.Ma- " fcription of modern Rome. " Thus the Doctor ; bill. far. ---And all thefe Vifible Footflep dill fubfifting l he calls Ridiculous Fiftions, as a Deift would do the whole Scripture, becaufe he does not like them, without attempting any other Argument, but Ridicule to difprove one.

Nothing is eafier than to call things by what Names we pleafe. Common Converfation teaches us this. Nor is it any new thing to hear a found Protejlant plead Mahometanifm^ becaufe a Ma hometan may have as ftrong Reafons for judging the Alcoran to be the Word of GOD, as we have to believe the Bible.

I would willingly know what the Doctor calls authentick Monuments ; — What kind of Vifible Footfteps it is he requires, in any Town or City, to demonjlrate a Perfon's Refidence in it. — But " his Zeal was not bent on vifiting the holy ct Threjholds of the Apcftks. " — I verily and in deed believe it. — " He knew, that their Ec- " clejiaftical Antiquities were moft fabulous and *' legendary fupported by Fictions and Impo- " (lures, too grofs to employ the Attention of " a Man of Senfe. " — Something like this faid the Serpent to Eve. — " And fhould we " ask, fays he,' the Romans for any Evidence " of this Kind, any authentic Monuments of

« St.

242 POSTSCRIPT.

" St. Peter's Refidence among them, they would

" refer us to the Impre/wn of his Face, &c. "

— No, Doftor! No. — They woujd refer

you, as has our Catholic, to Grotius, a learned

J» Synopji Proteftant, who fays, that no Chriftian ever doubted

nttc°~ but St. Peter was at Rome ; to Chamierus, ano-

1540. tncr Darned Proteftant, who tells us, that all the

Lib. 13. c. Fathers with great Accord have averted that Peter

4- 3- 2- went to Rome and governed that Church-, and

Opera poft- to Dr. Pearfon, the Proteftant Bifhop of Chefter,

™a one of the moft eminent Men that the Refor-

1688. mation ever produced, who has demonftrated,

^ge 27, by innumerable Arguments, that Peter was at

Rome, and that the Bifhops of Rome are his Suc-r

ceffors.

They would tell you, that the Chriftian Ro* mans had, ever fince the Death of St. Peter and St. Paul, been perfuaded that the Viftble Footjieps of St. Peter they now mew, were what they now fay they are ; and yet they would not call them, either one or all, Proofs — You would be de- fy'd to name any one other Epocha, of their firft being believed to be fuch, or any Perfon or Per- fons by whom they were firft feign'd and impofed upon the Public -, — And, what is more, we know your Anfwer, viz. the Abfurdity of believ ing that Go D Jhould exert his Omnipotence for the Production of fuch Trifles, as the Confirmation of what two Men had preach'd.

They

POSTSCRIPT. 24$

They would tell you, that tho* there is fcafce any Part of the Bible or new Teftament but what has been rejected by fome Heretics of old ; yet we cannot find that St. Peter's being at Rotoc was ever call'd in Quetlion by any fingle Man, Infidel or Chriftian, Catholic or Heretic, for thir teen or fourteen hundred Years after CHRIST. Tho* all Heretics and Schifmatics, as being al ways Enemies to the Church of Rome, would have been mod glad to have call'd in Queftion the Succeflion of St. Peter, which the Bifhops of Rome ever gloried in, had not the matter of Fact been out of Difpute.

Infine, they would refer you ro the ancient Fathers that have attefted St. Peter's being at Rome, who, befides many others, are St. Ire- fitfus, Lib. iii. c. 3. St. Denys Bifhop of Corinth > Caius ajid Qrigen, alledged by Eufebius in his Church-Hiftory, Page 71, 78. Tertullian, Lib.de Pr^fcript. c. 36. and in Scorpiaco, c. 5. St. Cyp rian, Epift. 52, and 55. Arnobiits, Lib ii. con tra Gentes, Laftantius, Lib. de morte Perfecuto- rum, c. 2. Eufebius, Lib. ii. Hift. c. 14. p. 52. Lib. iii. c. 4. p. 74. St. Atbanafius, in Apolog. de fugd fud, p. 331. St. Cyril of Jerufalem, Ca- teck. 6. p. 54. St. Ambrofe, Lib. iv. Hexem. c. 8. St. Jerom de Scriptor : Ecclef. in Petro & in Marco, and in his Chronicon ad Annum 43, and 69. Sulpjtius Sevens, Lib. ii. Hift. St. Align- fine, Lib. de H*r. c. i. Epift. 53. Lib. ii, con tra

244 POSTSCRIPT.

tra Lit.Petil. c. 51. St.JohnChryfoftom, Tom.v. Horn. 12. Orofius, Lib. vii. c. 6. St. Peter Chry- fologus, Epift. ad Eutych. St. Optatus, Lib. ii. contra Parmenian. Theodoret. in Epift. ad Rom. & Lib. i. H<eret. Fab. c. i. &c. — See Catholic Cbriftian chap. 16. page 164, ^c.

Now either the Do&or knew what all thefe Fathers had faid upon this Subjeft, or he did not : — If he did not, 'tis certain he is no Divine ; — - if he did, an Herodotus1^ a Plutarch's, or a Cicero's Authority in his Judgment is far more preferable ; ergo^ he is a Heathen. But he knew it when he printed his fourth Edition, and did not recall his Aflertion ; ergo, idem. — Birds of a Feather flock together — What the Doctor has cited out of Scalig. and Spanh. only fliews, what Folly and bold Afiurance are capable of.

FINIS.