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speciAl coLLecxrloNS
t)OUQlAS LibRARy
queeN's uNiveRsiiy AT kiNQsroN
kiNQSTON ONTARIO CANADA
A Second
TREATISE
O N T H E
Notes of the Church :
ASA
SUPPLEMENT
T O T H E
SERMON
Preach'd at
Salters-Hall, 'January i6, 17^4.
Being the Subftance of two Sermons preach*d at the fVednefda-j Letlure ac the Old Jury, Jan. 22, and 29.
By Samuel Chandler.
Omncs confitentur, in fola veraEcclefia cflc veram fidem, vcram peccatorum remiflioncm, veram fpem falutis aternac. SeHarm. de Nor, Ecckf.
LONDON:
Printed for T. Cox, at the Lamb under the Royal- Exchange ; R.Ford, at the Angel , R, Hett, at the Bihle tnd Oeuti ; and J. Gray, ac iheCro/i-Key/, all in the Poultry, Mdccimv.
( Price Six Peace. )
17.:-'
/JC "^S:^ ^CUL/i
1 Tim. iii. 15,
Th^fi things I write to thee^' — that thou rnayjl know how thou oughteft to behave thyfelf in the houfe of GoJ^ which is the church of the living God^ the pilar and ground of truth.
Aving in a former difcourfe, though delivered in * another place, confidered the fcripture charadlers of the Church of Chrift ; and feveral alfo of thofe marks which Cardinal Bellarmine lays down as the notes of the true Church, in order to prove that this character belongs to the Church of Rome; I beg leave here to refume that fubjedt, bc- caufe 1 then left it imperfedl. The Cflrdi-
■ SaltcM-HalJ, Thurfday, Jan. i5, 1734*
A 2
nar$
[6]
\^rhich " Bdlarmine urges againfl: fbme of the principles of the Lutherans, to {hew they cannot be true : For, how can that be the body and blood of Chrift, which our fight, hnell, feeling, and tafling, afTure us is nothing more than a wafer, or piece of bread ? How can the individual body of Chrifl, which is but one, and which is now in heaven, be multiplied into a thoufand bodies at once, and be in the fame inftanc in a thouland places, and eaten a thoufand limes over upon earth, and yet, at the fame time, remain whole and uneaten in hea- ven ? How is it poflible that Chrift, who inflituted the Sacrament, could give him- felf to his difciples with his own hands, fee himfelf eaten, fwallowed, and devoured by them, without being eaten, fwallowed, and devoured at all ; be at the fame time broken, and unbroken, within his Apoftles, and without them j be at the fame inftanc fol id as bread, and liquid as wine j be as big as a man, and as fmall as a morfel of bread ? Was ever invention fo monftrous as this ? Ever any dodrine compounded of fuch palpable and ftupid abfurdities ? Is it not an outrage upon every thing called fenfe or reafon ?
'■ Aperte repugnat veritati, ut Auguftinus fcribat, iitjuriam facere humanis fenfibus qui hoc dicunt. De bs'ot, Ecdcf. Not. 8.
2 Again,
(71
Again, the worfliip of images, pidures, dead mens bodies, relicks, and the like things, is a contradidion to the plainefl: dilates of truth and reafon, which lead us to the adoration and worfhip of God, the fupreme and uhimate objecSt of worfhip ; who cannot be reprefented by any fenfible appearances, nor approve of any veneration given by rational beings to dead inanimate objedls, that have neither eyes to fee, nor ears to hear, nor tongues tofpeak with.
I am willing to allow, that the worfliip paid to thefc things is relative only, or given to them for the relation they have to the obje<fls they reprcfent : So alfo was the worship paid by many Heathens "^ to the images, temples, and altars, of their Gods ; which notwithftanding the Scriptures con- demn as a very heinous fin, and monftrous impiety : And with the highefl: reafon j be- caufe dead and lifelefs images, or pidures, can be no proper reprefentations of the li- ving, fpiritual and invifibleGod ; and there- fore not worthy of any relative veneration,
•' Tlii^ufxiv<Q- cTe *«/ Ti 'Tfifi ruv ^zuv ivtrtdf S'la.- voii<SnUy Keti fxija. riv©' ctrroCMmov ui to. h^a tuv ■Jjfc'c, Y.(ti TO. etytt^ixaja. TZ/xn? x.ui 0(r/fc7"7©"> ffiCouivQ- toii-xi^ ttv tt <wa.^ov\Ai iu^a. rm ^Ui. AyaAfAetja. yuf kai ^ui^^Cy
K<tt rav^Q- AffCi^V <p\j}.AK)i\V, KAI 'UAv]a ATT^Uf Tcfc TOIAvJa CUfxCo\Ay Ot 'VA']i§ii i'^iflo T>H 'OA.fTnyiAf 7UV ■d'tUV, VK HA iKilVA 0-JBf VtfXiatOljLiV, A\fC IVA cT/' a.\flu\- jUi ^8«f -2^:P£t-
^fci'tf"fi)/x5»'. Julian, p. 193. Edit. Spanheni.
becaufc
t8]
^scaufe thofe images, or picftures, cannot \n the nature of things have any poffible relation to him, or convey to the mind any true idea of him.
As to the images and pictures of Chrift, the making and worfliiping them, is an ab- furd and irrational fuperftition. For bc- lides that, there is no warrant for this in the New Teftament records, 'tis impofliblc to make any true reprefentation of him, as exalted to the right hand of glory, or that an idol made by the flatuary or carver, and called by his name, (hould deferve that outward proflration, or inward veneration, which is due to Chrifl himfelfj the wood, the ftone, and metal, having no more in- trinfick excellency, and bearing no more likenefs, or relation to Chrift, after the ar- tificer hath formed it, and called it by his name, than when growing in the tree, or buried in the bowels of the earth.
And, as to the images and picflures of the Virgin Mary\ and the Saints, together with their dead bodies and relicks, the worfhip- ing them is, if polTiblej worfe folly and fuperftition than the other ; becaufe there is no reafon or precept for worQiiping thofe perfons themfelves, and by confequence, none for worftiiping their images, rem- nants of their bodies, or any thing that belongs to them. And if the worfhiping them without warrant, yea, in oppofition
to
[9]
fo the plained intimations to the contrary, is real idolatry ; what name of reproach inud the worfhiping or venerating their images and relicks deferve ? This practice of worfliiping dead bodies, and fcraps of bodies, is more ftupid and ablurd than al- moft any thing to be found amongfl the Pa- gans y who, though they often deified their dead heroes, yet either buried their bodies, or let them remain quiet and undifturbed in their graves and fepulchres ; and on this ac- count 'Julian reproaches the Chriftians of his time, becaufe they " turned to the wor- Jhip of the dead and their relicks. And in another place, ^ he fays. Who canfujicienf- ly abhor your praSl ice y in adding fo many new dead perfons to him who formerly died ? Tou have filled all places with fepulchres and mo- numentSy though ^fis no where commanded you. to kneel before and worfhip them j yea^ in oppofition to the words of Jefus^ Matt, xxiii. 27.
Other inftances might be mentioned, fuch as worfliiping in an unknown tongue, and keeping the Scriptures from the know- ledge of the people j becaufe common fenfe
Julian, p. 45.
T<t<p6)v KAi uvnf/.a}ary koli to/ sjc nfr{}a.i ■■sra.^ lynv ts^eifjik' Cont. Jul. p. 3J5.
B and
[ lo]
and reafon evidently affure us, that there can be no rational devotion without know^- ledge ; and that if the fcripture be the v^ord of God, and contains a revelation of the divine will to all mankind, all mankind muft be concerned to underftand it, and muft by neceflary confequence have a right to read and fearch it.
And as thefe and the like dodrines are evidently abfurd and contradictory to the principles of reafon, fo they are plair^ly calculated, not to promote any real, wife and valuable purpofe, but to aggrandife the power of the priefts, and to be a lafling fund of riches to the clergy. What an high opinion muft the people have of their priefts, if they can be brought to believe, that by muttering a few words, they can change a morfel of bread into their Saviour and God ? That they can grant them dif- penfations and indulgences, and authorita- tively abfolve them from all their guilt ? That they can deliver them from all the pains of Purgatory, and fend them ftrait to heaven by the repetition of a few mafles for their fouls ? How large are the revenues that flow from the profitable dodrines of Purgatory, mafles, prieftly abfolutions, pe- nances, and the like fuperftitions ? How vaft the influence, which the priefts and confeflx)rs have over private perfons, fami- lies, and nations, by auricular confeflions,
when
[•I ]
when they are let into the fecrets of mens condud: and confciences, and have a power to enjoin them what difciph'ne, and penan- ces, and fatisfadlions they pleafe ? The truth is, the whole fyftem of Popery is a fcheme ©f ambition and worldly policy, calculated not to promote knowledge and virtue, and the happinefs of mankind, but the dominion and grandure of the priefts, at the expence, and upon the moft certain ruins of each of thefe dear and valuable interefts. So that let the efficacy of their doctrines be what it will, it can be no evi- dence that their church is the church of Chrifl ; becaufe that efficacy cannot pro- ceed from the intrinfick excellency of thefe doctrines, their conformity to truth and reafon, and their tendency to promote the real intereft and happinefs of mankind.
The efficacy of particular dodlrines, however abfurd and falfe, and particularly of thofe of the church of Rome^ may be very eafily accounted for by reafons, that will reflect but little honour upon the fuc- cefs that may attend them. When do- (ftrines are invented fuitable to the corrupt paffions and affedions of mankind, fuch dodlrines as tend to render them eafy in. their vices, and reconcile falvation with the im- moralities of a wicked life j 'tis no wonder that even the generality of mankind, who are led more by the inflinds of ienfe, than B 2 the
[ 11 3
the didates of reafon, fhouldbe found tQ countenance and embrace them ; for as Bellarmine obferves under this very note 5, What difficulty is there to injiill poifon itito a man, who is ready prepared to take it ? Hence St. Paul afcribes the prevalence of error to this very caufe. Thus he tells the I'heffaloiiians^ that God v^ouldy^s^ a ftro7ig delujiony that thoje fiould believe a lye whs had phafure in iinrigbteoufn^fs, 2 ^he/jr. ii. 10, II, 12. And in his z'' epiftle to Uima- tbyy he fays, e%jil men and feducers flmil wax> ivorfe and ivorfe, deceiving and being de- ceived. Chap. ii. 13.
Some of the dodtrines of Mahometanifm were thus made palatable to the inclinations of thofe, to whom that impoftor addreiled himfelf J and that this is really the cafe with many of the dodrines of Popery, hath been fliewn under a '' former head.
Again, the prevalence or efficacy of cor- rupt dodtrines, is oftentimes owing to deep ignorance, and the v/ant of means of bet- ter information. To this the fuperflitions and idolatries of Paganifm were in a great meafure to be attributed. This was one reafon of the fuccefles uf Mahomet, and of the efficacy of his dodlrine amongft the
8 Qua: enim ditficultas eft inftillare venenumho- iTiini pararo ad id fumendum? ^ Sec Note YIII.
Ara-
[ •? ]
^ffi^iausi gnd the Papifts well know that their own errors and antichriftian praiftices are fupporced by the fame foundation. They have deprived the people of the facred fcrip- tures, and of all other books that may tend to their information. They rigorouily pro« hibit all inquiries and difputes about reli- gion, and inculcate an implicit faith in the diiftates of the church, and reprefent it as an heinous fin, fo much as to queftion or doubt about the truth of her decifions. And is it any wonder that error fhould flou# rifli under the proted^ion of ignorance ?
Add to this the great fubtleties and many arts they make ufe of to propagate their doftrines; viz, thofe pretended miracles which they boaft of in the church of Rome, whereby they impofe on the credulity of the weak multitude, and inftill into their minds an high veneration for the greateft abfur- dities and corruptions they have introduced into the houfe of God. Thus to perfuade them that the confecrated wafer is the body and blood of Chrift, they have invented ftories of wafers dropping blood when they have been pierced and cut by wicked here- ticks; lively reprefentations of which, in pidures, I my felf have feen publickly hung up in their churches, for the admiration and eftablifhment of the deluded people. To confirm them in the worfhip of images, they tell them of their fweating, moving
their
r H ]
':^eir eyes, bowing their heads, and per- .brming many wonderful cures ; which arc either the tricks of cunning priefts, or ow- ing to fatanical delufions ; it being impof- lible that God fhould perform any miracles for the eftabliflimenc of fo impious a fuper- ftition. In like manner the liquefadion of St. yamiarius\ blood, the miraculous cures which have been faid to be wrought by re- licks, and the like rogueries of the priefts, are arts to keep up an impure veneration for dead bodies, bits of bones, and the frag- ments of crofTes and tattered garments. Thus alfo they have feigned apparitions of fpirits tortured in Purgatory, defiring the prayers of the living ; and of other fpirits delivered from pain and prifon by their prayers and maffes ; to propagate the no- tion, and eftablifh the people in the gainful dodtrincs of Purgatory and maffes. It would be endlefs to mention all the inftances of this kind that may be produced, and the numberlefs frauds that have been ufed to. impofe on the people ; many of which have been difcovered to the (hame and confufion of the authors and pradiifers of them.
Befides this, they frequently endeavour to fupport and colour over their dodtrines by the found of fcripture-cxpreffions ; or by altering the words, and corrupting the fenfe of it. Thus, to prevent their peoples abhorrence of image and idol worfhip, they 2 havQ
. C 15 1
have fometlmes taken away the feoond com- mandment; and, to keep up the number of ten, have divided the tenth into two. To prove thedodlrine of Tranfubflantiation,they urge the literal fenfe of the words, 'This is my body. And by the fame way they might prove that Chrifl is a door, and a vine ; and that God himfelf is pofTefTed of all bodily parts and paflions. To prove that holy order is a facramenc inftituted by Chrift, they cite thofe word'^, Do this in remem- brance of me \ which a child may fee do not relate to Chrift's granting his apoftles a power to confecrate the bread and wine, but to their eating the bread in remem- brance of him. In fupport of the do<flrine of Purgatory, they urge, He hifnfelf JJ:all be Javed, yet fo as by fire \ to which they have added, in fome of their verfions, by the fire of Purgatory. Innumerable fuch abufes may be eafily feen by chofe who will be at the pains to confulc their confeffions and catechifms.
And to render all thefe arts, and the like, the more efFcdual, the Romtfi priefts pre- tend great compafTion for the fouls of peo- ple, and boldly tell them there is no falva- tion out of their church ; that, as Prote- ftants, they are in a damnable flate; that Proteftants allow falvation in the commu- nion of the church of Ro77ie\ that they are divided amongft themfelves, and that they
cenfure
C '6 ]
cenfore and condemn each other foi* theii differences ; ind to render dl thefe arts the more effedlual, they ftr'engthen them with money and gifts, and other the like appear- ances of charity.
And finally, where all thfefc things will- not do, they have other methods, Aot lefe powerfiil to convince and convert gain- fayers, and feicure the defired efficacy ta their dodlriries. 'Tis Well known that he* refy amongft the Papifts is a capital crime^ ^d punifhed in the moft dreadful manne^> that the art of man can invent j and thaty according to them, it confifts in believing; any thing contrary to the received opinions of their church, or not believing in all« matters as the church believes. Now how is it poflible that what they call herefy, which is in reality truth and righteoufnefsj fliould ever fpread amongft them, when^ they fcruple no methods of injuftice and violence to fupprefs it in its rife, and pre- vent its growth? This hath been their wafy in all ages, either to convert men by force, or deftroy all oppofers of their errors*' and fupcrftitions. Thus they propagated andJ fupported them in Great Britain by fire and fag-got ; in Ireland by the maffacre of above one hundred and forty thoufand Proteftants ; in France by publifliing crufadoes againft^ hereticks, deftroymg their cities, and mur- dering thoufands fof their religion and con-
fciences ;
[ '7 J
ftiences ; and by the 'Parifian ' mafTacre, for which, tho' contrived and carried on, and executed with diabolical perfidioufnefs and cruelty, a jubilee was appointed at Parisy and folemn thanks returned to God, as tho' it had been a facrifice acceptable to him. And not only thus, but as Thuarjus"^ tells us, they received the news of it at Rome with tranfports of pleafure ; and the Pope and Cardinals inftantly repaired to St. Mark's, to thank God for fo great a favour con- ferred on the See of Ro?ne^ and appointed a jubilee over the whole Chriftian world, for this flaughter of the hereticks in France. And I have now by me an oration oi Anto7iy MuretuSy in praife of Charles IX. pronoun- ced at Rome before Pope Gregory XIII. in which he ' bleffes that memorable night in which this accurfed flaughter wascommitted,
extols
J Thuanus, Vol. III. p. 14c. Edit. Buck.
* Ibid. p. 152.
^ O nof^em ilkm memorabilem, et in faftis cximisc alicujus notK adjciilione fignandam ! quje paucorura fcdinoforum intcrntu, regcm a prjefenti casdis periculo, regnum a pcrpetua civiliam bellorum formidinc libe- ravit. Qua quidcm node ftellas equidem ipfas lux- ifle folito nitidius arbitror, et fiumen Sequanam ma- jores undas volvifle, quo ilia impurorum hominum cx- davera evolveret ct cxoncrarct in mare. O fcli- ciffimam mulierem Catharinam regis matrcni, quop cum tot annos admirabili prudenna parique follici- tudine regnum filio, filium regno confcrvairct, turn dcmum fccura regnantem filium adlpexit ! O rc^js
fratres, ipfos quoque beatos! O diem denique il-
C lum
[ ,83
extols the king, queen-mother, and bre- thren of the king, for the (hare they had in this execrable villany ; and calls the Pope himfelf mojl blejfed Father^ for his going in procellion to return thanks to God mid St, Lewis for the u^elcome news when brought to him. And even to this day they fupport their fuperftitions by dragoonings, impri- fonments and death in that kingdom j and in Spain, and Portugal, and Italy, by the accurfed feverities of an Inquifition.
You fee here the caufes of the efficacy of Popery; and is it any wonder it fhould prevail, under fuch methods to propagate it ? Or can it be any proof that the church of Rome is the church of Chrift, becaufe her dodtrines are fuccefsful, when that fuc- cefs is owing to fuch violent and bloody meafures ? "" Bellarmine himfelf, when urged with the fuccefs of Mahomet aniftn, rightly objects, that the great ?iumbers who
lum plenum Icetitix et hilariratis, quo tu, Beatiffime Pater, hoc ad te nuncio allato, Deo immortali, et Divo Hludovico regi, cujus hsc in ipfo pervigilio eve- nerant, gratias a6lurus, indiftas a tc fupplicationes pedes obrifti ! Quis autem optabilior ad tc nuncius adferri poterat? aut nos ipfi quid fehcius optare pote- ramus principium pontificatus tui? Muret. Orat. Vol. I. p. 197, 198. Edit. Lubec.
^ Mahumetani autem traxcrunt quidem niultos 5 fed terrore armorum, non vi et efficacia dodrinae. Quare ipfemet Mahumetus in Alcorano, c. i8, 19. docet, bello cogcndos homines ad fidem, 2)e Not. Ecckf. sap* 12.
embraced
[ 19]
embraced tt^ were drawn over by the terror of arms^ not by the force and effxacy \f its doBrine-y and that Mahomet himfelf taught in his Alcoran^ that men are tc be forced b\' war to the faith. If this be an objection Sigdiinil Mahomet anifm^ it mufl be equally lb againft Popery ; which teaches and ufeth the fame methods of propagation, and hath fpilc more blood in fupport of her Antichriflian doctrines, than hath been ever fpilt by the Mahometan princes merely on account of their religion. So that the efficacy of the dodlrines of Mahometanifm and Popery, is owing to the fame meafures of cruelty and perfecution ; and therefore, if mere fuccefs or efficacy of doctrine be a fign of the church of Chrift, Mahometans have as much a claim to that facred character as the Papifts.
There is indeed a very powerful influence which Popery generally hath on the minds of men, which is not much to the repu- tation and credit of it. For when once this falfe religion hath got hold of their minds, it renders them obflinate, and averfe to all information and farther knowledge, and enemies to the very means of their con- vidion and falvation : It fills them with a cenforious, uncharitable fpirit, and with rancour and malice towards all who differ from them j it too often prepares them for the moft execrable villanies, and changes the natural fentiments and didates of com- C 2 paffion
C 20 ]
palnon and tendern.efs into an unrelenting hardnefs of heart, and an infernal fatisfa- (ftion in the punifliments and miferies of others. For as Dr. Geddes obferves of the Fcrtugueze^ tho' all other malefadtors be- fides hereticks are greatly lamented and pi- tied by them when they fuffer death; yet when hereticks are roafted in lingring fires, and crying out under their exquifite tor- tures, their J'ufferings are beheld^ by perfons of both fexes and all ages^ with fuch tran- /ports of joy and fatisfadion^ as are not to bi met ninth on any other occafons ijuhatfoe'-oer. Such is the fpirit of their religion ! fuch the dreadful efficacy of their dodirine!
V/henever thefe are the natural effedls of any principles, nothing can be more certain than that they mufl: be contrary to truth and religion. And, indeed, nothing can be ii:iore fallacious than to argue from the prevalence of anydocflrines to the truth and divine authority of them : For the Maho- metan religion is much more univerfil than that of Chriftianity to this day j and amongft Christians, Arianijm could once boaft of its fuccelTes, and of having pro- felyted many nations and kingdoms. And at this day. How many nations embrace the reformation, and the dodrines of the Prote- flant religion.? And therefore, if the mere efficacy of dod:rine be a certain note of the church of Chrift, the Papifls mufl allow '^ that
[ a, ]
that we are as much the true church of Chrift as themfelvcsj and they have no other way to extricate themfelves out of this difficulty, but by faying with " Bel- larmine, that Hereticks only deceive men, but cannot convert them to the faith, which is fhamefully to beg the queftion, but not to anfwer the objecftion i and Proteftants may with the higheft reafon retort the Car- dinal's words upon himfelf. The Papifts only deceive men, but cannot convert them to the faith. Papifls have indeed the fcrip- ture^ but will not fufFer it to be read by the people, and have not the true fenfe of Jcrip- ture : Nor is it any wonder that they jome- times pervert Proteftants ; for men are prone to go down into the broad and eafy way which Popery opens j and God fuffers it to be fo, becauje of their ingratitude, who ha- ving been once enligbtned, have not brought forth good fruits, anfwerable to the light they have received ®.
" Majorem partem Gothorum fuiffe ab Arianis de- ceptam. Non igitur convertunt homines ad fidem hs^ retici, non poflunt. Ibid.
^ Hjerctici habent quidem fcripturam, fed non ha-
bent verum fenfum I'cripturarum. Keque ctiam
mirum eft quod Catholicos pervertant, nam proni funt homines ad defcenfum, ad viam latam et facilem quam illi apperiunt. Et Deus id fieri finit propter ingratitudinem corum, qui femel funt illuminati, et lumini acccpto bonis opcribus non rcfpondent. Id. Ibid.
To
t " 3
To conclude this head, the mere efficacy, or want of efficacy in any do(ftrine, proves joching what the nature of it is. As error it felf hath often-tirnes amaling fuccefs, and gains over innumerable profelytes, fo truth is often-times defpifed and rejedled ; and yet remains truth, though {he hath few or none to follow her. Even our Saviour Jiimfelf was wickedly treated by the Jews, and he had but few who received him, or embraced his dodtrine. His Apoftles after him were oppofed and perfecuted, and the number of converts they made, but com- paratively fmall with the reft of mankind. And yet they were the meflengers of God, and their religion founded on truth, and worthy the acceptation of all mankind j and the reafon why their dodlrine had no more efficacy and fuccefs, was not any de- feat in its intrinlick excellency, or want in the evidence which attended it; but the finful prejudices and vicious paffions of men themfelves, who being enemies to righteoufnefs were the enemies of truth, and therefore enemies to the pure and un-- corrupted do<firines of Chriftianity.
N O T E X.
The next note is, ^ the holinefs of the lives, of the mithorSj or firjl fathers of our reli"-
P Sanftitas vitjc auclorum, five primorum patrum noftras religionis. [De Not. Ec. Cap. 1 3 .
gion;
C n']
gion J fuch as the patriarchs and prophets, then apoftles and teachers^ and lajlly the foun- ders of religious orders ; who, as Bellarmine affirms, were pious, chaft, and fober, and endowed with all manner of virtues ; whereas Hereticks are all of them very bad perfons, and '^ not one of them good.
But 1 am apprehenfive that the Cardinal will not do his church much good by this note : For as Proteftants we acknowledge no other authors of our religion but Jefus Chrift and his apoftles, the holinels of whofe lives is a great recommendation of the do- <5trines they taught; and confequently by whomfoever that docftrine is embraced, they may glory in this, as one evidence amongft others of its divine original ; and therefore this is fo far from being a note that any one particular church is more the church of Chrift than another, that it is an honour which all churches may boaft of, who maintain their dod;rines in their ori- ginal purity.
As to all others, we renounce them as the authors of our religion. For in the Bible alone is the religion of Proteftants : And though the fathers and doflors of the church may be allowed, fome of them, to have been excellent and good men ; yet ihey were fallible and liable to errors, .^nd had their defefts and blemilhes as well as
. Ex hcrcticis nullus eft bonus. Hid.
virtues.
Ch ]
virtues. It were eafy to (hew this of fome of the firft writers in the Chriflian church. Now the real fan<5tity of good men is no vindication of their errors, and of confe- quence no argument that the church of Rotne is the true church, if (he hath em- braced their errors. The truly primitive •' fathers however knew nothing of her di- ftinguiOiing doftrines, and therefore (he hath no more countenance from them than ihe hath from the fcriptures of infallible truth. And if the holinefs of fuch fathers add any credit to any caufe, this honour will accrue to the Proteftant churches, who embrace all the principles they taught from the word of God, and rejedt their errors be- caufe contrary to that word.
As to the ancient hereticks, fuch as Theo- butes^ Si?no?i Magus, Valentinus, Marcian^ Montanusy Arius, and others mentioned by Bellar^nine, and cenfured by him as proud, and violent difturbers of the church} Pro- teftants neither acknowledge their autho- rity, nor embrace their here(ies ; and there- fore whatever were their particular vices, as Proteftants are not their patrons, de- fenders, and imitators, they refled; no more di(honour upon them or their principles, than they do upon the clergy and members of the church of Rome.
«■ See Note II.
And
['5]
And when the Cardinal adds, that the fedfs of is agey meaning the different parties of the re- ormation, fprung from ambition^ pride ^ envy^ nd hatred ', if this was true, 'tis nothing to the urpofe. For if the firft reformers were influ- nccd by thefe motives, yet if they really preached he religion of Chrift, may we not fay with Sr. '^aul: So?}ie preach Cbrijl eve?i of envy and fir if e^ md of contention ; Juppofing to add afiiclion to ny bonds ? What then ? notwithftanding every vay^ whether in pretence or in truths Chrifl is reached : And therein I do rejoice j yea^ and will •ejoice^ Phil. i. 15 — 18.
And indeed the queftion is not how the reforma- ion came in, or by what kind of inftruments it vas carried on ? but whether the reformation is he caufe of truth and genuine Chriftianity? iVhether the main dodrines of it can be proved to )e the doctrines of Chrifl: and his apoftles ? If ;hey can, the Proteftant religion will be the true •eligion ; towhatfoever caufes the preaching of it was originally owing, or whatfoever may be the :haradters or perfonal faults of the firft reformers. Veter himfelf denied his mafter with oaths and :urfes, and was guilty of great diffunulation, ind reproved for it by St. Paul -, and yet thefe perfonal blemiihes were no juft refledlion upon the cauie of Chriftianity. Not to add, that God in his providence is oftentimes pleafed to make ufe even of bad men to accomplifti his own de- figns, and to over-rule even their vices to fub- ferve the purpofes of his wifdom and goodnefs.
It may therefore be allowed that Luther had his faults. And who is without them I Buc
D doth
C a6 ]
doth any confident Proteflant pretend to juftify him in them ? Or do his perfonal failings prove that he was not to be commended for bravely op- pofing the corrupt do<5trines and prad:ices of the church of Rome ? But when the Cardinal adds, that Luther s ambition^ and not being able to bear that the pubUPiing the Popes indulgences Jhould be transferred from the monks of his order to the Pre- ■dicant friars^ gave rife to his own fed: j this is neither candidly nor truly faid. Luther himfelf afcribes another reafon of his conduct in oppo- fing the indulgences, mz. ^ becaufe the unbounded licence of preaching indulgences occajioned many errors^ was ridiculed by fome in the taverns, and expofed the holy priejihood of the church to fcarn. Yea Maimburg himfelf, who wrote againft Lu- ther^ acknowledges that there were very Jean- dalous abuj'es committed ijt the affair of the indul- gences ; and that it cannot be denied but that this gave occafwn to Lutheranifm ^ An abundant ju- flification of Luther s condud this, in the op- pofitionJie began to the church o^ Rome.
But was Luther as proud and imperious as the Cardinal makes him; are there no blemiihes,, no vices chargeable on the great men, dodors,. and founders of orders in the church of Rome ? We rtiuft as Proteflants be excuied from an over high opinion and veneration for them, becaufe
f Idas poiitiones omnes coegit me ponere, quod viderera alios falfis opinionibus infici, alios per tabernas ridere, et fan6tum facerdotium ecclefije manifefto ludibrio habere, occalione tam efiFufas licentise predicandarum veniarum. Seckendorf* I. i. Sed. 15. §. 27.
5 Sickeni, X i. Scft. 6. I
[27]
„<■ know that many of them were weak and fu- ^erEs men, who plaeed rehg.on in unne- 'effa V abftinences, whimfical fever.fes, and ufe- left ceremonies, more than in real p.ety, and fub- ftantial virtue. Others of them are canonized for fa nts only for their blind attachment « the SeeS'"^. and the corruptions of that church; and thdr zeal againft the pure and uncorrupted doftrines of Chrift, and the profeffors of then.. Othe sof them were infolent bloody-mmded and cruel perfecutors; fuch as Sc.F™«n.and Domt- « .Twho introduced the Inquifition, and were the occafion of innumerable violences and murders_ Such men may pafs for faints m the church of li which fanaifies the moft outrag.ous w.ck- fdnTffes, when committed for her benefit and Spo t but with others, who have not diverted themfelves of all humanity, they w.U be abhorred and detefted, as the plagues and curfes of man-
^' Amongft thefe holy men and doftors, in which the church of Rome glories, 'tis pity 'he Cardinal ha h not produced the Popes, thole vihble heads of their hierarchy, thofe holy fucceiro of St Peter, under whom, as we are told , the wnole Chriftian flock is united. Bnt the reafon of the Cardinal's filence on this head is obvious. He well knew the men. and that he had nothing to hoaft of in their lives and chara^ers. i Muia ZrX "ll3 m^ny of them n>ort-liv^i monfters, and tells us, that they obtained ^^^ P°P^f- ^J bribes, that they departed from the fteps ot Peu>,
^Chrift.I.p.3^!- ^^
r 28 1
were influenced by ambition, and governed by fn.^ , >mplacab e refentments and hatreds. bo that if the church of Rome is to be judged of by the charafters of her Popes, (hJ muft be
IrnZ 'I '\"""^. ^'"^'^' 'Regenerate, and profligate church in the whole world
As tothe Proteftant laity, it muft be acknow- ledged tnat many of them are very corrupt, and ^ve very unfui^ble to the privileges they enjoy. But when the Cardinal adds, ex Lretich nulL eft bonus no beretu^ is good ; this is a fpecimen ot his chanty, and needs no anfwer. There were, 1 queftion nor, too much reafon for the complaints of the firft reformers againft many who pretended to embrace the reformation; but were thofe of the Romijh communion lefs cri- minal.? Mycomus, who was paftor and fuper- intendant of Gotha, gives the following account ot the miferable condition of the church before ine reformation \ " The Antichriftian Papacy ^_ was fo abominable and foul a beaft, that it .c ^^z. "^^^ fufficiently defcribed by Paul and JcHn. The paffion and fatisfadlion of Chrift
" ra "'^'t ';''' ^""'''' 0'''#". >= ^ -"ere niltory. JNothing was mentioned about works really good; thefe were mean things. AH inethods were invented touring in money to the priefts and monks: They that gave moft, were fure to merit eternal life. Rapes and adulte.nes were common. Thefe were fmall crimes, eafily to be expiated by the papal in-
:' dulgence. Wliores and whore-mongers came
^ Seckend, 1. 1. fed. 2,
'' to
[ 29 ]
, ^' to purchafe the grace of ir." And as to the ■ priefts themfelves, the canons, monks, and others of the clergy, in the town of Gotha, the fame author fays of them, " They were efteemed fa- " cred, and fuch as could merit heaven for us ** But their behaviour was fo very vile and pro- ^* fligate, as that nothing in the whole world « could exceed it: For being prohibited matri-
« T'^'^Lu''^ l""' ^'''^"S '^^ ^'^' °^ continency, ? they filled the city with rapes, adulteries, and « fodomitical crimes. " I torbear to mention many other teftimonies of the like nature and fhall only add, that though, to the reproach of Proteftants, there are many of them very cor- rupt and immoral j yet their vices are far from exceeding thofe of the Papifts, even thofe that are committed at Rome it felf, not only by the laity but by their very cardinals, bifhops, and priefts So little reafon have they to boafl of the holinefs and virtue of thofe of their com munion.
Note XI.
Bellarmine^s next note is, 7 he glory of miracles. And this mark he divides into two parts- I. That miracles are necejfary for the confirmation of a new Jatth, and extraordinary million. ^. That real miracles are effe^ual and fuffcient for this purpofe K From the firft of theie, the Cardinal infers that the Proteftants have not the
' Gloria Miraculorum. Sunt autem Hun f.,„^,
am fidcm, vel extraordinanum miffioncm. Aherura nuT^ int cfficacu ct fufficientia. Jl^id. Cap. 14. """''""' ^'"^**
true
[3° 3
true church amongd them ; and from the latter, chat the true church is the church of Rome. Let us confider each of thefe a little diftindly.
I. Miracles are necefl'ary for the confirmation of a new faith and an extraordinary miffion, and that therefore Preteftants cannot be the true church ; becaufe, though they preach a new faith, and are not fent by the ordinary prelates, they have no miracles to confirm their dodlrine or mifiion. This is roundly faid, but it hath the misfortune to be partly falfe, and partly nothing to the purpofe. For,
I. 'Tis not univerfally true that miracles are necefTary for the confirmation of a new faith ; i, e, of principles contrary to fuch as have been long receiv'd, and embrac'd by the generality of mankind J in which refpect, principles of ever- lafting truth may be faid to be new: For the main principles of all true religion are founded in the very reafon and nature of things, and de- monflrable to the minds of all impartial confi- derers by the ftrongeft arguments, and need not the help of miracles to confirm them, and can never be made one jot more certain and true than they are in themfelves, though ever fo many wonders fhouid be wrought in fupport of them. Thus the being and perfections of God, that he, and he only, is to be worfhiped and adored, that his worfliip muft confid in purity of heart, and holinefs of life, rather than in external rites and ceremonies ; and that moral virtue is more ex- cellent in it felf, and acceptable to God, and conducive to the happinefs of mankind than im- morality and vice : Thefe, and the like great arti^
flesl
!
I 31 ]
cles of religion, ftand upon the certain and unal- terable foundations of reafon and truth, and are cafily difcoverable by mens reafonable powers without any help of revelation, if they will make a right and impartial ufe of them ; and though miracles may be fometimes proper to awaken mens attention to the confideration of thefe things, yet they need not miracles to afcer- tain their truth and certainty, or to oblige men to believe and embrace them. And therefore, whofoever teaches fuch principles as thefe, he deferves to be believed and credited for the fake of the do(ftrines themfelves, though he neither pretends to a divine miflion, nor gives the pro- per teftimonials of it by real and undoubted mi- racles.
Nor doth the prevalence of contrary errors, and their having been long embraced by nations and I kingdoms, make any alteration in the cafe : For tho' the doctrines of true religion, when firft puh- lifhed, will appear new to thofe, who have been, brought up in old fuperftitions, which have been ftrengthned ^nd confirmed by long practice, and univerfal example; yet when they are agreeable to, ■ and may be demonftrated by the mofl evident rea- fon, their appearing new can be no argument a- gainft their truth ; and as they have truth and rea- fon thus to fupport them, 'tis abfurd to expert or demand miracles to confirm them. And therefore, though Proteflants make no pretences to mi- racles for the confirmation of their dodrines, and though when they firft prcacjied them, they were fo far new, as thv*y were contrary to thofe errors of Popery, which had univerfally
ob-
[ 5' ]
obtained for feveral ages ; yet as they were many of them agreeable to the moft certain principles of reafon, reafon was fufficient to demonftrate their truth, without any fupcrnatural evidence whatfoever ; and to expert the teftimony of mi- racles in proof, that angels, and dead men, and dead bodie?, images and pid:ures, old relidts, crofles, and the like things, are not to be wor- fliiped, is as idle and vain, as to demand miracles to prove, that a man is not God, a bone is not a living man, or a wooden crofs the perfon who was crucified and died upon it. Again,
2. Though the Proceftant religion was a new faith when firft preached, in refpeft of thofe corruptions which had for io many ages before prevailed in the church of Rome, yet there need- ed no miracles to confirm and eftabliHi it ; be- caufe in reality it was no new faith, but the an- cient doctrine of the gofpel, which was at firjl preached by the Lord himjelf\ and afterwards by his holy apojlles^ God hi mj elf bearing them witnefs^ by diverje gifts and miracleSy andfgns of the holy ghoft ; by which it was abundantly proved to be the dodrine of God, and upon which account all farther proof became entirely needlefs. The reformation introduced no new gofpel, but was only a revival of the old one ; it only cleared the religion of Chrift from thofe corruptions and idolatries, and abfurdities, with which the follies and fuperflitions of men had blended it. And for this work they had fufficient authority and affiftance without any help of new miracles, viz. the infallible word of God, which contains an authentick account of the religion of Chrift 2 Jefus
[ ?3 j
Jefus, and of that original evidence with which it was fo glarioully confirmed. What need then of farther miracles for the proot of what God had already fet his fcal to? Was not that which was given by Chrift and his apoftles abundantly fufficient? If it was, Proceftants have folid evi- dence to appeal to in confirmation of their re- ligion, even the unquefiionable miracles of Chrift and his apoftles in the rirft age of the church, which are the fare foundation of the Chriftian faich, and the only unqueftionable evi- dence that can be fafely depended on.
But how what miracles have the Papifts to boaft of, or that they can alledge in favour of their diftinguifliing dodrines; when thofe do- 6:rines themfelves were none of therh ever fo much as heard of in the Chriftian church for above tWo whole centuries, and many of them hot till icven^ eiglK, cr nine hundred years after the publication of the gofpel ? As their dodrines Were never taught by Chrift and his apoftles, their miracles could be no poiTible confirmation of them ; and by confequence, their faith, as it is truly a new faith, never preached by the prophets of the old teftament, nor by the apoftles of the new, many ages later than the gofpel dottrine, and introduced upon the ruins of it, muft have had miracles to fupport and confirm it, by the Cardinal's own principles ; and therefore can- not be rcceiv'd a< the dodrine of Cod, bccaulc it hath not had tliat miraculous confirmation, which he himfclf allows every new faith ought to have. Farther,
E 3. Though
%. Though I will not pretend to fay, that the reformation was a real miracle, yet it was brought about in fo unexpe<fted a manner, and by fuch extraordinary methods, as will juftifyany fober perfon in afcribing it to the influence and condudl of divine providence. It came into the world juft as Chriftianity did, in a time of the grolTeft ignorance and darknefs. It was propa- gated juft as that was, by preaching, reafon, and argument, and by the fufferings and blood of its confefTors and martyrs. The firft promoters of it were comparatively mean men, that had neither birth, nor riches to recommend them. It was firll pubiifhed in a corner, and yet had afterwards an amafing fuccefs through almoft all the nations of Europe ; fo that it might well be compared to the leaven, and the muftard-feed in the gofpel. It was oppofed as the gofpel was by the powers of this world, and all the methods of the mod cruel and bloody perfecutions. And yet it triumphed over all oppofition, prevailed againft long eftablifhed corruptions, and all the arts and violences of men to crulh it in its in- fancy ; 'till at laft it became the religion of na- tions and kingdoms, and continues to be fo to this day, notwithftanding the numberlefs endea- vours that have been made ufe of wholly to ex- tirpate and deftroy it. And doth not the hand of God appear in all this? May we not truly fay, this js the Lord's doing, aiid 'tis 'wonderful in our eyes ? If the efficacy of any doftrine be a note of the true church, furely, as Proteftants, vve have Tome claim to it j efpecially as this effi- ^ cacy hath been only owing to the nature of the
doftrine
C35]
do(flrIne we preach, and not to any fubtletles or violences that we have pradtifed on mankind to embrace and receive it.
4. As to the miffion of the iirfl: reformers to preach the do(flrines of the gofpel, in oppofuioa to the corruptions of Popery, as they did not pretend to preach any thing but what was con- tained in the facred writings, and as they never alTumed the characfter of extraordinary mefjen- gers from Gody the teftimony of miracles became abfolutely needlefs. They were generally fpeak- ing men of learning and abilities, capable of underftanding the original records of Chriftia- nity, and therefore capable of explaining thole records to others, and preaching thofe truths which they themlelves believed. And this was furniture and qualification enough for the miffi- on to which they pretended ; and indeed every man, who is thus qualified, hath a right to preach the gofpel of Chrift, and to oppofe with all his might thofe corruptions which deform or deilroy the church of God.
Though therefore, it is certainly true, as 5//- larmine fays, that the firji reformers were 7jot fent by the ordinary prelates^ will it follow from thence, that they had no right to preach the gofpel ? By no means. For how came thofe prelates to be the fenders general'? How came they to have the foJe right to commiluon men to labour in the word and doSlrine ? We demand a copy of their warrant and commiliion for this purpofe from Chrift or his apoilles, and ihcy muft cxcufe us from believing them upon their own word.
E 2 The
[ 36 1
The apoHle iz-ritifig. to the faints and faithful hrethren at Colojfe^ exhorts them : Let the word of Chriji dwell in you richly in all wifdom^ teach- ing and admonifhing otie another ^. And again, Let your fpeech be always with grace, fa/oned ivithfalf, that ye may know how ye ought to an- fwer every man ^. In his epiftle to the 'Theffalo- ftians, he commands them : Warn the unruly^ comfort the feeble minded, fupport the weak^ quench Jiot the fpirit, defpij'e not prophecyings, prove all things, and hold fafi that which is good ^ And in his fecond epiflle : Wc command you, bre- thren, in the na?ne of the Lord Jefus Chriji, that ye withdraw your felves jrom every brother that walks diforderly, and not after the tradition which, he received of us. If any man obey not our word by this epiflle, note that man, and have no com- pany with him, that he may be ajhamed". The author of the epiflle to the Hebrews tells them, for the time, i. e. confidering how long they had been converted, ye ought to be teachers^. St, 'James, writing to the twelve tribes Scattered abroad, lets them know, // any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him knoWy that he which converteth the [inner from the error €f his way, fall javc a foul from death *" ; by which he luppofes one Chriftian capable of con- verting another, who errs from the truth, from the error of his way, and faving his foul. St. Feter calls the fcattered Grangers a royal prieJI-
* Cplof. iii. i6. =■ Id. iv. 6.
* ^ ThcfT. V. 14— li. « 2 TheC ill. 6, 14.
* Heb. V, \%.. ^ James v« ip> 20.
hood^
L r/3
hood\ and commands them, As every man hath received the gift, even Jo mini ft er the fatne one to another, as good Jlewards of the juanij old grace of God. If any man /peak, let hiju /peak as the oracles of God ; if any man minifler, as of the ability which God giveth ^. And finally, St. yobn tells thofe he wrote to : Beloved, believe not every f'pirit ; but try the fpirits whether they are of God^. Thefe, and many other like paf- fagcs that miglu be mentioned, are warrant enough for any ferious and iinderftanding Chri- ilians to teach, admonifh, and, if they can, to convert others who have erred from the truth, to try the fpirits of thofe who pretend to be teachers and prophets, and to oppofe them if they find them to be antichriftian and erroneous fpirits. And therefore, though the firfl refor- mers had no miffion from Popilli prelates and bilhops, they had what is much better, an abun- dant warrant from the facred writings, to pro- tefl againft, and warn men of the corruptions of the church of Rome, and to preach to as manv as would hear them, the doiltrines of pure and undefiled Chriftianity.
The bifhops and prelates were alrnoft all of them in a confederacy againfl righteoufnefs and truth. The corruptions of religion were the things by which they maintained their luxury, pomp and avarice; fo that it was manifcftly againll their interefl to encourac;e a reformation, or commifiion men to promote it. Muft there- fore Chriftianity ever remain under thofe corrup-
f J Pet. li, 9, ? IcL iv. 10, II. ^ I John iv. r.
tions,
C 38 ]
t!ons, becaufe it was the fecular intereft of the bilhops and clergy to fupport them ? Mud no men preach the pure and uncorrupted religion of Chrift, becaufe the bi(hops refufed to fend them; and the whole gofpel become ineffectual to con- vert and fave men, becaufe the ordinary prelates made their profits from their ignorance, vices, and ruin? Ridiculous fuppofition ! to imagine, that God hath made the religion of his Son to depend on the miflion of interefted, defigning priefls; and the preaching of his gofpel to be fubje(ft to the pleafure of thofe who are enemies to the purity and governing defign of it. The miffion of bifhops and prelates is in it felf a tri- fling circumftance, of little or no importance^ of which there is little or no mention in the fa-, cred writings ; and if men are otherwife qua- lified by the providence and grace of God, by fufficient knovv^ledge, by ftrong inclination, and a real undiffembled piety, to preach the gofpel, they have one of the bed commiffions from God that they can defire, to engage in this facred work, without any need of miracles to confirm their million j becaufe every man hath a natural right to propagate truth and righteoufnefs, and "'tis every Chriftian's certain duty to promote the religion of God and the Redeemer, as he hath ability and opportunity ; though all the prelates in the world Ihould refufe to authorize him ; or, in the language of the church, by impofition of hands to ordain him. But thus much as to the iirft part of this nore. I now come,
2. To confider the other part of this argu- paent, 'viz. the miracles which the Papifts boall; I of
t 59 1
of In confirmation of their religion, and as wrought by, and in favour of their church ; or to prove that it is, in reality, the true church of Chrift.
1. And here let it be obferved, that whatever miracles can be fuppofed to prove, they can never prove the truth of real abfurdities. They can never prove that the whole is more, or bigger than it felf ; /. e. that one individual Tingle body is, or can be ten thoufand bodies, and prefent in ten thoufand places at the felf-fame time. They can never prove that a fingle body is it felf, and different from it felf; i.e. that a wafer, under the accidents of bread, is really a man j much lefs that it is God, the eternal, uncreated God; becaufe thefe are felf-evident contradid:ions, and therefore incapable in their very nature of being proved by any kind of evidence whatfoevcr.
2. Again, miracles can never prove the truth of doctrines contradi(flory to each other, or of do(5trines contrary to fuch as have been already futHciently proved by real and uncontefted mi- racles; becaufe this is abfolutely to deftroy the very evidence it felf, and making it equally to ferve the purpofes of truth and fallhood ; nothing being more plain, than that concrary do<flrines cannot poflibly be on both lides true. If there- fore it is a true dodtrine, ami harh been con- firmed by the teftimony of God himfelf, that there is but one mediator between Gcd and rnan^ even the man Chri/i ye/us ; no miracles can prove that angels, and faints are mediators as well as Giirift, becaufe thefe are two oppotite co;itra-
didtory
[ 4° ]
dicftory do6i:rines, one of which mufl: be neceiTa- rily and unavoidably falfe. And farther,
3. Miracles can never prove that idolatry and fuperftition is the true and acceptable worfhip of God; that images, and pidures, and irelicks, and the like dead and fcnfelefs things, are objed:s of worlhip ; both becaufe 'tis ablurd to fuppofe it, and contrary to common fenfe and reafon 5 and becaufe God can never give a fandtiori to his own diilionour, countenance what is contrary to his own glory, or command men to give that worrhip to the creature which is not their due, l>Ut due only to himfelf the eternal and blelTed Creator. And therefore, as thefe abfurdities, contradidions and impieties, are all adopted into the faith of the church of Rome, 'tis impoilible that any real miracles can have been wrought by God in vindication of them, or indeed that they can be fo much as capable of any demonftration or proof. 'Tis in vain therefore that the Papifts appeal to the miracles of Chrift and his apoftles, which were wrought only in confirmation of thofe doctrines which were taught by Chrifl and his apoflles ; and not as proofs of thofe corrup- tions, which they have introduced into his church, to the difgrace of Chrifl's religion, and the ma- nifefl perveriion of the great defign and real ten- dency of his gofpeh Since therefore the mira- cles of Chrill: and his infpired apoflles v/ere Wrought in confirmation of dod:rines contrary to thofe taught by the church of Rome^ that church wants this proof of the truth of her do(5trines, and of confequenee this note of her being the true church. Wha^f
I
C4t ]
What muft we fay then of all ihofe miracles of which the church of Ro?ne boaOs, for a fuc- ceffion of many ages ? 1 anfwer, that fuppofing any real miracles have been wrought in vindica- tion of her corrupt do(ftrines and practices, the workers of them are by no means to be regarded and hearkened to j no, not ifhevvhodid them were an angel from heaven, becaufe the gofpel of Chrill: Jefus is immutable, and the men are pronounced accurfed who willingly pervert it.
'Tis laid down bv St. Paul, as one mark, of the great apoftacy from the Chriflian church, and of the charadter of the man of fin ^ and Jon of perdition J that his comi?ig Jhould be after the naor king of fat an J ivith all power ^ and figm^ and lying wo?iders, and with all deceiveablenejs of un^ right eoufnefs in thoje that perijlj '. And of con- fequence, this power, and ihefe figns and won- ders, are not to be regarded as we value our fal- vation, and would not be given up of God to jirong deiufions to belie\je a lye. Hence our bleifed Lord cautions his difciples : There Ihall anfe falfe Chrifs, an4 falfe prophets, and pall fiew great fgns, and wonders : But, behold, I have told you before : Wherefore, believe it not ^.
So that if the Papirts teach you another gofpel than what the apoilles preached, believe them not ; no, not if thcv perform unquellionable figns and- wanders. You may allure your felve^ thofe figns could never be done by the influence of that holy Tpirit that guided the apoille?, wiio is the fpirit of truth, ar.d can never coiKr:i.i'.c>
i iThefl: ii. 9. '^ >L;;t. '^x;v. i+, i;, ^6.
C40
his own tcflimony, nor confirm a religion con- trary to Chrift's. And therefore, if the miracles boafted of by Papifts, as wrought in confirma- tion of their errors, were real ; they were un- queftionably lyitJg wonders of the working of fatan ; wonders wrought in confirmation of a lye ; or elfe the deiufive impofitions of that evil fpirit, to deceive and pervert thofe, who have pleajure in u?irightcoufnefs^ and will not receive the love of the truth that they may he faved.
The truth indeed is, that many, if not all, of the pretended miracles ot the church of Roine^ are the inventions of idle, fuperftitious monks ; or the impoftures of crafty defigning priefts, to create in the people a reverence for their own corrup- tions, and to bind them the fafter in obedience and fubje(flion to thcmfelves. The legends of their faints abound with the moft palpable ab- furdicies, and romantick impoffibilities ; their miracles have no charadlers of probability atten- ding them, nor any authentick vouchers to fup- port them. Many of them have been proved to be mere frauds and cheats, and others o^ them may be performed by men of common in- genuity and dexterity. So that there is no proof of real miracles having been ever wrought a- mongfl them j and therefore, 'tis with as little truth and modefty, that they boaft of the glory of their miracles, as of the purity of their do- drine;
Note
C4J]
Note XII.
The Cardinal's twelfth note is, ' ^he light of prophecy ; Jor as Chri/i pro?nifed the church the gift oj miracles^ Jo alfo he did the gift of pro- phecy^ in the third chapter of the prophecy of JoeL To this, a fhort anfwer will be fuffi- cient.
1. That prophecy can no more prove than mi- racles, that falfe doflrines are true, or that the idolarry of the church of Rome^ is the true re- ligion of Jefus Chrift.
2. That the prophecy of "Joel doth not in the leaft aflure the church that the gift of prophecy fhould be a permanent gift : Yea, Sr. Feter feems to afTert the contrary, when he tells the 'JeisjSy that the effufion of the fpirit on the apoflles at the feail of Peiitecojly was that which ivasjpoken by the prophet Joel ■", /'. e. it was the real ac- complifliment of that prediction by him ; and therefore, the continuation of that gift beyond the apoilolick age, was not necelTary to that accomplilliment ; and therefore no neceflary mark of the true church.
3. If prophecy be a neceflary note of the true church, it certainly follows that the church can never be, in fome part or other of it, without this gift ; becaufe whenever it wholly ceafes, thcfi
' Lumen propheticum. Sicut cnini Chriftus promittir, Ecclclix donuni miraculorum, ita cc -i;n, 'Jml lU. ptu* nutiit doiHini prophctia:. Caj. \\, '" Ach 11, 16.
F 2 "" one
r 4+ 1
one elTential mark of the true church ceafes too ; and confequ^ntly the church of Rome can never make out her claim to this character. Becaufc Bellarmine himfelf doth not undertake to prove that his church was never without it, and only mentions three perfons, St. Bennet^ St. Barnard^ and St. Francis, who had it fince the time of Aujlin, i. e. abo^t the compafs of one thoufand two hundred years. And therefore, ihis gift can be no eflential mark of the true church, nor the want of it amongli Proteftants any proof that they are not a part of it ; or ^M^ the church of Rome herfelf can have no pretenfioiis to this charadler, which, for the greatefl pare of above one thoufand two hundred years, appears to be evidently dcftitute of it.
4. Nor indeed is there any folid proof that they, to whom they attribute this divine giftj. ever poiTelled it. The many fabulous legends they have invented, and the bafc methods they have taken to fupport their errors, render all the accounts of the prophecies of their pre- tended taints juflly liable to fufpicion. Men may fomctimes make very probable guelTes of tuture things ; becaufe of a certain concurrence of aitairs, which render fuch events highly .probable, without ever deierving the character of prophets, or indeed having a title to the cha- racter of good men,
5. The religion of Proteitanis, which is the religion of the bibie, was deliver'd by men real- ly polTeii^^d of a prophetick fpirir, and by con- -equence, hath the confirmation of prophecy f.'S well as miracli;§. Whereas^ the dii^ingui-
Jliing
C45]
fliing dodrlnes of the church of Roriie were none of them preached by apoftles or prophets, and are not to be found in the facred writings, and thus have neither the evidence of miracles or prophecy to fupport them. 1 mayjuftlyadd on this head,
6. That amongfi: Proteftants, there have been diverfe good and pious men, who have fpoken of future things with great clearnefs, and which have actually accordingly come to pafs ; and who therefore have at lead as much a right to claim the honour of this prophetick infpiration, as any perfons whatfoever that can be mentioned in the church of Rome.
Note XIII.
The next note is, " The ccnfeffion even of ad' verfaries in favour of the church of Rome -, whereas the Catholicks are never found to praife^ or com?nend the doSfrine, or life of hereticks: But this mark proves nothing more, than that Pro- teftants have more charity, or lefs prudence than the Papifts. If Proteflants commend any thing that is commendable in anv of the writers of the Romifo church, they a<lt according to the rules of juftice and charity, how much foevcr they differ from them in the effentials of religion. And it Papifts in general cenfure, and reproach, and revile all Proteflants, whatever be their vir-
" ConfcfTio ailverfarlorum. Nunquam inveniuntur Ca- llholici laudaiie aut apprpballc dodriiwnj auc vituru ullo- jfrum hffireticorum. C.\jjJ. \Q.
tues
C46]
tues and ex^cellencles, merely becaufe they differ from them in their religious principles, 'tis an argument that they have neither juftice nor cha- rity in tliem ; and confequently can be no arga- ment that they are the church of Chrift.
Befides all confident Proteftants unanimoufly condemn the church of Rome as guilty of here- fy, fchifm, and great corruptions in the doctrine and vvoriliip of Chrift ; and though fome may allow her to be the true church, notwithftand- ing all her grofs abufes of the chriftian religion, they are generally fuch as have favour'd the fu- perditions of Rome^ and fhewn a very good in- clination to become reconciled to it. This was true of Laud and his brethren in the time of Charles I. and of all thofe of the clergy in the prefent time, if any fuch there be, who are his favourers and followers. They want to main- tain the charadter ot God's ambalTadors, and the notion of a lineal defcenc from the apoftles, as their fucceflbrs in power and dignity j and there- fore, the church of Rome muft be a true church to convey the fucceilion down to them, though ihe hath fcarce a fingle mark of the church of Chrift belonging to her.
But the praifes of fuch men are of as little efficacy, as the curfcs of the church of Rome. They neither of them prove any thing at all : And 'tis mere trifling witli the world to put the approbation of mortal men againft the cenfure of fcripture, and the fentence of the fpirit of God. The dodrine and practice wf the church of Rome^ are exprefsly condemned by the ora- cles ot truth J and therefore, it fignifies clothing'
though
L+7]
though the whole world (houldjuftify or com- mend her.
Note XIV.
The next note Is, ° ^he unhappy ey.it ^ or death of thofe who have oppofed the church of RomCi Thus the Cardinal tells us that Luther and Oca- lampadius died fuddenly, Zuinglius was killed in war againft the Catholicks, Carolojtadtus was killed by the devil, and Calvin was eaten up of worms, and died curfing and blafpheming : There is need of but few words ro (hew the im- pertinence and inconcluhvenefs of this mark.
For the arguing from the manner of mens death, to the goodnefs or badncfs of the caufe and principles they have efpoufed, hath no foun- dation in reafon or fcripture, and can proceed from nothing but fuperftition or prefumption. 'Tis mere fuperftition to imagine, that God goes out of the common method of his providence to punifli the fms of particular perfons ; or that the accidents which prove fatal to them, and generally happen according to the ordinary courfe of things, are inriidted on tliem as judg- ments for extraordinary offences. 'Tis ahb great prefumption, as it implies a bold and rafh de- termining concerning thofe fecret methods ot the divine conduct and government, wiiicli cm never be known without an immediate reve- lation.
* Infclix cxitiis, feu fi lis eorum qui ecclefiam oppjg- naut. Cap. i"-.
'Tis
[48]
'Tis alfo contrary to the plained determlna* tions of the facred writings, and the judgment of the fpirit of God contained therein. The wife man tells us, That all things come alike to all^ there is one event to the righteous and the 'wicked^ to the goody and to the clean, and to the unclean ; to him that facrificeth, and to him that Jacrijiceth not : yls is the goody fo is the Jinner ; and he that jhneareth^ as he that fear eth an oath ^ And again, There be jufl men unto whom it hap- peneth according to the work of the wicked ; and there be wicked men to whom it happejieth accord- ing to the work of the righteous '^. Sometimes righteous and good men are cut off by an unex- peded ftroke : For there is a jujl man that perijhes in his righteoufne/s ' j whilil wicked men live in profperity, and prolong their days : For there is a wicked man that prolongs his life in wickednefs.
The truth of thefe obfervations may be proved by many fa<fts, and therefore, were all the in- ilances mentioned by the Cardinal juft as he re- prefents them, they would prove nothing of what he alledges them for, viz. that the churches of the reformation are not the churches of Chrirt, or that the firfl: reformers were evil men and hereticks.
But he is miflaken in his fa^fts, or hath wil- fully mifreprefented them. Of Luther^ he fays, that he died fuddenly in the night , having chearfuUy, and in good health, eaten a plentiful fupper in the evening : But this is not true j for Luther had been in a declining (late of health for feveral months before his death, and had
p Ecclef. ix. 2. '^ Id. viii. 14. '' Id. vii. 15.
I lived
[
+?]
lived in the conllanc expeiftaeion of, and pre- paration for ir. The evening before he died he fupped wifh ]ns friends, and calked chearfully with them both upon ferious and other affairs. In the iniervalb of hi", pains he cried our, O bea" 'venh father^ though J jniiji be taken out of this life^ yet, I certainly know that I Jhatl dwell for eiier with thee^ and that no one Jl:all take me out of thy hands. And after a folemn confellion of his faith in Chrilf, the agonies of death came on him, and folding his hands together, he genc- ly breathed out his lail, and died.
This is the relation of fuftus fonas, who was prefenc at his deceafe, as given by Secken^ dorj\ and utterly deftroys the credit of the flory of his dying a fudden death : But fuppoling he had thus died, what argument is this of a pu- nilhment from God ? A fudden death to a good man is fo far from being an inftance of the di- vine difpleafure, that 'tis rather a very delireable circumiVance, rather to be asked o^ God, than deprecated as a judgment j not to add, that the prefcTvation of Luther for fo many years, from 1517, when he hrfl began to preach againft iji- dulgence, to the year 1546, when he died, in oppofuion (o the endeavours of his enemies to deftroy him, is a much flrongcr proof chat his caule was owned, and he himfelf under the fpe- cial protcdion of God, ilun the pretended fud- dennefs of hi:, death, had it been fa^ft, could have been, that 'twas a puniflimcnt intiidcd on him by God, for his oppofing the ufurpations, idolatries, and abfurdities, cf the church of Rome.
'■ Lib. ;. S;v=^. 16. 5- k^-
G " As
C5ol
As to Zui/Jglius, 'cis acknowledged that he; died in war, in defence of the religion and li- berties of his country : And is fuch a circum- ftance to his dillionour, or an argument of his falling a facrifice to the divine vengeance, or of the badnefs of the caufe for which he fought ? What then fhall we fay to Jofiab, king of Jn- dab, concerning whom the facred hiflorian writes : He did that which was right in the fight of the Lord^ and walked in the ways of David his Jather, and declined neither to the right hand, nor to the left \ And yet this pious prince was flain in war by Necho king of Egypt : But did this prove that the fuperflitions of Egypt was the true religion, in oppolition to that v*^hich God himfelf had eftabliflied amongft the jFeivs ?
As to Oecola/npadius, he died, as Melchior Adams informs us, in a very gentle and defire- able manner, not fuddenly, but after fifteen days illnefs, of -:.n ulcer upon the Os Sacrum ; repeat- ing from beginning to end the fifty firfi; Pfahny a little before his death ; and vv^ith his laft breath crying out, Lord fefus fave ^ne, in the prefence of ten of his brethren, who agreed in this ac- count of him ".
As to CaroloJiadiuSj the flory of his being killed by the devil is ridiculous, and hath no au- thority to fupport it J the epiftle of the mini« flers of Bafl, mentioned by the Cardinal, ha- ving never been produced, and being no where to be found. Petrus Boquinus^ who was at the funeral of Caroloftadius^ hath expofed this vile
' 2 Chron. xxxiv. 2.
" Melchior. Adam. vit. Germ. Theolog. p. 57. Edit. Francof.
forgery;
[ 5« ]
forgery ; and tells us, that he died, amongfl: many other?, of the plague, which then cruelly raged in Germany^ and at Bafil^ on CbrijhnaS' day ; and that he was honourably attended to his funeral by great numbers of the academy ''.
As to Calmn^ the Cardinal's whole account is an impudent impofture j and Bolzec , from whom he takes it, a man neither of morals or credit fufficient to attefl it. He bore an irrecon- cileable hatred to Cahin, for having been im- prifoned at Geneva, and baniflied from the ter- ritories of ir, upon account of fomething he had delivered about predeftination. Fie was ori- ginally a Carmelite friar, and turned Proteftant and Phyfician, and afterwards returned to Popery again, and proftituted his wife to the canoiis of Autiin in Burgundy : An admirable witncfs of this infamous ftory of Calvi?i's death !
Beza, who was a minifter himfelf at Geneva, and adminiflred the facrament to Cahin a little before his death, tells us he was naturally of a thin confumptive conftitution, which he greatly impaired by long abftinence, and indefacigable lludy and labour. He died of a complication of diftempers, though the immediate caufe of it was an Ajlbma. A little before his death, tlie Syndicks and Senators paid him a viiit, to whom he gave an aifec^tionate and chriftian exhortacion. The month of May^ in which he died, he Ipcnc almoll in continual prayer, with eyes lift up to heaven, when the Ajlbma had almoO: flopped his voice ; oftentimes repeating tlic words of David, I was fdcnt, 0 Lord, bccaufe tbou didjl it. May {he 19th, he fupped with his brethren, ^ Melchior Ad.imi. p. S?.
G 2 ' the
r 55 1
the miniflers, and told them he (hoiild never more fit with them at table ; and from that day, to the 27th of the fame month, when he died, he lay as one almoU: dead, and at laft departed in the mofl gentle manner, without ahnoft a figh or groan, retaining; his fenfes and reafon to the laft : This hBcza's account, who was with him almoft continually in his ficknefs, and at his death, and is an abundant confutation of the fcandalous and vile account of Bolzec^ and Bel^ larwvie from him. And, tho' any man of honour and candour would have been alhamed to have re- tailed fo impudent a piece of fcandal ; yet, to do the Cardinal juflice, nothing lefs could be expe- lled from him, who lays it down as a certain facft, ^bat no Catholich are e-ver found topraije or ap^ prove the docfri?ie^ or life^ of heathens or here ticks ^. But, fuppofing the Cardinal's Tories to have been all true; yet, if fuch unfortunate deaths prove the badnefs of the firft reformers caufe, How juftly may the argument be retorted on the Papifls ? IIow many of the very heads of their church have died fudden, violent, infamous deaths? P/^//W tells us, that Pope L/'oV. wasde- pofed by Chrijlopher, and died in jayl thro' grief; that yoh?7 XI. was taken by the Souldiers and fti- fied 10 death with a bolder ; that John XIII. a wretch, who, from his youth, had been addicted to the vilelt lufls, v/as taken and killed in the very s(5t of adultery ; chat Be?2edi^ VI. was (Irangled or famiiljecf to 'j^^ath in Si.u^r^gelo'sc^iWc ^.iRomey that yohn XXll. who prom ilea himfelf a lon^i; life, was crufhed to death by the fall of a new chamber at his palace at Vitcrbo , with many other infiances ? De Nor. Ec, Gvp, \6.
pf
•^ 53 ]
of the like nature, that might be mentioned, if fuch kind of arguments were any thing to the purpole. But I proceed to,
Note XV.
Which is the temporal felicity, conferred by God on thoj'e, who ha'-ce dej ended the church j /or, fays he, catholick princes have never heartily ad- hered to Gody but they eafily triumphed over their enemies ^. And for the proof of this he produces many inllances out of the Old Teftamenr, of Abraham, Alo/'es, yojhua, David, and others ; and of Conftantine^ Theodofius, and others, un- der the New Tcftament difpcnfation : Bur, that this is a very uncertain and fallacious noce, will appear by a little contidcration ; for, if temporal felicity be a note of the true church, it muft be fuch a note as is peculiar to, and infcparable from it, and as never doth or can agree to any falfe and antichriflian church whatfocver ; for no demonftration can be plainer than this, that if temporal felicity ofrentimes belongs to the falfe church, it can never be a difcriminacing note, or mark, of the true one.
Now, though Mofes, and David, and other good princes amongft the Jeivs, had very fignal fuccelles from God ; and, though an adherence to true religion and virtue, hath a tendency to fecure princes and nations the divine prorc^ltion and bleliing ; yet, that good princes have not been always fuccefsful againft bad ones, is evi- dent from the inflance before mentioned of y^?-
'■ Fclicitas temporalis, divinitus lis coUata, qui ccclefi- am delcndcrunr. Nunquani cnini ciihol.ci prjn^ipcs ex *- n-mo Deo .u-iharrcrur.r, quia tiioiMimv; d;; i)ull;Mis rrium-
fah.
C54].
Jial\ who was flain by the idolatrous King of Egypt ; and from the Maccabees^ of whom Judas Maccabcsus was llaiii fighting againll Bacchides, and his army routed : Jonathan^ his brother, was treacheroufly feized and flain by Tryphon : Simon, his brother, was traiteroufly murthered by Ptolomy his fon-in-law ; whereas the Cardinal produces the Maccabees, as inftances to prove the temporal profperity of good princes, and their triumphs, by the help of God, over their enemies.
But, fuppoiing no inftances could be produced of yewifi princes, buc what had been profpe- rous, were not the kings of the heathen nations altogether as fuccefsful ? How often were the Je'ivs themfelves opprelTed, beaten, enflaved, and carried into captivity by them ? What were the fucceiles of their moft fortunate princes in comparifon of thofe of T'iglathphilefar, Salma- fiafa?\ Nebuchado?JoJo?\ and others, to whom they were fucceffively tributaries and fubjedis ? Now, if temporal felicity, fucceiles, vidories, largenefs of empire, and multitude of riches, are marks of the true church, we mufl not look for the church am.ongfl: the Jews, but amongrt ilie heathen nations and princes, who could oftentimes boail of this note, and pofTeffed it in a much more remarkable maanncr than the Jeiv- ij}) princes and nation ever did.
Befides, if temporal felicity be a mark of the church, where was the church of God in the days of Elijah .- Ahab was an idolatrous prince, and a great encourager of idolatry in his kingdom; and the Jews were fo univerfally in the kings meafurcs, that Elijah complains to God : ^he children cf IJ'rael have forj'aken thy
cove-
[ 55 1
C(AJena?if, and Jlain thy prcphels 'U)ith the fwordy and /, even I onl)\ am left ; and the)' feek my life to take it away \ 'I'lS true God tells him, / have lejt 7?ie [even thoufand in Ifrael^ all knees 'which have not boived unto Baal, and every month which hath not kiffed hijn ^ Bat they were op- preiTed, and perfecuted, and had not one mark of temporal profperity to prove them to be the church of God.
Much iefs can fuch profperity be a difcrimi- nating mark of the chriftian church. The Cardinal, elate with his own purple, titles, emoluments, fplendor, and riches, forgot, fare- ly, the circumilances and dodrine of Jefus Chrift ; that he himfelf was defpifed and rejected of men, and at laft crucified and flain by wick- ed and ungodly hands j and that he taught, that whofoever would become his difciple, 7nuji take up his crofs and follow him.
Nor had the apoflles of our Lord any thing of the glare of worldly grandure and profperity to attradl [he eyes and allure the hopes of man- kind : No, they approved themf elves the minijlers of God, in much patienc:, in affiicfionSy in necef- Jitles, and dijlreffes, in jlripes, in imprijonmentSy in tumults, in labours, in watchings, and in fafl- ings\ And as to the generality of thofe they converted, '^i. Paul \.Q\h iIiq Corinthians : Te Jce your calling, brethren, how that mt many wife in-:n ajtcr the feflj, not many mighty, not tnany noble, are called. But God hath chofen the foolip.\ weakj bale, and defpifed things of the world, that no frfo jhould glory in his prefence ^, And as to
' I Kings xix. 14. b jj. \qx. iS.
' i Cor. VI. 4, 5. •'1 I Cor. i. :5, t^c.
their
their do<flrine they taught, all that will live god^ ly in Chriji ye/us fiall fuffer perfeciition •" ; and that we miiji^ through much tribulation^ enter 4nto the kingdom of God ^.
And accordingly for three hundred years, at leaft, the chrillian church had not much of this mark of the Cardinal's belonging to her, but was expofed to, and harrafled by perpetual per- fecution, when almofl every year produced new confefTors and martyrs, and the very name of a Chriflian was made criminal. How then can that be a difcriminating mark of the church of Chrift, which that church wanted for three hun- dred years ? Or are the eflential marks of it alter- ed fmcc that time ? Proteftants will expe(5l fome good authority for this before they will eafily be- lieve it : Bcfides, what will become of this note in the days of antichrifl, when as the Cardinal allows, J'uch will be the cruelty oj the pcrjecuti- c« under him, ai to hinder all the public k ex ere if es of true religion^? If this be true, and yet if, as lie affirms againft SGtus^\ that moll: cruel perfe- cution iliall not wholly exnnguilli the faith and religion of Chriff ; then the true church will and may fubfifl without temporal profperity, even in circumltances of the moil dreadful perfecution ; and therefore, the Cardinal, as he begins his notes with a mere name, ends them with a mani- feff contradidion, affirming temporal profperity to be a diflinguiihing note of the true church, when, at the fime time, he allows it can and will fubfiil without it.
^ z Tim. iii. 12. ^ ASis xiv. iz.
e Dc Rom. Pont. 1. 3. c. 4- " I<1- l^^^- c 17-
As
. [57]
As to all the inftances he brings of the profperi- ty of Chriftian princes, they are nothing to the purpofe i fince it may be eaiily proved, that Ca- tholick princes have often come to violent ends, and been very unfortunate in their wars. Henry III. and IV. of France^ were both murthered by afTaffins : Mary^ Q^^tnoi Scotland, loft her head upon the block : And James the fecond of Eng- land, a zealot for Popery, was forced to abdicate his crown, and died in exile : How many vi<5lories have been gained over Chriftian princes by the T'urh^ How many by Proteftant hereticks over Catholick kings r Queen Elizabeth, an heretical queen, triumphed over the invincible Armada, and baffled all the power of Spain, and had a glo- rious reign of above forty four years continuance: Lewis XIV. of France, that mofh Chriftian king, had his armies often defeated, and all his lawrels taken from him ; and might have been deprived of his kingdom too by an heretical general, had it not been for the treachery of faithlefs men, who betrayed their country, and were haftily introdu- cing a Popifh pretender. Italy it felf, the feat of the beaft, is at this day the feat of war ; and Ca- tholick princes are devouring each other, whilft the chief Proteftant powers are looking on at a diftance, and their fubjeds enjoying the blefhngs of peace and plenty. So fallacious is this argu- ment of temporal felicity, and fo little conclusive for the caufe of him that brings it. And thus have I gone through thefe fifteen notes 3 and fliewn you that many of them are impertinent and falfe, and no notes at all of the church of Chrift; and that thofe of them that are good, do not be- long to the church of Rome: So that, as flic hath
H ' no
C 5S 1
no true marks of the church of Chrill belonging to her, file ought to be cfteemed and avoided by all as an antichriftian church.
And truly (he hath the marks of fuch a church evidently belonging to her. Had St. Paul been witnefs to the infolence and impiety of the Popes, thofe heads of the church of Romej he could not have given a more exadt defcription of them, than he hath done in the man oj fitly and fon oj perdition '.
1. He oppofeth and exalteth himfelf above all ihat is called God, or is worfhiped, 2 T^hejJ'. ii. 4.
2. He fitteth as God, in the temple of God, (hewing himfeif that he is God, Ibid.
3. His coming is after the v^orking of fatan, with power, andfigns, and lying wonders, and all deceiveablenefs of unrighteoufnefs, Ver.g^ 10.
4. The feat of this beafl is myftical Babylon, Rev. xviii. 5. that great city,
5. Which hath feven heads or mountains, Rev. xvii. 9.
6. In which dwells the woman, that great whore, which is arrayed in purple, and fcarlet colour, and decked wiih gold and precious ilones and pearls, Fer. 4.
7. That fits upon a fcarlet coloured beaft, full of names of blafphemy, ver. 3. Such as. Lord God, Mofl Holy Father y OptimuSy Maxirnus, Greats eft arJ Be ft.
8. That reigneth over the kings of the earth, i^rj. "svii. 18.
9. That fits upon many waters, which are the people, multitudes, and nations, and tongues, that ihe hath bewitched with her idolatries, Ver. 15.
10. Which hath gotten drunk with the blood of ihe faints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Tefus, Ver, 6. 1 1. Upon
C 59 3
U. upon her forehead this name is written. Mystery, Rev. xvii. 5. Tranfubftantiation.
12. The merchants of the earth have waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacieB, Rev. xviii. 3. by the Tales of indulgences, ma0es, relicks, agnus Dei's^ and the like merchandize of the priefts of Rome.
13. She deals in flaves and fouls of men, Ver. 13.
14. She teaches dodrines of devils, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abftain from meats which God hath created to be received with thankfgiving, i Titn. iv. i, ^c. And,
15. She hath beguiled men by a volunrary hu- mility ; and hath introduced and eilabliihed th§ worrfiip of Angels, Colof. ii. 18. and the honour- ing MahuzzimSy i. e. the fouls of dead men, with gold, and filver, and precious flones, and valur- able things, by the invocation of faints, venera- tion of their relicks and images, both which are adorned in the church of Rcme in the mod fump- tuous and coftly manner.
Thefe fifteen notes I would oppofe to the Car- dinal's, and I, in my confcience, think they every one belong to the church of Rome : And as thefe are evidently the marks of Antichrift, of that beafl which it was prophefied fliould afcend out of the bottomlefs pit, let us all take heed how we worfhip or receive her mark : For^ if any man worfiip the beajly and receive hii mark h his fore- beady or in his handy the fame JJ:all drink of the wine oj the wrath of God^ which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation ^. And when we think of the fouls of thofe which i]R.cy, xiv. 10,
C 6o 1
fhe hathjlatn for the word of God, and the teflimo- ny which they held, let us, in abhorrence of this impiety and cruelty, cry out: How long, O Lord,
HOLY AND TRUE, DOST THOU NOT JUDGE AND AVENGE THEIR BLOOD, ON THEMTHAT DWELL ON THE EARTH !
Adhere therefore, my brethren, to the Prote- ftant religion, I mean the religion of the New Teflament, which contains the whole of the Chfi- ftian fcheme, and is your fureft guide to falvation and happinefs. If, indeed, you are in -love with llavery, and would have lordly pfiefts tyrannize over your confciences, your perfons, and ellates ; if you choofe ignorance inftead of knowledge, fu- perftition and idolatry inftead of pure anid accept- able religion, and regard more the inventions of men than the commands of God, Popery is the re- ligion ready for your acceptance : Bur, if you love your God, your Redeemer, your fouls, your bodies', yourchildien,youreftates,andcountry,Poperymu(l "be your abhorrence, which is a religion only fit for flaves and fools; who have facrificed all the valu- able interefts of mankind, or have not fenfe fuf- ficiently to prize them. Be thankful to God there- fore for the privileges you enjoy ; educate your children firmly in the principles of civil and reli- gious liberty. Walk worthy your obligations and privileges, that God may not be provoked to with- draw his protection from' you, nor to give you up into the hands of men, who where ever they pre- vail bring ruin and flavery^ inquifitionsan'd tortures with them ; and whc.e triie charafte'r it is. That
"THEIR TENDER MERCIES AXEiCRirELT^ES. \
FIN IS.
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