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I  ALUMNI  LIBRARY,  | 

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I    THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY,    | 

$  PRINCETON,  N.  J.     -  * 

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Against 

POPERY, 

Preached    at 

SALT  ERS-HALL, 

In  the  Year   1735. 


By  Several  Ministers. 


In  Two  Volumes. 


VOL.     I. 


LONDON: 

Printed  for  John  Noon,  Thomas  Cox,  Richard 
Ford,  Richard  Hett,   and  John  Gray. 


M  DCC  XXXV, 


Lately  puUiflyed, 

Price  zd,  or. Eighteen  per  Dozen ^ 

The  Twenty-fth  Edition  of 

A  Protestant's  Resolution:  Shewing^ 
his  Reafons  why  he  -will  not  be  a  Papift.  Digcfted 
into  fo  plain  a  Method  of  Queftion  and  Anfwer,  that  an 
ordinary  Capacity  may  be  able  to  defend  the  Proteftant  Re- 
ligion againft  the  moil  cunning  Jefuit,  or  Popifh  Pricft. 

Printed  for  Richard  Hett\  at  the  Bible  and  Crozvn  in  the 
"Poultry^ 


POPERY 

THE 

Great  Corruption 

O  F 

CHRISTIANITY. 

A 

SERMON 

PREACHED      AT 

SalterS'Hall,  Jan,  9,  17  34.-5. 

By  JOHN    BARKER, 

'the  Second    Edition. 

LONDON: 

Printed  for  Richard   H  e  t  t,    at  the  Bihh:  ami 
Crown  in  the  Poultry .     M  d  c  c  x  X  x  v . 

[Price  Fgyr-PenceJ 


2  C  O  R.    xi.    3. 

But  I  fear ^  left  by  any  means ^  as  the  Serpent 
beguiled  E've^  thrd  his  Jiibtilty  j  fo  your 
minds  ft:>ould  be  corrupted  from  the  fimplicity 
that  is  ill  Chriji. 

^^URSUANT  to  the  Notice  which  has 
been  pubiickly  given  in  the  fevcral 
Congregations  of  Proteflant  Dlllen- 
ters  in  and  about  this  City,  I  ap- 
pear here  to-day  ;  not  fo  much  to  begin  the 
Courfe  of  Sermons  intended  to  be  preach'd  in 
this  Place  every  T'hurfday  Morning,  againft 
Popery,  for  fome  Time  to  come,  as  to  intro- 
duce this  Deiign,  and  to  let  you  know  what 
you  are  to  exped:  on  this  Occafion,  and  what 
has  induced  fo  many  of  us  to  engage  in  this 
Bufmefs  at  this  particular  Juncture.  Now  I 
may  venture  to  tell  you  in  the  general,  and  at 
prefent.  That  you  may  exped:  to  hear,  fo  far 
as  thefe  Sermons  go,  the  Proteflant  Religion 
defended,  and  the  Popifh  Religion  fairly 
charg'd,  fully  heard,  and  folemnly  condenm'd, 
as  the  grand  Apoftacy  of  the  ChrilHan  Church, 
a  grofs  Corruption  of  Gofpel  Simplicity,  and  a 
wicked  Defign  to  raife  the  Authority  of  Men 
upon  the  Ruins  of  the  Authority  of  Chriil, 
and  to  increafe  their  Wealth,  Power,  and 
A  2  Grandeur 


[  4  ] 
Grandeur  m  the  World,  at  the  Expence  of  all 
Civil  and  Religious  Liberty.  So  odious  and 
dangerous  a  Thing  is  Popery  ^  and  therefore 
Papifrs  niufl;  excufe  us,  wlio "  are  fhorOughly 
perfuaded  of  this  fad  Trutli,  if  we  expofe  and 
treat  it  accordingly. 

Yet  this  I  will  venture  to  fay,  and  I  would 
chufe  to  fay  it  here,  That  we  bear  no  ill  Will 
to  the  Perfons  of  Papiils,  and  how  ill  foever 
we  think  of  their  Religion,  we  pity  them  who 
profels  it,  as  deluded  People,  and  are  grieved 
for  t/je  Blhiditejs  that  has  happen  d  to  thcfn^  and 
for  the  Hardnefs  of  their  Hearts  :  They  very 
well  know,  that  much  has  been  laid  and  writ- 
ten by  Proteflants  for  their  Con  virion,  and  to 
take  off  the  Veil  from  their  Faces,  and  we 
charitably  believe  concerning  many  of  them, 
that  could  they  get  rid  of  the  Prejudices  of 
Education  ;  could  they  come  at  more  and  bet- 
ter Light ;  might  they  fearch  the  Scriptures, 
and  were  not  their  Inquiries  prevented  by  the 
terrifying  Apprehenfions  of  Cenllire  and  Pu- 
nilhment,  and  were  they  not  intoxicated  with 
the  Arts  and  Sophiftry  of  crafty  and  deiigning 
Men,  they  would  forfake  this  idolatrous  and 
impure  Communion,  and  readily  enlbrace  the 
Proteflant  Reformation. 

Whether  any  Papifls  will  attend  this  Leilurc 
or  no,  I  know  not  j  many  there  are,  it  feems, 
both  Priefrs  and  Profelytes,  in  and  near  this 
City;  fliould  the  one  Sort  fee  fit,  and  the  other 
be  permitted  to  attend  this  Service,  I  verily  be- 
lieve  they    would    hear   enough    to    convince. 

any 


f  5  ] 

any  candid  and  unprejudiced  Chriftlan  alive, 
that  Popery  is  not  the  ilireft  Way  to  Salvation, 
and  that  the  Proteftant  Religion,  which  they 
fo  injurioufly  call  a  damnable  Hei'efy,  and  fo 
freely  and  frequently  curfe,  is  the  very  T'l'-uth 
as  it  is  iji  'Jejiis^  and  that  Faith  which  was  onc£ 
deliver  d  unto  the  Saints.  In  this  Faith  we 
mean  to  confirm  our  own  People  ;  it  is  the  De- 
Hgn  of  this  Lecture  to  arm  and  guard  Prote- 
ffcants  againft  the  Errors  and  Dangers  of  Popery; 
what  therefore  naturally  arlfes  from  the  SubjediS 
in  debate  will  be  faid  freely,  tho',  I  hope. 
Care  will  be  taken  not  to  tranfgrefs  the  Rules 
of  Decency  ;  and  fhould  Curiofity,  or  any 
other  Motive,  induce  either  Popifli  Priefls  or 
People  to  be  prefent  here,  I  dare  fay,  they  will 
have  no  juft  Caufe  to  complain,  that  they  are 
not  treated  in  this  Controverfy  either  as  Gentle- 
men or  as  Chriftians.  Some  of  us  have  heard 
it  has  been  objected,  that  any  Opportunity  of 
Converfation  upon  the  Matters  in  difpute  be- 
tween us  and  the  Church  of  Rojne  has  been 
refus'd,  when  defir'd  ;  but  I  believe  there  is  no 
ilifficient  Ground  for  fuch  a  Pretence.  We 
firmly  believe  we  have  great  Advantage  in  this 
Controverfy  in  point  of  Argument,  and  this 
will  be  prov'd  and  maintain'd  freely  and  fully, 
whether  our  Adverfaries  care  to  hear  it  or  no. 
For  if  the  Birtiop  of  Rome  will  confidently 
afllime  what  neither  he  nor  any  Man  in  the 
World  has  a  Right  to  j  if  Popilh  Councils  and 
Prelates  will  decree  and  impofe  Falfliood,  Ab- 
furdity,  Contradidion,  and  I  know  not  what 

Stuff 


[6] 

Stuff  and  Trumpery,  and  this  upon  pain  of 
Damnation,  and  when  they  have  it  in  their 
Power,  inforce  their  Authority  with  all  the 
Cruelties  of  Perfecution,  inhuman  Torture, 
and  Effufion  of  Blood,  they  muft  exped;  and 
bear  to  be  told  on't,  and  till  they  repent  and 
renounce  their  Errors  and  V/ickednefs,  they 
muft  ftand  charg'd  with  them,  and  with  ail 
the  Infamy  and  Reproach  thefe  things  deferve. 
I  luppofe  they'll  complain  ;  but  if  they  do, 
they  are  to  be  told,  the  Fault  and  Blame  is 
theirs ;  and  this  will  be  {hewn  and  proved  to 
you  from  Authors  and  Records  which  Papifts 
themfelves  allow  to  be  approved  and  genuine. 

But  before  I  proceed  any  further  in  the  Ac- 
count I  am  to  give  you  of  this  Ledture,  I  will 
a  little  confider  the  Text  juft  now  read  :  The 
Connection  and  Import  of  which  you  may 
take  thus. 

The  Apoflle  Paul  having  underftood  that 
feveral  great  Diforders  were  crept  into  the 
Church  of  Corim'h^  and  that  the  CorinthiM?7s 
had  gotten  a  new  Leader,  or  Leaders,  amongll: 
them,  who  oppofcd  him,  and  raifed  a  Fad:ion 
among  them,  very  much  to  their  own  Dif- 
honour  and  his  Prejudice,  writes  them  two 
Letters;  in  the  firft  of  which  he  tries  what 
Interefl:  and  Power  he  had  in  this  Church, 
and  attempts  to  break  the  Facflion  flirr'd  up 
againft  him  amongft  the  Corinthians,  and  to 
rcd:ify  their  Diforders.  Having  fucceeded  in 
this  Attempt,  and  found  by  I'itus  that  they 

rcpcntedj 


repented,    fubmitted  to  his  Orders,    and  were 
by  his  firfl  Letter  brought  into  a  good  Difpo- 
fition  of  Mind  towards  him,    he  writes  them 
this  fecond  Letter,    in  which  he  more  freely 
juflifies  himfelf,    and  deals  more  roundly  and 
jfliarply  with  his  Oppofers  :    This  Defign  runs 
thro'  the  firfl  feven  Chapters  of  this  Epiftle, 
and  being  interrupted  by  an  Exhortation  to  a 
liberal  Oontribution  towards  the  Neceflities  of 
their  poor  Brethren  at  ^yei-iifalem^  is  afterwards 
refum'd.  Chapter  the   loth,  and  continued  in 
this  :   Would  to  God  (fays  he)  Ver.  i.  you  coukL 
bear  with  me  a  little  in  my  folly.     So  he  mo- 
deftly  calls  his  own  Self-Defence,  which  if  it 
had  a  fhew  of  Vanity  they  had  made  it  necef^ 
fary.     For  I  am  jealous  over  you  with  godly 
jealoufy.     I  fear   lefl   the  vilifying  Speeches  of 
my  Adverfaries  fhould  pervert  and  miilead  you. 
For  I  have  ejpouj'ed  you  to  one  hujband^    that  I 
may  prefent  you  as  a  chaft  virgin  ujito  Chrijl.    I 
have  form'd  you  for  Chrifl,  and  brought  you 
to  him,  and  am  in  care  that  you  may  not  be 
drawn  afide  from  that  Subjection  and  Obedi- 
ence you  owe  to  him.      But  I  fear  left  by  any 
means^    i.  e.    fome  means  or  other,  as  the  Ser- 
pent beguiled  Eve  thro"  his  fubtilty,    i.  e.    the 
Devil  by  the  Serpent,    under  the  Pretence  of 
Kindnefs,  and  other  Arts,    So  your  minds  Jhould 
be  corrupted  from  the  fimpUcity  that  is  in  Chriji, 
q.  d.  I  fear  left  your  Hearts  divide  and  rove,  I 
am  afraid  of  your  being  unchafl  and  corrupted. 
Chriftianity  is  plain  and  limple,    and  no  im- 
pure Mixtures  are  to  be  made  or  allowed  with 

it  i 


[  8  ] 

it ;  no  Jewlfli  Obfervances,  no  human  Inven- 
tions, no  old  or  new  Traditions  ;  to  this  fingly, 
without  Addition  or  Alteration,  fliould  Chri- 
itians  flick  and  adhere,  keeping  to  the  Truth 
as  it  is  in  Jefus,  and  preferving  the  Simplicity 
of  the  Gofpel,  not  minghng  it  with  any  thing 
that  is  fnUe  and  foreign  to  it,  not  conceaHng 
any  part  of  it,  or  mixing  any  Falfliood  with 
it,  or  wrerting  and  perverting  the  true  Senie 
and  Meaning  of  it  to  ferve  our  own  Ends,  the 
Lufts  of  others,  or  any  worldly  Purpofes  what- 
foever. 

Thus  the  Apoftle  fhews  his  own  fair  Prac- 
tice, and  the  falfe  and  fraudulent  Behaviour  of 
his  Adveriiiries  as  to  this  in  the  4th  Chapter 
of  this  Epiflle,  2d  Verfe,  We  have  renounced 
the  hidden  things  of  diJhoneft)\  not  walking  in 
craftinefs^  nor  handling  the  word  of  God  deceit- 
fully ^  but  by  manifeliation  of  the  truths  com- 
mendifig  our  fches  to  every  mans  confcience  in 
the  fight  of  God. 

From  the  Text  thus  explain'd,  I  fhould  be 
be  led  to  obferve, 

I.  The  Apoftle's  Account  of  the  Gofpel,  or 
Chriftian  Revelation,  it  is  the  Simplicity  that 
is  in  Chriji. 

II.  The  Concern  he  cxprefles  left  thofe  who 
are  in  polfelTion  of  the  Gofpel  fliould  be  cor^ 
rupted  from  the  Simplicity  of  it.  This  he  in- 
timates by  godly  fealoiify  and  holy  Fear. 

Now  this  as  it  gives  one  a  pleafmg  and  grate- 
ful View  of  the  Gofpel,    and  engages  ones 

Heart 


[  9  ] 

Heart  to  receive  it  on  account  of  its  Plainhefs 
snd  Perfpicuity,  its  Simplicity  and  Purity-  Co 
it  fliews  us  the  great  Duty  and  Bufineis  elpe- 
cially  of  Chriftian  Minifters,  and  that  is,  to 
preferve  the  Simplicity  of  the  Gofpel  them- 
ielves,  and  to  warn  and  fortify  all  under  their 
Care  againil  every  linful  and  dangerous  Cor- 
ruption. I  am  ftrangely  miftaken  if  Popeiy 
be  not  a  grofs  Cormption  of  ChrilHanity,  and 
a  mofl  fcandalous  Departure  from  the  Simpli- 
city that  is  in  Chrifl :  In  oppoling  tlierefore 
the  Growth  of  this,  carefully  watching  all  its 
Motions,  taking  the  Alarm  ourfelves  and  gi- 
ving a  faithful  Warning  to  others  when  we  fee 
any  of  its  EmifTaries  taking  pains  to  propagate 
this  Religion,  efpecially  if  they  do  it,  or  are 
likely  to  do  it  with  any  Succefs ;  is,  no  doubt, 
a(5ting  in  Charader  as  Chriftian  Minifters,  and 
doing  the  Duty  of  Watchmen^  Over/eers,  Shep" 
herds,  and  Stewards  who  are  intrufted  with  the 
rich  and  invaluable  Treafure  of  the  Gofpel, 
and  of  whom  it  is  required  that  they  be  found 
faithful  to  God  and  Chrift,  to  their  own  Souls 
and  the  Souls  of  others. 

Permit  me  to  give  you  only  a  fliort  and 
general  View  of  Popery  under  the  following 
Heads,  and  then  leave  you  to  conclude,  Whe- 
ther it  be  not  a  Corruption  of  the  Simplicity 
that  ig  in  Chrifl. 

T.  Many  Do(ftrines  of  Popery  are  falfe  and 
abfurd. 

B  2.  Po- 


[   ^o  ] 

2.  Popii'h  Worfliip  is  idolatrous. 

3.  Many  Prddlices  it  recommends  are  impi- 
ous and  wicked. 

4.  The  Spirit  of  Popery  is  tyrannical,  do- 
miiiecriijg  and  cruel. 

I.  Many  Dodrines  of  Popery  are  falfe  and 
abfurd.  There  are,  I  acknowledge,  fome 
coiimion  Chriftian  Principles  in  which  Pro- 
tcflants  and  Papifts  both  agree  ;  fuch  as  the 
Being  and  Perfec^lions  of  God,  the  Truth  and 
Infpiration  of  the  Scriptures,  the  Dodrine  of 
the  Trinity,  and  that  of  the  Death,  Suffer- 
ings, and  Satisfadiion  of  Jefus  Chrifb  the  Son 
of  God,  our  only  Lord  and  Saviour  3  but  then 
Popery  corrupts  fo  as  well  nigh  to  deftroy 
fome  of  thefe,  and  adds  many  others  which 
are  both  falfe,  abfurd,  and  dangerous.  For 
injlance,  Papifls  ow^n  the  Bible  to  be  the 
Word  of  God,  and  they  allow  that  all  Scrip- 
ture is  given  by  the  infpiration  of  God ,  but 
then  they  make  the  Scripture  to  depend  upon 
tlieir  Church  both  for  the  Authority,  Truth,. 
and  Senfe  of  it.  Take  away,  fays  the  Jefuit, 
(whom  the  celebrated  Mr.  Chillingivorth  fo 
effedually  anfwered)  the  Authority  of  the 
Church,  and  no  Man  can  be  affured  that  any. 
one  Book  or  Parcel  of  Scripture  was  written 
by  divine  Infpiration.^  And  then  they  make 
themfelves  the  only  Interpreters  of  Scripture. 

.  ^  Knrjt  or  W'djon  the  Jefuit,  in  his  Mercy  and  Truth; 
whici:  Mr.  ChUUngwortb  anfwered  in  his  celebrated  Piece, 
c.nUt\Q.^\.  The  Religion  of  Prote/Iants. 

The 


[XI     ] 

The  Council  of  T^rent  is  a  little  upon  the  Re- 
ferve  as  to  the  former  Point  j  but  as  to  this, 
it   declares   roundly,    that  it    belongs  to   the 
Church  to  judge  of  the  true  Senfe  and  Mean- 
ing of  Scripture.^    So  that  we  are   never  the 
better  for  our  Bible,  till  they  have  put  a  Senfe 
upon   it  for  us.     And  as  to  the  Do6lrine  of 
Chrifh's  Sufferings  and  Satisfaction  for  Sin,   it. 
ivS  fo  corrupted  with  their  impure  Mixtures  of 
Merit,  Indulgence,  and  Abfolution,  as  greatly 
to  difhonour  the  Merits,  and  eclipfe  the  Glory 
of  the  blefled  Redeemer.      And   befides   the 
pure    Doctrines    of   Chriifianity   v/hich   they 
corrupt,   what  a   fpurious  Offspring  do   they 

add fuch  as  thofe  of  Tradition,  the  Seven 

Sacraments,  which  are  Baptifm,  Confirma- 
tion, Eucharift,    Penance,   Extreme  Und:ion, 

Orders,    and    Matrimony All   thefe  the 

Council  of  Trent  declare  to  be  Sacraments^ 
and  if  any  one  fays  they  are  not  fo,  that  they 
are  fuperfluous,  or  do  not  confer  Grace,  let 
him  (fay  thefe  DoiStors)  be  accurfed.*=    Add  to 

thefe The  Do6trine  of  Tranfubftantiation, 

Communion  in  one  kind,  Veneration  of  Saints 
and  Images,  Prayer  in  an  unknown  Tongue, 
auricular  ConfefTion,  Purgatory ;  but  above 
all,  thofe  of  the  Supremacy  of  St.  Pctcr^  and 
the  Infallibility  and  Authority  of  the  Church  j 
and  you  will  foon  conclude  what  a  Corruption 

''  Ecclefiae  eft  judicare  de  vero  fenfu  h  interpretations 
fcripturarum  facrarum.     SefT.  4^*. 
^   '  Co.  Tr.  ScfT.  7.  Can.  6,  8. 

B  2  there 


[    12    ] 

vhere  is  in   Popery  of  the  Simplicity  of  the 
Chriflian  Dodrine. 

2.  The  Worfliip  of  the  Church  of  Rome  is 
idolatrous.      The   Scriptures    teach     us    that 
God  is  the  only  proper  Objed  of  Worfhip  : 
God  is  a  fpirit,  and  to  be  worP^ipped  in  fpirit 
and  truth,    TIjou  Jhalt  ivorJJjip  the  Lord  thy 
God  J    and  him    only  fialt  thou  ferve.      And 
they  teach  us,  That  Jefus  Chrift  is  the  Son  of 
Cod  and  Saviour  of  Men,  and  our  only  Me- 
diator and  Advocate  with  the  Father  :  Inhere  is 
one  God  and  one  mediator  between  God  and  men, 
ilye  man  Chrift  Jefus.     This  is  the  pure  and 
fniiple,    the  plain  and  unmixed   Do6trine  of 
the  Gofpel :    But  Papiifs  mifapply  their  Wor- 
fliip,  and  give  that  Honour  to  Creatures  which 
is  due  to  God  alone.     They  have  a  great  Ca- 
talogue of  Saints,  whom  they  admit  into  that 
Order  by  a  folcmn  Canonization,    and  then 
account  them  Objeds  of  Worlhip  and  Inter^ 
ceffors  in   Heaven  for  the  Church  on   Earth, 
The   Council   of  T'rent  determines,  that  it  is 
good  and  profitable  to  invoke  the  Saints,  and 
declares,  that  whoever  fays  this  is  Idolatry,  or 
contrary  to  the  Word  of  God,  or  the  Honour 
of  Chrift,  they  do  impie  Jhitire,  their  Senti- 
timents  herein  are  impious  and  wicked.''    This 
is  theii-  Dodrine,    an4  they  pradife  accords 
ingly.     They  have  ftated  Offices  and  Forms  of 
Prayer,  according  vo  which  they  worlhip  their 
3aints.     Sometimes    they   pray   to    particular 
faints,  fometimcs  by  this  and  the  other  Saint, 

^  SefT.  25.  Dccret.  dc  Inyoc.  Sand, 

fome^ 


[  rs  ] 

fometimes  they  join  God  and  the  Saint,  fome- 
times  not  -,  but  1  will  only  mention  one  gene- 
ral Form  ;  it  is  this :  "  O  all  ye  Saints  and 
*'  Ele<lt  of  God,  I  befeech  you  by  the  Love 

'^  wherewith  he  hath  loved  you help  me 

"  mofl  milcrable  Sinner  before  Death  fliall 
"  fnatch  me  hence,  and  reconcile  me  to  my 
**  Creator,  before  Hell  iliall  devour  me."  "  Is 
this  acccDtable  to  God  ?  Is  this  honourable  to 
Chrifl  r    Is  not  this  Idolatry  ? 

3.  Popery  recommends  many  impious  and 
wicked  Pradiiccs.  The  Simplicity  of  the  Go- 
fpel,  as  to  Pra(5life,  lies  very  clear  and  plain 
before  us.  The  Scriptures  teach  us  the  Duty 
God  requires  of  Men,  and  they  ftrid:ly  and 
folemnly  require  of  us  Purity  of  Heart,  and 
Holinefs  of  Lifej  Repentance  towards  God, 
Faith  towards  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  and  un- 
feigned, impartial,  uniform,  and  perfevering 
Obedience.  The  two  grand  things  in  Reli- 
gion are  Knowledge  and  Practice.  Cliriiliani- 
ty  is  a  vital,  pradical  thing.  We  are  nothing 
and  do  nothing,  if  we  do  not  aim  and  labour 
after  a//  holy  converfatio?!  and  godlmefs.  The 
grace  of  God^  i.  e.  the  Gofpel  or  Dod:rine  of 
Grace,  hath  appeared  unto  us^  h^inging  faha- 
tiofi,  a?id  teaches  lis  to  deny  utigodlhiejs  and 
worldly  liijis^  and  to  live  fiber ly^  righteoujly^  and 
godly  in  this  world.  Well,  this  is  true,  you'll 
fay,  and  to  be  taken  on  all  hands  for  granted  j 
but  how  does  this  affedt  Popery  ?  Are  there  not 

!  Hor,  H,  Virg.  Sec.  iif.  Sar.  p.  71, 

holy 


[   14] 

holy  and  good  Men  of  both  Communions  ? 
And  are  there  not  bad  of  both  ?  Ungodly,  dif- 
honeft,  intemperate  Proteftants  as  well  as  Pa- 
pilis?  Is  there  much  to  chufe  in  this  point? 
Will  you  put  us  upon  counting  Numbers  on 
both  fides  ?  Can  you  lay  the  generality  of  Pro- 
tellants  are  virtuous  and  good  ?  Have  Prote- 
ftant  Countries  that  righteou/hefs' ivnong^  them 
which  exalteth  a  jiation^  and  are  they  in  a  re- 
markable and  diftinguiihing  manner  clearer 
than  Popifli  ones,  from  thofe  fms  that  are  a 
(hame  to  any  people  ?  Or  is  the  perfonal  Cha- 
rafter  of  a  Protefhant  always  or  generally  bet- 
ter than  that  of  a  Papift  ?  Now  here,  I  con- 
fefs,  I  very  much  wifli  I  could  make  a  better 
Apology  for  Proteftants  than  I  am  able.  I 
wifli  I  could  more  unanfwerably  appeal  to 
Fadls  and  Numbers  on  this  Queftion.  Would 
to  God  the  People  of  our  Communion  would 
lay  this  Matter  to  heart,  and  that  there  were 
fewer  ungodly,  difhoneft,  intemperate  and  per- 
fidious Proteftants  in  every  Place,  and  every 
Day  than  other ! But  when  I  have  admit- 
ted this  Charge,  I  muft  take  leave  to  add,  that 
there  are  fome  fad  Truths  to  be  told  of  Pope- 
ry even  here,  which  can't  be  either  denied  or 
excufed.  Proteftants,  however  they  praftiie, 
are  taught  to  keep  the  Commandments  of 
God,  and  if  they  break  any  of  them,  it  is  no 
fault  of  their  Religion  :  But  Papifts  break  the 
Commandments  of  God,  and  teach  Men  to 
do  fo,  and  their  doing  fo  is  the  fiult  of  their 

Reli^ 


[  ^5  ] 

Religion.  Popery  is  itfelf  fubverfive  of  pra- 
d:ical  Religion,  and  really  teaches  thofe  things 
and  allows  thofe  Liberties  which  naturally  tend 
to  and  ifTue  in  all  kinds  of  Senfuality,  World- 
linefs,  and  Wickednefs.  Papifts  own  one  for 
Head  of  the  Church,  who  can  (they  fay)  when 
he  pleafes,  difpenfe  with  feveral  Commands  of 
Chrift.  Bellarmine  fiys  it  may  be  affirmed  in 
a  good  Senfe,  that  Chrifl  has  given  Peter  Pow- 
er, to  make  that  to  be  Sin  which  is  no  Sin, 
and  that  which  is  no  Sin,  to  be  Sin/  The  C. 
of  7;t;z/  affirms —That  the  Church  can  difpenfe 
with  fome  things  forbidden  about  Marriage  in 
the  Levitical  Law ;  and  if  any  queftion  this, 
or  fay  the  contrary,  they  are  accurfed^  ^  and 
they  have  accordingly  taken  upon  them  to  re- 
verfe  many  lawful  Marriages,  and  make  ince-^ 
fluous  ones  lawful :  The  Pope  and  the  Church 
can  (they  fay)  abfolve  Men  from  the  moft  fo-^ 
lemn  Vows,  Oaths,  and  Contrad:s,  and  can 
difpenfe  above  and  againfl  Law,  for  this  choice 

Reafon That  the  Pope's  Tribunal  and  God's 

are  but  one.  ^  The  Papifts  likewife  teach  the 
bad  Dod:rine  of  Venial  Sins,  /'.  e.  the  Perfon 
who  fo  fins  is  not  fo  far  guilty  as  that  God  can 
in  juftice  punifh  him  j  he  does  not  deferve  one 
Stripe  in  Hell  for  Thoufands  and  Millions  of 
thefe  Tranfgreffions.  Nay  they  go  farther  ftill, 
they  grant  Licenfes  to  commit  any  fort  of  Sins, 

^  De  Excufatione  Barclali,  cap.  31, 
.    8  Seff.  24.   Can.  3, 
.*'  Taylor'y  Polem.  Difco.  342, 

Rivet 


[  i6  ] 

Rhet'ttWs  us  he  faw  a  Book  at  Pans,  printed 
in  the  Year  1500  a^m  privilegio,  wliere  afe 
taxed  at  a  certain  Rate  all  Ablblutions  in  the 
Church  of  Rome  for  all  forts  of  Sins ;  and 
Dr.  Taylor  {-ajh  that  Pope  Innocent  the  Eighth 
was  either  the  Author  or  Enlarger  of  it.  And 
to  what  do  the  Doctrines  of  Intention,  Attri- 
tion, transferring  of  Merit,  Abfolution,  and 
Purgatory  tend,  but  to  licentious  Wickednefs. 
I  will  conclude  this  Head  with  referring  you 
to  a  Book,  entitled,  The  FraSiical  Divinity  of 
Papijis  proved  dejlrudiive  to  Chrijiianity  and 
Metis  Souls ^  written,  by  the  Venerable  Mr. 
David  Clark/on^  fonie  time  Tutor  to  Arch- 
bifliop  Tillotjon,  and  I  have  heard,  at  his  par- 
ticular Defirci  there  you  will  fee  in  a  Variety 
of  Inflances,  and  by  unquestionable  Evidence, 
that  Popery  does  moil  fliamefuUy  ftrip  God's 
Commands  of  all  their  Authority,  and  dilarm 
his  Threatnings  of  ail  their  Terror.  1  am  to 
add  laftly, 

4.  The  Spirit  of  Popery  is  tyrannical,  domi- 
neering, and  cruel ;  Papifts  not  only  make 
void  the  Law  of  God  by  their  Traditions,  and 
break  the  Commandments  of  Chrift,  and 
teach  Men  to  do  fo,  but  they  impofe  their  Er- 
rors and  Conceits,  and  bind  them  on  Men's 
Confciences,  and  require  an  implicit  Faith 
and  blind  Obedience.  You  mufl  fay  you  be- 
lieve whether  you  do  or  no,  and  muil  under- 

'  Rhefs  Caftigation  of  tlie  Jcfuit  —  It  is  called,  Taxa 
Cahiera  JfojhUcec, 

Hand 


C  17  ] 

Hand  with  their  Underftanding,    and  con- 
trary to  your  own,  or  elfe  — What  ?  —  Not 
that    which   any    reafonable    Man    would 
think,  and  has  a  Right  to  exped  j  not  Ar- 
gument, Reafon,  Scripture,  and  the  Repre- 
fentation   of  Truth  in    a  fair   and  convin- 
cing Light ;  but  opprobrious  Names,  folcmn 
Curfes,    a  Sentence  of  Excommunication, 
and    then    cruel  Ulage,    corporal   Punilli- 
ment,    and  every  wholefome  Severiiy,    /.  c, 
ail  Kinds  of   Perfecution    in    their  turns, 
"and  every  Degree  of  it,  againft  Reafon  and 
without  Shame  :     Such  as  Imprifonment, 
Confilcation  of  Goods,    Torture,    Banifli- 
ment,  and  at  lafl  Death  by  Sword  or  Fire, 
or  in  any  inhuman  or  terrifying  way  what- 
ever.    Witnefs  the  Hiftory  of  feveral  Ages 
and  Nations,  witnefs  your  Books  of  Mar- 
tyrs, witnefs  the  Tragedies  aded  in  France 
and   Ireland^    witnefs    the   Inquifition  ftill 
fubfifling,     witnefs     what     your    Fathers 
told  you  in  their  Day  j  and  to  confute  the 
falfe  Pretence  impofed  on  weak  Minds,  that 
Papifts  are  altered,  and  that  Popery  is  now 
become  mild  and  gentle,    and  Lamb-like, 
witnefs  the  poor  Proteftants  of  Saltxbiirgh^ 
who  are  driven  out  of  their  Country  at  this 
very  time,  only  for  the  fake  of  their  Re- 
ligion,    many  of  whom  your  own  Eyes 
have  feen,    your  Hearts  pitied,    and  your 
Hands  relieved.      While   Papifls    are    in- 
vagling  and   deceiving  you    they  are  op- 
C  preffing 


[   i8  ] 

preffing  and  perfecuting  your  Brethren, 
and  a(^tiially  doing  where  they  have  Power, 
what,  where  they  have  none,  they  art- 
fully excufe,  or  confidently  deny.  But, 
Sirs,  let  it  fliarpen  your  Spirit  ever  (o 
much  againft  this  cruel  and  falfe  Rehgion, 
it  is  true,  unqueftionably  true,  and  beyond 
all  Contradidtion,  that  the  very  Spirit  of 
Popery  is  a  domineering,  tyrannical,  per- 
fecuting, and  antichriftian  Spirit. 

And  thus  I  have  given  you  a  fliort  and 
general  View  of  Popery,  and  from  this 
Account  it  appears  to  be  a  great  Corruption 
of  the  Simplicity  of  the  Gofpel.  But  I 
hive  only  touch'd  upon  thele  things,  and 
barely  fliewn  you  the  Surface  of  this  cor- 
rupt Religion  ;  my  Brethren  who  follow 
me  will  enter  more  deeply  into  this  My- 
ftery  of  Iniquity,  and  carefully  reprefent, 
and  fufficiently  confute  and  expofe  it. 

But  I  am  warranted  from  this  Text  to 
obferve, 

2.  The  Concern  the  ApoflleexprefTes,  left 
the  Corinthians  fhould  be  corrupted  from  the 
JimpUcity  that  is  in  Chriji  :  I  am,  (  fays 
he  )  jealous  over  you,  and  I  fear  lefl  your 
minds  fiould  be  corrupted.  Jealoufy  is  a 
Mixture  of  Love  and  Fear  ;  by  this  the 
Apoftle  exprefTcs  great  Concern  for  the 
Good  of  thefe  Chriflians,  and  great  Fear 
ijnd  Apprehenfion  of  their  Danger.  He 
»  took 


[  ^9  ] 

took  it  to  be  one  great  part  of  his  Bufinefs 
to  give  them  good  Advice  and  faithful 
Warning  :  He  watch' d  for  their  Jbuls  as 
07ie  who  was  to  give  an  account.  His 
Jealouiy  and  Fear  made  him  attend  with 
Dihgence  and  Care,  and  ufe  proper  AppH- 
cation  and  fuitable  Methods  for  their 
Prefervation  j  from  this  rehgious  Concern 
arofe  this  tender  and  afFedionate  Cau- 
tion. 

And  that  the  Apoflle  underfiood  it  to 
be  the  Duty  of  Chriftian  Minillers  to  do 
the  fame  in  hke  Circumftances,  may  ap- 
pear from  feveral  Diredions  and  Cauti- 
ons, fuch  as  that  A6is  xx.  28,  and  fol- 
lowing Verfes,  to  the  Elders  of  the  Church 
of  Ephefus  :  T'ake  heed  unto  yourfehes, 
and  to  all  the  flock  over  which  the  Holy 
Ghoft  hath  made  you  overfeers,  to  feed  the 
church  of  God,^  which  he  hath  purchajed 
with  his  own  blood.  For  I  hiow  this,  that 
after  my  departing  fiall  grievous  wolves 
enter  in  among  you,  not  fpari?7g  the  flock  : 
Alfo  of  your  felves  fiall  men  arife  fpeak- 
ing  perverfe  things,  to  draw  away  difci- 
pies  after  them  :  ''Therefore  watch,  and  re- 
member that  by  the  fpace  of  three  years  I 
ceafed  not  to  warn  every  one  flight  and 
day  with  tears.  Again,  to  the  Church  of 
Rome   he  thus  writes,     Romans  the    i6th 

Chapter,    the   17th  and   i8th  Verfes, 

Nonjo   I  befeech  you  brethren,    mark  them 
C  2  which 


[  2°  ] 

which  cai/fe  dhijions  and  offences,  contrary 
to  the  doBrine  which  you  have  learned, 
and  avoid  them  j  for  they  that  are  J'uch 
I'erve  not  the  Lord  'jejiis  Chrijl^  but  their 
own  belly  j  and  by  good  words  and  fair 
fpecches  deceive  the  hearts  of  the  fmph\  i.  e. 
by  flattering  and  colloguing  Words  they 
deceive  the  plain  -  hearted  and  harmlefs, 
who  fufpe6t  no  Hurt.  I  beg  leave  alfo 
to  obferve,  that  St.  Peter  was  of  the 
fame  Mind,  as  appears  from  that  humble 
and  tender  Exhortation  in  his  firfl  Epill:le, 
5th  Chapter,  jft,  2d,  3d,  and  4th  Verfcs. 
The  elders  which  are  atnong  you  I  exhort, 
who  am  alfo  an  elder,  and  a  witnefs  of  the 
fifferings  of  Chrif,  and  alfo  a  partaker  of 
the  glory  that  jhall  be  revealed.  Feed  the 
flock  of  God  which  is  among  you,  taking  the 
overflight  thereofly  not  by  cojiflraint  but  wil- 
lingly \  not  for  fllthy  lucre  but  of  a  ready 
mind  -,  neither  as  being  lords  over  Gods 
heritage,  but  being  enflamples  to  the  flock. 
And  when  the  chiefl  Jhepherd  Jhall  appear, 
ve  fljall  receive  a  crown  ofl  glory  that  Ja- 
deth  not  away.  I  cannot  pafs  over  this 
Paflage  without  obferving  the  modeil:, 
liumble,  and  condefcending  manner  in 
wifich  it  is  deliver'd,  fuitably  to  the  Na- 
ture of  the  apoftolick  Office,  which  was 
'^flervice  and  7ni?ii/iry,  not  a  fovereignty  and 
domination.  But  fuch  are  the  confident 
Pretenfions  of  the  Bilhops  of  Rotne,  that 

they 


[    21    ] 

they  claim  the  Title  of  Chrift's  Vicars, 
and  the  Admin iftration  of  his  Kingdom, 
by  Virtue   of  a  Succeflion  from  this  A- 

poille.     To  which  purpofe  they  tell  us 

that  our  blefled  Saviour  before  he  left  this 
Earth,  delegated  his  fupreme  Authority  to 
St.  Peter  the  Prince  of  the  Apoftles  y  and 
St.  Peter  fixing  his  See  at  Pome^  and  dying 
there,  bequeathed  this  Supremacy  to  his 
SuccelTors  in  that  Chair  to  the  end  of  the 
World :  And  therefore  the  Pomifi  Bifhop 
is  the  Head  of  the  Catholick  Church,  his 
Empire  the  fame  with  Chrift's,  whofe 
Lieutenant  and  Delegate  he  is,  and  that 
all  the  Chriftian  World  ought  to  be  fub- 
jed;  to  him  upon  pain  of  Damnation.  And 
as  the  SuccefTor  of  St.  Peter ^  the  Pope  is 
accordingly  call'd,  his  Holinels,  the  Sove- 
reign Pontiff,  our  moft  holy  Lord  the 
Pope,  and  fometimes  our  Lord  God  the 
Pope  ;  and  (they  fay)  all  Laws  human 
and  divine  are  lodged  in  his  Breaft,  and 
that  it  belongs  to  him  to  judge  all,  and  to 
be  judged  by  none.  Exorbitant  Pride  ! 
horrid  Blafphemy  !  and  wretched  Abufe  of 
a  moft  pious  humble  Man !  whoie  own 
Account  of  himfelf  is  only  this, Si- 
mon Peter ^  a  fervant  and  an  apojile  of 
yefus  Chriji.  Well  !  is  it  not  our  Duty 
who  are  Chriftian  Minifters  to  warn  Peo- 
ple of  fuch  dangerous  Pride,  Tyranny,  and 
Blaiphemy  as  this  ?    Is  not  fuch  daring  In- 

fult 


[    22    ] 

fult  as  this  upon  the  Authority  of  Chrifl  to 
be  check'd  ?  And  are  not  the  Corruptions, 
Errors,  and  Sins  that  grow  out  of  this 
Stock  to  be  expofed  and  rooted  up  ?  And 
Ihould  not  Chriftian  People  be  fed  and 
taught  more  fnicerely  and  more  faithfully  ? 
If  you  think  fo,  I  now  tell  you  this  is  the 
Delign  of  this  Lecture,  and  if  you  judge 
of  it  as  we  do,  we  hope  you  will  encou- 
rage it,  by  attending  here  once  a  Week  as 
long  as  it  lafts,  and  by  attending  to  the 
things  that  are  fpoken  from  the  Word  of 
God,  this  being  all  the  Preachers  expert 
from  you  as  the  Reward  of  our  Labour. 

But  I  will  now  enter  further  into  the 
Reafon  of  our  preaching  in  this  manner  a- 
gainfl  Popery,  at  this  particular  Jundnre. 

I.  And  I  very  freely  declare,  (  and  am 
glad  at  my  Heart  that  I  am  able  to  do  it 
fully  and  ftrongly )  that  it  is  not  from  any 
Apprehenfion  that  our  Rulers  favour  Pope- 
ry. This  is  not  the  Reafon.  We  do  not 
fufpedt  that  Popery  has  any  Encouragement 
from  that  Quarter.  Papifts  meet  with  no 
Smiles  at  Court,  wherever  elfe  they  iind 
them  :  There  was  a  Time  indeed,  (  and 
fome  of  us  have  Reafon  to  remember  it) 
when  the  Nation  had  terrifying  Apprehen- 
fions  of  this  Danger.  Chai'les  the  Seco?id,  if 
he  had  any  Religion,  was  a  Papifl :  But  his 
Brother,    and  SuccefTor,  abundantly  difco- 

ver'd 


[   23  ]      • 

ver'd  that  Popery  was  the  DarUng  of  his 
Heart,  and  that  he  was  fo  fet  upon  the  Re- 
eftablilhment  of  it  here,  as  to  venture  at  eve- 
ry thing.     You  know  that  King  'James  the 
Second  carried  matters  fo  far  as  to  receive  a 
Nuncio  from  the  Pope,  and  he  fent  an  Am- 
baffador  to  Rotne  j    in  his  Reign  Popifh  Bi- 
Ihops  were  confecrated  in  the  Royal  Chapel, 
and  the  free  and  open  Exercife  of  the  Po- 
pifh  Religion  was  every  where  fet  up.      A 
firil  and  fecond  Declaration  for  Liberty  of 
Confcience,  againfl   Law,  and  for  the  fake 
of  Papifts  only,  then  came  out  j  and  many 
Bifhops  for  petitioning  the  King  to  excufe 
them  and  their  Clergy  from  reading  the  lat- 
ter of  thefe,  were  fent  to  the  Prifon  of  the 
^o^wer  J  which   Event,    as  confequent  upon 
many  other  illegal  and  arbitrary  Proceedings, 
awaken'd  the  People  of  England  to  implore 
the  Prince  of  Orange  to  come  over  and  re- 
Icue  the  Proteftant  Religion  and  Liberties  of 
England,      He  came  accordingly,   by  the 
good  Hand   of  our  God   upon  him,    and 
brought  our  Salvation  with  him  :  And  were 
this  a  proper  time  for  it,  I  fhould  remind 
you  of  the  general  Joy  fpread  thro'  the  Pro- 
teftant  Nations,    upon  his  being  at  length 
made  and  declar'd  our  King — How  Provi- 
dence carried  that  immortal   Hero  thro'  a 
difficult  Reign — How  he  afferted  the  Caufe 

of  Truth  and  Liberty How  he  humbled 

the  Power  of  France ^  form'd  a  Confederacy 

which 


[  24  ] 
which  broke  the  Scheme  of  univerfal  Em- 
pire, and  left  us  Men  who  learned  of  him 
how  to  defend  the  Liberties,  and  revenge 
the  Iniuries  of  Europe.  What  followed 
upon  the  Death  of  the  brave  King  JVil- 
liam,  who  purfued  his  Scheme  in  the 
following  Reign,  and  who  eclips'd,  at 
length,  the  Glory  of  his  SuccefTor,  broke 
the  Confederacy,  and  led  us  far  back  into 
great  Danger  of  Popery  and  Slavery,  you 
all  know.  But  there  was  one  Pillar  of 
our  Happinefs  ereded  by  King  William 
which  thofe  Managers  had  not  Time  to 
pull  down,  that  was,  the  Proteftant  Suc- 
ceffion  in  the  illuftrious  Houfe  of  Hano'ver. 
King  George  I.  fucceeded  the  dead  Qneen 
in  Peace,  and  foon  after  he  was  feated 
on  the  Throne,  wifely  enter'd  into  Mea- 
fures  to  reftify  our  difordered  State,  re- 
pair our  totlering  Conftitution,  ftrengthen 
the  Foundations  which  had  been  trea- 
cheroufly  weaken'd,  and  render  thofe 
means  imprad:icable  which  had  been  us'd 
to  pave  the  way  for  a  Popifh  Preten- 
der. 

His  prefcnt  Majefly  peaceably  fucceeded 
his  Royal  Father,  inherits  his  Virtues  as 
well  as  his  Crown,  and  lives  and  reigns 
the  Patron  of  Liberty,  the  Guardian  of 
our  Laws,  and  the  Defender  of  the  Pro- 
teibant  Faith.      It  is  now  the  great  Law 

of  England And  may  it  be  as  that  of 

the 


C  ^y  ] 

the  Terjidfts  and  Medes,  never  to  be  altered, 
• —  That  no  Papift  is  capable  of  lucceeding 
to  the  Imperial  Crown  of  thefe  Realms.  It 
is  indeed  one  Artifice  of  Popery,  to  try  by 
any  Means  to  make  us  carelels,  or  indifferent 
at  lead,  what  Religion  our  Prince  is  of;  and 
fbmething  of  this  Ibrt  has  of  late  been  hint- 
ed in  that  peftilent,  malignant  Paper,  called 
the  Craft/man.  —  But  Engl'tjhmen  eafily  fee 
through  that  Device ;  we  too  well  remember 
our  Danger  in  the  Stewarts  Reign,  to  be- 
lieve this  ;  we  know  the  Abflirdity  and  In- 
confiftency  of  a  Popifh  Head  to  a  Proteftant 
Body,  and  are  abundantly  thankful  to  Al- 
mighty God  for  a  Proteftant  King  and  Queen, 
furrounded  with  a  large  and  lovely  Offspring, 
adorned  with  Royal  and  Princely  Virtues, 
and  upon  whom  we  look  as,  under  God, 
the  Strength  and  Glory  of  Great  Britain^ 
and  the  whole  Proteftant  World.  But  fur- 
ther, 

X.  We  do  not  now  appear  againft  Popery, 
from  any  Imagination  that  the  Reformation 
from  it  has  not  been  unqueftionably  proved 
to  be  highly  realonable  and  abfblutely  necel- 
fary.  The  Reformers  waited  till  Error  and 
Impiety  came  up  to  their  height,  and  con- 
tinued in  the  Romijh  Church  till  fhe  was 
moft  w^ofuliy  corrupted  ;  and  (as  one  expref- 
fes  it)  till  her  Wounds  ftunk,  and  became 
incurable^  and  then  they  departed  from  the 

D  Tents 


[  i6] 

Tents  of  thofe  Men^  that  they  might  not  be 

con  fumed  in  their  Sins.     And  we  not  only 

approve  the  Reformation,  and  think  it  jufti- 

ablc,  but  we  heartily  rejoice  in  it,  and  bleis 

God,    who  infpired  the  Reformers  with  ib 

much  Zeal  and  Courage,  and  gave  them  luch 

good  and  great  Succels.     They  bore  a  noble 

Teflimony  for  God,  they  bravely  contended 

for  the  Authority  of  Chrift,  and   the  Faith 

once    delivered    to    the  Saints,    and   finely 

pleaded  the  Caufc  of  Truth  and  Liberty,  a- 

gainft  Men  isjho  loved  darknefs  rather  than 

light.,  becaufe  their  deeds  are  evil :    Their 

Separation  from  the  Romift:)  Communion  was 

unqueftionably  jult   and  neccfTary,  and  the 

Charge  of  Schifin    and  Hercfy  exhibited  a- 

gainft  them  on  this  account,  was  a  moil  un- 

juft  Reproach,  which  they  were   well  able 

eafily  to  wipe  ofF. 

Nor  do  we  forget  the  noble  Stand  made 
by  the  Clergy  and  People  of  England,  againfl 
■  the  return  of  Popery,  in  the  Reigns  I  juft 
now  mentioned  ;  the  Reformation  was  then 
bravely  defended,  and  this  corrupt  Religion 
cffedually  cxpoled  with  mod  Iblid  Argu- 
ments, and  the  greateft  Strength  of  Rcafon,  by 
Men  of  the  firll  Rank  for  Learning,  Parts  and 
Furniture.  The  Names  of  Chillingworth  and 
Barrow.,  of  IVilliams  and  Tillotfon^  of  Stil- 
lingfleet.,  Tat  rick,  Clagget  and  Sherlock^  wiio 
all  bore  fo  confidcrablc  a  Part,  and  made  'io 


good 


[^7] 

good  a  Figure  in  the  Popilli  Controverfy, 
ought  always  to  be  mentioned,  by  all  Pro- 
teftants,  with  the  greateft  Honour ;  nor  are 
Owen  and  Clarkfon,  and  'Pool  and  Bax- 
ter to  be  overlooked  in  this  Controverly  ; 
they  were  worthy  Men,  and  behaved  well 
in  a  critical  and  dangerous  Juncture.  We 
have  a  great  Cloud  of  WitnefTes  before  us, 
for  the  Proteflant  Religion  ^  we  follow  Men 
of  Renown  here ;  and  it  is  indeed  a  Matter 
of  fome  Wonder,  that  thofc  Men,  who  fo 
thoroughly  dilabled  the  Advocates  for  Po- 
pery, did  not  write  that  Religion  quite  out 
of  the  World !  But  it  is  not  in  all  Cales  e- 
nough,  it  feems,  to  refer  People  to  Things 
done  a  good  while  ago  ;  our  Religion  has, 
indeed,  been  well  defended,  and  with  great 
Learning  and  Labour  ;  but  particular  Occur- 
rences may  happen,  that  make  it  exceeding 
ptoper  to  review  luch  a  Controverfy  as  this, 
fbir  us  up  to  imitate  the  Zeal  of  our  Fa- 
thers, and  examine  the  Ground  we  fland " 
on,  for  our  own  fuller  Satisfaction,  and  the 
Information  of  the  rifmg  Generation.  And, 
which  brings  me  to  my  main  Point,  fuch 
I  apprehend  is  the  prefent  Juncture.  Attempts 
are  at  this  Time  made  every  where  about 
us,  by  Popiih  Zealots,  to  diieafe  and  unfet- 
tle  the  Minds  of  Proteftants :  We  are  well 
informed,  that  there  are  great  Numbers  of 
Popiih  Emifl'aries  amongft  us,    many  Mais- 

D  1  Houfes 


[  ^8] 

Houfes   in   the  leveral  Parts  of  this    City, 
and  other  Places,  and  great  Pains  taken  to  re- 
concile Proteflants  to  Popery,  take  off  thofc 
Prejudices  and  Horrors  they  have  been  wont 
to  conceive  againft  it,  and  to  abate  by  de- 
grees,   any   Fears  of  fatal  Coniequences,  if 
this  Religion  Ihould  be  again  eftablillied  in 
England.     Popifli   Catechifms,    printed    this 
very  Year,  and  other  Books  which  we  have 
feen,  and  ibme  of  us  have  in  pofTcfTion,  are 
put  into  People's  Hands,  full  of  Craft  and 
of  AfTurance;  and  frcfn  Informations  are  fre- 
quently fent   to  many   of  us,    of  the  great 
Diligence  of  the  Papifts  at  this  Time,    and 
beyond  their   ufual  Secrecy,  to  corrupt  the 
meaner  People  efpecially,  and  to  gain  over 
Numbers   to   their  Side.      The  juft   Charges 
we  lay  againft  Popery,  they  roundly  deny  ; 
—  tell  People  it    is  now   a  quite  different 
Thing  than  what  it  was  formerly  ;  and  that 
they,  good  Men,  have  laid  afide  Cruelty  and 
Perlecution,  and  arc  for  doing  no  Dody  any 
Hurt  at  all,  but  from  pure  Motives  of  Cha- 
rity and  Religion,  induced  to  take  unwearied 
Pains  to  recover  Backfliders  to  the  Fold  of 
Chrift.      While    Papifts  ufe  the  Subtiky   of 
the  Serpent,  they  would  feem  to  be  as  harm- 
lefs  as  Doves  ;  and  they  appear  on  this  fide  the 
Water  in  Shecps  Cloathing,    who  on  the  other 
are  fierce  as  ravenous  and  devouring  Wolves : 
One  while  they  put  on  a  grave  and  folemn 

Face, 


[  ^9] 

-Face,  and  tell  People,  that  Salvation  out  of 
their  Church  is  impoflible  ;  and  therefore 
bcfeech  them,  for  the  Sake  of  their  Souls, 
to  embrace  their  Communion.  At  ano- 
ther time,  after  courteous  Behaviour,  much 
civil  Diicourfe,  great  good  Manners,  and 
a  plain  and  eafy  Account  of  their  great 
Power  and  Dexterity  in  helping  People  to 
Heaven,  they  ftrongly  and  boldly  under- 
take for  the  Salvation  of  fuch  as  become 
Converts  to  them,  believing  and  doing  as 
they  appoint  and  require,  faying,  ■ —  You 
are  fecure  of  Salvation  in  our  Church  ;  your 
Happincfs  is  undoubted  and  unqueftionable  ; 
and,  my  Soul  for  yours,  you  Ihall  not,  and 
cannot  mifcarry, 

Thefe  confident  Undertakers  would  make 
People  believe,  that  they  can  eafily  fecure 
them  from  all  Danger  that  arifes  from  hy- 
norance  and  Wickednefs;  they  have  Indul- 
gence and  Abfolution  ready,  and  at  hand, 
for  all  that  ;  and  the  Pried,  by  the  high 
and  mighty  Power  he  receives  from  the 
^ojye,  and  St.  T'eter,  elpecially  at  Eajler^ 
will  make  every  confeillng  Sinner,  for  a  Imall 
Sum,  as  found  and  clean  as  when  he  came 
firfl;  into  the  World.  If  indeed  there  fliould 
be  any  doubting  of  the  Truth  of  this  Re- 
ligion, or  the  Power  of  the  Pried  and  the 
^ope,  and  any  Inquiry  into  and  after  the 
facred  Scriptures,   thofe  bleifed  Fountains  of 

Light 


[  3o] 

Light  and  Truth,  this  is  a  mofl  dangerous 
Thing,  this  fliews  an  heretical  Diipofition, 
and  poor  Souls  are  foon  frighted  out  of  it, 
with  the  dreadful  Threatnings  of  Hell  and 
Damnation.  Thus  is  Popery  founded  in  Ig- 
norance and  VVickedneis,  and  fupported  by 
Craft  and  Terror. 

Well,  Sirs,  we  mull  not  lleep  while  the 
Enemy  fows  thefe  Tares.  Error  and  Sin  mull 
not  fpread  their  poifonous  Roots  amongft  us 
unrebuked  !  while  Papifts  are  diligent  to  de- 
ceive, Proteftanrs  fure  fliould  not  be  idle.  A 
good  Cauie  mud  not  be  left  to  lliift  for  it- 
ieif :  It  becomes  us  all  to  take  fome  Pains, 
if  we  do  indeed  fear,  that  as  the  Serpent 
beguiled  Eve  thro'  his  Suhtility,  fo  thefe 
Managers  Ihould  corrupt  our  People  from  the 
Simplicity  that  is  in  Chriji.  And  fure  I  am, 
a  Plea  for  Separation  from  the  Church  of 
Rome  comes  very  naturally  from  our  Qiiar- 
ter :  Proteftant  DifTenters  are  exceedingly 
confident  in  the  Defence  of  Truth  and  Li- 
berty againft  all  Popilh  Domination  and  Ty- 
ranny :  In  this  we  may  engage  as  a  common 
Cauie,  without  a  Sulpicion  of  private  Intereil 
or  Party  Views;  and  for  my  Part,  I  cannot 
but  think  the  prefent  Jundture  a  loud  Call 
upon  us,  to  lay  afide  all  Differences  among 
ourlclves,  if  any  iiich  remain,  when  the  com- 
mon Enemy  of  Diflenters,  and  of  all  Pro- 
tcdants,  is,    I  know  not  with  what  Views, 

making 


[  31  ] 

making  frefli  and  vigorous  Attempts  upon  us. 
Befides :  Silence  ac  iuch  a  Time  as  this  might 
turn  to  our  Reproach :  We  might  be  lup- 
polcd  wanting  in  our  AfTecStion  to  the  Go- 
vernment under  which  we  have  the  Happi- 
nefs  to  live,  and  in  our  Zeal  againll;  a  Popiih 
Pretender  and  his  Adherents,  if  we  did  not 
appear  with  Readinel's  and  Spirit  on  the  pre- 
fent  Occafion;  nor  is  it  a  Imall  Advantage 
and  Encouragement  to  us,  that  we  can  appear 
for  the  Proteftant  ReHgion  in  the  mod  pub- 
lick  Manner,  without  Offence  to  our  Ru- 
lers, and  that  we  are  not  under  the  fame  In- 
convenience our  Fathers  were  who  pleaded 
this  Caule  in  the  Reigns  of  former  Kings. 

And  now  I  have  faid  what  I  think  may  be 
fufficient  to  let  you  into  the  Reafon  and  Fir- 
nels  of  this  Lecture  againfl  Popery  at  this 
Time.  I  beg  Leave  to  add  a  Paragraph  out 
of  the  Preface  of  the  late  Reverend  Mr. 
Bennet  of  Newcaftle,  to  his  Sermons  againfl: 
Popery,  —  The  Words  are  thefe  —  "  Had 
*'  Popery  been  an  old  Herefy,  dead  and 
"  buried  in  the  Church  a  thoufand  Years  ag-o, 
*'  I  would  not  have  raked  in  its  Alhes  and 
*'  given  it  a  Revival ;  but  'tis  a  living  Re- 
*'  ligion,  the  Religion  of  a  great  Part  of 
"  Eurofe^  and  what  has  long  been  driving 
*'  for  more  Room,  endeavouring  to  extend 
•'its  Branches  over  diftant  Countries,  and 
**  Ipread  its  Poifon  thro'  the  Nations  round 

*' about. 


[3^1 

**  about.  And  who  knows  not  that  eve? 
**  fince  our  happy  Reformation  it  has  been 
•*  waiting  for  a  Return  amongll:  us,  feeking  an 
*'  Hole  to  creep  in  at ;  and  even  at  this  Time, 
*'  fbme  think,  they  fee  it  {landing  on  tip- 
**  toes  on  the  other  Side  the  Water,  ready 
*'  to  make  us  another  Vifit." —  This  was  writ- 
ten in  the  Year  17 14  j  but,  thanks  be  to  God, 
before  that  Year  concluded  Things  had  quite 
another  Afpedt,  the  Proteftant  Religion  (often 
refcued  by  Providence)  was  again  preferved 
by  the  Proteftant  S.uccellion  taking  Place,  to 
the  Joy  and  Surprize  of  us  all,  and  to  the 
Glory  and  Honour  of  God.  O  that  ever  memo- 
rable Firft  of  Augtift  !  With  what  Agitation 
and  Tranlport  did  we  hear  King  George  pro- 
claimed ?  With  what  Gratitude  did  we  then 
remember  King  IVilLlam  and  receive  his  Lega- 
cy, and  with  what  Ardour  and  Piety  were  our 
adoring  Eyes  and  Hearts  then  lifted  up  unto 
God?  One  might  have  guelTed  by  the  Coun- 
tenances of  thofe  that  met  us,  who  were  dif^ 
appointed  and  who  preferved. 

Well,  Sirs,  the  Corruption  we  then  fear'd, 
it  is  the  Defign  of  this  Ledlure  to  oppole  ; 
the  BlefTnigs  we  then  received,  we  are  now 
fetting  ourielvcs  to  defend  ;  and  this  we  do, 
becaulc  where-ever  Popery  fets  up  its  Altars, 
Liberty  and  Religion  arc  made  a  Sacrifice  ; 
as  that  riles  thole  muft  fill :  Popery  threatens 
and  gralps  at  all  that's  dear  to  us  both  as  Men 

and 


[  33  ] 

and  Chriflians;    no  wonder  therefore  that  if 
any,  tho'  it  be  but  a  diflant  Danger  of  this  ap- 
pear, fiich  as  we  are  alarmed,  and  feize  the  Op- 
portunity to  prevent  its  Approach  by  prudent 
Endeavours  and  fervent  Prayers  to  the  blef- 
fed  God,  whofe  Servants  we  are,  and  whofe 
Caiile  in  this  World  we  believe  to  be  that 
of  Truth  and  Liberty.  This  Caufe  Proteflant 
Diffenters  humbly  plead  with  God  and  Man 
well  knowing  it  is  our  Interefl  and  Duty  fo 
to  do ;   for  it  is  eafy  to  forefee,  if  Popery 
fhould  ever  return  hither,  who  are  like  to  be 
its  firft,  tho*  not  its  only  Sacrifice.     In  tnis 
Service  then  let  us  all  agree ;  our  Aim  as  far 
as  I  know  is  fingly  this,    to  warn  Men  of 
the  prelent  Growth  and  Danger  of  Popery  ; 
to  Ihew  them  that  this  is  juft  what  it  ever 
was,    without  any  real  Difference  in  either 
its  Principles  or  its  Spirit ;  to  raife  and  ani- 
mate that  Zeal  againll:  it  which  feems  too 
much  abated ;  to  find  out  its  lurking  Places, 
and  root  it  out  of  Mens  Hearts,   and  lliew 
them  the  Ufe  and  Value  of  their  Bibles—  for 
the  Bible,  the  Bible,  (faid  Mr.  ChiUingwortb) 
is  the  Religion  of  Proteftants.     This  Papills 
conceal ;  this  they  corrupt  and  adulterate  ;  to 
this  they  add,  and  from  this  they  criminally 
take  away ;   but  this  Proteftants  prize  and 
contend  for,   as  the  great  Rule  of  our  Faith, 
the  Charter  of  our  Privileges,  and  the  only 
Ground  of  our  eternal  Hopes :    With  this 

E  Sword 


[•  34  3 

Sword  of  the  Spirit,  let  us  contend  with  Eti» 
ror  and  Sin  ;  from  hence  let  us  learn  to 
preach,  and  pray,  and  live  ;  and  when  we  have 
obtained  Mercy  from  the  Lord  to  be  found 
faithful^  f.nd  having  ferved  God  and  our  Ge-* 
neratlon  according  to  his  Will,  fhall  be  dead 
and  gone,  may  others  rife  up,  and  bear  a 
Teftiraony  for  God  and  Chrift,  and  true  Re- 
ligion, not  only  as  we  have  done,  but  much 
m;>Te  abundantly. 


FINIS. 


In  a  few.  Days  will  be  pubiifiml. 
In  Two  Volumes,  %io. 

FAITH  and  PRACTICE;  reprelentea  ini FiltJ*^* 
four  Sermons  on  the  Principal  Heads  of  the 
Christian  Religion  i  preach'd  in  Berry-Jhm^ 
by  the  Six  following  Minifters,  i/z'z. 

I.  Watts,  D.  D.         S.  Price, 
D.  Neal,  M.  A.  D.Jennings, 

J.  GuYSE,  D.  D.         J.Hubbard. 
Publifhed  for  the  Ufe  of  Families. 

Pi  Inted  for  Richard  Hett,  at  the  Bihk  and 
Crown  \\\  the  Poultry^ 


THE 

NOTES 

O  F    T  H  E 

CHURCH 

CONSIDERED: 
I  N     A 

SERMON 

On   I  Tim.  iii.  14,  15. 

Preached  at  Salter s- Hall, 

January  16,    1734-5. 
By  SAMUEL    CHANDLER. 

Omnes  confitentur,  in  fola  vera  Ecclefia  efle  veram  fidem, 
veram  peccatorum  remiffionem,  veram  fpem  falutis 
aeternse.     Bellarm.   de  Not.  Ecclef. 

LONDON: 

Printed  for  T.  Cox,  at  the  Lamb  under  the  Royal- 
Exchange  ;  R.  F  o  R  D,  at  the  y{ngel ;  R.  H  E  T  T, 
at  the  Bible  and  Crown-,  and  J.Gray,  at  the 
Crofs-Keys,  all  in  the  Poultry,     Mdcc  xxxv. 

[Price  Six-pence,] 


^A4::£¥v<iti^vH>5 


.<H^^?r^ 


^'ti^'vJ 


I  TIM.  iii.   14,    15. 

T'hefe  things  iDJ^i.^e  I  unto  thee^  hoping  to  come 
unto  thee  jI:QrtIy.  But  if  I  tarry  long^  that 
thoit  mayejl  know  hoiv  thou  oughtefi  to  behave 
thy  felf  in  the  houfc  of  God,  "which  is  the 
church  of  the  living  God,  the  pillar  and 
ground  of  truth. 


» formed, 

lediure 

i^^  is  to  reprefent  and   expofc  the 

W^  abliirdity,  and  antichriltian  na- 

^^^^^^^^^  ture  of  the  corruptions  and  errors 

of  the  apoftate  church  of  Rofne, 

and  to  confirm  and  eftabhfli  you  in  the  belief 

of  thofe  dodirines  of  the  Reformation,  v/hich 

have  the  facred  writings,  and  all  tlie  valuable 

remains  of  antiquity   to  fupport  them  ;    that 

you  may  be  always  upon  your  guard,  againft 

the  attempts  of  thofe  who  lye  in  wait  to  feduce 

:  you  from  the  frmplicity  of  the  Chrifbian  faith, 

.  to  enflavc  your  confciences  to  the  tyrannical 

impofitions  of  impei'ious  and  cruel  deceivers, 

and  to  bring  you  back  to  thofe  impious  idola^ 

tries,  which  are  a  reproach  to  the  Chrifliaii 


[2] 

name,  and  contrary  to  the  plainefl:  didlates  of 
natural  and  revealed  Religion. 

One  would  really  wonder,  how  fo  mon- 
ftrous  a  perverfion  of  Chriflianity  could  ever 
take  place,  and  by  what  kind  of  arguments 
and  pretences,  mankind  could  be  prevailed 
with  to  embrace  and  fubmit  to  a  Scheme, 
\vhich  had  they  confulted  their  fenfes  or  their 
reafon,  or  the  facred  records,  they  mufl  evi- 
dently have  difcovered  the  falfhood  and  im- 
pofture  of;  Popery  being  really  an  impofition 
upon,  and  the  moft  palpable  contradiftion  to 
the  plainefl  teflimony  of  each  of  thefe  wit- 
nefles,  as  will,  I  doubt  not,  be  fully  dcmon- 
flrated  in  the  courie  of  the  enfuing  ledlures. 

However,  we  are  far  from  being  ignorant  of 
the  devices  of  Satan  on  this  head.  Ecclefiaftical 
hiflory  furniilies  us  with  a  variety  of  caufes,  to 
which  this  great  apoflafy  from  the  Chriftian  faith 
and  worfliip  hath  been  owing,  Vv"hich  well  deferve 
to  be  diflindily  confidcrcd,  and  reprefented  to 
you.  But  I  fliall  only  mention  that  particular 
one,  which  is  more  immediately  and  dire(ftly 
to  my  purpofc,  which  is  the  pcrwer  and  autho- 
rity  of  the  Church  ;  or  rather,  the  fuperffition 
and  tyranny  of  the  Billiops  and  Clergy,  who 
have  appropriated  the  name  of  the  Church  to 
themfelves,  and  under  that  venerable  characfter 
have  ere(5led  themfelves  an  empire,  upon  the 
ruins  of  primitive  Chriflianity,  and  the  civil 
and  religious  liberties  of  mankind. 

And  as  it  is  but  too  true,  that  all  the  great 
innovations,  as  to  the  Chriflian  dodlrine  and 

worfliip. 


f .  3  ] 

worlhip,  have  been  introduced  by  the  Bidiops 
and  Clergy,  under  the  liiCrcd  character  of  the 
Church,  and  as  the  pretended  authority  of  the 
Church  is  the  pillar  and  ground  of  the  corrup- 
tions of  Popery  at  this  day,  *tis  neceffary  that 
we  hay  the  axe  to  the  root,  and  dillindily  con- 
fider  thefe  two  things, 

I.  What  the  true  notion  of  a  church  is. 
And, 

II.  What  are  the  pecuHar  powers  and  pri- 
vileges it  is  inverted  with. 

'Tis  to  the  firft  of  thefe  I  am  confined. 
The  fecond  will  be  treated  of  diflindtly  by  a 
very  able  hand,  with  whofe  province  I  ^all  as 
little  as  poflible  intermeddle, 

I  am  then  to  conlider  what  the  true  notion 
of  a  church  is  j  or  what  are  the  eflential 
charad:ers  of  the  Chriflian  church,  by  which 
it  may  be  known  and  diflinguifhed  from  all 
other  aflemblies  and  bodies  of  men  whatfoever. 
And  here  the  only  poffible  v/ay  of  forming  a 
true  judgment,  is  from  the  Holy  Scriptures ; 
becaufe  thele  are  the  moll  antient  records  of 
Chriftianity,  written  by  the  apoftles  and  apo- 
ftolical  men  ;  and  becauie  they  are,  even  our 
adverfaries  being  judges,  the  infallible  word  of 
God.  Nor  will  they  deny  us  the  liberty  of 
judging  concerning  the  nature  of  the  church 
by  this  rule,  provided  we  will  allow  them 
thefe  two  fmall  things,  i:)iz.  that  the  church 
B  2  may 


may  judge  for  its  ccncerning  the  Icnfe  of  Scrip- 
ture, and  that  the  unwritten  traditions  of  the 
church  are  of  equal  authority  with  the  Scriptures 
thenifelves.  And  this  poffibly  we  might  be 
v/illing  enough  to  do,  if  this  plain  contradi(5li- 
on  was  not  unfortunately  in  cur  way,  'viz.  that 
the  judging  by  Scripture  concerning  the  notes 
of  the  church,  and  yet  allowing  the  church  to 
judge  for  us  of  the  fenfe  of  Scripture,  is  render- 
ing it  impoifible  to  form  any  judgment  of 
either,  and  fuppoiing  that  the  notes  of  the 
church  may  be  underilood,  before  we  kliow 
v/hat  in  reality  they. arc. 

For  if  the  Scriutures  are  to  determine  the 
J. 

marks  of  the  church,  the  Scriptures  muft  be 
known  and  underftood,  before  we  can  form 
any  judgment  flom  them  what  the  marks  of 
the  church  are.  But  if  the  church  is  to  judge 
for  us  what  is  Scripture,  and  what  the  fenfe  of 
it,  then  we  muft  know  what  the  church  is, 
and  what  her  diifinguilTiing  marks  are,  before 
we  can  pretend  to  judge  what  the  fenfe  of 
Scripture  is.  The  confequence  of  which  is^ 
that  'tis  impoillble  to  form  any  judgment  of 
either.  Wc-crjinot  judge  of  the  marks  of  the 
church  by  the  Scripture,  becaufe  the  church  is 
to  determine  the  (cxi^o.  of  Scripture  j  nor 
can  we  judge  of  Scripture  by  the  church, 
becaufe  the  Scripture  is  to  fettle  and  determine 
the  marks  by  which  we  are  to  know  the  church. 
So  that  according  to  this  way  of  arguing,  nei- 
ther the  Church  nor  the  Scriptures  can  have 
any  certain  marks  to  diilinguilh  and  difcover 

them. 


f 5]   . 

them,  whereby  their  church  will  be  of  as  lit- 
tle fignification  and  authority,  as  they  would 
fain  have  our  Scriptures  to  be. 

And  by  further  confequence,  the  pretending 
to  prove  by  Scripture  what  the  marks  of  the 
church  are,  and  yet  affirming  that  the  church 
is  to  judge  of  the  fenfe  of  Scripture,  is  fuppo- 
ling  them  to  be  both  known  before  they  are 
underftood,  and  their  authority  demonftrated 
even  whilfl  it  is  incapable  of  being  proved. 

Once  more,  if  the  Scripture  be  the  rule 
whereby  we  are  to  judge  of  the  marks  of  the 
church,  the  authority  of  Scripture  mufl  be  iii- 
perior  to  that  of  the  church ;  and  if  the  church 
is  to  determine  what  is  Scripture,  and  to  judge 
of  the  {enie  of  it,  the  authority  of  the  church 
is  fuperior  to  that  of  the  Scripture ;  and  con- 
fequently,  they  are  each  of  them  of  fuperior 
and  inferior  authority  to  the  other ;  they  are 
each  of  them  a  rule  by  which  to  judge  of  the 
other,  and  yet  can  neither  of  them  be  a  rule 
whereby  to  form  a  judgment  of  either.  To 
thele  fhameful  abfurdities  are  the  Papifts  re- 
duced, by  pretending  to  prove  from  Scripture, 
what  are  the  marks  of  the  church,  and  yet 
affiirming,  that  the  church  is  to  judge  for  ail 
others  what  is  the  fenfe  of  Scripture.  But 
'tis  no  wonder,  that  they  who  can  be  ftupid 
enough  to  believe,  that  a  wafer  can  be  changed 
into  the  body  and  blood  and  foul  and  Divinity 
of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift,  fliould  be  difpofe'd 
and  given  up  to  believe  all  other  abfurdities  and. 
contradidions  whatfoever. 

But 


[6] 

But  to  leave  them  in  poflefTion  of  this  trea- 
fure,  I  fliall  come  more  dire6lly  to  the  argu- 
ment before  me,  and  in  profecuting  it,  ihall 
endeavour  to  do  thefe  two  things. 

i.  To  fet  before  you  the  Scripture  Jiotion  of 
a  church,  and  what  are  the  pecuhar  and 
diilinguifliing  marks  of  it  therein  laid  down. 
And, 

2.  To  conlider  v/hat  are  the  notes  or  marks 
which  the  Papifts  give  of  a  church,  and  fhew 
you  either  that  they  are  no  marks  of  the 
church  of  Chrift  at  all ;  or  if  they  are,  yet 
that  they  are  notes  or  characflers  which  do  not 
belong  to  the  church  of  Rome. 

I.  I  am  to  fet  before  you  the  Scripture  no- 
tion of  a  church,  and  to  give  you  the  peculiar 
and  diftinguifliing  marks  or  notes  of  it,  as 
there  laid  down.  The  original  word  Q.-x.x.Xma^ 
which  we  render  churchy  denotes  in  general  an 
ailembly  of  people  called  or  met  together, 
cither  upon  civil  or  lacred  occalions.  Thus 
the  town-clerk  of  Ephefus  tells  the  Ephefmns^ 
that  ^  the  law  ivas  open^  afid  they  might  detcr^ 
mine  their  caiifes  in  a  laivful  affembly.  Hence 
the  fame  word  is  applied  to  any  number  of 
pcrfons,  more  or  lefs,  who  embraced  the 
dotllrine  of  the  Gofpcl,  as  preach'd  to  them 
by  the  Apoftles,  and  woriliipped  God  in  the 
name  of  Jefus  Chrift.  Thus  the  firft  converts 
at  yeruJaleT7iy  who  confifted  of  about   3000 

perfons, 

*  Ads  xix.  39. 


[7] 

pcrfons,  ^  are  exprefly  called  the  church,  be- 
caufe  they  were  an  alTembly  or  congregation 
of  Chriftians.  And  when  afterwards  the 
Apofliles  preach'd  the  Gofpel  in  other  cities 
befides  'Jerufakm^  the  number  of  converts  in 
each  of  thofe  places  conftituted  a  diftind: 
Chriftian  church  or  congregation,  each  inde- 
pendent of  the  other  as  to  all  things,  their 
common  faith  and  v/orfliip  as  CJiriflians  only 
excepted.  Thus  we  read  of  the  church  at 
Antioch^  Corinth,  Ephefus,  and  other  places, 
and  of  the  churches  of  Galatia  and  Macedonia^ 
i.  e.  the  feveral  diftind:  congregations  of  Chri- 
flians  in  the  feveral  cities  of  thofe  provinces. 
Yea  when  the  number  of  converts  in  any  place 
did  not  extend  beyond  the  branches  of  any 
one  particular  houfe  or  family,  thofe  converts, 
though  few  in  number,  are  alio  called  a 
church.  Thus  we  read  of  the  church  at 
Prifcillas  houfe,  in  the  houfe  of  Nyrnphas^ 
and  with  Fhikmon.  And  as  all  particular 
churches  or  congregations  of  Chriftians  where- 
ever  planted,  were  united  in  one  common 
faith  and  worfhip,  under  Jefus  Chrifl  their 
common  Lord  and  head ;  as  they  were  con- 
gregations gathered  in  his  name,  and  profelling 
a  religion  of  his  appointment  j  as  they  were 
all  fubjeds  of  his  kingdom,  and  governed  by 
one  body  of  laws,  hence  the  whole  number 
of  Chriftians,  v/herefoever  they  dv/elt,  are 
alfo  denoted  by  the  fame  word,  church  or  con- 
gregation ;  becaufc  though  as  to   themfelves 

they 
•=  Ads  ii.  47, 


.they  were  particular  independent  afTemblies, 
yet  coniider'd  in  their  relation  to  Chrift,  their 
common  head,  they  were  all  one  body,  under 
his  efpecial  influence,  protection,  and  govern- 
ment. In  this  fenfc  St.  Paul  ufes  the  word 
church,  when  he  tells  us,  *=  that  God  hath  put 
all  things  under  ChriJFsfeet,  and  gave  him  to  be 
head  ever  all  things  to  the  churchy  wloich  is  his 
body.  And  this  is  all  the  fenfes  in  which  the 
word  iixy>^m'z  or  church  is  uled  in  Scripture, 
except  only  once,  where  it  feems  to  denote  the 
place  where  Chriftians  met  for  worfliip. 
Whe7i  ye  come  together  in  the  churchy  fays  St. 
Paul^  ^  I  hear  there  are  divijions  among/}  you^ 
which  he  explains  a  verfe  or  two  after,  ""  When 
ye  come  together  in  one  place.  In  other  fenfes 
the  word  is  not  ufed  in  the  whole  New  Tefta- 
ment. 

And  I  obferve  this  principally  for  this  reafon, 
becaufe  though  the  Clergy  have  oftentimes  ap- 
propriated to  themfelvcs  the  name  of  the 
church,  exclufive  of  the  Chriftian  people,  yet 
they  are  never  once  called  by  this  facred  name 
in  the  holy  Scriptures.  Yea  I  find  that  the 
Chriilian  laity  are  filled  the  church  by  way  of 
diftindion  from  thofe,  who  had  any  particu- 
lar charge  or  office  in  it.  Thus  when  Paul 
and  Barnabas  came  to  Jerufalem,  they  were 
received  ^  of  the  Churchy  and  of  the  Apojlles 
and  Elders  ;  and  when  the  famous  decree  was 
fent  to    Antioch,    «  the  Apojlks,    Elders    and 

ivholc 

"  Eph.  i.  22,  23.  *■«  I  Cor.  xi.   18. 

«  Ver.  20,  '  Ads  xv.  4.  ^  Vcr.  22. 


[  9  }' 

whole  Church  fent  it  by  melTengers  of  their 
own.  From  wliich  palTages  it  appears,  that 
the  Chriilian  laity  are  properly  and  truly 
the  Church  of  Chrift,  in  the  Scripture  fenfe  of 
the  wordi  and  that  neither  Apoftles,  nor 
Bilhops,  nor  Elders  are  any  otherwife  to  be 
coniider'd,  or  own'd  as  the  church,  than  as 
they  are  united  with  the  body  of  Chriftians 
in  the  fame  common  faith^  profeffion  and 
hope. 

And  this  Bellarmine  is  fo  very  fenfible  of, 
that  though  he  produces  the  words  of  my 
Text,  'The  church  the  pillar  and  ground  of 
truth,  gs  a  proof  that  the  Clergy  in  a  general 
Council-  cannot  efrj  yet  he  doth  it,  not  by 
allerting  that  the  word  church  fignihes  the 
Clergy  or  Bilhops,  but  that  the  whole  au- 
thority of  the  Church  or  Chriflian  people'' 
txi^s  formally  only  in  the  Prelates,  even  as 
the  light  of  the  whole  body  is  formally  in  the 
head  ;  the  good  Cardinal  taking  it  for  granted 
that  all  the  Chriftian  people  are  ftark  blind, 
iand  thence  fl;irewdly  inferring  that  they  are 
obliged  ,to,  jfee  with  his,  and  his  brethren^ 
eyes. 

But  as  'tis  oi;ie  part  of  the  charadter  of  a 
good  Proteftant  not  to  renounce  the  teflimony 
of  his  fenfes,  nor  to  trufl  to  other  perfons 
eyefight  whilft  he  has  eyes  of  his  own,  fo  we 
can  evidently  difcern  that  this,  and  many  othec- 
■  ^  C  fach 

*  *  Tota  auitoritas  ecclefiiE  formaliter  non  eft  nifi  in 
prslatis,  ficut  vifus  totius  corporis  formaliter  eft  tantum 
in  capite.  1.  2.  c.  2. 


[    10    ] 

fuch  Texts  prove  nothing  about  the  Clergy's 
infallibihty  ;  but  that  if  the  church  is  declar'd 
by  St.  Paul  to  be  the  pillar  and  ground  of  truth, 
this  refers  to  the  body  of  Chriltians  profefling, 
maintaining,  and  holding  forth  the  true  faith  of 
Chrift,  and  not  to  their  Bifhops  and  Paftors  in 
contradidion  to  tliem.  Though  I  think  the 
more  probable  interpretation  is,  that  the  pillar 
and  ground  of  truth  relates  to  timothy  himfelf 
and  not  to  the  church.  The  direction  to  Ti- 
mothy was  how  to  behave  himfelf  in  the  houfe  of 
God,  and  the  advice  which  the  Apoftle  gives 
him  was  fuitable  to  this  reprefentation  of  the 
church,  'viz,  he  v/as  to  behave  as  one  who  was 
a  pillar  in  ov  foundation  of  that  houfe  ;  which 
'Timothy  properly  was,  as  an  EvangeHjfl  and 
Prophet,  and  one  who  received  his  inflru^li- 
ons  immediately  from  an  infpired  Apoftle, 
and  was  himfelf  favour'd  with  fome  extraor- 
dinary gifts  of  the  holy  Spirit.  And  what  con- 
firms this  fenfe  is,  that  St.  Paul^  '  ipeaking  of 
fames  and  John  and  Peter,  fays,  they  feemed 
to  be  pillars.  And  indeed  this  charafter  of 
pillars  is  frequently  apphed  by  the  primitive 
writers  to  the  Apoftles,  as  I  could  eafily  fhew, 
were  it  not  foreign  to  the  prefent  purpofe. 

But  not  to  iniift  on  this,  you  plainly  fee 
from  what  I  have  faid,  that  according  to  Scrips 
ture,  every  particular  congregation  of  Chrifti-* 
ans  is  a  diftind:  and  proper  church  j  and  that 
the  catholick  or  univerfal  church  confifts  of  all 

the 

'  Gal.  ii.  9» 


[ "  ] 

the  ieveral  congregations  of  Chiiflians  througli- 
out  the  world,  who  all  together  conftitute  that 
one  body,  of  which  Chrift  is  the  proper  head 
and  governor  ;  and  that  therefore  the  Clergy's 
afluming  and  appropriating  this  name  to  them- 
felves,  is  an  ufurpation  of  that  honour  and 
privilege  which  Chrift  hath  confcrr'd  on  you  ; 
on  you,  fellow  Proteftants,  wdiom  he  hath 
-pur chafed  with  his  blood y  in  whom  ye  are  a 
chofen  gene  rat  ion  ^  a  7'oyal  priejihood,  an  holy 
nation^  and  a  peculiar  people  j  that  true  church 
of  the  li'Ding  God^  built  upon  the  foimdation  of 
the  Apo/lles  and  Prophets^  y^A"^-^  Chriji  himfelf 
being  the  chief  corner  Jione.     And  this  is 

I.  One  elTential  and  unalterable  mark  or 
note  of  a  Chriftian  church  or  congregation  ; 
^7*2;.  the  conftant  and  firm  adherence  of  all 
the  members  of  it  to  Jefus  Chriil,  as  the  com- 
mon Head  and  Lord  and  Saviour  of  Chriflians, 
and  the  iiibmitting  themfelves  wholly  and  in- 
tirely  to  his  influence  and  dired.ion  ;  even  as 
the  members  of  a  natural  body  are  guided  and 
acSled  by  its  natural  head.  For  we  hei7ig  7nany 
are  one  body  in  Chrift^  and  God  hath  given  him 
^  to  be  head  onjer  nil  things  to  the  churchy  which 
is  his  body  J  the  fullnejs  of  hi?n  who  filleth  all 
in  all. 

And  this  I  rather  obferve,  becaufe  Bellar^ 
mine  thu§  defines  the  church  ;    '  T^hat  'tis  an  af- 

C  2  femhly 

'^  Eph.  i,  22,  23. 

'  Ecclefiam  veram  efle  ccetiim  Jiomiimm  ejufdenx 
Chriftians  fidei  profelllone— colligatum.  Tub  regiminele- 
gitlmorum  paftorum,  ac  pr?eclpue  unius  Chrifti  ia  terrii 
Vicarii,  Romani  pontificis.  Tom.  2.  c.  2. 


[  ^2  ] 

Jmbly  cf  men^  p^ofelJing  the  fame  Cbrijiian 
faith,  luider  the  go'^oertiment  of  lavjfid  pajiors^ 
and  particularly  the  Roman  Fontif\  the  only 
Vicar  of  Chriji  upon  earth.  But  could  the 
Cardinal  imagine,  that  this  would  be  taken  for 
granted  without  proof  ?  Or  that  any  one,  who 
liad  ever  read  th«i;  New  Teflament,  would  pre- 
fer the  Pope,  who  is  never  once  mentioned  in 
it,  to  the  Son  of  God  himfelf,  who  is  cxprefly 
declared  to  be  the  church's  liead  ? 

No:  The  vicarious  power  of  the  Roman  Pon^ 
tiff  is  a  thing  abfolutely  unknown  to  the  Sacred 
Writings.  'Tis  a  ficrilegious  ufurpation  of 
that  fupreme  authority  with  which  God  the 
Father  hath  invefted  his  only  Son,  to  whom 
only  our  fubmiffion  is  due  in  the  great  con-. 
cern  of  religion,  and  eternal  falvation,  in  op- 
pofition  to  the  claims  of  all  others,  who  would 
exclude  him  from  the  government  of  his 
church,  or  fliare  with  him  in  his  legiflative 
power.  Neither  he  ye  called  maJlers,/or  one  is 
xoiir  mafier,  even  Ckrijl^  ""  are  the  words  of 
our  Lord  himfelf  to  his  difciples.  And  St. 
Paul  tells  the  EphefianSy "  that  God  had  raifed 
Chriji  from  the  dead,  and  ft  him  at  his  own 

right  hand, —  and  hath  put  all  things  under 

his  feet,  and  ga've  him  to  be  head  over  all  things 
to  the  church :  Head,  as  Governor  and  Lord, 
to  appoint  the  laws  of  his  fpiritual  kingdom, 
the  do6trines  his  people  are  to  believe,  the 
form  of  worfliip  they  are  to  obferve,  and  the 

terms 

^  AI;itth.   xxiii,   10.  ^  j:ph.  i.   20,  22. 


[  13  ] 

terms  of  communion  and  Cliriftkn  falvation,' 
by  which  all  the  members  of  his  church  are 
to  be  finally  and  eternally  determined. 

And  as  he  fent  out  his  Apoftles,  in  his 
name,  and  as  his  witneffes,  and  under  the  con- 
dud  of  his  infallible  Spirit,  to  preach  his  re- 
hgion  in  the  world,  their  teflimony  is  the 
teftimony  of  Chrift,  and  to  receive  their  gof. 
pel  and  doctrine,  is  to  receive  and  fubmit  to 
Chrift  himfelf,  as  head  and  legiflator  in  (he 
church.  He  that  receiveth  you^  i.  e.  you  my 
apoftles,  receive th  me,  °  fays  our  bleffed  Lord. 
Hence  the  converts  at  ^eriijalem,  who  were 
the  firil  Chriftian  church  that  was  ever  planted, 
are  defcribed  as  continuiiig  Jledfajily  in  the  apo-^ 
files  doBrine  and  fellowjhip.  p 

Now  as  we  have  no  full  and  certain  account 
of  the  dodlrines  taught  by  Chrifl  and  his  apo- 
files,  but  from  the  records  of  the  New  Tefta- 
ment,  and  as  thefe  contain  the  whole  revela- 
tion of  the  gofpel,  all  that  we  are  to  believe 
and  prad:ife  as  Chriftians :  'Tis  an  undeniable 
confequence,  that  we  can  no  otherwife  demon- 
ftrate  our  fubjeftion  and  fidelity  to  Chrift,  as 
Lord  and  Law-giver  in  his  church,  than  by 
Gur  care  in  acquainting  ourfelves  with  the  Sa- 
cred Records  of  Truth,  and  religiouHy  ad- 
hering to  them  as  the  only  rule  and  ftrndard 
of  our  faith  and  worfhip,  as  God  fhail  enabie 
us  to  underftand  them  j  in  oppoficion  to  the 
claims  of  interefted  men  to  interpret  them  for 

us; 
-    "  Matthc  X.  40,  P  Acb  ii.  4?. 


[  ^+  r 

us,  and  to  all  traditionary  dodlrines  and  prac- 
tices enforced  and  recommended  as  of  equal 
authority  with  them.  For  to  argue  as  the 
Papifts  do  about  the  church  :  Proteftants  and 
Papifls  agree,  that  the  Scriptures  are  the  infal- 
lible word  of  God  j  but  they  do  not  both 
agree  that  traditions  are  of  equal  authority 
with  the  word  of  God,  or  a  fure  dire(ftion  in 
all  matters  relating  to  confcience  and  eternal 
falvation.  And  of  confequence  it  muft  be 
much  fafer  to  confult,  and  govern  our  faith 
and  pradice  by  that  rule,  which  is  allowed  on 
both  fides  to  be  infallible  and  divine,  than  by 
that  which  on  one  fide  is  affirmed  to  be  falli- 
ble, human,  fuperftitious  and  erroneous. 

But  I  need  not  fuch  kind  of  arguments  as 
thefe.  You  are  Chriftians,  the  difciples  of 
the  Lord  Jefus  Chrift ;  and  his  authority,  I 
know,  you  muft  allow  tQ  be  facred  and  con- 
cluiive.  Hear  then  the  command  of  the  Son 
of  God.  'J  Search  the  Scriptures^  faith  he  to  the 
Jews,  for  in  thc?n  ye  think  ye  have  eternal  life^ 
and  they  are  they  which  tefiify  of  me  -^  and  good 
reafon  there  was  for  this  command,  becaufe 
an  infpired  apoflle  tells  us.  All  Scripture  ii 
profitable  for  doBrine^  for  reproof  for  corredti^ 
on,  for  ijiftruBion  in  righteou/hfs,  and  arc  able 
to  tnake  us  wife  unto  falvation,  thro  faith  iji 
Chrift  Jefus.  '  The  letters  of  the  feveral  apo- 
files  are  almoft  all  of  them  written  to  the 
churches,  and  intended  for  their  perufal  and 
edification.     And  St.  Paul  expreily  commands 

tliQ 

1  John  V,  39.  '  2  Tim.  iii.   15,  16, 


[  15  ] 

the  "theffalontam,  ^  Stcmdfaft  brethren,  mid  hoU 
the  traditions  which  ye  have  been  taught,  whe- 
ther by  word  or  our  Epistle.  And  that 
none  might  be  ignorant  of  the  contents  of  his 
epiftle,  he  tells  the  Thejjdlonians,  ^  I  charge  you 
by  the  Lord,  that  this  epijile  be  read  unto  all 
the  brethren.  And  the  ColoJJians,  **  When  this 
epiftie^is  read  amongfi  you,  cdufe  that  ti 
be  read  alfo  in  the  church  of  the  Laodiceans^ 
and  that  ye  likewife  read  the  epijile  from  LaO" 
dicea.  So  that  the  writings  of  the  New  Te- 
ftament  were  intended,  fellow  Chriftians,  for 
your  perufal,  and  without  being  acquainted 
with  them,  you  can  never  continue  in  that 
doctrine  of  Chrift  and  his  apoftles,  the  adhering 
to  which  is  an  effential  note  of  the  Chriflian 
church.  I  will  only  add  further  on  this  head. 

That  as  far  as  men  depart  from  this  doctrine 
of  Chrift  and  his  apoftles,  fo  far  they  ceafe  to 
be  members  of  the  church  of  Chrift,  and  are 
to  be  marked  and  avoided  by  all  the  faithful. 
Thus  St.  Faul  advifes  Timothy,  T^hefe  things  teach 
and  exhort,  .  If  any  man  teach  otherwije-,  and 
confent  not  to  wholfome  words,  even  the  words  of 
our  Lord  fefus  Chrift,  and  to  the  do5trine  which 

is  according  to  godlinefs from  fuch  withdraw 

thyjelf^  Yea,  the  apoftle  goes  yet  farther, 
and  pronounceth  a  feverer  cenfure  on  thole 
who  perverted  or  altered  the  dod:rine  and  go- 
fpel  which  he  preached.  Inhere  are,  fays  he^ 
Jome  that  trouble  you ^  a?id  would  pervert  the  go- 

jpel 

»  2  ThefT.  ii.  15.  »  i  Theff.  v.  27. 

I  C9I.  iv,  16,        .     ;;  J  Eph,  vi.  3-5, 


[  i6] 

fpel  of  Chrijl.  But  thd  we^  or  an  angel  from 
heaven,  preach  any  other  go/pel  unto  you,  than 
that  which  we  have  preached  unto  you,  let  him 
he  accurfed.  As  we  faid  before,  jo  Jay  I  now 
iigai?z.  If  any  man  preach  any  other  gofpel  unto, 
yoUy  than  that  ye  have  received,  let  him  be  ac^ 
curfedJ  But  thus  much  as  to  the  firft  Scrip- 
ture mark  of  the  Chriftian  Church.  I  fhall 
mention  but  one  more,  and  that  is 

2.  The  mutual  and  firm  union  of  thofe, 
who  profefs  the  dodirines  of  Chrift  and  his  a- 
poflles,  in  the  pracftice  of  univerfal  virtue,  and 
efpecially,  by  the  exercife  of  fervent  charity 
an^d  love;  fince  nothing  is  more  evident,  than 
that  the  difciples  of  Chrift  are  to  be  diftinguiih-* 
ed  as  much  by  the  holinefs  of  their  lives,  as 
the  purity  of  their  faith  ;  and  becaufe  the  love 
of  the  brethren  is  made  one  of  the  diftinguilh- 
ing  marks  of  a  true  Chriftian  by  our  Saviour 
himfl'lf.  A  new  commandment  I  give  unto  you ^ 
that  ye  love  one  another ;  as  I  Jyave  loved  you^ 
that  ye  alfo  love  one  a7iother.  By  this  jhall  all 
men,  know,  that  ye  are  my  difciples,  if  ye  have 
Iqvc  to  one  atwther,  ^  ■'-, 

'Tis,  I  confefs,  difficult  to  judge  of  inward 
principles  and  difpofitions;  and  thofe  who  as  to 
outward  appearance  may  profefs  the  true  faith, 
and  wear  the  form  ofgodli?ie/s,  may  yet  be  fame 
of  them  infincere  in  the  fight  ®f  God,  and  no 
genuine  membei's  of  the  church  of  Chrift ; 
and  men,  who  can  judge  only  according  to 
outward  appearances,  may  be  deceived  in  the 

judgr^ient 

y  Gal.  i.  7,  8,  9.  f  John  xiii.  34,  35. 


[  17  ] 

i'udgment  of  charity  v/hich  they  pafs  on  them^ 
However,  we  have  one  iure  rule  to  go  by,  and 
may  certainly  conclude  who  are  not  of  the 
church  of  Chrift;  ^jiz.  thofe  who  openly  and 
avowedly  pervert  and  corrupt  the  fimpUcity  of 
the  Chriflian  Faith,  by  teaching  doctrines  ab- 
folutely  fubverfive  of  the  nature  and  defign  of 
it ;  and  v/ho  habitually  difhonour  the  dc(^lrine 
of  godlinefs,  by  the  allowed  immoralities  of  a 
wicked  life.  ()r  if  thou  knoweft,  Chriflian^ 
any  focieties  of  men  calling  themfelves  by  the 
Chriftian  name,  v/ho  have  put  off  bowels  of 
compaffions,  kindnefs,  humblenefs  of  mind, 
meeknefs,  long-fufFering,  charity  and  love  j 
and  who,  in  (lead  of  prad:iling  thefe  virtues, 
excommunicate  and  damn,  malign  and  revile, 
and  by  methods  of  iniquity  and  blood,  tor- 
ture and  perfecute  and  deftroy  others,  for  their 
adherence  to  the  original  records  of  Chrifliani- 
ty,  and  the  purity  of  the  Chriflian  Faith  and 
Worfliipj  thou  may'll  liifely  pronounce  them 
to  be  cut  off  from  Chrill:,  to  be  of  the  Syna- 
gogue  of  Satan,  and  to  be  actuated  by  that 
W'ifdom,  which  is  earthly^  fetifual,  and  devi- 
lijl.\  James  iii.  14,  15. 

Having  thus  confidered  the  notes  which  the 
Scriptures  give  us  of  the  church  of  Chrift,  I 
now  proceed  to  confider  thofe  which  are  laid 
down  by  Popifli  writers;  tho'  I  think  fuch  an 
enquiry  is  perfed:ly  needlefs,  confidering  the 
account  they  give  of  the  church  and  the  mem- 
bers of  it.  For  as  Cardinal  Bellarmme  makes 
it  a  mark  of  the  church  that  they  fubmit  to  the 

D  Rcma?i 


C   i8  ] 


^oman  PontifT,  and  exprefldy  allows  the  moil: 
notorious  finners  and  fecret  infidels  to  be  mem- 
bers of  it,  io  they  profefs  to  believe  as  the 
church  doth,  and  communicate  in  her  facra- 
ments,  what  need  we  any  notes  to  difcover  the 
church  ?  The  church  ol  Rome  is  well  known, 
and  the  nations  that  adhere  to  her  communi- 
on ;  and  all  the  Cardinal's  marks  can't  make 
her  more  notorious  than  flie  is  already  j  and  if 
the  church  of  Chrift  and  the  church  of  Rome 
is  the  fame  thing,  and  this  is  to  be  taken  for 
granted  as  a  firft  principle,  'tis  as  ridiculous  to 
give  marks  of  the  chinch,  as  it  would  be  of 
the  city  of  Rome  itfelf,  or  of  any  other  well 
known  city  or  country  in  the  world.  But  to 
pafs  by  this,  and  other  things  of  the  like  na- 
ture, let  us  examine  the  Cardinal's  notes  par- 
ticularly. 

Note     I. 

The  firft,  according  to  the  Cardinal,  is,  the 
very  name  of  the  Catholick  Church. "^  But  I 
think  this  is  dircd:  nonfenfe;  becaufe  the  ca- 
tholick church  is  nothing  but  the  colledtion  of 
all  true  Cliriliians  and  particular  churches  thro' 
the  world.  And  therefore  to  anfwcr  any  per- 
fon  enquiring,  w^hich,  amongil:  all  who  bear 
the  Chriflian  name,  is  the  true  church?  I  fay 
to  anfwer  him,  that  it  is  that  which  hath  the 
name  of  Catholick,  is  either  to  fay  that  the 
true  church  is  the  collecffion  of  all  the  tme 
churches  in  the  world,  which  is  to  fay  nothing 

to 

*,  Ipfum  catholicae  ecclefiae  nomcn. 


[  19] 

to  the  purpofe,  becaufe  it  is  no  anfwer  to  the 
quefllon  ;  or,  that  it  is  fome  particular  church 
that  alTumes  the  name  of  catholick  to  iticlf  j 
which  is  to  lay  worle  than  nothing,  becaufe  'tis 
-to  affirm  that  it  is  a  particular  iiniverfaL  And 
this  contradidion  the  name  of  'Roman  Catholick 
really  implies  j  becaufe  'tis  laying  that  the  par- 
ticular church  or  congregation  of  perfons  cal- 
led Chriftians  in  Rome  is  the  univerfal  church, 
/.  e.  all  the  particular  churches  of  Chrift 
throughout  the  world. 

Befides,  what  can  bare  names  prove,  which 
men  may  take  or  refufe  at  pleallire,  with  rea- 
fon  or  without  it  ?  Hereticks  themfelves  have, 
as  the  Cardinal  allows,  alTumed  this  name  ;  and 
if  the  bare  affuming  of  it  proves  any  tlimg, 
they  have  as  much  a  right  to  it  as  the  Papifcs. 

Farther,  there  was  a  time  wlien  the  word 
-catholick  could  not  belong  to  Rome,  but  did 
^a<5tually  belong  to  the  converts  of  another  city, 
.'viz.  to  thofe  o^ ye f-iijalem-,  becaufe  there  were 
once  no  Chriftians  but  what  were  in  that  place, 
the  gofpel  having  been  firft  publillied  there , 
and  therefore  the  word  catholick  can  be  no 
proof  that  the  church  of  Rome  is  the  only  tme 
church,  becauie  the  catholick  church  exifted 
before  there  was  any  Chriftian  church  in  Rome 
at  all.  Or  if  by  catholick  church  be  meant,  a 
church  that  holds  that  dodrrine  which  is  com- 
mon to  all  Chriftian  churches,  then  any  church 
which  holds  that  dodlrine  is  as  much  the  catho- 
lick church  as  the  church  of  Rome,  and  there- 
ibre  the  mere  name  can  be  no  diftinguiil^ing 
mark  of  that  church. 

D  2  N  o  T  s 


[     20    ] 

Note     II. 

The  Cardinal's  fecond  note  is  Antiquity^  be- 
caufe,  as  he  fays,  the  true  church  is  older  than 
the  falfe  one,  as  God  ivas  before  the  devil.  But 
to  this  it  may  be  anfv/ered,  that  bare  antiquity 
is  no  certain,  evidence  of  tmth,  becaufe  there 
arc  manv  errors  and  falflioods  which  can  boafl 
of  antiquity  earher  than  Chriftianity  itfelf. 
Thus  judaifm^  which  is  now  mere  fuperftiti- 
on,  was  older  than  the  gofpel,  and  idolatry 
older  than  both. 

And  with  refpe<5t  to  the  Chriftian  church, 
we  know  that  there  were  errors  in  it  even  in  the 
apoftolick  age,  which  can  never  change  their 
nature,  or  be  transformed  into  truth,  becaufe 
of  their  plea  of  antiquity.  For  in  fiance :  the 
worfliipping  of  angels  was  introduced  during 
the  minillry  of  St.  Paul  himfelf,  and  yet  it 
mull  be  allow'd  to  be  fuperflition  and  idolatry. 
For  St.  Paul  himfelf  exprefsly  condemns  it  as 
fuch :  Let  no  man  beguile  you  of  your  reward  in 
a  ijohmtary  humility,  and  worlhipping  of  an- 
gels,  vainly  puffed  up  in  his  fefily  mind,  and 
not  holding  the  head-,^  and  by  conlequence  the 
church  of  Rome,  which  maintains  and  pradi- 
fes  this  old  angel  worfhip,  doth  not  hold  the 
head,  but  hath  cut  herfelf  off  from  the  unity 
oi  the  Chriftian  church,  notwithftanding  the 
antiquity  of  this  fuperftition, 

How- 

'^  Col,  ii.  i8,  19. 


[     21    ] 

However  antiquity  may  be  allowed  to  be  in 
feme  fenfe  a  mark  or  note  of  the  Chriftian 
church,  viz.  when  any  Ibciety  of  Chriftians 
hold  the  true  faith  of  Chrift  and  his  apoflles, 
which  was  at  firll  deHvered  to  the  faints  ;  and 
this  is  Bellarmines  fixth  note,  viz.  an  agree- 
ment in  doBrine  with  the  ancient  churchy  or 
with  that  doBrine  which  the  apojiles  delivered. 
And  as  this  note  is  the  fame  in  the  main  with 
the  fecondj  I  fhali  confider  it  here.  Now  as 
there  is  no  way  of  underftanding  the  apoflles 
dodtrine  fo  certainly  as  from  their  writings, 
which  are  allowed  even  by  our  adverfaries  to  be 
the  oldeft  records  of  Chriflianity,  this  there- 
fore is  the  only  true  antiquity  to  which  as  Chri- 
ftians we  are  to  appeal.  And  we  are  content 
that  the  controverfy  between  us  and  the  Papifts 
fhall  be  decided  by  this  ancient  and  infallible 
rule.  But  they,  confcious  to  themfelves,  that 
there  is  nothing  in  this  antiquity  to  favour  their 
peculiar  doctrines  and  pradices,  decline  the  tri- 
al by  this  facred  judge,  and  fly  to  fathers,  coun- 
cils and  traditions,  all  of  them  later  than  the 
writers  of  the  facred  records,  and  v/ill  not  fuf- 
fer  the  laity  to  read  them,  left  they  fliould 
difcern  their  grofs  abufes  and  corniptions  of 
Chriflianity.  However,  to  you  my  brethren  I 
appeal ;  and  now  call  upon  you  to  judge  in  the 
fear  of  God,  on  which  fide  genuine  antiquity 
lies.     As  Proteftants  then, 

I.  We  renounce  all  dependance  on  the  Pope 
of  Rome  J  and  acknowledge  one  Lord,  one 
Lawgiver  in  the  Chriflian  church,  viz.  the 

Lord 


[    22    ] 

Lordjefus  Chrift;  and  the  reafon  is,  not  only 
becaufe  there  is  not  one  word  about  the 
Pope  and  his  headfliip  in  the  New  Tcftament, 
but  becaufe  Chrilt  himfelf  fays.  One  is  your 
majier  even  Chriji y"  and  becaufe  St.  Paul  fays, 
^here  is  but  one  Lord,  and  one  faith  \  and  that 
the  whole  family  in  heaven  and  earth  is  7ia?ned  of 
the  Lord  fefus  Chrift.^ 

2.  As  Proteftants  we  affinn  that  faints  and 
angels  are  not  mediators  in  heaven  for  us,  and 
that  Chrill  Jcfus  is  our  fole  mediator  and  advo- 
cate. And  here  we  have  apoflohck  antiquity 
to  fiipport  us.  Far  St.  Paul  exprefsly  fays, 
that  there  is  but  one  Cody  and  o?ie  Mediator  be- 
tween God  and  many  the  man  Chrifi  fefus," 

3 .  As  Proteflants  we  affirm,  that  angels  and 
faints  have  no  claim  to  veneration  and  worlhip. 
Here  St.  Paul  is  on  our  fide,  who  condemns  it 
as  fuperftition  and  v/ill-woriliip,  in  the  place 
before  cited  j  and  one  greater  than  St.  Paul^ 
even  Chrifi:  himfelf,  whofe  dodrine  it  is,  T'bou 
Jhalt  worJl:ip  the  Lord  thy  Gody  and  hi?n  only 
Jhalt  thou  ferve,^     Add  to  this,    that  angels 

themfelves  have  condemned  tliis  worfliip.  Thus 
when  St.  fohn  fell  down  to  worfbip  before  the 
angel's  feet,  the  angel  faid  to  him,  ^ee  thou  do 
it  noty  for  I  am  thy  fellow-Jervant,  JVorJlAp 
God.^ 

4.  As  Proteflants  we  affirm,  that  in  the  facra- 
ment  of  the  Lord's  fupper  there  remains  bread 
and  wine  aftci'  the  confecratiou,  and  that  tliey  are 

not 

*=  Eph.  iv.  5.  "  iii.  15.  ^  i  Tim.  ii.  5. 

!    ^  Matth.  iv.  10,  ^  Rev.  xxii.  g. 


[23  ] 

not  tranfubftantiated  into  the  body  and  blood  of 
Chrilt.  Here  alio,  befides  the  impiety,  abfur- 
dity,  and  contradidion  of  the  dodlrine  of 
tranfubftantiation,  genuine  antiquity  is  evident- 
ly on  our  iide.  For  St.  Paul  exprelly  calls  that 
which  we  acftuaily  eat  and  drink  in  the  lacra- 
ment,  bread  and  wine.  As  often  as  ye  eat  this 
breads  and  drink  this  cup^  ye  do  jhew  the  Lord's 
death  till  he  come)" 

5.  As  Proteftants  we  affirm  that  Chriftians 
have  an  equal  right  to  the  wine  as  to  the  bread 
in  the  Eucharift.  For  thus  fays  St.  Faul  to 
the  Corinthians^  As  often  as  ye  eat  this  breads 
Ki  7rivy]%  and  dri?jk  this  cupy  yedoJJjew  the  Lord's 
death  till  he  come} 

6.  As  Proteftants  we  affirm  that  the  Eucha- 
rift  is  only  a  memorial  of  Chrift's  death,  and 
not  a  propitiatory  facrifice  either  for  the  living 
or  dead.  Let  Chrift  and  his  apcftle  determine. 
Do  this,  fiys  Chrift,  i?i  remembrafice  of  me}- 
And  that  all  Chriftians  were  to  receive  the  ele- 
ments with  this  view  oiily,  St.  Faul  affures  the 
Corinthians  ^  from  Chrift  himfelf.  And  the 
author  to  the  Hebrews  tells  us,  that  by  07te  of  err- 
ing Chriji  hath  for  ever  perfeBcd  thcje  who  are 

fanSiifed ;  and  that  becaule  there  is  retnijjion  of 
fins  under  the  new  covenant,  there  is  no  more  of- 
fering for  /in.  "^ 

7.  As  Proteftants  we  renounce  the  dcd:rinc 
of  Purgatory,  and  affirm  that  the  fiiture  ftate 
is  no  ftate  of  probation,  but  a  ftate  in  which 

men 

^  I  Cor,  xi.  26.  '  Ibid.  *=  Luke  xxii.  19. 

^  I  Cor,  xi,  24.  ^  Hcb.  x.  14-1S. 


[   24  ] 

men  are  unalterably  determined  for  happincfs 
or  mifery.  And  here  we  have  fcripture  anti- 
quity clearly  on  our  fide.  Thus  the  wife  man, 
Ipeaking  of  death,  fays,  I'hen  the  duft  fiall  re^ 
turn  to  the  earth  as  it  was^  and  the  Jpirit  jhall 
return  to  God  who  gave  it^^  without  any  inti- 
mation of  flopping  at  Purgatory  by  the  way. 
And  St.  P^z^/ affirms,  that  at  the  judgment-feat 
of  Chrifl  every  one  jhall  receive  the  things  done 
in  the  body,  according  to  that  he  hath  done,  whe- 
ther it  be  good  or  bad;"  the  necelfary  con- 
fequence  of  which  is,  that  there  can  be  no 
Purgatory  antecedent  to  the  general  judgment 
to  cleanfe  away  mens  guilt  j  for  then  they  could 
not  receive  at  the  judgment  according  to  the 
deeds  done  in  their  bodies. 

8.  As  Proteftants  we  affirm,  that  the  wor- 
fhip  of  God  ought  to  be  performed  in  a  lan- 
guage which  all  men  underfland.  And  here 
we  have  not  only  the  plain  reafon  of  the  thinjy 
with  us,  but  apoftolick  antiquity  too.  For  St. 
Paul  tells  the  Corinthians,  If  I  /peak  with 
tongues,  i.  e.  in  fuch  a  language  as  thofe  I  fpeak 
to  can't  underfland,  what  Jhall  I  profit  you? 
And  hereupon  he  gives  this  command :  Let 
all  things  be  done  to  edifying,  p 

And  finally,  as  Proteftants  we  affirm  that 
all  Chriflians  have  a  right  to  fearch  the  fcrip- 
tures,  and  make  the  befl  ufe  of  them  that  they 
can.  And  here  alfo  we  have  the  authority  of 
Chrift,  Search  the  fcripture.    And  of  St.  Faul^ 

Let 

'■•  Ecclef.  xii.  7.  ^2  Cor.  v.  10. 

f  I  Cor.  xiii.  6—26. 


[  25  ] 

Let  the  word  of  Chriji  dwell  richly  in  you  in  all 
wijdom^  teaching  and  admonijlnng  one  aiiother 
in  pfahns  and  hymns^  and  fpiritual  Jo?igs.  "^ 
Which  command  would  be  impoffible,  if  they 
had  not  the  word  of  Chriil:,  and  the  Scriptures 
of  truth  to  read  and  confuh  for  themfelves. 

Now  if  thefe  Proteflant  doctrines  are  as  old 
as  Chrift  and  his  apoflles,  and  were  taught  by 
t]iem,  as  we  fee  plainly  they  were,  it  is  evi- 
dent that  as  Protefiants  we  have  the  fand:ion  of 
the  mofc  venerable  antiquity  on  our  fide,  and 
this  note  of  the  true  church  of  Chrift  be- 
longing to  us,  in  its  fulleft  perfection.  When 
therefore  the  Papifts  fcornfully  cry  out,  and 
ask  us :  Where  was  your  Church  before  Luther 
and  Calvin  ?  The  anfwer  is  obvious  :  That 
the  docflrine  of  our  church  was  in  the  writings 
of  the  infpired  apoftles,  where  theirs  is  never 
to  be  found  ;  'twas  the  lame  as  was  taught  by 
Chrift  himfelf,  v/hom  they  have  forfaken,  and 
whofe  faith  they  have  corrupted.  And  as  to 
the  profefTors  of  our  dodrines,  they  were  to  be 
found  amongft  thofe  martyrs  and  confeftbrs, 
whofe  blood  their  church  hath  cruelly  ipilt ; 
who  had  from  their  Bifliops  and  Clergy,  and 
Monks,  like  the  antient  worthies,  the  trial  of 
cruel  mockings  and fcourgings  and  bonds  and  ifn- 
frifomnent^  who  were  Jio?ied ,  fawn  afundcr^ 
Jlai?i  with  the  Jword,  wanderi?ig  about ^  thro' 
their  perfidioufnefs  and  cruelty,  bei??g  deftitute, 
aJfliBed,  and  tormented^  of  whom  the  world  was 
not  worthy,  wandering  in  defarts  and  in  moun- 

E  tains^ 

^  Col,  iii.  i6. 


[    26    ] 

tains y  and  in  dens  and  caves  of  the  earth.  We 
willingly  acknowledge  thefe  were  our  prede- 
cefTors,  even  thefe  perfecuted  difciples  of  the 
crucified  Jefus,  who  protefled  again  ft  the  abo- 
minations of  their  church,  and  were  put  to 
death  by  them  for  the  teftimony  of  Jefus. 

But  now  what  genuine  antiquity  have  the 
Papifts  to  boail  oi  in  vindication  of  their 
do(ftrine  and  v^^orfhip  ?  I  confefs  that  they  have 
antiquity  for  many  things  older  than  the  reli- 
gion of  Chrifl  and  his  apoflles  :  They  have 
all  the  idolatrous  nations  of  the  earth,  and  the 
falfe  prophets  and  deceivers  amongfl  the  fews, 
wholly  on  their  fide,  by  whofe  authority  and 
examples  they  may  (if  they  pleafe)  vindicate 
their  own  idolatries  :  They  have  the  Egyptiaji 
men-eaters,  Antiochns  Epiphanes^  Nero,  Do- 
mitian^  and  other  monflcrs  of  mankind^ 
who  went  before  them  in  the  meafures  of  per- 
lecution,  cruelty  and  blood  :  Yea,  they  have 
the  example  of  one  more  antient  than  all  of 
thefe,  that  we  will  allow  them  to  glory  in,  even 
his,  who,  as  our  bleffed  Saviour  tells  us/  ivas 
•a  murderer  from  the  beginning. 

Other  genuine  antiquity  they  have  none  to 
plead.  Many  of  their  dodirines  were  unknown 
to,  or  abhorred  by  the  primitive  church,  and 
are  mere  novelties  and  innovations,  that  were 
originally  introduced  by  fuperflition,  and  then 
maintained  by  cruelty  and  blood. 

The  fupremacy  of  the  Pope,  and  his  title  of 
Univerfal   Bifhop,    was  firfl  confirmed   by  a 

murderer, 

'  John  viii.  44. 


f   27  ] 

murdei-er,  even  by  P  hoc  as  to  Pope  Bom/acelll, 
who  perfuaded  Phocas  to  ordain,  that  the 
church  of  Rome  fliould  be  the  head  of  all 
churches,  and  that  the  Bifliop  of  it  Ihould  be 
called,  Oecumenical  or  UniverJ'al  Bijhop.  This 
was  above  600  years  after  Chrift.  And  tho' 
Bellarmine  denies  that  this  title  was  then  firfl 
given  the  Pope,  yet  nothing  is  more  evident 
than  that  the  Popes  before  this  did  not  alTume 
it  as  a  title  belonging  to  their  See.  For  G^^cgory 
the  Great,  who  was  the  immediate  predecefTor 
of  Boniface  except  one  in  the  See  of  Rojne, 
rejedted  this  title  of  Univerfal  Bifl:iop  with  ab- 
horrence, and  tells  Mauritius  the  Emperor  in 
a  letter  to  him,  '  that  it  was  *  a  blaJphe?nous 
title ^  and  that  no  one  of  the  Roman  Pontiffs 
ever  ajjumed  Jo  fmgular  a  one.  And  in  his 
letter  to  yohn^  Biihop  of  Conl}a?2tinople^  "  he 
fays  to  him  :  JVhat  wilt  thou  Jay  to  Chrijl^  the 
head  oj  the  univerjal  churchy  in  the  day  oj^  judg- 
ment ^  who  thus  endeavour eji  to  fubjeSi  his  me?n- 
bers  to  thy  Jef  by  this  title  of  U?iiverfalf  IVho^ 
I  ask  theCy  do/i  thou  imitate  in  this  but  the 
T)eviP:  And  in  his  letter  to  Conjianiina  tlie 
Emprcfs,  ^  he  lays.  His  pride  in  ajjiuni?ig  this 

E  2  "  title 


"  L.  4.  Ind.   13.  p.   137. 

*  Abfit  a  cordibus  Chriftianorum  nomen  illud  blafphe- 
mis,  in  quo  omnium  facerdotum  honor  adirr.itur,  dum 
'ab  uno  fibi  dementer  arrogatur.  Certe  pro  Bcati  Petri, 
Apoftolorum  principis,  honore,  per  venerandam  Ciiaicedo- 
nenfem  Synoiium,  Romano  Pontifici  oblatum  eit.  Sed 
nullus  eorum  unquam  hoc  fingularitatis  nomen  aflumpfit, 

"  Id.  Ibid.  Epift.  38.  ^  Ep.  34. 


[  28  ] 

title,  fheisjd  the  tunes  of  cmtichrijl  ivere  at 
hand. 

Again,  the  intcrceffion  of  Saints  and  Angels 
is  a  dodtrine  of  which  there  is  not  the  leaft 
intimation  in  the  writings  of  the  two  firll 
Centuries,  and  therefore  it  wants  the  note  of 
genuine  antiquity;  though  it  mufl  be  allowed 
to  have  been  introduced  in  the  very  next  Cen- 
tury following ;  Origen  and  Cyprian  expreflly 
favouring  this  fuperflition. 

As  to  the  worfliip  of  Saints  and  Angels, 
this  is  flill  of  a  much  later  date,  efpecially  as 
a  ftanding  generally  received  dodtrine  of  the 
church.  For  though  Athanafius  was  for 
worfliipping  Saints,  yet  Cyril  who  lived  in  the 
next  Century  fays,  >'  We  neither  call  the  holy 
Martyrs  Gods,  nor  are  li'e  iifed  to  nji'crjl^ip  them. 
St.  Aiifiin  affirms,  that  neither  Saints  7ior  An- 
gels will  be  worflnpped.  And  even  as  low  down 
as  Gregory,  in  the  7th  Century,  he  tells  us,  '^ 
that  Angels  refiifed  to  be  worjhipped Jince  the  ap- 
pearance of  Chrif. 

As  to  the  worfliip  of  images,  though  fuper- 
ilition  had  brought  them  in  in  the  third  Centur}^ 
and  though  as  Platina  tells  us,  rhey  were  in 
the  church  of  Rome  in  the  fourtli,  yet  Pope 
Gregory  before-mentioned,  expreflly  condemns 
the  worfliip  of  them,  in  his  letter  to  Sercnus 
Bifliop  oi  Mar /ei lies.''  Yea  in  the  8th  Century 
tlie  worfliip  of  images  was  condemned  by  a 

Council 

>   Cont.  Jul,  p.   203.   Ed.  Spanhem. 

'■'■  'i\  z-  P- 20.  ^  T.  3.  1.7.  Ep.  III. 


C  29] 

Council  at  Cotijiantiiiopk'm  the  Year  y^^^  con- 
fifling  of  338  Bifhops.  Nor  was  it  till  above 
30  years  after  this,  that  this  idolatry  was  efta- 
bliflied  in  the  Chriftian  Church  by  the  fecond 
Council  of  Nice  in  the  Year  788,  by  the 
intrigues  of  the  Legats  of  Rome^  and  under 
the  influence  of  Irene  the  Emprefs. 

As  to  the  dodrine  of  Tranliibftantiation,  it 
doth  not  appear  to  have  been  fo  much  as 
broached  till  the  8  th  Century,  when  it  was  fo 
far  from  being  received  as  the  doctrine  of  the 
church,  that  it  was  warmly  oppofed  by  the 
moft  learned  men  of  that  age,  and  cenfured  as 
an  innovation.  The  name  itfelf  was  no  older 
than  the  twelfth  Century,  nor  the  dodrine 
ever  decreed  or  eflablilhed  by  any  general 
council,  till  the  council  of  T^rei^t  in  the  Year 

And  as  the  facrifice  of  the  Mafs  depends  on 
that  of  Tranfubftantiation,  it  muft  be  as  novel 
a  dodirine  as  that ;  nor  is  any  thing  more  cer- 
tain than  that  the  beft  writers  for  many  Cen- 
turies make  the  death  of  Chriil  on  the  crofs, 
the  only  propitiatory  facrifice  for  fin. 

As  to  the  communion  in  one  kind  only  for 
the  laity,  this  was  never  introduced  till  the 
twelfth  Century  ;  and  the  Council  o^CoJiflancey 
^  though  they  decree  the  communion  for  the 
laity  to  be  received  only  in  the  fpecies  of  bread, 
yet  in  this  decree  they  own,  that  Chrifi:  infti- 
tuted  the  Sacrament  in  both  kinds,  and  that  in 
the  primitive  church  this  Sacrament  was  re- 
ceived 

^  L'Enf.  Vol.  I,  p.  386, 


t  3°  ] 

ceived  in  both  kinds  by  believers ;  thus  Impu- 
dently did  they  obtrude  their  own  decree  on 
the  world,  in  oppofition  to  the  acknowledged 
appointment  of  Chrifl,  and  the  pra6tice  of  the 
primitive  Church.  And  yet  the  Papifts  have 
the  face  to  boaft  of  antiquity ! 

As  to  Purgatory,  there  is  not  the  leafl:  men- 
tion of  it  in  the  two  firft  Centuries,  and  the 
notion  was  firft  introduced  by  Origcn  in  the 
third,  or  rather  towards  the  beginning  of  the 
fourth  ;  though  Bellannine  himfelf  acknow- 
ledges, ^  that  Origen^  Purgatory  was  very  diffe- 
rent from  that  of  the  Popifli  church,  and  de- 
rived from  the  Flatonick  philoibphy.  And 
therefore  as  Origen^  Purgatory  is  too  late  an 
invention  to  have  the  fandiion  of  true  antiqui- 
ty, much  more  is  the  Popifh  Purgatory  too 
late,  which  though  it  takes  its  rife  from  Origens 
is  quite  different  from  it. 

As  to  the  worfhip  of  God  In  an  unknown 
language,  this  is  not  only  condemned  in  the 
mofl  exprefs  manner  by  St.  Paul^  as  hath  been 
before  obferved,  but  is  contrary  to  the  practice 
of  the  Eaflern  and  Weflern  churches,  for  many 
hundred  years  ;  when  the  Latin  and  Gj'eek 
were  as  much  vulgar  or  common  languages, 
as  any  modern  languages  %vhatfoever.  Pope 
John  VIII  in  the  9th  Century,  "^  though  he  at 
firfl  cenfured  tlie  Slammatis  for  celebrating 
Mafs  in  their  own  tons^ue,  and  commanded 
them  to  do  fo  no  more,  yet  upon  better  mfor- 
mation  he   wrote   to  their  King  a  letter,  in 

which 

''  T.  2.  1.  I.  c.  2.  '-  Coun.  of  Trent,  p.  587. 


[  31   ] 

which  he  tells  him,  that  it  was  not  contrary  to 
faith  and  found  dodlrine  to  fay  Mafs  and  Prayers 
in  their  own  tongue,  and  therefore  permitted  the 
Gofpei  to  be  read  and  Prayers  faid  in  the  Sla- 
vonian language.  Nor  was  it  till  200  years 
after,  that  Pope  Gregor-y  Vll  forbid  the  cele- 
bration of  divine  offices  in  this  way,  command-^ 
jng  the  Prince  of  that  nation  to  oppole  the 
people  herein  with  all  his  forces  3  which  gave 
occaiion  to  numberlefs  cruelties  and  (laughters. 

And  finally  as  to  the  ufe  of  the  Scriptures ; 
that  they  were  univerfally  allowed  to  Chiiftians 
for  their  perufal,  is  evident  from  their  being 
tranllated  into  fo  many  languages,  and  from 
the  moft  exprefs  teflimony  of  the  beft  writers, 
during  the  firft  twelve  hundred  years  and  more 
after  Chrift.  Nor  could  there  be  any  other 
end  of  prohibiting  them,  than  tO"  retain  the 
people  in  profound  ignorance,  and.  keep  them 
in  a  quiet  fubjecflion  to  the  irrational,  unfcrip- 
tural  and  antichriftian  inventions  and  fuperfti- 
tions  of  the  Pr lefts. 

By  this  account  you  fee  that  there  is  no 
comparifon  between  the  antiquity  of  the  Pro- 
teftant  and  Popifli  doctrines ;  and  that  the  true; 
genuine  antiquity  is  on  our  fide ;  and  that  their 
diftinguifhing  tenets  and  prad:ices  are  mere  no- 
velties and  innovations  that  have  neither  the- 
teftimony  of  Scripture,  nor  the  primitive  wri- 
ters of  Chriftianity  ta  defend  and  fupport 
them. 

Note 


[    32    ] 

Note     III. 

The  Cardinal's  third  note  is,  a  perpetual  and 
uninterrupted  duration.  But  this  is  no  diftin- 
guilTiing  note  of  the  true  church,  becaufe  Ido- 
latry and  Paganifm  may  lay  a  better  claim  to 
this  note  than  the  Church  of  Rome^  which 
ieems  to  have  began  from  the  firft  ages  after 
the  flood,  and  continues  to  this  very  day 
amongft  many  nations  of  the  world. 

Befides,  as  the  Cardinal  allows  in  his  iixth 
note,  that  confent  in  doctrine  with  the  antient 
apoftolick  church  is  another  note  of  the  church, 
it  follows  that  where  this  doctrine  is  departed 
from,  there  can  be  no  true  church  of  Chrift, 
even  thougli  there  may  remain  the  Chriilian 
name,  and  fome  external  profeffion  of  Chri- 
ftianity.  And  as  it  hath  been  fliewn  that  the 
church  of  Rome  is  Icandaloufly  departed  from 
the  apoilolick  dodirine,  ilie  wants  the  beft  note 
that  can  be  given  of  her  being  the  church  of 
Chnft. 

And  t'lo'  rhere  is  reafon  to  think  that  there 
will  always  be  a  tme  church  of  Chrift  on 
earth,  yet  this  doth  not  depend  on  any  parti- 
cular churches  uninterrupted  duration  :  For 
particular  cliurches  may  grow  corrupt  and 
utterly  ceafe,  as  was  the  cafe  of  the  feveii 
churches  in  ylfia^  mentioned  in  the  Revelations, 
and  yet  the  true  faith  and  church  be  flill  pre- 
ferved  amongft  others.  And,  of  confequenee, 
the  continued  duration  of  the  church  of  Rome, 


[33  1 

as  a  body  of  Men  calling  tbemfelves  by  the 
Chriftian  name,  is  no  proof  that  the  faith  of 
Chrift  is  not  perverted  and  corrupted  by  hcr^ 
nor  of  confequcnce  that  Ihe  is  the  true  church, 

N   o   T   E      I\^. 

The  next  note  is  ^be  amplitude  of  the  churchy 
or  the  multitude  and  'variety  of  belie'^cers  in  it  ; 
becaule  the  catholick  church,  as  the  Cardinal 
obferves,  muft  embrace  all  nations,  and  kinds 
of  men.     But  if  this  be  a  good  note,  I  am  fare 
the  church  of  Rome  can't  be  the  true  church  ; 
becaufe  it  is  not  catholick  in  this  refped:,  there 
being  but  few  nations  in  the  world  compara- 
tively, who  embrace  her  communion.      The 
Pagans  and  Mahometans  are  vaftly  fuperior  in 
numberto  the  Papifts;  andifthe  different  deno- 
minations of  Chriflians,   fuch  as  Proteflants, 
Grecians,  Armenians,    and  others  that  may  be 
named,  are  added  together,  who  renounce  her 
communion,  the  multitude  will  be  much  lar- 
ger than  the  church  of  Rome  can  boaft  of. 
■     Befides  j  if  this  be  a  dilHnguifhing  mark  of 
-the  true  church,  it  muft  be  fuch  a  mark  as  is 
infeparable  from  her.     But  this  cannot  with 
any  truth  be  aiferted  :  For  in  our  Saviour's  time 
'twas  but  a  little  flock^  as  he  exprefly  calls  it  -, 
and  for  feveral  years  it  was  almoft  wholly  con- 
fined to  the  Jewifli  nation  j  nor  can  it  be  made 
appear,  that  there  ever  was  a  time  when  all 
nations  embraced  the  Chriftian  faith,   much 
lefs  the  faith  of  the  church  of  Rojne, 

F  The 


[   34  ] 

The  truth  is,  the  number  of  behevers  Is  a 
purely  accidental  thing,  and  the  fpreading  of 
the  gofpel  entirely  dependent  on  the  difpofals  of 
providence.  Nations  that  have  embraced  the 
golpel,  have  had  it  taken  from  them ;  witnefs 
the  famous  churches  of  Afia  and  Africa^  which 
are  now  no  more,  tho'  they  were  formerly 
more  numerous  than  all  the  churches  who  are 
within  the  pale  of  the  church  of  Kome  :  And 
others  who  now  have  it  not,  may,  in  God's 
good  time,  be  favoured  with  it ;  the  church, 
in  the  mean  time,  remaining  the  fame,  whether 
more  or  fewer  nations  embrace  her  faith,  or 
enter  Into  her  communion. 

The  time  hath  been  when  herefy  itfelf  could 
boail:  of  numbers,  and  the  world  wondered  to 
J'ee  itjelf  become  Arian.  But  Papifts  will  not 
allow  that  this  is  a  conclufive  argument  to 
prove  that  the  Arians  were  the  true  church  of 
Chrifl. 

Note     V. 

The  next  note  is,  the  fiiccejjion  of  Bifiops  in 
the  Roman  church  from  the  apoflles  to  the  pre^ 
fent  day  j  a  note,  which  tho'  of  no  Hgnificancy, 
is  infilled  on  by  many  who  call  themfelves 
Proteflants,  as  neceilary  to  the  validity  of  all 
facraments  and  adminiltrations  in  the  church. 

But  to  all  fuch  vain  pretences  I  anfwer,  that 
the  terms  of  falvation  and  communion  are  fixed 
by  God  in  the  gofpel  of  Chrifl,  and  that  a 
fincere  compliance  with  them  will  fecure  men 
of  the  blefiings  of  redemption,  independent  of 

any 


[  35] 

any  fucceflion  of  bifliops  and  pallors  from  the 
church  of  RowCy  or  any  other  church  whatfo- 
ever.  The  circumftanccs  of  the  Chriflian 
world,  I  am  flire,  mulf  be  very  deplorable,  if 
the  validity  of  all  adminiflrations  in  the  church 
depended  on  fo  precarious  a  foundation.  For 
hov^^  fliall  Chriflians  know  and  be  affured  that 
the  fucceflion  hath  never  been  interrupted  ? 
Who  will  undertake  to  fliew  them  the  chain 
whole  and  unbroken  ?  A  iingle  link  mifllng, 
upon  this  fcheme,  unchriftians  them  at  once, 
and  leaves  them  to  the  uncovenanted  mercies 
of  God.  And  can  any  man  of  common  fenfe, 
or  that  hath  any  notion  of  the  moral  attributes 
of  God,  believe  this  to  be  the  gofpel  fcheme, 
or  that  God  hath  left  mankind  to  fuch  a  mile- 
rable  ftate  of  uncertainty  ?  Is  there  one  word 
of  this  abfurdity  in  the  facred  records?  or  of 
the  neceflity  of  fuch  a  fiicceflive  ordination  to 
the  efficacy  of  God's  word,  or  fecuring  the  be- 
nefits of  falvation  ?  In  vain  haft  thou  llied  thy 
precious  blood,  O  Jefus,  thou  Son  of  the  eter- 
nal God,  if  there  be  no  virtue  in  thy  facra- 
ments,  unlefs  adminiltred  by  men  who  can  de- 
rive their  orders  without  interruption  from  thy 
apoftles  !  Mufl  the  efficacy  of  thy  fufferings 
depend  on  the  precarious  claims  of  thofe  who 
have  no  records,  no  certain  fad:s  to  make  them 
good  ?  Haft  thou  made  the  validity  of  thy  mi- 
nifters  fervices  to  depend  on  the  orders  they  re- 
ceive from  the  Jy?iagogue  of  Sata?i  ? 

That  fome  of  the  Popes  of  Rome  have  been 
inonllers  of  wickednefs,    and  guilty   of  the 

F  ^  moft 


[  36  ] 

mofl  execrable  crimes,  the  Papifls  themfelves 
allow.  And  were  thofe  mon iters  the  biiliops 
of  Clirifh  ?  Could  there  be  no  true  minifters^ 
no  paflors  of  the  Chriftian  church,  without 
their  receiving  a  findiion  from  fuch  im.pure 
hands  ?  Is  it  any  honour  to  Proteflant  Epifco- 
pacy,  to  derive  all  its  claims  from  thofe  who 
were  not  only  a  fcandal  to  Chriflianity,  but  a 
reproach  to  men  ? 

Befides ;  Ko^v  fliall  we  determine  the  right 
when  the  Popedom  was  divided,  and  there 
were  two  or  three  Popes  together,  ajiathemar- 
tifmg  and  damning  each  other  ?  And  yet  every 
Chriiiian  mull  be  fure.  from  which  of  thele 
Popes  his  Bifliop  hath  derived  his  orders;  and, 
which  is  as  difficult,  that  this  Pope  w^3  the 
genuine  fucceffor  of  the  apoftles,  if  the  validity 
of  all  adminiftrations  depend  upon  this  regular 
boafted  fucceffion. 

I  will  venture  to  affirm  that  the  proof  of 
this  is  an  abfolute  impoffibility;  and  that  if  it 
could  be  proved,  it  would  fignify  nothing,  be- 
caule  the  church  of  Chrift  depends  i)ot  on  the 
fucceffion  merely  of  any  order  of  men,  but  on 
ihe  fucceffion  and  prelcrvation  of  the  Chi'iflian 
doctrine.  Could  the  Popes  oiRomc  prove  their 
regular  lucceffiion  from  the  apoftles,  .yet  if  they 
have  departed  from  the  apoftolick  faith,  they 
are  not  Chriftian  bifliops,  and  therefore  their 
ordinations  are  no  more  valid,  than  if  they 
proceeded  from  an  Indian  Brachman,  or  a 
Mahnmetan  Dervile.  Not  to  add  that  the 
^riam  heretofore  boailed  of  this  fiicccffion,as 

doth 


_      [  37  ]    _ 

doth  the  Grecian  church  to  this  day  ;  who  yet 
will  never  be  allowed  by  the  church  of  Rome 
to  be  the  true  church  upon  this  account. 
The  fixth  note  I  have  already  confidered. 

Note     VII. 

The  Cardinal's  feventh  note  is,  the  jmmi  of 
•the  7ne7nbers  amongjl  themfches^  and  with  the 
heady  becaufe  the  church  is  called  one  hody^  one 
Jpoiife^  and  one  fieeffold.  But  if  by  the  union 
of  the  members  amongft  themfelves,  he  means 
their  being  called  by  any  other  common-  name 
than  that  of  Chrift,  this  note  is  not  good  ; 
St.  I* aid  having  given  it  as  one  mark  of  fchifm, 
to  fay,  I  am  of  Paul,  I  am  o/'Apollos,  and  I 
cf  Cephas.  And  if  he  means  by  the  union  of 
the  members  with  the  bead,  their  union  with 
the  Pope  as  univerfal  bilhop,  this  can  be  no 
•note  of  tlie  church  of  Chrift,  becaufe  this 
title  did  not  belong  to  the  Popes,  and  was  not 
ailumed  by  them,  till  above  600  years  after 
Chrift,  unlefs  the  Cardinal  will  affirm,  there 
was  no  true  church  till  the  time  of  Boni- 
face III. 

Befides,  the-  mere  union  of  perfons  one  with 
another,  is  no  note  of  truth  or  righteoufneis. 
The  Plalmiit  complained  in  his  day,  T^he  kings 
of  the  earth  fet  them/ehes,  and  the  rulers  take 
counfel  together  againji  the  Lord,  and  againji 
'his  Anointed,  -  And  yet  this  confederacy  was 
no  proof  that  their  caufe  was  good.  In  the 
Chriilian  church  Arians  have  been  as  much 

unite4 


[38  ] 

united  as  the  Catholicks,  Pagans  have  been  as 
much  united  as  Chriftians,  and  Mahomet  am 
are  to  this  day  as  much  as  either.  But  will 
this  prove  that  herefy  is  tmth,  that  idolatry  is 
true  woriliip,  or  Mahomet  upon  a  level  with 
the  Son  of  God  ? 

But  fuppofing  that  unity  is  a  note  of  the 
true  church,  how  will  this  prove  the  church 
of  Rome  to  be  that  church  ?  Are  there  no  dif- 
ferences then  of  importance  amongft  the  mem- 
bers of  her  communion  ?  Suppofnig  there  is 
not,  yet  how  have  they  maintained  the  union 
they  boaft  of  ?  Why,  by  violence,  and  the 
terrors  of  the  civil  power :  By  maffacres,  dra- 
gooning, and  the  cruel  mei'cies  of  an  horrid 
inquifition  :  Or  elfe,  by  keeping  their  people 
Ignorant  of  the  word  of  God,  that  they  may 
not  have  eyes  to  fee,  and  ears  to  hear,  and 
hearts  to  underlland,  that  they  might  be  con- 
verted and  faved.  And  is  an  union,  promoted 
by  fuch  antichriftian  methods,  a  note  of  the 
true  Chriftian  church  ? 

But  how  vain  is  this  pretence  to  unity  a- 
mongfl:  the  members  of  the  church  of  Rome, 
Even  thofe  they  call  heads  of  their  church, 
have  differed  from  each  other.  ^  Stephen  VI. 
abrogated  the  decrees  of  Pope  Formofus  his 
predeceiTor,  drew  his  body  out  of  his  fepul- 
chre,  cut  off  his  fingers  which  he  ufed  in  or- 
dination, and  threw  them  into  the  T^iber ;  al- 
ledging  as  a  reafon,  that  he  obtained  the  Pope- 
dom by  perjury.  Romamis  the  next  Pope, 
abrogated  all  the  decrees  of   his  predeceffcM: 

Stephen  i 
^  Flatina, 


[  39  ] 

Stephen ;  and  as  Platitia  obferves,  this  quarrel 
had  fuch  bad  influence,  that  every  following 
Pope  infringed,  or  wholly  abrogated  the  adts 
of  the  foregoing. 

But  this  is  but  a  fmall  matter.  The  Chri- 
ftian  church  was  divided  for  near  forty  years 
together,  by  the  factions  of  the  Anti-Popes, 
there  being  fometimes  two,  fometimes  three 
together,  each  of  them  alTerting  that  he  was 
the  only  lawful  Pope,  and  anathematiiing  the 
other,  and  putting  the  Princes  and  people 
who  would  not  acknowledge  them,  under  an 
interdict. 

And  as  the  heads  of  their  church  have  been 
thus  divided,  fo  alfo  have  the  members  of  it 
too,  and  indeed  are  to  this  day.  Thus  the 
Jefliits  and  Janfenifts  are  as  much  divided  as 
any  Proteftants  about  Predeftination  and  the 
like  articles ;  the  Domifiicans  and  Francifcarn 
about  the  immaculate  conception  of  the  Vir- 
gin Mary.  Others  of  them  differ  about  the 
infallibility  of  the  Pope  :  Others  whether  the 
fupreme  power  refides  in  a  General  Council  or 
the  Pope  ;  the  Synod  of  Conjiance  determining 
for  the  Council,  that  of  T^rent  for  the  Pope ": 
Others  finally,  about  the  obligation  of  the 
Pope's  conflitution  JJnigenkus^  and  the  truth 
of  the  docrines  contained  in  it. 

And  thefe  differences  amongft  the  Papifls 
are  fome  of  them  of  the  higheft  importance 
in  their  fcheme,  and  relate  to  the  foundations 
of  the  church,  and  therefore  of  much  greater 
confequence  than  any  amongft  confident  Pro- 
teftants,   who  all  of  them  agree  in  one  com- 

nwa 


[  40  ] 

mon  Infallible  head  of  the  church,  and  in  one 
fixed  unalterable  rule  of  faith  and  worfliip. 

Note      VIII. 

The  eighth  note,  and  the  only  one  which 
I  fliall  further  mention,  is,  fanHity  of  doSlrine  y 
imd  the  churchy  as  Bellarmine  obferves,  is 
calkd  hol)\  becaitfe  its  profefjion  is  hol\\  contain- 
ing nothing  falfi  as  to  doctrine,  nothijig  impure  as 
to  morals.  As  to  this  note  I  would  obferve, 
that  any  perfon,  or  particular  churches  af- 
fuming  the  name  of  holy,  doth  not  prove  that 
it  is  adlually  fo.  For  thus  the  ^cws  amidfl 
their  moft  abominable  corruptions,  faid  to  c- 
thers.  Stand  b)\  for  I  am  holier  than  thou  / 
who  yet  were  an  ofFenfive  fmoak  before  God  : 
Nor  doth  it  follow,  that  becaufe  the  tme 
church  of  Chrift,  in  all  ages  and  nations,  hath 
a  jufl  title  to  the  character  of  holy,  that  there- 
fore the  church  of  Rome,  or  any  other  parti- 
cular church,  is  an  holy  church  j  becaufe  par- 
ticular churches  may  depart  from  the  purity 
of  the  Chriftian  profellion  :  And  that  this  is 
really  the  cafe  with  the  church  of  Kome,  may 
be  made  evident  by  almoll  innumerable  par- 
ticulars. Give  me  leave  to  mention  a  few  out 
of  many. 

The  dodrinc  of  the  Pope's  fupremacy,  and 
of  his  plenitude  of  power,  and  of  his  bcing 
the  vifible  head  of  the  church,  is  not  a  do- 
<5trine  of  godlinefs  but  gain,    and  hath  been 

adually 

^  Ilaiah  Ixv.   5. 


[41   ] 

adually  abufed  to  the  moft  enormous  immo- 
ralities. 'Tis  in  itfelf  an  impious  invafion  of 
the  prerogative  and  legiilativc  power  of  Ciirift, 
who  is  the  fole  head  of  tlie  church,  and  hath 
never  appointed  any  vilible  head  or  ilibftitute, 
under  him.  Under  this  pretence,  Popes  have 
been  guilty  of  the  moft  execrable  wickednefTes : 
They  have  abfolved  men  from  the  obligations 
of  the  moft  facred  oaths,  broken  the  publick 
faith,  excited  fubjedts  to  rebellion  againft  their 
Princes,  warranted  private  aflaffinations  and 
fecret  murders,  fandiified  unnatural  confpi- 
racies,  and  publick  maflacres ;  diiTolved  ma- 
trimonial contracts,  andjuftified  adulterous  and 
inceftuous  marriages,  and  granted  abfolution 
to  the  moft  notorious  and  abominable  finners. 
I  have  indifputable  fads  for  all  thefe  things, 
which  even  Papifts  themfelves  cannot  deny. 

Again,  the  interceffion  of  Saints  and  Angels, 
and  the  adoration  they  pay  to  them,  and  the 
veneration  they  give  to  images,  wafers,  pidures, 
relicks,  and  the  like  things,  is  a  defiling  the 
temple  of  God  with  idols,  and  in  fome  refpeds 
as  fordid  an  idolatry  as  ever  was  pradifed  by 
the  Heathens ;  v/ho  indeed  fome  of  them  wor- 
fhipped  animals  to  us  deteftable,  but  to  them 
ufeful  and  beneficial.  Whereas  Papifts  bow 
down  to  dead  bodies,  and  even  the  fmalleft 
bones  or  frap;ments  of  thofe  bodies :  which 
had  they  but  touched  under  the  yewiJJ:)  difpen- 
lation,  they  muft  have  remained  unclean  fc-ven 
daysJ>     Yea  the  law  was  yet  fcvcrer :  Whojo^ 

G  e^oer 

f  Numb.  xix.  i6,  20. 


[42] 

ever  touchefh  a  dead  body  ^  or  a  bone  of  a  man^ 
cr  a  gra've,  fiall  be  unclean  /even  days.  And 
the  man  that  J):;  all  be  uncle  any  afid  Jloall  not  pu- 
rify himfelf  that  foul jlo  all  be  cut  off  from  the 
congregation.  And  yet  have  I  my  felf  feen, 
the  bone  of  a  dead  man  enfhrined  in  filver, 
folemnly  placed  on  the  pretended  altar  of  God, 
fprinkled  with  incenfe,  receiving  adoration 
from  a  purpled  Prieft,  elevated  to  the  people, 
prefented  to  an  high-born  Imperial  Princefs, 
and  reverendly  and  devoutly  faluted  by  her  on 
her  knees,  as  if  her  Saviour  had  been  prefent, 
and  come  in  perfon  to  demand  her  fubjedtion 
and  homage.  Good  God  \  Is  this  idolatry, 
this  worship  to  a  bone,  the  rehgion  of  Jeliis  ? 
Is  this  the  purity  of  the  faith  and  worfhip  of 
Kome  ?  0  my  Joiil  come  not  thou  into  her  fecret, 
unto  her  afembly  mine  honour  be  not  thou  united. 

Again,,  what  is  there  in  their  doctrine  of 
Tranfubftantiation  but  a  mixture  of  abfurdity^ 
Gontradidion  and  blafphemy?  The  Prieft  he 
pretends  to  turn  his  bread  into  his  Saviour's 
body  and  blood  and  foul  and  divinity,  Pre- 
fently  he  adores  him,  and  holds  him  up  to  the 
people  for  adoration.  Then  he  immediately 
devours  him,  digefls  him,  and  at  laft  cafts  him 
out  as  an  unclean  thing,  modefty  forbids  me  to 
mention  where. 

How  evidently  are  the  do<5trincs  of  purga- 
tory, private  malfes,  auricular  confcfllon,  prieft- 
ly  abfolution,  penances  and  fatisfa(ftions,  ve- 
nial fins,  and  the  Hke  falfhoods,  all  calculated 
to  promote  the  pradice  of  fin,  and  render  men 

eafy 


[  43  ] 

cafy  in  the  commilTion  of  it  ?  But  it  would 
be  an  almoll  endlefs  tafk,  to  run  thro'  all  thefe 
and  other  dodirines  of  Popery,  and  lliew  you 
how  they  are  calculated  for  the  church's  gain, 
and  to  defeat  the  great  defign  of  the  gofpel  re- 
velation, which  is  to  prepare  men,  by  the 
pradice  of  univerfal  holinefs  and  virtue, 
for  the  reward  of  eternal  life.  And  yet  the 
good  Cardinal  alTures  the  world,  that  his  catho- 
hck  church  maintains  no  error,  no  turpitude, 
and  teaches  nothing  contrary  to  reafon,  tho' 
it  doth  many  things  above  it.  But  thanks  be 
to  God,  we  know  their  errors,  and  deteft 
their  abominations,  and  are  as  fiire  that  they 
have  corrupted  the  fimplicity  of  the  Chrifliari 
faith,  and  the  purity  of  the  Gofpel  worfhip, 
as  we  are  that  the  Scriptures  are  the  infallible 
word  of  God.  And  therefore  let  mc,  as  an. 
inference  from  the  whole. 

Exhort  you  to  beware  of  all  approaches  to 
the  communion  of  the  church  of  Rome  j  for 
if  (he  is  fairly  and  impartially  tried  by  fome 
of  her  own  notes,  Ihe  mufi:  be  condemned  as 
a  falfe  and  antichriftian  church.  I  know  very 
well,  that  there  are  amongfl  us  men  who  al- 
low her  to  be  a  true,  tho'  corrupted  church, 
and  who  derive  their  own  fucceffion  of  Biihops 
from  thofe  of  her  communion,  and  think  that 
the  validity  of  their  own  facraments  and  orders 
depends  on  her  preferving  that  fucceffion  entire  j 
and  who  farther  freely  allow  that  men  may 
be  faved  within  the  pale  of  the  Romifi  church, 

G  z  according 


[  44] 

according  to  the  terms  of  the  gofpel  cove- 
nant, 

And  I  own  that  thefe  and  fuch  hke  concef- 
fions  may  be  very  neceffary  to  the  fupport  of 
fome  certain  fchem.es,  pretences  and  claims, 
But  I  am  very  certain  it  is  doing  no  credit,  nor 
bringing  any  fecurity  to  the  Proteflant  caufe ; 
efpecialiy  as  thofe  who  make  thefe  allowances 
to  the  church  of  Rome^  condemn  all  who  dif- 
fent  from  them.felves,  as  guilty  of  fchifm,  and 
all  their  facraments  and  adminiftrations  as  null 
and  void. 

But  let  us  take  heed,  fellow  Proteilants,  of 
fuch  large  and  fatal  conceffions  as  thefe  ;  which 
thofe  of  the  Romifi  church  actually  employ 
to  inveigle  and  deceive  men  into  their  com- 
munion. They  tell  them,  that  Proteflants 
themfelvcs  allow  their  church  to  be  a  true 
one,  and  that  perfons  may  be  faved  in  and  by 
their  communion.  And  if  this  be  fo,  What 
effecflual  reafon  can  be  urged  to  prevail  with 
men  to  forlake  it,  or  hinder  others  from  em- 
bracing it  ? 

But  I  think  nothing  is  more  evident,  than 
that  the  church  of  Rome  cannot  be,  in  any 
fenfe,  the  true  church  of  Chrifl,  becaufe  fhe 
hath  forfaken  both  the  docflrines  and  worftiip 
of  that  church.  Her  dodtrine  is  impure,  and 
her  worfhip  idolatrous.  The  gofpel  fhe  be- 
lieves and  preaches  is  a  quite  different  one 
from  what  was  taught  by  Chrift  and  his  apo^ 
files,  and  flic  hath  made  void  the  command- 
ments of  God  by  her  traditions.     $he  teaches, 

forgive 


[45] 

forgive  the  expreffion,  'tis  not  mine,  but  St. 
Paul'Sj^^  doBrines  of  devils^  forbidding  to  77iarry^ 
and  commanding  to  abflain  from  ?neats^  which 
God  hath  created  to  be  received  with  thankfgiving. 
Her  coming  hath  been  after  the  working  of  Sa- 
tan with  power ^  fig'^'^^^  ^^^^  lying  wonders^  with 
all  deceive ablenejs  of  iinrighteoufnefe  in  them  that 
ferijlj,  becaufe  they  receive  not  the  love  of  the 
truth  that  they  may  be  faved.  She  leads  men 
to  other  Saviours  and  Mediators  befides  the  on- 
ly one  which  God  hath  appointed,  even  Jefus 
Chrift,  and  boafts  of  another  fund  of  merits 
for  linners  to  depend  on,  befides  thofe  of  the 
crucified  Redeemer.  She  hath  abfolutely  al- 
tered the  terms  of  Chriftian  communion  and 
falvation,  and  teaches  men  how  to  commute 
with  Almighty  God,  and  compound  for  the 
grofTeft  immoralities  of  a  wicked  life.  She 
hath  uncharitably  excommunicated  all  who 
have  protefted  againfl:  her  corruptions,  and  is 
therefore  a  fchifmatical  as  well  as  an  apoftate 
church.  She  hath  altered  the  inftitutions  of 
Chrift,  in  oppofition  to  what  flie  owned  to  be 
his  will,  and  the  pradlice  of  the  primitive 
church,  and  is  therefore  felf-co?idemned,  and 
guilty  of  herefy  as  well  as  fchifm. 

Now  is  it  poflible  that  that  church,  that 
idolatrous,  heretical,  and  fchifmatical  church 
can  be  the  true  church  of  Chrift  j  or  if  we  al- 
low her  to  be  a  branch  of  Chrifl's  church,  is 
fhe  not  a  branch  that  beareth  no  good  fiuit,  or 
rather,    a  corrupted^    withered,    dead  branch 

of 
*  J  Tim.  iv-  ij  3. 


[46  ] 

of  the  true  vine  ?  Or,  to  ule  Bellarmhie\ 
comparifon,  can  fhe  be  confidered  in  any  other 
relation  to  the  true  church,  than  as  the  hairs, 
or  nails,  or  evil  humours  in  a7i  human  body,  i.  e, 
fuch  things  as  men  cut  off  and  purge  out  from 
their  bodies,  to  preferve  the  decency  and  Hfe 
of  them  ?  How  then  can  that  part  of  the 
church,  which  hath  no  yital  principle  herfelf, 
give  hfe  to  her  members  ?  How  can  they  be 
faved  by  the  communion  of  that  church, 
which  hath  no  more  relation  to  the  true  church 
of 'Ghrift,  than  the  dead  branches  have  to  the 
vine,* or  our  very,  excrefcences  to  the  human 
body.' 

"  Were  there  any  of  the  members  of  that 
church  here  prefent,  I  would  befeech  you  by 
the  mercies  of  God,  and  the  love  of  Jefus, 
and  the  compaflion  due  to  your  own  fouls, 
that  you  would  coniider  what  danger  you  are 
in,  by  believing  the  errors,  and  conforming 
to  the  pracftices  (lie  enjoins.  Can  any  of  you 
imagine  that  a  man  can  make  his  God,  and  a 
priefl  turn  a  wafer  into  his  Saviour  ?  Can  you 
eat  your  Saviour  and  God  at  a  morfel  without 
trembling  ?  Can  you  tmft  to  the  mediation  of 
faints  and  angels,  in  defiance  to  the  plain 
doctrine  of  an  infpired  apoftle,  affirming  that 
there  is  but  o?ie  Mediator  between  God  and  man, 
even  the  man  Chriji  "J ejus  f'  Will  you  dare  to 
worfhip  pictures  of  the  invifible  God  j  when 
God  himfelf  tells  you,  you  fliall  neither  make 
i7nages,  nor  bow  down  to  them  and  ferve  theyn  ? 
Will  you  venture  to  venerate  and  worfliip  the 

dead 


[47  ]      _ 

dead  bodies  and  bones  even  of  faints,  who  were 
they  hving,  would  rejedl  fuch  adoration  with  ab- 
horrence ?  Is  not  this  barefaced  idolatry,  thus  to 
give  adoration,  though  of  an  inferior  kind,  to 
mere  idols,  without  any  warrant  from  God, 
yea  in  diredl  oppofition  to  his  moft  exprefs 
order  to  the  contrary?  And  can  theie  idolatrous 
pradiices  be  vindicated  by  any  other  arguments, 
than  thofe  which  the  Pagans  of  old  ufed    in 
vindication  of  their  fuperftitions  and  idolatries? 
At   leaft,    let  mie   prevail  on   fuch,   if  any 
there  be  here,  to  make  a  fair  examination,  and 
to  try  thefe  doctrines  and  pradiices  by  what, 
your  own  priefls  being  judges,  is  the  infallible 
word  of  God.     As  Proteflants  v/e  defire  not 
to  be  believed  for  our  own  word.     We  appeal 
to  the  moft  authentick  antiquity  and  authori- 
ty.    And  we  would  have  you  appeal  to,  and 
judge  by  the  fame ;  and  if  your  priefts  and 
confeffors  refufe  you  this  liberty,  doth  it  not 
look  like  fuipedling  their  own  caufe  ?  Mull  it 
not  be  becaufe  they  dare  not  truft  the  deciiion 
to  that  facred  and  impartial  judge?  I  know 
they  will  tell  you,  that  the  Scriptures  are  hard 
to  be  underllood.     Ask  them  then,  why  they 
appeal  to  Scripture  for  the  tmth  of  fome  of 
their  own  doctrines,  and  whether  there  be  no 
pafTages  of  Scripture  plain,  but  juft  thofe  which 
they  quote  ?  If  they  tell  you,   'tis  dangerous  to 
read  the  Scripture,  aflc  them,  why  then  did 
Chrifl:  command  us,    Search   the  fcriptiires'^ 
Did  the  Saviour  of  mankind  give  this  com- 
mand only  to  enfnare  men  into  dangerous  er- 
rors ? 


1 48 


] 


rors  ?  Or  is  this  the  only  infallibility  of  the 
word  of  God,  that  it  will  infallibly  lead  thofe 
who  honeftly  read  it  into  damnable  miflakes  ? 
'Tis  impiety  to  affert  it,  and  blafphemy  againll 
the  Holy  Spirit  of  God,  under  whofe  infpira- 
tion  it  was  originally  written. 

How  God  will  deal  with  thofe  who,  in  the 
KomiJId  church,  are  invincibly  ignorant  of 
the  Chriftian  faith,  and  deftitute  of  the  word 
of  falvation  to  enlighten  them,  I  will  not  pre- 
tend to  determine.  I  am  far  from  abfolutely 
excluding  them  from  all  fhare  in  his  tender 
mercies.  Hov/ever,  fure  I  am  that  Popery  is 
not  the  religion  of  Chrifl,  and  that  idolatry  is 
reprefented  in  Scripture  as  one  of  thofe  crimes 
for  which  the  wrath  of  God  cometh  o?i  the  chil- 
dren of  dfobedience.  And  therefore  tho'  there 
may  be  a  poffibility  of  their  efcaping  eternal 
condemnation  in  that  church,  it  cannot  be  as 
members  of  it,  nor  according  to  the  fettled 
conditions  of  the  gofpel  falvation ;  and  we 
muft,  I  think,  leave  them  in  the  fame  ftate  as 
yewSy  Mahometans^  and  Pagans^  to  the  unco- 
venanted  mercies  of  God,  and  to  the  difpofals 
of  his  infinite  wifdom,  who  will  deal  with  all 
men  according  to  equity  and  truth,  and  accept 
every  one  in  every  nation^  who  fears  hijn^  and 
worketh  right eoufnefs.  This  poliibly  may  in 
fome  men's  judgment  be  counted  uncharitable- 
nefs.  But  I  would  fain  know,  whether  the 
worfliip  of  an  image,  a  picfture,  a  cmcifix,  a 
dead  body,  or  an  old  bone,  be  not  as  ftupid 
idolatry,  and  as  flat  a  contradiction  to  the  gof- 
pel 


[  49  ] 

pel  religion,  and  as  exprelly  condemned  by  it, 
as  the  idolatries  of  Paganilin  ?  Will  any  then 
vindicate  Chriftians  in  thefe  idolatries,  and 
condemn  the  Pagans  ?  Or  allow  lalvation  to 
the  one,  and  exclude  the  other  from  it  ?  This 
is  judging  deceitfully  and  partially,  and  is  a 
very  inconliftent  condud:.  Either  let  them 
fairly  acknowledge,  that  idolatry  is  no  deadly 
crime,  nor  declared  inconliftent  with  the  terms 
of  the  Chriftian  covenant,  or  let  them  equally 
ceniure  it  where-ever  they  find  it. 

But  as  to  thoie  who  have  been  bred  up  in  the 
Proteftant  religion,  and  have  the  liberty  of  con- 
fulting  the  oracles  of  truth,  for  fach  to 
embrace  the  errors  and  idolatries  of  the  an- 
tichriflian  church  of  Rome ;  what  excufe  can 
be  made  for  their  madnefs  ?  With  what 
plea  can  they  vindicate  fo  fliameful  an  apo- 
ftafy  ?  Do  they  not  willingly  exchange 
truth  for  error,  and  the  worfliip  of  God  for  an 
impure  fuperftition  ?  Can  the  traditions  of  men 
be  a  Hirer  guide  than  the  oracles  of  the  God 
of  truth  ?  Or  can  any  one  think  himlelf  fafer 
in  a  church,  whofe  faith  and  worihip  ftand 
upon  human  decifions,  than  in  thofe  which 
are  built  upon  the  foundation  of  the  Apoftles 
and  Prophets?  Can  that  church  dircd:  us  to  a 
better  and  nearer  way  to  Heaven,  than  the  Sa- 
viour himfelf  ?  If  not.  Come  out  of  her  jjiy  peo- 
fie,  that  ye  be  not  partakers  of  her  Jim,  and 
that  ye  receive  not  of  her  plagues.  For  her  fns 
have  reached  unto  heaven,  and  God  unll  re- 
member her  iniquities, 

H  But 


r  50  ] 

But  I  believe  I  am  fpeaking  to  few  compa- 
ratively, who  have  thus  made  jhipwreck  of  their 
faith  and  a  good  conj'cicnce.  Proteflant  DifTen- 
ters  are  too  jealous  of  their  liberties,  ever  to  be 
brought  to  facrifice  them  to  the  proud  claims 
of  ambitious  Priefts,  and  too  well  cftabliihed 
in  the  grounds  of  the  Proteflant  Religion,  ever 
to  exchange  it  for  the  fopperies  and  deceits  of 
Home.  You  are  acknowledged  even  by  her 
ipiffionaries  to  be  im?noveable^  and  they  reap 
their  harveft  from  another  field. 

Go  on,  beloved  in  the  Lord,  and  hold  your 
flcdfaflnefs  to  the  end.  Know  your  principles, 
and  continue  confiflent  Proteflants.  Let  the 
fpirit  of  Popery,  where-ever  you  difcern  it, 
be  your  abhorrence.  Maintain  the  liberty  of 
your  own  confciences,  and  allow  to  every  one 
the  rights  of  private  judgment.  Authority  and 
blind  fubmilhon  are  the  foundation  and  very 
cffence  of  Popery,  and  the  two  grand  caufes  to 
which  all  its  fuperllitions  and  abufes  are  owing  ; 
and  whoever  they  are,  that  plead  for  this  au- 
lority  over  the  confciences  of  others,  and  in- 
culcate a  blind  fubmifHon  to  the  Priefl  as  the 
duty  of  the  Chriflian  people,  they  are,  whatever 
difguifes  they  may  wear,  enemies  to  the  Prote- 
flant religion  and  liberties,  and  avow  the  mofl 
dangerous  andperiiicious  principle  of  all  Popery. 

Take  heed  farther  of  every  thing  that  may 
give  advantage  to  the  common  enemy  ;  and 
particularly  of  favouring  the  principles  of  in- 
fidelity, ajid  of  that  indiffcrency  in  religion, 
-vvhich  expofes  men  to  b^  pradifed  upon  by 

cunning 


cunning  deceivers,  and  is  indeed  a  fcandul 
and  a  reproach  to  the  Proteft^mt  name  and 
caufe.  The  abuiing  liberty  to  Hcentiouf- 
nefs  naturally  prepares  the  way  for  flave- 
ry  ;  and  when  perlbns  are  indifferent  to  all 
religions,  they  will  when  danger  threatens 
them,  intereft  invites  them,  or  delufive  ap- 
pear^ices  draw  them,  be  ready  to  receive  any. 
And  it  will  be  a  plaufible  argument  in  the 
mouths  of  Popifh  Priells  and  Miffionaries  to 
leduce  others  to  their  corrupt  communion  :  See 
the  effects  of  this  boafted  liberty  amongft  Pro- 
teitants !  The  fame  men  who  have  rejed:ed 
our  communion,  have  thrown  of  their  Cliri- 
ftianity  too  !  They  have  renounced  our  religi- 
on, and  are  grov/n  indifferent  to  all !  And 
th...ugh  this  hind  of  arguing  from  men  to  prin- 
ciples is  fallacious  and  inconcluiive,  yet  it  hath 
a  tendency  to  make  unfavourable  impreffions 
of  the  Protcftant  caufe,  on  the  minds  of  the 
generality,  who  will  much  eafier  be  perfuaded 
to  embrace  a  falfe  religion,  than  to  have  none 
at  all. 

I  therefore  befeech  you,  by  all  that  is  va- 
luable to  you  as  Chriftians  and  Proteffants, 
that  you  endeavour  to  adorn  the  dod:rine  of 
God  your  Saviour,  by  being  exemplary  in  the 
practice  of  every  virtue,  efpecially  iv/'fb  all 
lowlmefs  and  meeknefs,  'with  long-fuffer'mg^  for-- 
bearing  one  another  in  love,  endeavouring  to  keep 
the  unity  of  thejpirit  in  the  bond  of  peace.  Let 
us  beware  of  a  cenforious,  dividing,  and  un- 
charitable tem.per.     *Tis  inconfiftent  with  the 

H  2  fun- 


C    52    ] 

fundamental  principle  of  Proteflantifm,  the 
liberty  of  private  judgment,  and  with  the  ge- 
nuine fpirit  of  Chriftianity,  which  inculcates 
the  mofl  exteniive  benevolence.  Differences 
of  opinion  there  are  in  the  church  of  Rome^ 
and  differences  their  will  be  in  all  churches  to 
the  end  of  time.  But  whilfl  we  adhere  to 
ojie  rule,  and  interpret  that  rule  as  God  enables 
us  to  underftand  it,  Ih-ould  our  differences  in 
leffer  matters  divide  our  hearts,  or  deftroy  that 
brotherly  affec^fion,  which  ought  to  unite  us 
under  our  different  apprehenlions  ?  'Tis  one 
note  that  the  church  of  Rotne  can  be  no  true 
church,  becaufe  (lie  hath  no  charity ;  and  curfes, 
anathematifes  and  damns  all  who  will  not 
ilibmit  to  her  ufurpations.  Oh  that  the  fame 
fatal  fpirit  had  never  enter'd  into  the  churches 
of  the  reform^ation,  to  difturb  their  peace,  to 
diffrefs  their  friends,  and  give  their  enemies  an 
occafion  of  triumph !  Were  Proteftants  like 
the  primitive  Chriflians  of  one  heart  mid  fpirit ^ 
did  they  like  them  lledfaflly  continue  in  the 
Apoftles  doctrine,  and  were  they  but  careful 
more  generally  to  pracflife  the  virtues  of  the 
Chriftian  life,  the  Proteflant  religion  could 
not  fail  to  triumph  over  all  the  cheats  and  im- 
pollures  of  Rofiie,  and  the  moft  fubtle  attempts 
of  her  Millionaries  to  corrupt  and  enflave  us 
would  be  abfolutely  ineffediual. 

Finally,  if,  as  we  have  been  informed,  Po- 
pery is  advancing  with  large  ftrides  into  the 
nation,  and  numerous  converts  are  brought 
into  the  communion  of  the  church  of  Ro?ne^ 

why 


[  53  ] 

why  fliould  not  thofe  who  are  firm  friends  to 
the  Proteftant  religion  ufe  fome  of  the  felf- 
fame  methods  to  prevent  the  growth  of  Pope- 
ry, which  Jefuits  and  others  ufe  to  propagate 
it.  I  am  well  affured,  that  if  the  miffionaries 
who  are  now  amongfl  us  make  any  harveft, 
*tis  amongfl:  the  lower  and  poorer  part  of  the 
nation.  And  to  what  is  this  liiccefs  amongfl: 
them  owing  ?  To  their  poverty  and  ignorance, 
cunningly  applied  to,  by  liberality  on  the  one 
hand,  and  books  of  inftrudion  and  devotion 
(as  they  are  called)  on  the  other.  Their  ne- 
ceflities  are  often  relieved  by  the  charity  of  the 
Popifli  nobility  and  gentry  ;  they  have  coals 
provided  for  them,  to  fupport  them  under 
the  fe verities  of  the  winter  j  they  have  perfons 
to  apply  to  under  their  illnefles,  and  remedies 
freely  given  them,  to  heal  their  difeafes  :  And 
being  fubdued  by  the  kindnefs  of  thofe  who 
thus  minifl;er  to  them  in  their  neceffities,  How 
can  they  think  ill  of  a  religion  that  thus 
prompts  men  to  ads  of  goodnefs  ?  Efpecially 
when  artful  books  arc  put  into  their  hands,  in 
which  the  found  of  Scripture  itfelf  is  abufed, 
in  defence  of  dodrines  "hat  are  a  contradidion 
to  the  genuine  fenfe  of  it. 

o 

And  may  we  not  here  learn  policy  from 
our  enemies  ?  Fas  ejl  ^  ab  hojie  dcceri. 
What  fhould  hinder  you  from  being  as  ge- 
nerous as  they  ?  If  the  poor  are  mcfl:  in 
danger,  'tis  every  good  m?.n's  duty  to  en- 
deavour to  prevent  their  being  corrupted. 
God  hath  bleffed  many  of  you  with  plenti- 
ful 


[  5+] 

ful  fortunes,  and  how  can  you  better  employ 
them  than  in  thellipport  of  liberty  and  true  re- 
ligion ?  Your  own  plenty  ilmuld  render  you 
compalHonate  to  the  wants  of  the  poor.  And 
if  thofe  of  you  who  arc  able,  would  in  the 
fevcral  neighbourhoods  where  you  live,  con- 
fult  the  neceffities  of  the  indigent,  by  helping 
them  under  the  rigours  of  winter,  and  dired:- 
ing  fome  prudent  and  careful  perfons  to  make 
liiitable  application  to  them,  under  their  bodily 
diforders  ;  I  am  perfuaded  fuch  methods  would 
have  their  defired  fuccefs,  and  the  progrefs  of 
Popery  be  effedlually  prevented  ;  efpecially  if 
Bibles,  and  fome  fmall  Books  of  Devotion, 
anel  others  containing  the  grounds  of  religion 
in  general,  and  thofe  of  the  Proteftant  reli- 
gion in  particular,  were  feafonably  diflributed 
amongft  them  :  As  to  which  latter  article,  I 
bc2;  leave  to  fav,  that  if  the  Gentlemen  in  the 
Dilfenting  intereft  are  but  willing  to  encourage 
fuch  a  charity,  your  minifters  will  be  glad, 
many,  I  believe  all  of  them,  not  only  to  draw 
up  fuch  Books  as  may  be  proper,  but  to  put 
them  into  fuch  hands  as  may  mofl  need 
them. 

I  liave  done,  when  I  have  only  added,  that 
if  Popery  be  really  increafing,  and  if  even  the 
'  Prelates  of  the  Eftabiiiliment  are  fenfible  of 
it ;  methinks  they  ihould  be  fenfible  of  the 
necelfity  of  a  flronger  union  amongfl  all  Pro- 
teftants,  and  rendered  willing  by  the  i^wit  of 
their  own  danger,  to  take  away  every  occafioii 

that 

'  Bifhop  of  London^  Letter. 


[  55  ] 

that  may  divide  or  difcontent  them.  We  are 
indeed publickly told,  ^that  any  contentiontojliew 
favour  to  Difenters,  ivhilji  the  nation  is  alarmed 
at  the  groivth  of  Popery\  mufi  be  a  ijceahiefs  in 
thofe  Diffenters  who  promote  it^  and  perhaps  be 
the  only  Jure  means  to  prevent  favour  froin  being 
extended  to  them  in  any  future  time.  I  pretend 
not  to  dired:  thofe  worthy  Gentlemen  who  are 
in  the  direction  of  our  affairs,  how  or  when 
to  ad: :  May  the  God  of  Wifdom  dired:  them. 
But  as  a  Minifter  of  the  Gofpel  I  will  venture 
to  affirm,  that  no  time  can  be  improper  to 
refcue  the  ordinances  of  Chrifl  from  an  aban- 
doned proftitution  ;  and  as  a  Lover  of  Liberty 
I  beg  leave  to  fay,  that  every  time  is  improper 
to  lay  hardships  upon  faithfal  fubjed:s,  or  con- 
tinue them  when  laid  :  As  a  Proteilant,  I 
think  there  can  be  no  lafling  fecurity  again  ft 
the  tyranny  of  Popery,  unlefs  we  thoroughly 
renounce  all  the  principles  of  it,  and  never 
opprels  men  in  any  inftance  for  their  religion 
and  their  conlcience  j  and  if  the  danger  of  its 
increafe  be  really  fuch  as  is  apprehended, 
I  think  all  who  value  the  Proteftant  caufe, 
muft  be  ready  to  do  juftice  to  their  Proteftant 
brethren,  and  thus  render  them  entirely  eafy: 
But  if  this  very  alarm  is  made  the  reafon  of 
refufing  them  this  juftice,  thoughtful  men 
will  be  too  ready  to  fufped:,  that  'tis  only 
a  political  fetch,  to  keep  thofe  lilent,  who 
have  fo  long  had  reafon  to  complain,  and  to 

prevent 
^  Courant  of  'January  lo. 


[  56] 

prevent  their  application  for  the  recovery  of 
thoie  rights  which  they  have  fo  juftly  de- 
ferved,  by  their  readinefs  to  fave  even  the 
Eftabl idled  Church  in  the  time  of  her  dan- 
ger, and  by  a  long  and  uninterrupted  zeal 
for  the  Family  and  Perfon  of  his  prefent 
Majefty,  for  whole  profperity  we  daily  pray, 
and  to  whofe  government  we  wiih  increafing 
Honour  and  Succefs. 


POST'SCRiPTi 


I 


POSTSCRIPT. 

Find  the  laft  paragraph  of  this  Sermon 
hath  given  great  offence,  and  been  repre- 
fen  ted  as  a  defign  to  expofe  and  ridicule  the 
Lecture  itfelf.  Sufpicion  imagines  every  thing, 
and  ill-nature  will  fay  any  thing,  and  'tis  al- 
mofl  impoffible  to  guard  againft  either.  I 
have  been  my  felf  fully  convinced  that  Popery 
is  gaining  ground  amongft  us,  and  I  therefore 
engaged  in  the  ledlure,  w^ith  no  view  to  a6t 
a  treacherous  part  in  it,  as  hath  been  cruelly 
reported  of  me,  but  to  do  all  I  could,  with 
the  reft  of  my  brethren,  to  guard  others  again  ft 
the  inlinuations  of  Popifli  miffionaries,  to 
pervert  them  to  their  antichriftian  prad:ices 
and  doctrines. 

Neverthelefs,  as  the  Bilhop  of  Lo?idon,  in 
his  circular  Letter  to  the  clergy,  tells  them, 
that  the  increafe  of  Popery  is  not  fo  great  as 
hath  been  apprehended  j  and  yet  as  the  author 
of  the  Coura7Jt,  referred  to,  urges  this  increafe 
as  a  reafon  why  the  Proteftant  Diifenters 
fhould  make  no  application  for  the  redrefs  of 
their  grievances,  and  infolently  threatens  them 
if  they  do  :    I   muft  have  the  liberty  to  fay  it 

I  iigain, 


POSTSCRIPT. 

again,  that  thoughtful  men  will  apprehend, 
that  the  alarm  of  the  growth  of  Popery,  juft 
at  this  junfture,  to  which  the  Diflenters  have 
6een'  advifed  and  encouraged  to  refer  thfeir 
hopes  of  relief,  by  the  gentlemen  who  have 
had  the  management  of  their  affairs,  as  well 
as  others,  is  made  ufe  of  as  ^  political  fetch  to 
filenoe  and  difappoint  them  j  if  an  occafion  be 
taken  from  hence  to  refufe  them  the  liberty 
of  applying,  or  render  ineffed-iial  fuch  an  ap- 
plication if -made.  The  Coiirant  before  men- 
tioned gave  rife 'to  the  palTage  complained  of ; 
and  tho'  the'  obfervation  I  drev/  from  it  may 
'be  difplealing  to  fome,  furelyit  cannot  be  Jo 
to  any^  wh6  are  heartily  jii  the"  Diflen ting 
Intcreil,  ©r  lovers  of  the  religion  and  liberties 
^ of  their  country..  X^  ^^  cenfufed  by  fuch 
would,  give  rne'  real -pain.  The  Cenfures  of 
others  "give-  me  neither  pain  nor  .fekr* 


FINIS. 


A  Second 

TREATISE 

O  N     T  H  E 

Notes  of  the  Church : 

ASA 

SUPPLEMENT 

T  O    T  H  E 

SERMON 

Preach'd  at 

Salter s-Hall,  January  16^  1724. 

Being  the  Subftance  of  two  Sermons 
preach*d  at  the  Wednefday  Ledlure  at  the  Old 
Jury,  Jan.  22,  and  29. 


By   Samuel    Chandler. 


Omnes  confitentur,  in  fola  veraEcclefia  efle  veram  fidem, 
veram  peccatorum  remiffionem,  veram  fpera  falutis 
acternae.     Sellarm.  de  Nor.  Ecclef. 


LONDON: 

Printed  for  T.  Cox,  at  the  Lamb  under  the  Royal- Bxcharge , 
R.  Ford,  at   the  An^el;    R.  Hett,   at  the  Bible  aod  Ocwr}; 
and  J.  Gray,  at  ihs  Crofs-Keyj^  all  in  the  Poultry.  Mdccxxxv- 
(  Price  Six  Pence. ) 


IM.    III. 


15, 


Thep  things  I  write  to  thee^—-that  thou 
mayfl  know  how  thou  oughtefi  to  behave 
thy  felf  in  the  houfe  oj  God^  which  is 
the  church  of  the  living  God^  the 
fillar  and  ground  of  truth* 

Aving  in  a  former  difcourfe, 
though  delivered  in  ^  another 
place,  conlidered  the  fcripture 
charadiers  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  fubjedl,  be- 
caufe  I  then  left  it  imperfect.     The  Cardi- 


•  Salters-Hall,  Thurfday,  Jan.  id,  1734- 

A  2  nars 


[4] 

nal's  notes  which  I  then  confidered  were 
thefe  :  i.  The  name  Carholick.  affumed  by 
the  Church  of  Rome.  2.  Antiquity.  3.  Per- 
petual and  uninterrupted  duration.  4.  The 
amplitude,  or  multitude,  and  variety  of 
believers.  5.  The  fucceffion  of  Bifhops  in 
the  Church  of  Rome,  from  the  Apoftles  to 
the  prefent  times.  6.  Agreement  in  do- 
(flrine  with  the  antient  church.  7.  The 
union  of  the  members  amongft  themfelves, 
and  with  the  head.  8.  Sanflity,  or  holi- 
nefs  of  dodtrine.  As  to  thefe,  I  have  fhewn, 
either  that  they  are  no  marks  of  the  Church 
of  Chrifl ;  or  that  if  they  are,  they  do  not 
belong  to  the  Church  of  Rofne. 

Note     IX. 

The  Cardinal's  ninth  note  is.  Efficacy  of 
doSlrine  \  for  the  true  Church  alone ^  fays  he, 
poffeffeth  that  dodfrine  which  converteth  the 
Sout.^  But,  upon  a  little  confideration,  it 
will  appear,  that  this  note  is  far  from  fer- 
ving  the  Cardinal's  purpofe  :  For  the  effi- 
cacy and  fuccefs  of  dodrines,  may  be  afcri- 
bed  to  various  caufes. 

Sometimes  to  the  natural  intrinfick  ex- 
cellency of  the  dodtrines  themfelves ;  their 
being  evidently  agreeable  to  truth  and  rea- 

^  EfFicacia  dodtrinje,  Tola  enim  vera  Ecclcfia  habct 
do6irinam» — convertentem  animam.     Cap.  12. 

fon, 


[5l 

fon,  and  tending  to  promote  valuable  and 
worthy  ends :  To  thefe  caufes,    the  fuccefs 
of  the  gofpel  religion  was  owing  upon  its 
firft  publication,  though  preached  by  men 
contemptible,    as    to  outward   appearance, 
who  had  neither  arms  nor  eloquence  to  en- 
force them  on,  or  recommend  them  to  the 
world ;     yea,     though    the  dodlrines   they 
preached  had  no  temporal  advantages  to  re- 
commend them,  but  the  profeiTion  of  them 
was  almofl  fure  to  be  attended  with  perfe- 
cution,  poverty,  and  death.     And  this  fuc- 
cefs of  the  gofpel,  as  it  was  partly  owing 
to  its  natural  excellency  and  goodnefs ;  its 
approving  it  felf  to  the  reafon  and  confci- 
ences  of  mankind  ;  and  its  evident  tendency 
to  promote  the  higheft  happinefs  of  men, 
in  the  knowledge,  fervice,  and  acceptance 
of  God ;    was,    amongft  many  others,   one 
good  argument  of  its  truth,  and  agreeable- 
nefs  to  the  will  of  God.     Whereas  the  pe- 
culiar dodrines  of   the  Church  of   Rome^ 
cannot  poflibly  have  any  efficacy  upon  thefe 
accounts;  becaufe  they  are  many  of  them 
abfurd   and   contradidory  to  all   the  prin- 
ciples of  reafon,    and  almoft  all  of  them 
calculated  to  promote  the  power  and  pro- 
fit of  the  Priefts,  and  to  bring  the  Church 
of  God  into  the  moft  abjed  and  deplorable 
Ilavery. 

The  dodrine  of  Tranfubflantiation  is  aa 
infult  upon  common  fenfe,     an    objedion 

which 


[6] 

which  '^  Bdlarmine  urges  again  ft  fomc  of 
the  principles  of  the  Lutherans^  to  ftiew 
they  cannot  be  true  :  For,  how  can  that  be 
the  body  and  blood  of  Chrift,  which  our 
light,  fmell,  feeling,  and  tafting,  affure  us 
is  nothing  more  than  a  wafer,  or  piece  of 
bread?  How  can  the  individual  body  of 
Chrift,  which  is  but  one,  and  v/hich  is  now 
in  heaven,  be  multiplied  into  a  thoufand 
bodies  at  once,  and  be  in  the  fame  inftant 
in  a  thouland  places,  and  eaten  a  thoufand 
times  over  upon  earth,  and  yet,  at  the  fame 
time,  remain  whole  and  uneaten  in  hea- 
ven ?  How  is  it  poflible  that  Chrift,  who 
inftituted  the  Sacrament,  could  give  him- 
felf  to  his  difcipies  with  his  own  hands,  fee 
himfelf  eaten,  fwallowed,  and  devoured 
by  them,  without  being  eaten,  fwallowed, 
and  devoured  at  all  j  be  at  the  fame  time 
broken,  and  unbroken,  within  his  Apoftles, 
and  without  them  ;  be  at  the  fame  inftanc 
folid  as  bread,  and  liquid  as  wine-,  be  as  big 
as  a  man,  and  as  fmall  as  a  moriel  of  bread  ? 
Was  ever  invention  fo  monftrous  as  this  ? 
Ever  any  dodtrine  compounded  of  fuch 
palpable  and  ftupid  abfurdities  ?  Is  it  not 
an  outrage  upon  every  thing  called  fenfe  or 
reafon  ? 

■  Apeite  rcpugnat  veritati,  ut  Auguftinus  fcribat, 
iujunatn  faccre  humanis  fcnlibus  qui  hoc  dicunt.  De 
Not.  Ecclcf  Not.  %, 

2  Again, 


[71 

Again,  the  worfliip  of  images,  pidures, 
dead  mens  bodies,  relicks,  and  the  like 
things,  is  a  contradidtion  to  the  plained 
di<States  of  truth  and  reafon,  which  lead  us 
to  the  adoration  and  worfhip  of  God,  the 
fupreme  and  ultimate  obje<ft  of  worfhip  ; 
who  cannot  be  reprefented  by  any  fenfible 
appearances,  nor  approve  of  any  veneration 
given  by  rational  beings  to  dead  inanimate 
objefts,  that  have  neither  eyes  to  fee,  nor  ears 
to  hear,  nor  tongues  tofpeak  with. 

I  am  willing  to  allow,  that  the  worfhip 
paid  to  thefc  things  is  relative  only,  or 
given  to  them  for  the  relation  they  have  to  V 

the  objedts  they  reprefent :  So  alfo  was  the 
worfhip  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  monflrous 
impiety  :  And  with  the  highefl  reafon  ;  be- 
caufe  dead  and  lifelefs  images,  or  pidures, 
can  be  no  proper  reprefentations  of  the  li- 
ving, fpiritual  and  invifible  God  j  and  there- 
fore not  worthy  of  any  relative  veneration^ 

''    n«/f«.)|U«J'©-     eTs     Ail    T/    TSm    ruv    ^iUV    iVffzQii    S'ldL- 

KO-t  7a.  ctya.\ixa\a.  riy-t^i  x.cti  o(nccj/j@-,  (riCo^jLiv©-  utrxif 
ttv  ii  'sra.^oif](ti  iu^a.  T«f  ^Ui.  AyctKfjLetJct  yug  kcci  /3«//Kf, 
Xrt/  T^VfQ-  affCi^a  (fiv^AKriVy  Kctl  n^ctvla.  cfTtKcc^  ta  TOiavji 

iHilVA   ■^iVi   VOlXiaufXiV,     etAA.'  iVA     J^t'  AvJuV  TUf   -^s'jjf    ^iPA' 

'^ivg-cof^iv.    Julian,  p.  193.  Edic.  Spanhetii. 

becaufc 


'"♦caufe  thofe  images,  or  pi(flures,  cannot 
m  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  worfhiping  them,  is  an  ab- 
furd  and  irrational  fuperftition.  For  be- 
lides  that,  there  is  no  warrant  for  this  in 
the  New  Teftament  records,  'tis  impoflible 
to  make  any  true  reprefentation  of  him, 
as  exalted  to  the  right  hand  of  glory,  or 
that  an  idol  made  by  the  ftatuary  or  carver, 
and  called  by  his  name,  fhould  deferve  that 
outward  proflracion,  or  inward  veneration, 
which  is  due  to  Chrill  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  ir,  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  pi(ftures  of  the 
Virgin  Mar)\  and  the  Saints,  together  with 
their  dead  bodies  and  relicks,  the  worfhip- 
ing  them  is,  if  poffible,  worfe  folly  and 
fuperftition  than  the  other  j  becaufe  there 
is  no  reafon  or  precept  for  worfliiping  thofe 
perfons  themfelves,  and  by  confequence, 
none  for  worfliiping  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] 

to  the  plaineft  intimations  to  the  contrary, 
is  real  idolatry ;  what  name  of  reproach 
mud  the  worfhiping  or  venerating  their 
images  and  relicks  deferve  ?  This  pradtice 
of  worfhiping  dead  bodies,  and  fcraps  of 
bodies,  is  more  ftupid  and  abfurd  than  al- 
moft  any  thing  to  be  found  amongfl  the  Pa- 
gans  i  who,  though  they  often  deified  their 
dead  heroes,  yet  either  buried  their  bodies, 
or  let  them  remain  quiet  and  uiadifturbed  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  canfufficient- 
ly  abhor  your  pradi ice ^  in  adding  jo  many  new 
dead  per fons  to  him  who  formerly  died  ?  Tou 
have  Jilled  all  places  with  fepulchres  and  mo^ 
numents^  though  'tis  no  where  commanded 
you  to  kneel  before  and  worfhip  them  j  yea^ 
in  oppoftion  to  the  words  of  Jefus,  Matt, 
xxiii.  27. 

Other  inftances  might  be  mentioned, 
fuch  as  worfhiping  in  an  unknown  tongue, 
and  keeping  the  Scriptures  from  the  know- 
ledge of  the  people  j  becaufe  common  fenfe 

Julian,  p.  43. 

TloKkai  i'Xii<TcLyov\Zi    red  <ssa.K<ti  ViK^a  tk?  '3rfoo"^a7«< 

TAtpeov  Kctl  f^VH[^etl<i)Vy    KAt   701    tsK,    ilfn]a.l    'Sretf    V[J(.IV    Vii'AfU 

To/f  TAipoii  'o^offKvhtvi'it^ou  KAi  'Uifii'Kitv  Avjuf,  &c.  Cyril. 
Cont.  Jul,  p.  3  J  J. 

B  and 


[lo] 

arid  reafon  evidently  aflure  us,  that  there 
can  be  no  rational  devotion  without  know- 
ledge ;  and  that  if  the  fcripture  be  the  word 
of  God,  and  contains  a  revelation  of  the 
divine  will  to  all  mankind,  all  mankind 
mufl  be  concerned  to  underfland  it,  and 
muft  by  neceflary  confequence  have  a  right 
to  read  and  fearch  it. 

And  as  thefe  and  the  like  dodlrines  are 
evidently  abfurd  and  contradictory  to  the 
principles  of  reafon,  fo  they  are  plainly 
calculated,  not  to  promote  any  real,  wife 
and  valuable  purpofe,  but  to  aggrandife  the 
power  of  the  priefts,  and  to  be  a  lafting 
fund  of  riches  to  the  clergy.  What  an 
high  opinion  mufl  the  people  have  of  their 
prieils,  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  th<sy  can  deliver  them  from  all  the 
pains  of  Purgatory,  and  fend  them  flrait  to 
heaven  by  the  repetition  of  a  few  mafTes 
for  their  fouls  ?  How  large  are  the  revenues 
that  flow  from  the  profitable  dodrines  of 
Purgatory,  mafTes,  prieflly  abfolutions,  pe- 
nances, and  the  like  fuperftitions  ?  How 
Vaft  the  influence,  which  the  priefls  and 
confefTors  have  over  private  perfons,  fami- 
lies, and  nations,  by  auricular  confefTions, 
lur.  when 


[    •!] 

when  they  are  let  into  the  fecrets  of  mens 
conclu<9:  and  confciences,  and  have  a  power 
to  enjoin  them  what  difcipline,  and  penan- 
ces, and  fatisfa6lions  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  prielts, 
at  the  expence,  and  upon  the  moft  certain 
ruins  of  each  of  thefe  dear  and  valuable 
interefts.  So  that  let  the  efficacy  of  their 
dodtrines  be  what  it  will,  it  can  be  no  evi- 
dence that  their  church  is  the  church  ot 
Chrift ;  becaufe  that  efficacy  cannot  pro- 
ceed from  the  intrinlick  excellency  of  thefe 
doiflrines,  their  conformity  to  truth  and 
reafon,  and  their  tendency  to  promote  the 
real  intereft  and  happinefs  of  mankind. 

The  efficacy  of  particular  dodtrines, 
however  abfurd  and  falfe,  and  particularly 
of  thofe  of  the  church  of  Rome^  may  be 
very  eafily  accounted  for  by  reafons,  that 
will  refledl  but  little  honour  upon  the  fuc- 
cefs  that  may  attend  them.  When  do- 
ctrines are  invented  fuitable  to  the  corrupt 
paffions  and  affeftions  of  mankind,  fuch 
dodtrines  as  tend  to  render  them  eafy  in. their 
vices,  and  reconcile  falvation  with  the  im- 
moralities of  a  wicked  life  ;  'tis  no  wonder 
that  even  the  generality  of  mankind,  who 
are  led  more  by  the  inftindts  of  fenfe,  than 
B  2  the 


the  didates  of  reafon,  (hould  be  found  to 
countenance  and  embrace  them  ;  for  as 
Bellarmine  obferves  under  this  very  note  », 
What  difficulty  is  there  to  injlill  poifon  into 
a  majiy  who  is  ready  prepared  to  take  it  ? 
Hence  St.  Paul  afcribes  the  prevalence  of 
error  to  this  very  caufe.  Thus  he  tells  the 
TheffalonianSy  that  God  wouldy^w^  a  ftrong 
delujion^  that  thofe  fljould  believe  a  lye  who 
had  pleafure  in  unrighteoufnejs,  2  Thejf.  ii. 
10,  II,  12.  And  in  his  2*^  epiftle  to  'Timo- 
thy, he  fays,  evil  vien  and  feducers  Jhall  wax 
worfe  and  worfe,  deceiving  and  being  de- 
ceived.  Chap.  ii.  13. 

Some  of  the  dodlrines  of  Mahometanifm 
were  thus  made  palatable  to  the  inclinations 
of  thofe,  to  whom  that  impoftor  addrefled 
himfelfi  and  that  this  is  really  the  cafe 
with  many  of  the  dodtrines  of  Popery, 
hath  been  {hewn  under  a  ^  former  head. 

Again,  the  prevalence  or  efficacy  of  cor- 
rupt dodtrines,  is  oftentimes  owing  to  deep 
ignorance,  and  the  want  of  means  of  bet- 
ter information.  To  this  the  fuperftitions 
and  idolatries  of  Paga?ii/m  were  in  a  great 
meafure  to  be  attributed.  This  was  one 
reafon  of  the  fuccefTes  of  Mabofjiet,  and  of 
the  efficacy  of    his  dodrine  amongft   the 

B  CKiK  enim  ditficultas  eft  inftillare  venenumho- 
mini  pararo  ad  id  fLimendum  ? 
'^  See  Note  VIII. 

Ara- 


[13] 

Arabians ',  and  the  Papifts  well  know  that 
their  own  errors  and  antichriftian  practices 
are  fupported  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  rigoroufly  pro- 
hibit all  inquiries  and  difputes  about  reli- 
gion, and  inculcate  an  implicit  faith  in  the 
dictates  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- 
rifh  under  the  protection  of  ignorance  ? 

Add  to  this  the  great  fubtleties  and  many 
arts  they  make  ufe  of  to  propagate  their 
dodtrines;  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  perfuadc 
them  that  the  confecrated  wafer  is  the  body 
and  blood  of  Chrift,  they  have  invented 
flories  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  eftablifliment  of  the  deluded  people. 
To  confirm  them  in  the  worfhip  of  images, 
they  tell  them  of  their  fweating,   moving 

their 


[  >4  ] 

*ieir  eyes,  bowing  their  heads,  and  per- 
vorming  many  wonderful  cures  ;  which  arc 
either  the  tricks  of  cunning  priefts,  or  ow- 
ing to  fatanical  delufions ;  it  being  impof- 
fible  that  God  fliould  perform  any  miracles 
for  the  eftablifliment  of  fo  impious  a  fuper- 
flition.  In  like  manner  the  liquefadtion  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  eftablidi  the  people  in  the  gainful 
dodrines  of  Purgatory  and  mafles.  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  iliame  and  confufion 
of  the  authors  and  prad:ilers  of  them. 

Befides  this,  they  frequently  endeavour 
to  fupport  and  colour  over  their  dodrines 
by  the  found  of  fcripture-cxpreflions ;  or 
by  altering  the  words,  and  corrupting  the 
fenfe  of  it.  Thus,  to  prevent  their  peoples 
abhorrence  of  image  and  idol  worfhip,  they 
2  have 


C  15  3 

have  fometimes  taken  away  the  feoond  com- 
inandment ;  and,  to  keep  up  the  number  of 
ten,  have  divided  the  tenth  into  tv^^o.  To 
prove  thedodtrine  ofTranfubflantiation,they 
urge  the  literal  fenfe  of  the  words,  ^his  is 
my  body.  And  by  the  fame  way  they  might 
prove  that  Chrift  is  a  door,  and  a  vine ;  and 
that  God  himfelf  is  pofTefled  of  all  bodily 
parts  and  paflions.  To  prove  that  holy 
order  is  a  facrament  inftituted  by  Chrift, 
they  cite  thofe  words,  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  doctrine 
of  Purgatory,  they  urge,  He  himfelf  Jlmll 
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  thofe  who  will 
be  at  the  pains  to  confult  their  confeflions 
and  catechifms. 

And  to  render  all  thefe  arts,  and  the  like, 
the  more  eftedtual,  the  RomifJo  priefts  pre- 
tend great  compaflion  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  ftatej  that 
Proteftants  allow  falvation  in  the  commu- 
nion of  the  church  of  Rome-,  that  they  are 
divided  amongft  themfelves,  and  that  they 

cenfure 


r  i6  ] 

cenlure  and  condemn  each  other  for  their 
differences ;  and  to  render  all  thefe  arcs  the 
more  effedual,  they  ftrengthen  them  with 
money  and  gifts,  and  other  the  like  appear- 
ances of  charity. 

And  finally,  where  all  thefe  things  will 
not  do,  they  have  other  methods,  not  lefs 
powerful  to  convince  and  convert  gain- 
fayers,  and  fecure  the  defired  efficacy  to 
their  dodlrines.  'Tis  well  known  that  he- 
refy  amongft  the  Papifts  is  a  capital  crime, 
and  puniflied  in  the  moft  dreadful  manner 
that  the  art  of  man  can  invent  j  and  that, 
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  righteoufnefs, 
fhould  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 
way  in  all  ages,  either  to  convert  men  by 
force,  or  deftroy  all  oppofers  of  their  errors 
and  fuperftitions.  Thus  they  propagated  and 
fupported  them  in  Great  Britain  by  fire  and 
faggot  J  in  Ireland  by  the  mafTacre  of  above 
one  hundred  and  forty  thoufand  Proteftants ; 
in  France  by  publifliing  crufadoes  againft 
hereticks,  deftroymg  their  cities,  and  mur- 
dering thoufands  for  their  religion  and  con- 

fciences ; 


[  '7  J 

fciences;  and  by  the  P^r//?^«  '  mafTacre,  for 
which,  tho*  contrived  and  carried  on,  and 
executed  with  diabolical  perfidioufnefs  and 
cruelty,  a  jubilee  was  appointed  at  Pan's, 
and  folemn  thanks  returned  to  God,  as  tho' 
it  had  been  a  facrifice  acceptable  to  him. 
And  not  only  thus,  but  as  Thua?2us  ^  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  Rome^  and  appointed 
a  jubilee  over  the  whole  Chriftian  world, 
for  this  {laughter  of  the  hereticks  in  France, 
And  I  have  now  by  me  an  oration  o(  Antony 
Muretus^  in  praife  of  Charles  IX.  pronoun- 
ced at  Rome  before  Pope  Gregory  XIII.  in 
which  he  '  bleffes  that  memorable  night  in 
which  this  accurfed  llaughter  was  committed, 

extols 

•  Thuanus,  Vol.  III.  p.  140.  Edit.  Buck. 

•^  Ibid.  p.  152. 

^  O  noftem  illam  memorabilem,  et  in  faftis  eximias 
alicujus  notje  adjcftione  fignandam !  qus  paucorum 
fcditioforum  intcrritu,  regem  a  prxfenticiedis  periculo, 
regnum  a  perpetua  civiliam  bcllorum  formidine  libe- 
ravit.  Qua  quidem  no6le  ftellas  equidem  ipfas  lux- 
iffe  folito  nitidms  arbitror,  et  flumen  Sequanam  ma- 
jores  undas  volvifle,  quo  ilia  impurorum  hominum  ca- 
davera  evolverec  et  exoneraret  in  mare.  O  feli- 
cidimam  mulicrem  Catharinam  regis  matrem,  quae 
cum  tot  annos  admirabili  prudentia  parique  follici- 
tudine  regnum  filio,  filium  regno  confervaflet,  turn 
demum  fecura  regnantem  filium  adfpexit  !     O  regis 

fratres,  ipfos  quoque  beatos! O  di&m  denique  il- 

C  lum 


[  .8  V 

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  moji  blejj}d  Father^  for  his  going  in 
proceffion  to  return  thanks  to  God  and  St. 
Lewis  for  the  welcome  ?iews  when  brought  to 
him.  And  even  to  this  day  they  fupport 
their  fuperftitions  by  dragoonings,  impri- 
fonments  and  death  in  that  kingdom  ;  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  dodlrines  are  fuccefsful,  when  that  fuc- 
cefs  is  owing  to  fuch  violent  and  bloody 
meafures  ?  "'  Bellarmine  himfelf,  wheii 
urged  with  the  fuccefs  of  Mahometanifm, 
rightly  objcdls,    that  the  great  numbers,  who 

luni  plenum  Ijctitiaj  ct  hilaritatis,  quo  tu,  Beatiffime 
Pater,  hoc  ad  re  nuncio  allato,  Deo  inimortali,  et 
Divo  Hluciovico  rcj^i,  cujus  hxc  in  ipfo  pervigilio  eve- 
nerant,  gratias  uftuius,  indictas  a  te  fupplicationes 
pedes  obriiti !  Quis  autem  optabilior  ad  te  nuncius 
adferri  porerat  ?  aut  nos  ipfi  quid  fclicius  optare  potc- 
ramus  principium  pontificatus  tui  ?  Aluret.  Orat. 
Vol.  I.  p.  197,  198.  £(lit.  Lulec. 

"*  Mahumetani  autem  traxeruntquidem  multos  j  fed 
rerrore  arniorum,  non  vi  et  edicacia  doflrince,  Quarc 
ipfcmet  Mahunietus  in  Alcorano,  c.  18,  19.  docet, 
bello  cogendos  homines  ad  fidem.  'De  Not.  EcileJ 
iap»  12. 

embraced 


[  19] 

embraced  //,  were  drawn  over  by  the  terror 
of  arjus^  not  by  the  force  a?id  ejfcacy  of  its 
do£irine\  and  that  Mahomet  himfelf  taught 
in  his  Alcoran,  that  ?nen  are  to  be  forced  by 
war  to  the  faith.  If  this  be  an  objedion 
^g^lnH  Mahometanifm,  it  mufl  be  equally  fo 
againfl  Popery  ;  which  teaches  and  ufeth  the 
fame  methods  of  propagation,  and  hath  fpilt 
more  blood  in  fupport  of  her  Antichriftian 
dodlrines,  than  hath  been  ever  fpilc  by  the 
Mahometan  princes  merely  on  account  of 
their  religion.  So  that  the  efficacy  of  the 
dodtrines  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  wlien  once  this 
falfe  religion  hath  got  hold  of  their  minds, 
it  renders  them  obftinate,  and  averfe  co  all 
information  and  farther  knowledge,  and 
enemies  to  the  very  means  of  their  con- 
vid.ion  and  falvation :  It  fills  them  with  a 
cenforious,  uncharitable  fpirit,  and  with 
rancour  and  malice  towards  all  who  differ 
from  them ;  it  too  often  prepares  them  for 
the  moft  execrable  villanies,  and  changes 
the  natural  fentiments  and  dictates  of  com- 
C  2  paffion 


C  5ol 

paflion  and  tcndernefs  into  an  unrelenting 
hardnefs  of  heart,  and  an  infernal  fatisfa- 
<5tion  in  the  punifliments  and  miferies  of 
others.  For  as  Dr.  Geddes  obferves  of  the 
Portugueze^  tho'  all  other  malefadors  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  Jiifferings  are  beheld^  by  perj'ons 
of  both  fexes  and  all  ageSy  with  fuch  tran- 
/ports  of  joy  and  fatisfaiiiony  as  are  not  to  be 
met  with  on  any  other  occaftons  whatfoever. 
Such  is  the  fpirit  of  their  religion  !  fuch  the 
dreadful  efficacy  of  their  dodrine! 

Whenever  thefe  are  the  natural  effects  of 
any  principles,  nothing  can  be  more  certain 
than  that  they  muft  be  contrary  to  truth 
and  religion.  And,  indeed,  nothing  can 
be  more  fallacious  than  to  argue  from  the 
prevalence  of  any  dodtrines  to  the  truth  and 
divine  authority  of  them  :  For  the  Maho- 
metan religion  is  much  more  unlverfal  than 
that  of  Chriftianity  to  this  day  ;  and 
amongft  Chrillians,  At'ianifn:  could  once 
boall:  of  its  fucccfles,  and  of  having  pro- 
felvted  many  nations  and  kinfrdonis.  And 
at  this  day.  How  many  nations  embrace  the 
reformatiot),  and  the  docflrines  of  the  Prote- 
fl:ant  religion.?  And  therefore,  if  the  mere 
efficacy  of  dod:rine  be  a  certain  note  of  the 
church  of  Chrjl>,  the  Papiils  muft  allow 
2  that 


[  a.  ] 

that  we  are  as  much  the  true  church  of 
Chrift  as  themfelves ;  and  they  have  no 
other  way  to  extricate  themfelves  out  of 
this  difficulty,  but  by  faying  with  "  Bel- 
lor  mine,  that  Here  ticks  only  deceive  men, 
but  cannot  convert  them  to  the  faith,  which 
is  (hamefuUy  to  beg  the  queftion,  but  not 
to  anfwer  the  objedion ;  and  Proteflants 
may  with  the  highefl  reafon  retort  the  Car- 
dinal's words  upon  himfclf.  The  Papifts 
only  deceive  men,  but  cannot  convert  them 
to  the  faith.  Papifts  have  indeed  the  firip^ 
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  Protejiants ;  for  men  are  prone 
to  go  down  into  the  broad  and  eafy  way 
which  Popery  opens ;  and  God  fuffers  it  to 
be  foy  becaufe  of  their  ingratitude,  who  ha- 
ving been  once  enlightned,  have  not  brought 
forth  good  fruits,  anfwerable  to  the  light 
they  have  received  ®. 

"  Majorem  partem  Gothorum  fuifle  ab  Arianis  de- 
ceptam.  Non  igitur  convertunt  homines  ad  fidcm  h«- 
retici,  non  poffunt.     Ibid. 

^  Hasretici  habcnt  quidem  fcripturam,  fed  non  ha- 

bent  verum  fenfum   Ibripturarum. Neque  etiam 

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  eorum,  qui  femel  funt  illuminati,  et 
lumini  acccpto  bonis  operibus  non  refpondent.  Id. 
Ibid, 

To 


["  ] 

To  conclude  this  head,  the  mere  efficacy, 
or  want  of  efficacy  in  any  do<5lrine,  proves 
nothing  what  the  nature  of  it  is.  As  error 
it  felf  hath  often-times  amafing  fuccefs,  and 
gains  over  innumerable  profelytes,  fo  truth 
is  often-times  defpifed  and  rejedted ;  and 
yet  remains  truth,  though  fhe  hath  few  or 
none  to  follow  her.  Even  our  Saviour 
himfelf  was  wickedly  treated  by  the  Jews, 
and  he  had  but  few  who  received  him,  or 
embraced  his  dodrine.  His  Apoftles  after 
him  were  oppofed  and  perfecuted,  and  the 
number  of  converts  they  made,  but  com- 
paratively fmall  with  the  reil  of  mankind. 
And  yet  they  were  the  mefTengers  of  God, 
and  their  religion  founded  on  truth,  and 
worthy  the  acceptation  of  all  mankind ; 
and  the  reafon  why  their  dod:rine  had  no 
more  efficacy  and  fuccefs,  was  not  any  de- 
fed:  in  its  intrinlick  excellency,  or  want  in 
the  evidence  which  attended  it  j  but  the 
iinful  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  dodtrines  of  Chriftianity. 

Note     X. 

The  next  note  is,  ^  the  holinefs  of  the  Jives 
of  the  authors^    or  Jirji  fathers   of  our  reli- 

P  Sanflitas  vitai  audorum,  five  primorum  patruni 
noftra?  rcligionis.     'Dc  Not.  Ec.  Cc^f.  13. 


[^3  3 

gio7t ;  fiich  as  the  patriarchs  and  prophets^ 
then  apojiles  and  teachers^  and  lajlly  the  foun- 
ders of  religious  orders  ;  who,  as  Bellarmine 
affirms,  were  pious,  chart,  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  I  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  holinefs  of  whofe 
lives  is  a  great  recommendation  of  the  do- 
<5lrines  they  taught;  and  confequently  by 
whomfoever  that  dodirine  is  embraced, 
they  may  glory  in  this,  as  one  evidence 
amongfl  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  do(flrines  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  do(ftors  of  the 
church  may  be  allowed,  fome  of  them,  to 
hav-e  been  excellent  and  good  men ;  yet 
they  were  fallible  and  liable  to  errors,  and 
had  their  defedls  and  blemifties  as  well  as 

Ex  hereticis  nullus  eft  bonus.     Ibid. 

virtues. 


C  H  1 

virtues.  It  were  eafy  to  fliew  this  of  fomc 
of  the  firft  writers  in  the  Chriftian  church. 
Now  the  real  fandtity  of  good  men  is  no 
vindication  of  their  errors,  and  of  confe- 
quence  no  argument  that  the  church  of 
Rome  is  the  true  church,  if  (he  hath  em- 
braced their  errors.  The  truly  primitive 
'  fathers  however  knew  nothing  of  her  di- 
ilinguifhing  do(ftrines,  and  therefore  fhe 
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  reje(fl  their  errors  be- 
caufe  contrary  to  that  word. 

As  to  the  ancient  hereticks,  fuch  as  Theo- 
bates ^  Simon  Magus ^  Valentinus,  Marcian^ 
Montanusy  Arius^  and  others  mentioned  by 
Bellarmine^  and  cenfured  by  him  as  proud, 
and  violent  difturbers  of  the  church;  Pro- 
teftants  neither  acknowledge  their  autho- 
rity, nor  embrace  their  herefies ;  and  there- 
fore whatever  were  their  particular  vices, 
as  Proieftants  are  not  their  patrons,  de- 
fenders, and  imitators,  they  refledt  no  more 
diflionour  upon  them  or  their  principles, 
than  they  do  upon  the  clergy  and  members 
of  the  church  of  Rome. 

'  Sec  Note  II. 

And 


[55] 

And  when  the  Cardinal  adds,  that  the  feSii  of 
his  agey  meaning  the  different  parties  of  the  re- 
formation, fprung  from  ambition^  pride ^  envy^ 
a7id  hatred  j  if  this  was  true,  'tis  nothing  to  the 
purpofe.  For  if  the  firll  reformers  were  influ- 
enced by  thefe  motives,  yet  if  they  really  preached 
the  religion  of  Chrift,  may  we  not  fay  with  Sr. 
Paul :  Some  preach  Chrifl  even  of  envy  and  ftrife^ 
and  of  contention  j  fuppofing  to  add  affi^ion  to 
my  bonds'^  What  then?  notwithjianding  every 
way,  whether  in  pretence  or  in  truth,  Chrift  is 
preached :  And  therein  I  do  rejoice ;  yea,  and  will 
rejoice,  Phil.  i.  15 — —18. 

And  indeed  the  queftion  is  not  how  the  reforma- 
tion came  in,  or  by  what  kind  of  inflruments  it 
was  carried  on  ?  but  whether  the  reformation  is 
the  caufe  of  truth  and  genuine  Chriftianity  ? 
Whether  the  main  dodrines  of  it  can  be  proved  to 
be  the  doctrines  of  Chrift  and  his  apoftles  ?  If 
they  can,  the  Proreftant  religion  will  be  the  true 
religion  J  towhatfoever  caufes  the  preaching  of  ic 
was  originally  owing,  or  whatfoever  maybe  the 
characters  or  perfonal  faults  of  the  firfl  reformers, 
Peter  himfelf  denied  his  mafter  with  oaths  and 
curfes,  and  was  guilty  of  great  diffimulation, 
and  reproved  for  ic  by  Si.  Paul  i  and  yet  thefe 
perfonal  blemilhes  were  no  juft  reflexion  upon 
the  caule  of  Chriftianity.  Not  to  add,  that  God 
in  his  providence  is  oftentimes  pleafed  to  make 
ufe  even  of  bad  men  to  accomplilli  his  own  de- 
ligns,  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?     But 

D  doth 


C  a6  ] 

doth  any  confiflent  Proteftant  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  practices  of  the 
church  of  Ro;;?^?  But  when  the  Cardinal  adds, 
that  Luther  s  ambition^  and  not  being  able  to  bear 
that  the  piibhjhing  the  Pope's  indulgences  Jhould  be 
transferred  from  the  monks  of  his  order  to  the  Pre- 
dicant friars,  gave  rife  to  his  own  fe6t ;  this  is 
neither  candidly  nor  truly  faid.  Luther  himfelf 
^fcribes  another  reafon  of  his  condu(ft  in  oppo- 
iing  the  indulgences,  viz.  *"  becaufe  the  unbounded 
licence  of  preaching  indulgences  occafioned  many 
errors,  was  ridiculed  by  fome  in  the  taverns,  and 
expofed  the  holy  priejlhood  of  the  church  to  from. 
Yea  Maimburg  himfelf,  who  wrote  againft  Lu- 
ther, acknowledges  that  there  were  very  Jean- 
■dalous  abifes  committed  in  the  affair  of  the  indul- 
gences ;  and  that  it  can?iot  be  denied  but  that  this 
igave  occafion  to  Lutheranifm  *.  An  abundant  ju- 
ftific'ation  of  Luther  %  condud  this,  in  the  op- 
pofition  he  began  to  the  church  of  Rome. 

But  V72i^  Luther  as  proud  and  imperious  as  the 
Cardinal  makes  him;  are  there  no  blemifhes, 
no  vices  chargeable  on  the  great  men,  dodlors, 
and  founders  of  orders  in  the  church  of  Rome? 
We  mull;  as  Proteftants  be  excufed  from  an  over 
high  opinion  and  veneration  for  them,   becaufe 

f  Iftas  pofitiones  omnes  coegit  me  ponerc,  quod  vidcrcm 
alios  falfis  opinionibus  infici,  alios  per  tabernas  riderc,  ct 
fanclum  facerdotium  ecclcfue  manifefto  ludibrio  habere, 
occafione  ram  cffuf*  licentie  predicandarum  vcniarum. 
Heckendorf,  1.  i.    Sc^.  13.  §.  27, 

'  Seckent^  1.  i.   Se^.  6. 

we 


we  know  that  many  of  them  were  weak  and  fu- 
perftitious  men,  who  placed  religion  in  unne- 
cefTary  abftinences,  whimfical  feveriues,  and  ufe- 
lefs  ceremonies,  more  than  in  real  piety,  and  fub- 
ftantial  virtue.  Others  of  them  are  canonized 
for  faints,  only  for  their  blind  attachment  to  the 
See  of  Rome,  and  the  corruptions  of  that  church; 
and  their  zeal  againft  the  pure  and  uncorrupted 
dodlrines  of  Chrift,  and  the  profefTors  of  them. 
Others  of  them  were  infolent  bloody-minded  and 
cruel  perfecutors;  fuch  as  St.  Francis  and  Domi- 
nick,  who  introduced  the  Inquifition,  and  were  the 
occafion  of  innumerable  violences  and  murders. 
Such  men  may  pafs  for  faints  in  the  church  of 
Rome,  which  fancftifies  the  moft  outragious  wick- 
edneffes,  when  committed  for  her  benefit  and 
fupport;  but  with  others,  who  have  not  diverted 
ihemfelves  of  all  humanity,  they  will  be  abhorred 
and  detefted,  as  the  plagues  and  curfes  of  man- 
kind. 

Amongft  thefe  holy  men  and  dodlors,  in  which 
the  church  of  Rome  glories,  'tis  pity  the  Cardinal 
hath  not  produced  the  Popes,  thofe  vilible  heads 
of  their  hierarchy,  thofe  holy  fucceflbrs  of  St. 
Peter^  under  whom,  as  we  are  told ,  the  whole 
Chriftian  flock  is  united.  But  the  reafon  of  the 
Cardinal's  filence  on  this  head  is  obvious.  He 
well  knew  the  men,  and  that  he  had  nothing  to 
boafl  of  in  their  lives  and  characters.  Platina  " 
exprefly  calls  many  of  them  fhort-liv'd  monfters; 
and  tells  us,  that  they  obtained  the  Popedom  by 
bribes,  that  they  departed  from  the  fteps  oiPeter^ 

«  Chrift.  I.  p.  325. 

D  2  were 


[    28    1 

were  influenced  by  ambition,  and  governed  by 
the  moft  implacable  refentmcnts  and  hatreds. 
So  that  if  the  church  of  Rome  is  to  be  judged  of 
by  the  characters  of  her  Popes,  (he  muft  be 
efteemed  as  the  moft  wicked,  degenerate,  and 
profligate  church  in  the  whole  world. 

As  to  the  Proteftant  laity,  it  muft  be  acknow- 
ledged that  many  of  them  are  very  corrupt,  and 
live  very  unfuitable  to  the  privileges  they  enjoy. 
But  when  the  Cardinal  adds,  ex  hc^reticis  nulltis 
eft  bonm^  no  heretick  is  good  y  this  is  a  fpecimen 
of  his  charity,  and  needs  no  anfwer.  There 
were,  I  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  Romifi  communion  lefs  cri- 
minal ?  MyconiuSf  who  was  paftor  and  fuper- 
intendant  of  Gotha^  gives  the  following  account 
of  the  miferable  condition  of  the  church  before 
the  reformation  \  *'  The  Aniichriftian  Papacy 
*'  was  fo  abominable  and  foul  a  beaft,  that  it 
•*  could  not  be  fufliciently  defcribed  by  Paid  and 
**  John,  The  paffion  and  fatisfadion  of  Chrift 
'^  was  treated  like  Homer* s  Gdv/pes,  as  a  mere 
*'  hiftory.  Nothing  was  mentioiied  about  works 
*'  really  good;  thefe  were  mean  things.  All 
"  methods  were  mvented  to  briiig  in  money  to 
"  the  priefts  and  monks:  They  that  gave  moif, 
"  were  fure  to  merit  eternal  life.  Rapes  and 
**  adulteries  were  common.  I'hefe  were  fmall 
"  crimes,  eafily  to  be  expiated  by  the  papal  in- 
•*  dulgence.     Whores  and  whore-mongers  came 

*  Seckcnd.  I.  i.  fedl.  2^ 

«'  to 


C  29  ] 

*«  to  purchafe  the  grace  of  it."  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- 
"  mony,  and  not  having  the  gift  of  continency, 
"  they  filled  the  city  with  rapes,  adulteries,  and 
"  fodomitical  crimes."  I  forbear  to  mention 
many  other  teftimonies  of  the  like  nature,  and 
{hall  only  add,  that  though,  to  the  reproach  of 
Proteftants,  there  are  many  of  them  very  cor- 
rupt and  immoral ;  yet  their  vices  are  far  from 
exceeding  thofe  of  the  Papifls,  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  boaft  of 
the  holinefs  and  virtue  of  thofe  of  their  com- 
munion. 

Note     XI. 

Bellarmine's  next  note  is,  The  glory  of  miracles. 
And   this    mark    he    divides   into     two   parts  : 

1.  That  miracles  are  necejfary  for  the  confirmation 
of    a    new  faithy     and    extraordinary     mifpon, 

2.  That   real  miracles  are  effeSiual  and  fujicient 
for  this  purpofe  ^     From  the  firft  of  thefe,    the 

Cardinal  infers  that  the  Proteftants  have  not  the 

^  Gloria  Miraculorum.  Sunt  autem  duo  fundamenta 
praimittenda.  Unum,  quod  miracula  fint  neceiTaria  ad  no- 
vam  fidera,  vel  cxtraordinarium  miffioncm.  Alterum,  qaod 
(int  efficaci»  et  fuHicicnti;i«    Jkii.  Cap.  14. 

true 


true  church  amongft  them  ;  and  from  the  latter, 
that  the  true  church  is  the  church  of  Rome. 
Let  us  confider  each  of  thefe  a  little  diftindtly. 

I.  Miracles  are  neceflary  for  the  confirmation 
of  a  new  faith  and  an  extraordinary  miffion,  and 
that  therefore  Proteftants  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  doiftrinc 
or  miffion.  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 ; 
/.  e.  of  principles  contrary  to  fuch  as  have  been 
long  receiv'd,  and  embrac'd  by  the  generality  ot 
mankind  ;  in  which  refpedt,  principles  of  ever- 
lafting  truth  may  be  faid  to  be  new:  For  the 
main  principles  of  all  true  religion  arc  founded 
in  the  very  reafon  and  nature  of  things,  and  de- 
monftrable  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  fhouJd  be  wrought  in  fupport  of  them. 
Thus  the  being  and  perfedions  of  God,  that  he, 
and  he  only,  is  to  be  worlhiped  and  adured,  that 
his  worfliip  muft  confiil  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  happjnel's  of  mankind  than  im- 
morality and  vice :  Thefe,  and  the  like  great  arti-. 

clfs 


cles  of  religion,  ftand  upon  the  certain  and  unal- 
terable foundations  of  reafon  and  truth,  and  arc 
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- 
lain  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<5lrines  themfelves,  though  he  neither 
pretends  to  a  divine  miffion,  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 
kingdoms,  make  any  alteration  in  the  cafe :  For 
tho'  the  do(5trincs  of  true  religion,  when  firft  pub- 
lifhed,  will  appear  new  to  thofe,  who  have  been 
brought  up  in  old  fuperilitions,  which  have  been 
ftrengthned  and  confirmed  by  long  practice,  and 
univerfal  example ;  yet  when  they  are  agreeable  to, 
and  may  be  demonftrated  by  the  moft  evident  rea- 
fon, their  appearing  new  can  be  no  argument  a- 
gainft  their  truth ;  and  as  they  have  truth  and  r«a- 
fon  thus  to  fupport  them,  'tis  abfurd  to  expert  or 
demand  miracles  to  confirm  them.  And  therefore, 
though  Protcftants  make  no  pretences  to  mi- 
racles for  the  confirmation  of  their  dodtrines, 
and  though  when  they  firft  preached  them, 
they  were  fo  far  new,  as  they  were  contrary  to 
^hofe  errors  of  Popery,   which  had  univerfally 

ob- 


[  3^  ] 

obtained  for  feveral  ages ;  yet  as  they  were  many 
of  ihem  agreeable  to  the  moft  certain  principles 
of  reafon,  reafon  was  fufficient  to  demonftrate 
their  truth,  without  any  fupernatural  evidence 
whatloever  j  and  to  expedt  the  teftimony  of  mi- 
racles in  proof,  that  angels,  and  dead  men,  and 
dead  bodies,  images  and  pid:ures,  old  relicts, 
crofles,  and  the  like  things,  are  not  to  be  wor- 
{iiiped,  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  ic.     Again, 

2.  Though  the  Proteilant  religion  was  a  new 
faith  when  firft   preached,    in  refpedl  of  thof« 
corruptions  which  had  for  fo  many  ages  before 
prevailed  in  the  church  of  Rome,  yet  there  need- 
ed no  miracles  to  confirm  and  eftablifh  it ;  be- 
caufe  in  reality  it  was  no  new  faith,   but  the  an- 
cient doctrine  of  the  gofpel,  which  was  at  firft 
■preached  by  the  Lord  himjelf\    and  afterwards  by 
his  holy  apoftles^  God  himjelf  bearing  them  witnefs, 
by  diverje  gifts  and  niiracleSy  andfigns  of  the  holy 
ghoji ;  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  j   it  only  cleared 
the  religion  of  Chrift  from  thofe  corruptions  and 
idolatries,  and  abfurdities,  with  which  the  follies 
and  fuperftitions   of  men  had  blended  it.     And 
for  this  work  they  had  fufficient  authority  and 
afliftance  without  any  help  of  new  miracles,  'uiz. 
the  infallible  word  of  God,  which  contains  an 
authentick   account  of    the  religion  of   Chrift 
2  Jefus 


Jefus,  and  of  that  original  evidence  with  which 
it  was  Co  glorioufiy  confirmed.  What  need  then 
pf  farther  miracles  for  the  proof  of  what  God 
had  already  fct  his  feal  to?  Was  not  that  which 
was  given  by  Chrift  and  his  apoftles  abundantly 
fufficient?  If  it  was,  Proteftants  have  folid  evi- 
dence to  appeal  to  in  confirmation  of  their  re- 
ligion, even  the  unqueflionable  miracles  of 
Chrift  and  his  apoflles  in  the  firft  age  of  the 
church,  Vv'hich  are  the  fure  foundation  of  the 
Chriftian  faith,  and  the  only  unqueftionable  evi- 
dence that  can  be  fafely  depended  on. 

But  now  what  miracles  have  the  Papifts  to 
boaft  of,  or  that  the7  can  alledi^e  in  favour  of 
their  diftinguifning  doctrines;  when  thofe  do- 
(flrines  themfelves  were  none  of  them  ever  fo 
much  as  heard  of  in  the  Chriftian  church  for 
above  two  whole  centuries,  and  many  of  them 
not  till  feveriy  eight,  or  nine  hundred  years  after 
the  publication  of  the  gofpel  ?  As  their  dodtrines 
were  never  taught  by  Chrift  and  his  apoftles,  their 
miracles  could  be  no  poilible  Confirmation  of 
them  ;  and  by  confequence,  their  faith,  as  it  is 
truly  a  new  faith,  never  preached  by  the  prophets 
of  the  old  tcftament,  nor  by  the  apoftles  of  the 
new,  many  ages  later  than  the  gofpel  dodlrine, 
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  recciv'd  as  the  dodrine  of  Cod,  becaufe 
it  hath  not  had  that  miraculous  confirmation, 
which  he  hia^Jelf  aMovvs  every  new  faith  ought 
fo'  hxrve.     Farther, 

It  3.  Though' 


C34] 

3.  Though  I  will  not  pretend  to  fay,  that  the 
reformation  was  a  real  miracle,  yet  it  was 
brought  about  in  fo  unexpe^led  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  jufl  as  Chriftianity  did,  in  a  time  of  the 
groffeil  ignorance  and  darknefs.  It  was  propa- 
gated juft  as  that  was,  by  preaching,  reafon,  and 
argument,  and  by  the  fufferings  and  blood  of 
its  confeiTors  and  martyrs.  The  firft  promoters 
of  it  were  comparatively  mean  m.en,  that  had 
neither  birth,  nor  riches  to  recommend  them. 
It  was  firft  publifhed  in  a  corner,  and  yet  had 
afterwards  an  amafing  fuccefs  through  almoft  all 
the  nations  of  Europe  j  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  moft  cruel  and  bloody  perfecutions.  And 
yet  it  triumphed  over  all  oppofition,  prevailed 
againft  long  eftabliflied  corruptions,  and  all  the 
arts  and  violences  of  men  to  crulh  it  in  its  in- 
fancy J  'till  at  laft  it  became  the  religion  of  na- 
tions and  kingdoms,  and  continues  to  be  fo  to 
this  day,  notwithftar^Jing  the  numberlcfs  endea- 
vours that  have  been  made  ufe  of  wholly  to  ex- 
tirpate and  dellroy  it.  And  doth  nor  rhc  hand 
of  God  appear  in  all  this?  May  we  nor  truly 
fay.  1,'jis  is  the  I ''; d's  doings  and  'tis  ivonderful  in 
our  eyes?  If  the  efficacy  of  any  do(fLrine  be  a 
note  of  the  true  church,  furely,  as  Protcftants, 
we  have  fome  claim  to  it  \  efpecially  as  tiiis  effi- 
cacy hath  been  only  owing  to  the  nature  of  the 

dG(ftrine 


C  55  ] 

dodlrine  we  preach,  and  not  to  any  fubtleti'es  or 
violences  that  we  have  pradtifed  on  mankind  to 
embrace  and  receive  it. 

4.  As  to  the  miffion  of  the  firft  reformers  to 
preach  the  dodtrines  of  the  gofpei,  in  oppolition 
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 
afTumed  the  characfter  of  extraordinary  mejfen- 
gersfrom  God^  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  thofe 
records  to  others,  and  preaching  thofe  truths 
which  they  themfelves  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  Be!- 
larmine  fays,  that  the  firji  reformers  were  iiot  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  fole  right  to  commiffion  men  to 
labour  in  the  "word  and  doctrine  ?  We  demand  a 
copy  of  their  warrant  and  commiffion  for  this 
purpofe  from  Chrift  or  his  apoftles,  and  they 
muil  excufe  us  from  believing  them  upon  their 
own  word. 

E  2  The 


1 56  ] 

The  apoftle 'zcnV;.'?^  to  the  faiJits  and  faithful 
brethren  at  Colojfe^  exhorts  them :  Let  the  word 
of  Chrijl  dwell  in  you  richly  in  all  wijdom,  teach- 
ing and  admonipoing  one  another  ^.  And  again. 
Let  your  fpeech  be  alivays  with  grace,  feafoned 
with  fait,  that  ye  may  know  how  ye  ought  to  an- 
fwer  every  man  ^  In  his  epiflle  to  the  T^heffalo- 
nians,  he  coiDmands  them  :  Warn  the  unruly^ 
comjo^t  the  feeble  minded,  fupport  the  weak^ 
qmncb  not  the  fpirit^  defpife  not  prophecyings, 
prove  ail  things,  and  hold  fi ft  that  which  is  good  ^ 
And  in  his  fecond  epiftle :  IVe  command  you,  bre- 
thren, in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jcfus  Chrijl,  that 
ye  withdraw  your  fehes  from  every  brother  that 
walks  dforderly,  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  ?io  com- 
pany with  him,  that  he  may  be  ajhamed\  The 
author  of  the  cpifllc  to  the  Tlcbreivs  tells  them, 
for  the  time,  i.  e.  confidering  how  long  they  had 
been  converted,  \e  cu(:ht  to  be  teachers^.  Sr. 
'James,  writing  to  the  twelve  tribes  fcattered 
abroad,  lets  them  know,  If  any  of  you  do  err 
Jroni  the  truth,  and  one  convert  him,  let  him  hioiv, 
that  he  which  converteth  the  /inner  from  the  error 
of  his  way,  flmll  jave  a  foul  from  death " ;  by 
which  he  fuppofes  one  Chrillian  capable  of  con- 
verting another,  who  errs  from  the  truth,  from 
rhe  error  of  hh  way,  and  faving  his  Ibul.  St. 
peter  culU  the  fcattered  Grangers  a  rcyal  priefl- 

*  Cok'f.  iii.   \G.  ••«  U.  iv.  6. 

^  I  TlxiT.  V.   14— i I.  '■■  z  Thcff.  ill.  6,  14. 

"  Htb.  V.  12.  *  James  v.  i>>,  20. 


C  ?7  1 

hood^y  and  commands  them,  As  en) cry  man  hath 
received  the  gijt^  even  Jo  mintjicr  the  fame  one  to 
(mother^  as  good  Jiewards  of  the  manifold  grace  of 
God.  Ij  a?iy  man  fpeak^  let  him  fpcak  as  the 
oracles  of  God ;  if  any  man  minijier^  as  of  the 
ability  which  God  giveth  ^.  And  finally,  St. 
fohn  tells  thofe  he  wrote  to :  Beloved^  believe 
not  every  fpirit  ;  but  try  the  fplrits  whether  they 
are  of  God^,  Thefe,  and  many  other  like  paf- 
fages  that  might  be  mentioned,  are  warrant 
enough  for  any  ferious  and  underftanding  Chri- 
jftians  to  teach,  admonifh,  and,  if  thc-y  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  antichridian  and  erroneous 
fpirits.  And  therefore,  though  the  firfl  refor-;- 
mers  had  no  miffion  from  Popidi  prelates  and 
bifhop?,  they  had  what  is  much  better,  an  abun- 
dant warrant  from  the  facreJ  writings,  to  pro- 
teft  againft,  and  warn  men  of  the  corruptions  of 
the  church  of  P^otne^  and  to  preach  to  as  many 
as  would  hear  them,  the  dodirines  of  pure  and 
undetiled  Chriftianity. 

The  bifhops  and  prelates  were  almoft  all  of 
them  in  a  confederacy  againft  righteoufnefs  and 
truth.  The  corruptions  of  re'if^ion  were  the 
things  by  which  they  maintained  their  luxury, 
pomp  and  avarice;  fo  that  it  was  marjifeftly 
againit  their  intereft  to  encourage  a  reformat iow, 
or  commiflion  men  to  proaiote  it.  Mul}  there- 
fore Chriftianity  ever  remain  under  tho/e  corruo- 

l  I  Pet.   li.  9.         s  itj.  iv.   10,   II,         J^   I  Jjhn  iv.  I. 

liOIiS, 


tions,  becaiife  it  was  the  fecular  interefl:  of  the 
bifhops  and  clergy  to  fupport  them?  Muft  no 
men  preach  the  pure  and  uncorrupted  religion  of 
Chrifl,  becaufe  the  bifhops  refufed  ro  fend  them; 
and  the  whole  gofpel  become  ineffe<5tual  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  miffion  of  interefted,  defigning 
priefts;  and  the  preaching  of  his  gofpel  to  be 
fubjed  to  the  pleafure  of  thofe  who  are  enemies 
to  the  p'?ricy  and  governing  defign  of  it.  The 
miffion  of  billiops  and  prelates  is  in  it  felf  a  tri- 
fling circumftiioce,  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  knowledge,  by  ftrong  inclination,  and 
a  real  undiiTembled  piety,  to  preach  the  gofpel, 
thev  have  one  of  the  beft  commiffions  from  God 
that  they  can  defire,  to  engage  in  this  facred 
work,  without  any  need  of  miracles  to  confirm 
their  million  ;  becaufe  every  man  hath  a  natural 
right  to  propagate  truth  and  righteoufnefs,  and 
'tis  every  Chrifiian'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  fliould  refufe  to  authorize  him  ;  or, 
in  the  language  of  the  church,  by  impoficion  of 
hands  to  ordain  him.  But  thus  much  as  to  the 
firft  part  of  this  note.     I  now  come, 

2.  To  confider  the  other  part  of  this  argu- 
ment   viz.  the  miracles  which  the  Papifts  boall 
'    I  of 


t  39  1 

of  in  confirmation  of  their  religion,  and  as 
wrought  by,  and  in  favour  of  their  church ;  or 
to  prove  that  it  is,  in  realitv,  the  true  church  of 
Chrift. 

1.  And  here  let  it  be  obfcrved,  that  whatever 
miracles  can  be  fuppofed  to  prove,  they  can  never 
prove  the  truth  of  real  abfurdities.  They  can 
never  prove  that  the  Vv^hole  is  more,  or  bigger 
than  it  felf ;  /".  e,  that  one  individual  fmgle  body 
is,  or  can  be  ten  thoufand  bodies,  and  prefenc  in 
ten  thoufand  places  at  the  felf-fame  time.  They 
can  never  prove  that  a  fingle  body  is  it  felf,  and 
different  from  it  felfj  i.e.  that  a  wafer,  under 
the  accidents  of  bread,  is  really  a  man ;  much 
lefs  that  it  is  God,  the  eternal,  uncreated  God  ; 
becaufe  thefe  are  felf-evident  contradictions,  and 
therefore  incapable  in  their  very  nature  of  being 
proved  by  any  kind  of  evidence  whatfoever. 

2.  Again,  miracles  can  never  prove  the  truth 
of  do(Srines  contradictory  to  each  other,  or  of 
dod:rines  contrary  to  fuch  as  have  been  already 
fufficienily  proved  by  real  and  uncontefted  mi- 
racles j  becaufe  this  is  abfolutcly  to  deflroy  the 
very  evidence  it  felf,  and  making  it  equally  to 
ferve  the  purpofes  of  truth  and  fallhood  ;  nothing 
being  more  plain,  than  that  contrary  dodrincs 
cannot  poiTibly  be  on  both  fides  true,  li  there- 
fore  it  is  a  true  dod:rine,  and  hath  been  con- 
firmed by  the  teftimony  of  God  himfelf,  that 
there  is  but  one  mediator  betiveen  God  and  rr.an^ 
e'-oenthe  man  Chrijl  Jefus  -,  no  miracles  can  prove 
that  angels  and  faints  are  mediators  as  wcl!  as 
Chrifl,   becaufe  thefe  are  two   oppoliie  coiura- 

didory 


r  40  ] 

(3I6lory  dodrines,  one  of  which  muft  be  necefii- 
tily  and  unavoidably  falfe.     And  f^irrlier, 

3.  Miracles  can  never  prove  that  idolatry  and 
fupcrflition  is  the  true  and  acceptable  worfhip  of 
God;  that  images,  and  pidures,  and  rclicks, 
and  the  like  dead  and  fenfelefs  thing?,  are  objccfts 
of  wordiip;  both  becaufe  'tis  abfurd  to  fuppofe 
it,  and  contrary  to  common  fenfe  and  reafon ; 
and  becaufe  God  can  never  give  a  fan6lion  to  his 
own  difhonour,  countenance  what  is  conirary  to 
his  own  glory,  or  command  men  to  give  thac 
worjfhip  to  the  creature  which  is  not  their  due, 
but  due  only  to  himfelf  the  etern:il  and  bleffed 
Creator.  And  therefore,  as  theie  abfurdicies, 
contradidions  and  impietic^,  are  all  adopted  into 
the  £uth  of  the  church  of  Ro77ie,  'tis  impolnble 
that  any  real  miracles  can  have  been  wrought  by 
God  in  vindication  of  them,  or  indeed  that  they 
can  be  fo  m.uch  as  capable  of  any  demonilration 
or  proof.  'Tis  in  vain  therefore  that  the  Papifls 
appeal  to  the  miracles  of  Chrift  and  his  apofllcs, 
which  were  wrought  only  in  confirmation  of 
thole  dodriner.  v/hich  were  taught  by  Chrift  and 
his  apOillcs ;  and  not  as  proofs  of  thofe  corrup- 
tions, which  they  have  introduced  rnto  his  church, 
to  the  difgrace  of  Chrift's  religion,  and  the  ma- 
nifefl:  pcrverfion  of  the  great  delign  and  real  ten- 
dency of  his  gofpel.  Since  therefore  the  mira- 
cles t)f  ChrJif  and  his  iiifpired  apofllcs  were 
wrought  in  confirmation  of  dodrines  contrary  to 
thole  taught  by  the  church  of  RomCy  that  church 
wants  this  proof  of  the  truth  of  her  doftrines,- 
and  of  coniequence  this  note  of  her  being,  the 
true  cliurcli.  Wha'^ 


C40 

What  muft  we  fay  then  of  all  thofe  mifaclds 
of  which  the  church  of  Rome  boafts,  for  a  fuc- 
ceflion  of  many  age*  ?  I  anfwer,  that  fuppofmg 
any  real  miracles  have  been  wrought  in  vindica- 
tion of  her  corrupt  do(ftrines  and  pradlices,  the 
workers  of  them  are  by  no  means  to  be  regarded 
and  hearkened  to;  no^  not  if  he  who  did  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  by  St.  Paul,  as  one  mark  of 
the  great  apoftacy  from  the  Chriftian  church, 
and  of  the  charad:er  of  the  man  of  //«,  and  Jon 
of  perdition,  that  his  coming  jhould  be  after  the 
working  of  fat  an,  with  all  power,  and  figm,  and 
lying  wonders,  and  with  all  decei'Veablenejs  of  un^ 
righteoufnefs  in  thoje  that  perijlj  \  And  of  con- 
fequence,  this  power,  and  thefe  figns  and  won- 
ders, are  not  to  be  regarded  as  we  value  our  fal- 
vation,  and  would  not  be  given  up  of  God  to 
jlrong  delufions  to  believe  a  lye.  Hence  our  bleifed 
Lord  cautions  his  difciples  :  There  (hall  anfe 
falfe  Chrijis,  and  falfe  prophets,  and  JJmll  fiew 
great  Jigns,  and  wonders  :  But,  behold,  I  have 
told  you  before  :  Wherefore,  believe  it  not  ^S 

So  that  if  the  Papiils  teach  you  another  gofpel 
than  wliat  the  apoftles  preached,  believe  them 
not;  no,  not  if  they  perform  unqueRionable 
figns  and  wonders.  You  may  aiTure  youn  felves 
thofe  ligns  could  never  be  done  by  the  inSuenc^ 
of  that  holy  fpirit  that  guided  the  apollle?,  who 
is  the  fpirit  of  trutli,  and  can  never  corTtradi(5t 

'  a.  TiitC  ii.  9,  '^  M.ut.  xxiv.  24.,  15,   kJ". 

F  his 


his  own  teftimony,  nor  confirm  a  religion  con- 
trary to  Chrift's.  And  therefore,  if  the  miracles 
boafled  of  by  Papifts,  as  wrought  in  confirma,- 
tion  of  their  errors,  were  real ;  they  were  un- 
queftionably  lying  wonders  of  the  working  of 
fatan  ;  wonders  wrought  in  confirmation  of  a 
lye  ;  or  elle  the  delufive  impofitions  of  that  evil 
Ipirir,  to  deceive  and  pervert  thofe,  who  have 
pleajure  in  iinrighteoufnefs^  and  will  not  receive 
the  love  of  the  truth  that  they  may  he  favcd. 

The  truth  indeed  is,  that  many,  if  not  all,  of  the 
pretended  miracles  of  the  church  o{Rome^  are  the 
inventions  of  idle,  fuperftitious  monks ;  or  the 
importures  of  crafty  dcfigning  priefts,  to  create 
in  the  people  a  reverence  for  their  own  corrup- 
tions, and  to  bind  them  the  fafter  in  obedience 
and  fubjedlion  to  thcmfelves.  The  legends  of 
their  faints  abound  with  the  moft  palpable  ab- 
furdities,  and  romaniick  impoffibilities ;  their 
miracles  have  no  characters  of  probability  atten- 
ding them,  nor  any  authentick  vouchers  to  fup- 
porc  them.  Many  of  them  have  been  proved 
to  be  mere  frauds  and  cheats,  and  others  of 
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- 
monglt  them  ;  and  therefore,  'tis  with  as  little 
truth  and  modclly,  that  they  boaft  of  the  glory 
of  their  miracles^  as  of  the  purity  of  their  do- 
dtrine. 


Not 


C4?] 

Note     XII. 

The  Cardinal's  twelfth  note  is,  ^  T'he  light  of 
prophecy ;  for  as  Chri/i  promt  fed  the  church  the 
gift  of  miracles^  jo  alfo  he  did  the  gift  of  pro- 
phecVy  in  the  third  chapter  of  the  prophecy  of 
Joe'i.  To  this,  a  fhort  anfwer  will  be  fuffi- 
cient. 

1.  That  prophecy  can  no  more  prove  than  mi- 
racles, that  falfe  do^ftrines  are  true,  or  that  the 
idolatry  of  the  church  of  Rome,  is  the  true  re- 
ligion of  Jefus  Chrifl. 

2.  That  the  prophecy  of  Joel  doth  not  in  the 
lead  affure  the  church  that  the  gift  of  prophecy 
lliould  be  a  permanent  gift :  Yea,  St.  Peter  fcems 
to  affert  the  contrary,  when  he  tells  the  JewSy- 
that  the  effuiion  of  the  fpirit  on  the  apoftles  at 
the  feall  of  Pe?itecofi,  ivas  that  which  waifpoken 
by  the  prophet  Joel"',  i.e.  it  was  the  real  ac- 
complifhment  of  that  prediction  by  him  ;  and 
therefore,  the  continuation  of  that  gift  beyond 
the  apoftolick  age,  was  not  neceffary  to  that 
accomplifliment  j  and  therefore  no  neceffary 
mark  of  the  true  church. 

3.  If  prophecy  be  a  neceffary  note  of  the  true 
church,  it  certainly  follows  that  the  church  can 
never  be,  in  fome  part  or  other  of  it,  without  this 
gift  J    becaufe  whenever   it  wholly  ceafes,   then 

^  Lumen  propheticum.     Sicut  enim    Chriftus    promittir, 
Kcclclla;  donum    niiracuiorum,    i^a   ct  a  n,     "Jotl   111.    pro- 
Uiittic  donum  prophetiaj.     Ca^.   15. 
'"  Acts  li.  \6. 

F  2  oae 


r  +0 

one  etrential  mark  of  the  true  church  ceafes  tao  ; 
and  confequently  the  church  of  Rome  can  never 
make  out  her  claim  to  this  character.  Becaufe 
Bellarmine  himfelf  doth  not  undertake  to  prove 
that  his  church  was  never  without  it,  and  only 
mentions  three  perfons,  St.  Bennett  St.  Barnard^ 
and  St.  Francis^  who  had  it  fince  the  time  of 
Aujlin^  i.  e.  about  the  compafs  of  one  thoufand 
tvVo  hundred  years.  And  therefore,  this  gift  can 
be  no  cfTcntial  mark  of  the  true  church,  nor  the 
want  of  it  amongft  Proteftanis  any  proof  that 
they  are  not  a  part  of  it;  or  ehe  the  church 
of  Ro7?ie  herfelf  can  have  no  pretenfions  to  this 
characflcr,  which,  for  the  greareft  part  of  above 
one  thoufand  two  hundred  years,  appears  to  be 
evidently  deftitute  of  ir. 

4.  Nor  indeed  is  there  any  folid  proof  that 
they,  to  whom  they  attribuce  this  divine  gift, 
ever  poilefl'ed  it.  The  many  fabulous  legends 
they  have  invented,  and  the  bafe  methods  they 
have  taken  to  fupport  their  errors,  render  all 
the  accounts  of  the  prophecies  of  their  pre- 
tended iaints  iufllv  liable  to  fufoicion.  Men 
jnay  fomerimes  make  very  probable  guelTes  of 
iuturc  things  J  becaufe  of  a  certain  concurrence 
of  affairs,  which  render  fuch  events  highly 
probable,  vy'ithout  ever  deferving  the  character 
ot  prophets,  or  indeed  having  a  title  to  the  cha- 
radtcr  of  good  men. 

5.  The  religion  of  Proteftanis,  which  is  tl>e 
religion  of  the  bible,  was  delivered  by  men  real- 
ly poirclicd  of  a  prophetick  fpirit,  and  by  con- 
iequencf,  hath  the  conhrmation  of  prophecy 
a^   well  as  miracle^'.      Whereas^    the   diliingui- 

ihing 


C45] 

filing  dodrlnes  of  the  church  of  Rome  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.  I  may  juftly  add 
on  this  head, 

6.  That  amongfl:  Proteftasits,  there  have  been 
diverfe  good  and  pious  me?n,  who  have  fpoken 
of  future  things  with  great  'clearnefs,  and  which 
have  adually  accordingly  come  to  pafs ;  and 
who  therefore  have  at  leail  as  much  a  right  to 
claim  the  honour  of  this  prophetick  infpiracion, 
as  any  perfons  whatfoever  that  can  be  mentioned 
in  the  church  of  Rome. 

Note     XIII. 

The  next  note  is,  "  The  confejjlon  evefi  of  ad- 
"jerfaries  in  favour  of  the  church  of  Rome  j 
whereas  the  Catholicks  are  ?:ever  found  to  praife^ 
or  commend  the  doSirine^  or  life  of  hereticks:  But 
this  mark  proves  nothing  more,  than  that  Pro- 
teftants  have  more  charity,  or  lefs  prudence  than 
the  Papifts.  If  Proteftants  commend  any  thing 
that  is  commendable  in  any  of  the  writers  of  the 
Romifi  church,  they  adt  according  to  the  rules 
of  juftice  and  charity,  how  much  foever  they 
differ  from  them  in  the  eiTentials  of  religion. 
And  if  Papifts  in  general  cenfure,  and  reproach, 
and  revile  all  Proteflants,  whatever  be  their  vir- 

"  Confeffio  adverfariorum.  Nunquam  inveniuntur  Ca- 
tholici  kudafie  aut  approbafTc  do6lnnam  aut  vitam  ullo- 
Tum  hareijcorumw    O^.  kJ", 

tucs 


C46] 

tues  and  excellencies,  merely  becaufe  they  dilrer 
from  them  in  their  religious  principles,  'tis  an 
argument  that  they  have  neither  juftice  nor  cha- 
rity in  them  ;  and  confequently  can  be  no  argo- 
ment   that  they  are  the  church  of  Chrift. 

Befides  all  confillent  Proteftants  unanimoufly 
condemn  the  church  of  Rome  as  guilty  of  here- 
iy,  fchifm,  and  great  corruptions  in  the  dodlrine 
and  worfhip  of  Chrift  ;  and  though  Ibme  may 
allow  her  to  be  the  true  church,  notwithftand- 
ing  all  her  grofs  abufcs  of  the  chriftian  religion, 
they  are  generally  fuch  as  have  favour'd  the  fu- 
perftitions  of  Rome^  and  fliewn  a  very  good  in- 
clination to  become  reconciled  to  it.  This  was 
true  of  Laud  and  his  brethren  in  the  time  o^ 
Charles  I.  and  of  all  thofe  of  the  clergy  in  the 
preient  time,  if  any  fuch  there  be,  who  are  his 
favourers  and  followers.  They  want  to  main- 
tain the  charad:er  of  God's  ambafladors,  and  the 
notion  of  a  lineal  defcent  from  the  apoflles,  as 
their  fuccedors  in  power  and  dignity  j  and  there- 
fore, the  church  of  Rome  muft  be  a  true  church 
to  convey  the  fucceffion  down  to  them,  though 
ihe  hath  fcarce  a  fingle  mark  of  the  church  of 
Chrift  belonging  to  lier. 

But  the  praifes  of  fuch  men  arc  of  as  little 
efficacy,  as  the  curfes  of  the  church  of  Rome. 
They  neither  of  them  prove  any  thing  at  all  : 
And  'tis  mere  trifling  with  the  world  to  put  the 
approbation  of  mortal  men  againft  the  cenfure 
of  fcripture,  and  the  fentence  of  the  fpirit  of 
God.  The  doctrine  and  pradtice  of  the  church 
of  Rome^  are  exprefsly  condemned  by  the  ora- 
cles ot  truth  j  and  therefore,  it  fignities  rwthing 

ihougU 


t47l 


though  the  whole  world  (houldjuftlfy  or  com- 
mend her. 

Note     XIV. 

The  next  note  is,  "  ^he  unhappy  exit,  or  death 
of  thofe  who  have  oppofed  the  church  of  Rottie* 
Thus  the  Cardinal  tells  us  that  Luther  and  Oecc^ 
lampadius  died  fuddenly,  Zuinglius  was  killed  in 
war  againlt  the  Catholicks,  Carolojladius  was 
killed  by  the  devil,  and  Calvin  was  eaten  up  of 
worms,  and  died  curfing  and  blafpheming : 
There  is  need  of  but  few  words  to  (hew  the  im- 
pertinence and  inconcluiivenefs  of  this  mark. 

For  the  arguing  from  the  manner  of  mens 
death,  to  the  goodnefs  or  badneis  of  the  caufe 
and  principles  they  have  efpoufed,  hath  no  founr 
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  punifh  the  fms  of  particular  perfons  ;  or  thac 
the  accidents  which  prove  fatal  to  them,  and 
generally  happen  according  to  the  ordinary 
courfe  of  things,  are  inflicted  on  them  as  judg- 
ments for  extraordinary  offences.  'Tis  alfo  grdiic 
prefumption,  as  it  implies  a  bold  and  ra(h  de- 
termining concerning  thofe  fecret  methods  ot 
the  divine  conduct  and  government,  which  can 
never  be  known  without  an  immediate  reve- 
lation. 

*"  Infclix  exitu^  feu  fi  lis  eorum  qui  ecclcfxam  oppug- 

naot.     Cap'  i?-    ' 

'Tis 


[48] 

"'Tis  alfo  contrary  to  the  plaineft  determlna^ 
tions  of  the  facred  writings,  and  the  judgment 
of  the  fpirit  of  God  contained  therein.  The 
wife  man  tells  us,  T'haf  all  things  come  alike  to 
all^  there  is  one  event  to  the  righteous  and  the 
lijickcd^  to  the  good,  and  to  the  clean,  and  to  the 
unclean  ;  to  him  that  jacrificeth,  and  to  him  that 
Jacrijiceth  not :  As  is  the  good,  Jo  is  the  /inner  ; 
and  he  that  jweareth,  as  he  that  feareth  an  oath  ^. 
And  again,  There  be  juft  -men  unto  whom  it  hap- 
feneth  according  to  the  ivork  of  the  wicked  j  ajid 
there  be  wicked  men  to  whom  it  happeneth  accord- 
ing to  the  work  of  the  righteous  ^.  Somecimes 
righteous  and  good  men  are  cut  off  by  an  unex- 
pected ftroke :  For  there  is  a  juji  man  that  perijhes 
in  hts  rigbtcoufnejs  ' \  whilll  wicked  men  live  in 
profpericy,  and  prolong  their  days :  For  there  is  a 
wicked  7nan  that  prolongs  his  life  in  wickednefs. 

The  truth  of  thefe  obfervations  may  be  proved 
by  many  fads,  and  therefore,  were  all  tl^e  in- 
flances  mentioned  by  the  Cardinal  jull:  as  he  re- 
prefenis  them,  they  would  prove  nothing  of 
what  be  alledges  them  for,  "oiz.  that  the  churches 
of  the  reformarion  are  not  the  churches  of 
Chrift,  or  that  tiie  hrfl  reformers  were  evil  men 
and  hereticks. 

But  he  is  miftakcn  in  his  fa(5ts,  or  hath  wil- 
fully mifreprefentcd  them.  Of  Luther,  he  fays, 
that  he  died  fuddenly  in  the  night ,  having 
chearfully,  and  in  good  health,  eaten  a  plentitul 
^  fupper  in  the  evening  :  But  this  is  not  true;  tor 
Luther  had  been  in  a  declininji  ftate  of  iiciilch 
for  feveral  months  before   hia  death,    and  had 

p  Ecckf.  ix.  2.  *"  Id.  viii.  14.  '  Id.  vii.   15. 

I  lived 


r  49  ] 

lived  in  the  conftant  expe6tatIon  of,  and  pre- 
paration tor  it.  The  evening  before  he  died  he 
fupped  wich  his  friends,  and  talked  chearfuUy 
with  them  both  upon  ferious  and  other  affairs. 
In  the  intervals  of  his  pains  he  cried  out,  O  hea-^ 
vciily  father^  though  I  jniiji  be  taken  out  of  this 
life^  yet,  I  certainly  know  that  I  fiall  dwell  for 
ever  with  thee,  and  that  no  one  foall  take  me  out 
of  thy  hands.  And  after  a  folemn  confeffion  of 
his  faith  in  Chrift,  the  agonies  of  death  came 
on  him,  and  folding  his  hands  together,  he  gent- 
ly breathed  out  his  laif,  and  died. 

This  is  the  relation  of    Juflus  jfonas,     who 
was  prefenc  at  his  deceafe,  as  given  by  Secken- 
dorj\  and  utterly  deflroys  the  credit  of  the  ftory 
of  his  dying  a  fudden  death  :    But  fuppofing  he 
had  thus  died,    what  argument  is   this  of  a  pu- 
nishment from  God  ?    A  fudden  death  to  a  good 
man  is  fo  fir  from  being  an    inftancc  of  the  di- 
vine difpleafure,  that  'tis  rather  a  very  deiireable 
circumftance,  rather   to  be  asked  of  God,  thaa 
deprecated  as  a  judgment  j  not   to  add,  that  the 
prefervation  of  Luther  for  fo   many  years,  from 
1517,  when  he  fir  ft  began  to  preach  againft  in- 
dulgence,   to  the  year  1546,   when  he  died,   in 
oppolition  10   the  endeavours   of  his  enemies  to 
dciboy  him,  is  a  much  ftrongcr  proof  that  his 
caufe  was  owned,  and  he  himfelf  under  the  fpe- 
cial  protedion   of  God,   than  the  pretended  fud- 
dennefs   of    his  death,   had    it   been  fad:,    could 
have  been,  that   'twas  a  punifhment  infiid'ed  on 
him  by  God,    for   his  oppofing  ih^  ufurpaiions, 
idolatries,    and    abfurdities,    of    the   church   ut 
Rome. 

^  Lib.  5.  St  a.  tf.  (5.   133, 

G  A3 


C  5°  1 

As   to  Ziiingllus^   'tis  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  diilionour,  or  an  argument  of  his 
falling  a  facrifice  to  the  divine  vengeance,  or  of 
the  badnefs  of  the   canfe  for  which  he  fought  ? 
What  then  fliall  we  fay  to  Jojiah^  king  of  Jii- 
dahy   concerning    whom    the    facred    hiftorian 
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  llaiii 
in  war  by  Necho  king  of  Egypt :   But   did  this 
prove  that   the  fuperftitions  of   Egypt    was  the 
true  religion,  in  oppofition  to  that  which  God 
himfelf  had  eflabliflied  amongfl  the  Jews  ? 

As  to-  Occolampadius,  he  died,  as  Melchior 
Adams  informs  us,  in  a  very  gentle  and  defire- 
able  manner,  not  fuddenly,  but  after  fifteen  days 
illnefs,  of  an  ulcer  upon  the  Os  Sacrum  ;  repeat- 
ing from  beginning  to  end  the  fifty  firft  Pfahn, 
a  little  before  his  death  ;  and  with  his  laft  breath 
crying  out,  Lord  Jcfus  fave  me,  in  the  prefence 
of  ten  <ji  his  brethren,  who  agreed  in  this  ac- 
count of  him  ". 

As  to  Carolo/ladiiiSy  the  ftory  of  his  being 
killed  by  the  devil  is  ridiculous,  and  hath  no  au- 
thority to  fupport  ic  ;  the  epiftle  of  the  mini- 
fters  of  Ba/il,  mentioned  by  the  -Cardinal,  ha- 
ving never  been  produced,  and  being  no  where 
to  be  found.  Petrus  Boquifius,  who  was  at  the 
funeral  of    Caroloftadius^  hath  expofed  this    vile 

*  a  Chron.  xxxiv*  a, 

'  Melchior.  Adam.  vit.  Germ.  Theolog.  p.  57.  Edit. 
Francor 

forgery  > 


C  51  ] 

forgery  ;  and  tells  us,  that  he  died,  amongft 
many  others,  of  the  plague,  which  then  cruelly 
raged  in  Germany^  and  at  Bafil^  on  ChriJimaS" 
day  ;  and  that  he  was  honourably  attended  to 
his  funeral  by  great  numbers  of  the  academy  ". 

As  to  Cahin,  the  Cardinal's  whole  account  is 
an  impudent  impofture ;  and  Bolzec ,  from 
whom  he  takes  it,  a  man  neither  of  morals  or 
credit  fufficient  to  atteft  it.  He  bore  an  irrecon- 
cileable  hatred  to  Cahijt^  for  having  been  im- 
prifoned  at  Geneva,  and  banifiied  from  the  ter- 
ritories of  it,  upon  account  of  fomeihing  he 
had  delivered  about  predeflination.  He  was  ori- 
ginally a  Carmelite  friar,  and  turned  Proteftanc 
and  Phyfician,  and  afterwards  returned  to  Popery 
again,  and  proftituted  his  wife  to  the  canons  of 
Antun  in  Burgundy  :  An  admirable  witnefs  of 
this  infamous  flory  of  Cahi?2's  death  ! 

Beza,  who  was  a  minifter  himfelf  at  G.'*;/^'!;^, 
and  adminiftred  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  indefatigable 
ftudy  and  labour.  He  died  of  a  complication 
of  diflemperi,  though  the  immediate  caufe  of 
it  was  an  Afihma.  A  little  before  his  death,  the 
Syndicks  and  Senators  paid  him  a  vifit,  to  whom 
he  gave  an  affedlionate  and  chriflian  exhortation. 
The  month  of  May,  in  which  he  died,  he  fpent 
almoft  in  continual  prayer,  with  eyes  lift  up  to 
heaven,  when  the  Ajlhma  had  aimod  flopped 
his  voice ;  oftentimes  repeating  the  words  of 
David,  I  was  filent,  O  Lord,  becaufe  thou  didjl 
It.  May  the  19th,  he  fupped  with  his  brethren, 
*  Meichior  Adami.  p.  87, 

G  2  the 


r  5n 

the  mmifters,  and  told  them  he  fhould  never 
more  jfit  with  them  at  table  ;  and  from  that  day, 
to  the  27th  of  the  fame  month,  when  he  died, 
be  lay  as  one  almoft  dead,  and  at  laft  departed  in 
the  moft  gentle  manner,  without  ahnoft  a  figh 
or  groan,  retaining  his  fenfes  and  reafon  to  the 
laft  :  This  is  Bezas  account,  who  was  with  him 
almoft  continually  in  his  ficknefs,  and  at  his 
death,  and  is  an  abundant  confutation  of  the 
feandalous  and  vile  account  of  Bolzec,  and  BeU 
larfnine  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  juftice,  nothing  lefs  could  be  expe- 
cted from  him,  who  lays  it  down  as  a  certain  fad:, 
^hat  no  Catbolicks  are  ever  foimd  topraije  or  ap" 
prove  the  doclrine^  or  life^  of  heathens  or  hereticks  ^ . 
But,  fuppofing  the  Cardinal's  ftories  to  have 
been  all  true ;  yet,  if  fuch  unfortunate  deaths 
prove  the  badncfs  of  the  firft  reformers  caufe. 
How  juftly  may  the  argument  be  retorted  on  the 
Papifts  ?  How  many  of  the  very  heads  of  their 
church  have  died  fudden,  violent,  infamous 
deaths  ?  Platlna  tells  us,  that  Pope  Leo  \ .  was  de- 
pofed  by  Chrijhpher^  and  died  in  javl  thro'  griefj 
that  "John  XL  was  taken  by  the  Souldiers  and  ili- 
fled  to  death  with  a  bolfter ;  that  'JohnYAW.  a 
wretch,  who,  from  bis  youth,  hnd  been  addicted 
£0  the  vileft  lufts,  was  taken  and  killed  in  the  very 
>adl:  of  adultery  j  \h2.\Beneditl  VI.  was  ftrangled  or 
famifhed  to  death  in  ^LAngclosc^^^Xifdi^Rome;  that 
fohn  XXII.  who  promifed  himfelf  a  long  life,  was 
crufhed  to  death  by  the  fall  of  a  new  chamber  at 
his  palace  at  Viterbo  i  with  many  other  inftances 
5-  De  >yjoc.  Ec,  Can.  \6. 


of  the  like  nature,  that  might  be  mentioned,  if 
fuch  kind  of  arguments  were  any  thing  to  the 
purpofe.     But  I  proceed  to, 

Note     XV. 

Which  is  the  temporal  felicity^  conferred  by 
God  071  thofe^  who  have  dej ended  the  church ;  for^ 
fays  he,  catholick  princes  have  never  heartily  ad- 
hered to  God^  but  they  eafily  triumphed  over  their 
enemies  ^.  And  for  the  proof  of  this  he  produces 
many  inllances  out  of  the  Old  Teftamenr,  of 
Abraham^  Mofcs^  Jojhua,  David,  and  others  ; 
and  of  Conjlantine,  "Theodofius,  and  others,  un- 
der the  New  Teftament  difpenfation  :  But,  that 
this  is  a  very  uncertain  and  fallacious  note,  will 
appear  by  a  little  conlideration  j  for,  if  temporal 
felicity  be  a  note  of  the  true  church,  it  mulr  be 
fuch  a  note  as  is  peculiar  to,  and  infeparahle 
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  oftentimes  belongs  to  the 
falfe  church,  it  can  never  be  a  difcriminating 
note,    or  mark,  of  the  true  one. 

Now,  though  Mofcs,  and  JDavid,  and  other 
good  princes  amongft  the  y^tw,  had  very  fignal 
fuccefles  from  God  ;  and,  though  an  adherence 
to  true  religion  and  virtue,  hath  a  tendency  to 
fecure  princes  and  nations  the  divine  procedtion 
and  bleffing;  yet,  that  good  princes  have  not 
been  always  fuccefsful  againft  bad  ones,  is  evi- 
dent from  the  inflance  before  mentioned  of  Jo- 

^  Fclicirns  temporalis,  divinitus  iis  colhu,  qui  eccleh- 
i)m  defcnderunt.  Nunquam  enim  carhol-ci  prinv-ijics  ex  ii- 
nimo  Deo  adhaeferunr,  quin  faciliime  dc  iioiti^.us  tnuiu- 
p.vareni,  >  . 


C5+1. 

fiahj  who  was  {lain  by  the  idolatrous  King  of 
Egypt ;  and  from  the  Maccabees^  of  whom  Judas 
Maccabaus  was  (lain  fighting  againft  Bacchides^ 
rfnd  his  army  routed  :  Jonathan^  his  brother, 
was  treacheroufly  feized  and  flain  by  Tryphon  : 
SimoHy  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,  fuppofing  no  inftances  could  be  produced 
of  Jewi/h  princes,  but  what  had  been  profpe- 
rous,  were  not  the  kings  of  the  heathen  nations 
altogether  as  fuccefsful  ?  How  often  were  the 
yews  themfelves  oppreiled,  beaten,  enflaved, 
and  carried  into  captivity  by  them  ?  What  were 
the  fuccefles  of  their  moft  fortunate  princes  in 
comparifon  of  thofe  of  T'iglathpbilefar^  Salma- 
nafar^  Nebuchadonofor^  and  others,  to  whom 
they  were  fucceffively  tributaries  and  fubjecfls  ? 
Now,  if  temporal  felicity,  fucceffes,  vidorics, 
Jargencfs  of  empire,  and  multitude  of  riches, 
^re  marks  of  the  true  church,  we  muft  not  look 
for  the  church  amongft  the  Jews^  but  amongft 
the  heathen  nations  and  princes,  who  could 
oftentimes  boaft  of  this  note,  and  polleffed  it  in 
a  much  more  remarkable  manner  than  the  Jeiv- 
ijl)  princes  and  nation  ever  did. 

Befide?,  if  temporal  felicity  be  a  mark  of 
the  church,  where  was  the  church  of  God  in 
the  days  of  Elijah  ?  Abab  was  an  idolatrous 
prince,  and  a  great  encourager  of  idolatry  in  his 
kingdom  i  and  the  Jews  were  fo  univerfally  in 
the  kin2;s  meafures,  that  Elijah  complains  to 
God;    'I be  children  of  I fr  a  el  have  for  fake  n  thy 

cove- 


[55] 

co'^oenanf^  and Jlain  thy  prophets  with  the  pujordj 
and  /,  even  I  only,  am  left ;  a?td  th^y  feek  my 
life  to  take  it  away  \  'Tis  true  God  tells  him, 
/  have  lejt  me  feven  thoufand  in  Ifrael,  all  knees 
which  have  not  bowed  unto  Baal,  and  every  mouth 
which  hath  not  kijjed  him  ^  But  they  were  op- 
prefTed,  and  perfecuted,  and  had  not  one  mark 
of  temporal  profperity  to  prove  them  to  be  the 
church  of  God. 

Much  lefs  can  fuch  profperity  be  a  difcriml- 
nating  mark  of  the  chriftian  church.  The 
Cardinal,  elate  with  his  own  purple,  titles, 
emoluments,  fplendor,  and  riches,  forgot,  fure- 
ly,  the  circumftaices  and  dodrine  of  Jefus 
Chrift  ;  that  he  himfelf  was  defpifed  and  re)ed:ed 
of  men,  and  at  laft  crucified  and  flain  by  wick- 
ed and  ungodly  hands  i  and  that  he  taught,  that 
whofoever  would  become  his  difciple,  muji  take 
up  his  crofs  and  follow  him. 

Nor  had  the  apoftles  of  our  Lord  any  thing 
of  the  glare  of  worldly  grandure  and  profperity 
to  attradt  the  eyes  and  allure  the  hopes  of  man- 
kind :  No,  they  approved  the?}7jelves  the  minijlers 
of  God,  in  tnnch  patie?ice,  in  afiicfions,  in  neccf- 
Jities,  and  diflrefjes,  in  ftripes,  in  imprijonmcnt;, 
in  tumults,  in  labours,  in  watcbings,  and  in  faji- 
ifigs\  And  as  to  the  generality  of  thofe  they 
converted,  St.  Paul  iqWs  the  Corinthians:  Te  jee 
your  calling,  brethren,  how  that  not  rnany  wife 
men  ajter  the  flefld,  not  many  mighty,  ?iot  fnany 
noble,  are  called.  But  God  hath  chofen  the  fooiifh, 
wcak^  bafe,  and  defpifed  things  of  the  world,  that 
no  feJJj /hould  glory  in  his  prejence  *.     And  as   to 

^  I  Kings  xix.   r^,  b  Id.  Ver.  i8. 

'  3.  Cor.  VI.  4,   ;.  ^  i  Cor.  i.  26,  ^'c. 

their 


'  I  56] 

their  dodlrine  they  taught,  all  that  will  live  god^ 
ly  in  Chrili  Jejiis  fliall  fuffer  perfeciition "  j  and 
that  we  muji,  through  much  tribulation^  enter 
into  the  kingdom  of  God  ^. 

And  accordingly  for  three  hun-dred  years,  at 
leaft,  the  chriftian  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  almoft  every  year  produced  new 
confeflors  and  martyrs,  and  the  very  name  of  a 
Chriftian  was  made  criminal.  How  then  can 
that  be  a  difcriminating  mark  of  the  church  of 
Chrili,  which  that  church  wanted  for  three  hun- 
dred years  ?  Or  are  the  effential  marks  of  it  alter- 
ed fince  that  time  ?  Proteflants  will  expert  fome 
good  authority  for  this  before  eney  will  eafily  be- 
lieve it  :  Befides,  what  will  become  of  this  note 
in  the  days  of  antichrift,  when  as  the  Cardinal 
allows,  fuch  %yill  be  the  cruelty  oj  the  perfecuti- 
on  under  him,  as  to  hinder  all  the  public k  exercijes 
of  true  religion^?  If  this  be  true,  and  yet  if,  as 
he  affirms  againil:  S9tus^\  that  moft  cruel  perfe- 
cution  fliall  not  wholly  extinguilh  the  faith  and 
religion  of  Chrift;  then  the  true  church  will  and 
may  fubfid  without  temporal  profperity,  even  in 
circumftances  of  the  moft  dreadful  perfecution  ; 
and  therefore,  the  Cardinal,  as  he  begins  his 
notes  with  a  mere  name,  ends  them  with  a  mani- 
feft  contradidion,  affirming  temporal  profperity 
to  be  a  diflinf^uilliing  note  of  the  true  church, 
when,  at  the  fame  time,  he  allows  it  can  and  will 
fubliii  without  it. 


*"  2  Tim.  lii.  12.  *"  A61s  xiv.  22. 

6  Dc  Rom.  Punt.  1.  3.  c.  4.  ^  Id.  ibid.  c.  i 


As 


C  57  1 

As  to  all  the  inftances  he  brings  of  the  profperi- 
ty  of  Chriftian  princes,  they  are  nothing  to  the 
purpofe  ;  fince  it  may  be  eafily  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 
aflaflins :  Mary^  Queen  of  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  vidlories 
have  been  gained  over  Chriftian  princes  by  the 
Turks?  How  many  by  Proteftant  hereticks  over 
Catholick  kings ?  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  moil  Chriftian  king, 
had  his  armies  often  defeated,  and  all  his  lawrels 
taken  from  him  j  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  Popifti  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  fubjedls  enjoying  the  bleflings 
of  peace  and  plenty.  So  fallacious  is  this  argu- 
ment of  temporal  felicity,  and  fo  little  conclulive 
for  the  caufe  of  him  that  brings  it.  And  thus 
have  I  gone  through  thefe  fifteen  notes  j  and  iliewii 
you  that  many  of  them  are  impertinent  and 
falfe,  and  no  notes  at  all  of  the  church  of  Chriftj 
and  that  thofe  of  them  that  are  good,  do  not  be- 
long to  the  church  of  Rome :  So  that,  as  ftie  hath 

H  ao 


L  58  1 

no  true  marks  of  the  church  of  Chrift  belonging 
to  her,  file  ought  to  be  cfleemed  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  Rome^  he  could  not 
have  given  a  more  exadl  defcription  of  them,  than 
he  hath  done  in  the  man  of  fm^  and  Jon  of  perdition  '. 

1.  He  oppofeth  and  exalteth  himfelf  above  all 
that  is  called  God,  or  is  worfhiped,  2  TheJf.W.  4. 

2.  He  lltteth  as  God,  in  the  temple  of  God, 
ihevi^ing  himfelf  that  he  is  God,  Ibid. 

3.  His  coming  is  after  the  working  of  fatan, 
with  power,  andfigns,  and  lying  wonders,  and  all 
deceiveablenefs  of  unrighteoufnefs,  Ver.  9,  10. 

4.  The  feat  of  this  beaft  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  with  gold  and  precious  fiones 
and  pearls,  Fer.  4. 

7.  That  fits  upon  a  fcarlet  coloured  heart,  full 
of  names  of  blafphemy,  ver.  3.  Such  as.  Lord 
God,  Moji  Holy  Father 'y  Optimus,  Maximus,  Great- 
eft  and  Bejt. 

8.  That  reigneth  over  the  kings  of  the  earth, 
Rev.  xvii.  18. 

9.  That  fits  upon  many  waters,  which  are  the 
people,  multitudes,  and  nations,  and  tongues,  that 
£he  hath  bewitched  with  her  idolatries,  Fer.  15. 

10.  Which  hath  gotten  drunk  with  the  blood  of 
the  faints,  and  with  the  blood  of  the  martyrs  of 
Jcfus,  Vnr.  6.  il.Upoa 


C  59  ]  . 

11.  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  delicacies, 
Rev.  xviii.  3.  by  the  fales  of  indulgences,  mafles, 
relicks,  agnus  Dei'Sy  and  the  like  merchandize  of 
the  priefts  of  Rome. 

13.  She  deals  in  flaves  and  fouls  of  men, 
Fer.  13. 

14.  She  teaches  do6lrines  of  devils,  forbidding 
to  marry,  and  commanding  to  abftain  from  meats 
which  God  hath  created  to  be  received  with 
thankfgiving,   i  Tim.  iv.   i,  &c.     And, 

15.  She  hath  beguiled  men  by  a  voluntary  hu- 
mility ;  and  hath  introduced  and  eftablifhed  the 
worrfiip  of  Angels,  Co/of.  ii.  18.  and  the  honour- 
ing MahuzzimSy  i.  e.  the  fouls  of  dead  men,  with 
gold,  and  filver,  and  precious  ftones,  and  valu- 
able things,  by  the  invocation  of  faints,  venera- 
tion of  their  relicks  and  images,  both  which  are 
adorned  in  the  church  of  Rot7ie  in  the  mod  fump- 
tuous  and  coftly  manner. 

Thefe  fifteen  notes  I  would  oppofe  to  the  Car» 
dinal's,  and  I,  in  myconfcience,  think  they  every 
one  belong  to  the  church  of  Rome :  And  as  thefe 
are  evidently  the  marks  of  Antichrift,  of  that 
beaft  which  it  was  prophefied  fhould  afcend  out 
of  the  bottomlefs  pit,  let  us  all  take  heed  how  we 
worfhip  or  receive  her  mark :  For^  if  any  man 
worjhip  the  beafty  and  receive  his  fnark  in  his  fore- 
head,  or  in  his  hand,  the  fame  JJmll  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 
]l  Rev,  xiv,  10, 

(he 


C  60  1 

(he  hathjlain  for  the  word  of  God^  and  the  tefitmo' 
ny  which  they  heldy  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  THEM  THAT  DWELL 
ON  THE  EARTH  1 

.Adhere  therefore,  my  brethren,  to  the  Prote- 
flant  religion,  I  mean  the  religion  of  the  New 
Teflament,  which  contains  the  whole  of  the  Chri- 
ftian  fcheme,  and  is  your  furcft  guide  to  falvation 
and  happinefs.  If,  indeed,  you  are  in  love  with 
flavery,  and  would  have  lordly  priefts  tyrannize 
over  your  confciences,  your  perfons,  and  etiates ; 
if  you  choofe  ignorance  inftead  of  knowledge,  fu- 
perftition  and  idolatry  inflead  of  pure  and  accept- 
able religion,  and  regard  more  the  inventions  of 
men  than  the  commands  of  God,  Popery  is  the  re- 
ligion ready  for  youracceptance  :  Bur,  if  you  love 
your  God,  your  Redeemer,  your  fouls,  your  bodies, 
your  children,your  eftates,  andcountry,Poperymu& 
be  your  abhorrence,  which  is  a  religion  only  tit  for 
ilaves  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  proteftion  from  you,  nor  to  give  you  up 
into  the  hands  of  men,  who  wlidre  ever  they  pre- 
vail bring  ruin  and  flavery,  inijuifitionsand  tortures 
with  them  ;  and  whofe'true  chara<^er  it  is,  That 

'THEIR  TENDER  MERCIES  ARE  cp/e^-TIES. 

F    I   N    J    Si* 

E  K  R  A  T  A.     Page  $.  Line  7.  for  tlem,  twice,  rcjd,  U,    p-  9«  '•  9\ 


THE 

S  U  PREMAC  Y   ^*' 

4-     ^ 

OF 

St.   PETE  R 

A  N  D     T  H  E  9 

ft 

Bilhops  of  Rome  his  Succeflbrs: 

Consider'd  in   a 

'SERMON 

Preached  at  Salters-Hall, 

January  23,   1734-5- 
By  DANIEL   NEAL,   M.  A. 

LONDON: 

^printed  for  R.  H  e  t  t,  at  the  Bible  and  Croivn  in  the 
Poultry.     M  DCC  XXXV. 

(Price  Four-Pence.J 


^^/^f?/^/'3^A' 


i  -' 


fT-    ^ 


/ 


/ 


Matt.  xvL  i8,  ig. 

1,8.    ^nd  i  fay  cilfo  unto  thee^   that  thou  d7'f 
""'     Peter -J  dtid  upon  this  rock  I  ivill  build 
■  '    '     7ny  churchy   and  the  gates  of  heli  JJjall 
not  prevail  againji  it, 

19.  And  I  nvill  give  unto  thee  the  keys  cf  the 
kingdom  of  heaven^  and  ivhatfoever  thou 
(halt  hind  o?i  earth  JJjall  be  bound  in 
heaven,  and  what/bever  thou  Jhalt  loofe 
on  earth  jhall  be  loofed  in  heaven^ 

HEN  the  Chriftian  relieion 
was  firft  preached  among  the 
Gentiles,  it  prevailed  by  its  own 
divine  excellence  and  purity  ; 
but  in  procefs  of  timcj  the  am- 
bition and  avarice  of  men  de- 
formed its  native  beauty,  and  weakened  its 
influence,  by  blending  it  with  worldly  power, 
till  by  degrees  the  fpiritual  kingdom  of  Chrilt, 
which  confifts  in  rigljteoufnefs  and  peace^  was 
changed  into  a  temporal  monarchy  over  the 
bodies  and  fouls  of  men  under  one  fovereign 
Pontiff,  who  arrogated  the  title  of  Succefo''  of 
St.  Petcr^  and  Vicar-General  of  Chrijt  upon 
Ea?-th. 

A  2  When 


[  4  ] 

When  the  Roman  empire  became  Chriftian, 
the  Emperors  afTumed  the  fupreme  power 
in  ecclefiaflical  affairs,  and  mahitained  it 
fome  hundreds  of  years.^  They  confirmed 
the  elections  of  bifliops,  called  councils,  and 
eilabliflied  their  canons  by  an  Imperial  edidl : 
They  appointed  judges  for  religious  caufes, 
iind  depofed  bifhops  that  were  lapfed  into  he- 
refy.  EiiJ'ebiiis  therefore,  in  the  life  of  Con- 
Jlantlne^  calls  him  x^Aoc  'QnavLo-TTz^y  the  general 
bifhop,  or  director  of  all  things  relating  to 
the  external  polity  of  the  church.  But  when 
the  empire  was  divided  and  broken,  by  the 
irruption  of  the  barbarous  nations,  the  bifliop 
of  Rome  ftarted  his  claim  to  a  primacy  of 
jurifdid:ion  over  all  Chriftian  bifhops  \  and 
taking  advantage  of  the  diftrad^ions  of  the  em- 
pire, entirely  threw  off  the  Imperial  yoke, 
about  the  IXth  or  Xth  century,  and  affumed 
an  abfolute  authority,  not  only  over  the  Cler- 
gy, but  over  Kings  and  Emperors,  and  the 
whole  Chriftian  world,  in  all  cauies  civil  and 
ecclefiaffical.  Some  ages  after,  there  was  a 
fierce  conteft  about  the  fupremacy  of  the  Pope 
over  the  whole  colleBi've  body  of  the  church.^ 
And  tho'  this  point  was  not  abfolutely  deter- 
mined in  the  council  of  T^rcnt,  BcUarminej 
the  celebrated  Romijh  champion,  and  his  fol- 
lowers, have  declared  it  unlawful  to  appeal 
from  the  fentence  of  the  Pope  to  any  future 
general  council. 

Ti5 

"  ^panh.  Ec.  HilK  p.  ii02.        .''  Sec.  xv. 


'TIs  a  vaft  and  boundlefs  empire  of  fuper* 
llition  and  flavery  that  is  formed  upon  thi^- 
ulurpation  j  perfons  of  all  ranks  are  bound  to 
believe  whatever  the  Pope  decrees,  and  to 
obey  all  his  bulls  on  pain  of  damnation.  If 
fovereign  princes  dare  refifl  him,  or  refufe 
obedience  to  his  arbitrary  and  imperious  di-' 
<a:ates,  the  trumpet  is  founded  to  fedition,  fub--' 
jedts  are  abfolved  from  their  allegiance,  and 
commanded  to  bind  their  kings  in  chains,  and 
their  nobles  in  fetters  of  iron.  If  his  Holinefs 
is  pleafed  to  interdidl  v^^hole  kingdoms,  the 
publick  w^orfhip  of  God  mufi:  ceafe,  and  their 
temples  be  fhut  up  till  they  return  to  their  du- 
ty  Vaft  contributions  have  been  railed, 

and  immenie  fums  paid  annually  into  the 
Pope's  coffers,  by  Peter  s-peme^  the  fo'/i  fruits 
end  tenths  of  the  clergy^  the  fale  of  i?idulgences^ 
Agmis  Dei's,  and  other  holy  v^ares  of  the  like 
kind,  for  the  fupport  of  his  unrighteous  do- 
minion. It  v/as  ulual  in  England^  before  the 
reformation,  to  levy  2i  tenths  and  fometimes  a 
fifth  of  all  ecclefiaftical  livings,  for  the  iervice 
of  the  church,  or  fome  expedition  into  the 
Holy  Land,  which  conlidering  the  vaft  num- 
ber of  Religious  Houfes  in  thofe  times,  pro- 
duced an  incredible  revenue.  Upon  a  compu- 
tation, made  by  order  of  king  Henry  III.  in 
the  year  1245,  ^^  appeared,  that  more  money 
was  carried  out  of  England  annually  by  the 
Pope's  authority,  than  all  the  revenues  of  the 
crown   put  together.^      And  without  doubt, 

the 

f  /'(pA-'s  A<Sls  and  M^n,-  p.  325,  326, 


[6] 

the  whole  riches  of  the  nation  had  been  con- 
veyed away  thro'  this  channel,  beyond  reco- 
very,  had  not  the   ftatutes  of  Fro'-oifors  and 

Premunire  taken  place. Fierce  and  bloody 

wars  have  been  kindled  in  the  Chriftian  world 
by  his  dirediion,  not  to  mention  the  more 
compendious  ways  of  difpatching  hereticks  by 
poifon  or  murdering  now  and  then  an  hundred 
thoufand  in  cold  blood,  as  in  the  mallacres  of 
Ireland^  Paris\  and  the  valleys  of  Piedmont. 
Our  nation  has  been  a  remarkable  example  of 
all  thefe  in  their  turns.  Never  did  Popery 
triumph  v/ith  lefs  controul  in  all  its  falfe  and 
bloody  colours,  than  in  this  illand  for  feveral 
hundred  years.  And  when  the  all- wife  Pro- 
vidence of  God  raifed  up  thofe  glorious  inftru- 
ments  of  the  Reformation,  who  delivered  us^ 
from  fuch  barefaced  ufurpation,  our  holy  mo- 
ther the  church  became  as  mercilefs  as  flie  had 
been  tyrannical  and  infatiable,  and  inthegreat- 
nefs  of  her  charity  excommunicated  our  rulers, 
diflblved  the  2;overnment,  and  doomed  our 
fore-fathers,  with  all  their  pofterity,  to  tem- 
poral miieryj  and  eternal  perdition.     ; 

Plow  monftrous  and  groundlefs  foever  this 
empire  may  appear,  it  has  had  the  moft  pub- 
lick  and  folemn  fandtions  of  their  church. 

In  the  Lateran  council  it  was  decreed, 
"  That  the  i^c';;/^/^  High-Prieil  holds  a  prima- 
"  cy  over  the  univerfal  church,  as  fucceilbr  of 
"  St.  Peter\  prince  of  the  apoftles  ;  that  he  is 
*'  the  true  lieutenant  of  Chrill:,  and  head  of 
*'  the  church ;    the  father  and  dodor  of  all 

"  Ghriiliane, 


[7] 

'^  ChrifHans,  to  whom  all  power  is  committed 
*"  to  feed,  dired,  and  govern  the  Catholick 
*'  church  under  Chriil. "  Hence  he  claims 
the  fole  right  of  defining  points  of  dod:rine, 
and  deciding  controverfies  of  faith,  without 
liberty  of  appeal,  even  to  a  general  council ; 
and  of  binding  and  loofing,  opening  and  fliut- 
ting  the  gates  of  heaven  at  his  pleafure.  To 
fecure  thefe  powers,  with  many  others  of  the 
like  extravagant  nature,  he  exacts  the  moft 
folemn  oaths  from  his  clergy,  and  particular- 
ly from  the  bifhops,  who  fwear,  "  To  be 
"  faithful  and  obedient  to  St.  Peter ^  and  to 
**  the  holy  Roma?z  church,  and  our  Lord  the 
'^  Pope  his  iiicceffor,  to  receive  and  execute 
"  all  his  commands,  to  difcover  all  plots  and 
**  confpiracies  againft  him,  to  preferve  and 
"  defend  the  royalties  of  St.  Peter  to  the  ut- 
"  moft  of  their  power,  and  to  perfecute  and 
^*  oppofe  all  hereticks,  fchifmaticks,  and  re- 
^'  bels  to  our  faid  fovereign  lord  the  Pope,  or 
*'  his  fucceffors.  "  ^  So  that  all  clergymen  of 
the  church  of  Rome,  not  born  within  the 
verge  of  the  Ecclefiaftical  State,  are  fubjeds  of 
a  foreign  power,  and  bound  by  the  moft  fa- 
cred  ties     to  lay  violent  hands   on   all  who 

profefs  a  religion  different  from  their  own. 

Nor  is  lefs  care  taken  to  fecure  the  allegiance 
of  the  Lay-converts,  who  upon  their  reception 
anto  the  Ro?niJJ?  communion,  are  obliged  to 
piake  the  following  folemn  profefTion  of  their 
faith ;  "  I  acknowledge  the  holy,   catholick, 

*'  apoftolickj 
^  Spanh.^QC.KiA.  p.  1830, 


[8] 

««  apoftolick  Roman  church,  for  the  mother 
<«  and  miftrefs  of  all  churches,  and  I  promife 
*«  true  obedience  to  the  bifhop  of  RomCy  flic- 
<^  cefTor  to  St.  Peter,  prince  of  the  apoflles, 
"  and  vicar  of  Jefus  Chrift ;  and  I  do  un- 
"  doubtedly  receive  and  profefs  all  other 
*'  things  defined  and  declared  by  the  facred 
<^  canons,  general  councils,  and  particularly 
«  the  council  of  T'refit,  and  I  do  anathema- 
"  tize  all  things  contrary  thereunto,  and  all 
**  herefies  which  the  church  has  condemned, 
•*  rejedled,  and  anathematized." 

This  is  the  current  do6trine  of  the  Ro'maji 
church,  which  no  man  can  rejecft  without  be- 
ing reputed  an  enemy  to  the  Apoftolick  See, 
and  is  efteemed  of  fuch  importance,  that  Pope 
Boniface  VIII.  in  one  of  his  decrees  has  de« 
Glared  and  pronounced  it  of  necejjity  to  falva- 
tion  :  Cardinal  Bella?'mine  fays,  the  dodtrine  of 
the  fiipremacy  is  a  fundamental  article  of  their 
church :  And  we  muft  concur  with  them  in 
allowing  this  to  be  the  bafis  of  the  whole  con- 
troverfy,  and  if  well  eftablifhed,  that  their 
church  is  built  upon  a  rock ;  but  if  it  ftands 
condemned  by  the  concurrent  teftimony  of 
Scripture,  antiquity,  and  reafbn,  the  founda- 
tions of  Popery  are  blown  up,  and  the  un- 
wieldy fabrick  falls  to  pieces. 

Let  us  therefore  confider,  Firji,  the  evi- 
dence by  which  this  extravagant  claim  is  Sup- 
ported : 

And  then,  the  arguments  that  are  brought 
to  encounter  it. 

Fiift, 


^9] 

.  Firft,  We  are  to  confider  the  evidence  'which 
the  Papijis  produce  to  fiipport  the  above-men^, 
tioned  Jupremacy.  Had  our  Lord  appointed  a 
vicar-general  on  earth,  we  might  exped:  to 
meet  not  only  with  his  name  in  Scripture,  but 
with  the  time  and  manner  of  his  inftalment, 
and  with  the  deed  of  conveyance  to  his  flic- 
ceflbrs,  in  the  moft  plain  and  figniiicant 
v/ords ;  or  at  leafl:  that  it  fl:iould  be  read  in 
every  page  of  antiquity  :  But  if  the  moft  an- 
tient  fathers  of  the  church  confent  in  any 
thing,  it  is  in  a  general  filence  about  this  mat- 
ter :  The  whole  ftrefs  of  the  evidence  is  there- 
fore laid  upon  the  following  obfcure  and  me- 
taphorical paiTages  of  Scripture. 

The  principal  of  which  is  in  the  firft  verle 
of  my  text ;  ^hou  art  Peter ^  and  upon  this  rock 
I  will  build  my  church.  Here  they  argue  (in 
their  late  profeffion  of  faith  for  the  reception 
of  converts  into  the  church)  "  from  the  very 
**  name  of  Peter,  or  Cephas ,  which  fignifies 
**  a  Rock  'y  which  name  our  Lord,  who  does 
"  nothing  without  reafon,  gave  to  him  who 
**  before  was  called  Simon^  to  iignify  that  he 
**  ftiould  be  as  a  rock  or  foundation  upon 
"  which  he  would  build  his  church."  But 
fome  learned  men  interpret  the  rock,  of  the 
confeffiori  of  Petej-'s  faitli,  mentioned  a  verfe 
or  two  before,  where  our  Lord  having  afked 
his  dilciples,  whom  m'en  faid  he  was,  addref^ 
fes  to  his  apoftles  j  Whom  fay  ye  that  I  am  ? 
Simon  Peter  anfwered  and  laid,  "Thou  art  Chriji 
the  Son  of  the  livmg  God.     Whereupon,  after 

B  a  com-. 


[    10    ] 

a  commendation  of  his  faith,  our  Lord  re- 
pHes,  V.  1 6.  I  fay  aljbunto  thee^  thou  art  Pe- 
ter^ and  upon  this  Rock,  that  is,  upon  the 
co7ifcj]ion  thou  haft  made  of  me^  I  "will  build  my 
church.  This  interpretation  is  countenanced 
by  many  dod:ors  and  fathers  of  the  antient 
church.  St.  Chryfoftomc^  in  his  comment  up- 
on the  place,  fays,  Upon  the  rock,  that  is,  upon 
the  faith  of  Peter  s  confefjion^  I  will  build  my 
church.  And  again.  He  did  not  build  the 
church  upon  the  man  Peter,  but  upon  his 
faith."  ^heodoret,  St.  Aiiflin,  and  fome  of 
the  Popifh  writers  themfelves,  are  of  this 
mind.^ 

But  admitting,  with  St.  Cyprian  and  others, 
Peter  himfelf  was  the  rock.  What  refemblance 
is  there  between  a  rock  and  a  governor*^  at 
leafl,  Wh<it  aflurance  can  we  have,  that  the 
metaphor  precifcly  imports  this  fenle,  when  it 
may  as  fiiirly  be  interpreted  to  another  ?  The 
rock  of  the  church  may  lignify  its  foundation 
or  kcgiJiJiing,  and  thus  it  may  have  a  particular 
refpe^l  to  St.  Peter,  who  laid  the  foundation 
of  the  firil:  Chriftian  church  at  Jerifalem,  by 
his  excellent  fermon,  ABs  2d,  s  and  made  the 
tirft  Gentile  converts  in  Cefarea,  according  to 
the  inftrudlions  he  received  afterwards,  by  a 
vifion  from  heaven.''  And  this  was  all  the  ho- 
n(nir  he  claimed,  when  ftanding  up  in  the  coun- 
cil 

"  ChryjoJ}.  in  John  i,  50. 

*  Alore  teftimoiiies  to  this  purpofe  may  be  feen  in  Dr. 
Barrow' &  learned  treatifc  on  the  Supremacy,  p.  56,  &c. 
?•  V'id.  IVhltby  in  Joe,      '  ''  A6ts  x.  9,  &c. 


[II  ] 

til  at  yerufalem^  he  fa  id,  Me?2  and  hrethren^  ye 
know  that  a  good  iz'hile  ago  God  chofe  me  out 
among  you  J  that  by  my  moicth  the  Gentiles  JJ:ould 
hear  the  word.  ^  But  in  this  work  St.  Feter 
could  have  no  iucceflbr,  becaufe  that  would 
be  in  effed:  to  fay,  the  foundations  of  the 
Chriftian  church  were  not  yet  laid,  which  was 
fully  accompliilied  above  iixteen  hundred  years 
ago. 

But  if  by  the  rock  we  are  to  underlland  the 
foundation  upon  which  the  church's  faith  is 
built^  it  can  have  no  particuKir  reference  to 
St.  Feter ^  becaufe  the  Scripture  reprefents  our 
Lord  himfclf  as  the  foundation  and  corner 
ftone  of  his  church  :  The  jione  which  the  buil- 
ders refufed  (fays  the  Pfalmift)  the  fame  is  be- 
come the^  head  of  the  corner.  ^  Which  paifage 
our  Saviour  applies  to  himfelf.  Matt.  xxi.  42. 
And  it  is  an  honour  in  which  he  will  not  be^yt 
rival'd,  for  other  fcnndation  can  no  7nan  lay 
than  that  is  laid^  eve?!  J  ejus  Chriji.^  But 
next  under  him,  the  twelve  apoftles  are  the 
foundations  and  pillars  of  the  Chriftian  church, 
who  were  equally  commiffioned  to  preach  the 
Gofpel  to  all  nations,  and  furniftied  with  ex- 
traordinary abilities  and  powers  for  that  pur- 
pofe  :  Te  are  built  (fays  St.  Faul  to  the  Ephe- 
Jians)  upon  the  foundation  of  the  apoflles  and 
and  prophets^  i.  e.  upon  their  dcclrine,  ycfus 
Chrijl  hifnfelf  being  the  chief  cor ner-ft one}  Here 
is  no  particular  mention  of  St.  Feter ^  which 

B  2  one 

•^  Ads  XA\  7.       '  Pfal.  cxviii.  20.        ^   i  Cor.  iii.  Ii. 
'  Eph.  xi.  30. 


[    ^2    ] 

ene  might  reafonably  have  expedted,  had  h€ 
been  prince  of  the  apoftles.  Ton  fay  the  church 
is  founded  on  Pete?\  (lays  St.  Hierom)  but  the 
fame  is  built  upon  all  the  apofllcs.  The  twelve 
apoftles  were  the  immutable  pillars  of  orthodoxy^ 
the  rock  of  the  churchy  (  faith  another  antient 
author).  And  St.  Bafl  adds,  That  Peter  was 
but  one  of  the  mountains  upon  which  the  Lord 
did  pro?nife  to  build  his  church.  ^  This  is  the 
language  of  all  antiquity  ;  and  whatever  rank. 
Peter  might  hold  among  the  apoftles^  or  whst 
peculiar  regards  he  might  claim  from  his  coun- 
trymen the  fews,  as  the  apojlle  of  the  circum- 
cifion^  it  is  certain  he  did  not  equal  the  apoflle 
Paul  among  the  Gentiles :  St.  Paul  was  pro- 
perly their  apoftle,  and  he  glories  in  it ;  /  a?n 
the  apoflle  of  the  Gentiles  (ihys  he)  and  Grace 
was  given  ?ne  of  God^  that  I  JJ:ould  be  the  7ni- 
nifter  of  Jefus  Chrifi  to  the  GeiJtiles  ;  "  In  this 
province  he  laboured  more  abundantly  than 
the  reft/  and  with  greater  fuccefs,  flriving  to 
preach  the  Gofpel  where  Chrift  had  not  been 
named,  left  he  lliould  build  upon  another's 
foundation  j  on  which  account  he  certainly 
deferves  the  hij^heft  honours. 

But  if  after  all,  the  Papifts  will  build  their 
church  upon  t\\Q  fipre?nacy  of  St.  Peter ^  let 
them  remember  that  upon  this  very  rock  it  has 
once  fplit  >  thcfupremacy  being  the  firft  point 
of  controverfy  that  made  way  for  the  Re- 
formation.     This  cut  off  the  BritiPo  lilands 

fron> 

"•  Vid.  Barrow,  p.  58.  "  Rom.  xi.  13, 

*>  Rom.  XV.  20. 


[  13  ] 

from  that  idolatrous  communion,  and  fccmj;  t^ 
make  a  reconciliation  imprad:icable.  Had  this 
been  given  up,  Efigland  and  Rome  had  been 
united  more  than  once  fmcethat  timej  but  this 
keeps  her  wounds  open,  and  is,  in  my  humble 
opinion,  that  flone  of  tumbling,  and  rock  of 
offence,  which  will  one  time  or  other  fall  up^ 
on  her,  and  grind  her  to  powder. 

The  fecond  pafTage  to  fupport  the  fuprema- 
cy  of  St.  Peter  follows  in  the  latter  part  of  my 
text;  And  I  will  give  unto  thee  the  keys  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  ;  and  whatfoever  thou  fialt 
bind  on  earthy  Jhall  be  bound  in  heaven -j  and 
ivhat/bever  thou  fmlt  loofe  on  earthy  JJ:all  be 
ioofed  in  heaven.  "  Where  (  fays  the  late  Ca- 
*'  techifm)  under  the  figure  of  the  keys  of  the 
"  kingdom  of  heaven,  our  Lord  enfured  to 
"  Peter  the  chief  authority  in  his  church  ^  as 
*'  when  a  king  gives  to  one  of  his  officers  the 
**  keys  of  a  city,  he  thereby  declares  that  he 
*'  makes  him  governor  of  that  city."  Are  the 
keys  then  the  enfigns  of  fupreme  authority  ? 
The  Scribes  and  Pharifees  had  them  in  our 
Saviour's  time,  and  yet  were  fubjed:  to  the 
High-priefl  3  and  'tis  no  unufual  thing  for 
mailers  of  families  to  entrufl  their  keys 
with  fervants  without  authorifing  them  to 
dif]3ofe  of  their  treafure.  The  plain  meaning 
of  the  pafTage  is  this :  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is 
the  kingdom  of  the  MefTiah,  and  the  keys  are 
St.  Peters  commiffion  to  open  the  gates  of  it  to 
the  Gentiles.  It  follows,  whatfocver  ye  J]:all 
hind  on  earthy  JJ.'all  bn  bound  in  heaven  -,  that  is, 

what- 


c  ^4  i 

whatever  you  fhall  declare  to  be  forbidden  un- 
der  pain  of  my  difpleafure,  fliall  render  the 
offender  obnoxious  to  my  wrath  ;  and  whatfo- 
ever  things  ye  fhall  loofe  on  earth,  tho'  once  re- 
quired by  the  law  of  Mojes,  men  fhall  be  al- 
lowed to  do  them  without  incurring  my  difplea- 
fure. But  whatever  is  meant  by  this  grant,  no- 
thing was  peculiarly  promifed  to  St.  Peter ^  be- 
caufe  in  other  places  it  is  given  in  common  to 
all  the  apoftles,  Mattb.XYui.  i8.  Eerily  I  Jay 
unto  you,  Whatjhever  y  e  Jkall  bind  on  caj'th, 
Jhallbe  bound  in  heaven -y  ajid  whatjbever  yy.  Jl?all 
loofe  on  earthy  jhall  be  loojed  in  heaven.  Again, 
when  our  Lord  appeared  to  his  apoftles  after  his 
refurredtion,  he  breathed  upon  them,  and  J  aid. 
Receive  ye  the  holy  Ghofi ;  as  the  Father  hasfent 
mCy  even  Jo  I  Jhui  you;  ivhoJefoeverfinsY'E  re-' 
mity  they  are  remitted  unto  them;  and  whofejoever 
fins  YE  retain,  they  are  retained.^  The  apoftles 
had  the  dilcerning  of  fpirits,  and  the  extraordina- 
ry gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghoft  to  diredt  their  judg- 
ments in  the  exercife  of  their  extraordinary  pow- 
ers; and  if  his  HoVuicfs  of  Rome  can  convince  the 
worldj  he  ispoffeffedof  the  fame  infallible  Spirit,! 
think  all  mankind  fhould  kifs  his  Hipper,  and 
apply  to  him  in  the  moft  humble  manner,  for 
an  admiffion  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

A  third  paffage  infifted  upon  by  the  advo- 
cates for  St.  Peters  fupremacy  is  Luke  xxii.  3  i, 
22.  'The  Lord  /aid y  Simony  Simony  behold  Satan 
has  dc fired  to  have  thee,  that  he  might  winnow 
thee  as  wheat ;  but  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that 

thy 
P  John  XX.  23. 


[  15  ] 

thy  fdith  fail  not ;  and  ^when  thou  art  convert ed^^ 
jirengthen  thy  brethren.  In  which  text  (fay 
the  Romanifts)  "  our  Lord  not  only  declared 
^'  his  particular  concern  for  Peter,  in  praying 
*'  that  his  faith  might  not  fail,  but  alfo  com- 
"  mitted  to  him  the  care  of  his  brethren,  the 
*'  other  apoftles,  in  charging  him  to  confirm 
^'  and  ftrengthen  them."  The  words  have  a 
manifeft  reference  to  St.  Peters  denial  of  his 
jpaflei  in  the  high-prieft's  hall,  when  his  faith 
was  in  fuch  danger  of  failing,  that  if  our 
Lord  had  not  looked  upon  him,  it  might  ne-i 
ver  have  recovered  ;  but  when  he  fliould  be  re- 
flored,  he  exhorts  him  to  confirm  and  ftrengthen 
his  brethren,  who,  not  being  able  to  abide  the 
like  trial,  forfook  their  Mafter  and  fled,  when 
he  was  apprehended  in  the  garden.  What  re- 
lation this  can  have  to  St.  Peters  fupremacy 
over  the  reft  of  the  apoftles,  or  to  the  pretended 
jurifdicflion  of  his  fucceftbrs  over  the  whole 
chriftian  world,  is  hard  to  difcover.  The  pri- 
mitive Chriftians  encouraged  each  other  to  fuf- 
fer  martyrdom  j  and  the  confeftbrs  and  mar- 
tyrs in  Queen  Marfs  days  ftrengthened  and 
confirmed  their  brethren  in  prifon,  by  confe- 
rence, by  exhortations  and  prayers,  without 
claiming  an  authority  over  their  faith.  Men 
muft  be  reduced  to  very  great  extremities,  when 
they  build  fo  weighty  a  fabrick  upon  fo  flender 
a  foundation. 

The  laft  pafTage  of  Scripture  infifted  on  is 
yohn  xxi.  15,  16,  17.  where  our  Lord,  in  al- 
lufion  to  Peter's  having  denied  him  thrice,  com- 
mands 


[  i6  ] 

niaiids  him  three  times  to  feed  his  Iambi  and  hh 
fieep.  In  which  text  (lays  the  late  Catechifm) 
"  our  Lord  in  a  moll  Iblemn  manner  thrice 
"  committed  to  St.  Peter  the  care  of  his  whole 
"  flock,  of  all  his  Iheep  without  exception, 
*^  that  is,  of  the  whole  church."  Who  could 
imagine  unlimited  fovereignty  could  be  con- 
tained in  this  harmlels  precept !  And  what  is 
there  in  it  peculiar  to  Peter  ?  Was  not  the 
fame  commiffion  given  to  all  the  apoftles, 
when  tlicy  were  commanded  to  teach  all  nati- 
ons ?  And  is  not  the  like  charge  given  to  every 
bilhop  or  paftor  of  the  church  ?  When  the 
apoflle  Paid  look  leave  of  the  elders  of  EphefuSy 
he  commanded  them  to  take  heed  of  the  tlock 
over  which  the  Holy  Ghoil  had  made  them 
overfeers  to  feed  the  church  of  God"^^  which  he 
had  purchaled  with  his  blood;  and  St.  Peter y 
in  one  of  his  catholick  epiftles  to  the  llrangers 
that  were  fcattered  abroad  thro'  Pontus,  Gala^ 
tia  and  Cappadociay  exhorts  the  elders  among 
thepi  to  feed  their  fever al  flocks ;  taking  the 
overfight  of  them  not  by  confbraint,  but  wil- 
lingly; not  for  filthy  lucre,  but  oi  a  ready 
mind. 

This  is  the  whole  evidence  by  which  this 
important  dodrine  is  fupported.  If  then  it 
fliould  be  admitted,  St.  Peter  was  one  of  the 
chief  of  the  apoflle s^  as  being  the  eldefl  and 
firft  in  order,  and  that  he  ftood  high  in  the 
efteem  of  our  Lord,  on  account  of  his  courage 
and  boldnefs  in  his  caufe;  yet  it  does  not  ap^ 

peav 
1  Ac%  XX.  28, 


[   '7  ] 

pear  from  the  texts  ahove-mention'-d,.  or  any 
other,  that  an  authority  was  given  him  over 
the  reft  of  the  apoltles ;  iwiich  lefs  that  he  was 
conftituted  head  of  the  univerfal  church,  and 
vicar-general  of  Chrift  upon  earth. 

We  proceed',  in  \\\t  fecond  place ^  to  produce 
the  arguments  from  fcripture  and  antiquity, 
whichr  demonllrate  the  falfcnefs  of  this  claim. 

And'firft,  'There  is  not  'the  lea/}  mention  of 
fuch  an  officer  in  /cripttire.  If  Peter  Iiiid  beei> 
appointed  primate  of  the  apoftles,  with  jurifdi- 
^ion  over  the  whole  chriftian  church j  is  it  con- 
fiftent  with  the  wifdom  and  goodnefs  of  God  not 
to  mention  it  in  exprefs  words,  efpecially  if  the 
J<:nowledge  of  it  is  of  the  utmoft  importance  to 
the  very  being  of  Chriftianity,  and  the  eternal 
happinefs  of  mankind  ?  But  is  any  thing  like 
this  recorded  in  the  whole  New  Teftament? 
Surely  St;  Paul  muft  have  been  guilty  of  a  very 
great  omiffion,  w^hen  he  was  enumerating  the 
feveral  officers  of  the  Chriftian  church,  not  to 
mention  the  C  H I  E  F :  For  he  fays  no  more, 
than  that  our  luord.  gave  Jbme  apofileSy  fofne  pro- 
phets^ Jhme  evaiigelijls^  fbme  paftors  ami  teach^ 
ersJ  And  more  exprefsly  in  his  epiftle  to  the 
Corinthians;  God  hath  Jet  Jbme  in  the  churchy 
Jirji  apoftles,  fecondarily  prophets,  thirdly  teach- 
ers, and  after  that  miracles  ajtd  gifts.  ^  If  our 
Lord  had  conftituted  a  fupreme  head,  fliould 
it  not  rather  have  been,  he  hath  fet  fonie  in 
the  church ;  iirft,  a  Pope  j  fecondarily,  apo- 
■        C  .  ftlesx 

''  Ephef.  iv.  8,  ir,  '   x  Cor.  xii.-28. 


[  18  ] 

JHes ;  thirdly,  prophets^  and  then  pajiori  and 
teachers^  "^  But  St,  Faul  knew  no  fuch  officer. 

Secondly,  Our  Lord  bimlelf  has  frequently 
declared  again fi  a  juperlority  among  his  apojiles. 
When  there  was  a  flrife  among  them  who 
(hould  be  greateft,    he  prefently  puts  an  end 
to  it,  not  by  naming  the  perfon,  but  by  aflu- 
ring  them  he  intended  no  fuch  thing.     Tthe 
kings  of  the  earth  exercife  lordjhip  over  their 
JubjeBs  J  but  ye  Jhall  not  be  Jo  ;   but  he  that  is 
greater,  [  /.  e.  in  gifts  or  knowledge]  let  him  be 
as  the  younger  j  and  he  that  is  chief,  as  he  that 
doesferve}     When  two  of  the  apoftles,  James 
and  John,  affedted  a  pre-emiiience  above  the 
reft,  by  defiring  to  fit,  one  at  our  Lord's  right 
hand,  and  the  other  at  his  left  in  his  kingdom, 
he  rejedled  their  fuit,  and  check'd  their  ambi^ 
tion,  "  by  telling  them  they  knew  not  what 
they  asked;  and  'when  the  other  ten  heard  it, 
they  were  moved  with  indignation."""  At  another 
time,  when  a  difpute  arofe  among  them  who 
fhould  be  greateft,    as  foon  as  our  Lord  heard 
of  it,  he  fat  down  and  called  the  twelve,  and/aid 
7i?no  them.  If  any  man  deftre  to  befirjl,  the  fame 
jhall  be  laji  of  all,  and  fcrvant  of  all >  And  in  his 
fermon  againll:  the  Pharijees,  he  fays  to  his  dif- 
ciples,.  Be  not  ye  called  Rabbi ;  for  one  is  your 
mafler,  even  Chrift,  and  all  ye  arc  brethren."^ 

Thirdl)^  Neither  did  the  apojiles  after  our 
Lord's  afcenjion  into  heaven  admit  it.  There  is 
no  inftance  in  the  New  Teftament  of  St.  Ptv 

ter\ 

'  Luke  xxii.  24.     "  Mark  x.  37,  38.     '■'  Mat.  xx.  24,. 
*  Mar|c  ix.  35,  ^  Miuh.  xxiii.  8, 


[  19  ] 

kr\  fetting  himfelf  up  for  head  of  the  church, 
or  laying  his  commands  on  the  reft  of  the  apo- 
files,  but  rather  the  contrary.  When  the  a~ 
pofllcs  at  yerujalem  heard  that  the  people  'at 
Sa?naria  had  received  the  word,  they  fent  Fe- 
ter  and  'John^  to  pray  for  them,  that  they 
might  receive  the  Holy  Ghoflj  who,  in  obe- 
dience to  their  orders,  readily  undertook  the 
journey,  and  difcharged  their  truft.  Nor  did 
Paul  and  Barnabas  appeal  to  St.  Fcter  in  the 
controverlies  that  arofe  between  them  about  the 
neceflity  of  circumciiicn ;  but  refcn  'd  the  que-* 
ftion  to  all  the  apoftles  and  elders  at  Jerujalem^ 
who  when  they  had  confider'd  it,  return'd 
an  anfwer,^  not  in  the  name  of  Peter,  by 
divine  appointment  prince  of  the  apojilcs,  and 
lieutenant-general  of  Chrijl  upon  earth ;  but 
in  the  common  name  of  the  apoflles,  elders, 
and  brethren.''  Nor  does  St.  Feter  in  his  wri- 
tings affe(5t  an  authority  over  his  brethren  j 
there  is  nothing  of  the  ftyle  or  fpirit  of  a 
C  2  fove- 

'  A£ls  vlii.  14.  ^  As?ts  XV.  2,  23. 

**  The  fathers  in  exprefs  terms  afiert  all  the  apoftles  to 
be  co-ordinate  in  power  and  authority.  St.  Cyprian  fays. 
Hoc  erant  utique  i^  cesteri  npoftoli  quod  fult  Petrus^  parr 
confortio  praditt  IS  honoris  &  potejiatis.  The  other  a- 
poftles  were  that  which  Feter  was,  invefted  with  an  equa- 
lity of  honour  and  power.  St.  Chryfojiom  fays,  that 
St.  P^ul/bewetb  that  each  apojlle  did  enjoy  equal  dignity^  in 
Gal.  ii.  8.  and  comparing  St.  Paul  to  St.  Peter^  he  calls 
St.  Paul,  inii/uov  OLOTUi  equal  in  liOnourto  him  ;  adding, 
rr^kof  y6  i<h'v  tftT  -n: ,,  Jor  I  tvill  72ct  as  yet  fay  any  more.,  iti 
Gal.  i.  8.  St.  Cyril,  Hierom,  Dicnyfiiis,  IJidore,  and  ail 
the  fathers  of  the  three  firft  centuries  ufs  the  fame  lan- 
guage. 


[    20   J 

foverclgn  Pontiff  in  his  catholick  epiftles,  but 
tire  fdftell  and  moft  condefcending  language, 
}ike  one  that  would  be  thought  to  be  leafl:  of 
the  apoftlcs  rather  than  the  gre^teft.  The  elders 
that >arc  among  yon  I  exhort^  ivho  alfo  am  an  El- 
der, and  a  ivitnefs  of  the  fufferings  of  Chrijl^ 
and  a  partaker  of  the  glory  that  fl: all  be  reijeal- 
ed.^  And  tho'  St.  Faul  was  born  out  of  due 
time,  and  did  not  fee  our  Lord  in  the  flefh, 
yet  in  nothing  was  he  behind  the  very  Chief 
of  the  apoftles','^  and  with  regard  to  St.  Peter ^  he 
withfood  him  to  the  face;  which  is  more 
than  the  ftoutefl  Cardinal  would  venture  to  do, 
to  his  pretended  fnccelTor  at  Rojne.     But, 

Fourthly,  It  does  not  appear  that  St.  Peter 
was  bijhop  of  Rome.  I  will  not  affirm,  with 
fomie  learned  criticks,  that  St.  Peter  never  was 
there,  but  it  is  more  than  probable  he  wns 
not  their  billiop.  Baro7iiiis  and  other  Popilli 
writers  affirm,  that  St.  Peter  became  biffiop  of 
Rome  in  the  fecOnd  year  of  Claudius  Cajdr^ 
^.C.XLiJ,  and  fat  in  the  epilcopal  chair  25 
years.  And  the  la.te  Catechifm  fays,  ,**  He 
V  tranflatcd  his  chair  from  Antioch  to  Rome^ 
"  and  died  biiliop  of  that  city.''  But  they  da 
not  tell  us  how  he  became  fo ;  whether  our 
Lord  appointed  him  their  bilhop,  or  the  apo- 
illes  ordained  him,  or  the  people  elected  him, 
or  he  thrufl  himlelf  into  the  office.  Nor  is 
there  any  account  of  it  in  fcripture,  or  the  an- 
cient" fathers.  We  read  in  the  New  Teflament 
of  St.  Peters  being  at  yerufakmy  at  Antioch^ 
■':.:■'      ■"  -  :--:^  a:..  •  at 

*=  I  Pet.  V.  I.  ^  Gal.  ii.  11.  ,' 


I-  =^  ] 

at  Babylon,  and  at  Corinth,  but  not  once  of  his 
being  at  ^Rome,  iinleis  Babylon  ftands  for  that 
city,  which  the  Romanifh  are  not  willing  to  ad- 
mit upon  other  occafions.  We  are  told  of  his 
travels  thro'  Cappadocia,  Sicilia,  Pvntus..  and 
Bythinia,  ■a.nd  mofl  Parts  of  Afm-,  and  yet, 
according  to  St.  Luki\  the  chief  of  his  famous 
a(fts  were  done  in  Falejlirie :  fo  that  if  he  was 
bifliop  of  Rome,  it  muft  be  allowed  that  for 
the  mofl  part  he  was  a  non-rejident .  But  is  it 
poffible  to  fuppofe  that  St.  Reter  refided  at  Rome 
as  bifliop  of  that  city,  and  that  St.  Paul'm  his 
epiflle  to  the  Romans,  written  fifteen  years  af- 
ter his  fuppofed  tranfiation,  fhould  not  falute 
him  among  the  reft  of  the  brethren,  whofe 
names  he  mentions  in  the  fixteenth  chapter  ? 
Nor  in  his  epiflle  to  the  Galatians,  Ephe/ianSy 
Phtlippiajis,  Colofjlans,  and  fecond  to  Timothy,  all 
written  from  Rome,  where  he  lived  two  whole 
years  in  his  own  hired  houfe ;  not  once  fend  his 
falutation  amons;  others  to  the  feveral  churches? 
He  was  certainly  not  at  Rome,  when  St.  Faiily 
writing  from  that  city  to  the  Colofjiam,  fays 
that  Tychiciis,  Onefimus,  Arijlarchus,  Marcus 
and  'Jiifius  were  alotie  hisfelloiv-labozirers,  which 
had  been  a  comfort  to  him ,  ^  nor  when  St.  Paul 
made  his  firfl  defence  before  Ccefar,  and  faid, 
That  no  nianjiood  with  him,  but  all  menforfook 
him ;  no,  nor  at  his  fecond  appearing  before 
■Nero,  when  the  ti?ne  of  his  departure  was  at 
hand',  ^  for  having  fent  the  falutations  of  all 

the 
"'  Vld.  SpanheJm,  p.  536,  537. 
:J.'  Col.  iv,  IT.  8  'z  Tim.  iv.  16,  21, 


[     22    ] 

tht  brethren  to  timothy ^  and  particularly  of 
Eubulus^  PudtmSy  Linus  and  Claudia^  he  takes 
no  notice  of  Peter ;  which  is  unpardonable,  if 
he  was  then  bifliop  of  the  city.  The  writers  of 
the  firft  age  are  alio  filent  upon  this  head.  Ma- 
ny legends  and  fabulous  reports  were  raifed  of 
St.  Peter  after  his  death  ;  but  (fays  the  learned 
yojeph  Scaliger)  from  the  end  of  the  A(fls  of  the 
apollles  to  the  time  of  Pliny  the  younger,  (who 
lived  under  the  Emperor  'Trajati)  there  is  no- 
thing certain  in  the  hiftory  of  the  church. 

Befides,  "^js  hardly  credible  that  St.  Peter ^ 
being  the  chief  apojile,  i^ndd,  general  officer  m  the 
church,  {hould  condefcend  to  become  bifhop 
of  a  iingle  city,  and  is  as  great  a  difparagement 
to  his  chara(5ter,  as  if  the  general  of  an  army 
fhould  lay  down  his  commiffion  to  become 
captain  of  a  private  company  -,  for  the  tivo 
Offices  are  hardly  confiflent  in  one  perfon. 
The  apoftles  were  commiffioned  to  preach  the 
gofpel  in  all  nations,  but  a  biJJjop  is  to  relide  in 
his  diocefe,  and  feed  the  particular  flock  com- 
mitted to  his  charge.  If  then  St.  Peter  was 
an  apojilcy  he  could  not  perform  the  duty  of  a 
bijloop  by  reliding  in  one  city  or  neighbour- 
hood }  and  if  he  was  a  bifiop^  he  could  not 
difcharge  the  office  of  an  apojlle  by  travelling 
into  diftant  countries.  So  that  here  is  a  failure 
in  the  foundation ;  for  if  St.  Peter  was  not 
hifiop  of  Ro?ne,  'tis  impoflible  the  prefent 
Pope  lliould  be  his  fuccelfor.     But, 

Fifthly,  If  ive  ff:ould  adrnit  that  St.  Peter 
ivas  bijhop  of  Rome,  the  grant  of  thefupremacy 
■might  be  only  perfojial^  andtermijiatcji'ith  him- 


[    23    ] 

Jelf.  For  it  is  agreed  on  both  fides,  that  the  Scrip- 
ture makes  no  mention  of  Peter  sjucceffors-, 
and  we  all  know  the  apoftolical  office  did  not 
defcend  to  after  ages.  The  Catechifm  fays^ 
*'  that  it  is  evident  by  the  unanimous  confent 
*^*  of  the  fathers,  and  the  tradition  of  the 
"  church  in  all  ages,  that  the  commifiion 
"  given  to  St.  Peter  defcended  to  the  Popes  or 
•*  bifliops  of  Rome,"  But  I  may  venture  to 
challenge  all  that  is  between  this  and  Rome  to 
prove  fuch  confent ;  the  fathers  never  dream 'd 
of  an  univerfal  monarch  over  the  whole 
church,  and  are  entirely  filent  about  it ;  but  if 
they  were  not,  neither  their  authority,  nor  the 
dark  and  obfcurc  tradition  of  later  ages  ought 
to  avail  againft  fcripture  and  reafon.  Does  it 
follow,  becaufe  Chrift  faid  to  Peter,  upo?i  this 
rock  I  will  build  my  church,  that  therefore  he 
meant  it  of  his  fucceffors ;  when  there  is  no 
intimation  of  an  entail  throughout  the  whole 
New  Teftament,  nor  any  communication  of 
his  apoftolical  gifts  ?  Befides,  if  St.  Peter  was 
bilhop  of  Ajitioch  feven  years  before  his  pre- 
tended tranflation  to  Rome,  why  fhould  not  his 
fucceffors  in  that  See  have  the  better  claim? 
For  the  ftory  of  his  tranflation  by  a  fpecial 
command  from  Chrift,  is  an  exploded  fable ; 
but  none  of  the  bifhops  as  yet  put  in  their  claim 
to  the  fupremacy.  When  the  Empire  became 
Chriftian,  the  bifliops  of  the  chief  cities  claimed 
the  firft  rank  among  their  brethren,  but  His 
Holinefs  oi  Rome  had  no  higher  title  than  Domi- 
tmsf rater,  gnd  Qotnminijier,  a  Brother  and  Fel-^ 


[   24] 

Jow-Servanty  for  feveral  ages.  Pope  Gregory  I. 
who  lived  fix  hundred  years  after  Chrift,  ^  ab- 
horred the  title  of  Oecumenical  or  iiniverjal 
Bijhop,  calling  it  a  diabolical  uiurpation,  and 
the  forerunner  of  antichrift ;  and  he  gives 
thefe  reafons  for  it  in  his  Epiflles,  becaule  it 
was  never  given  to  St.  Feter  j  becaufe  none  of 
the  bifhops  of  'Rome  till  that  time  had  aflumed 
it ;  becaufe  it  was  contrary  to  the  canons,  to 
the  decrees  of  the  fathers,  and  an  aflfront  to 
lAlmighty  God  himfelf.  The  Bifhop  oi  Rome 
then  did  not  prefume  to  call  councils  by  his 
own  fovereign  authority,  nor  fit  as  judge  in 
controverfies  of  faith,  much  lefs  to  depofe 
fovereign  princes ;  nay,  he  had  not  fo  much 
as  a  cafting  voice,  nor  fo  fmall  a  preference  as 
to  fign  the  Canons  always  in  the  firft  place. 
The  four  firfi:  general  councils  were  convened 
by  the  exprefs  command  of  the  Rotna?t  Em- 
perors, who  prefided  in  perfon,  or  by  their 
deputies  j  but  the  Pope's  fupremacy  was  not 
thought  of  for  above  500  years  after  Chrifi, 
nor  obtained  after  many  ftruggles  till  almofi:  a 
thoufand. 

Sixthly,  If  v/e  fliould  grant  for  argument's 
fake,  that  the.  fupremacy  defcended  to  St.  Pe- 
ter ^fuccejfors  in  the  See  of  7?cw^,  ive  jh  all  find 
it  almofi  impojjible.  to  derive  the  fucccjjion  in  an 
uni?iterriipted  line  through  the- feveral  ages  of  the 
church.  And  yet  the  Popirfi  catechifm  fays, 
that  '*  thofe  only  who  can  derive  their  lineage 
.^^  from  the  apoltles  are  the^.  heirs  of  the  apo- 
'■'  ftles,  and  confequently  they  alone  can  claim 

''  a  right 
'  Spanb.  p,   ic88. 


[    25    ] 

"  a  right  to  the  fcriptures,  to  the  adminiflira- 
"  tion  of  the  facraments,  or  any  fliare  in  the 
"  paftoral  office  -,  it  is  their  proper  inheritance 
"  which  they  have  received  from  tlie  apoftles, 
"  and  the  apoftles  from  ChrilL"  Let  us 
therefore  examine  this  Hne,  upon  which  the 
vahdity  of  all  Chriftian  adminiflrations  de- 
pends ;  if  this  fliould  fail  or  be  interrupted,  the 
whole  Chriflian  church  is  loft,  for  nobody 
can  then  claim  a  right  to  the  fcriptures  or  any 
part  of  the  paftoral  office. 

Now  the  fucceflbrs  of  St.  Peter  fliould  cer- 
tainly be  goo^i  men.,  and  endued  with  an  apofto- 
lick  fpirit.  A  biJJoop  (fays  the  Apoftle)  imiji 
be  blamehfs^  njigilmit^  fober^  mid  of  good  beha- 
moiir.,  not  given  to  wine  or  filthy  lucre. ^  But 
has  this  been  the  general  charadler  of  the  Ro~ 
?nan  Pontiffs?  Have  not  fome  been  reputed 
magicians  and  necromancers,''  and  others  un- 
doubted monfters  of  iniquity  ?  Witnefs  the 
Alexanders^  the  Hildebrafids^  the  Gregorys^ 
the  Bonifaces,  whofe  lewd  and  flagitious  lives 
are  hardly  to  be  parallel'd  in  hiftory.  Baronii/s 
their  own  hiftorian  confeftes,  that  for  a  fuccef- 
fion  of  50  Popes,  not  one  pious  or  virtuous  man 
fat  in  the  chair ;  fome  were  advanced  to  the 
papal  dignity  at  10  or  12  years  of  agej  others 
have  been  murderers  and  whoremongers,  not  to 
mention  the  accounts  in  hiftory  of  a  female 
Pope.  Are  thefe  the  heirs  of  St.  Peter,  and  vicars 
of  Chriftupon  earth?  Can  the apoftolical  orfa- 
cerdotal  character  be  conveyed  thro'  fuch  impure 
canals?  Howprophane  was  that  faying  of  Pope 
D  Lea 

«  I  Tim.  iii.  2,        "  A^s  k  Mon.  V,  I.  p.  67$. 


[26] 

Leo  X.  ^icim  liicrofa  nobis  eji  fabiila  Chrifti  !  • 
What  a  rare  market  ha've  we  made  of  this  fable  of 
yejks  Chriji  !  "  And  indeed  (lays  archbiiliop 
"  ^Tillot/oji^)  there  is  not  a  more  compendious 
*'  way  of  perfuading  men  that  the  Chriftian 
"  religion  is  a  fable,  than  to  fet  up  a  lewd  and 
"  vicious  man  as  the  oracle  of  it." 

The  fuccefTors  of  St.  Peter  fliould  be  foimd 
271  the  faith,  becaufe  our  Lord  hath  pray'd  that 
their  faith  fliould  not  fail.  And  yet,  notwith- 
ftanding  their  confident  pretences  to  infallibi- 
lity, feveral  bifliops  of  Ro??2e  have  been  con- 
demned and  dcpofed  for  herefy,  '  their  own 
general  councils  being  judges.  But  if  the 
writings  of  the  New  Teflament  be  the  ftandard 
of  orthodoxy,  what  a  monftrous  train  of  do- 
clrines  have  they  introduced  contrary  to,  and 
fubverfive  of  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the 
iaints  ! But  I  forbear  defcending  to  parti- 
culars, left  I  fliould  encroach  on  the  province 
of  my  worthy  brother  who  next  fucceeds  me, 
and  who  is  much  more  equal  to  the  fervice. 

Further,  the  true  fuccelfors  of  St.  Peter 
{hould  be  chofen  by  the  -proper  perfons,  and  in  a 
difinterejied  manner.  In  ancient  time  the  cler- 
gy and  people  of  Jiome  elected  their  own 
bifhops,  the  order  of  Cardinals  not  being 
known  in  the  Chriftian  church  for  almoft  a 
thoufand  years ;  nor  were  they  the  fole  Ele- 
(flors,  till  the  conftitutlons  of  Pope  Gregory  X, 
"^  above  i2oo  years  after  Chrift,  But  fuppo- 
fing  the  choice  to  be  in  them,  let  us  view  the 

Con-» 

'  6panh.  p.   i9,qi,         ^  V,  TI.  p.  251. 

'  fopc  Jqhti  XXIIl.  and  othcfs,        . '"  Spaiih.  1709, 


[   27   ] 

Conclave  and  obferve  whether  the  Holy  Ghoft 
fits  on  every  head  and  directs  every  vote.  Is 
there  no  criminal  ambition  ?  No  bribery  and 
corruption  ?  Are  there  no  fimoniacal  practices  ? 
Do  not  the  interefts  of  the  feveral  potentates 
of  Europe  govern  the  ballot  as  much  or  more 
than  the  exxmplary  piety  and  capacity  of  the 
candidates  ?  If  the  world  is  not  very  unchari- 
table, the  intrigues  of  the  Conclave  exceed 
the  moft  refined  policy  of  all  the  courts  of 

Europe  together. BlefTed  Jefus !  Are  thele 

the  guardians  of  thy  doftrine,  the  pillars  of 
thy  church  and  kingdom  ?  Can  perfons  advan- 
ced by  fuch  inflimous  methods  be  thy  reprefen- 
tatives  or  fucceilbrs  of  thy  holy  apolHe  ? 

And  after  all  the  regulations  that  have  been 
made  in  the  choice  of  a  Pope,  by  confining 
the  eledtion  to  the  Cardinals,  by  fliutting  them 
up  in  their  cells,  and  allov/ing  none  to  con- 
verle  with  them  till  two  thirds  are  agreed,  yet 
the    line  of    Hicceffion   has  been  notorioufly 

broken. For  feveral  years  there  was  no  Pope 

at  all,  then  two  or  three  together,  "  who  di- 
vided the  profits,  and  fpent  them  in  all  kinds 
of  rioting  and  debauchery.  Onupbrius  in  his 
lives  of  the  Popes  reckons  up  30  fchifms  in  the 
Roman  ohuvch^  and  Baronius  admits  22,  the 
moft  confiderable  of  which  in  the  14th  Cen- 
tury continued  50  years ;  one  Pope  refiding 
at  Rome^  and  his  brother  Pope  at  Avigiiofi  in 
Frafice,  each  anathematizing  the  other,  and 
condemning  his  decrees.  Now  in  every  fchifm, 
one  at  leaft  mulf  be  the  ufurper  j  if  the  Popes 

D  2  at 

"  Spanh.   15 16.  1818, 


[   28  ] 

at  Rome  were  the  rightful  fucceflbrs  of  St. 
Peter,  all  the  holy  orders  conferred  by  thofe  at 
Avignon  mufl  be  null  j  and  if  we  fhould  trace 
tliisback  through  twenty  or  thirty  divifions,  I 
doubt  the  line  of  fucceffion  would  be  lofl  long 
before  we  come  up  to  St.  Peter  ^  fo  that  if  the 
right  of  the  fcriptures,  and  adminiflration  of 
the  facraments  be  the  proper  inheritance  of 
thofe  only  \\  ho  are  heirs  of  the  apoftles,  by  an 
uninterrupted  lineage,  it  may  reafonably  be 
queflioned  whether  there  be  any  Chriflian 
church  or  clergyman  in  the  worlds  but  thanks 
be  to  God  the  Chriftian  religion  does  not  hang 
upon  fo  ilender  a  thread. 

Seventhly y  We  may  argue  againft  the  fupre- 
macy,  from  the  extent  of  the  office  which  it  is  not 
•pojjible  for  a  fmgle  perfon  to  di [charge.  The 
duty  of  an  univerfal  Paflor  is  to  govern  and 
feed  the  whole  church-,  but  who  can  manage 
univerfal  empire  ?  What  Atlantick  ilioulder 
can  fuftain  the  burden  of  difpenfing  jufbice  to 
the  whole  world  ?  What  ftrength  of  body  or 
vigor  of  mind  can  go  through  the  bufinefs  of 
hearing  all  appeals,  of  deciding  all  controver- 
fies,  and  of  reilifying  all  diforders  in  the  whole 
univerfe  ?  For  God  has  promiifed  to  give  his 
Son  the  heathen  for  his  inheritance,  a?jd  the 
7ittermoJi  parts  of  the  earth  for  his  Pofeffion^ 
If  tlierefore  our  Lord  had  intended  fuch  a  ge- 
neral officer  in  his  church,  he  would  have  fur- 
niilied  ibilie  perfon s  with  fuperior  abilities 
to  the  reft  of  mankind  to  fill  the  chair ;  But 
is  any   fuch  peculiar  genius   found  amongfl 

them? 

-  Pfal.  IX,  8. 


[  29  ] 

them  ?  To  fay  this  may  be  done  by  Legates  or 
Nimcios,  is  nothing  to  the  purpofe,  becaufe  the 
Pope  only  is  infaUible,  and  therefore  all  appeals 
are  referred  to  himfelf.  Beiides,  how  vaft 
muft  be  the  expence,  how  great  the  delay  of 
juflice,  and  how  tedious  the  journeys  for  men 
to  travel  with  their  luits  from  ail  parts  of  the 
habitable  world  to  Rojjte  for  a  decilion  ?  If 
the  government  of  a  kingdom  of  moderate 
extent,  be  as  much  as  one  wife  prince  can 
manage  j  or  if  a  fmall  diocefe  be  iiifficient  to 
employ  the  time  and  labours  of  a  faithful 
biiliop  ;  how  impoflible  muft  it  be  for  a  cler- 
gyman advanced  in  years,  in  the  decline  of 
life,  and  under  vilible  decays  of  body  and 
mind  to  dired:  and  govern  the  Chriftian  world. 
The  other  branch  of  the  epifcopal  function 
is  to  feed  thefieep  ;  this  was  given  in  charge  to 
St.  Peter,  and  is  incumbent  upon  all  his  fuc- 
cefTors.  If  his  HoUnefs  therefore  would  dii- 
charge  his  paftoral  duty,  he  ought  not  to  fit  in 
his  chair  at  Rome,  but  travel  through  the  unbe- 
lieving nations,  in  order  to  their  converiion. 
Were  the  fliepherds  of  Tfrael  curfed,  p  becaufe 
they  eat  the  fat,  and  chat  bed  themfehes  with  the 
wool,  and  killed  thetn  that  were  Jed,  but  did  7iot 
feed  the  flock  "l  What  then  muft  be  the  portion 
of  an  univerfal  billiop  that  never  preaches  at 
all  ?  Does  the  Pope  viiit  his  diocefe,  or  labour 
in  word  or  dodtrine  ?  Does  he  feed  his  flock 
with  knowledge  and  underftanding  ?  No,  but 
he  takes  away  the  key  of  knowledge,  and  ha- 
ving obliged  the  people  to  (hut  their  eyes,  puts 

into 

y  Ezek,  xxxiv,  3,  4. 


f  30  ] 

into  their  hands  pardons,  indulgences,  and 
confecrated  toys,  litter  to  pleafe  and  quiet 
fro  ward  children,  than  to  furnifli  a  reafonable 
mind  with  religion  or  virtue. 

Now  if  we  lay  thefe  things  together,  and 
confider,  the  filence  of  the  facred  records  and 
genuine  remains  of  antiquity  about  a  fu- 
preme  vilible  headj  the  uncertainty  of  St.  Pe- 
ters, being  Bifliop  of  Rome,  and  of  the  fupre- 
macy's  being  granted  not  only  to  him,  but  his 
fucceifors,  upon  <vbich  their  whole  title  de- 
pefids  J  the  charadter  of  thofe  who  have  fat  in 
the  Papal  chair;  the  impoffibility  of  deriving 
their  lineage  from  St.  Peter  thro'  fo  many 
fchifms  and  divifions ;  and  the  extent  of  the 
office,  which  is  beyond  the  limits  of  a  finite  ca- 
pacity to  difcharge,  it  will  amount  to  a  de- 
monllration  that  the  hierarchy  of  the  church 
of  Rome  is  built  upon  the  Sa?jd,  and  that  their 
Popes  have  no  better  a  claim  to  an  apoftolical 
fupremacy  over  the  Chrillian  world,  than  to 
their  extraordinary  gifts  and  powers. 

I  lliall  conclude  this  difcourfe  with  the  fol- 
lowing remarks. 

Fir  11,  That  yefus  Chri/i  is  the  ojdx  fiipreme 
head  of  his  Church,  This  is  the  conflant  lan- 
guage of  fcripture.  One  is  your  mafter,   even 

Chri/i. 'J  He  is  tJje  head  of  the  bod\\  tloe  churchy 

that  in  all  thi?igs  he  might  have  the  pre-emi?ience. 

"■  God  has  put  all  things  under  his  feet y  and 

given  him  to  he  head  over  all  things  to  the  church, 

s  /  would  have  you  knoiv,  (lays  the  apoftle 

to  the  Corinthians)  that  the  head  of  every  inan 

is 

'I  Col.  i.  i8.  '  Eph.  i.  22«  '  I  Cor.  xi.  3. 


[  3t  1 

is  C/jriJl,  and  the  head  ofChrift  is  God.     Should 

it  not   rather  have  been,    the  head  of  every 

man  is  the  Pope,  and  the  head  of  the  Pope  is 

Chrifl  ?   But  no  head  upon  earth  is  capable  of 

governing  fuch  a  body,  nor  may  any  man  af- 

fume  this  honour  to  himfelf ;  the  Son  of  God 

alone  is  equal  to  this  high  llation,  who  holds 

the  ftars  in  his  right  hand,  and  by  virtue  of 

the  immenfity  of  his  prefcnce,    is  capable  of 

governing   and  feeding  the  diifuiive  body  of 

his  church  in  every  part  of  the  world,  ^  Which 

being  united  to  him  their  head^   by  joints  and 

bands y    receiveth  noiiriJl:ment ^  and  encreafes  with 

the  increafe  of  God.     Let  no  man  therefore  dare 

to  take  the  fceptre  out  of  his  hand,  and  place 

it  in  the  hands  of  a  frail  man,  whofe  breatli 

is  in  his  noilrils.     Kings  and  Princes  may  be 

protediors  of  the  church,  and  defenders  of  its 

faith  from  oppreffion  and  violence  within  their 

dominions,  but  Chrift  only  is  our  living  head. 

Secondly,   'The  ti?iity  of  the  Catholick  church 

does  not  confifl  in  its  relation  to  one  vifible  head, 

but  in  its  union  to  Chrift.     All  that  profefs  true 

faith  in  hifn,  and  love  to  his  difciples,  and  who 

adorn  their  profeflion  by   inidilfembled  piety 

and  virtue,  are  members  of  that  one  myllical 

body  of  which  he  is  head  ;    for  there  is  but 

me  body  and  one  fpirit,    one  Lord,    one  faith, 

one  baptifm,  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who  is 

above  all,  and  thro  all,  and  in  you  all.  "  "■"  There 

**  is  no  mention  in  fcripture,  or  primitive  an- 

**  tiquity,  of  an  union  of  all  Chriftians  under 

"  one 

'  Colof.  ii,  19,         "  i?<7rrm' of  Unity  of  the  Church, 

r-  293, 


[  32  ]      •. 

one  political  head,  (fays  the  judicious  Dr. 
'  BarrowJ  nor  does  it  confift  with  the  na- 
«  ture  and  genius  of  the  golpel  kingdom, 
«  which  is  not  of  this  world,  but  difavows 
^  politick  artifices,  and  flefhly  wifdom ;  it  dif- 
'  countenances  the  impofition  of  all  new  laws 
'  and  precepts,  but  fuch  as  are  necefiary  for 
'  order  and  edification  ;  it  difclaims  all  world- 
'  ly  power  and  dominion,  and  is  to  be  go- 
^  verned  by  gentlenefs  and  meeknefs,  argu- 
'  ment  and  perfuafion :  Whereas  if  it  was  a 
^  political  body,  (fays  the  Dodor)  it  muft  be 
*  the  reverfe  of  all  this  -,  it  mufh  be  fupported 
'  by  riches  and  wealth,  by  force  and  violence, 
'  by  courts  of  judicature  and  penal  laws.  All 
^  which  things  do  much  dilagree  from  the 
^  original  defign  of  the  Chriftian  church, 
'  which  is  averfe  from  pomp,  doth  rejed;  do- 
'  mination,  does  not  require  craft,  wealth, 
^  or  force  to  maintain  it,  but  did  at  firfi:,  and 
'  may  fubfift  without  any  fuch  means." 

Thirdly,  ^  fiipreme  jiirifdiBion  and  autho- 
rity over  the  Chriftian  church  is  the  ve?'y  mark 
and  charaBer  of  the  man  of  fin  and  fon  of  per- 
dition \  who  is  fiid,  ^'  to  oppofe,  or  exalt  him- 
felf  above  all  that  is  called  Gody  or  that  is  ivor- 
Jhipped',  fo  that  he  as  God  fitteth  in  the  temple 
&fGod,/heu'ing  that  he  is  God.  Kings  and  Em- 
perors, in  the  language  of  fcripture,  are  called 
GodSy  on  account  of  their  fovereign  authority 
and  power  j  but  his  Holinefs  of  Rome  has  de- 
clared the  fpi ritual  poiver  to  be  above  the  tem- 
poral-, and  has  fliewcd  that  he  is  God^    not 

only 

"*'■  2  Thefl".  ii,  3,  4, 


[  33  1 

only  by  accepting  the  titles  of  Deity,  as  ^  Moft 
holy  Father ;  Lord  God-,  Prieji  of  the  World, 
and  Vicar  General  of  Chrift  upon  Eaj-th  j  but 
by  treading  on  the  necks  of  Emperors,  by 
kicking  off  their  crowns  v/ith  his  foot,  and 
obliging  them,  to  hold  his  flirriip,  when  he 
mounted  his  horfe:  The  Emperor  Henry  IV. 
with  his  Emprefs  and  little  children  waited 
three  days  and  three  nights  barefoot,  at  the 
gates  of  the  Pope's  palace  for  abfoliition,  and 
after  all  loft  his  territories,  which  the  haughty 
Pope  gave  to  Rodulphus,  with  this  infcription 
about  the  crown :  y  Petra  dedit  Petro,  Petrus 
JDiademaPodiilfho :  The  Rock  gave  the  Crown  to 
Peter,  ajid  Ftitr  gives  it  to  Rodulph.  \^  we 
take  a  view  of  his  Holinefs  in  his  Pontifical 
Grandeur,  we  may  fee  him  fitting  in  the  Tem-* 
pie  of  God,  upon  a  Throne  high  and  lifted  up^ 
with  a  triple  crown  on  his  head,  a  triple  crofs 
in  one  hand,  and  a  naked  fword  in  the  other* 
with  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  Heaven  at  his 
girdle,  and  a  feven-fold  feal,  in  token  of  the 
feven-fold  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghoft;  furrounded 
with  Cardinals  arrayed  in  purple,  attended 
with  ambailadors  from  all  nations ;  and  when 
he  appears  in  publick,  multitudes  lie  proflrate 
in  his  prefence,  and  pay  him  the  mofl  facred 
and  divine  worihip.  Can  this  be  the  fucceffor 
oi poor  Peter,  who  told  the  lame  man  at  the 
gate  of  the  Temple,  that  filver  and  gold  he  had 
none  ?  Or  is  it  not  rather  the  characfter  of  that 
Anti-chrifl,    whom  God  has  threatned  to  co?i- 

E  fume 

'=  Aas  &  Mon.  V.  I.  p.  10.  Spanh.  p.  1897. 
y  lb.  V.  II.  p.  202, 


[34] 

fume  nvith  the  fpirit  of  bis  ?nouth^  and  dejiroy 
with  the  bright  fiefs  of  his  coming. 

Fourthly,  How  dangerous  jniijl  it  be  to  con- 
ti?me  in  a  church,  the  validity  of  all  whofe  ad^ 
minijirations  depends  upon  an  unintennipted fuc- 
cefjion  from  St.  Peter ;  for  if  the  line  fliould  fail, 
or  be  broken,  the  whole  Chriifl:ian  world  mufl 
return  to  Heathenifm,  and  be  left  to  the  un- 
covenanted  mercies  of  God.  Surely  if  our  Lord 
had  dcligned  to  hang  the  whole  of  his  religion 
upon  this  chain,  he  would  have  preferved  it  en- 
tire, and  made  every  link  of  it  vifible  to  the  fa- 
tisfa(ftion  of  the  whole  world;  but  as  things 
now  ftand,  all  is  uncertain ;  a  Chrifiian  can 
never  be  fatisfied  that  he  hears  the  word  of  God 
from  the  lips  of  one  that  has  a  right  to  inter- 
pret it,  or  receives  the  holy  facrament  from  the 
hands  of  one  that  can  derive  his  orders,  in  a  di- 
red:  line,  from  the  apoftles.  It  is  therefore  un- 
accountable that  any  who  call  themfelves  Pro- 
teflants,  fhould  be  fond  of  deriving  the  validity 
of  their  Sacerdotal  Functions  thro'  this  impure 
and  corrupt  channel,  which  has  been  fo  often 
cut  off  from  its  fountain,  and  is  fo  far  from  the 
apoffolick  purity,  that  it  feems  for  feveral  ages 
to  have  had  no  other  parent,  than  the  ?nother  of 
harlots,  ajid  abofni?mtio?is  of  the  earth.  The  Pro- 
teflant  religion  is  a  much  fafer  way  of  falva- 
tion,  which  admits  perfons  duly  qualified  and 
folemnly  feparated  to  the  paftoral  office,  to  be 
rightful  minifters  of  Jefus  Chrift,  and  entitled 
to  adminiiler  all  Chriftian  ordinances  with  effi- 
cacy, wherever  the  providence  of  God  iliall 
caft  their  lot. 

Fifthly, 


[  35  ] 

Fifthly,  We  tnay  ohjerve  the  "■oajfalage  a}id 
JJavery  of  the  Romifh  communion^  which  requires 
an  ahjhlute  luhje5iion  of  foul  and  body\  to  the  fo- 
'uereign  will  and  plea fut^e  of  the  Pope.  Men  mull 
not  judge  for  themfelves,  but  take  eveiy  thing 
upon  the  word  of  the  Prieft,  who  will  inilire 
their  falvation  at  the  peril  of  his  own.     The 
infpired  apoftle  Paul  never  claimed  this  pri- 
vilege ;  he  would  have  ^  Every  one  peijiiaded 
in  his  own  ?ni?idy  and  if  they  difered^  to  do  it  in 
love  J   he  difclaims  a  dominion  over  the  peo- 
ple's faith ;  and  the  apoille  Peter  forbids  the 
Elders  who  had   the  overlight  of  the   flock, 
''  to  lord  it  over  Gods  heritage.    But  is  this  the 
manner  of  the  church  oiPome^  which  requires 
a  blind  and  implicit  faith  from  all  her  mem- 
bers, and  commands  us  to  lay  aiide  our  un- 
<ierftandings  in  order  to  become  good  Chri^ 
ftians  ?  Strange  !  That  men  fhould  have  liber- 
ty to  exercife  their  reafon  in  the  common  af- 
fairs of  life,  and  be  obliged  to  Ihut  their  eyes 
and  be  ftark  blind  in  matters  of  faith ;  nay, 
the  Papifts  require  us  not  only  to  lay  afide  our 
underftandings,  but  to  believe  in  dire(ft  oppofi- 
tion   and  defiance  to  them  ;  for  if  the  Pope 
fliould  decree  virtue  to  be  vice,  and  vice  virtue, 
we    are  bound  in  confcience,    (fays  Cardinal 
Bellarmine)  to  believe  it.     Is  there  any  thing 
like  this  among  the  moft  barbarous  Nations  ? 
But  not  content  with  abufing  our  confcien- 
ces  they  deprive  us  of  our  eflates  and  liberties  ^ 
Popery  and  flavery  are  infeparable  j  and  an  In- 
quilition  in  the  church  is  a  fure  mark  of  flavery 

E  2  IW 

^  *  Phil.  iii.  J5,   i6,  ""  I  Pet.  v.  3, 


[  36  ] 

in  the  ftate.  The  Uberties  of  England  grew  up 
\vith  the  Reformation  and  will  certainly  die  with 
it  ;  when  Popery  got  polTeifion  of  the  Britijh 
throne  in  the  perfon  of  King  James  II,  our  laws 
were  prefently  fufpended,  our  charters  taken 
from  us,  and  our  whole  conflitution  fubverted  : 
the  knife  was  then  at  our  throats,  and  the  only 
choice  that  feemed  left,  was  to  turn  or  burn. 
The  populace  were  alarmed,  and  Proteftants 
fliook  their  chains  and  groaned  for  a  deliverer, 
which  God  of  his  infinite  mercy  fent  us  in  the 
perfon  of  the  great  King  William  III,  who 
without  violence  or  blood  delivered  this  nation 
from  Popery  ;  and  all  Eiircpe  from  the  chains 
and  fetters,  that  a  great  and  fuccefsful  tyrant 
had  prepared  for  them. 

It  follows  from  hence,  in  the  laji  place^  that 
■  an  open  toleration  of  the  Popijl:  religion  is  incon- 
fifient  with  thefafety  of  a  free  people  and  a  Fro- 
tejlant  Government.  Every  Rcman-Catholick 
having  profefled  allegiance  to  a  foreign  power 
mufl  be  an  avowed  enemy  to  his  King  and 
country.  It  is  therefore  made  death  by  a  very 
fevcre  law  for  any  priefl  to  pervert  any  of  his 
Majefty's  fubjeds  to  Popery,  or  for  any  private 
perfon  to  be  willingly  reconciled  to  the  Romijb 
communion,  becaufe  as  often  as  Popery  gains 
a  profelyte,  the  King  locfes  a  fubjcdt.  The 
words  of  the  ftatute  ^  are  thefe,  which  I  the  ra- 
ther mention  becaufe  their  laity  may  not  be  ac-^ 
quainted  with  them  :  <'  All  perfons  pretending 
**  to  have  powcr^  who  Ihall  abfolve,  perfuade, 
v'  or  withdraw  any  of  the  Queen's  fubjeds 
^'  from   the  religion    now  ellabliflied,  to  the 

''  2j  EIIz.  Cap.  i,  ['  Romifi 


[  37  ] 

'*  Roinifi  religion,  or  move  them  to  promiie 
*'  obedience  to  the  Stc  of  Rome,  being  thcre- 
"  of  lawfully  convidled,  fliall  fuffer  as  in  cafe 

*'  of  high-treafon. And  if  any  perfon  after 

"  the  end  of  this  parliament,  be  willingly  ab- 
"  folved,  or  withdrawn  as  aforefaid,  or  wil- 
"  ingly  be  reconciled,  or  iliall  promife  any 
"  obedience  to  any  pretended  prince,  poten- 
**  tate,  or  ufurped  authority  from  Rome,  then 
"  every  fuch  perfon  their  procurers  and  coun- 
"  lellors  being  thereof  lawfully  convicted,  fliall 
*'  be  taken,  tried,  and  judged,  and  fliall  fuffer 
"  as  in  cafes  of  high-treafon."  So  that,  not 
only  eve?y  prieji^  but  every  Jiew  convert  to  Popery 
is  a  traytor^  and  a  dead  man  by  the  laws  of  his 
country ;  the  mofl  facred  obligations  being  then 
judged  an  infufficient  fecurity,  from  men  who 
had  delivered  up  their  confciences  into  the  hands 
of  thofewho  pretend  to  bind  and  loofemen  from 
their  lins,andto  abfolve  them  from  the  moft  fo- 
lemn  oaths,  or  difpenfe  with  them,  for  the 
fervice  of  the  Catholick  caufe. — Far  be  it  from 
Proteftant  Diffenters  to  plead  for  perfecution 
or  fanguinary  laws,  or  even  negative  dilcourage- 
ments  for  religious  principles  not  fubverfive  of 
the  foundations  of  fociety  and  civil  government. 
Every  fliithful  fubje(5l  ought  to  be  prote^Sfed 
in  liis  religious  as  well  as  civil  rights,  but  if 
men's  religion  teaches  them  rebellion  ;  and 
every  convert  to  Popery  is  by  principle  an  enc- 
iny  to  the  conftitution  of  his  country,  and  a 
friend  to  the  Rretejider  to  his  Majefty's  crown 
and  dignity  ;  furely  the  government  may  pre- 
ferye  itfelf.     Befides  'tis  a  knov/n  maxim  of 

Popery^ 


[  38  ] 

Popery,  and  was  decreed  in  the  xixth  feflion 
of  the  council  of  Conjlance^  that  nojaith  is  to 
be  kept  with  Hereticks,  or  Proteftants  ;  and  our 
hiftories  abundantly  teftify  that  where  they  have 
had  power  they  have  religioufly  obferved  it,  as 
appears  by  the  violation  of  the  EdiB  of  Nantes 
in  France  againft  the  faith  of  the  mofl  folemn 
treaties  j  the  maffacresof  P^m  and  Ireland^  in 
which  no  ties  of  nature  or  friendfhip  could  pre- 
vent the  ftaining  their  hands  with  the  blood 
of  their  neareft  Proteflant  relations  j  not  to  in- 
fifl  upon  their  many  plots  and  confpiracies  a- 
gainft  the  reformed  religion  in  Kngland^  and 
particularly  that  wherein  King,  Lords,  and 
Commons  aflembled  in  Parliament  were  to  be 
blown  up  at  once  :  only  I  muft  obferve,  that 
all  the  confpirators  were  abfolved,  and  Garnet 
their  provincial,  who  performed  the  office,  is 
commended  by  Bellarmine  as  a  man  of  incom- 
parable fandity  and  holinefs  of  life. 

But  they  tell  us  their  natures  are  now  chan- 
ged, and  their  principles  not  fo  fierce  and 
bloody  as  formerly.  Are  they  fo  ?  l^hen  may  the 
Ethiopia?!  change  hisjkin  and  the  leper  hisjpoti. 
Have  we  already  forgot  the  late  cruelties  zX.T'horn 
the  numbers  of  P^/<^/?Wj  that  were  driven  from 
their  native  country  purely  for  religion  about  20 
years  ago,   and  the  prefent  ufage  of  the  Saltz- 

burghers  by  their  Ipiritual  tyrant  ? 1  would 

not  fill  your  heads  with  imaginary  dangers ; 
but  this  I  am  fure  of,  great  induftry  is  ufed 
by  numbers  of  priefis  (tvtw  in  defiance  of  ^ 
law  tliat  makes  it  death )  to  undermine  the 
Proteflant  religion.  Bribes  are  given 3  and  large 

"  Spanh.  £c,  Hift.  p.  1845;,  promiies. 


[  39  ] 

f  fomlles  of  fupport  and  encouragement  to  the 
meaner  people  ^  catechifms  and  books  of  devo- 
tion are  privately  difperfedj  Mafs-houfes  are 
ere(rted  in  feveral  parts  of  the  city  and  fuburbs, 
and  priefts  officiate  almoft  with  open  doors ; 
they  inlinuate  themfelves  into  private  families, 
and  kindly  relieve  the  ncceffitous  and  diilrefs'd, 
on  condition  of  their  living  and  dying  in  the 
bofom  of  the  Cathoiick  church.  Thefe  are  the 
new  methods  of  converlion.  But  (liall  Pro- 
teftants  be  afleep  while  the  Enemy  is  cutting 
away  the  ground  from  under  their  feet  ?  Have 
we  any  concern  for  the  reformed  religion,  for 
the  liberties  of  our  country,  and  for  the  welfare 
of  our  dear  children  and  pofterity?  Let  us 
then  ftand  fail  in  the  liberty  wherewith  Chriil 
has  made  us  free.  Let  Churchmen  and  Dillen- 
ters  lay  alide  their  jealoufies  of  each  other,  and 
bend  their  united  forces  againft  the  common 
enemy.  And  may  the  wifdom  of  the  legifla- 
ture  be  direcfted  to  fuch  meafures  conliftent 
with  the  laws  of  Chriftianity,  and  the  natural 
rights  of  mankind,  as  may  ftrengthen  the 
Proteflant  interelf  and  effed:ually  prevent  the 
growth  of  a  religion  which  would  rob  us  of 
all  that  is  dear  to  us  as  Men  and  Chriftians! 

The  minifters  of  Chrift  are  obliged  morfe 
cfpecially  to  appear  in  the  front  of  the  battle, 
not  only  to  animate  their  people  and  arm  them 
againft  the  approaching  danger,  but  to  endea- 
vour the  delivering  thefe  deluded  fouls  out  of 
the  fnare  of  the  Devil,  by  perfuading  them  to 
read  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  ufe  the  under- 
ftandings  God  has  given  them  to  diftinguifli 
between  truth  and  error  j  and  by  praying  that 

God 


[  40  ] 

God  would  enlighten  their  minds,  and  give^ 
them  repentance  to  the  acknowledgment  of 
the  truth  :  but  if  after  our  moft  fervent  prayers 
and  kind  endeavours  for  their  conyerlion,  they 
will  ihut  their  eyes,  and  go  on  blindfold  in  a 
religion  that  has  neither  fcripture,  reafon,  nor 
common  fenfe  to  fupport  it;  if  they  will  profei^ 
allegiance  to  a  foreign  tyrant,  and  vow  th^ 
deflrudiion  of  their  King  and  Country,  wfi^n 
their  fuperiors  fhall  command  them  to  the 
fervice  ;  we  may  then  lawfully  join  in  that 
form  of  prayer  and  thanklgiving  appointed  by 
Parliament  for  the  fifth  of  November^  before 
it  was  altered  by  archbifhop  Laud,  "  — Be 
*'  thou  ilill,  O  LordjOur  mighty  proteclor,  and 
'.'  icatter  our  cruel  enemies  which  delight  in 
*'  blood ;  infatuate  their  counfels,  and  root 
"  out  that  Babylonijh  and  antichriflian  Sed:, 
*'  which  iay  with  yerufalan,  Down  v/idi  it, 

"  Down  with  it  to  the  ground. And  to  that 

"  end  ftrengthen  the  hands  of  our  gracious 
"  King,  the  nobles,  and  maglftrates  of  the 
"  land,  with  judgment  and  juftice,  to  cutoff 
"  thofe  workers  of  iniquity,  whofe  religion  is 
*'  rebellion,  whofe  faith  is  fadlion,  whofe 
"  practice  is  murdering  of  fouls  and  bodies ; 
*^  and  to  Toot  them  out  of  the  confines  and  li- 
"  mits  of  this  kingdom,  that  they  may  never 
"  prevail  L'gainfl  us,  and  triumph  in  the  ruins 
"  of  thy  church;  and  give  us  grace  by  true  and 
"  ferious  repentance  to  avert  thefe  and  the  like 
*'  judgments  from  us,  for  thy  dear  Son's  fake, 
.*'  our  only  mediator  and  advocate  •"  to  whom 
be  glory  in  the  clnirches  throughout  all  ages- 
world  without  end.     Amen, 


The  Church  o(  Rome's  Claim  of  Autho- 
rity and  Infallibility  examined* 

I  N     A 

SERMON 

Preached  at 

SALTERS-HALU 

January  3Gth,   1734* 


^y  GEORGE   SMTTH,  M*%. 


With  Additions. 


■rfMKiaiiAiai*^ 


LONDON: 

Printed  for  Richard  Hett,    at  the   Bi^le  and 
Crown  in  the  Poultry,     1735- 


(Price6^.) 


(  3   ) 


2  Cor,  i.  24. 

JVi?/  /i?r  that  v)e  ha^ve  Dominion 
o'ver  your  Faith,  but  are  Help- 
ers of  your  Joy  :  For  by  Faith 
ye  fland. 

APPEAR  before  you  tliis  Day,  to  charge 
the  Church  of  Kome  with  boldly  ufurping, 
and  tyrannically  exercifing,  that  Dominion 
over  the  Faith  of  Chriftians,  which  the  Apo- 
ftle  in  the  Text  fo  exprefly  difclaims,  and  which  he 
never  once  exercifed  in  all  his  Life.  If  I  can  make 
good  this  Charge,  I  Ihall  at  once  vindicate  fome  of 
the  Redeemer's  unalienated  Prerogatives ;  and  de- 
fend fome  of  the  moft  facrcd  Rights  of  the  Chrifti- 
an  World,  again;ft  this  Church  which  fo  infolcntly 
violates  them. 

•It  will  not  furely  be  faid,  that  though  St.  Paui 
was  not  inverted  with  this  Dominion^  yet  tl>at  St. 
Peter  was  ;  and  that  therefore  Popes  as  his  Succef- 
fors,  and  Vicars  general  of  Chrift  upon  Earth,  may 
juftly  exercife  it.  For  befides  that  St.  Paul  was  an 
Apollle  J  fpeaks  here  in  that  Character  j   and  when 

A  2  hz 


(4) 

he  owns,  WE  havf  no  Dominion  over  your  Faith, 
feems  to  difclaim  it  not  only  for  himfelf,  but  in  the 
Name  of  all  the  Apoflles  and  Minifters  of  Jefus 
Chrifl,  of  what  Rank  and  Eminence  foever  in  the 
Chriftian  Church  ;  befides  this,  I  fay,  He  tells  us 
in  two  feveral  Places  of  this  very  Epiftle,  that  he 
was  in  nothing  behind  the  very  chiejefi  Apojlles  *  ; 
and  yet  certainly  he  muft  have  been  far  behind  one 
of  them,  at  leaft,  if  St.  Peter  was  appointed  fu- 
preme  Head  of  the  Church,  and  was  entrufted  with 
that  Authority,  and  endowed  with  that  Infal- 
libility, which  his  SuccelTors  now  pretend  to. 

Thefe  are  the  Powers  and  Privileges ^  which  the 
Church  of  Rome  fays  {lie  is  inverted  with  :  It  falls 
to  my  Share  to  examine  them  j  and  I  hope  to  con- 
vince you  before  I  have  done,  that  never  were  any 
Claims  more  unjuftly  made,  or  more  weakly  and 
ilcnderly  fupported. 

Her  Claims  upon  the  Foot  of  Authority  are  ma- 
ny, and  of  different  Kinds  j  but  as  I  have  neither 
Time  nor  Inclination  to  extend  the  Subjed  of  this 
Difcourfe  further  than  was  defigned,  when  I  was 
defired  to  treat  of  itj  much  Icfs  to  invade  the  Pro- 
vince of  any  Perfon  engaged  with  me  in  this  Ser- 
vices I  iliall  confine  my  lelf  to  that  Authority  which 
file  claims  in  matters  of  Faith  ;  and  then  go  on  to 
pnquire  into  lier  InfcUibity. 

The  former  may,  I  think,  be  fairly  ftated  ;  and 
will,  I  believe,  be  fully  confuted,  under  the  follow- 
ing Propofitions. 

1.  That  the  Church  hath  Authority  to  fettle  the 
Caiion  of  Scripture,  and  to  determine  what  Books 

*  i  Cor.  xi.  5.   and  xii.  1 1. 

are 


(  5  ) 

are,  and  what  are  not  Canonical,  in  fnch  manner 
as  that,  by  Vcrtue  of  her  Authority,  all  Chrifti^ns 
are  obliged  to  receive  thofe  which  ihe  receives,  and 
to  reject  thofe  which  {lie  rejefts. 

II.  That  the  Authority  of  Scripture  as  to  us  (quoad 
im)  and  the  Regard  we  are  to  pay  to  it,  depends  up- 
on the  Authority  of  the  Church,  which  delivers 
thefe  Scriptures  to  us,  and  declares  them  to  be  the 
Word  of  God. 

III.  That  the  Church  hath  Authority  to  interpret 
and  give  the  Senfe  of  Scripture ;  which  Interpreta- 
tion all  Chriflians  are  obliged  to  receive  and  fubmit 
to. 

TV.  That  fmce  many  Things  which  ought  to  be 
believed,  are  not  at  all  contained  in  Scripture,  the 
Church  hath  Authority  to  decree  thefe  as  neceifary 
to  Salvation  J  and  all  Chriflians  are  thereupon  obli- 
ged to  believe  them. 

V.  That  file  has  a  Right  to  judge  and  determine 
authoritatively,  all  Controverfies  relating  to  Matters 
of  Faith  J  fo  as  that  all  Chriftians  are  obliged  to  fub- 
mit to  her  Deciiion. 

If  upon  hearing  thefe  Claims  made,  you  fhould 
be  difpos'd  to  ask,  (as  any  honeil  inquilitive  Perfon 
would  naturally  do)  Pray  where  is  all  this  Power 
and  Authority  lodg'd  ?  who  is  inverted  with  it  ? 
who  is  to  exercife  it  ?  you  will  be  told  the  Catholick 
Church  i  meaning  their  own  Church  of  Rome  : 
and  with  this  anfwer  they  have  taught  their  own 
Votaries  to  reft  fatisfied.  But  we  Proteftants,  who 
know  that  general  anfwers  are  often  deceitful  and 
evalive,  and  that  this  in  particular  is  fo ;  are  not 
thus  to  be  put  off.     For  tho'  at  prefent   we  fnould 

pafs 


(  6  ) 

•pafs  l3y  the  Abfurdity  of  calling  a  Part  the  whole  ; 
I  mean  of  Calling  that  the  Catholick  Church, 
which  to  fay  the  beft  of  it  is  but  a  part,  and  that 
a  very  corrupt  one  too,  of  the  Catholick  Church  j 
we  muft:  beg  to  be  a  little  more  particularly  infor- 
med. This  Catholick  Church  means  either  fome 
one  or  more  Perfons,  in  whom  this  Authority  is 
vefled:  Is  it  then  ditfufively  in  the  Church  Univer- 
fal,  ;.  e.  in  all  Churches  thro'  out  the  World  ? 
Or  is  it  in  the  Church  Reprefentative,  /.  e.  in 
a  General  council?  Or  is  it  in  the  Church  Virtu- 
al, (as  they  exprefs  it)  i.  e.  in  his  Holinefo 
the  Pope  ?  The  Advocates  of  Rome  are  as  much 
perplex'd  how  to  anfwer,  and  as  little  agreed,  in  the 
Anfwers  they  give  here,  as  we  fhall  find  them  to  be 
prefently,  when  we  come  to  ask  the  fame  Quefti- 
ons,  with  relation  to  their  pretended  hi  fallibility  : 
And  as  they  will  be  there  urg'd  more  at  large,  I  at 
prelent  take  no  further  notice  of  them  but  go  on 
to  fliew  you  -y  That  no  one  Man,  no  fet  or  number 
of  Men  on  Earth,  has  any  juft  claim  to  the  Au- 
thority we  are  fpeaking  of.  In  order  to  which  I'll 
brierty  confider  the  Particulars  which  have  been 
mention'd  j  and  fince  feveral  of  them  may  (in  ano- 
ther view)  fall  under  the  notice  of  fome  other  of 
any  Brethren;  I  will  take  what  care  I  can  to  keep 
to  the  Point  of  Authority  ;  and  not  to  repeat  or 
-anticipate,  what  has  been,  or  may  be,  more  perti- 
.nently  faid  by  them. 

I.  It  is  pretended  that  the  Church  hath  Authority 
to  fettle  the  Canon  of  Scripture,  to  determine  what 
Books  are,  and  what  are  not  Canonical  ;  -in  fuch 
jnanner  as  that  by  venue  of  her  Autliority,  all  Chri- 

ftians 


r  7 ; 

ilians  are  obliged  to  receive  thofe  which  (he  receives;, 
and  to  reject:  thofe  which  fhe  rejedis.    And  here  you 
are  to  -obferve,   that  it  is  not  their  enquiring,  and 
judging,  and  determining  for  themfelves  what  Books 
are  canonical,  that  we  complain  of:  For  this  is  a  Privi- 
ledge  which  we  think  all  capable  perfons  may  claim ; 
We  exercife  it  our  felves,  and  (hould  be  far  enough 
from  blaming  them  for  doing  fc  too.  But  that  which 
we  complain  of  is,  their  taking  upon  them  to  Deter- 
mine this  Point  for  all  the  World,  and  their  difcourag- 
ing  all  private  Examination,  and  condemning  with  a 
dreadful  Curfe,all  Contradidiion  to  their  Decrees  con- 
cerning if.     For  fo  the  Council  of  Trent  has  done- 
Whole  words  are  as  follows;  "  The  Synod  hath  feeii 
"^  fit  to  annex  to  this  Decree,  a  Lift  of  the  facred 
"  Books ;  left  a  Doubt  ftiould  arife  in  any  one's  mind^ 
*'  which  they  are  that  the  Synod  receives";  and  then 
follows  the  Catalogue  it  felf  of  all  the  Books  both  of 
the  Old  and  New  Teftament,  which  we  Proteftants 
own,  with  an  Addition  of  Six  Apocryphal  Books  to 
the  Old  Teftamant :   after  which  thev  thus  go  on  :. 
**  If  any  one  does  not  receive  thefe  entire  Books, 
**  and  every  part  of  them,   as  they  are  wont  to  be 
*'  read  in  the  Catholick  Church,   and  are  contained 
I  *'■  in  the  Ancient  Latin  Edition,  for  facred  and  Ca- 
"  nonicaljlet  him  be  Anathema"  *.  One  would  expe<3: 
that,  after  fuch  a  Pofitive  Determination,  and  fuch 
a -dreadful  Sand:ion  added  to  it,  they   fliould  have 
fome  very  good  Title  to  produce  for  their  Authority, 
and  fome  very  ftrong  Reafons  for  their  admitting 
all  thefe  Books  into  their  Canon.     As  to  the  Latter, 
their  reafons  are  all  taken  from  what  Councils  and 

.*  Cone.  Trid.  Sfiff.  4.  Decrer.  de  Canon  Scrip  11115. 

Fa- 


(  8  ) 

Fathers  have  faid  of  this  matter ;  particularly  the  3d 
Council  of  Carthage^  at  which  St.  Aujlin  was  prefent  j 
wherein  (it  is  pretended)  the  very  fame  Books  were 
decreed  to  be  Canonical,  that  are  mention'd  in  the 
Council  of  T'renf^  Catalogue.  In  anfwer  to  which, 
it  might  eailly  be  fhewn,  that  Councils  and  Fathers, 
are  both  for  number  and  weight,  againft  them: 
That  the  defign  of  this  3d  Council  of  Carthage 
was,  rot  to  determine  what  Books  were  Canonical, 
in  the  fenfe  in  which  that  Word  mufl  be  underftood 
in  this  Difpute ;  but  only  to  declare  what  Books 
might  be  profitably  read  in  the  publick  Allemblies 
of  Chriftians :  That  St,  Aufiin  himfelf  when  he 
calls  the  apocryphal  Books  Canonical,  plainly  means 
no  more,  then  that  as  they  contain  ufeful  Precepts 
and  Inftrudtions  for  Life  and  Manners,  they  may 
be  publickly  read  to  the  Edification  of  the  Church; 
but  without  any  Defign  of  fetting  them  upon  an 
equal  foot  with  thofe  which  are  Canonical  in  the 
higheft  and  ilrideft  Senfe  of  the  Word.  That  thefe 
Books  themfelves,  contain  fo  many  idle  Fables, 
grofs  Abfurdities,  plain  Inconfiftencies,  and  palpable 
Contradictions ;  as  could  never  have  been  dic- 
tated by  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  far  outweigh  all 
the  Reafons  that  can  be  produc'd  for  admitting 
them  into  the  Canon.  All  this  and  a  great  deal 
more  might  be  unaufwerably  urg'd,  but  1  choofe  to 
keep  clofe  to  the  Point  of  Authority  :  for  tho'  their 
Catalogue  had  been  precifely  the  fame  with  our 
own  J  yet  as  we  dare  not  affume  to  ourfelves,  fo  we 
can  never  allow  to  any  body  elfe.  Authority  to  o- 
blige  all  Chriftians  under  Pain  of  Damnation  to 
receive  precifely  the  fame  number  oi  Books  as  Ca- 
nonical. 


nonicaL     Let  us  enquire  therefore  how  this  Autho- 
rity is  fupported.     Their  Proof  flands  thus :  The 
Tellimony  of  the  Church  is  the  only  means  by 
which  it  can  now,  or  could  at  any  time  be  known, 
which  Books  are  Canonical  Scripture  and  which  are 
not  J  the  Church  therefore  muft  have  Authority  to 
determine  in  this  Cafe.     And  all  Chriftians  muft  be 
oblig'd  under  the  dreadfulleft  Penalty  to  ftand  by  her 
Determination:  Now  tho' I  am  far  from  thinking 
that  this  is  the  only  means  j  yet  fince  I  am  ready  to 
grant  that  (if  it  be  rightly  underftood)  it  is  one  very- 
good  means,  by  which  a  Judgment  may  be  form'd 
in  this  matter ;  I  will  at  prefent  take  no  notice  of 
this  defe(ft  in  the  Argument  j  but  only  confider  what 
fort  of  a  Proof  this   is,  of  the  Authority  claim 'd. 
When  the  Bible  is  firft  put  into  the  Hands  of  Chil- 
dren, they  are  told  by  their  Parents  and  Inftrut5torSj 
that  it  is  the  Word  of    God  :    When  they  grow 
up  to  ripenefs  of  Judgment,  they  may  if  they  pleaie, 
find  that  Chriftians   in  all  Ages  from  the  ApoilleS 
down  to  their  own  Times,  have  been  {o  far  agreed 
in  this  Point,  that  their  concurring  Teftimony,  is 
one  proper  reafon  to  induce  us  to  believe  fo  loo. 
But  how  does  this  prove  the  Authority  we  are  talk- 
ing of  ?  Is  there  no  difference  between  being  a  cre- 
dible Witnefs  in  a  Caufe,  and  being  an  authorita- 
tive Judge  ?  May   I   not  prudently  attend  to,  and 
weigh,  nay,  believe   the  Truth  of  a  Man's  Tefti- 
mony, without  being  oblig'd  to  ftand  by  his  Sen- 
tence   and   Determination,   as   a  Judge  ?    We   re- 
ceive the  Teftimony  of  the  Church  in  all  Ag>;s,  be- 
caufe  it  appears  to  us  credible,  and  becaufe  (all  Cir- 
cumftances  confider'd)  we  think  it  utterly  imoroba- 

B  '     bis 


(     10    ) 

ble  that  fo  many  Perfons  {hou'd  cither  themfelvcs 
be  decelv'd,  or  confpire  to  deceive  us ;  but  it  does 
not  follow  by  any  means,  that  therefore  we  are  to 
fubmit  to  the  Determination  of  the  Church  (much 
iefs  the  particular  Church  of  Rome)  as  an  authori- 
tative Judge.     It  is  farther  pretended, 

II.  That  the  Authority  of  Scriptures  [quoad no s) 
as  to  us,  and  the  regard  we  are  to  pay  to  it,  de- 
pends upon  the  Authority  of  the  Church,  which 
delivers  thefe  Scriptures  to  us,  and  declares  them 
to  be  the  Word  of  God.  This  Point,  I  confefs, 
is  not  any  where  that  I  know  of,  exprelly  and 
in  ter minis ^  decreed  by  the  Council  of  'irent  :  But 
the  ablefl:  defenders  of  the  Church  of  Rojne^  have 
either  exprelly  afferted  it ;  or  faid  that,  from  which 
it  neceffarily  follows.  HoJitiSy  in  juftification  of  a 
bold  Fellow  who  had  faid,  that  without  the  Tefti- 
mony  of  the  Church  the  Scripture  wou'd  be  juft  of 
the  fame  value  and  authority  with  JEfofs,  Fables, 
tells  us  that  it  was  pie  di£iutn  ;  For  that  without  the 
Church's  Teftimony,  Scripture  wou'd  be  of  no  great 
weight.  Another  declares  that  were  it  not  for  the 
Authority  of  the  Church,  He  wou'd  give  no  more 
credit  to  St.  Mat.  then  to  Livy.  Be/Iannine  fays, 
that  if  you  take  away  the  Authority  of  the  Church 
of  Rom(\  the  whole  Chriftian  Faith  may  be  quefti- 
on'd  as  doubtful  ^.  And  in  another  Place  (for  thefe 
things  don't  drop  from  them  by  chance,  and  una- 

*  Nam  fi  tollamus  auftoricatem  prxfentij  Ecclefix,  &:  prjcfentis  Con- 
cilii,  in  diibium  rcvocarj   poterunc  omnium  aliorum  Conciliorum  De- 

creca,  &  toca  Fides  Chriltiana. Et  pixrcrea  omnium  Conciliorum 

veccivim  &  omnium  Cjogmatum  firmicas,  pcnder  ab  AuAoritate  prxfen- 
tis  bcclciix.  BtUarm-  de  Llitvtu  Sacram.  Lib.  2.  Cap.  25.  $  Tertium 
Tfjlinionimn, 

wares>) 


wares.)  The  Scripture  Traditions  and  all  Doc- 
trines whatfoever,  depend  on  the  Teftimony  of  the 
Church,  without  which  all  are  uncertain  *.  There 
are  others  of  them  (nay,  and  fome  of  thefe  them- 
felves,  at  other  times)  who  talk  a  little  more  mo- 
deftly,  in  appearance  at  leaft,  tho'  in  efFed  they  fay 
much  the  fame  things.  They  diftinguifh  the  Au- 
thority of  Scriptures  quoad  fe,  and  quoad  noSy  i.  e.  in 
itfelf,  and  as  to  us.  They  own  that  the  Authority 
of  Scripture  quoad  fe,  is  facred  and  divine,  and  in- 
dependent of  the  Church  ;  but  that  as  to  any  Au- 
thority it  has,  quoad  nos^  with  refpeft  to  us,  it 
neither  has,  nor  can  have  any  but  what  depends 
upon  the  Authority  of  the  Church :  And  if  it  does 
not  follow  from  hence  that  all  the  regard  and  reve- 
rence we  owe  to  Scripture  flands  upon  the  foot  of 
the  fame  Authority,  I  fhall  defpair  of  ever  know- 
ing what  a  juft  Confeqyence  is.  I  could  quote  to 
you,  StapletoHy  Bellarmin^  and  Me  Ic  hi  or  Camis^  and 
a  great  many  more,  to  prove  that  this  is  theDodirinc 
even  of  their  moderate  Writers  ;  But  as  I  appre- 
hend this  will  not  be  deny'd,  I  choofe  to  {hew  you 
that  how  plaufible  foever  this  diftind:ion  may  ap- 
pear, there  is  really  nothing  in  it  to  the  purpofc  ; 
and  that  tho'  there  were,  yet  that  it  is  utterly  falfe 
that  the  Church  has  any  fuch  Authority  upon  which 
the  Authority  of  Scripture  as  to  us  depends. 

I.  The  diftindlion  has  no  meaning  pertinent  to 
the  prefent  purpofe  ;  nor  is  there  any  difference  (as 

*  Nam  cum  Scripturx  tradhiones  &  omnia  plane  dogmata,  ex  Tefti- 
monio  Ecclefise  pendeanc ;  nifi  cernflioii  fimus  qua  fie  vera  Ecclefia,  in- 
ccrta  erunc  prorfus  omnia.  BeUarm.  de  Eccl.  MUit.  L.  }.  C.  lo.  §.  a4 
hoc  necejfe  e/f. 

B  2  to 


(  li ) 

to  the  matter  in  Hand)  between  the  Authority  of 
Scripture  vi  itfelf,  and  as  to  us.  For  what  are  we  to 
underfland  by  the  Authority  of  Scripture  i?i  itjelf  ? 
So  far  as  I  find,  what  they  fay  to  explain  it,  amounts 
to  no  more  then  this ;  that  the  Scriptures  are  facred 
and  divine,  and  proceed  from  God  as  their  Author  : 
All  which  is  very  true  j  and  it  is  as  true  that  the  Au- 
thority of  the  Scriptures  refultsfrom  their  being  thus 
facred  and  divine ;  but  their  being  fo,  is  not  (properly 
fpeaking)  their  Authority :  For  all  proper  Authority 
is  relative  xo  thofe  who  owe  regard  and  fubjedlion  to 
it  J  and  thus,  the  Authority  of  Scripture  is  that  Pow- 
er or  Vertue  which  it  has  (as  being  the  Word  of 
God)  to  oblige  us  to  believe  and  practice  what 
it  declares  and  enjoins :  Whicfi  (if  Words  have  any 
meaning)  is  its  Authority  as  to  iis.  So  that  either 
this  is  a  diitindion  without  a  difference ;  or  at  leafl 
it  is  quite  impeitinent  to  the  matter  in  debate.  But 
tho'  it  were  never  fo  proper  and  pertinent,  I  add, 

2.  It  is  utterly  falfe  that  the  Church  has  any  fuch 
Authority,  upon  which  the  Authority  of  Scrip- 
ture ^  to  us  depends.  For  we  have  feen  already, 
that  this  Authority  of  Scripture  arifes  from,  and 
therefore  mufi:  depend  upon,  its  being  the  Word  of 
God.  This,  and  not  the  authoritative  Declaration 
of  the  Church  that  it  is  fo,  is  what  gives  it  its  bind- 
ing Force,  even  as  to  us.  Well,  but  Hill  it  is  ask- 
ed over  again,  How  do  you  know  that  thefe  Scrip- 
tures are  the  Word  of  God  but  by  the  Teftimony 
of  the  Church  ?  So  that  after  all,  Recourfe  muft 
be  had  to  her  Authority.  To  which  I  anfwer  over 
again,  That  as  1  have  other  Proofs  belides  the  Te- 
ftimony  of  the  Church,  by  which  I  am  induced  to 
believe  the  Scriptures  to  be  the  Word  of  God  ;  fo 
''••'.  the 


(13) 

the  Teftimony  of  the  Church  is  fo  different  a  thhig 
ifrom  its  Authority,  that  I  may  credit  the  former  ia 
this  cafe,    without  fubmitting  to  the  latter.      St. 
Taul  fays  to  the  Ephefiajis  (what  is  equally  true  of. 
the  whole  Chriftian  Church)  Te  are  built  upon.  the. 
Foundation  of  the  Prophets  and  /Ipojlles^  J^fi^^  Chrift 
bijnfelf  being  the  chief  Corncr-Stone  t  ;  i.  e.  not  the 
Perfons  of  the  Prophets,  Apoftles,  and  Jefus  Chrift, 
but  the  Dodrines  and  Truths  taught  by  them,  and. 
contained  in   the  Scriptures,   are   the   Foundation 
on  which  the  Church  is  built :   All  the  Authority 
and  Privileges  therefore  with  which  this  Church  is 
invefted,    muft  ftand  upon  the  iame  Bottom  j  /'.  e, 
upon  Scripture:  And  to  fay  Truth,  hither  they  re- 
fer us  for  the  Proof  of  them.     Is  this  conliitent 
with  their  faying,  That  the  Authority  of  Scripture, 
as  to  us  J  depends  upon  the  Authority  of  the  Church  ? 
What,    does  the  Church  receive   Authority  from 
Scripture  with  one  Hand,   and  give  Authority   to 
Scripture  with  the  other  ?  Do  the  Foundation  and 
Superftrudure  change  Places,  and  mutually  become 
both  to  each  other  ?    In  defiance  of  thefe,    and  a 
great  many  more  fuch  Abfurdities,  it  is  flill  infifted 
on  that  the  Church  has  this  Authority.     And  Sta- 
pleton  will  tell  you,  That  though  Hennas' s  Paftor  is 
indeed  an  Apocryphal  Book,  yet  the  Church  might 
•  if  fhe  had  pleafed  have  decreed  it  to  be  a  Canonical 
one,  and  obliged  her  Children  to  have  received  it 
as  fuch.     What  fhall  we  fay  to  fuch  an  Aflcrtion  ? 
I  am  not  the  hrfl  who  has  been  led  by  it,  to  call  to 
mind  what  ^ertnllian  and  Chjryjojiom  lay,  upon  Oc- 
cafion  of  the  Senate  of  Rome's  Authority  to  judge 

:}:  Eph.  ii.  20. 

and 


(   14) 

gnd  determine,  what  Gods  fhould  be  owned  and 
woriliipped  by  the  Roj?ians.  The  former  f-iys,  ^- 
mon:r  you^  Deity  is  examined  into  jiijl  as  Men  pleafe ; 
ajid  unlefs  the  God  whojs  Deity  they  are  enquiring  in- 
to plcafes  them^  hejhallbe  no  God  J  or  them  *.  The 
latter  fays,  That  the  Roman  Senate  has  this  Dig?iity 
or  Privilege^  to  vote  for^  and  admit  into  the  Nmnber 
of  thsir  Gods  -f-.  May  it  not  be  faid  in  the  fame 
manner  of  Rome  Papal^  That  unlefs  Scripture 
pleafes  them  it  fhall  not  be  Scripture  ;  and  that 
what  Books  lliall  be,  and  have  the  Authority  of. 
Scripture,  is  to  be  carried  by  their  Votes,  and  de- 
termined by  their  Decree  ?  But  the  Claim  (infolent 
as  it  is)  calls  for  a  graver  Anfwer :  Take  the  fol- 
lowing one.  Hermas  either  did,  or  he  did  nor, 
write  the  Book  called  Pajior  under  divine  Infpira- 
tion  ;  and  confequently,  it  either  was,  or  was  not. 
Canonical  (i,  e.  an  authoritative  Rule  of  Faith  and 
Manners)  as  foon  as  he  had  publiflied  it,  and  before 
the  Church  had  determined  any  thing  about  it.  If 
it  was,  there  was  no  need  of  the  Authority  of  the 
Church  to  give  Authority  to  the  Book  ;  for  by  the 
fame  Reafons  by  which  it  was  proved  to  be  written 
"by  Infpiration,  it  was  proved  to  be  of  divine  Autho- 
rity :  If  it  was  nor,  no  Authority  in  the  World 
could  make  it  fuch.  You  will  pleafe  to  obferve. 
That  the  fameReafoning  will  ferve,  as  to  all  Books, 
whether  really  or  pretendedly  belonging  to  the  Ca- 

*  Apud  vos  de  humano  arb'uratu  divinitas  pendcatur  ;  nifi  homini 
Dtui  piatuerir,  Dcus  non  erir,  Te^iul.  jipol.  C.  ^.  p.  0.  Ed.  Rigaltii^ 
Anr.  16^4. 

ChryfnJ}.  Op.  K  j.  p.  0^6.       Lit  6-.J1/,/, 

non  ; 


( ^s ) 

non;;  and  effedually  difprove  any  Inrerefl  that  the 
Authority  of  the  Church  has  in  this  Matter.  I  go 
on  to  the  Third  Propofition. 

III.  That  the  Church  hath  Authority  to  inter- 
pret and  fix  the  Senfe  of  Scripture  ;  and  that  all 
Chriftians  are  obhged  to  receive  and  fubmit  to  her 
Interpretation.  Thus  the  Council  of  T^rent  hath 
decreed,  That  "  it  belongs  to  the  Church  to  judge 
"  of  the  true  Senfe  and  Interpretation  of  Scripture, 
"  and  that  no  Perfon  {hall  dare  to  interpret  it  in 
"  Matters  relating  to  Faith  and  Manners,  to  any 
"  Senfe  contrary  to  that  which  the  Church  has  held, 
"  and  does  flill  hold,  or  contrary  to  the  unanimous 
*'  Confent  of  the  Fathers*.  In  which  Words  we 
are  referred,  you  fee,  to  the  Church,  and  to  the 
unanimous  Confent  of  the  Fathers,  for  the  true 
Senfe  and  Interpretation  of  Scripture.  Now  to  pafs 
by  the  ridiculous  Abfurdity  of  referring  private 
Chriftians  to  the  Decrees  of  Popes  or  Councils,  or  to 
the  Writings  of  the  Fathers,  which  they  have  neither 
Leifure  nor  Skill  to  confult ;  I  would  fain  know 
how  it  is  pofTible  for  the  moft  learned  and  labori- 
ous Man  in  the  World  to  come  at  the  Senfe  of  Scrip- 
ture this  Way  ?  Has  the  Church  it  felf  (mean  by  ic 
what  you  will)  always  been  uniformly  of  the  fame 
Opinion,  as  to  the  Senfe  of  all  the  Texts  of  Scrip- 
ture, which  (he  has  interpreted  ?  If  this  fliould  be 
pretended,  the  contrary  may  eafily  be  ihewn.  Take 
any  one  Text  of  Scripture,  about  the  Senfe  of  whicli 
Proteftants  and  Papifls  difagree,  and  I  will  defy  a- 
ny  Man  alive  to  prove,  that  the  Fathers  unanimouf- 
ly  agree  in  that  Interpretation  of  it,  which  the  Pa- 

?  Cone.  Trid.  SeiF.  4.  Decree,  dc  Eiir.  &  ufu  Saer.  Libr, 

piib 


( ^(' ) 

pifts  contend  for,  againft  the  Proteflants.  How 
then  is  it  poflible  to  lind  the  Senfe  of  Scripture  this 
way,  when  the  Church  it  felf  has  not  always,  and 
in  all  Points,  been  of  the  fame  Mind  3  when  the 
Fathers  are  far  from  always  agreeing  with  them- 
felves,  or  with  one  another  j  and  when  the  Doc- 
trines and  Interpretations  of  the  Church  of  Ro?^ie 
on  the  one  Hand,  and  the  Fathers  on  the  other,  are 
in  many  Inftances  fo  widely  different  ?  But  that 
which  is  more  directly  to  my  prefent  Purpofe,  is, 
to  fliew  that  though  we  could  come  at  that  Inter- 
prciation  of  Scripture  which  the  Church  holds,  and 
the  Fathers  agree  in ;  though  this  might  afford  a  fa- 
vourable Prefumption  that  fuch  Interpretation  is 
right  ;  yet  it  does  by  no  means  follow  from  hence, 
that  the  Church  may  authoritatively  fix  the  Senfe  of 
Scripture ;  or  that  no  Man  may  in  any  cafe  (be  the 
Keafons  never  fo  good)  differ  from  or  rejed;  her  In- 
terpretation. Our  Adverfaries  charge  us  with  Pride 
and  Difobedience,  a  Spirit  of  Fadiion  and  Rebelli- 
on, for  not  blindly  fubmitting  to  the  Decrees  of  the 
Church  :  But  the  Charge  is  an  unjuft  one.  They 
know,  or  may  know  (for  it  has  often  been  declared) 
that  we  are  ready  to  pay  all  proper  Deference  to  the 
Judgment  of  wife  and  learned  Men  :  And  when  a 
great  Number,  and  a  long  Succeffion  of  fuch,  can 
be  Ihewn  to  have  agreed  in  the  Interpretation  of  a- 
ny  Texts  of  Scripture  ;  efpccially  if  fuch  their  A- 
greement  appears  to  have  proceeded  from  fober  En- 
quiry, and  thorough  Convidtion,  without  Preju- 
dice or  corrupt  Biafs  ;  we  own  that  great  Regard  is 
to  be  had  to  them,  and  that  fuch  their  Interpreta- 
tion is  not  lightly  to  be  rcjcded  or  departed  iVcm  : 

But 


(  ^7  ) 

But  ftill  we  cannot  fubmit  to  them  as  LorJs  of  our 
Faith  :   We  are  ready  to  bear  them  and  learn  of 
them  ;  but  we  can  fee  no  Reafon  why  they  fhould 
be  to  us  inftead  of  Chrift,  or  exped:  from  us  that 
impHcit  Submiffion  which  is  due  to  him  only,  and 
thofe  commiffioned  by  him,    and  infpired  by  his 
Spirit.     He  that  is  any  thing  verfed  in  the  Writings 
of  the  Papijlsj  has  often  found  them  boafling  of 
their  om?2eSj  femper,  &  iibique  ;  The  whole  Church, 
all  the  Fathers,  at  all  Times,  and  in  all  Places,  a- 
greeing  in  their   Dodtrines  and  Interpretations  of 
Scripture.     They  have  been  often  anfwered  (and  I 
believe  Proteflants  are  fllllof  the  fame  Mind)  that  as 
to  any  Points  in  which  they  can  (liew  fuch  an  Agree- 
meenr,  we  will  not  oppofe  or  contradi6t  them.    But 
then  as  we  know  that  fuch  Agreement  can  never  be 
fhewn,   in  any  of  the  Points  in  Difference  betwixt 
them  and  us;  fo  we  take  leave  farther  to  declare^ 
that  even  in  this  cafe,  our  giving  in  to,  and  not  op- 
pofing  Points  fo  agreed,  would  be  owing  to  a  rati-» 
onal  Perfuaiion,    that  things  fo  univerfally   main- 
tained mufl  be  true,  and  not  to  an  Opinion  of  any 
proper  Authority  the  Perfons  fo  agreeing  have  over 
us  in  thefe  Matters.     You  fee  then  that  we  are  rea- 
dy to  pay  to  Church  and  Fathers  all  proper  Defe- 
rence and  Regard  ;  and  where  they  have  Reafon  or 
Scipture  on  their  Side,  we  have  no  Inclination  to 
difagree  with  them.     But  it   is  Authority  which  is 
claimed ;    it  is  blind  Submiffion  that  is  required  j 
without  which  all  the  reft  (it  is  pretended)  iignifies 
nothing.     Let  us  fee  then  upon  what  this  Authority 
to  interpret  Scripture  for  us,   and  this  Demand  of 
implicit  Submiffion  from  us,  is  founded.     Is  it  up- 

C  on 


(  i8  ) 

on  Scripture  ;  or  any  Promife  there  given  them,  of 
an  infallible  Guidance  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  in 
thefc  Matters  ?  Their  Proofs  of  this  fort,  w  ill  be 
confidcred  and  confuted  when  I  come  to  the  Point 
of  Infallibility.  Is  it  that  they  have  greater  natural 
Abilities  or  acquired  Advantages,  for  interpreting 
Scripture,  than  Proteftants  have  ?  Befides,  that  this 
can  jiever  be  proved,  and  need  not  be  granted  ;  we 
are  firmly  perfuaded,  that  fuch  Freedom  of  Enqui- 
ry as  Proteftants  plead  for,  and  exercifc  in  interpret- 
ing Scripture,  is  an  Advantage  for  coming  at  the 
true  Senfe  of  it ;  which  thofe  of  the  Church  of  Rome^ 
who  are  bound  down  by  the  Decree  of  Popes  and 
Councils,  and  the  Opinions  of  Fathers,  muft  necef- 
farily  want :  And  after  all,  fuppofing  they  had  thcfe 
fuperior  abilities  and  advantages ;  though  upon  this 
account  it  might  be  fit  to  attend  to,  and  confider 
whether  the  Senfe  they  fix  on  Scripture  be  the  true 
one  J  yet  it  would  by  no  means  prove  them  to  be 
Authwitative  Interpreters.  Is  it  that  they  ufe  pro- 
pcrer  Means,  take  fitter  Methods  to  come  at  the 
Senfe  of  Scripture  than  we  do  j  and  that  therefore 
their  Authority  in  this  Matter,  fhould  be  owned 
and  fubmitted  to  ?  We  fay  they  do  not ;  but  howe- 
ver let  any  impartial  Perfon  judge  between  us.  We 
thirik  the  proper  methods  to  be  taken  for  this  Pur- 
pofe,  are  to  confult  the  Scriptures  in  the  Original 
Languages ;  to  compare  the  more  obfcure  and  diffi- 
cult Texts  of  it,  with  thole  which  fpcak  of  t-he 
fame  Matters  more  plainly  and  intelligibly  ;  not  to 
under  ftand  any  particular  Texts  of  Scripture  in  fuch 
a  Senle,  as  contradic:ls,  or  is  inconfifient  with,  the 
whole  Defign  and  Tcnour  of  it  i  to  attend  diligent- 


(  19  ) 

Iv  to  all  fuch  Cireumftances  of  Perfons  writing  or 
written  to,  Time,  Place,  ^c.  which  may  give  Light 
to  the  Matter  we  are  enquiring  after  ;  in  fliort,  the 
very  fame  Methods  whirh  all  Men  of  Senfe  take,  to 
underftand  Writings  of  any  other  fort,  in  which 
they  meet  with  difficulties  :  And  he  that  on  account 
of  the  Importance  and  Sacrednefs  of  the  Matters  en- 
quired into,  fhall  add  fervent  Prayer  to  the  Father 
of  Lights,  and  his  urmoft  Care  to  keep  his  Mind 
free  from  Luft,  PafTion,  and  corrupt  Prejudices ; 
as  he  may  reckon  upon  it,  that  he  will  not  be  left 
ignorant  of  any  Truth  necedary  to  Salvation,  nor 
fuffered  to  fall  into  any  damnable  Error  j  fo  he  bids 
fair  for  coming  at  the  true  Senfe  of  Scripture,  even 
in  Matters  of  lefs  Moment. 

But  all  thefe  methods  (lay  our  Advcrfaries)  are 
infufficient,  and  have  been  found  unfuccefsfulj 
thofe  who  pretend  to  make  ufe  of  them  ftill  differ 
in  their  Interpretation  of  Scripture.  I  Anfwer, 
that  tho' they  may  differ  in  matters  of  lefs  Importance, 
yet  there  is  noReafon  to  think  that  thofe  who  ho- 
neftlyufe  thefe  methods,  {hall  ever  be  fuffer'd  to  err 
in  any  Points  abfolutely  neceffary  to  their  Salvation. 
Let  us  fee  however,  what  are  thofe  better  and 
furefr  methods  which  they  follow  :  Stapleton  reckons 
up  four  of  them  :  the  Rule  of  Faith,  (of  which 
Tradition  is  a  part);  the  Practice  of  the  Church;  the 
Senfe  of  Scripture  in  which  the  Fathers  agree;  and  the 
Sepfe  decread  by  Councils:  Thefe  you  are  to  follow 
and  you  cannot  err;  and  thefe  are  the  only  fure  me- 
thods of  Interpreting  Scripture.  As  to  the  firft  of 
thefe,  the  Rule  of  Faith;  fo  far  as  they  mean  Scrip- 
ture by  ir,   we  are  agreed ;  for  they  know  we  own 

C  2  Scrip- 


(     20     ) 

Scripture  to  be  the  bed  help  to  interpret  Scripture. 
But  when  they  take  in  unwritten  Tradition  as  a  part 
of  the  Rule  of  Faith,  and  tell  us  that  Scripture  is  to 
be  Interpreted  by  that;  we  rejed  it,  as  being  for 
many  reafons  utterly  untit  for  any  fuch  Purpofc  : 
particularly  as  being  it  felf  much  more  obfecure, 
uncertain,  and  doubtf  il,  than  Scripture  which  is  to 
be  interpreted  by  the  help  of  it.  And  then  as  to  the 
Other  three  methods  prelcrib'd ;  furely  nothing  was 
ever  more  impertinent ;  it  is  a  diredt  taking  for  gran- 
ted, the  Point  in  debate:  the  Enquiry  is,  what  are 
the  beft  methods  of  Interpreting  and  coming  at  the 
Senfe  of  Scripture?  theanfweris,  Follow  the  Church, 
Fathers,  and  Councils :  /.  e.  don't  Interpret  or  judge 
of  the  Senfe  of  it,  (rho'  this  is  the  very  thing  piopos'd 
to  be  done)  but  blindly  follow  the  Interpretation  and 
Senfe  of  it,  which  others  have  Authoritatively  de- 
termin'd  beforehand.  For  tho'  thefv  are  called  me- 
thods or  means  of  interpreting  Scripture;  and  by  our 
being  directed  to  them  for  that  purpofe,  one  might 
be  apt  to  conclude  that  we  were  to  fix  the  Senfe  of 
Scripture  by  the  ufe  of  thefe  means  ;  and  to  judge 
how  far  they  are  or  are  not  ufeful  for  that  purpoic;  yet 
I  can  afTure  you  that  no  fuch  thing  is  intended  or  will 
be  allow'd  ;  fo  far  from  it,  that  the  Council  of  Trent 
(as  you  have  heard)  has  dccrted,  that  no  man  fhall 
dare  to  interpret  Scripture  to  any  Senfe,  contrary  to 
that  which  the  Church  holds,  and  the  Fatiiers  agree 
in:  And  let  who  will  fet  about  the  work  of  inter- 
preting Scripture,  tho'  he  be  never  fo  well  qualiiy'd 
for  it;  at  his  peril  be  it,  if  in  matters  of  Faith  or 
Manners,  he  departs  a  hair's  breadth  from  what  is 
before  dctermin'd  to  be  the  true  Senfe  of  it.    So  that 

you 


(    Zl     ) 

you  fee  after  all,  when  they  talk  of  private  Perfons 
Interpreting  Scripture,  and  feem  to  dire(3:  to  what 
they  call  proper  methodsof  judging  of  the  true  Senfe 
of  it;  they  really  mean  no  fuch  thing,  nor  will  allow 
any  fuch  Pri  viledge  to  any  bodybut  their  own  Church: 
nay,  if  they  would  Speak  coniiftently,  they  muft  all 
of  them  own,  what  a  very  powerful  party  among 
them  alTert  and  maintain;  that  the  Authority  of  in- 
terpreting Scripture  is  inherent  in  his  Holinefs  the 
Pope:  for  their  Rule  of  Faith,  is  that  which  the 
Pope  approves ;  their  Ufage  and  Practice  of  the 
Church,  is  what  he  pleafes  to  obferve  himfelf,  and 
diredl  others  to  obferve;  the  Interpretation  of  the 
Fathers,  is  what  he  fees  fit  to  follow;  and  the  De- 
crees of  Councils  are  then  only  binding,  when  he 
has  graci(.'.illy  vouchfaf'd  to  confirm  them. 

There  is  anotiicr  Argument  upon  whichthey  lay 
very  great  Strefs,  in  proving  this  Authority  of  the 
Chuich  to  interpret  Scripture.  I  will  juft  mention, 
it  here,  tho'  it  will  be  more  fully  confider'd  and 
anfwer'd  under  the  head  oihifallibiUty.  It  is  thus  : 
Scripture  (they  tell  us)  is  an  U7ijensd  Letter,  ('tis 
their  own  Expreflion).  It  has  no  determinate  mean- 
ing or  fignification  of  its  own  ;  and  in  order  to  un- 
derftand  it  rightly,  it  is  neceflary  that  fome  body 
ihou'd  have  Authority  to  interpret  and  fix  the  Senfe 
of  it :  This  Power  (they  fay)  Chrifl  has  given  to 
the  Church  ;  and  who  fo  fit  for  it  ?  Who  fo  likely 
to  make  a  good  ufe  of  it  ?  That  \wq  may  not  be 
impos'd  upon  by  this  fpecious  Argument  ;  It  muft 
be  remember'd  that  there  is  a  wide  Difterence  be- 
tween interpreting  Scripture  by  the  befi:  helps,  and 
in  the  befl  manner  we  can  ;  and  doing  it  authorita- 
tively 


(   ^^  ) 

lively,  fo  as  to  oblige  the  Gonfciences  of  Men  to 
receive  and  fubmii:  to  our  Interpretation,  without 
varying  from   ir  or  daring  to  contradi(ft  it.     The 
former  we  fay  the  Chriftian  Church,   and  every 
Member  of  it,  may  do,  and  are  allow'd  and  encou- 
rag'd  by  their  Saviour  to  do  it :  Nay,  if  they  fet 
honcftiy  about  it,  tliey  may  hope  for  and  reckon 
upon  fbch  divine  AiTiftance,  as   will  fecure  them 
from  any  fuch  miftakes  as  will  prove  damnable  at 
lafi: :  The  latter,  is  what  neither  this  nor  any  other 
Argument  in  the  World  will  ever  prove.     For  any 
Man   to  fay   that  Scripture  is    an  iinfem' d  Letter^ 
which   has  no  certain   ffenfe    or  meaning   till  the 
Church  determines  what  that  ^^.Yvi&  or  meaning  is  ; 
is  talking  -Ither  very  impeninently,  or  very  impu- 
dently :  If  they  intend  by  it,  rhu  the  Words  or  Let- 
ters of  Scripture,  as  written   or  printed  on  Paper, 
are  mere  arbitraiy  marks,  and  have  no  meaning  in 
ihem  ;  it  is  utterly  impertinent  :  For  this  is  equal- 
ly true  of  all  the  Books  and  Writings  in  the  World; 
it   is  as  true    of    then    interpretation  of  Scripture 
when   committed  to  I'aper,  as  of  Scripture  itfelf. 
If  they  intend  by  it.  that  the  Letters  and  Words  of 
Scripture  are  not  fitted  to  convey  to,  or  excite  in 
our  Minus,  any  certain  and  determinate  meaning ; 
it  is  horridly  impudent :  It  is  a  bold  affront  to  the 
bleiTed  God,  and  an  unworthy  difparagement  of  the 
Revelation  he  has  vouchfaf 'd  us  in  his  Word.     Arc 
v/e  then  to  think,  that  tho*  Men  can  by  writing  or 
/peaking  convey  their  meaning  to  each  other,  with        , 
all  the  certainty  that  is  needful  \  yet  that  the  blelfed        | 
God  cannot  ?  ;Ol-  (hall  we  fay,  ihat  tho' he  could,  yet 
he  would  not?  Even  when  lie  was  giving  us  a  Book 

which 


(  43  ) 

•whichcoiildbeof  noufe  to  us  any  farther  than  itv, 
underllood  5  corcerning  which  he  1  'ai.rrif  declare. 
that  it  i-.  profitable  to  all  neceffary  i  urpoics,  and  ably 
to  make  us  wile  to  Salvation.  In  (hort,  if  this  au- 
thoritative claim  is  a  juft  one.  ocripture  (for  ought 
I  fee)  deferves  this,  and  all  the  refl  of  the  difparag- 
ing  things,  they  have  faid  about  it :  For  upon  this 
Suppofition,  it  can  be  of  no  ufe  to  us,  nor  have  we 
any  need  of  it :  If  it  has  no  determinate  meaning 
till  the  Church  by  Infpiration  fixes  one,  to  what 
purpofe  was  it  to  commit  the  divine  will  to  writ- 
ing ?  For  any  good  end  it  anfwers,  it  feems  to  us, 
God  might  as  well  conftantly,  or  as  occ^ficn  of- 
fer'd,  have  reveal'd  his  Will  to  Popes  and  Councils, 
to  be  by  them  handed  out  to  particular  ChrilHans  ; 
as  be  oblig'd  flill  to  reveal  the  true  fenfe  and  mean- 
ing of  thofe  writings.  The  fuppofition  therefore 
upon  which  this  Argument  proceeds,  is  you  fee  both 
impudent  and  falfe  j  and  the  Confequence  drawn 
from  it,  that  therefore  the  Church  may  and  can 
authoritatively  and  infallibly  interpret  thefe  un- 
meaning Scriptures,  is  of  a  Piece  with  it ;  as  I  fliall 
fliew  you  more  fully  by  and  by.  I  go  on  to  a  fourth 
Claim. 

IV.  That  fince  many  Thing=:  v.-hich  ought  to  be 
believed  and  done,  are  not  at  all  contained  in  Scrip- 
ture, the  Church  hath  Authority  to  decree  and  en- 
join thefe  Things  as  neceffary  to  Salvation;  and  all 
Chriftians  are  thereupon  obliged  to  believe  and 
pradife  accordingly.  I  readily  own,  that  upon  fome 
Occafions,  the  Vopijh  Wnrers  thcmfeives  will  fomc 
of  them  fay  Things  utteiiy  niconfident  with  this 
Claim.     Thus,  e.g.  Bellarm in  tells  us  in  one  Place 

of 


of  his  Writings  (though  it  plainly  contradids  v/hat 
he  himfelf  fays  elfewhere)  That  no  Propofition  can 
be  [dejidc]  an  Article  of  Faith,  but  what  is  reveal- 
ed in  Scripture  *.  Others  of  them  have  in  Words 
exprefly  difclaimed  all  Power  in  the  Church  to  coin 
new  Articles  of  Faith.  But  it  will  be  eafy  to  {hew 
you,  that  many  of  them  claim  this  Authority  for 
the  Church  ;  and  that  all  of  them  hold  fuch  Prin- 
ciples from  which  it  muft  neceflarily  follow ;  tho' 
when  it  ferves  their  Purpofe  they  would  feem  to 
difclaim  it.  Many  of  them  exprefly  claim  it :  Thus, 
e.  g.  Melchior  Canus  fays.  There  are  many  Things 
belonging  to  the  Faith  of  Chriftians,  which  are 
neither  manifeftly  nor  obfcurely  contained  in  the 
facred  Scriptures.  Stapleton  will  tell  you,  That 
many  Things  neceflary  to  be  believed,  in  order  to 
Salvation,  are  not  comprehended  in  the  Scriptures, 
but  are  rec(?iiimended  to  us  only  by  the  Authority 
of  the  Church.  And  elfewhere.  That  the  Church 
may  propofe  and  define  Matters  of  Faith,  without 
any  evident,  or  fo  much  as  probable,  Teftimony  of 
Scripture.  I  might  add  many  more,  if  it  were 
needful  :  But  I  go  on,  to  {hew  you.  That  they  all 
hold  fuch  Principles  from  which  it  nece{rarily  fol- 
lows, that  the  Church  has  Authority  to  decree  ma- 
ny Things  as  nece{Iary  to  Salvation,  which  the 
Scripture  takes  no  Notice  of.  They  all  maintain, 
that  Tradition  unwritten,  is  a  part  of  the  Rule  of 
Faith,  and  to  be  receeved  with  thejame  pious  Affecii- 

*  Sciendum  eR  enim,  propoGtionem  fidei  concludi  tali  fyllogifmo. 

Quicquid  Deus  revelavic  in  Scripcuris  eft  verum  :  Hoc  Deus  revela- 
vit  in  Scnpturis  :  Ergo  hoc  eft  verum.  Bellarm.  De  Verb.  Dei  L.  3. 
C.  10.  Refp.  ad  Ar^.  15. 

071 


(  -^5  )         fljf 

OH  dfid  Reverence,  that  is  due  to  Scriffure  *.    Now* 
by  the  Help  of  this  fame  Tradition,  they  know  a 
Power  of  Things,  of  which  our  Bibles  fay  never  a 
Word.     And  as  you  heard  before  concerning  Scrip- 
ture, that  its  Authority,  as  to  us,  depends  upon  the 
Authority  of  the  Church,  and  that  it  has  no  cer- 
tain meaning  other  than  what  the  Church  is  plea- 
fed  to  put  upon  it,  and  propofe  to  us  to  he  believ- 
ed }  So  they  tell  us  as  to  unwritten  Traditions  too, 
that  tho'  they  come  either  from  the  Mouth  oj  Chrifi 
himjelf,  or  were  di Bated  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  have 
been  handed  dowJi  by  a  continued  SucceJJion  -f-  ^   yet 
that  they   receive   all   their   Authority    from    the 
Church  :  /.  e.  If  thefe  Traditions  relate  to  Matters 
of  Faith,  no  Man  is  obliged  to  believe  them  j  or  if 
they  relate  to  Manners,  no  Man  is  obliged  to  ob- 
ferve    them,   as   necellary  to  Salvation  j    'till    the 
Church  has  declared  and  propofed  them  to  be  fo  : 
But  then,  as  foon  as  ever  the  Church  has  incerpo- 
fed  with  her  Authority,    to  propofe  and  declare 
them  as  necelTary  to  Salvation,    immediately  they 
are  fo.     Would  you  think  it  ?  To  believe  the  per- 
petual Virginity  of  the  bleflld  Viigin  (hall  be  an 
Article  ot  Faith  j  and  to  faft  in  Lent  fliail  be  a  pi- 
ous Pradlice,  neceflary  to  Salvation  j  if  the  Church 
pleafes  to  propofe  and  declare  them  fuch.     On   the 
other  Hand  ;    To  believe  that  God  is  in  Chriji  Jelus 
reconciling  the  World  unto  hi?njelf\   and  to  pray  to 
God  in  the  Name  of  Chrift  jejus  -,  Ihall  neither  of 
them  be  neceflary  to  Salvation,  till  the  Church  de- 
clares them  to  be  fo.     Nay,  you  could  never  know 

*  Cone.  Trid.  SefT  4.  Decree,  de  Canon  Scripturis. 
t  Cone,  Trid.  ibid. 

D  thac 


T  is  a  Chriftian  Dodrlne,  and  the 
latter  a  Chriftian  Duty,  unlefs  the  Church  had  told 
you  that  luch  and  fuch  Texts  of  Scripture  are  to  be 
interpreted  to  this  Senfe  j  and  had,  by  her  Authori- 
ty, declared  them  neceflary  to  Salvation. 

I  am  apt  to  think,  this  will  appear  ftrangc,  and 
found  hardily  to-Proteftant  Ears ;  but  I  can  tell  you 
fomewhat  elfe,  which,  it  may  be,  you  will  wonder 
at  as  much  :  Some  of  their  own  Authors  are  ingenu-  . 
ous  enough  to  own,    that  all  thofe  Doctrines  and 
Pradices  of  the  Church,  whofe  Author  and  Origi- 
nal is  not  to  be  found  in  Scripture,  are  to  be  reck- 
oned Apoftolical  Traditions :    and  they  own  that 
the  following  are  of  this  fort :    St.  Peter  s  having 
been  at  RomCy   and  the  Primacy  of  the  Bifhop  of 
that  See  j  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Altar  j  real  Prefence  -, 
Communion  in  one  kind  ;  private  Mafs ;  the  keep- 
ing and  adoring  the  confecrated  Hoft  j   the  Sacra- 
ments of  Confirmation,   Orders,   Matrimony,  Pe- 
nance, and  extreme  Undion  j  the  Neceflity  of  au- 
ricular Confeilion  to  a  Prieft  ;  Indulgences  ;    Pur- 
gatory ;  and  in  fliort,  almoft  every  Point  in  Diffe- 
rence between  them  and  us:  And  yet  after  all,  thefe 
very  Men,  when  they  debate  thefe  Points  with  Pro- 
teftants,  have  the  Face  to  quote  Scripture  to  us  in. 
Defence  of  them,  after  owning  that  they  are  not 
founded  upon  Scripture,  but  only  upon  Apoftolical 
Tradition.     Authority  and  Infallibility  will  it  leems 
bear  them  out,  in  doing  what  we  fallible  Hereticks 
think  very  ftrange  things.     It  falls  not  within  my 
Province  todetedl  the  Falfliood  and  Forgery  of  thefe 
unwritten  Traditions,  by  the  help  of  which  fuch 
marvellous  Feats  arc  to  be  dene  :  But  after  having 

Ihewii 


(  ^-7) 

fliewn  you  that  they  have  made  many  Things  to  be 
de  fide,  and  necellary  to  Salvation,  which  they  own 
have  no  other  Foundation;  it  is  myBufinefs  to  prove 
to  you,  that  they  have  no  Authority  to  do  fo  :  And 
to  ihew  you  moreover,  that  as  to  thofe  Things  which 
are  contained  in  Scripture,  their  being  Articles  of 
Faith,  and  neceffary  to  Salvation,  depends,  not  upon 
rhe  authoritative  Propofition  or  Declaration  of  the 
Church,  but  upon  their  having  this  Strefs  laid  upon' 
them  in  Scripture  it  felf.  As  I  was  muling  with 
my  felf,  how  to  propofe  my  Argument  againfl  fuch 
Authority,  in  the  cleareft  and  moft  intelligible  man- 
ner ;  I  at  firft  thought  it  might  be  proper  to  begin  with 
enquiring,  Whether  abfolutely  every  thing  which  the 
Church  may  fee  fit  to  propofe  and  declare  nccellary 
to  be  believed  and  done  in  order  to  Salvation,  be  for 
that  Reafon,  and  that  Reafon  only,  jo  necelTary  ?  If 
the  Anfwer  had  been  (as  furely  it  ought  to  be)  No  ; 
I  fhould  have  gone  on  and  reafon 'd  thus:  It  follows 
therefore,  that  befides  the  authoritative  Propofition 
and  Declaration  of  the  Church,  there  muft  be  fome- 
what  either  in  the  Nature  of  the  Things  themfelves, 
or  in  the  Source  and  Original  from  whence  they  de- 
rive, which  contributes  (at  leaft)  towards  their  being 
neccffary  to  Salvation,  and  without  which  it  would 
not  be  fit,  even  for  the  Church  itfclf,  to  declare  them 
fo.  And  from  hence  Idefigned  to  have  concluded  the 
very  Point  I  was  to  prove,  that  therefore  it  is  not  the 
Church's  authoritative  Propofition  and  Declaration 
only,  that  can  make  thefe  ihings  neeeffary  to  be  be- 
lieved and  done  in  order  to  Salvation.  And  I  ani 
fully  perfuaded,  that  if  the  Enquiry  juft  now  men- 
tioned, be  anlwered  in  the  negative,  this  Reafan- 

D  2  ian; 


(   i8  ) 

ing  thereupon,  would  be  unanfwerably  conclulive. 
But  I  foon  iaw  Reafon  to  alter  my  Method  of  Ar- 
guing ;  becaufe  I  fufpedled  whether  I  might  not 
be  anfwer'd  \n  the  affirmative  j  that  abfolutely 
every  thing  which  the  Church  may  fee  fit  to  pro- 
pofe  and  declare  necelTary  to  Salvation,  is  fo,  for 
that  reafon,  and  ihat  Reafon  only.  For  why  fliould 
I  imagine  any  thing  to  be  too  abfurd  foi  the  Church 
of  Rome  to  decree  necelTary  to  be  be'iev'd,  after  it 
has  decreed  the  Dodrine  of  Tranfubftantiation  ne- 
cefiary  to  be  believ'd  ?  Why  (hould  I  think  any 
thing  could  be  too  trifling  for  that  Church  to  re- 
quire, which  has  recommended  Pilgrimages  to  the 
Churches  and  Reliques  of  dead  Saintb  ?  Why  fliould 
I  take  it  for  granted,  that  any  thing  was  fo  mon- 
ftroully  bad  and  wicked,  that  the  Authority  of  the 
Church  itfelf  cannot  make  it  neceffary  to  be  be- 
liev'd or  done  ;  when  their  great  Champion  Bellar^ 
mm  has  told  us  in  fo  many  Words  *,  that  if  the 
Pope  thro'  miftake,  fliould  command  Vice  and  for- 
bid Vertue,  the  Church  (unlcfs  Ihe  would  fin  a- 
gainfl  Confcience)would  be  oblig'd  to  believe  thatVice 
is  good  and  Vertue  evil  r  Thefe  things  confider'd,  I 
chofe  to  proceed  thus :  The  Advocates  of  RoJiie 
will  I  fuppofc  own,  that  whatever  the  Church 
might  do,  fhe  never  has,  nor  ever  wi,ll  propofe  or 
declare  any  thing  as  neceffary  to  Salvation,  but  what 
is  founded  either  upon  Scripture  or  Apoftolical  Tra- 
dition y  for  one  or  both  thcfe,  is  always  pleaded  as 

.*  FiuCS  Cacholica  docec,  ornncm  vircuteni  elTe  bonam,  omne  vitium 
£i7c  malum  :  Si  aiittni  Fapa  trraiec  prs*  ipunoo  vicia,  vcl  prohibendo 
virtutts,  tcneretur  Ecr'tlla  credere  vitia  tile  bona,  &  viituces  malas, 
nifi  vtllct  conrra  Cji X-icnciaiii  peccarc.  Fcii;rm.  De  Rom.  Pontif.  L.  4. 
<C.5.§.  ult. 

the 


(  ^-9  ) 

the  ground  of  what  fhe  decrees :  Now  the  Apoflles 
from  v*^hom  Scripture  and  thefe  Traditions  arc  faid 
to  have  come  down  to  us,  either  knew  that  thofe 
things  wh'ch  the  Church  takes  thence  and  decrees 
or  propofes  as  neceffary  to  Salvation,  were  indeed 
necelTary  to  Salvation  j  or  they  did  not  know  it : 
Attend  now  to  the  Confequences,  which  ever  way 
this  queftion  is  anfwer'd.  If  they  did  know  it, 
they  either  declar'd  it  to,  or  they  conceal'd  it  from, 
thofe  to  whom  they  preach'd  *  :  Surely  it  won't  be 
faid  that  they  conceal'd  any  thing  that  was  abfolutely 
necelTary  to  Salvation  j  this  wou'd  be  charging  them 
withunfairhfulnefsto  their  Truft  :  Particularly  as  to 
St.  Paul,  it  wou'd  be  charging  him  with  high  Pre- 
fumption  for  pronouncing  even  2lX\.  Angel  from  Hea- 
'•oen,  or  any  Man  upon  Earth,  accurfed,  who  fhou'd 
preach  any  other  Gofpel  -f-,  than  that  which  he  and 
the  reft  of  the  Apoftles  had  received  themfelves 
and  taught  to  others  :  It  would  be  giving  him  the 
lie  for  having  faid  to  the  Elders  of  the  Church  of 
Ephcftis  whom  he  fent  for  to  Miletus,  that  he  had 
kept  back  nothing  that  was  profitable,  and  therefore 
to  be  fure  nothing  that  was  neceilary  ;  and  again 
that  he  had  not  jhunned  to  declare  to  them  all-  the 
Connfel  of  God  +.  So  that  I  think  we  may  venture 
to  affirm,  that  neither  he  nor  any  other  of  the  Apo- 
ftles conceal'd  any  thing  which  they  knew  to  be 
necelTary  to  Salvation  :  Every  thing  of  this  fort 
therefore  that  they  knew,  they  certainly  declar'd  ; 
and  if  they  declar'd  it  to  be  necelTary  to  Salvation^ 
I   can't  imagine   what  need  there  can    be   of  the 

*  Vid.  Chilling.  Ch.  4.  Seft.  i8.  p.  m.  144,  14$.      \  Gal.  i.  8,  9. 
t^  Aaft.  10.  to,  Z7.  ■ 

Church's 


(     50     ) 

Church's  Authoritative  propofal  and  Declaration  ; 
or  hew  there  can  be  any  Authority,  any  where,  to 
decree  what  {hall  be  necefTary  to  Salvation  ;  other 
then  that  of  the  Apoftles  themfelves,  under  Chriil: 
the  Head  of  the  Church.  Let  us  fee  now  what 
follows  upon  fuppofition  the  Queftion  fhould  be 
anfwer'd  the  other  way  ;  z.  e.  that  the  Apoftles  did 
not  know,  concerning  fome  of  thofe  things  ground- 
ed upon  Scripture,  or  Tradition  proceeding  from 
thera,  that  they  were  necefTary  to  Salvation  ;  but 
which  being  fo  in  themfelves,  (tho'  fhey  did  not 
know  it)  the  Church  hath  fince  declar'd  them  to 
be  fo.  If  this  is  the  Cafe,  I  would  fain  be  told 
how  the  Church  iince  the  Apoftles  Days,  came  to 
know  more  fully  and  compleatly  what  is  neceftary 
to  Salvation,  than  the  Apoftles  themfelves  did  :  I 
don't  know  that  flie  pretends  to  any  new  Revelati- 
ons of  this  fort  ;  and  if  fhe  fliould  pretend  to  them, 
we  fhould  expert  othcrguife  Proofs  of  their  com- 
ing from  God,  than  I  think  her  able  to  produce: 
And  yet  I  cannot  devize  how  the  Church  of  Rome 
fhould  come  to  know  more  than  the  Apoftles,  but 
by  new  Revelation.  I  can  think  of  but  one  poffi- 
blc  way  of  evading  the  force  of  this  Reafoning, 
and  that  is  fo  poor  an  one  that  it  fcarce  dcferves  to 
be  regarded  :  It  is  thus ;  that  the  Church  neither 
knows,  nor  pretends  to  know,  better  then  the  Apo- 
ftles what  is  neeeffary  to  Salvation ;  but  the  Apo- 
ftles might  know  feveral  things,  which  tho'  they 
were  not  necefTary  to  Salvation  in  their  Days,  would 
become  necefTary  in  after  Times  ;  and  therefore 
tpok  Care  to  hand  them  down  to  the  Church  by 
Tradition,  that  ftie  might  cxercife  her  Authority  in 

propofing 


(  31  ) 

proposing  and  declaring  them  to  be  neceiTary  to 
Salvation  at  fuch  Tiipes  and  in  fach  Circumftances, 
as  flie  in  her  great  Prudence  and  Infallible  Judg- 
ment thought  fit.     But  let  us  confider  j  Things  ne- 
ceffary  to  Salvation  at  one  time  and  not  at  another  ? 
Neceffary  in  our  Days,  and  not  fo  in  the  Days  of  the 
Apoftles  ?  NeceiTary  to  Chriftians  of  later  Ages,  and 
not  fo  to  the  primitive  Chriftians?  Sure  this  cannot 
be  true  :  I  alw^ays  thought  that  to  be  the  Chriftian 
Faith,  which  was  once  (and  at  once)  delivered  to  the 
Saints  *  by  Chrift  and  his  Apoftles.    But  to  let  that 
pafs :  If  this  was  the  cafe,    methinks  the  Apc^ftles 
{hould  have  taken  care  to  leave  it  upon  record,  or  at 
leaft  to  have  given  us  fome  Hint  in  Scripture,  that 
more  would  be  neceflary  to  Salvation  in  after  times 
than  was  then  :  And  yet  I  cannot  find  any  thiiTg  like 
this  (but  a  great  deal  to  the  contrary)   in  all  the 
New  Teftament.     But  it  may  be,  though  Scripture 
fays  nothing  of  this  fort.  Tradition  does  ;  and  that 
you  know,  ferves  their  Purpofe  full  as  well  :  I  do 
not  remember  ever  yet  to  have  heard  of  any  fuch 
Tradition  j  but  if  ever  I  fliould,  it  will  appear  to  me 
fo  very  unlikely  to  have  proceeded  from  the  Apoftles, 
that  I  fhall  ftrongly  fufpe6t  it  of  Forgery,    and  de- 
mand very  clear  Proofs  of  its  Genuinenefs,  before  I 
give  Credit  to  it.     I  go  on  to  the  fifth  and  laft  Pro- 
pofition. 

V.  That  the  Church  has  Authority  to  judge  and 
determine  in  all  Controverfies  relating  to  matters  of 
Faith;  and  that  Chriftians  are  obliged  to  be  deter- 
mined by,  and  fubmit  to,  her  Judgment  and  Decifi- 
on.  I  need  not  fpend  your  time  in  proving  that  fuch 
Authority  is  claim'd  in  behalf  of  the  Church :  Coun- 
*  Jude,  ver.  3. 

cils 


(  3^-  ) 

cils  have  fo  often,  and  Popes  do  fo  continually  exer- 
cife  it  ;  calling  all  thofe  Hereticks  and  accurled  (and 
as  far  as  they  have  it  in  their  Power  treating  them  as 
fuch)  who  oppofe  the  Church's  Decrees,  or  who,  in 
any  Connoverfies  of  Faith  which  arife,  decline  her 
Judgment,  and  refufe  fubmiflion  to  her  Determina- 
tions ;  that  there  can  be  no  need  of  farther  Evidence. 
Let  us  fee  how  this  Claim  is  fupported  :   By  much 
the  fame  fort  of  Proofs  (we  fliall  find)  as  the  former; 
particularly  the  third.  To  interpret  and  give  the 
Senfe  of  c^cripture,  which  has  no  certain  Senfe  till 
fhe  fixes  it :  and  from  what  was  faid  in  Confutation 
of  that,  this  before  us  might  fufficiently  be  difpro- 
ved :  So  that  I  fliall  need  to  fay  the  lefs  upon  it  here. 
Briefly  thus :  If  they  can  but  perfuade  you  to  take 
three  Steps  with  them  (they  are  pretty  large  ones 
indeed)  the  Point  will  be  proved  :  There  muft  be  a 
Judge  of  Controverfies ;   Scripture  is  not  fit  to  be, 
nor  can  pofilbly  be,  that  Judge  ;  the  Church  and  fhe 
alone  is  fit  for  that  Office,  and  invefled  with  this 
Authority,    by   Chrift    her  invifible    Head  ;    and 
therefore  flic  has  this  Authority,  and  is  in  the  right 
to  exercife  and  employ  it.     That  there  muft  be  a 
Judge  of  Controverfies,  meaning  thereby  a  living, 
•ay  and  an  infallible  one  ;    they  all  affirm  with  the 
utmoft  Confidence  :  Their  Proofs  of  which  will  be 
confidered  prtfently.  That  Scripture  is  not  fit  to  be, 
cannot  poffibly  be,  this  Judge,  they  are  very  pofi- 
tive  ;  nor  will  we  contradict  them,  if  they  mean  a 
living  and  infallible  Judge,   according  to  the  ftrid: 
meaning  of  that  Word  :  But  then  we  fay,  that  thefe 
Scriptures  are  very  fit,  nay  the  fitteft  thing  in  the 
World,  to  be  the  Rule  by  which  Chriftians  fliould 
judge  and  determine  allDifputes  concerning  Matters 

of 


(  33  ) 

of  Faith  ;  as  will  rid  doubt  be  proved  to  you  in  the 
next  Difcourfe.  Well,  but  the  Church,  /.  e.  (for 
fo  they  mean)  the  Pope,  or  a  Council,  or  the  Pope 
preliding  in  a  Council,  and  confirming  its  DecreeS;, 
is  fit  to  be,  and  endowed  with  Infallibility  that  it 
may  be,  this  Judge  of  Controverfies.  That  it  has 
no  fuch  Infallibility  fball  be  proved  hereafter  :  and 
that  fhe  is  fo  far  from  being  the  only  fit  Judge,  as 
not  to  be  at  all  fit  for  that  Office,  *  is  plain  from 
hence  ;  that  in  all  thefe  Controverfies  (he  is  a  par- 
ty ;  and  her  Power  and  Authority,  her  Temporal 
Grandeur  and  Interefl,  are  fo  nearly  concerned  in 
them,  that  it  is  not^  to  be  expeded  flie  fhould  exer- 
cife  this  Office  with  Equity  and  Impartiality.  And 
if  I  had  time  for  it  I  eould  fhew  you,  that  from  the 
time  fhe  firfl  began  to  claim  this  authoritative  and 
infallible  Judgment,  flie  has  us'd  it  in  fo  corrupt  and 
arbitrary  a  manner,  as  has  quite  forfeited  her  Repu- 
tation for  Honefly  and  Integrity  ;  and  as  muft  ef- 
fedually  difcourage  all  who  are  not  in  herlnterefls, 
from  fubmitting  to  her  Tribunal. 

You  have  now  heard  the  Claims  of  the  Church 
of  Rcme^  for  Authority  in  matters  of  Faith  j  You 
have  heard  too,  fome  Part  of  what  we  have  to  fay 
(for  all  could  not  be  faid  in  this  compafs  of  Time) 
for  the  Confutation  of  them.  If,  wondering  at  the 
Exorbitancy  of  thefe  Claims,  you  fliould  ask.  How 
ihe  could  ever  have  the  Infolence  to  make  them  ?  I 

*  Quxrendi  funt  Judices  :  Si  Chrifliani  de  iirraque  parte  dari  ron 
poflunE  ;  quia  ftudiis  Veritas  impedicur.  De  foris  quserendus  e(l  Judtx  s 
Si  Paganus,  non  poteft  nofle  Chnftiana  fecreta.  Si  Judaeus,  inimicus  eft 
Chrihiani  Baptifmatis  :  Ergo  in  terris  de  hac  re  nullum  potent  reperiri 
judicium  ;  de  coelo  quaerendus  eii  judex.  Sed  uc  quid  pulfamus  ad  cKt", 
Jum,  cum  habeamus  hie  in  Evangelio  Teftamtntum  i  O^tat.  Miltv.  ady,^ 
P4rm.  i*  5.  f.  109.  Ed.  Lutet,  1676.  Fo/. 

E  take 


(  34  ) 

take  tlic  true  Account  of  the  Matter  to  be  thus : 
That  between  Scripture  and  the  Church  of  Rome, 
thefe  is  a  nioft  irreconcileable  Difference:  Both  can- 
n'rtt  pollibly  be  in  the  right :  If  Scri'pture  be  true, 
many  of  her  Dodlrints  mufl:  be  fah'e;  great  part  of 
her  Worfhip  muft  be  idolatrous  ;  many  of  her  Prac- 
tices abfurd  and  fuperflitious ;  and  her  whole  Pow- 
er and  Form  of  Government  ufiirp'd,  arbitrary  and 
tyrannical.  She  feems  therefore  to  have  put  on  a 
bold  Face,  and  to  have  refolved,  that  Scripcure  fhall 
have  no  more  Authority,  no  other  Meaning,  than 
(he  is  gracioufly  pleafed  to  allow  ;  and  if  any  thing, 
ncft  to  be  met  with  in  Scripture,  is  found  neceflary 
to  defend  her  Caufe,  and  juflify  her  Tyranny -f-. 
Tradition fliall  be  applied  to,  to  furnifh  it  out:  Tra- 
dition which  {lie  can  forge,  alter,  and  make  to  fay 
jtifl  what  flie  pleafes. 

I  go  on  now  to  the  other  Point,  Infallibility; 
Their  Pretence  to  which  is  in  itfelf  fo  monftroufly 
iiifolent  and  abfurd;  fo  utterly  void  of  all  folid 
Proof  ;  fo  plainly  contradid:oiy  to  Hiftory  and  in- 
difputable  Fads  ;  fuch  a  baref.ic'd  Attempt  to  im- 
pole  upon  the  Reafon  and  common  Senl'e  of  Man- 
kind, and  to  bring  them  into  a  State  of  the  molt  ab- 
je(ft  Slavery ;  that  it  is  really  wonderful  (to  thofe 
who  are  not  acquainted  with  the  Hiftory  of  that 
Church,  and  th€  gradual  Advances  it  made  in  De- 
mands of  this  fort)  how  it  fhould  ever  enter  iiito  the 
Heads  of  mortal  Men,  to  lay  Claim  to  it.     And  yet 

■f  Cum  enim  ex  Sciipruris  arguunrur  (/r.  hoe.etlci)  in  aceufationem 
converruntur  ipfaiiini  Scriptiiiarum,  quaij  non  rede  habcant,  ntqtte  (inc 
«?  aiiftoritatc,  ec  quia  varic  func  difice,  et  quia  non  polUc  ex  hii,  inveni- 
ri  Veriras,  ab  his  qui  nefcianc  Tvaditionem.  Non  enim  per  Liceras  tradl- 
tam  illam,  fed  per  vivani  voc€mj  Sc  fcq.      Iign.  ccntM  iUr,  L.  5.   C.  2. 

the 


the  FaO  Is  Indlfputably  true  ;  they  have  longclahn- 
ed  it  J  they  continue  to  do  fo  ;  their  whole  Fabrick 
of  Authority  refts  upon  this  Claim,  and  falls  when 
it  is  confuted  ;  fo  that  I  fliould  be  thought  to  fpend 
your  Time  needlefsly,  if  I  were  to  fee  about  a  la- 
boured Proof  of  it.  CreJJy  indeed,  a  Profelyre  fromi 
the  Church  of  England  to  Popery,  in  the  iaft  Cen- 
tury, feems  to  have  been  fick  of  the  Word,  and  to 
have  wiili'd  he  could  fairly  have  got  rid  of  it :  He 
lei  Is  us,  Nofuch  Word  can  be  found  hi  a?iy  Council : 
That  he  faw  no  Neccjjity  that  ever  Frotejlants  fioidd 
have  heard  it  named^  ■much  lefs  prefs'd  with  fo  much 
Ear7teJinefSy  as  (he  owns)  it  hasbren^in  their  Books 
oj  Controverjy  :  That  the  Word  Infallibility  had 
been  combated  by  Chillingworth,  with  too  great  Sue- 
cefs^  which  therefore  he  wifhes  were  forgotten  or  laid 
^fide  X  J  and  intimates  it  as  his  Opinion,  that  the 
juft  Authority  of  the  Church  might  do  without  it. 
The  poor  Man  feem'd  to  have  fome  little  remains 
of  Modefty  when  he  wrote  this  j  but  it  is  highly 
probable,  that  his  new  Maflers  fchool'd  him  fevere- 
ly  for  talking  at  this  rate  ;  for  in  an  Appendix  to  an 
after  Edition  of  his  Book,  he  unfays  it  all  again,  by 
telling  us,  That  the  Church  c^an  neither  deceive  nor  be 
deceived  \  and  that  Authority  and  Injallibility  in  the 
Church,  are  in  EffeB  all  one  j  for  to  fay  that  the 
Church  hath  Authority  to  oblige  all  Chnjtians  to  re^ 
ceive  her  DoBrifies,  and  withal  to  jay  jhe  is  fallible^ 
is  Extremity  of  InjuJUce  and  tyranny  *.  But  whe- 
ther Crefy  had  ever  made  this  Recantation  or  no ; 
The  Church  of  Rome  is  fo  well  appriz'd,  that  her  Au- 

^  Exomolog.   Ch,  40.  J.  3.  p.  m.  184, 
*  Exomol.  Append.  C.  5. 

E  2  thoriiy 


( 36 ; 

thority  can  never  be  fupported  without  the  Claim 
pf  Infallibility  ;  that  as  {he  does  not  feem  at  all  dif- 
pofed  to  give  it  up,  fo  I  am  under  no  Apprehenfion 
)bf  their  reckoning  it  a  Calumny,  when  we  charge 
them  with  making  this  Claim.  And  indeed,  nei- 
ther CreJ/y^  nor  what  I  have  quoted  from  him,  had 
been  worth  mentioning  on  this  Occafion,  were  it 
not  that  I  might  warn  you  of  thofe  Methods,  which 
pofTibly  the  prefent  Agents  for  the  Church  of  Rome 
among  us  may  take,  to  gain  Profelytes  :  I  mean  re- 
prefenting  their  Caufe,  and  the  Doctrines  of  the 
Church  of  Rome,  in  the  fofteft  and  mofl  favourable 
manner,  and  concealing  as  much  as  they  can  the 
mofl:  fliocking  Parts  of  it  j  that  uncautious  People 
may  fwallow  it  the  more  eafily.  This  was  ma- 
nifeflly  Crcfy's  Intention,  and  it  is  not  at  all  un- 
likely,  that  others  are  now  making  ufe  of  the  >. 
fame  Arts.  If  you  fhould  happen  to  meet  wirH  :^|^4 
ny  of  them,  who  fhould  be  for  laying  afide  tliis 
{hocking  Word  Infallibility^  while  they  are  recom- 
mending their  Religion  to  you  ;  pray  ask  them, 
Whether  they,  or  any  Papift,  can  or  dare  own  that 
their  Church  has  or  may  err  in  matters  of  Faith  ? 
If  they  fhould  tell  you  that  their  Councils  do  not 
tife  this  Word,  and  that  therefore  they  need  not  \ 
ask  them.  Whether  no  Council  ever  decreed,  that 
the  Church  non  poiejl  err  are  ^  cannot  err  ?  and  if  fo, 
what  is  the  Difference  between  its  being  impolTible 
lor  h'^r  to  err,  and  being  infallible?  Ask  them,  whe- 
ther tiitir  gieateft  Dcdors  have  not  told  us,  that 
were  it  not  lor  the  Infallibility  of  the  Church,  their 
Faith  could  have  no  Foundation,  nor  their  Religion 
any  Certainty  r  Nay,  W  hether  the  Council  of  Ba- 

f'l 


(37) 

fil  has  not  told  us,  that  if  once  that  pernicious  Er- 
ror were  admitted,  that  Cou?icih  may  err,  the  whole 
Catholick  Faith  would  totter.  And  to  fay  Truth, 
this  is  talking  (though  falfly  and  impudently)  yet 
confidently  at  leaft  ;  whereas  thofe  (if  really  there 
be  any  fuch)  who  tell  us,  that  Authority  will  do  of 
it  felf,  though  they  fhould  drop  Infallibility  ;  not 
only  Gontradid  the  known  Senfe  of  their  Church, 
but  in  effedl  give  up  its  Power,  and  deftroy  the 
Foundations  upon  which  its  Grandeur  and  Tyranny 
fubfifts.  And  accordingly  in  fupporting  thofe  autho^ 
ritative  Claims  mentioned  under  the  former  Head, 
they  always  have  recourfe  to  the  Church's  Infallibi- 
lity :  a  Perfuafion  of  which  does  more  to  fatisfy 
their  Votaries  of  the  Juftice  of  their  Claims,  and  to 
difpofe  them  blindly  to  fubmit  to  them,  than  all 
their  other  Proofs  put  together  :  For  in  fliort,  the 
w^hole  of  their  Faith  is  refolv'd,  into  the  unerring 
Authority  and  Infaliibity  of  their  Church  :  So  that, 
belides  what  has  been  already  faid,  if  I  can  (as  I 
verily  think  I  fhall)  confute  their  Pretenfions  to  the 
latter,  it  will  be  a  farther  (and  it  may  be  a  more 
ilriking)  Proof,  than  any  I  have  yet  otfer'd,  of  the 
Abfurdity  and  Impudence  of  the  former.  To  this 
end,  and  that  we  may  the  better  underftand  what 
is  precifely  ihe  Point  in  debate,  it  will  be  of  ufe,  in 
the  Firft  Place. 

I.  To  ftate  the  notion  of  Infallibility  :  How  far, 
and  with  refped:  to  what  things,  the  Church  of 
Rome  lays  claim  to  it.  It  will,  1  fuppofe,  be  grant- 
ed me,  that  he  who  does  not  know  abfolutely  eve- 
ry thing,  may  pofhbly  be  miftaken  in  fome  things : 
fince  therefore  it  will  be  allow'd  me  that  Omnifci- 

ence 


( 38 ; 

ence,  or  the  knowing  abfoliuely  every  thing  that 
is  knowable,  is  the  Prerogative  of  God  alone,  and 
which  no  Man  or  number  of  Men  can  (or  indeed 
does)  lay  claim  to  ;  It  will  follow  that  the  Church 
is  not  abfolutely,  and  with  refpedl  to  all  things  In- 
fallible :  To  do  them  juflice,  they  don't  pretend 
that  {he  is.  The  Queftion  therefore  is,  how  far,  and 
with  refped:  to  what  things  does  (he  pretend  to  be 
Infallible  ?  With  one  Voice  they  will  all  tell  you  that 
ihe  is  infallible  in  matters  of  Faith  :  A  few  of  them 
(I  mean  the  Jejiiits,  in  the  famous  difpute  between 
them,  and  the  Janfenijls)  maintain'd,  and  would 
fain  have  got  it  to  have  been  fettled  and  univerfally 
ewn'd,  that  the  Church  (i.  e.  the  Pope,  for  fo  the 
Jefuits  meant)  was  Infallible  with  relation  to  mat- 
ters of  Faci  alfo.  Again  :  They  will  all  of  them 
(I  think)  own,  that  tho'  the  Church  is  Infallible  in 
her  decrees  concerning  Faith  and  Manners,  yet  that 
fhe  may  become  (and  actually  ha»  at  forne  times, 
been)  greatly  corrupt  in  Difcipline  and  Practice  ; 
and  that  both  her  Head  and  her  Members  may  be 
thus  corrupted.  With  refpedt  to  this  lalt  concefli- 
oi),  I  cannot  help  obferving,  that  to  any  Man  of 
plain  common  Senfe,  there  appears  to  be  a  mani- 
feft  inconfiftency  in  it.  The  Church  is  Infallible 
in  its  decrees  with  relation  to  Alattcrs  of  Faith,  and 
Manners :  \,  e.  things  to  be  believ'd,  and  things  to 
be  pradis'd  :  As  to  the  former.  Matters  of  Fait/j;  it 
not  only  decrees  aright ;  but  it  always  actually  be- 
lieves right  too:  For  Eiror,  or  varying  the  leafl 
tittle  from  what  the  Church  has  decreed  to  be  be- 
liev'd ;  is  Herefy  :  and  I  lereiy  i/)lb  faSio  cuts  a  Man 
jff  from  the  Churchj  and  excludes  all  hope  ot  Sal- 
vation 


(  39  ) 

vat'ion :  But  the  Cafe  is  (it  feems)  otherwife  with 
refpedl  to  M^jmers  ;  for  tho'  the  Church  does,  and 
cannot  bur,  decree  as  infallibly  upon  this  Head,  as 
with  refped  to  Matters  of  Faith  *,  yet  {he  herfelf 
may  become  corrupt  in  her  Manners,  and  PraStife 
many  things  (tho'  fhe  can  never  believe  any  thing) 
Contrary  to  her  own  decrees.     What  {hould  make 
this  Difference  I  cannot  devize  ;  or  why  a  mi  (lake 
in  the  underftanding,  (hould  more  effed:ually  cut  a 
Man  off  from  the  Communion  of  the  Church,  and 
the  hope  of  Salvation,  than  the  wickednefs  of  his 
Heart  and  Life.   I  am  fure  St.  Faul  tells  us,  that  tho' 
he  had  the  Gift  of  Prophecy,  and  underilood  all  my- 
fteries,  and  all  Knowledge  ;  nay,  tho'  he  had  Faith 
fo  that  he  could  remove  Mountains,  yet  if  he  had 
no  Charity,  he  fhould  be  nothing  *.     The  Charity 
he  there  fpeaks  of,  is  on  all  Hands  acknowledg'd  to 
be  the  Source  of  holy  Obedience  and  regular  Prac- 
tice :  Whatever  elfe  I  have,  if  I  want  this,  I  am 
nothing  j  and  therefore  one  would  think,  not  In- 
fallible :  And  why  the  Church  of  Rome  after  hav- 
ing claim'd  InfaUibility,  does  not  rub  her  forehead, 
and  claim Impeccahility  too,  I  am  at  a  lofs  to  know; 
-I  think  verily  they  might  as  juftly,  and  with   as 
good  'Proof  from  Reafon  and  Scripture  claim  the 
latter,  as  the  former.     And  {^o  with  refped  to  the 
diftinftion  juft  now  mention'd,  of  Matters  of  Faith, 
and  Matters  of  Fa(5t ;  I  have  never  yet  met  with 
any  fufficient  Reafons,  why  thofe  who  allow  the 
Infallibility  of  the  Church  of  Rome  as  to  the  firft, 
(hould  difallowitas  to  the  laft  ;  I  can  fee  .indeed  how 
it  might  come  to  pafs,  that  in  fhe  difpute  between 

*  I  Cor.  xiii.  z. 


the 


(  40  ) 

the  Jefuits  and  Janfenifts,  the  different  Views  and 
Interefts  of  the  two  Parties,  might  difpofe  the  form- 
er to  ftickle  as  warmly  for  the  Pope's  InfalHbility 
in  Matters  of  Fad:,  as  the  latter  did  againft  it :  But 
as  I  cannot  tell  whether,  if  it  had  not  been  for  iuch 
an  oppofition  of  Interefts  and  Views,  this  Point 
when  once  ftarted,  would  not  have  been  roundly 
carry 'd  in  favour  of  his  Holinefs  ;  fo  for  ought  I 
know,  if  a  favourable  opportunity  Ihould  offer,  the 
claim  may  be  reviv'd  again,  and  the  Church  be  de- 
creed to  be  as  Infallible  in  Matters  of  Fad,  as  flie 
pretends  to  be  in  Matters  of  Faith  :  Sure  I  am,  thaf 
time  was,  when  there  was  as  little  likelihood  that 
any  Chriftian  Church  (liould  ever  pretend  to  the 
latter ;  as  there  is  now,  that  the  Church  of  Ro7ne 
may  fome  time  or  other,  lay  claim  to  the  former. 
But  fince  this  is  not  yet  the  Cafe,  and  that  I  may 
not  be  thought  to  difpute  againft  any  claim,  other 
than  what  our  Adverfaries  are  univerfally  agreed  in 
making,  I  will  confine  myfelf  to  their  Injallibity  in 
Matters  of  Faith,  Upon  hearing  fuch  an  extraor- 
dinary priviledge  claim'd,  it  is  natural  to  ask  thofe 
who  pretend  to  it.  Pray  where  is  it  to  be  found  ? 
Who  is  entrufted  with  it  ?  To  whom  are  we  to  ap- 
ply for  an  infallible  Interpretation  of  Scripture,  and 
for  an  infallible  decifion  of  all  Controverfies  ?  The 
having  this  Privilege  is  not  a  whit  of  more  Impor- 
tance than  the  knowing  where  it  is  lodged  ;  nor  can 
it  poffibly  be  of  any  Ufe,  till  it  is  determined  and 
known  who  is  in  Poffeffion  of  it.  If  God  has  ap- 
pointed fuch  an  infallible  Teacher  and  Judge,  if  he 
has  commanded  us  upon  Pain  of  Damnation, to  heark- 
en to  him,  and  to  be  determined  by  him  3  no  Man 

alive 


( 41 ; 

alive  can  doubt  but  that  he  has  taken  Care  to  make 
him  fo  conlpicuous  and  remarkable,  that  it  (liall  be 
impoffibe  to  miftake  him  ;  or  at  lead  that  there  are 
means  fufficiently  plain  and  certain,  by  which  we 
may  know,  without  any  doubt,  who  and  where  he 
is.  Suppofe  his  Majefty  fliould  tell  his  Subje6ts> 
that  he  had  appointed  a  Lord  Chancellor  and  twelve 
Judges,  to  hear  and  determine  all  Caufes  belonging 
feverally  to  their  Cognizance  j  would  it  not  appear 
very  ftrange,  if  he  {hould  conceal  their  Names,  of 
leave  us  no  poffible  Method  of  knowing  who  the 
Perfons  were  whom  he  had  appointed  and  commif* 
lioned  to  execute  thefe  Offices  ?  And  yet  upon  En- 
quiry, this  wilt  be  found  to  be  the  very  Cafe  before 
us  :  For  our  Adverfaries  themfelves,  are  fo  far 
from  being  agreed  where  it  is  lodged,  that  they  are  of 
different  and  inconfiftent  Opinions  about  it.  Give 
me  leave  to  ask  (in  Archbilhop  Tillotfons  *  Words) 
"  Can  any  Man  think  that  this  Privilege  was  at 
"  firft  conferred  upon  the  Church  of  Rome^  and 
*'  that  Chriftians  in  all  Ages  did  believe  it,  and  had 
^  conftant  Recourfe  to  it  for  determining  their 
"  Differences  ;  and  yet  that  that  very  Church  which 
^^  enjoy'd  and  us'd  it  fo  long,  iTiould  now  be  at  a 
"  Lofs  where  to  find  it  ?  Nothing  could  have  fal- 
"  len  out  more  unluckily,  than  that  there  Ihould 
**  be  fuch  Differences  among  them  about  that, 
"  which  they  pretend  to  be  the  only  Means  of 
"  ending  all  Differences".  For  you  are  to  know, 
that  in  the  Church  of  Ro?ne  it  felf,  there  are  feve- 
fal  Competitors  for  this    Injallibiiity  :    Some   of 

*  Vol,  I.  Seroh  ii,  on  i  Cor.  iii.  15, 

F  them 


(  4^  ) 

them  will  tell  you  that  it  is  in  the  Pope  alone,  and 
not  in  any  General  Council  ;  Others  that  it  is  in  a 
General  Council  only,  and  not  in  the  Pope  ;  And 
others,  that  is  in  neither  Pope   nor  Council  fingly, 
but  in  both  together  ;  i.  e.    That  when  a  General 
Council  is  called  by  the  Pope,  when  he  prefides  in 
it,  either  in  Perfon  or  by  his  Legates,  and  when  he 
confirmes  it's  Decree?,  then  they  are  infallibily  true 
and  abfolutely  binding  :  And  yet  there  is  a  fourth 
Opinion,  that  thefe  Decrees  are  not  infallible  and 
binding  after  all,  till  the  Church  hath  univerfally 
owned  and  received  them.     Whom,  or  what  are 
we  to  believe  in  this  Cafe  ?  For  thefe  Opinions  are 
fo  inconfiftent,  that  if  you  fuppofe  any  one  of  them 
to  be  true,   all  the  reft  muft  be  falfe.     But  what  if 
after  all,  an  Expedient  may  be  found  out  to  recon- 
cile thefe  different  Opinions  ;    or  at  leaft  to  make 
Mens  Minds  eafy,  even  though  they  fubfift.     Chil- 
liiigiDorth  having  urg'd  the  very  Difficulty  we  are 
now  upon,  home  on  the  Church  of  Rome-j  Creffy 
takes  upon  him  to  folve  it ;  and  he  goes  about  it  in 
the  following  Manner.     Hereto  I  anfwer   (fays  he) 
T^hat  there  is  no  Need  at  all  of  an  Anfwer^    fince  the 
Obje^ion  anjhvers  it  jelf :  For  by  faying^  there  are 
Variety  of  Opinions  among  Catholicks^  acknowledged 
for  fuch  even  'while  they  differ,   it  folloivs,   that  the 
Objc^or  is  not  obliged  to  Jubmit  to  that  'Judge  'which 
afiy  Catholick  refujes  \ :  i.  e.  (for  fo  it  muft  hence 
follow)   Since   there  are  many  in  the  Church  of 
Rome,  own'd  as  Members  of  that  Catholick  Church, 
who  deny  that  Infallibility  is  in  the  Pope  j  many 

Crtiry's  Exomolog.  C.  59.  p.  ni.  441, 

,  ,  otlicrs 


(  4i  ) 

Others  who  deny  that  it  is  in  a  General  Council, 
and  (o  of  the  reft ;  you  are  not  obliged  to  believe 
that  it  is  in  any  one  of  them :  Which  (to  my  Un- 
derftanding)  is  leaving  us  at  Liberty  whether  we 
will  believe  it  is  any  where :  For  if  it  be  not  in 
fome  one  or  more  of  thefe  Competitors  for  it,  I 
cannot  imagine  where  it  fhould  be  i  for  there  is  no 
Body  elfe  that  puts  in  for  it :  And  if  it  be  no 
where,  or  if  no  Body  can  tell  me  who  has  it,  I 
iliall  conclude  that  they  have  it  not ;  nay,  that 
there  is  no  fuch  thing  to  be  had.  After  having 
given  this  wife  Reafon  why  the  Difficulty  need- 
ed no  Anfwer,  (by  which  you  fee  the  whole  Caufe 
is  given  up)  He  proceeds  to  add  two  other  An- 
fwers ;  The  whole  Meaning  of  both  which  a- 
mounts  to  no  more  than  this :  That  though  Ca- 
tholicks  are  not  perfed:ly  of  a  Mind,  where  their 
InfallibiHty  is  j  yet  they  are  all  agreed,  that  their 
Church  has  it  :  And  if  we  Proteftants  will  but 
be  fo  good  natur'd,  as  to  take  this  upon  their 
Word,  they  will  leave  us  at  our  Liberty  to  lodge 
it  either  in  the  Pope,  as  the  Jefuits  do  ;  or  in  a 
General  Council,  as  the  Gallican  Church  does ; 
or  in  both  together,  as  many  others  do.  In  fhort, 
in  any  of  them,  in  all  of  them,  or  in  none  of 
them  (for  there  are  good  Catholicks  who  deny 
it  of  every  one  of  them).  Do  but  believe  that  we 
have  it,  and  fubmit  to  the  Orders  and  Decrees 
which  it  iffues  out  ;  and  we  will  defire  no  more 
of  you.  Muft  not  thefe  Men  have  loft  their  Sen- 
fes,  to  give  us  fuch  an  Anfwer  j  or  think  that 
we  have  loft  ours,  and  fo  may  be  fatisfy'd   with 

F  2  'it? 


(  44  ) 

it  ?  Infallibirity  in  the  Church,  and  yet  it  is  nei- 
ther in  the  Head,  nor  in  the  Members  !  neither 
in  the  Church  Virtual,  nor  Reprcfentatlve,  nor 
diftufive  !  at  leaft,  you  need  not  beheve  it  is  in  any 
of  them.  It  is  juft  as  if  I  (hould  fay,  That  there 
is  fomewhere  in  the  World  a  very  great  and  pow- 
erful Kingdom,  diftinguifhed  from  all  others  by 
fome  one  peculiar  Advantage,  vv^hich  none  of 
the  reft  have  :  And  being  asked,  Pray  in  what 
Quarter  of  the  World  is  it  ?  I  fhould  anfwer. 
That  though  the  whole  World  is  divided  into  Eu- 
rope, Jfia,  Africa,  and  America,  yet  the  King- 
dom I  talk  of,  is  in  no  one,  or  more  of  thcfe. 
It  muft  be  own'd,  that  thus  far,  at  leafl,  the 
Church  of  Rome  is  in  the  right,  to  require  im- 
plicit Faith,  blind  SubmifTion  and  Obedience,  of 
her  Votaties ;  fince  no  Man  with  his  Eyes  open, 
can  help  boggling  at  fuch  Abfurdities. 

It  will  be  faid  (it  may  be)  that  Crejfy  went 
the  wrong  Way  to  woik,  in  anfwering  this  Dif- 
ficulty ;  that  by  the  Conceflions  he  has  made, 
he  has  well  nigh  betrayed  the  Caufe  :  That  thofe 
who  underftand  themlelves  better,  take  Care  to 
fix  this  Infallibility  fomewhere  ;  and  though  they 
do  indeed  differ  very  widely  in  their  Opinions  a- 
bout  it,  yet  they  are  all  very  certain  of.  the  Truth 
of  their  Opinions  feverally.  I  have  already  enu- 
liierated  four  of  them  :  And  fnice  it  is  (I  think) 
impollible  to  devize  a  Fifth,  if  I  can  prove  to  you 
that  all  thcfe  four  are  falfe  ;  it  mull  furely  fol- 
low. That  they  have  wo  fijch  Thing  as  Infallibility 
among  them 

J,  Then, 


f  45  J 

I.  Then,  The  Jefuits  ;  almofT:  all  their  feveral 
Orders  of  Mo?2ks ;  great  numbers  of  their  learned 
Do(ftors  ;  and  I  believe  the  greater  part  of  the 
common  People  among  them  ;  are  of  the  Opinion, 
that  the  Pope  alone  is  infallible  :  As  I  could  prove 
to  you,  (if  I  had  Time)  from  a  great  Number  of 
their  Authors.  But  becaufe  this  will  not  be  deny'd, 
I  will  content  my  felf  with  proving,  that  this  Opi- 
nion cannot  be  true.  For  feveral  of  their  Popes 
have  adtually  erred ;  and  that  in  Matters  profefled- 
ly  relating  to  the  Faith  ;  ading  as  Popes,  and  pro^ 
nouncing  or  decreeing  ex  Cathedra.  Pope  Adrian 
VI.  was  fo  honefl  as  to  own  that  Popes  are  fal- 
lible. If  he  faid  true,  the  Caufe  is  given  up  :  If 
he  was  miftaken,  then  he  himfelf  at  leafl,  though 
^  Pope,  was  not  infallible.  Confult  Platina  in  his 
Hiflory  of  the  Lives  of  the  Popes  I  am  going  to 
meniion,  and  you  will  find  that  fome  or  other  of 
them  muft  have  been  miftaken.  Stephen  VI.  an- 
nulled and  refcinded  the  Decrees  of  Formofus  L 
yolm  X.  annulled  thole  of  Stephen^  and  reftored 
thofe  of  Formofus,  Romanus  I.  abrogated  the  De- 
crees of  Stephen  :  And  Sergius  III.  had  fuch  an  ab- 
horrence for  Formofus.,  and  all  that  he  did  as  Pope, 
that  he  obliged  Priefts  whom  he  had  ordained,  to 
be  re-ordaincd.  Their  own  Canon  Law  tells  us, 
That  Nicholas  I.  *  decreed,  it  was  not  fit  for  Cler- 
gymen to  bear  Arms  :  Compare  this  with  what  Ur- 
ban  II.  Boniface  VIII.  and  leveral  other  Popes  have 
advized,  or  decreed,  or  pradticed,  and  then  judge 
Y^hether  fome  or  other  o[  them  muft  not  have  been 

*  Gratian.  Diftind.  50.  C  S- 

mifta- 


(46) 

miftaken,  I  could  give  you  many  more  Inflance% 
but  thefe  are  enough  :  For  upon  the  Principles  of 
thofe  whom  I  am  now  oppofmg,  every  Pope  muft 
have  been  infallible  j  and  if  it  be  proved  concern- 
ing any  one  of  them  that  he  erred,  there  is  no  Rea- 
fon  to  believe  that  any  of  them  were  infallible. 

It  would  be  eafy  to  produce  feveral  Inftances 
wherein  the  fame  Pope  has  contradi(3:ed  himfelf : 
I'll  mention  but  one  :  Martin  V.  confirm'd  the  de- 
cree of  the  Council  of  Cojifiance^  which  fet  a  Ge- 
neral Council  above  the  Pope  :  And  yet  he  after- 
wards pubiifh'd  a  Bull  forbidding  all  Appeals  from 
the  Pope  to  a  General  Council.  Unlefs  Infallibi- 
lity can  reconcile  Contradidions,  he  muft  have 
been  fallible  in  one  or  the  other  of  thefe  Cafes. 

Nay,  I  can  go  farther,  and  prove  to  you,  not 
only  that  m.iny  of  their  Popes  have  been  the  moft 
wicked  and  profligate  Wretches  that  were  ever 
Born,  (this  they  own,  but  tell  us,  it  is  well  enough 
confiftent  with  their  Infallibility)  but  that  they  have 
believ'd  and  Taught  and  Patroniz'd,  what  the 
Church  of  Kome  itielf  has  declar'd  to  be  Herefy. 
If  Athanafius  *  is  to  be  credited.  Pope  Libcrius  foj 
fear  of  Death  (with  which  he  was  ihreatned)  fub- 
fcrib'd  to  Arianifm.  And  this  account  is  confirm'd 
both  by  St.  Hilary  "f-  and  St.  Jerome  J.  Tertul- 
iian  II  tells  us  concerning  one  of  the  Bifhops  of 
Rome,  (it  was  I  think  Pope  Anicetiis)  that  he  own'd 
the  Prophecies  ol  MojitajiuSy  PriJ'ca  and  Maximilla^ 

*  Ep.  ad  folir.  Vic.  a^cntcs,  p.  S57.  Ed.  Par.  1617. 
I    Hilar,  in  Fraij.  col.  416. 
■\   Hieron.  Caral.  vir.  illuft. 
|[Tir,ul.  adv.  Prax.  p.  m.  (^34  C. 

Honoriu^ 


(  47) 

Honoriui  not  only  defended  the  Herefy  of  the  Mo- 
nothelites^  but  was  condemn'd  by  three  General 
Councils,  every  one  of  them  confirm'd  by  the 
Pope.  Joh7i  XXIII.  was  J  charg'd  at  the  Council 
of  Conjicmce,  with  the  blackefl:  and  moft  enormous 
Crimes,  under  70  Articles.  Fifcy  of  which  were 
read  and  prov'd,  and  declared  to  be  publick  and 
notorious.  And  tho'  his  denying  the  Imoiortality 
of  the  Soul,  was  (I  think)  one  of  thofe  Articles, 
which  (out  of  refped:  (o  the  apoftolick  See)  was 
not  allow'd  to  be  exprefly  urg'd  againft  him  ;  yet  I 
do  not  find  that  any  body  attempted  to  clear  him 
of  that  Charge.  The  Council  itfelf  in  their  Cita- 
tion exprefly  charges  him  with  Jlerej]\  Schifm^  Si- 
monyy  as  well  as  other  Crimes,  and  afterwards  actu- 
ally depos'd  him.  This  is  the  Man  concerning 
whom  the  Emperor  (who  was  there  prcfent) 
declar'd  that  the  whole  Council  unanimouflv 
own'd  him  for  a  true  Pope,  before  his  Depofi- 
tion.  Was  Gregory  the  Great  infallible,  when 
he  condemn'd  the  Title  ^f  Univerfal  Bifliop  as  Pro- 
phane  and  Antichriftian  ?  the  very  Title  the  Popes 
of  Rome  now  claim.  Or  was  Gelafms  Infallible  *, 
when  he  condemn'd  (what  the  Church  of  Rome 
has  lince  decreed)  Communion  in  one  kind,  and 
call'd  it  Sacrilegious '?  But  enough  of  this  fore  of 
Proof:  If  the  Gentlemen  we  have  do  with  in  this 
difpute,  would  fuffer  us  to  argue  with  them  on  the 
Principles  of  Reafon  and  common  Senfe,   (as  the 

:|:  L.  Enfaut  Hift.  de  Cone,  de  Conftance,  p.  141.  17^,  no.  Ed.  4°. 
Amft.  17^4- 
t  Gratian.  de  Confecrar.  Dift.  z.  C.  iz. 

reft 


(  48  ) 

rert:  of  Mankind  fubmit  to  be  treated)  it  would  h6 
eafy  to  fliew  from  thefe  Principles,  that  there  is 
fcarce  any  one  Propofition  in  all  the  World  more 
incredible,  than  that  all  the  Bifhops  of  Rome,  have 
been  Infallible.  To  prove  this  there  needs  no- 
thing more,  than  a  brief  reprefentarion  what  fore 
of  Perfons,  Popes  (at  leafl:  for  a  great  many  Cen- 
turies lafl  paft)  have  generally  been  j  how  they  are 
chofen  ;  and  how  they  often  proceed  in  their  de- 
crees and  decifions  concerning  Matters  of  Faith* 
The  Qualifications  mofl  regarded  in  a  Candidate 
for  the  Papal  Chair,  are,  not  Piety  and  Vertue,  no 
nor  Learning  and  found  Knowledge  in  the  Doc- 
trines of  Chriftianityj  For  many  of  them  have 
been  monfteis  in  wickednefs,  and  exceedingly  ig- 
norant as  to  thefe  things  :  But,  a  deep  Skill  in 
Politicks  and  Canon  Law  j  in  Difpenfations,  and 
Beneficiary  Matters ;  Excommunications,  and  Ap- 
peals :  And  then,  the  older  the  better ;  as  being 
the  more  likely  to  die  foon,  and  make  way  for 
others,  of  whom  there  are  always  enow  gaping 
after  this  Dignity.  Well,  when  any  one  or  more 
fuch  Candidates  are  pitch'd  upon  as  the  Electors 
(or  tliofe  under  whofe  influence  they  are)  think 
will  beft  promote  their  Interefls,  and  anfwer 
their  Purpofes  ;  how  does  the  choice  proceed  ? 
Is  it  (as  is  pretended)  under  the  Influence  and 
Dire6tion  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  or  is  it  by 
trick  and  artifice,  and  under  the  Influence  of  a 
Spirit  of  Fadlion  and  Cabal  ?  Let  any  Man  read 
even  their  own  accounts  of  the  ufual  methods  of 
proceeding  in  thefe  Cafes,  and  then  Judge.  Such  a 
Pope  i  thus  created  ;  lets  himfelf  down  in  his  Infal- 
lible 


_  (  49  ) 
lible  Chair,  and  is  to  determine  authoritatively  a 
matter  of  Faith  j  how  does  he  proceed  ?  It  he 
takes,  what  our  Adverlaries  themfelves  will  own  to 
be,  the  wifeft  and  fafeffc  Courfe  ;  he  confults  his 
Cardinals,  or  (as  the  cafe  may  happen)  calls  upon 
Divines  or  Canonifts,  to  hear  their  Opinions ;  i.  t\ 
He  that  is  himfelf  Irfallible,  advifes  vv'ith,  and  bor- 
rows Light  from  thole  who  are  Fallible  -,  nay,  and 
after  all,  is  (it  may  be)  fo  unknowing  about  the 
affair  in  queftion,  as  not  to  be  able  to  form  a 
true  Judgment,  or  come  to  a  right  Determina- 
tion upon  what  he  has  heard  :  But  as  it  is  his  buli- 
nefs  to  pronounce  ;  when  he  has  done  fo,  it's  your 
Duty  to  receive  and  fubmit  to  his  Decree  as  infal- 
libly true,  and  binding  upon  the  whole  Chrifliaa 
World.  What  a  ridiculous  Farce  muft  it  be,  to 
behold,  what  mufh  often  have  happened  at  Rome ; 
his  Holinefs  with  an  affair  of  this  fort  before  him, 
foUicitcd  on  the  one  hand  by  the  Jefuits,  on  the 
other  by  a  fecret  Friend  to  the  yan/cjujh ;  novv^  by 
the  Dominicans ^  next  by  the  F'ranciJ'cam  ;  all  of 
them  in  different  Intererts,  and  ailing  from  different 
.Views  J  here  an  Agent  from  one  temporal  Prince, 
putting  the  Pope  in  mind  of  former  Favours  and 
promifing  new  ones  ;  there  the  Ambaffidor  of  ano- 
ther, infifting  on  his  Mafler's  Rights,  and  threatning 
hard  if  he  be  not  oblig'd.  I  imagine  that  Popes 
are  as  much  perplexed  and  at  a  lofs  to  know  what 
to  do  upon  ilich  Occafions,  as  other  fallible  People 
are,  in  like  Circumftances ;  and  as  he  himfelf  could 
be,  if  you  fuppofe  him  ftript  of  his  Infallibility. 
Nay,  and  I  think  we  may  venture  to  lay,  that  with 
all  their  Infallibility  about  them,  Popes  have  of:en 
made  Decrees  and  iffued  out  Bulls,  which  they  have 

G  after- 


(  50  ) 

afterwards  found  to  be  wrong,  and  heartily  repented 
of. 1  have  been  the  longer  in  confuting  this  Pre- 
tence of  Infallibility  being  lodg'd  in  the  Pope  alone, 
becaufe  I  think  it  is  the  prevailing  Opinion  in  the 
Church  of  Rome.     I  will  be  fliorter  on  the  reft. 

2.  Others  pretend  that  Infallibility  is  lodg'd,  not 
in  the  Pope,  but  in  a  General  Council  only.  Thus 
it  was  agreed  in  the  Councils  o^Confiance  and  Bajil-y 
and  this  is  the  Opinion  of  the  *  Gallicaii  Church  in 
general,  and  of  feveral  learned  Dodlors  elfe where. 
But  this  Pretence  is  (I  apprehend)  in  fome  re- 
fpe6ts  more  abfurd  and  incredible  than  the  former. 
If  I  could  believe  the  Infallibility  they  claim  were 
any  where  to  be  found  among  Men  ;  I  ihould  in- 
cline rather  to  expecil:  to  find  it  in  fome  one  parti- 
cular Perfbn,  than  in  a  Hundred  or  five  Hundred 
of  them  got  together,  who  yet  (it  is  own'd)  take 
them  fmgly,  are  every  Man  of  them  fallible.  Is 
it  a  whit  more  likely,  that  any  number  of  flillible 
Men  fhould  make  up  an  infallible  Company  j  than 
that  any  number  of  Cyphers  fliould  make  a  poli- 
tive  Sum  ?  If  Lifallibility  be  lodg'd  in  a  General 
Council  only,  I  would  fain  know  where  it  is, 
when  there  is  no  General  Council  fubfifting  ?  This 
is  often  the  cafe  ;  a  Hundred,  two  Hundred  Years 
have  run  out,  from  the  breaking  up  one,  to  the 
calling  of  another  :  It  is  now  above  170  Years 
hnce  their  laft  General  Council  o^Tre?it :  Nay,  the 
firft  that  was  ever  called  fo,  was  at  Nice  in  the 
^'ear  325.  Where  was  Infallibility  during  thefe 
Intervals  ?  Who,  and  where  was  the  Church's  un- 
erring Guide  and  Judge  of  all  Controverfies  ?  They 

*   \k\.   BclLinniiic  dc  Rom.   Pontif.  L.  4.   c.  z.   §.    Secunda  Sen- 
Untie,   (See. 

will 


(  51  ) 
will  not  fay  furely,  that  the  Decrees  of  former 
Councils  are  this  unerring  Guide  and  Judge ;  for 
befides  that  the  Church  had  no  fuch  Decrees,  for 
the  firfl  300  Years ;  we  might  as  well  take  Scrip- 
ture as  the  Decrees  of  Councils,  for  thefe  purpofes. 
When  we  Protelfants  fay  that  Scripture  is  a  fuffi- 
cient  Guide,  and  the  only  Rule  by  which  to  judge 
of  and  determine  Controveriies  in  matters  of  Faith  j 
they  tell  us  no  :  Scripture  is  by  no  means  fuffi- 
cient  or  fit  for  this  Office  ;  that  it  is  abfolutely 
neceflary  there  fliould  be  a  living  Judge  to  be  ap- 
ply'd  to  and  confulted  upon  all  Emergencies.  Are 
the  Decrees  of  Councils  fuch  a  Judge  ?  Are  not  theie 
as  capable  of  being  perverted,  and  having  different 
Interpretations  put  upon  them,  as  the  Scriptures  ? 
If  it  be  faid  that  the  Church  is  in  poffeffion  of  thele 
Decres  and  knows  the  meaning  of  them,  and  can  de- 
termine all  Controverfies  by  them  3  I  ask  whether  flie 
can  do  it  Infallibly^  and  without  danger  of  erring  ? 
If  it  be  anfwered  (as  it  mufl  be)  Yes  :  I  ask  again, 
who  is  meant  by  this  Church  "^  It  cannot  be  a 
General  Council  j  for  that  we  fuppofe  is  not  fub- 
fifting,  and  therefore  can't  be  apply'd  to  :  It  is  not 
the  Pope,  no  nor  any  body  elle,  that  can  do  this 
infaUibly  ;  for  that  deftroys  the  Suppolition  we 
now  go  upon,  that  a  General  Council  only  is  In- 
fallible.   1  could  produce  to  you  the  plaineft  Te- 

ftimonies  of  their  own  Writers,  and  unanfwerable 
Reafons  made  ufe  of  by  them,  to  prove  that  hifalli- 
bility  is  not  lodg'd  in  General  Councils  only  :  I 
could  {hew  you  that  if  it  is  lodg'd  there,  not  only 
thefe  Authors  (who  yet  are  held  in  the  higheft 
efteem  in  that  Church)  but  even  the  Popes  them- 
felves  (who  you  may  well  think,  are  not  for  lodg- 

G  2  ing 


(    52    ) 

ing  Infallibility  any  where  but  in  themfelves)  are  mi- 
flaken  :  Miftaken  did  I  fay  ?  They  mufl  all  of  them 
be  as  very  Hereticks,  as  we  Proteflants  are  Lid  to 
be  :  For  furely  nothing  can  ma];e  a  Man  more  fo, 
than  denying  this  Privilege  to  thofe  who  really 
and  only  have  it  :  It  is  reje(fting  the  Judge  whom 
they  all  pretend  to  be  fo  necellary,  that  the  Church 
can't  fubfift  without  him  ;  it  is  fapping  the  Founda- 
tion of  all  the  Church's  boafted  Authority,  and 
overthrow  ins;  it  at  once. — I  could  fhew  vou  Gene- 
ral  Council:^,  not  only  decreeing  what  is  falie  and 
and  direc^Hy  contrary  to  Scripture,  (tho'  that  alone 
is  enough  to  convince  us,  that  they  were  fallible) 
but  reverfing,.  oppofing,  and  diiedly  contradi<fl:ing 
each  other's  Decrees :  fo  that  we  may  be  as  certain 
that  General  Councils  are  not  Infallible,  as  that  the 
two  Ends  of  a  Contradiction  cannot  be  borh   true. 

If  you  have  ever  heard  or  read  any  Hiftory  of 

them  ;  how  they  are  call'd  j  what  fort  of  Perfons 
they  generally  conlift  of  j  by  what  Methods  they 
ordinarily  proceed ;  and  from  what  fort  of  Motives 
they  ufually  a6t;  you  will  find  little  reafon  to  believe 
them  Infallible.  So  long  ago,  as  Greg,  Nazianzcns 
time,  pious  and  peaceable  Men  were  quite  out  cf  love 
with  them  ;  for  thus  he  fays,  in  one  of  his  Eniules, 
*  "  If  I  mufl  write  you  the  Truth,  I  am  in  a  Dil- 
"  pofition  to  avoid  all  Aflbmblies  of  Blfhops,  as  ha- 
''  ving  never  yet  feen  a  happy  end  of  any  one  of 
^*  their  Synods  or  Councils:  Nor  have  I  ever  found 
"  that  they  do  more  towards  lefTening,  than  to- 

♦  "j^  ^  avrtif'  H  Set  r^a.\r.^i  ^ctjffi'   «y5^  itki'tw  n^o^ff  (fitiynv 
^(T%t>7ncv,  on  (y»  hfxr2(  ovi'o/»  7^A(G)-  t\ifl'j  ^y<:nv'   f^nN  At/ni'  y^icuy 

Ad  Procop.  Ep,  55.   Op.  Vol,  I.  p.  m.  814.  Ed.  Par.  1630. 

"  wards 


(■  53  )        ,    . 

"  wards  heightning  any  Mifchiefs  that  are  com- 
"  plain'd  of.  It  may  found  harlh  to  fay  it  j  but 
"  their  Spirit  of  Contention  and  Ambition,  their 
**  Pride  and  Lufl:  of  Power,  is  fiich  as  no  Words 
"  can  exprefs."  By  all  that  ever  I  have  read,  I 
don't  find  any  reafon  to  believe  that  matters  are  at 
all  mended  fince  his  Days.  The  Hillory  of  their 
famous  Council  o^  Trent ^  has  been  written  by.  Fa- 
ther Pauly  and  by  Cardinal  Pallavicini^  both  Mem- 
bers of  their  own  Church  :  The  former  of  'em  has" 
indeed  fpoken  too  much  plain  Truth,  to  be  much 
relifli'd  at  Rome ;  the  latter  is  ftrongly  in  the  Pope's 
Intereft,  and  therefore  much  better  approv'd :  But 
let  any  impartial  Perfon  read  either  of  'em,  or  com- 
pare them  together,  if  he  be  not  fick  of  the  No- 
tion of  the  Infallibility  of  General  Councils,  I  am 

grofly  miftaken. 1  go  on  to  conlider  the  third 

Opinion. 

3.  That  a  Pope  *  and  a  General  Council  together 
are  Infallible,  /.  e.  that  when  a  General  Council  is 
call'd  by  the  Pope,  when  he  prefides  in  it  either  in 
Perfon  or  by  his  Legates,  ^  and  when  he  confirms 
its  Decrees  J  then  they  are  infallible:  They  can't  pof- 
fibly  err,  and  ought  to  be  implicitly  fubmitted  to 
and  obey'd.  But  why  fo  ?  If  (as  we  have  (hewn, 
and  as  the  Defenders  of  this  Opinion  admit)  both 
be  fallible  feparately  confider'd,  I  can't  conceive 
how  their  clubbing  together  fhou'd  make  them  In- 
fallible. This  is  much  the  fame  Abfurdity  we  had 
before,  two  Cyphers  making  a  Sum.  Befides,  if 
Infallibility  depends  upon  the  Conjundtion  and 
Agreement  of  a  Pope  and  a  General  Council,  the 
Church  of  Rome  cannot    be  always   in  poffcirion' 

*  Bellarm.  de  Concil.  L.  2.  c    %, 

of 


(  54  ) 
of  it,  becaufe  they  have  not  a  General  Council  al- 
ways fubfifling  J  and  it  miift  follow  from  the  Opi- 
nion we  are  now  confidering,  that  when  the  Ge- 
neral Council  breaks  up,  Infallibility  expires  along 
with  it.  Not  to  infill  on  thefe  Abfurdities  of  this 
Opinion,  I  could  fhew  you  (if  I  had  time)  De- 
crees of  one  General  Council  confirm'd  by  one 
Pope,  and  contradided,  reverfed  by  the  fame  Au- 
thority; nay,  the  felf-fame  Pope  firft  confirming, 
and  afterwards  contradicting  the  Decree  of  a  Ge- 
neral Council.  I  could  fliew  you  the  Council  of 
Coiiiiancc  decreeing  that  the  Laity  fliould  receive 
the  Communion  in  one  Kind  only,  and  yet  ac- 
knowledging thatChrifl:  inftituted  it  in  both  Kinds; 
and  this  Decree  confirm'd  by  Pope  Martin  V.  And 
the  Council  of  Trent  \  confirm'd  by  Pope  Fius 
W .  decreeing  that  Divine  Service  lliould  be  per- 
form'd  in  the  Latin  (i.  e.  an  unknown)  Tongue, 
in  dired:  contradidion  to  St.  Paul's  Dodrine, 
I  Cor.  xiv.  But  to  wave  all  this,  it  may  be  prov'd, 
I  think,  to  a  Demonfiration,  that  if  the  Pope  and 
the  Council  leparately  be  both  of  them  fallible, 
they  can't  both  together  be  infallible  ;  nor  can  any 
Pecrees  of  the  latter,  tho'  confirm'd  by  the  former, 
be  known  to  be  more  infallibly  true,  than  if  both 
were  as  fallible  jointly,  as  they  are  own'd  to  be 
ieparatcly.  For  confider,  the  Infallibility  can't 
come  from  the  Council,  that  is  own'd  to  be  fal- 
lible; its  Decrees  therefore  may  be  true  pr  falfe, 
and  the  Council  in  the  right,  or,  millaken,  jufl  as 
it  happens.  Well,  when  the  Council  has  pafi:  the 
Pecrec,  and  fb  done  its  work,  it  comes  to  his  Ho^ 
llncfi   to    be   confirm'd ;    but  can  he  who  is  ac- 

f  Cone.  Tridtnt.  Scfi".   zt.  C,   b'. 

knowledg'd 


(  55  ) 

knowledg'd  to  be  fallible,  infallibly  afTure  me  that 
the  Council  has  not  err'd  in  making  this  Decree  ? 
'Tis  manifeftly  impoffible.  I  will  only  add  as  to 
this  Head,  that  if  either  the  Pope  himfelf,  or  the 
Church  oiRome  in  general,  are  thoroughly  perfua- 
ded  that  a  General  Council  confirm'd  by  a  Pope, 
is  really  infallible  j  nothing  can  be  more  unaccount- 
able, than  the  Reludtance  which  the  Popes  gene- 
rally {hew  to  the  calling  a  General  Council,  and  the 
Terror  and  Fright  they  are  in,  when  they  have  the 
Profped;  of  its  aflembling.  Is  then  the  boafted  Pri- 
vilege of  fo  little  Value,  that  to  keep  the  Pope 
eafy  and  in  good  Humour,  the  Church  mult  be 
content  to  do  without  it  ?  With  what  Difficulty, 
and  after  how  long  and  earneft  SoUicitations  was  the 
Council  of  T^rent  itfelf  obtain'd,  even  tho'  Empe- 
ror, Kings,  Princes,  in  a  manner  the  whole  Body, 
of  the  Church,  moft  ardently  delir'd  it,  and  thought 
there  was  no  other  Expedient  to  come  at  Peace  and 
Truth,  and  a  Reformation  of  the  Church  both  in 

its  Head  and  in  its  Members  ? 1  go  on, 

4.  Others  are  of  opinion  that  Infalhbility  is  only 
in  the  Church  Univerfal  j  /*.  e.  (  I  fuppofe )  diffu- 
iively  in  the  whole  myftical  Body  of  Chrifl  con- 
fifting  of  all  its  Members  here  upon  Earth  :  So  as 
that,  though  neither  Pope,  nor  Council,  nor  any 
particular  Church,  are  infallible  ;  yet  when  their 
Decrees  are  received  and  fubmitted  to,  by  the  Ca- 
tholick  Church,  they  then  become  infallibly  true, 
and  abfolutely  binding.  This  has  been  the  Opini- 
on of  a  confiderable  Number  of  great  and  learned 
Men  in  that  Church  j  and  this  is  ( it  mufl  be 
own'd)  talking  more  modeftly  than  the  others  do  ; 
though  as  to  any  of  the  purpofes  for  which  Infal- 
libility 


(  56  ) 

libility  is  claim'd,  this  Opinion  is  as  ridiculous  as 
any  of  the  reft.     If  all  that  they  mean  is,  that  the 
univeifal  Church  and  every  Member  of  it,  cannot 
err  in  Matiers  abfolutcly  necelfary  to  Salvation ;  I 
don't  know  that  Protcftants  have  any  ocp afion  to 
contradi<5t  cr  deny  it.     But  then  if  this  be  ov^^n'd, 
it  is  not  becauie  we  apprehend  that  either  any,  or 
all  the  Members  of  the  Church  together,   are  in- 
iallible  }  but  becaufe  we  take  our  Saviour's  Promife, 
th^t  the  gates  of  kell  Jhall  not  prevail  againji  bis 
churchy  to  be  an  Aflurance  to  us  that  he  will  have  a 
Church  in  this  World  as  long  as  the  World  itfelf 
laftsj  and  becaufe  thofe  who  err  in  any  of  thofe 
things  which  are  abfolutely  neceflary  to  Salvation, 
fdo  for  that  very  reafon  ceafe  to  be  Members  of  that 
Church.     But  then  after  all,  if  this  is  all  the  In- 
fallibility  Vv^hich  is  claim'd,  it  is  nothing  to  the  pur- 
pofe  J  nor  will  it  by  any  means   anfwer  the  great 
End  and  Defign  for  which  it  is  claim'd.  Our  Adver- 
faries.are  perpetually  ringing  in  our  Ears,  the  ab- 
folute  NecelTity  of  an  infiUible  Interpreter  of  Scrip- 
ture, and  Judge  of  Controverfies  to  whom  we  may 
have  recourfe  on  all  Emergencies.    Is  the  univerfal 
Church  fuch  an  one  ?  Can  all  the  Members  of  it 
meet  to  confult  and  determine  ?  It  muft  not  be  faid 
that  they  can  meet  in  a  General  Council  by  their 
Reprefentatives,  for  this  would  not  anfwer  the  end, 
unlefs  the  Church  univerfal  could  impart  her  Lifal- 
libility  to  her  Reprefentatives  ;  which  I  believe  will 
not  be  faid  ;  nay,  and  I   have  prov'd  already,  that 
the  Church  Reprcfentative  has  not  Infallibility. 

i  have  gone  through  the  four  feveral  Opinions 
maintain'd  by  different  Perfons  in  the  Communion 
«f  the  Church  oi  Rqwc,   concerning  the  Seat  gf 

Infallibility, 


(57) 

Infallibility,  where  and  in  whom  this  v/onderful 
Privilege  is  lodg'd.  Since  thefe  have  (I  think)  all 
been  fairly  examin'd  and  fully  confuted,  and  no 
other  is  ( that  I  know  of)  pretended  to,  or  can  be 
devis'd ;  I  would  now  conclude  that  they  have  no 
fuch  Privilege  any  where  among  them ;  were  it  not 
that  they  tell  us,  they  have  plain  Texts  of  Scripture, 
exprefs  Promifes  of  Chrifl  himfelf,  alfuriiig  them 
that  the  true  Church  is  infallible,  and  that  their 
Church  is  the  true  one  :  and  if  fo,  the  thing  is  cer- 
tainly true,  and  may  juftly  be  claim'd,  notwith-* 
ftanding  this  Difference  of  Opinions  where  it  is 
lodg'd,  and  all  the  Difficulties  and  Abfurdities  with 
which  thofe  Opinions  are  feverally  cnarg'd.  What 
though  it  be  fo  doubtful,  whether  it  is  Pope,  or 
Council,  or  both  together,  or  the  whole  Church 
that  is  infallible  j  and  fo  difficult  to  anfwer  the  Ob- 
jed:ions  that  are  raifed,  againft  any  or  all  of  them 
being  fo ;  if  Chrifl  has  promis'd  it,  and  the  Scrip- 
ture fays  it,  no  Man  ought  to  deny  it. 

In  anfwer  to  all  this,  it  would  I  think  be  fuffi- 
cient  to  fiy;  That  it  is  very  hard  to  believe  our  Sa- 
viour ffiould  give  Promifes  to  his  Church  that  can 
do  it  no  good :  That  the  Church  is  never  the  better 
for  its  LifallibiUty\  if  no  body  can  tell  who  has 
it  :  And  that  the  appointing  an  infallible  Inter- 
preter and  Judge,  can  anfwer  no  manner  of  pur- 
pofe,  till  it  is  known  who  is  this  Judge.  But 
waving  all  this,  and  that  we  may  not  be  thought  to 
decline  the  Force  of  any  of  their  Arguments,  efpe- 
cially  of  any  fuch  as  are  taken  from  Scripture,  al- 
low me  to  examine  this  fomewhat  particularly. 

I  begin  with  obferving  that  a  Proof  of  this  Sort, 
is  arguing  in  a  vicious  Circle  j  and  an  abfurd  beg- 
ging that  the  thing  may  be  granted,  which  ought 

H  to 


(  58  ) 

to  be  prov'd.  For  if  you  ask,  how  they  know 
from  exprefs  Scripture,  or  good  Confequence  from 
it,  that  the  Church  is  infalhble?  The  Anfwer  mull 
be,  that  the  Church  lias  interpreted  Scripture  to 
this  Senfe  ;  and  upon  their  own  Principles  you  could 
never  have  known  that  this  is  the  true  Senfe  of  Scrip- 
ture, if  the  Church  had  not  fo  interpreted  it :  Well, 
but  why  am  1  bound  to  beheve,  and  be  fatisfy'd 
with  the  Church's  Interpretation  ?  The  Anfwer  is, 
becaufe  the  Church  is  infallible.  Can  any  tiling  be 
more  ridiculous  ? 

Suffer  me  but  to  put  on,  for  a  moment,  tlie  Church 
of  Rome's  bold  Front,  and  to  reafon  upon  her  avow- 
ed Principles;  and  I  undertake,  by  the  felf-fame 
Argument,  to  prove  that  I  myfelf  am  infallible, 
nay,  and  that  no-body  is  fo  beiides  myfelf.  Thus  : 
St.  yoi)?7y  fpeaking  of  ChriilianSj  fays,  21^  have  an 
im^i  ion  from  the  Holy  One^  and  ye  know  all  things^ 
i.yobn  11.  2o.  Upon  quoting  this  Text,  for  this 
Purpofe,  I  {liall,  no  doubt,  be  ask'd,  i//,  How  this 
proves  me  infallible  ?  And  2dly,  Since  it  feems  to 
fpeak  as  much  of  other  Chriftians  as  of  me,  How 
it  proves  me  ojily  to  be  infallible  ?  Now  tho'  ei- 
ther of  thefe  Qoeflions  will,  I  confefs,  puzzle  me 
grievoufly,  unlets  you  allow  me  to  borrow  his  Ho- 
linefs's  Confidence,  and  to  make  ufe  of  fome  of 
his  Principles ;  yet  thus  furnilh'd,  I  affure  you  I 
have  my  Anfwer  ready.  For,  to  take  no  Notice  at 
prefent,  that  this  Text  imports  Infallibility,  as  much 
(for  ought  I  can  fee)  as  any  other  in  the  Bible : 
Thus  I  reply,  (and  it  is  exad'ly  what  the  Church 
of  Rome  has  the  Modelty  to  fay  for  herfelf.)  I  am , 
the  only  authoritative  luterpreter  of  Scripture ;  and 
as  no  body  can  be  fure  of  the  tme  Senfe  of  it, 
till  I  tcil  it  thcm^  I  new  declare  the  ^rue  n"ieaning 

of 


(  59  ) 

of  tills  Text  to  be,  that  1  am  infallible.  Well, 
but  how  does  all  this  prove  that  I  only  am  infal- 
lible? Juft  as  well  as  any  other  Texts  of  Scrip- 
ture, which  lJ3eak  as  much  of  any  other  Chriftians 
as  of  thofe  of  the  Romij7o  Communion;  prove  that 
the  Church  of  Rome  is  infallible  :  And  if  you  pre- 
tend to  contradicft  me,  I  will  rub  my  Forehead 
over  again,  and  tell  you  once  more,  I  am  the  au- 
thoritative Interpreter  of  Scripture,  and  that  the 
meaning  of  this  Text  is,  not  only  that  I  am  infal- 
lible, but  that  I  072ly  am  fo  :  And  let  me  but  find 
Fools  enough  to  believe  it,  and  ftand  by  me  in  the 
Defence  of  it ;    and  who  will  dare  to  difpute   or 

oppofe  my  Claim. Having  thus  made  ufe  of  their 

Confidence  and  their  Principles,  to  anfwcr  the  Pur- 
pofes  for  which  I  afliam'd  them  3  I  am  now  very 
well  content  to  lay  both  afide,  and  leave  them  in 
the  Polfeiiion  of  the  right  Owners. 

But  tho'  what  I  have  been  faying  manifeftly 
proves  the  Abfurdity  of  their  quoting  Scriptures  in 
proof  of  their  Church's  Infallibility,  yet  for  the  fake 
of  thofe,  who  paying  a  juft  Regard  to  their  Bibles, 
are  willing  to  believe  any  thing  they  find  prov'd  by 
Arguments  taken  from  thence;  it  wou'd  not  be  amifs 
to  confider  the  Texts  themfelves,  (the  moft  confi- 
derable  of  them  at  leaft)  and  what  fort  of  Proof 
they  afford  of  the  Church's  Infallibility. 

*  Bellartnijie  quotes  in  Proof  of  the  Pope's  Infal- 
libility, thofe  Words  of  our  Saviour  to  St.  Pete?', 
Biinon^  S>imon^  behold  Safafi  hath  dejired  to  Jjave you, 
that  he  might  Jift  you  as  wheat ;  but  I  have  p7'ayed 
for  thee  that  thy  Faith  fail  not ;  and  when  thou  art 
C072verted^Jirengthen  thy  brethren.  Luke  xxii.  31,  32. 
*  De  Rom.  Pont.  L.  4.  c.  2.  init. 

Ha  He 


(  6o  )    _ 

He  tells  us,  the  true  Meaning  of  this  Text 
is,  that  our  Lord  obtain'd  two  Privileges  for  St. 
Peter\  ill,  That  lie  himfelf,  liow  ftrongly  foever 
he  might  be  tempted  by  the  Devil,  fliould  never 
lofe  true  Faith.  The  2d  Privilege  was,  that  nei- 
ther Pefer  himfelf,  as  Pontiff  of  Rome,  nor  any  o- 
ther  of  his  Succelfors  in  that  See,  fhould  ever  teach 
any  thing  contrary  to  the  true  Faith.  The  firft  of 
theie  Privileges  (fays  BcIIarmi?7e)  did  not,  it  may 
be,  defcend  to  Peters  Succeffors ;  but  the  fecond 
doubtlefs  did.  To  prove  which,  he  quotes  itvtn 
Popes y  T'heophylaBy  Peter  Chryjblogus,  and  Bernard-, 
and  this  is  all  the  Proof  he  alledges.  Now  tho' 
thefe  Authors  were  all  of  his  mind,  (which  yet, 
upon  reading  what  he  quotes  from  'em,  I  think  they 
are  not)  it  is  furely  a  flrange  way  of  proving  the 
Pope's  Infallibility,  that  Popes  themfelves  have  faid 
they  were  infallible :  And  his  three  other  Authors 
come  too  late  to  be  credited  in  a  Queftion  of  this 
Importance.  And  yet  after  all,  liis  Proof  that 
this  is  the  meaning  of  the  Text  before  us,  is  not 
fo  weak,  but  that  the  Proof  that  this  cannot  be 
the  meaning  of  it,  is  as  ftrong.  The  time  was  now 
at  hand,  when  our  Saviour  was  to  be  betray 'd  into 
the  Hands  of  his  Enemies,  and  by  them  to  be  put 
to  Death :  This  he  knew  w^ould  prove  a  fevere 
Trial  of  that  Faith  and  Truil  which  his  Difci- 
ples  had  repos'd  in  him.  He  knew  St.  Peters 
forward  warm  Temper,  which  (tho'  he  meant  ho- 
neftly)  dilpos'd  him  to  truft  too  much  to  the 
ftrength  of  his  own  Refolutions,  and  not  to  watch 
fo  carefully,  and  pray  fo  earneftly  for  divine  Aids, 
as  he  ought  to  have  done.  Our  Lord  forefaw 
(it  fliou'd  feein)  the  Temptation  with  which  St. 

Peter 


(  6i  ) 

Peter  would  be  a  flan  1  ted  >  and  that  he  would  ilic- 
ciimb  uiid<.T  it.  Thus  the  C  afe  flood  when  our 
Saviour  Ipake  thefe  Words  :  Addreffing  himfelf  to 
\Fiter^  as  the  Perfon  moil:  in  danger,  he  tells  him. 
That  his,  approacliii:;g  Sufferings  and  Death,  wou'd 
be  mad^  ule  Kji  by  Saian  as  a  ftrong  Temptation 
to  peiiiiude  him  and  his  Brethren  to  forfake  and 
deny  their  Mafter:  So  that  they  all  needed  our 
Lord's  Prayers  upon  this  occalion,  and  no  doubt 
he  piay'd  for  them.  But  as  for  you  Peter^  (fays 
our  Lord)  whofe  Trial  will  be  peculiarly  flrong, 
and  whole  Temper  of  Mind  expofes  you  to  more 
than  ordinary  Danger  in  the  time  of  Trial ;  I 
have  prayed  for  you  efpecially,  that  your  Faith  7nay 
not  fail :  That,  tho'  you  may  be  weak  and  ti- 
morous enough  to  deny  that  you  belong  to  me,  or 
have  had  any  thing  to  do  with  me  j  yet  that  you 
may  not  wholly  forfake  my  Service,  and  renounce 
the  Profeflion  of  my  Religion.  This  is  the  plain 
Delign  and  Meaning  of  the  Words;  which  were 
fpoken  to  St.  Peter ^  and  belong  to  him  only  :  Nor 
is  there  the  leall  Shadow  of  Reafon  to  fuppole,  that 
they  at  all  relate  to  Popes ;  St.  Peters,  SuccelTors,  as 
they  are  cali'd.  If  they  affure  us  of  the  Indcfedti- 
bility  of  the  Faith  of  all  his  Succeffors;  I  would 
fain  know,  why  not  of  his  Succeffors  in  the  See 
of  Antio'ch^  (where  he  is  faid  to  have  been  Bifliop 
kwtn  Years,  before  he  was  Bifliop  of  Ro??ie)  as 
well  as  of  thofe  in  the  See  of  Rome  ?  And  yet  pla- 
cing Injallibility  at  Antioch^  as  well  as  at  RomCy 
would  fpoil  all.  I  will  only  add,  that  if  the  Lifal- 
libility  of  Peter^  and  his  pretended  Succeflbrs,  is 
affur'd  to  us  by  our  Saviour's  praying  that  his  Faith 
might  720t  faily  then  every  Man  whofe  Faith  fails 

not. 


(    62    ) 

not,  niiift  be  infallible:  And  flnce  it  has  been 
prov'd,  concerning  feveral  of  St.  Peter?,  SucceiTors, 
that  their  Faith  has  aftually  fail'd,  (even  in  the 
Senie  in  which  the  Papills  themfeives  underftand 
thefe  Words)  it  certainly  follows,  that  thefe  Words 
of  Chrift  to  Peter ^  neither  do,  nor  were  ever  de- 
fign'd  to  allure  us  of  the  Infallibility  of  his  Suc- 
ceffors. 

Your  time  will  not  allow  me,  to  confider  parti- 
cularly the  Texts  of  Scripture  which  our  Adverfaries 
urge,  to  prove  this  favourite  and  capital  Point :  If 
it  wou'd,  I  think  I  could  eafily  fliew  you  it  wou'd 
be  difficult  to  find  any  one  of  the  wildeft  Enthu- 
fiafts  that  has  ever  appear'd  in  the  World,  quoting 
Scriptures  in  confirmation  of  his  Dreams,  mor^ 
abfurdly,  more  impertinently,  or  to  a  Senfe  more 
foreign  to  that  which  the  Holy  Ghoft  dcfign'd, 
than  the  Papifts  do,  when  they  go  about  to  prove 
their  Infallibility  thence.  Let  me  only  put  you  in 
mind,  that  many  of  the  Texts  alledg'd  by  them 
relate  to  the  Church  in  general,  as  confilfing  of 
all  true  Believers  j  and  therefore  will  ferve  as  well 
to  prove  that  every  particular  good  Chriftian  is  in- 
fallible^ as  that  the  Pope  or  the  Church  of  Rome  is 
(o.  Others  of  'em  are  dcfign'd  to  reprcfcnt  the 
Duty  of  the  Minifters  of  the  Chriflian  (  hurch, 
and  the  Ends  for  which  that  Office  was  inflituted; 
without  defigning  at  all  to  intimate,  that  the  Mi- 
nifters wou'd  never  negledt  their  Duty,  and  fwerve 
from  the  defign  of  their  Office :  And  yet  without 
fuppofing  this  lafl,  the  Ai-guments  drawn  from 
hence,  will  all  be  found  to  be  foohiflical  and  fal- 
lacious.  LafHy,  others  of  tliem  mean  nothing 
more  than  to  recommend  to  private  Chriflians  the 

fliewing 


(  63  ) 

fhewing  that  Refped:  and  Regard  to  their  Miniflers, 
which  is  due  to  'em  fo  long  as  they  continue  di- 
Hgent  and  faithful  in  the  Execution  of  their  Office ; 
without  {o  much  as  hinting  at  any  Doniijiion,  or 
Infallibility,  or  Authority,  (properly  fo  called)  that 
Chrift  has  conferr'd  upon  'em.  Let  thefe  things 
be  remember'd,  and  applied  to  the  Texts  quoted  by 
the  Church  of  Rof?je  to  prove  the  Point  we  are  upon; 
and  they  will  be  found  to  be  the  Keys,  which  will 
not  only  open  to  us  the  true  meaning  of  llich 
Texts,  but  effediually  convince  us,  there  is  not  any 
one  of  them  that  proves  their  Infallibility. 

There  is  one  thing  more  very  pertinent  to  our 
prefent  purpofe,  which  defer ves  to  be  confider'd : 
Among  the  many  Texts  of  Scripture  quoted  by  our 
Adverlaries  in  this  Controverfy,  fome  are  alledg'd 
to  prove  the  Infallibility  of  the  Pope,  feparately 
and  fingly  confider'd  as  St.  Peters  Succelfor  :  Such 
as  thefe,  c.  g.  '  'Thou  art  Peter,  ajid  upon  this  rock 
will  I  build  my  church,  and  the  gates  of  hell  Jhall 
not  prevail  againft  it.  And  I  will  give  unto  thee 
the  keys  of  the  kingdom    of  heaven.  Sec.    ^  I  have 

prayed  for   thee,  that  thy  faith  fail  not,   &c. 

Again,  others  of  thefe  Texts  are  alledg'd  to  prove 
the  hifallibility  of  General  Councils,  whether  with 
the  Pope  as  a  ?vlember  of  them,  or  without  him :. 
Such  as  thefe  ;  3  He  that  heareth  you,  heareth  me ; 

and  he  that  defpifeth  you,  dcfpifeth  me. ^  Where 

two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my  name,  there 

am  I  in  the  mid/l  of  the?n. 5  It  feemcd  good  to  the 

Holy  Ghojl  and  to  us,  Si:q. ^  Lo,  I  am  with  you 

alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world. Laftiy, 

*  Matt.  xvi.  1 8,  19.  *  Luke  xxii.  32.  3  Luke  x.  16. 

♦  Matt,  xviii.  20,  5  Afts  xv.  28.  ^  Matt,  xxviii.  20. 

there 


(  64  ) 

there  are  others  of  thefe  Texts,  which  if  they  prove 
any  thing,  prove  the  IiifallihiUty  of  the  Church  in 
general,  or  of  any  particular  C  hurch :  Such  as  thefe  j 
7  If  he  negleSi  to  hear  the  churchy  let  him  be  to  thee 

as  an  heathen  man  ajtd  a  publican. ^  T^he  church 

of  the  living  God^  the  pillar  and  the  ground  oj  truth. 
Now  concerning  thefe  Texts  taken  all  together,  and 
as  made  ufe  of  by  the  Church  of  Rome  j  I  fay,  ei- 
ther that  they  prove  nothing,  or  they  prove  too 
much  ;  even  fo  much  as  will  overthrow  the  whole 
Romijlo  Syftem.  They  defign  to  prove  Infallibility 
'  by  'em  :  I  confefs,  in  my  Opinion  they  mean  no- 
thing like  it :  But  if  they  do,  fome  of  'em  muft 
prove  that  the  Pope  is  infallible  ;  others  of  'em  that 
a  General  Council  is  fo  ;  and  others  that  the  •  hurch 
either  univerfal  or  a  particular  one,  has  this  Privi- 
lege :  And  all  thefe  Proportions  muft  be  true, 
they  being  all  fuppos'd  to  be  conti!m'd  by  Scripture. 
But  is  not  this  a  great  deal  moie  tljan  the  Church 
of  Rome  deliresj^fee  proved,  or  will  admit  to  be 
true  ?  Do  they  like  to  have  their  Infallibility  thus 
widely  fpread,  and  laid  as  it  were  in  common  ? 
Will  the  Pope  own  that  a  C  ouncil  has  itj  or  a 
Council  that  the  Pope  has  it,  and  they  themfelves 
have  no  fliare  in  it  ?  Or  will  either  Pope  or  C  oun- 
cil admit,  that  a  particular  i  ongregation  of  Chri- 
ftians,  or  a  few  Chriflian  Bifliops  got  together,  are 
cndow'd  with  Infallibility^  Thus  it  muft  be,  if 
they  interpret  Scripture  right :  And  yet  if  it  is  thus, 
the  whole  Fabrick  of  the  C  hurch  of  Ro?ne's  Autho- 
rity and  Infallibility  is  demolifh'd. 

I  {hould  now  go  on  to  take  notice  of  their  other 
Arguments,  which  (as  they  lay)  unanfwerably  prove 

7  Matt,  xviii.  17,  '  i  Tim.  iii.  15. 

the 


(  65  ) 

the  Infallibility  of  their  Church  :  Such  as  thefe  :  * 
If  the  (  hurch  may  err,  why  do  we  (as  the  Creed 
does)  call  her  Holy  ?  A  Church  united  in  the  Pro- 
fefTion  of  any  Error,  is  fo  far  from  deferving  that 
Character,    that,  on  the  contrary,  it  is  a  wicked 

AfTembly. Again ;  -f  If  the  Church,  particularly 

the  Church  Reprefentative,  or  the  Body  of  Paftors, 
may  err,  why  do  they,  when  met  in  Council,  de- 
nounce their  Anathema's  againfl  fuch  as  refule  to 
receive  or  iubmit  to  their  Decrees  ?  If  they  be  flip- 
poled  fallible  in  making  them,  this  is  iuch  a  piece 

of  Wickednefs  as  they  would  never  be  guilty  of. 

Again  3  J  If  the  Church  could  err,  {he  might  entire- 
ly fail  'j  which  is  diredly  contrary  to  expreis  Pro- 
mifes  of  Chrift,  and  therefore  flie  mufl  be  owned 
to  be  infallible. —  Again  j  ||  They  argue  the  Church's 
Infallibility,  from  her  perpetual  Vilibility  :  The 
true  Church  (fay  they)  muft  always  be  vilible  and 
knowable ;  but  if  (he  could  err,  (he  could  no  longer 
be  known  to  be  the  true  Church.  I  hope  there  is 
no  great  danger  of  any  one's  'being  perverted  by 
Proofs  of  this  fort ;  for  I  think  verily  it  requires  no 
great  Skill  to  confute  them.  They  are  urged  by  no 
lels  Names  than  Cardinal  Bellarmine  and  Cardinal 
Richelieu;  and  therefore  (were  it  not  for  fear  of 
trefpaffing  too  much  upon  your  Patience)  I  would 
give  you  what,  I  apprehend,  would  be  full  Anfwers 
to  them.  But  I  muft  forbear.  There  is  one  other 
Argument  which  they  boaft  fo  much  of,  and  have 
{o  often  iiiccefsfully  urg'd  for  perverting  fome  to 
their  Church,  and  confirming  others  in  it,  that  I 

*  Card.  Richelieu,  L.  i.  c.  13.  •}•  Z?f//«r«.  de  Ecclef. 

Milit.   L.  3.  c.  14.   %.Tertio  obligamur.  \  Card.    Richelieu, 

ubifup.  &c.  4.  )|Id.  lb.  c.  5. 

1  think 


(  66  )        _ 

think  I  ought  not  wholly  to  pafs  It  by,  efpeclally 
fince  in  fonic  former  Parts  of  this  Difcourfe,  I  have 
led  you  to  expert  it  fhould  be  taken  notice  of  and 
anfwered.     It  is  to  this  purpofe  : 

Muft  it  not  be  horrid  Impiety,  to  fuppofe,  that 
divine  Providence  has  fo  little  Concern  for,  and  the 
blelTed  Redeemer  fo  little  Care  about  the  Welfare 
of  his  Church,  as  to  have  left  no  certain  infallible 
Method  of  deciding  all  Controverlies,  coming  at 
Truth  and  the  true  Senfe  and  Meaning  of  Scri- 
pture ?  If  the  Church  is  not  a  vijible  and  infallible 
Tribunal,  always  in  a  Condition  to  determine  Dif- 
ferences, what  mu ft  become  oi  Her  ;  what  mufl  be- 
Gom.e  of  Tmth  and  Chriftianity  itfelf  ?  Will  there 
not  a  thoufand  Herelies  be  broach'd,  that  muft  tear 
out  her  very  Bowels,  rend  in  pieces  the  feamlefs 
Coat  of  Clirifc,  darken  Truth,  and  make  Error 
triumphant  J  fliake  the  Faith  of  Chriftians,  and  fill 
their  Minds  with  endlefs  Doubts  and  Uncertainty  ? 
There  mull  therefore  be  fomewhcre  a  JiKige  to 
pronounce  and  decide  :  Scripture  is  fo  far  from  end- 
ing Controverfies,  that  It  is  well  known  to  have 
been  the  Occafion  of  them  :  There's  not  a  Here- 
tick  but  what  quotes  it,  and  endeavours  to  Impofe 
upon  weak  Minds,  by  the  falfe  Meaning  they  put 
upon  it.  In  many  Points  the  Senfe  of  it  is  fo  ob- 
fcure  and  doubtful,  that  the  Interpretation  which- 
Hereticks  give  of  it,  fccms  as  p>laulible  as  that  which' 
the  Church  herfelf  affixes.  There  muft  therefore 
be  a  living  fpeaking  Judge,  to  interpret  this  dead^ 
this  iinfcnsd  Letter  :  And  unlefs  fuch  an  one  be 
cwn'd  and  fubmitted  to,  every  Tinker  or  Cobler 
muft  be  left  to  judge  of  Chriftian  Dodtrine,  and  to- 

find  out  the  Meaning  of  Scripture  for  himfelf. 

Thus 


(  6;  ) 

Thus  do  they  bhifter.  By  the  Nolfe  of  their  Tri- 
umphs on  this  occalion,  one  would  be  apt  to  con- 
ckide  that  they  had  gain'd  a  compleat  Vidory : 
And  yet  after  all,  when  the  Matter  comes  to  be 
lifted,  this  Argument  is  as  harmlefs  an  one  as  any 
of  the  reft  they  make  ufe  of.  I  could  almoft  wifh 
the  Time  would  allow  me  to  enlarge  on  the  follow- 
ing Obfervations ;  which  tho'  I  can  do  no  more 
than  juft  fuggeft  them,  v/ill  furniih  you  with  Ma- 
terials for  a  -full  Anfwer  to  any  one  who  may  at- 
tempt to  pervert  you  by  fo  fallacious  an  Argument. 
I .  T-hat  the  Impiety  talk'd  of,  falls  to  their  fliare, 
who  thus  boldly  prefcribe  to  God  and  the  Redeemer, 
what  tkey  ought  to  have  done,  and  what  tliey  muft 
•he  fuppos'd  to  'have  done,  for  the  Welfare  of  the 
Cliurch  :  And  that  we  Proteftants  iliew  much  more 
Reverence  and  Modefty,  Vv'hen  we  turn  the  Argu- 
ment upon  our  Adverfaries,  and  tell  them,  God  has 
no  where  commiffion'd,  or  pointed  out,  fuch  an 
i?2fallible  "Judge  as  they  talk  of,  and  therefore  we 
can't  be  perfuaded  that  fuch  an  one  is  neceffary. 

2.  That  fuch  a  Judge  as  they  talk  of,  can  never 
be  fit  to  determine  all  Controvoi  fies ;  till  it  is  firft 
agreed  by  the  contending  Parties,  that  he  is  infalli- 
ble. For,  one  of  the  moit  important  Controvcrfies 
now  fubfifting  in  tlie  Chriftian  World  is,  Whether 
there  be  .any  fuch  Judges  and  IVhci'e  he  isf  Now 
it  would  be  very  abliird  to  fend  me  to  one,  whom  I 
am  not  yet  fuppos'd  to  believe  lTtfallibk\  to  be  de- 
termin'd  by  him  whether  he  is  Infallible  or  not. 

3.  There  can  be  no  Neceffity  of  fuch  a  Judge  to 
determine  all  Con  trover  fies  in  Religion,  becaufe  it 
is  not  neceiTary  that  ^//  fuch  Con  trover  fies  fliould  be 
decided.     There  are  a  great  many  difputed  Points 

I  z  and 


(  68  )     ^ 

and  different  Opinions,  wliich  neither  affecfl  our  In- 
tereft  in  the  Favour  of  God,  nor  are  at  all  incon- 
liflent  with  the  Peace  of  the  Church ;  or  that  Uni- 
ty among  its  Members,  which  Chrift  the  Head  of 
lie  Church  fo  earneftly  recommends. 

4.  If  a  Judgment  may  be  form'd  of  what  woiid 
be  hereafter,  by  what  has  been  heretofore  j  we  may 
conclude  that  fuch  a  Judge^  tho'  he  were  to  be 
found,  would  neither  prevent  Herefies  from  ariling, 
nor  put  an  End  to  all  Controverfies.  Our  bleffed  Sa- 
viour was  fuch  a  Judge  j  able  infallibly  to  decide  in 
all  Cafes,  and  yet  the  Jewiih  Church  in  his  Days 
run  into  many  Errors  j  and  among  the  reft,  that 
pernicious  one  of  miftaking  and  rejedting  the  Mei^ 

fiah. If  it  be  objecftfd  that  this  was,  becaufe 

they  did  not  own  him  as  fuch  a  Judge  j  the  An- 
fwer  is  obvious :  That  fince  our  Lord  gave  at  leaft 
as  good  Evidence  of  his  being  Infallible^  as  any  6- 
ther  can  pretend  to  give,  it  is  at  leaft  as  hkely  that 
the  Infallibility  of  any  other  will  be,  as  that  his 
Oiou'd  have  been  difown'd.  The  Apoftles  were  (It 
is  allow'd)  under  the  Guidance  of  an  infallible  Spi- 
rit in  all  things  relating  to  the  Kingdom  of  Chrift, 
and  the  Propagation  of  his  Religion  in  the  World  ; 
and  yet  Hercfcs  fprang  up  in  their  Days ;  Nay,  and 
St.  Paul  (it  fcems)  thought  them  not  only  unavoida- 
ble, but  that  Providence  fuffer'd  them  to  arife,  *  that 

they  which  are  approved  might  be  ?nade  manifeft. 

There  were  Divifions  among  the  Corinthians  ^y^w  af- 
ter all  the  Pains  St.  Paul  had  taken  to  reftore  JJjiity 
and  Peace  among  them.~Nay,  in  theChurch  oi Rome 
herfelf,  notwithftandii^g  all  lier  Boafts  of  an  /;?- 
fallible  living  Jud^e,    to  whom  all  her  Members 

*   I  Cor.  xi.  19. 

jTiay 


(  69  ) 

may  have  recourfe,  there  are  (for  ought  I  fee)  as 
diifercnt,  as  inconfiflent  Opinions,  as  are  to  be  found 
among  Chriftians,  who  own  no  fuch  Judge. 

5.  and  Laftly.  Every  meek,  humble,  fincere 
Lover  of,  and  Enquirer  after  Truth,  may  hope  for, 
and  reckon  upon  fuch  AfTiftance  of  the  Spirit  of  God, 
as  will  enable  him  by  the  Rule  of  Scripture  to  judge 
of,  and  determine  for  himfelf  all  fuch  Controverlies 
in  Religion,  as  it  is  abfolutely  ncceffary  to  his  Sal- 
vation to  judge,  or  believe,  or  determine  any  thing 
about.  If  a  Man  thus  difpos'd,  and  with  the  Pro- 
mife  of  fuch  AfTiflance,  is  not  fecure  from  all  fatal 
Error,  and  in  the  way  to  come  at  all  Truth,  ne- 
ceff uy  for  him  to  know  j  I  fee  no  other  Method 
by  which  he  can  be  fo ;  I  am  fure  the  way  of  Au- 
thority and  Infallibility  won't  do  it ;  and  if  I  don't 
flrangcly  miftake  the  Meaning  and  Delign  of  ma- 
ny PafTages  of  Scripture,  this  Method  will  do  it. 

If  I  had  time,  I  (hou'd  go  on  now,  and  confi- 
der  the  Proofs  pretended  to  arife  from  the  Tefti- 
mony  of  the  Fathers  ;  for  tho'  their  Writings  were 
long  in  the  alraoft  fole  PolfelTion  of  the  Friends 
to  the  Romifi  Caufej  and  during  feveral  dark  Ages 
were  fo  little  read,  or  attended  to,  that  I'hey  had 
Opportunity  to  mangle  and  alter,  to  blot  out,  and 
foifl  in,  as  might  beft  ferve  their  Caufe  and  fupport 
their  Preteniionsj  nay,  tho'  grofs  Falfifications  of 
thele  Writings  have  been  pointed  out  to  them,  and 
prov'd  upon  'em  ;  yet  ftill,  even  in  the  Condition 
they  now  are,  it  might  from  them  be  plainly  fliewn, 
that  for  feveral  Hundreds  of  Years  after  Chrifl,  the 
Fathers  never  dream'd,  nor  made  mention  of,  any 
fuch  Authority  or  hifallihility  as  the  Church  of 
Rome  now  claims. 

Nay 


_      (  70  ) 

jMay  farther,  if  I  had  time,  I  cou'd  lay  before 
you  what  miift  (I  think)  be  a  fufficient  Inducement 
to  any  impartial  Mind,  either  to  believe  that  the 
Church  of  Rome  herfelf  fulpecfls  or  doubts  of  her 
own  Infallibility^  or  elie  to  condemn  her  for  ha- 
ving ad:ed  the  moft  unjufl,  the  moil  unmotherly, 
the  moft  abfurd  part  in  the  World,  for  not  having 
employ'd  it  in  a  proper  Manner,  and  for  the  kindeil 
and  moft  ufeful  Purpofcs.  Why  does  fhe  fuifer,  and 
fometimes  dn*e'^,  her  ov/n  Doctors  to  go  on  writing 
fallible  Commentaries  on  Scripture,  as  contradidiory 
and  inconfiftent,  as  any  of  thofe  written  by  Prote- 
ftants?  Why  does  flie  not  once  for  all  blefs  the 
World  with  an  infallible  Interpretation  of  tl:ie  whole 
Bible,  and  an  exa(3:  Account  of  all  the  Church's 
unwritten  'Traditions  f  Why  does  ftie  not  find  out 
an  infallible  Method  for  inducing  all  the  World  to 
hearken  and  fubmit  to  her  i?fallible  Decifions  ?  She 
has,  I  know,  found  out,  and  made  ufe  of,  one 
Method  for  this  purpofe  j  (lie  has  Cenfur'd,  Curs'd, 
Spoii'd,  Imprifon'd,  Banifli'd,  Tortur'd,  Committed 
to  the  Flames,  and  Doom'd  to  Hell  and  Damnation, 
to  promote  this  hopeful  Deiign ;  but  tho'  flie  has 
been  too  fuccefsful,  flie  is  yet  far,  I  hope,  very  far, 
from  having  fully  carry'd  her  Point. 

O  Rome!  Haughty,  Cruel  Rome!  ^  Thou 
Jiaft  \on^  glorified  thy  felf  lived  delicioifiy^  and f aid 
in  thy  hearty  I  fit  a  ^icen,  and  am  no  WidoWy  and 
Jl^all  fee  no  for  row  :  But  ^  the  multitude  of  Sorceries ^ 
and  abundance  of  Inch  ant  me  nts^  are  found  with  thee  : 
3  The  Kings  and  Inhabitants  of  the  Earth  have  beat 
made    drunk  with   the   Wine  of  thy    Fornication : 

i  Rev,  xviii.  7.  *  liai.  xlvii.  9.  3  Rev.  xvii.  2. 

Thoti 


(  71  ) 

4-  T^fjou  thy  felf  art  driinktm  with  the  Blood  of  the 
Saints  and  Martyrs  of  J  ejus  :  Therefore  5  yZw//  thy 
Plagues  come  upon  thee  in  one  Day^  Deaths  and 
Mournings  and  Famine  ;  yea,  thou  JJjalt  be  utterly 
burnt  with  Fire ;  for  ftro?ig  is  the  Lord  God  who 

judgeth  thee. In  the.  mean  while,   and  till  that 

Day  of  Recompenfe  comes, 

May  Almighty  God,  who  has  often,  and  almoft 
by  Miracle,  preferv'd  thefe  Nations,  from  falling 
again  into  her  Clutches,  and  feeling  the  Effedts  of 
her  deep  Malice  and  favage  Cruelty  j  Hill  prof:e(ft, 
ftill  defend  us!  May  the  Proteftaiit  Litcrefy  the 
Caufe  of  I'ruth^  and  Virtue,  and  Liberty,  be  cifta- 
blifh'd,  and  own'd,  and  propagated  1  May  the  jBIef- 
fing  of  Heaven  reft  upon  all  Frotefiant  Princes  and 
States  i  and  efpecially  upon  our  moft  Gi"aciou!3  So- 
vereign King  George,  and  every  Branch  of  his 
Auguft  Family  I  May  we  and  all  his  Subjedis 
fland  faft  by,  and  be  fecur'd  in  the  Pofteffioia  of, 
that  Chriftian  Liberty  with  which  Chrift  has  made 
us  free  !  And  finally,  for  the  Honour  and  Advance- 
ment of  that  pure  and  uncorrupted  Chriftianity 
which  we  profefs ,  may  we  all  of  us  take  care  to 
get  our  Minds  and  Tempers  form'd,  our  whole 
Condud:  and  Behaviour  regulated,  by  the  generous, 
human,  excellent  Principles  and  Precepts  of  it!  God 
of  his  infinite  Mercy  grant  it,  for  the  Sake  of  Je- 
fus  Chrift,  ^c, 

♦  Rev.  xvii.  6.  ^  Rev.  xviii.  8. 


FINIS. 


"Jiifi  PubUfied, 

I.p  O  P  E  R  Y    the  Great  Corruption  of  Chriftianlty.      A 
Sermon  preaclied  at   Salters-Hall^  January  9,    1734-5. 
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ir.  The  Notes  of  the  Church  confidcred :  In  a  Sermon  on 
1  77?*.  iii.  14,  15.  preached  at  iS^^Z/^rj-//^//,  Jan.  16,  1734-5. 
By  Samuel  Chandler.     The  Third  Edition, 

TIE  The  Supremacy  of  St.  Pctn-  and  the  Bifhops  of  Rome 
his  Succefibrs  :  Confider'd  in  a  Sermon  preached  at  Saitcrs-HaJ/, 
Jan.  23,  1734-5.  By  Daniel  Neal,  M.  J.  The  Second 
Edition.     Price  4^. 

Lately  ftihliJJjedy  Price  2d.  or  is.  6  d.  per  Dozen^ 
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A  Proteftant's  Refolutlon  :  Shewing  his  Reafons  why  he  will- 
not  he  a  Papift.  Digefted  into  fo  plain  a  Method  of  Queftion 
and  Anfwer,  that  an  ordinary  Capacity  may  be  able  to  defehd 
the  proteftant  Religion  againft  the  moft  cunning  Jefuit  or 
Popi^  Prieft. 

In  a  few  Days  will  he  Puhlifbed, 

St.  Jafzh :  Or  a  Commentary  on  a  PafTage  in  the  Plea 
made  by  the  Advocate  for  the  Jesuits  at  Thorn  ;  in  which 
mention  is  made  of  this  Polish  Saint.  A  Tranflation  from 
the  priginal  French  of  Monfieur  BeausoBRE. 


SCRIPTURE 

AND 

TRADITION 

CONSIDERED; 

I   N     A 

SERMON 

On  Ephes.  ii.    20. 

Preached    at  Salters-Hall, 

February  6,  1734-5. 
With  Enlargements. 

By  SAMUEL    IVRIGH'T,   D.  D. 

In  banc  infipientiam  cadunt,  qui  cum  ad  cognofccndam 
veritatem  aliquo  impcdiuntur  obfcuro,  non  ad  propht- 
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gelicas au6loritates,  fed  ad  feiplbs  recurrunt. 


LONDON: 

fritted  for  R.  H  E  T  T,     at  the  Bible  and  Croivn,  in 
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(( 


EpHesi  AN3   ii.  20. 

And  are  built  upon  the  foundation 
"  of  the  apoftles,  and  prophets,  Jesus 
*'  Christ  himfelf  being  the  chief 
•^^  eorner-ftone." 


H  E  foregoing  diicourfes  again il: 
the  pretenfions  of  the  Romanijis, 
have  given  you  an  account  of  their 
fetting  up  a  kingdom  of  this  "world, 
under  the  name  and  notion  of  a 
Church  ;  which  they  afTert,  is  the 
only  church  that  hath  falvation  in  it,  and  the 
Keys  of  Heaven  and  Hell  committed  to  its  ru- 
lers and  paftors.  In  one  difcourfe^  the  72otes  and 
marks,  which  they  bring  to  prove  themfelves  the 
true  and  ojily  church  of  Christ,  have  been, 
examined  5  and  the  falfhood  of  their  ways  of  ar- 
guing from  thence,  v^^as  fliewn.  In  another  dif- 
courje,  their  grievous  ufurpation  and  iniquity  was 
expofed  in  placing  at  the  head  of  their  church  a 
fovereign  Pontif]  whom  they  make,  very  unjuH:- 
ly,  fuccelTor  to  St.  Peter ^  as  if  he  had  a  power 
fuperior  to  the  other  apojlles,  and  fuperior  to  the 
kings  of  the,  earth  ;  yea,  whofe  decrees ,  and  dif 

A   2  fenfwg 


[4] 

penfing  powers,  are  advanced  above  all  that  6Ver 
were  called  Gods  in  this  world.  In  a  third 
difcourJt\  the  pretended  authority  and  infallibility 
of  this  church,  ( that  is,  of  the  Pope  and  his 
councils )  you  have  had  fairly  reprelented,  and 
very  largely  expokd. 

My  province  now  is,  to  fet  before  you  the  true 
and  only  foundation  upon  which  the  Chriftian  Ca- 
tholick  Church  is  built ;  witli  the  jieceliity  of  our 
adhering  to  the  Scriptures,  through  faith  ia 
Christ,  for  our  eternal  falvation.  So  that  my 
prefent  bufinefs  will  be  to  prove  the  pcrfcBion, 
and  pcr/picuity  of  the  holy  fcripturesj  and  the 
reafon  that  we  have  to  receive  them  as  the  i.oord 
of  God,  without  depending  upon  the  tcftifnony 
of  the  church  of  Ronu\  or  admitting  their  tradi- 
tions as  7jece[ldry  to  be  received  together  with  the 
facred  writings. 

All  their  ufurped  authorit\\  the  dodrine  of  the 
Pope's  fupremncy,  and  their  confining  the  title 
of  Catholick  Church  to  themfelves,  are  built  upon, 
and  liipported  by  what  they  call  either  apojlolical, 
or  ecck/iajlical  traditions. 

I  have  therefore  chofen  the  text  now  read,  for 
the  fubjeft  of  the  enfiiing  difcourfc  ;  being  better 
fuited  (in  my  apprehenlion)  than  any  other  I 
could  fix  upouj  to  anfwer  the  ends  I  have  in 
xiew.  "  And  are  built  upon  the  foundation  of 
"  the  apoifles  and  prophets,  Jesus  Christ 
"  himfelf  being  the  chief  corner-ffonc." 

That  we  may  ke  the  true  meaning  and  import 
of  thefe  words,  our  attention  will  be  requifitc 
for  a  few  minutes  to  the  context ^  before  we  come 

to 


to  apply  ourfelves  to  the  difference  betwixt  lis 
and  the  Piipifts  about  Jaiptnre  and  t?'aditio?is. 

St.  Paul^  in  the  ill,  4th,  and  5th  verles  of  this 
chapter,  tells  the  Ephe/ians  who  were  converted 
to  Chriflianity  out  of  the  heathen  or  gentile 
ivorld,  That  "  they  who  were  dead  in  trefpaf- 
**  fes  and  iins,  are  quickened  together  with 
"  Christ."  Thro'  the  "  rich  mercy  and  great 
''  love  of  God,"  there  was  a  powder,  proportio- 
nate to  that  of  quickening  and  raifing  the  dead 
body  of  Ch  RisT,  manifelled  in  their  being  quick- 
ened together  loith  him.  The  apoflle  therefore 
■defcribes  the  ftate  of//;/,  and  death,  and  fubjedi- 
on  to  tht  pri7ice  oi  this  nvorld,  (v.  2,  3.)  in  wiiich 
they  were,  when  the  gofpel  was  fent  by  tlie  free 
undeferved  favour  and  grace  of  God  to  /h'-je 
them;  and  which  by  the  power  and  love  of  God 
became  effectual  to  their  converfion,  and  to  bring 
them  into  the  Chriftian  life. 

In  the  lame  mighty  power  and  love  we  hope 
and  trulf ,  for  the  railing  ar.d  quickening  that  part 
of  the  world  called  Chri/iian,  where  thro'  a 
dreadful  and  long  apoflacy,  men  are  walking 
jull  as  the  heatlien  Ephelians  did,  "  according 
*'  to  the  courfe  of  this  world,  according  to  the 
"  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,  the  fpiiit  that 
"  now  worketh  in  the  children  of  dilbbcdience." 
Amongll:  whom  even  ive  of  this  Proteibuit  king- 
dom, **  had  our  convcrlation  in  times  paif,  in 
"  the  lulls  of  our  flelli,  fullilHng  the  defires  [or 
*'  wills]  of  the  lielli,  and  of  the  mind,  and 
*'  were  by  nature  the  children  of  wrath,  even  as 
"  others."  The  rich  mere}',  the  great  love 
wherewith  God  loved  us,   \\hen  lie  faved  us  out 

of 


[6] 

of  fuch  a  itate  of  (lavery,  and  death,  as  that  of 
Popery,  Ihould  encourage  us  to  hope  for  the  fal- 
vation  of  other  nations  and  people,  in  the  day  of 
Gob's  power ',  and  whilft  we  are  ufing  our  beft 
endeavours  to  recommendapurefcripturalrehgion, 
let  us  wait  for  the  manifeflations  of  a  further 
power  from  on  high,  when  the  Lord  himfelf 
ihall  "  confiime  that  Wicked  by  the  fpirit  of 
"  his  mouth,  and  fliall  deftroy  him  with  the 
"  brightnefs  of  his  coming."  A  Hrm  perfualion 
that  the  overthrow  of  Popery^  (let  the  kings  and 
rulers  of  the  earth  favour  it  as  they  pleafe)  fliall 
be  by  a  power  like  that  which  raifed  Christ 
from  the  deady  and  firft  fct  up  the  gofpel  king- 
dom in  the  world,  led  me  to  this  digrejfioji ; 
which  will,  I  hope,  be  allow'd  upon  the  pre- 
fent  occalion. 

To  proceed  in  our  account  of  the  context ; 
The  Gentiles  being  brought  into  the  kingdom  of 
God  by  pure  grace  and  favour,  as  the  yews 
had  been  of  old,  both  were  raijed  togethej\  and 
made  x.ofj  together  in  the  fame  gofpel  kingdom^ 
which  is  called  the  kingdom  of  Heaven,  ox  he  a- 
'u^;z/>'/)/^c^jinCHRiSTjESUs,v.  6.They  were  both 
alike  in  this,  that  there  were  no  works  of  which 
either  could  boaft  j  but  works  for  which  both 
might  have  been  for  ever  rejeifted  and  condemn- 
ed. By  grace  alone  they  were  both  equally  privi- 
Icg'd,  both  being  faved  upon  the  fame  foot,  that 
is,  through  Faith.  And  this  falvation  thro' 
faith,  (in  the  whole  contrivance  *  and  method  of 

«) 

*  T«rD  fcems  to  refer  to  the  wliole  work  of  tilvation,  and  not 
to  [  ■7n^v(,  ]  /I'lith,  by  a  regular  conlhu*ltioij. 


[7] 

it)  they  were  ever  to  look  upon  as  the  gift  of 
God,  and  not  owing  to  themjehes^  ver.  8. 
So  that  no  fuch  thing  as  works  of  fuperero- 
gation,  or  works  to  be  boafted  of  in  the  light 
of  God,  and  meriting  at  his  hands,  are  to  be 
brought  into  the  gofpel  fcheme  of  being  faved, 
V.  9.  "  not  of  works,  left  any  man  fl:iould  boaft." 
And  yet  this  falvation  doth  necelTarily  include 
good  ivorksj  as  the  fruit  and  effed:  of  faith  in 
Christ  ;  for  which  God  hath  before  provided, 
that  we  ilnould  both  be  dired:ed  and  enabled  to 
walk  in  them,  v.  10.  "  For  we  are  his  work- 
"  manfliip  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good 
"  works,  which  God  hath  before  ordained,  [or 
"■'  prepared]  that  we  iliould  walk  in  them."  He 
hath  made  fafficient  preparation  for  this  under 
the  gofpel. 

The  matter  being  thus  ftated,  and  Jew  and 
Gentile  thus  united,  the  apoftle  would  have  the 
Epkejians  mindful  of  their  former  flate  oi  aliens, 
which  he  defcribes  in  the  i  ith  and  12th  verfes ; 
and  alfo  by  whom  this  union  was  brought  about, 
Christ  Jesus  j  and  how  wonderfully  it  was  ef- 
fected, by  his  crucifixion  and  blood  3  of  which  a 
very  diftincft  account  is  given  in  thofe  five  verles, 
from  the  13  th  to  the  i8th  ver.  But  I  muft  not 
ftay  upon  them  ;  tho'  there  are  feveral  things 
concerning  the  abolifliing  of  the  yeivijh  rites  and 
ordinances,  and  diffolving  their  church-ftate,  as 
a  national  and  temporal  polity,  that  may  ferve  to 
expofe  ih^  fchijmatical  principles  and  pradices  of 
the  Papal  ftate  and  church  :  In  which  innumer^ 
able  rites  and  ordinances  are  fet  up,  more  carnal 
and  worldly^  than  thofe  of  Mofes  j  and  a  temporal 

kingdom 


[  8  ] 

kingdom  and  polity  more  injurloiifly  exclufive  of 
the  nations  that  refufe  llibjeition  to  them,  than 
the  Jcw/Jh  covenant  of  peculiarity  was. 

To  go  on  :  Christ  having  "  preached  peace 
*^  to  them  that  were  far  off,  and  to  them  that 
"  were  nigh,  it  follows,  that  through  him  both 
"  have  an  accefs,  by  one  Spirit,  unto  the 
*'  Father."  Here  we  fee  what  regards  are 
due  to  the  ever-blelTed  Trinity,  Father,  Son, 
and  Spii?.iT,  in  the  affuir  of  our  falvation. 
The  whole  work  is  built  upon  it,  and  the  whole 
church  is  hereby  framed  together  to  be  an  holy 
temple  in  the  Lord.  So  that  this  do(flrine  is  to 
be  received,  not  as  the  dodtrine  of  the  Romaii 
church,  nor  as  the  docftrine  of  any  particular  Fro- 
tejlant  church  ;  but  as  a  fcriptiire  doBrine^  upon 
which  the  univerlal  church  is  built.  Where  this 
do(5lrine  is  received  and  believed,  as  the  fcripture 
requires  it  fliould,  producing  all  the  genuine  and 
faving  effects  of  fuch  a  faith,  what  is  faid  of  the 
Ephtjia?i  church  may  be  applied  to  others ;  *<  In 
*'  WHOM  (L  e.)  [the  Lord  Jefus  Chriff]  you 
*'  alio  are  builded  together  for  an  habitation  of 
*'  God,  through  the  Spirit."  Thus  ends  the 
chapter  where  our  text  is. 

According  to  this  moff  wife,  and  moft  exten- 
iively  merciful  and  benevolent  conftitution  of 
things,  the  Gentiles  arq  taken  into  the  fame 
koiijhold  of  God  with  the  'Jeivs.  And  in  ever^f 
7iation^  where  a  number  of  men  are  brought  to  be- 
lieve and  obey  the  gofpel^  and  to  worlhip  God 
according  to  the  ordinances  thereof,  they  are  to 
be  look'd  upon  as  parts  and  members  of  the 
Qlie  Catholick  church  of  Chrill.     Even  to  us  in 

thefe 


[  9  ] 

thefe  ijles  afar  off  from  any  likelihood  to  par- 
take fuch  bleiTings,  are  thefe  glad  tidings  fent : 
"  Ye  are  no  more  flrangers,  and  foreigners,  but 
"  fellow-citizens  with  the  faints,  and  of  the 
"  hou£hold  of  God."  It  will  reward  your  pains, 
diligently  to  compare  the  12th  and  19th  verfes 
of  this  chapter,  to  take  the  fenfe  of  thefe  expref- 
lions,  as  they  include  all  that  are  in  Chrift  Jeiiis 
every  where :  Ail  fuch  being  now  equally  Invefted 
with  the  fame  rights  and  privileges,  as  fellow- 
citizens,  and  admitted  to  the  fame  nearnefs  to 
God,  as  domejiicks. 

All  the  churches  of  Chrift,  being  thus  made 
one  by  him  who  is  our  peace^  are  built  upon  the 
foundation  of  the  apojlles  and  prophets^  Jesus 
Christ  himfelf  being  \h&  chief  corjier-Jlone. 

From  this  thread  of  St.  PauPs  difcourfe,  concern- 
ing the  yt^-z*:'j  and  Gf.'7///^5  being  made  one,  it  is  evi- 
dent, that  by  the  prophets  he  means  the  OldTefta- 
mcnt fripfures,  and  by  the  apo/lles  the  New.  The 
whole  church  of  God,  both  under  former  difpen- 
fations,  and  now  under  the  gofpel,  was,  and  is 
built,  upon  the  docftrine  of  the  prophets,  inckiding 
Mo/es  as  the  principal  and  moft  eminent  of  them  j 
and  upon  the  dod:rine  of  the  apojlles,  including 
St.  Paul  who  writes  this  with  the  other  apoftles : 
Their  dod:rine  (as  has  been  faid  before)  not  their 
ptr/onSj  is  the  foundation  upon  which  God  hath 
built  his  church  J  Jesus  Christ  being  the  chief 
corner-ftone^  by  which  both  parts  of  the  building 
are  united,  and  upon  which  they  reft.  Both  pro- 
phets and  apoftles  center  in  him. 

lih.Q primary  foundation  is  Christ.  There- 
fore   in    another    text   of  fcripture   it   is   faid, 

B  ''  That 


[10    ] 

"  Tliat  other  foundation  can  no  man  lay,  than 
"  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ,  i  Cor. 
"  iii.  2."  In  that  very  place,  Faiil^  Apollos^  and 
Cephas  (or  Peter)  himfelf,  are  denied  to  be 
foundations.  They  were  only  minijlers  by  whom 
Chriil  and  the  ellentials  of  Chrifbianity  were 
preached,  and  workmen  by  whom  the  church 
was  raifcd  J  and  in  this  view  they  themfelves 
refer  to  Christ  as  the  only  foundation.  But  the 
doBrineSj  or  rjrifings  of  the  prophets  and  apo- 
ftles,  are  the  foundation  of  God's  church  in  a 
fccondary  kw^Q  ;  they  being  authorized  by  Chrift, 
and  qualified  by  the  guidance  and  aids  of  his 
infallible  Spirit,  to  lay  thofe  foundations  thro' 
faith  in  his  naUiC,  upon  which  the  whole  fa- 
brick  or  fuperflrudure  fliould  abide,  and  be  car- 
ried on  throughout  all  ages  of  the  world. 

From  hence,  therefore,  the  two  following 
things  are  evident,  which  may  comprize  all  that 
is  neceflliry  to  be  faid  on  the  part  I  have  chofen 
to  take  in  this  ledure. 

I.  That  the  church  of  God,  the  true  church 
of  Chriil:  throughout  all  nations,  is  built  intirely 
upon  the  Scriptures.     And  therefore, 

II.  That  a  church  built  upon  traditiom^  which 
are  befidc  and  againll  fcripture,  as  far  as  it  goes 
(jfF  from,  or  oppofeth  the  apofhles  and  prophets, 
ib  a  building  of  men^  formed  to  ferve  their  own 
ends  and  purpofes,  not  thofe  of  the  gofpel. 

I  thought  to  have  enlarged  on  that  delightful 
view  of  our  text^  its  referring  to  Jesus  Christ 
as  the  ^x2iV\6.  fuhjeB  and  fcope  of  the  writings  both 
of  the  prophets  and  npoftles  :  And  to  have  confi- 
dered  the  expreflion  here  ufed,  Chrifl  himflfbe- 

i?ig 


[ "  ] 

i}ig  the  chief  corncr-Jlone,  together  with  thofe 
places  that  fly le  him  the  herJ  oi  iht  ccr?ic7^ :  But  fo 
many  things  have  been  fuggeiled  ah'eady  on  the 
headfiip  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  and  his  being y^^Z? 
king  in  his  own  kingdom,  without  any  ^^oica- 
rious  governour,  or  vijible  head  of  his  church 
here  on  earth,  that  I  need  not  take  up  any  of  the 
prefent  time  in  difcourfing  on  this  part  ol  the 
fubjed:,  I  fliall  therefore  now  keep  to  the  two 
general  heads  I  have  mention'd. 

I.  The  church  of  God,  confifling  of  tlie  whole 
body  of  Ch?'iJlianSy  is  built  intircly  upon  the  Jcrip- 
tures. 

This  hath  been  infifted  on  already,  and  in 
one  view  or  other  wall  be  referr'd  to  in  all  our 
dilcourfes  againfl  the  Romanijis.  But  what  I 
have  now  to  offer,  will  be  in  a  manner  quite 
different  from  what  has  been  faid  before  ;  but 
yet  fo  as  to  be  a  further  and  fuller  coiifirmation 
of  the  foregoing  difcourfes. 

By  the  fcriptures  we  mean  the  books  of  the  Old 
and  New  T^ejlament^  as  they  are  now  received, 
and  allowed  to  be  canonical  by  the  church  of 
Rome^  as  well  as  by  ourfelves,  excepting  what 
we  commonly  call  the  Apocrypha.  For  tho'  the 
apocryphal  books  may  be  read  "  for  example 
*'  of  life ^  and  inflrudion  of  m.anners,  yet  tliey 
"  are  no  part  of  the  canon  of  fcripture,  nor  is 
<'  any  doctrine  to  be  eflabliflied  by  them." 

As  to  the  pretended  authority  of  tlie  church  of 
Rome  J  to  fettle  the  canon  of  fcripture,  and  to  de- 
termine what  is  fcripture,  and  what  not^  fo  iiiuch 
hath  been  faid  already,  that  I  need  noi  flay  to 
expofe  their  pretenfions  in  a  way  oi  confutation, 

B  2  Tho 


[     12    ] 

The  rcafons  that  we  have  to  believe  the  fcrip- 
ttires  are  the  word  of  God,  and  to  receive  the 
prefent  books  of  the  Old  and  New  Tejiameiit  as 
genuine^  without  our  having  any  regard  to  the 
Roman  church  as  fuch,  will  appear  in  the  fequel 
of  this  difcourle. 

When  we  affert  that  the  church  of  Christ  is 
built  upon  the  fcripturcs,  the  church  of  Rome 
doth  not  oppofe  us,  while  they  allow,  '  That 
'  the    fcripturc  is  to  be  received  by  all  Chrijftians 

*  as  the  infallible  word  of  God.'  But  when 
they  fay,  that  the  fcripture  is  not  2i  fujicient  foun- 
dation to  build  the  church  upon,  without  their 
interpretations  and  additions  ^  in  oppofition  to 
that  we  fay,  '  That  the  true  church  of  Chrifl, 
<  throughout  all  nations,  is  built  intirely  upon 

*  the  fcripture.'  That  is,  either  upon  thofe 
things  which  are  exprcjjly  contained  in  fcripture, 
or  fuch  things  as  are  plainly  proved  from  thence, 
by  confequences  that  are  referr'd  to  every  man's 
reafon  and  confcience,  as  in  the  light  of  God. 

This  is  what  we  mean  by  a  judgment  of  pri- 
vate  difcretion^  upon  which  Proteftants  very  juft- 
ly  oppofe  the  impofitions,  and  pretended  powers 
of  tlie  Roman  churchy  in  matters  that  concern  our 
falvation. 

I.  I  fliall  therefore  lliew,  in  oppofition  to  Fo- 
per)\  the  fufficicncy  or  perfeBion  of  fcripture  to 
inform  and  guide  us  in  all  necefjdry  things. 

Wc  iay,  that  <'  Whatfoever  is  not  read  in 
"  fcripture,  nor  may  be  proved  thereby,  is  not 
"  to  be  required  of  any  man,  that  it  iliould  be 
*'  believed  as  an  article  of  fiith,  or  be  thought 
''  rcquifite,  or  ncccliary  to  falvation."  Article  VL 

The 


[   13  ] 

The  Romaitijis  fay,  that   *  All  things  nccefla- 

*  ry  to  falvation  are  not  contained  in  fcripture, 

*  but  that  a  number  of  articles,  relating  both  to 

*  faith,  worfliip,  and  manners,  are  to  be  received 

*  from  their  church.' 

The  Council  of  T'rejit  declared,  that  the  oral 
traditiom  of  the  Catholick  church  (meaning  the 
Roman)  were  to  be  received  with  equal  piety 
and  reverence,  as  the  books  of  the  Old  and  New 
^ejlament  *  ;  and  he  that  defpifeth  the  faid  tra- 
ditions, is  accurfed  -f*. 

But  I  need  not  take  pains  to  prove  this,  fince 
it  is  not  denied  by  thofe  that  are  now  endea- 
vouring to  make  converts  to  Popery  in  this  city. 
In  a  little  pamphlet  which  hath  been  put  into 
many  hands  of  late,  it  is  asked.  Why  fiould  not 
the  fcripture  alone  be  the  rule  of  faith  ?  And  the 
anfwer  there  given,  in  one  part  of  it,  is,  Bkxaufe 
federal  necefj'ary  articles  are  either  not  at  all 
contained  in  fcripture,  or  at  leaf  are  not  plain  in 
the  fcripture  'without  the  help  of  tradition.  Of 
tradition  we  fliall  fpeak  hereafter.  The  quoting 
of  this  pafTage  here,  is  only  to  fhew,  that  their 
afj'erti)7g  the  infufficiency  of  fcripture  to  falvation^ 
is  what  they  openly  avow  and  teach,  even  in  a 
Froteflant  country. 

Now  in  this,  let  their  own  confcfTion,  of  the 
fcripture s  being  the  infallible  word  of  God,  be 
their  confutation.  For  that  infallible  word  de- 
clares, "  That  all  fcripture  is  given  by  infpira- 
"  tion  of  God,  and  is  profitable  for  dodrine, 
"  for  reproof,  for  corredion,  for  inftrudion  in 

"  righteoufnefs, 

*  Pari  pietatis  afFedtu,  ac  reverentia,  fufcipit  ac  veneratur. 
f  Si  quis — Traditiones  prsdiftas  fciens  &  prudens  contempferit, 
4nathma  fit.    Concil.  Trid.  Sejf.  4.  Deer,  de  Scrifturis. 


[   14] 

"  righteoufnefs,  that  the  man  of  God  may  be 
*'  PERFECT,  [or  may  be  perfeBed]  throughly 
^''  fur?iified unto  all  good  works,  2Tim.  iii.  i6, 
"  17."  If  tliQ  f?2a?2  of  God  here  be  underftood 
of  a  pajior,  or  teacher  of  others,  then  it  is  ex- 
preilly  declared,  that  the  fcripture  is  given  to 
perfcd:  the  paftor  or  teacher  for  his  office,  and 
throughly  to  furnifli  him  for  all  good  works  be- 
longing to  his  ftation.  That  whatever  is  needful 
in  a  way  of  doBrine  relating  to  matters  of  truth 
and  faith,  or  in  a  way  of  reproof  io  fliew  men 
their  errors,  or  in  a  way  of  correBion  to  con- 
vi(5l  men  cf  fm  and  of  their  faults,  or  in  a  way 
of  inftruBion  as  to  their  duty,  to  teach  them 
all  righteoufnefs  j  in  all  thcfe  things  the  fcrip- 
ture is  to  perfeB  the  man  of  God,  and  throughly 
to  furnifh  him  for  every  good  work\  and  there- 
fore it  mull  contain  every  thing  ncceflary  to  fuch 
purpofes.  Confequently  if  any  thing  taught  by 
the  man  of  God,  or  pretended  man  of  God, 
be  not  in  the  fcripture,  nor  to  be  evidently  and 
convincingly  deduced  from  thence,  it  is  not  ?ie- 
cejj'ary  to  lalvation.  Yea,  by  this  infallible  word 
ol  God,  fuch  man  is  out  of  the  iL'ay  of  falva- 
tion  himjelj]  that  docs  require  any  thing  to  be 
received  as  of  equal  authority  with  tlie  gofpel. 
If  an  apoftle^  or  an  angel  from  Heaven  was  to 
be  accurfed  for  doing  this,  furely  a  bifliop  or 
milTionary  cf  Rome  cannot  exped  to  fare  better, 
in  declaring  that  there  ^xq  fever al  necessary 
articles  not  contained  in  fcripture.  "  Though 
*'  we,  (faith  the  apoftle)  or  an  angel  from  hea- 
«'  ven  preach  any  other  gofpel,  than  that  which 
*'  we  have  preached  unto  you,  let  him  be  ac- 

*^  curfed." 


.  f  ^5  ] 

^'  curfed."  To  imprefs  this  the  more,  and  to 
declare  the  certainty  of  the  curfe  apoftoHcal 
coming  upon  fuch,  it  is  immediately  repeated, 
(not  in  Ipeaking  only,  but  in  writing,  of  which 
there  would  have  been  lefs  need,  if  the  im- 
portance of  the  thing  had  not  required  it :)  "  As 
"  we  faid  before,  fo  fay  I  now  again,  if  any 
*'  man  preach  any  other  gofpel  unto  you,  than 
"  that  ye  have  received,  let  him  be  accurfed, 
"  Gal.  i.  8,  9. 

Perhaps  it  will  be  here  replied,  That  the  church 
of  Rome  alloweth  the  jiiffidency  of  fcripture  to 
perfect  the  man  of  God,  provided  it  be  interpre- 
ted as  the  Catholick  churcJo  directs,  meaning  tJoem- 
feheSj  and  that  there  be  alfo,  with  them,  a  hold- 
ing faft  thofe  traditions  to  which  this  written 
word  refers. 

But  will  this  free  them  from  the  charge  of  in- 
conliflency,  and  felf-contradlBion  .^  They  profeis 
to  receive  t\\t  fcripture  (that  is,  the  word  ^written) 
as  the  infallible  word  of  God.  This  word  de- 
clares, that  [as  written]  it  is  profitable  to  all  thofe 
purpofes  that  fhall  make  the  man  of  God  per- 
feB,  throughly  furniihed  to  all  good  works.  Then 
they  fay,  That  there  are  other  articles  neceflary 
to  make  the  bifhop  or  ^2i9iOT  perfeB^  which  are 
not  contained  in  the  word  written,  but  are  pre- 
served and  handed  down  from  one  age  to  ano- 
ther by  tradition. 

Now  what  can  be  an  abfurdity,  and  felf-con- 

tradidiion,  if  this  be  not; That  the  ivrittcn 

word  of  God  is  infallibly  true,  which  fays,  The 

fcriptures  are  able  to  make  men  iioife  to  j'ahation 

thro'  faith  in  Chrift  Jefus,  and  to  make  the  man 

of 


[  i6  ] 

&f  God  perfcB :  And  yet  that  they  are  not  abk 
to  make  the  man  of  God  perJeB  without  other 
necejj'ary  articles  added  to  them. 

Tlie  Romanifis^  to  palhate  this  inconfiftency, 
and  prevent  the  offence  it  mufl  needs  give,  if  it 
was  clearly  difcerned,  here  plead,  That  the  fcri- 
ptiire  itfelf  refers  to  traditions^  which  are  to  be 
held  fajl^  as  well  as  the  things  that  are  written. 
For  which  they  quote  a  paffage  out  of  the  fecond 
Epiflle  to  the  T'hefjaknians  y  "  Therefore  brethren 
*'  fland  fall,  and  hold  the  traditions  which  ye 
"  have  been  taught,  whether  by  word  or  our 
"  epiflle."  The  true  and  full  meaning  of  that 
place,  will  be  fet  before  you  by  and  by.  Nothing 
is  needful  to  be  faid  here,  fave  only  to  obferve. 
That  by  the  Romanifi\  explication  of  this  text, 
they  make  \ht  Jcripttc7-e  contradid:  itfelf  j  as  if  it 
declared  in  one  place,  That  the  things  written  are 
Jiifficient  to  fahation  through  faith  in  Chrifl,  and 
to  pcrfcSl  the  man  of  God  ;  and  then  in  a?iotber 
place,  requires  the  holding  fafl  traditions  taught 
by  word  only,  which  were  to  be  in  all  ages 
additional  to  thofe  things  that  are  liritten ;  for 
this  is  their  explication  :  Whereas  the  fcripture 
evidently  fpeaks  of  the  fame  things  that  were 
taught  by  the  apoflles,  both  in  li'ord  and  writing; 
and  therefore  whether  they  were  received  from 
Them,  in  one  way  or  the  other,  the  I'hejJ'alo- 
nians  wxre  required  to  hold  them  fafl. 

But  if  the  Romijh  church  can  throw  their  own 
inconliflencies  and  abllirdities  upon  the  fcripture, 
they  do  not  flick  to  do  it,  however  they  expofc 
that  facred  book  to  contempt.  The  more  Infidels 
are  led  to  cavil  againfb  it,  and  to  deny  the  truth 

of 


[  17  ] 

of  it,  the  more  neccjjary  do  Papiflis  make  the  tefli-' 
mony  and  authority  of  their  church  :  And  well 
pleas'd  they  are  if  this  point  be  gain'd,  however 
unfairly  the  fcripture  is  treated  either  by  them- 
felves  or  others. 

Here  lies  the  head-fpring  and  main  fupport  of 
Popery  :  To  fet  the  fcriptures  at  ■varia7ice,  and  to 
excite  a  variety  of  opinions  and  warm  difputes 
amongft  men  thereupon  ;  to  which,  in  the  cri- 
tical and  rational  way,  they  are  always  ready  to 
lend  their  affiftance  on  either  Jide  ;  and  then  make 
a  judge  of  controverfies  necelTary  to  determine 
whofe  opinion  fliall  Hand,  and  be  confirmed  by 
the  ilamp  of  authority.  And  this  judge  of  con- 
troverlies  they  make  ijifallible^  fo  as  to  abide  by 
his  decifions,  though  they  prove  to  be  contrary 
to  exprefs fcripture.  In  this,  they  affume  a  power 
beyond  that  of  God  himfelf,  and  therefore  ex- 
poie  themfelves  to  a  jufl  contempt,  in  pretending 
to  make  both  parts  of  a  contradiBion  true.  For 
what  the  fcripture  alTerts,  they  lay  is  infallibly 
true,  and  yet  what  their  church  determines, 
(though  it  happen  to  be  contrary  to  fcripture) 
they  fay  is  infallibly  true  alfo. 

Erafmus  would  have  put  the  church  of  Rome 
into  a  way  to  have  fecured  their  credit  and  pciver 
much  better,  (when  fo  many  nations  were  break- 
ing off  from  them  in  the  beginning  of  the  Re- 
formation) if  his  fentiments  had  been  of  fuffi- 
cient  weight  with.  them.  He  would  have  had 
them  to  make  no  articles  of  faith  neceflary  upon 
the  authority  of  the  churchy  but  what  are  made 
neceflary  m  fcripture  ;  which  if  they  had  been  (o 
wife  as  to  comply  with,  they  had  got  clear  of  a 

C  great 


[  i8  ] 

great  number  of  articles  by  which  they  have  been 
carried  to  fet  one  i?ifallibility  againft  another. 
His  lentiments  are  worth  reciting,  as  they  are  pre- 
ierved  in  one  of  his  epi/iles  :  *  "  This  would  re- 
"  concile  people  to  the  church  of  Rome,  if  all 
"  things,  fays  he,  were  not  fo  particularly  de- 
"  fined,  and  made  a  matter  of  faith,  which  we 
"  would  have  to  belong  to  it;  but  thofe  only 
"  which  are  evidently  exprefsd  in  the  holy  fcrip- 
"  tures,  or  without  which  we  do  not  fee  any 
''  way  to  be  faved.  To  this  purpofe,  a  few 
^"^  things  may  be  fufficient:  And  a  few  things 
"  may  be  fooner  perfuaded,  than  a  great  many. 

"   Now 

*  Quin  &  illud,  mea  fententia,  complures  populos  conciliaret  ec- 

clefiac  Romance, fi  non  paffim  qua-libet  fic  definiantur,  ut  veli- 

mus  ad  fidei  negotium  pertinere ;  fed  ea  duntaxat,  qu<e  evidenter 
exprefla  funt  in  ikcris  Uteris,  aut  fine  quibus  non  conftat  ratio  falutis 
iioltra;.  Ad  hxc  pauca  fufficiunt,  &  pauca  citius  perfuadentur  plu- 
ribus.  Nunc  ex  uno  articulo  fexcentos  facimus,  quorum  aliqui  tales 
funt,  ut  citra  periculum  pietatis  vel  nefciri  poJfint,  vel  ambigi. 
Atque  fic  ell  mortalium  ingenium,  quod  femel  definitum  eft,  tene- 
mus  mordicus.  Porro  philofophiae  Chrijiiantr  fumma  in  hoc  fita 
eft,  ut  intelligamus  omnem  fpem  noftram  in  Deo  pofitam  eflc,  qui 
gratis  nobis  largitur  omnia  per  filium  fuum  Jejum:  Hujus  morte 
nos  efle  redemptos,  in  hujus  corpus  nos  infitos  efte  per  baptifmum, 
ut  mortiii  cupiditatibiis  hujus  mundi,  ad  illius  dodtrinam  &  exem- 
phim  fic  vivamus,  ut  non  folum  nihil  admittamus  mali,  verura 
etiam  de  omnibus  bene  mereaniur :  Et  fi  quid  inciderit  adverfi, 
fortiter  tolcremus  fpe  futuri  pra-mii,  quod  omnes  pios  haud  dubic 
manct  in  adventu  Chrijii  :  Ut  ita  femper  progrediamur  a  virtute  in 
virtutem,  ut  nihil  tamen  nobis  arrogemus,  fed  quicquid  eft  boni 
Deo  tranfcribamus.  lla-c  potiftimum  funt  animis  hominum  incui- 
canda,  fic  ut  velut  in  naturam  tranfcant.  Quod  fi  qui  volent  circa 
naturam  divinam,  aut  circa  hypoftafim  Chrijii^  aut  facramenta 
qu:tdam  abftrufiora  rimari,  quo  magis  attollant  mentem  in  fublime, 
&  a  rebus  humilioribus  abducant,  hadlcnus  liceat,  ut  non  ftatim 
quod  huic  aut  ilH  vifum  fuerit,  cogantur  omnes  profiteri.  Quemad- 
modum  ex  loquacibus  fyngraphis  citius  nafcitur  controverfia,  fic  ex 
pluriniis  dcfinitionibus  nafcitur  diffidentia.  Epifi.  Erafmi  Rot.  Jo' 
anni  SUchttt  Bohcmo  Sec.  Ed,  Lu^.  Bat.  1 703.  Ep.  478,  Opir, 
Omn,  Itm.  3.  p.  5^1, 


[  \9  ] 

Now  out  of  one  article,  (as  he  goes  on)  we 
make  Jix  hundred;  feme  of  which  are  luch, 
that  without  endangering  piety,  we  may  ei- 
ther be  ignorant,  or  doubt  of  them.  And 
fuch  is  the  nature  of  mankind,  that  what  is 
once  defined  they  hold  fo  as  to  bite  and  devour 
one  another.  But  when  all's  done,  the  fum 
of  Chriftianity  lies  in  this,  (mind  what  he  lays) 
that  we  underftand  all  our  hope  to  be  placed 
in  God,  who  freely  gives  us  all  things  by  his 
Son  Jesus  :  By  whofe  death  we  are  redeemed, 
into  whofe  body  we  are  planted  by  baptifm, 
that  being  dead  to  the  luft  of  this  world,  we 
may  live  according  to  his  do<5trinc  and  exam- 
ple ;  not  only  abftaining  from  all  evil,  but 
endeavouring  to  deferve  well  of  every  body : 
And  if  any  adverfity  happen,  that  we  bear 
it  couragioufly,  in  hope  of  a  future  reward, 
which,  without  doubt,  waits  for  all  pious  per- 
fons  at  the  coming  of  Chrift.  And  that  we 
make  fuch  progrefs  from  virtue  to  virtue,  as 
notwithftanding  to  arrogate  nothing  to  our- 
felves,  but  to  afcribe  all  the  good  that  is  in  us, 
or  that  we  can  do,  unto  God. — Thefe  things 

are  chiefly  to  be  inculcated. But  if  any  will 

fearch  into  thofe  things  that  are  more  abftmie, 
about  the  divine  nature,  the  hypoftafis  of 
Chrift,  C^c.  that  they  may  raiie  their  minds 
the  higher,  and  draw  them  from  things  be- 
low ;  let  them  do  fo,  provided  that  every  bo- 
dy be  not  compell'd  to  believe  what  feems 
good  to  this  or  that  perfon.  For  as  out  of 
large  deeds  law-fuits  fooner  arife,  fo  by  many 
definitions  of  things  differences  are  begotten," 
Ca  Had 


[    20    ] 

Had  this  advice  been  taken,  it  would  have 
prevented  numberlefs  confradiBions  which  there 
are  betwixt  the  infalhble  declarations  oi  fcrip- 
tiire,  and  the  pretendedly  infallible  decifions  of 
the  Roman  church.  Moft  agreeable  was  this  ad- 
vice to  the  Oration  of  Conjlantine^  the  firft  Chri- 
flian  Emperor,  when  he  would  h2.vtjixed  a  rule 
for  the  council  of  Nice  to  keep  to ;  (and  no 
other  rule  fliould  ever  be  allowed  by  the  civil 
power,  for  deciding  matters  in  ecckjiajiical  coun- 
cils ;)  "  Since  they  had  the  doftrine  of  the  holy 
*'  Spirit  recorded  in  writiiig^h^  tells  them,  that  the 
"  books  of  the  evangelifls  and  apoflles,  and  the 
''  oracles  of  the  old  prophets,  evidently  taught 
*'  what  we  were  to  think  of  the  divine  Majefty. 
^'  Therefore  laying  afide  feditious  contention, 
^'-  he  would  have  matters  determined  by  the  di-^ 
"  vine  writings.''  T^heod.  Hiji.  L.  i.  C.j. 

But  the  ends  of  the  Pope  and  his  clergy  could 
not  be  anfwered  by  bringing  articles  of  faith  into 
fo  narrow  a  compafs  as  the  fcripture  had   done. 
And  therefore  they  went  into  the  fhameful  ex- 
pedient  of  taking  away  the  Bible  from  the  peo- 
ple j  that  their  Clergy  might  have  the  delivering  > 
out  of  fuch  paffages  only  as  iliould  ferve  their > 
purpofes  J  and  might  keep  thofe  things  lock'd  upj^ 
and  out  of  fight,  that  would  difcover  their  abfur- 
dities  and  contradiBions. 

In  thus  denying  the  free  ufe  oi fcripture,  their 
violence  is  not  to  be  endured  by  thofe  that  know 
how  directly  they  go  again  ft  the  authority  of 
God  ;  and  againft  many  exprefs  texts  in  both 
Teftaments,  that  require  men  to  read  the  fcrip- 
tures  diligently,  and  teach  them  to  their  children \ 

and 


[  21  ] 

and  to  keep  to  the  Law  and  to  the  leftimony,  de- 
claring,  that  they  who  fpeak  not  accord'mg  to  this 
word  have  no  light  in  thetn  :  And  that  all  Chri- 
ftians  have  it  in  charge  from  their  Lord  to  fearch 
the  Scriptures,  as  the  acknowledged  fountains  of 
eternal  life.  And  thofe  things  which  were  deli- 
ver'd  by  the  firft  witnelTes  to  Chriftianity,  St.  Luke 
declares  were  put  into  writings  that  he  who  had 
been  inftrud:ed  in  them  before,  might  know  them 
with  certainty.  And  the  apoflles  dired:  their  t^/- 
fijes  to  xht  faints  and  faithful  brethren  ;  and  ex- 
prelly  require  that  they  fhould  be  read  u?2to  all. 
And  in  the  clofing  book  of  Scripture,  he  is  pro- 
nounced "  bleffed  that  readeth,  and  they  that 
^'  hear  the  words  of  it." 

It  is  not,  as  I  faid,  to  be  endured  by  thofe  that 
know  thefe  things,  to  be  told  they  have  no  right 
to  this  blefling  of  reading  the  Scriptures,  and  that 
they  are  not  fit  to  be  trufted  with  Bibles  in  their 
own  tongue.  However  the  Papifts  may  colour 
this  matter,  or  repreient  the  lenfe  of  the  church 
of  Rome^  in  thofe  places  where  they  fee  Bibles  in 
every  common  hand  and  houfe  j  yet  the  ufe  of 
the  Bible  is  prohibited  n^onfe'vere  penalties  in  all 
Popifh  countries.  Azorius,  a  man  of  great  fame 
in  the  i6th  century,  (whofe  merit  as  a  linguifl:, 
fcripturift,  and  moral  philofopher,  is  highly  ex- 
toll'd  amongffc  the  Jeiiiits,  amongfl  whom  he  was 
re<£tQr  of  feveral  colleges)  declares,  that  it  is  a  he- 
refy  to  fay  the  Scriptures  ought  to  be  tranflatedinto 
'vulgar  languages.  And  this  he  aiferts  at  the  fime 
time  that  he  admits  all  "were  alloiidd  to  read  the 
Scriptures  for  feveral  hundred  yearsj^  And  ano- 
ther 
*  Inllit,  moral.  1.  8.  c.  :^. 


[    22    ] 

ther  of  their  learned  men  yields  to  Erajmus,  that 
the  Scriptures  were  of  old  tranjlated  mto  the  vul- 
gar tongues^  and  that  the  fathers,  fuch  as  St.  Chry- 
foftom  and  St.  Jerom,  eamejlly  exhorted  the  people 
to  read  them  \  but  the  cafe  is  alter  d,  fincefuch  rnf- 
chief  comes  by  reading  the  Scriptures.  \  The 
council  of  T'rent  leaving  it  to  the  Pope  to  publifh 
the  Index  of  prohibited  books,  all  perfons  are  for- 
bidden, by  i\\c  fourth  rule  prefix'd  to  that  Index^ 
the  ufe  of  the  Scripture  in  the  vulgar  tongue  with- 
out a  particular  Ucenfe  \  a?id  whojbever  prefumes  to 
do  it,  [fuch  a  fad  wicked  thing  it  is  to  fearch  the 
Scripture  without  their  licenfe]  he  is  not  to  receive 
abjolution,  unlefs  he  firfi  give  up  his  Bible.  And 
one  of  their  befh  writers,  upon  the  Scriptures  in 
Latin,  I  mean  Ejlius,  tho'  he  is  forc'd  to  allow, 
from  T'imothys,  mother  ^.ndi  gra?idf7iother\nik.ni&m^ 
him,  when  a  child,  in  the  holy  Scriptures,  that 
women  are  not  to  be  wholly  deprived  of  the  ufe  of 
the  Scriptures;  yet  he  prefently  adds,  that  this  is 
to  be  under  flood  according  to  the  rule  of  the  Roman 
church,  (which  I  have  jufl  mention'd,  and  to 
which  he  refers)  to  extend  only  to  fuch  as  are  judgd 
out  of  danger  of  being  hurt  ||  by  their  reading 
of  them.  And  who  thofc  licenfers  are  like  to 
confine  fuch  a  favourable  judgment  to,  you  need 
not  to  be  told. 

But  inflead  of  bringing  more  tcftimonies  to  at- 
teft  this,  it  will  turn  to  much  better  account  to 
anfwer  their  pretended  reafon  for   depriving  the 
common  people  of  the  ufe  of  their  Bibles. 
This  brings  me  to  confider, 

2.  The 

aCaftr.  I.  i.  c.  13. 
;it.  Comment,  m  3  Tim.  iii.  jj. 


[  23  ] 

2.  The  perfpicuity  or  phimiefs  of  the  facred 
Writingb,  in  oppofition  to  the  Popijh  reprefenta- 
tion  of  them. 

Here  it  is  alledg'd,  that  St.  Peter  hath  afTured 
us  there  are  fome  things  in  St.  Faiil\  epiftles 
'*  hard  to  be  underftood ;  which  they  that  are 
•'  unlearned  and  unftable  wrejl^  as  they  do  alio 
"  the  other  fcriptures,  to  their  own  deflrud:ion.'* 
2P^/.  iii.  1 6.  From  hence  the  Roma?iiJis  con- 
clude, that  the  unlearned  part  of  mankind  are  in 
more  danger  of  being  hurt  by  having  the  Scrip- 
tures, than  by  being  denied  the  common  ufe  of 
them.  There  is  fuch  a  flrefs  laid  upon  this  in  the 
little  piece  now  handed  about,  to  which  I  referr'd 
before,  that  upon  this  text  in  St.  Peter  only,  the 
Scripture  is  determin'd  not  to  be  fufficiently  clear ^ 
in  all  points  wherein  our  falvation  is  concerfiedy  but 
that  the  mijunderjlandingy  a?jd  niijinterpreting  of 
ity  may  endanger  our  eternal f ah atton.  I  have  ta- 
ken the  very  words  from  the  ProfeJJion  of  Catho- 
lick  Faith,  extracted  from  the  Coiiticil  ofTrent  by 
Pope  Pius  IV.  which  is  now  in  ufe  for  the  re- 
ception of  converts  into  their  church.  And,  as  the 
many  learned  and  excellent  writings  again  ft  Po- 
pery in  former  reigns,  were  fpecially  fuited  to  the 
Popifli  books  then  in  vogue  i  fo  I  apprehend  our 
more  immediate  and  principal  concern  at  this  day, 
is  to  fuit  our  difcourfes  to  the  things  that  are  now 
fpread  abroad. 

I  fhall  therefore  (hew,  that  the  words  of  St.  Pe- 
ter do  not  at  all  belong  to  the  controverfy  betwixt 
Proteftants  and  Papifts  about  the  cleaiiiefs  and 
plainnej's  of  Scripture  in  things  necejjary  to  falva- 
tion.    We  defire  to  Ihew  a  becoming  concern  for 

the 


[24] 

the  credit  of  the  Scripture  in  point  of  Pl  ain  ness, 
as  well  as  fufficieitcy  and  perjeclion^  whilfl  they 
would  make  it  an  accufer  and  contradictor  of  it 
felf,  in  one  cafe  as  well  as  the  other.     And 

1.  It  is  to  be  obferved,  that  the  words  of  St. 
Teter  do  evidently  imply  the  very  thing,  which 
the  Papifts  bring  them  to  difprove.  Becaufe  fome 
things  are  hard  to  be  underftood  in  St.  Paul's  epi- 
flles,  and  other  Scriptures,  and  the  unftable  wreft 
them,  therefore  the  Papifts  would  have  them  kept 
from  the  comynon  people :  whereas  it  is  manifefl:, 
that  the  apoftles  allow'd  and  order'd  the  Scrip- 
tures to  be  free  for  the  nfe  of  the  iinleamed^  or 
elie  hov/  could  they  wreft  them.     But 

2.  It  is  farther  evident,  that  thofe  who  are  cal- 
led unlearned  and  iinjiable  by  St.  Peter ^  were  not 
iiich  as  the  Romanijh  call  unlear?iedm  this  contro- 
verfy.  They  were  not  fuch  as  wanted  what  com- 
monly goes  by  the  name  of  learning  in  our  dayj 
that  is,  the  knowledge  of  languages,  and  philofo- 
phy,  human  arts  and  accomplifhments  j  but  fuch 
as  had  not  learned  the  main  points  of  religion,  or 
were  not  Hifficiently  acquainted  with  the  grounds 
and  principles  of  Chrijiianity^  and  therefore  were 
unftable  or  unfettled.  Sometimes  fecming  to  be 
Chriftians,  and  at  other  times  turning  to  Judaif??z 
or  Heathenifm :  Sometimes  feeming  to  quit  their 
vices,  and  then  again  as  bad  as  the  dog  turning  to 
his  vomit,  or  the  fow  that  is  waflied  to  her  wal- 
lowing in  the  mire  j  they  are  St.  Peters  own  ex- 
preflions.  Such  as  were  carry'd  away  fometimes 
by  one  opinion,  and  in  a  little  while  by  another 
quite  contrary ;  like  thofc,  by  St.  Paul  compar'd 
to  <*  children  tofs'd  to  and  fro,  and  carry'd  about 

*«  with 


[    25    ] 

'^  with  every  wind  of  doctrine."  Ephef.iw  14. 
So  that  St.  Peters  words  are  mifapply'd  fliame- 
fully,  when  they  are  interpreted  concerning  the 
illiterate  part  of  mankind  in  general,  inftead  of 
being  applied  to  thofe  that  were  unlearned  and 
unfettled  in  the  fcheme  and  deiign  of  Chrifliani- 
ty.     Again, 

3.  Thefe  very  men  are  not  forbidden  the  iife  of 
the  Scripture  by  St.  Peter,  bad  as  they  were ;  nor 
is  there  any  intimation  of  blame  caft  upon  their 
readi?ig  the  hard  places ;  but  their  dcftrudiion  is 
laid  wholly  upon  their  wrejling  or  abufmg  them. 
And  if  the  apoftle  would  not,  upon  fuch  an  oc- 
calion,  order  the  Scripture  to  be  kept  from  thofe 
men,  certainly  he  never  intended  to  deprive  others 
in  after-ages  of  fuch  a  privilege,  for  the  fake  of 
them  that  iliould  in  any  age  abufe  it,  as  the  un- 
ftable  then  did.  To  fay  that  men  are  not  to  be 
trufted  with  the  Scriptures,  becaufe  fome  wrefl 
them  to  their  own  deflru<ftion,  hath  juft  as  mucli 
fenfe  as  to  fay  that  men  ought  not  to  be  truflcd 
with  their  liberty,  or  ejtates,  becaufe  fuch  as  are 
of  bad  principles  and  depraved  morals  do  great 
mifchief  by  thofe  things,  and  very  often  bring 
deftrudion  both  on  themfelves  and  others.  And 
indeed  where  the  Romanifts  have  full  power,  tliey 
fliew  that  people  are  as  little  to  be  trufted  witli 
liberty,  or  eftates,  as  with  their  Bibles. 

The  direct  contrary  to  this  way  of  arguing,  is 
the  true  inference  to  be  drawn  from  St.  Peter  s 
words.  Thus ;  Since  the  unlearned  and  unftable 
wreft  the  hard  and  difficult  places  of  Scripture  to 
their  own  deftrudtion,  therefore  we  Ibould  read 
^hem  more  humbly^  and  carefully,  and  diligently, 

D  This 


C   26  ] 

This  is  the  language  of  reafon  ;  but  fure  it  is  the 
language  of  violence  only,  to  fay,  therefore  they 
Jkall  ?iot  he  read  at  all  by  the  generality  of  Chri- 
Jiians.     But, 

4.  St.  Peter  does  not  fpeak  of  any  one  book  of 
Scripture,  much  lefs  of  the  Scripture  in  general, 
as  if  it  was  danger  oujly  oh  [cure.  In  which  are  fome 
things  hard  to  be  underftood,  does  not  refer  to 
the  epifiles  of  St.  Paulj  or  other  books  of  Scrip- 
ture, but  to  thofe  places  that  relate  to  the  parti- 
cular fubje^  St.  Peter  is  treating  of  in  that  chap- 
ter. *  From  particular  pajjdges  having  certain 
[^'^io'^'to]  difficulties,  to  reprefent  a  whole  book 
as  if  it  was  hard  to  be  underftood,  is  a  moil  fo- 
phiftical  and  falfe  way  of  arguing,  eafily  difcern- 
ed  by  every  man.  There  is  one  thing  more  to  be 
added,  which  will  effedtually  take  off  the  pre- 
tended objecftion  againft  the  clearnefs  of  Scripture, 
as  grounded  upon  the  words  of  St.  Peter ^  viz. 

5.  Thq  things  which  St.  Peter  fays  are  hard  to 
be  underflood,  and  which  are  wrefled  by  fome 
men  to  their  deflrudtion,  are  things  that  might 
be  let  alone  without  endangering  their  J  ah  at  ion.  So 
that  they  are  not  things  nccejj'ary  to  falvation,  as 
the  Roniifi  profejjion  o^  faith  fiiggefls,  that  are 
fpoken  of,  either  with  refped:  to  St.  PauH  epiilles, 
or  other  Scripture. 

St.  Peter  had  been  writing  concerning  the  new 
heavens  and  the  ?iew  earthy  and  the  manner  of  the 
world's  being  diJJ'ohed  at  Chrifl's^^fW  vifible  ap- 
pearance, and  of  the  long-fuffering  of  our  Lord, 
which  is  for  the  fidvation  of  all  that  are  to  be  glo- 
rified 

*  Of  or<  cannot  be  conflmed  in  nvhich  epifiUs,  becaufe  Sh^Xtu^ 
before  is  of  a  different  gender.     /^'V.  Whitby  in  Ice. 


[27] 

rifled  with  him  at  that  time.  Concerning  that 
awful  joyful  event,  St.  Paul  had  dehver'd  things 
hard  to  be  underftood,  througholit  his  epijUes, 
Such  as  thefe:  "  The  earneft  expec^hition  of  the 
creature  waiteth  for  the  manifeftation  of  the 
fons  of  God."  i?o;w.  viii.  19.  Again:  ''Then 
Cometh  the  end,  when  he  Ihall  have  deliver'd 
up  the  kingdom  to  God  the  Father,  when  he 
fhall  have  put  down  all  rule,  and  all  authority 
and  power."  i  Cor.  xv.  24.  And  again : 
This  we  fay  unto  you  by  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
that  we  who  are  alive,  and  remain  to  the  com- 
ing of  our  Lord,  fhall  not  prevent  them  that 
are  afleep."  i  Thefj'.  iv.  1 5.  So  in  other  epi- 
files,  when  this  fubjedt  is  treated  on,  there  are 
things  confeffedly  hard  to  be  underftood.  But 
then,  the  underflanding  of  thefe  things  is  not 
neceff'ary  to  the  humble  believing  pious  Chriftian's 
being  fanned  2iX.  the  coming  of  Chrift. 

Noah  was  faved,  when  the  reft  of  the  world 
was  drown'd.  And  yet  he  might  not  be  able  to 
conceive  how  fuch  a  maj's  of  ivater  fliould  come, 
as  to  deluge  the  whole  earth  ;  or  what  the  jiew 
face  and  appearance  of  the  wgrld  would  be,  after 
that  deluge.  But  by  an  alTured  expcd:ation  of  the 
event  m  general^  and  by  a  taith  unmoved  in  God's 
promife  of  fwing  him  and  his  family,  and  living 
and  preaching  righteoufnefs  all  the  time  that  he 
was  preparing  the  ark,  he  and  his  family  elcap'd 
out  of  the  common  rii'uis.  So  will  it  be  with  them 
that  believe  and  obey  the  GoJ'pcl  y  they  fliall  be  fa- 
ved at  Chrift's  fecond  coming,  though  there  are 
fome  things  they  do  not  underftand  concerning 
the  confagration  of  the  world,  and  the  m^iv  dif- 

D  2  pofitioii 


[    28    ] 

poiitJon  ox  formation  of  the  heaven  and  the  earth, 
and  the  Son's  giving  up  the  jncdiatorial  kingdojn 
to  the  Father,  and  the  hke. 

Thele  things  hard  to  be  undcrflood  are  not 
tilings  nccejj'ary  tofalvation  ,  and  therefore  St.  Pe- 
ters words  are  not  at  all  to  the  purpole  of  the 
Roma?iiJis,  to  prove  that  the  Scriptures  are  not 
/iifficiently  clear  in  all  points  ivherei?i  our  fahatioti 
is  concerned.  The  truth  of  the  matter  is,  that 
the  wrcjling  of  thefe  things  is  more  to  be  char- 
ged on  their  great  and  learned  men,  who  explain 
them  fo  as  to  fet  up  a  temporal  kingdom^  and  to 
expofe  the  whole  afiair  to  fco^s  and  contempt, 
than  to  the  common  people's  reading  them,  tho' 
they  fliould  unwillingly  milinterpret  them,  or 
not  be  able  to  underftand  them. 

I  will  only  here  add,  that  as  to  this  fubjedt  it 
felf,  [the  future  diffolution  of  the  world,  with 
the  manner  of  Chrift's  coming  to  confummate 
all  things  in  the  falvation  of  the  righteous]  the 
difficulties  which  attend  the  accounts  of  it,  have 
had  very  great  and  good  effcc^ts  upon  Jhme  even 
In  the  lower  parts  of  life,  though  they  are  obfer- 
ved  to  have  a  bad  eifedl  upon  others.  The  minds 
of  many  have  been  fixed^  by  fhidying  thefe  hard 
po.ffages^  till  they  ha\'e  been  more  throughly  ({ffcdl- 
vd  with  the  confideration  of  fo  llupendous  an 
event,  than  if  fuch  dithcultles  had  never  been 
laid  before  them.  And  if  in  thefe  very  things 
there  is  fo  much  to  be  underilood,  as  to  make  men 
more  diligent  in  thtix  preparation  for  the  coming 
of  ChriH: ;  then,  inftcad  of  endangering,  they 
do  greatly  promote  their  falvation.  And  if  in 
the  very  hardejl  things^  the  Scripture  be  fufficient- 

ly 


[  29  ] 

ly  clear  to  fecure  and  help  torwa-id  the  falvation 
of  plain-hearted  men,  we  may  well  abide  by  the 
do(flrine  of  Proteflants  concerning  the  perfpciiity 
of  fcripture,  as  well  as  the  perfeBio?i  of  it. 

The  Pfalmi/i  hath  well  connecfted  thefe  two 
things,  "  The  law  of  the  Lord  \^  perfcB^  con- 
"  verting  the  foul ;  the  teftimony  of  the  Lord  is 
"  flire,  making  wife  the  fnnple,  Pfal.  xix.  7." 
The  law  or  word  of  God  has  all  the  pcrfeclioii 
which  is  neceifary  to  turn  the  foul  from  deftruc- 
tive  courfes,  to  the  way  of  life  and  righteoufnefs; 
and  it  has  all  the  clearnefs  and  certainty  that  is 
neceifary,  as  a  teftimony  or  witnefs  to  make  the 
moft  weak,  if  honeft  minds,  wife  unto  falva- 
tion. 

3.  I  proceed  to  fhew,  that  we  have  abundant 
realbn  to  receive  the  holy  fcriptures  as  the  word 
of  God,  without  depending  upon  the  tejiijnony 
of  the  church  of  Ronh\  or  her  traditions. 

We  receive  the  canonical  fcripture  upon  a  quite 
different  foot,  from  that  of  its  being  delivered  to 
us  by  the  Rojjian  church.  Our  evidences,  that 
the  fcripture  was  given  by  iifpiration  of  God, 
and  that  the  books  we  now  receive  are  genuine^ 
are  fuch  as  would  be  valid,  though  there  had  ne- 
ver been  a  church  oi Rome  at  all  ^  yea,  our  proofs 
are  fuch  as  enable  us  to  abide  by  the  writings 
of  the  Old  and  Ne-vj  'Te/lamcnf,  in  oppofition  to 
all  that  the  Romanifts  have  done  to  corrupt  them, 
and  to  provoke  thofe  men  that  ha^'ce  not  faith  to 
write  and  cavil  again fl  them. 

We  plainly  fee,  that  the  two  Teftaments  do 
caft  fuch  a  light  upon  each  other,  and  prophcfy 

and 


[30] 

and  hiftory  fo  exactly  tally,  notwithftanding  the 
hundreds,  yea  thoulands  of  years  diftance  in  the 
v/riting  of  them,  that  they  are  throughout  di- 
rected by  the  finger  of  God.  And  had  not 
many  things  been  permitted  in  the  Jewip?  wor- 
fiip  and  conjlitution^  purely  in  conlideration  of 
the  hardnejs  of  their  hearts,  and  to  prevent  their 
falling  into  Heathen  idolatry  and  fuperftitionj 
thofe  things  that  relate  to  the  Mejjiah  had  been 
more  generally  and  more  clearly  underlliood  than 
they  were.  The  author  of  fcripture  evidently 
appears  to  be  omnifcient,  clearly  difcerning  all  the 
actions  and  operations  both  of  nccefary  and  free 
agents,  and  having  a  perfed:  view  of  all  events 
throughout  all  ages  of  the  world.  He  evidently 
appears  to  be  a  Spirit  infinitely  wile  and  good, 
holy  and  true,  difplaying  thofe  perfections  in  the 
I'jarious  ivavs  of  didfatins;  his  word,  amidll  all 
the  follies,  enmities  and  oppofitions,  fins  and  er- 
rors of  men.  The  thin2;s  revealed  and  declared 
are  fo  fublime,  and  they  are  fo  well  calculated 
to  promote  -moral  virtue  and  the  good  of  focictv, 
and  the  things  foretold  are  fo  much  beyond  all 
human  fere  fight ;  the  miracles  wrought  to  con- 
firm tliem  are  fo  great  and  numerous,  and  fo 
much  beyond  all  human  fkill  or  might  to  effect  ; 
and  withal  fo  publickly  wrought,  and  the  fads 
fo  undejiiably  atteited  :  The  Jtile  of  fcripture  is 
fo  full  of  majelfy,  concife  and  yet  clear ;  the 
accefs  it  hath  to  the  hearts  of  men  is  io  quick 
and  powerful,  piercing  even  lo  the  dividing  afun- 
der  foul  aJid  Ipirit,  difcerning  the  mofl  fecret 
thoughts,  and  directing  or  counter-working  the 
mofl  fecret  intentions :  And  then  the  great  and 

lafting 


[  31   ] 

lafting  effc^s  produced  by  the  tiered  writmgSj 
prove  fuch  a  mighty  power  and  energy  accompa- 
nying them :  And  there  is  fuch  a  iinifor7mty 
throughout,  in  the  fubflance  and  fpirit  of  thele 
writings,  notwithflanding  the  various  changes  of 
language,  and  governments,  and  arts,  and  falhions 
in  the  world :  That  (all  thefe  things  being  put 
together)  the  fcripture  by  its  own  lights  and  as 
its  own  interpreter^  lliews  that  it  was  given  by 
infpiration  of  God.  Thefe  are  proofs  to  us  of 
the  truth  of  the  fcripture  in  general,  let  the  Ro- 
mafii/is,  or  hijideh^  fpeak  of  them  well  or  ill. 

To  proceed :  As  to  the  rational  proof,  that  the 
books  we  now  receive  are  genuine^  we  draw  ar- 
guments from  the  particulars  followifig,  which 
have  no  relation  to  any  fuch  perfon  as  the  Pojyc 
oi  Rome^  and  which  have  a  refped:  wholly  to  the 
times  before  that  church  pretended  to  determine 
what  is  fcripture,  and  what  is  not. 

Befides  the  arguments  we  are  furniflied  with 
from  the  yews^  and  from  other  'writers  of  antient 
hiftory,  to  prove  the  authority  and  genuinenefs 
of  the  books  of  the  Old  T^ejiajnent ;  we  judge  of 
them  by  their  being  referr'd  to,  and  declared  to 
be  of  God,  in  the  New  T'eftament.  This  rule 
muil  be  allowed  good,  if  the  New  Teftament 
books  were  written  by  infpiration  of  God,  and 
if  we  have  alfo  proof  fufficient  of  their  be- 
ing handed  down  to  us  as  they  were  written. 
This  will  abundantly  fatisfy  all  common  Chri- 
ftians  about  the  Old  Teftament,  fo  far  as  the 
apoftles,  and  their  penmen,  fpeak  of  the  books 
in  the  yewijh  ca?iGf2^  and  quote  them  to  confirm 
what  they  fay. 

Our 


[32] 

Our  proofs  of  the  New  Teftament  htmggenuhi^^ 
we  take  from  hiftorical  facfls,  and  from  antient 
reeords ;  and  from  writings  of  many  kinds,  that 
quote  the  Gojpeh^  the  ASls  of  the  apoftles,  and 
their  Epijiks^  fome  hundreds  of  years  before  the 
church  of  Ro?ne  pretended  to  have  the  cuftody 
of  them. 

We  look  to  the  age  immediately  following 
that  of  the  apollles,  to  fuch  as  were  their  difci- 
pics,  and  fpeak  of  their  writings  under  the  names 
of  thole  very  perfom  to  whom  they  are  now 
afcribed.  And  we  look  to  the  Hicceeding  ages, 
in  which  many  writers  both  ^r  and  agairll  Chri- 
ilianity,  cite  paffages  out  of  the  Gaj'peh^  the  Adis, 
and  the  EpiJlleSy  as  we  now  find  them  in  our 
Tellaments.  From  thefe  fcriptures  being  pub- 
liih'd  in  a  language  moft  commonly  fpokoi^  and 
generally  read  and  underflood ;  and  being  difper- 
led  into  various  nations,  and  foon  tra?ijlated  into 
many  different  tongues  -,  we  conclude,  that  if 
thefe  had  been  loji  (any  of  them)  in  one  place, 
they  would  be  preferved  in  other  places ;  or  if 
they  had  been  maimed  and  corrupted  by  one  fet 
pf  men,  others  were  ftill  able  to  re<5tify  thofe 
errors.  And  we  have  the  more  certainty  in  thefe 
conclulions,  from  the  herefies  and  JeBs  that  arofe 
in  every  age,  which  made  men  exceeding  lixitch^ 
fid  of  each  other.  And  we  find  both  the  de- 
fenders and  adverfaries  of  the  Chriifian  faith, 
quoting  thefe  facred  writings  in  much  the  fame 
words,  ynfiin  Martyrs,  dialogue  with  l'ryph<y 
the  '[feii\  Ihews  that  the  Jews  look'd  upon  thefe 
books  as  the  ftanding  records  of  Chriftianity  : 
And  Orige?is  controverfy  with  Cel/ifs,  fliews  tiiat 
^  the 


[  33  ] 

the  Heathens  allow'd  thefe  books  to  contain  the 
common  faith  of  Chriftians.  This  is  aifo  con-? 
firmed  by  the  writings  of  Ire?7ceiis,  I'ertulliany 
Clemens  Alexandrinus^  and  others.  Orhen  gives 
us  a  catalogue  of  the  booi^s  of  the  Neiv  'fejlament. 
And  they  are  fet  down  by  two  councils^  viz. 
Laodicea  and  Carthage.  Some  of  the  books  now 
taken  into  the  canon  of  the  New  Teftament  be- 
ing quejiiond,  the  debates  and  enquiries  upon  that 
occalion,  make  the  fettling  of  the  whole  as  it 
now  flands  the  more  fatisfacflory  and  authentick. 
To  all  this  we  add  the  confirmation  of  the  prin- 
cipal facfls  of  the  New  Teftament  from  antient 
authors  *,  who  were  contemporary  with  our  Sa- 
viour, or  his  apoftles,  or  liv'd  near  their  time. 
And  finally,  the  accounts  we  now  have  of  the 
'various  readings  of  antient  manufcripts,  and  of 
the  many  printed  copies  of  the  Greek  Teftament 
-that  are  extant  -f-,  do  all  of  them  confirm  the 
prefent  canon  of  fcripture  in  general,  however 
they  differ  as  to  particular  texts  or  pajages. 

Thefe  are  evidences  of  a  quite  different  na- 
ture from  the  pretended  authority  of  the  church 
of  Rome,  and  therefore  the  infinuation  in  the 
Grounds  of  Catholick  doBrine  is  fallacious,  and  not 
worth  our  farther  arguing  upon,  T^hat  we  ought 
to  take  the  meaning  and  interpretation  of  fcripture 
from  the  church  they  cajl  Catholick,  becaufe  it 
is  the  fame  handyro/;?  which  we  received  the  Bible 
itfelf  This  facred  book  has  received  no  advan- 
tage, as  to  its  credibility,  from  its  falling  into 
their  hands.     But  much  has  been  done  by  them 

E  to 

*  Sec  LarJners  Credibility  of  die  Gofpel  Hiftory. 
t  Vid.  MiUii  Grec.  Teft.  in  Diflert.  de  Lib.  N.  T.  &  Cane 
iiis  Cenilitutionc. 


[34] 

to  leflen  its  cfteem,  and  to  make  men  call  in 
queftion  the  truth  of  it ;  and  had  it  not  been  /;«- 
praBi cable,  they  have  fhewn  fufficient  inclination, 
cither  to  have  altered  it  to  ferve  their  defigns  of 
power  and  dominion,  or  clfe  utterly  to  hdiV&Jup- 
prejsd  it.  We  may  truly  fay  of  the  Roman  Clergy 
what  our  Saviour  fays  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharijees, 
that  they  make  "  tile  commandment  of  God 
*'  of  none  effed,  thro'  their  traditions."  Matt. 
XV.  6.  This  brings  me  to  the  other  part  of  the 
fubjed,  which  it  is  expe(5ted  I  fhould  enlarge 
upon. 

II.  That  a  church  built  upon  traditions  which 
are  befide  and  againjl  fcripture,  is  a  building  of 
men  formed  to  fervc  their  oivn  ends,  not  thofe  of 
the  gofpel. 

I  have  faid  traditions  befide  and  agalnjl  icrip- 
ture,  to  diflinguilh  the  traditions  upon  which 
the  power  and  fuperllitions  of  the  Roman  church 
are  built,  from  thofe  traditions  that  have  their 
foundation  in  the  fcripture,  and  have  therefore 
been  received  by  the  Cbrijlian  Catholick  church  in 
all  ages.  The  word  tradition  fignifies  only  the 
delroering  from  one  to  another.  When  this  is 
applied  to  the  dodrines,  or  precepts,  and  the 
ordinances  of  the  gofpel^  it  is  allowed  that  there 
are  two  ^d)ays  of  delivering  them,  namely,  by 
/peaking,  and  by  writings  and  I  may  add,  that 
fome  things  are  delivered  and  handed  down 
from  one  age  to  another,  by  certain  anions. 
Now,  we  do  receive  and  continue  in  the  things 
delivered  to  us  by  preaching,    and  by  "Uiord  of 

mouthy 


[  35  ] 

mouthy  and  by  fuch  religious  adilom  as  are  to 
keep  up  the  rememhranci^  of  Chrift,  and  his  wor- 
fliip  and  kingdom  in  the  world  :  But  we  receive 
them  together  with  the  written  accounts  of  them, 
zx\i^  judge  by  the  fcripture  orders  concerning  them. 
We  try  what  \sfpoken  and  do?ie^  by  what  is  writ- 
teriy  and  make  that  the  only  certain  rule  both  of 
our  faith  and  actions.  Every  church  thus  built 
upon  fcripture  traditions^  is  in  other  words  built 
upon  the  foundation  of  the  apoftles  and  prophets. 
But  a  church  built  upon  unjcriptural  traditions, 
yea,  upon  anti-jcriptiiral  traditions,  is  a  building 
of  men^  raifed  by  the  help,  and  at  the  infligation 
of  the  God  of  this  worlds  a  kingdom  let  up  to 
overthrow  the  great  dejign  of  the  gofpel,  and  in 
diredt  oppofition  to  our  Saviour's  declaration, 
"  That  HIS  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world." 

They  pretend,  indeed,  that  they  have  fcrip^ 
ture  to  enforce  their  traditions ;  and  to  this  end 
they  urge  that  text  I  mention'd  before  :  "  There- 
*'  fore  brethren  if  and  fafl,  and  hold  the  tradi- 
"  tions  which  ye  have  been  taught,  whether  by 
"  wordy  or  our  epi/ileJ'  2  T^hejj'.  ii.  15. 

Let  us  here  carefully  confider  what  the  apo- 
ftle  enjoinSy  and  we  fliall  find  that  this  very  text 
obligeth  us  to  hold  fuch  traditionSy  as  arc  intire- 
ly  Jiibverjive  of  all  that  heap  of  Popifl:>  tradi- 
tions, which  they  would  have  the  people  to  be- 
lieve are  favour'd  by  this  place  of  fcripture  *. 

The  apoflle  there  fpeaks  of  traditions  that  had 

been  taught  before,  and  were  taught  by  the  fame 

jpirit  and  the  fame  perfons  that  endited  the  icrip- 

tures,    *'  traditions  which  ye  hw^e  been  taught^ 

J-  E  2  "  whether 

*  Grounds  of  Catholick  Doftrine,  p.  1;.  Ed.  4, 


r36] 

"  whether  by  word  or  our  epiftle."  But  the  Pd- 
pifis  apply  this  to  traditions  many  hundreds  of 
years  after  the  whole  canon  of  fcripture  was  com- 
plete. 

The  apoflle  joins  ii:ord  and  letter  together,  that 
they  might  judge  of  one  by  the  other,  and  not 
advance,  or  receive  things  inconfjlent.  The  Fa- 
fifts  would  have  this  to  be  underftood  of  tradi- 
tions that  alter  the  fenfe  of  fcripture,  yea  that 
expreflly  contradiB  it,  as  we  fliall  prove  prefent- 
ly  by  undeniable  and  mofl  flagrant  inftances. 
The  apoflle  fpeaks  of  things  firil  delivered  crally 
ot  by  word  of  mouth,  but  afterward  committed 
to  writing  for  greater  certainty.  That  this  was 
the  end  of  writing,  St.  Luke  expreflly  declares, 
(Luke  i.  4.)  when  (under  the  direction  of  St. 
Faiilj  as  Irenceus  and  Eifebiiis  inform  us)  he 
■^^rote  his  gcjpel. 

But  Chillingworth  quotes  a  pafTage  from  cardi- 
nal Perron^  upon  this  text  of  holding  traditions^ 
that  fays,  JVe  rnujl  ?iof  an/wer  that  St.  V2m\  fpeaks 
here  only  of  fitch  traditions,  which,  thd  not  in  his 
epijile  to  the  Theflalonians,  yet  were  afterwards 
ivritfen,  and  in  other  books  of  fcripture,  becaufe 
it  is  upon  occafion  of  tradition  touching  the  caufe  of 
the  hindrance  o^  the  coming  of  Antichrifi,  which 
*iioas  never  written,  that  this  i?iju?iBion  is  laid 
down.  To  this  it  is  replied,  that  if  the  very 
tradition  there  referr'd  to,  and  which  there  was 
llich  a  charge  to  hold,  be  yet  loft,  becaufe  it  was 
hot  written,  we  have  very  little  reafon  to  fhew 
any  regard  to  other  oral  traditions,  to  which  this 
charge  of  the  apoftle  cannot  have   a  refpecft*. 

Wc 

*  Chill.  iVff  Church  of  We  DcvmiiratibH  IhfaMk. 


C  37  ] 

We  have  furely  very  good  reafon  to  join  with  that 
writer  againft  the  Cardinal^  in  his  ejaculatory 
thankfgiving  on  thisoccafion:'  BlefTed  therefore  be 

*  the  goodnefs  of  God,  who  feeing  that  what  was 

*  not  written  was  in  fuch  danger  to  be  loji,   took 

*  order  that  what  was  Jteceffary  fhould  be  written  . 
Dr.  Whitby  hath  juflly  obferved,  that  this  is 

not  only  a  reafon  why  the  church  of  Rome^  or 
even  the  Church  Catholick  fhould  be  efleemed  no 
lure  preferver  of  oral  traditions  \  but  it  is  a  very 
good  argument  againfl  all  pretenfions  of  that 
kind.  There  is  one  thing  that  makes  it  very 
plain  to  me,  that  St.  Faiil  fpcaks  of  traditions 
firft  given  by  word  of  mouthy  and  afterwards  in 
writing',  which  is  this,  becaufe  in  the  5th  verfe 
of  that  very  chapter,  where  he  bids  the  T^hejfalo* 
nians  hold  the  traditions  they  had  been  taught,  he 
fays  exprefly,  that  what  he  was  now  ad:ually 
writings  he  had /'(?/^  them  before.  "  Remember 
*'  ye  not,  that  when  I  was  yet  with  you  I  told 
"  you  thefe  things".  And  in  the  14th  verfe  he 
tefers  to  what  they  were  called  to  by  the  gojpel; 
which  he  fpeaks  of  as  having  others  joined  with 
him  in  the  delivery  of  it,  our  go/pel.  Having 
thus  TOLD  you  things  firft,  and  written  them  to 
you  afterward,  we  therefore  add.  Brethren ftand 
faft,  and  hold  the  traditions  which  ye  have  been 
taught,    whether  by  word  or  our  epijlle. 

This  text  therefore  obligeth  us  to  maintain  and 
abide  by  the  traditions  which  were  received  from 
the  apojiles  themjehes,  which  after  they  were  given 
orally,  were  further  given  in  writing  -,  and  we 
are  required  to  ftand  faft  in  thefe  evidences  for  in 
that  tradition)  whereby  we  receive  the  apoftolical 

writings 


[38] 

writings  as  the  word  of  God  :  And  if  we  do 
this,  then  we  are  obhged  by  thefe  traditions^  to 
rejed:  all  other  traditions  that  pre  fume  to  be  of 
equal  authority ;  and  much  more  are  we  required 
to  fly  from  thofe  that  are  contrary  hereto,  where- 
cvcr  they  are  found.  Our  re?iouncing  the  com- 
munion, and  protejiing  againft  the  errors  of  the 
church  of  Rome^  is  therefore  made  a  duty,  an 
indijpenfabk  duty^  by  this  place  of  fcripture, 
which  they  very  imperioufly,  but  yet  very  ftu- 
pidly  alledge,  for  the  necellity  of  receiving  their 
number lefs  traditions.  For  if  it  be  our  duty  to 
JlafiJfaji  in  the  things  delivered  by  the  apojUes^ 
and  to  bold  to  their  Epijlles,  then  it  is  our  duty  to 
rejed:  things  that  are  evidently  contrary  to  their 
epiftles,  and  to  do<ll:rines  and  precepts  fet  down  in 
their  writi?jgs. 

In  like  manner,  the  other  texts  which  they 
quote  upon  this  occafion,  do  fix  us  down  to  the 
things  delivered  by  the  apofiks^  againft  all  the 
demands  of  them  that  make  their  ecclefia/lical 
traditions  necefTaiy  to  our  being  members  of  the 
church  of  Chrift.  I  need  only  to  read  them  to 
you  as  they  ftand  in  ihtJcriptureSy  with  the  alte- 
rations made  by  thei?(?w^«///japplicationof  them, 
and  as  wife  men  leave  you  to  judge  which  ought 
to  be  regarded.  St.  Paul  Hiys  to  the  Corinthians, 
"  I  praife  you  brethren  that  you  remember  me 
*'  in  all  things,  and  keep  the  ordinances  [  or  tra- 
*'  ditions]  as  I  delivered  them  to  you",  i  Cor. 
xi.  2.  According  to  the  Ronianifis,  inftead  of 
remembring  or  reverencing  the  apoftle,  the  re- 
verence muft  be  paid  to  the  authority  of  the 
church ;  and  inftead  of  keeping  the  traditions  as 

the 


[  39  ] 

the  apojile  himfelf  delivered  them,  ( who  faj^s 
"  what  he  received  of  the  Lord,  that  alfo  he 
"  delivered  unto  them")  they  mufi:  be  kept  as  the 
Ro?nifi  church  reprefeftts  them,  with  all  that  Ihe 
hath  added  to  them. 

Again,    St.  Paul  fays,  "  We  command  you 
"  brethren  in  the  name  of  our  Lord  Jefus  Chrift, 
"  that  ye  withdraw  yourfelves  from  every  brother 
"  that  walketh  diforderly,  ( and  by  a  parity   of 
reafon  from  every  church  that  walketh  diforderly) 
"  and  not  after  the  tradition  which  he  received  of 
"  us".      This   us  the  Romanifis  apply  to  their 
church,  pretending  to  apoftolical  traditions,  not 
received  from  the  apojiles,  but  from  Councils  and 
Popes  feveral  hundred   years  after  the  canon  of 
fcripture   was   fettled.     And    therefore    if    that 
church  walk  not  after  the  tradition  of  the  apoflles^ 
that  text  is  an  exprefs  command  to  withdraw  from 
them,  2  TheJ\\\\.  6.     Th^apojlle  fays,  "-  hold  fait 
*'  the  form  of  found  words  which  thou  haft  heard 
"  of  ME,  in  faith  and  love  which   is  in  Clirilt 
"  Jeilis",    2  T/;«.  i.  13.     The  Komanifts  would 
have  this  to  be  underllood  of  all  the  traditionary 
articles  of  faith  in  their  church,  which  are  to  be 
held  without  lonje  or  mercy  to  thofe  that  differ  from 
them.     'Tifnotby    is    dired:ed    to    "  commit  the 
"  things  he  had  heard  of  the  apoftle,  to  faithful 
*^  men,  who  fliould  be  able  to  teach  others  alfo", 
2  Tim.  ii.  2.     Thefe  things  the  Rojnanijls  pretend 
are  committed  to  them  only.     If  it  were  fo,  the 
greater  is  their  iniquity,  who  have    been  abun- 
dantly prov'd   the  molt   imfaitkful  men   in   the 
world,  in  their  with-holding  what  is  truly  apolto- 
lical  i  and  at  the  fame  time  delivering  things  for 

apoltolical, 


[  4°  ] 

apoftolical,  which  are  not  fo,    but  arc  moil  di- 
red:ly  oppofite  to  the  fcriptures. 

We  do  not  fay  this,  without  being  able  to  pro- 
duce many  inftances  of  the  truth  of  what  we 
affert.  This  hath  been  fully  proved  in  the  dif- 
courfes  foregoing ;  and  the  fubjecfl  has  been  written 
upon  very  largely  by  many  learned  men.  I  fhall 
only  put  you  in  mind  of  a  few  pafTages  under 
thefe  four  heads. 

1.  Of  traditions  which  they  rejeB,  though 
plainly  apoftolical. 

2.  Of  fome  traditions  which  they  fay  are  apo- 
ftolical, though  they  are  Jiot  to  be  met  with  in  any 
writings  of  the  apoflles,  nor  for  fcveral  ages  fuc- 
eeeding. 

3.  Of  fome  traditions  that  are  direBh  contrary 
to  the  fcriptures,  and  to  the  declared  fenie  of  the 
whole  Chriftian  church  for  many  ages. 

4.  Of  fome  traditions  which  have  their  inftitu- 
tion  wholly  from  the  churchy  and  are  therefore 
called  ecclefmflical-y  in  which  they  contradict  them^ 

Jelves,  as  well  as  th^tjcripturcs. 

I.  For  a  fpecimen  of  traditions  which  they 
rejed;  though  plainly  and  undeniably  apojiolical,  1 
need  only  to  refer  you  to  the  main  fubjed:s  of  this 
and  the  three  foregoing  difcourfcs.  In  which  we 
have  proved,  "  That  Jesus  Christ  is  the  only 
"  head  of  the  church,  according  to  the  fcriptures". 
And  "  That  he  and  his  apoflles  exprefly  require 
"  all  men  to  fearch  the  fcriptures".  And  "That 
"  every  man  is  required  to  judge  for  himfelf  in 
"  things  necejjdry  to  falvation,  as  in  the  fight  of 
"  God".  And  "  That  the  fcriptures  are  fuffi.- 
"  cie?ttly  plain  J  and  cafy  to  be  underftood  fo  far 

*'  as 


[  41   ] 

"  as  is  necefHiry  to  £ilvation,  by  every  honefl:  di- 
"  ligent  mind".  And  '^  That  they  are  able  to 
"  make  tlie  man  of  God  perfed;  through  faith  in 
"  Chrifl".* 

In  oppofltion  to  thefe  undoubted  apojiolical 
traditions,  you  have  heard  of  the  arts  and  preten- 
lions  by  which  the  Ro?na?tiJis  reje6l  them.  But 
I  may  add,  when  they  v^ould  thus  fet  afide  the 
written  v^ord  of  God  itfelf,  with  the  head  of  the 
corner  5  who  can  wonder  at  their  fetting  afide 
other  things  that  are  exprefly  dehvered  to  us  in 
thele  fcriptures  .?  They  make  one  of  the  coimnand- 
me?its  of  none  effed:,  by  their  image  worfliip. 
They  make  the  exprefs  words  of  Chrift  in  the 
facrament,  [  dritik  ye  all  of  it  ]  of  none  eifecl, 
by  refufing  the  cup.  They  make  faith  in  God, 
or  divine  faith  of  none  effed:,  by  fetting  up  a 
human  ifnplicit  faith  in  the  flead  of  it*  And 
tliey  make  the  dodrine  of  repej^tance  of  none 
eifed,  by  their  confelTions  and  penances  and  ab- 
folutions,  inftead  of  real  amendment  ■■,  as  you. 
will  hear  in  fubfcquent  difcourfes. 

2.  For  a  fpecimen  of  traditions  which  they  fay 
are  apojiolical,  though  they  are  neither  to  be  m.et 
with  mfcripturc,  nor  in  any  writings  in  the  firfi 
ages  of  Chriflianity,  take  thefe  inftances  follow- 
ing. 

They  have  added  to  the  canonical  books  cf 
fcripture,  thofe  of  the  Apocrypha,  which  are  fo 
called  becaule  written  zix&r  prophefy  and  divi?2e  in- 
fpiration  ceafed.     As  thefe  books  were  not  recci- 

*  There  are  feveral  quotations  from  ancient  writers  tliar-  deferve 
to  be  confuhed,  with  refererxe  to  thefe  things,  at  the  end  of  arch- 
bilhop  Tillutjun:  RvJe  of  faith, 

F  ved 


1^  "l-^  3 

ved  amongft  thofe  0?'acks  of  God  which  were 
connmttcd  to  the  yewijh  church,  Rem.  iii.  2.  fo 
neither  were  they  admitted  by  the  Chrijiian 
church.  For  the  Council  *  of  Laodicea  in  the 
fourth  century  fet  down  a  catalogue  of  the  cano- 
nical books  of  fcripture,  in  a  different  manner 
from  what  is  done  by  the  Kotnanijh.  The  Coun- 
cil of  T'rent  exprelly  mentions  T'obit^  Judith^ 
Wifdom^  EcclefiaJiicuSy  Baruch,  the  two  Books 
6f  Maccabees,  and  a  new  part  oiEfther  and  Da- 
nicl-y  and  declares  concerning  thefe  whole  books^ 
with  all  their  parts,  that  whofoever  rejefts  them 
as  not  canonical,  is  accurfed.  -f- 

They  deliver  it  alfo  as  an  apoflolical  tradition, 
that  the  Koman  church  is  the  mother  and  mijlrejs 
of  all  other  churches  ;  and  that  without  beliccing 
the  things  Jhe  declares  there  is  no  j ah  at  ion.  ||  It  is 
obierved  that  there  are  above  100  Anathetnas  in 
the  Council  of  T'rent,  upon  fuch  as  do  not  believe 
points  of  doctrine  there  laid  down,  though  we 
cannot  find  any  of  them  in  fcripture.  The  offer- 
ing of  x\\Q  facrifce  of  the  mafs  for  fouls  in  Purga- 
tory, is  a  tradition  they  profefs  to  have  from  Chrift 
and  his  apoftles  J.  So  alfo  are  their  myftical  be- 
ncdidlions,  their  i?iceffings,  gar?ne?its,  chrifhi,  wax- 
lights,  and  many  other  things**  which  have  no 
manner  of  foundation  in  any  apoflolical  writings. 
And  are  thefe  the  faithful  ?nen,  Chriflians,  to 
whom  an  implicit  faith  muff  be  yielded  ?  How 
much  better  is  it  to  follow  that  rule  of  the  apojilc, 
"  Prove  all  things,  hold  fall  that  which  is  good", 

1  ncf, 

*  Can.  6c.  Vid.  Hieron.  in  Prol.  Proverb. 

f  Concil.  Trid.  Sefl".  4.  Deer,  de  Script. 

11  Bulla  Pii  IV.  t  Concil.  Tnd.  SefT.  22.  c.  r, 

**  Ibid  c.  5. 


[43  ] 

I  Thef.w  21.  Thus  the  Fathers  of  the  4th  and 
5th  centuries,  even  thofe  for  whom  the  Papifts 
profefs  a  fpecial  veneration,   urge  Chriftians  to 

*  attend  to  the  fcriptures,  looking  upon  all  that 
'  is  difagreeable  thereto  as  adulterate'.  There  are 
many  palfages  in  St.  Chryfoflorn  and  St.  Aiijiin 
often  referr'd  to  on  this  head.  St.  Bafil^  whofe  au- 
thority is  much  ufed  by  the  Papijh  to  enforce 
oral  traditions,  yet  hath  one  remarkable  pafTage 
that  fliews  how  he  would  have  them  judg'd    of. 

*  It's  neceifary  for  thofe  that  are  young  in  reli- 
'  gion  to  learn  the  fcriptures,  that  the  mind  may 

*  be  well  confirmed  in  piety,  and  that  they  may 

*  not  be  accuftomed  to  hurhan  traditions'.  And 
St.  Cyril  of  'Jeriifakm  (whofe  catechetical  dif~ 
conrfes  were  publiflied  about  fixteen  years  after 
the  Council  of  T'rent )  fays,  '  It  behoveth  us  not 
'  to  deliver  the  very  leaft  thing  of  the  holy  my- 

*  lleries  of  faith,  without  the  holy  fcripture. 

*  That  is  the  fecurity  of  our  faith,  not  which  is 

*  from  our  own  inventions,  but  from  demon flra- 

*  tion  of  the  holy  fcripture'  *.  We  ihall  yet  fee 
fartlicr  need  for  this  advice, 

3.  By  giving  you  a  fpecimen  of  fome  traditions 
that  are  expreily  contrary  to  fcripture.  Bcfidcs 
what  was  faid  under  the  lirfh  head  of  apoftolical 
traditions  that  are  jet  ajide,  though  the  fcriptures 
plainly  enjoin  them;  there  are  other  traditions 
which  the  church  of  Rome  makes  neceifary, 
though  they  are  things  exprcfiy  prohibited  in  the 
word  of  God.  Of  this  kind,  is  the  worlhip- 
ping  of  God  by  images^  in  direc^l:  contradidion  to 
the y<?<:£?W  commandment,  and   to  the  guard  fct 

F  2  upon 

*  Catechef.  q. 


[  44  ] 

Upon  it  by  a  particular  explication  at  the  time 
when  it  was  given.  *  Ye  Ihall  not  make  ivith 
*  me  Gods  of  filver,  &c."  Exod.  xx.  23.  So 
alfo  the  worfliip  of  angels^  and  faints,  notwith- 
ilanding  an  angel's  faying  upon  fuch  an  occafion 
"  See  thou  do  it  not" ;  and  an  apoflle's  diflike  of 
the  prollration  of  Cornelius,  "  Stand  up,  I  my 
•^  felf  alfo  am  a  man":  And  notwithftanding 
iiich  voluntary  humility  being  condemned  in  the 
worJhippi?7g  of  angels,  which  is  no  better  than  an  in- 
truding into  things  unjeen,  and  a  being  vainly 
puffed  up  by  2ifiefl:ly  ?}ii?id,  Colof  ii.  18.  The 
blafphemous  adorations  of  the  Virgiji  Mary,  are 
a  moll  ftamefjl  contradid:ion  to  the  fcripture 
rule  of  worlhip ;  and  coniidering  the  flrefs  laid 
upon  this  in  the  Roman  Church,  it  deferves  to  be 
particularly  expofed.  But  I  fhould  trefpafs  upon 
your  patience,  and  too  much  go  into  the  province 
of  another,  if  I  fliould  enlarge  on  this  head.  I 
will  only  beg  leave  to  inftance  in  one  thing  more, 
by  which  the  irhole  praBice  of  godiinefs  and 
virtue  is  deftroy'd,  and  that  is  their  tradition 
about  'works  of  fupererogation,  upon  which  the 
practice  of  their  granting  indulgences  is  founded  *. 
This  is  againft  the  cxprefs  words  of  our  Saviour, 
**  When  ye  fliall  have  done  all  thefe  things  which 
"  are  commanded  you,  fiy  we  are  unprofitable 
"  Servants",  Luke  xvii.  10.  And  againft  the 
vcrfes  before  our  text,  as  was  fliewn  at  the  begin- 
ning of  this  difcourfe;  and  againft  the  whole 
tenor  of  the  gofpel,  and  the  apoftolical  writings. 
And  yet  this  overplus  of  good  works  the  church 
of  i?i?;;;c  pretends  to  have  as  2ifu?2do\:  treafurc  in 

her 

*  Bellarm.  de  Ir.du}g.  J.  1 .  c.  2. 


[  45  ] 

her  cuftody,  according  to  the  21ft  feffion  of  tlie 
council  oi  ^rent  "^  i  and  this  treafure  is  to  be  dii^ 
pofed  of  as  their  churchyi^a  jit  -f-.  The  flcnary 
indulgences  granted  upon  this  pretence,  are  the 
more  to  be  abhorr'd  by  all  them  that  beHeve  the 
apoftk\  that  *'  no  man  fliall  fee  the  Lord  with- 
*'  out  holincfs,"  becaufe  Cardinal  Hofius,  the 
Pope's  legate  at  the  council  ol'lreni,  hath  taught, 
''  T^hat  the  doBrine  of  their  church  is  the  exprels 
'  word  of  God,  and  whatever  is  taught  again fl 
*  the  Jbije  and  confent  of  the  church  is  the  exprels 
^  word  of  the  devil\'  Theie  are  things  fo  fliock- 
ing,  that  no  man  can  forbear  concluding,  this 
traditiojiary  fpirit  is  that  very  Ipirit  which  works 
in  the  children  of  difobedicnce. 

But  I  muft  haiten,  in  the  lafi  place,  to  fay 
fometlung  briefly  on  thofe  traditions  which  have 
their  inflitution  wholly  from  the  churchy  and  are 
therefore  called  ecclcfajlical ;  in  which  they  are 
as  notorious  for  ccntradi(fting  themfhes,  as  for 
their  contradi(fi:ions  to  fcripture. 

Some  of  their  writers  acknowledge,  that  the 
dod:rines  of  tranfiihjlantiation,  and  of  the  fccen 
facraf?2e?itSj  and  of  Purgatory,  and  the  like,  arc 
not  in  fcripture ;  but  others  earneflly  contend  that 
they  are  to  be  proved  from  thence.  And  in  their 
explications  of  thefe  points,  as  well  as  in  their 
ways  of  arguiiig  about  them,  they  have  uttered 
the  mofl  inconliftent  things  :  Not  only  contra- 
di(5ling  one  another,  but  the  fame  writer  contra- 
dialing  himfelf,  and  upon  the  whole  deflroying 
the  credit  of  the  very  things  they  would  enforce 

by 

*  Can.  9.  t  Bcllarm.  de  Indul.  I.  i.  c,  3.  +  Dr 

expreflb  Dei  vcrbo,  p.  642,  643. 


[  46  ] 

by  the  mofl  fliameful  affronts  offered  to  common 
fenfe  and  reafon.  The  difcourfes  you  are  to  ex- 
ped:  on  thefe  heads,  as  well  as  upon  Auricular 
CG?ifeJ/ion,  Fe7iances,  &c.  will  dcubtlefs  give  you 
proof's  enow  of  their  abfurdity  and  ijicoji/ijience 
with  themfelves. 

I  fhall  only  inflance  in  what  relates  to  the  two 
main  parts  of  the  foregoing  difcourfes  that  is, 
in  what  they  deliver  concerning  the  uje  of  the 
fcripture,  and  concerning  oral  tradition  being  a 
rule  of  faith.  When  we  compare  their  former 
accounts  of  thefe  things,  vv'ith  the  prcfent  efta- 
bhfhment  and  decrees  of  their  church,  we  fhall 
find  them  as  diredily  oppofite  as  words  can  de- 
fcribe.  It  has  been  proved  (in  former  writings 
againfl  Popery)  from  num^erous  and  undoubted 
teflimonies,  that  Catholick  tradition  for  fifteen 
hundred  years  allow'd  the  perfection  and  plain- 
nefs  of  fcripture  as  a  7'ide  of  faith  and  manners. 
It  fliall  fuffice  at  prefent  to  produce  three  wit- 
neffes  for  the  proof  of  this,  as  low  as  the  century 
preceding  that  of  the  council  of  Trent. 

The  firil  is  that  of  Thomas  V/alden^  who  was 
Co?ifc[lbr  *  to  king  Henry  V.  He  was  one  of  the 
llrenuous  oppofers  oilVickliff^  whofe  books  were 
condemned  at  Oxford -y  at  which  time  the  hoU 
lards  (as  all  Protellants  were  then  called  by  way  of 
reproach)  were  ufed  with  great  feverity  at  the 
instigation  of  the  Popijh  Bifliops  ;  fo  our  E?iglijl:> 
hiftory  informs  us.  Yet  in  this  jundurc,  and 
with  all  the  power  that  Popery  then  had,  Walden 
utterly  difclaims  any  fuch  thought,  as  that  of  an 
("quality  htiwcQn  Jcripture  ^nd  tradition,  and  he 

particularly 

*  fritaen.'m  de  Scrip.  Illuftr.  &c. 


[  47  ] 
particularly  infifls  on  the  dillance  that  ought  to 
be  kept  betwixt  the  canonical  writings,  and  ec^ 
clejiajlical  authority  *. 

Thtfecond  witnefs  for  the  fcripture,  about  the 
fiime  time,  is  that  of  John  Gerjbn,  who  was  de- 
clared by  Cardinal  Zabarella,  in  the  council  of 
Conjiance^  to  be  the  greatefl  divine  of  his  time. 
He  fays,   '  T^kat  if  a  ma?i  he  nrell  skill' d  in  fcrip^ 

*  tiire^  his  dod:rine  deferves  more  to  be  I'egarded 
'  than  the  Pope's  declaration.'  Yea,  he  adds 
farther,    '  l^hat  if  in  a  general  council  he  find 

*  the  majority  incline  to  that  part  "which  is  co7i- 

*  trary  to  fcripture^  he  is  bound  to  oppofe  it :  And 

*  he  inftanceth  in  Hilary  -,    (hewing  that  fince 

*  the  canon  of  fcripture  received  by  the  churchy 

*  no  authority  of  the  church  is  to  be  equalled  to  it-fj 
.  The  third  witnefs  is  Cajetan,  who  was  counted 
the  oracle  of  his  day,  as  Dr.  Stillingjleet  obfervesr. 
He  fays,  that  the  fcripture  gives  Juch  a  perfediion 
to  a  man  of  God^  (and  he  evidently  aflerts  the 
plainnefs  as  well  as  perfection  of  fcripture,  becaulc 
he  explains  the  inan  of  God  to  be  any  one  that 
devoutly  ferves  him)  that  he  is  thereby  accompliflS d 

for  every  good  work  J.  Many 

*  Non  quod  in  auftoritate  aequantur,  abfit ;  (cJ  fequantur,  non 
quidem  in  fubfidium  auttoritatis  canonica:,  fed  in  admonitionem  po- 
llerorum.      Lib.  2.   Art.  2.  <:.  22. 

\  Job.  Gerfon.  Exam.  Do^r.  p.  5 40.  To  which  the  paflage 
following  may  be  added,  from  the  fecond  fart  of  his  Tryal  cf 
Poflrines.  Quoniam  fcriptura  nobis  tiadita  eft,  tanquam  regnla 
fufficiens  &  intallibiiis,  pro  regimine  totius  eccleiiaftici  corporis  Sc 
membrorum,  ufque  in  finem  itculi  :  Eft  igitur  talis  ars,  talis  re- 
gula  vel  exemplar,  cui  fe  non  conformans  alia  doftrina,  vel  abjici- 
enda  eft  ut  hncrcticalis,  aut  fulpedta  aut  impertinens  ad  religionem 
prorfus  eft  habcnda. 

\  Ecce  quo  tendit  utilitas  divins  fcriptura;  ad  perfc»n.iorem  ho- 
minis  Dei,  {lioc  eft  qui  totum  feipfum  Deo  dat)  perfeftionem,  in- 
quam,  talem  ut  fit  perfeftus  ad  omne  bonum  exereendum.  1%  Et. 
z.  ad  Tim.  iii.    16, 


;  +« ] 

Many  other  tcftimonies  of  this  kind  might  be 
produced,  in  the  dole  of  the  15th  century.  But 
from  that  time  the  Romanijls  determin'd  to  go 
another  way  to  work.  Infomuch  that  they  were 
carried  to  oppofe  and  cotidcmn  all  thofe  former 
Catholick  traditions.  They  refolvcd  with  Cardinal 
*l:urrecremata  to  found  Catholick  verities  for  the 
future  on  unwritten  tradition,  as  well  as  on  jcrip- 
tiire.  And  Cardinal  CuJ'a  fet  up  the  notion  of  a 
7'unning  J'cnfe  of  fcripture,  which  mi;^ht  be  fuited 
to  the  various  occafwm  of  the  church,  and  adapted 
to  every  new  rite-j-.  Agreeably  hereto.  Pope 
Leo  X.  condemns  Martin  Lutljer  for  denying  the 
power  of  the  church  to  make  ??f'ze'  articles  of  faith. 
In  that  Pope's  Bull  againft  Luther^  known  by 
the  title  of  Exurge  Domine,  the  2 2d  proportion 
condemned  is  fet  down  thus :  "  That  it  is  not 
"  in  the  power  of  the  Church  or  Pope  to  appoint 
"  new  articles  of  faith. 

The  errors  and  corruptions  then  complained 
of,  not  being  poinble  to  be  defended  by  Jcrip^ 
turCy  and  yet  not  being  thought  requifite  to  give 
them  up,  feveral  attempts  were  made  to  fet  tra- 
ditions on  an  equal  foot  with  the  fcripture.  They 
muft  no  longer  iland  in  the  place  where  Gerfony 
and  others  of  their  own  writers  before  had  placed 
them,  that  is,  in  the  fccond  degree  of  the  truths 
of  faith,  which  was  the  general  opinion  of  the 
council  of  Confiajice  ;  but  all  manner  of  attempts 
were  ufed,  to  raife  the  credit  of  tradition  to  the 
utmoft  height,  as  the  only  feciire  way.  So  that 
they  got  it  infcrted  as  one  of  the  ca?2ons  of  a  pro^ 

vincial 

-f-  Scrlpturrts  cflc  .id  tempus  ad.iptatas  <5c  varic  intelledas,  ita  ut 
unu  tcinpo'-c  fccundiim  currentcm  i:tuvcrl"alcm  rituin  cxponcrentur, 
mutato  rita  itcrum  fcntcntia  iniuarctur.     Cu/.  ad  Bohcm.  Ep.  ii. 


[  49  ] 

1?/;^^^/ council,  in  1527,  1  hat  to  receive  nothing 
but  what  is  deduced  Jrom  Jcripture^  ii  a  pernio 
cious  error  *. 

Upon  authority  of  no  longer  ftanding  than 
this,  the  council  of  Trent  was  brought  to  efta- 
blifli  it  as  a  necefTary  part  of  the  conftitution  of 
the  Roman  church,  "  That  their  traditions  (hould 
"  be  received  as  of  equal  authority  with  the 
"  fcriptures  themfelves."  Of  which  we  fpoke  in 
the  former  part  of  this  difcourfe. 

Thus  we  iee,  that  tradition  contradicts  tradi- 
tion, and  the  Papifts  now  become  as  inconfiflent 
with  themjehes  as  with  the  fcriptures. 

Alike  contradictory  to  all  their  own  former 
traditions,  was  their  taking  the  apocryphal  books 
into  the  canon  of  fcripture,  as  many  of  their  moft 
learned  men  fliew'd  in  the  council  of  Trent  it- 
ielf.  But  I  iliould  quite  tire  you,  if  I  fhould 
fhew  the  oppofition  there  was  in  the  debates  on 
this  head.  I  will  only  add  this  fliort  account  of 
it  from  F.  Paul's  Hiftory,  who  informs  us,  That 
they  could  by  no  means  agree  about  making  the  ca- 
talogue of  the  divine  books  ;  and  they  had  Jo  much 
trouble  about  some  vakts  of  the  Apocrypha,  (not 
being  able  to  produce  any  tradition  for  them)  that 
one  while  it  was  propojed  to  dijlinguijh  the  catalogue 
into  books  of  different  clafes,  or  elje  7iot  defcend  to 
particular  books  at  all  \  and  another  while  to  ?nake 
only  one  catalogue,  and  fet  down  all  the  books  as 
o/' equal  authority '\.     Here  again,  tradition  (par- 

*  Council  of  Se/iSy  in  France,  Can.  53. 

f  This  is  a  fhort  account  of  what  is  more  at  large  in  F.  Paul's 
Hitlory,  tranflatt'd  by  Btent,  in"  1726,  /.    144,   145. 

G  ticularly 


[  5°  ] 

ticularly  as  to  Baruch)  quite  failed  ;  and  num- 
bers carried  it  for  the  apocryphal  books,  as  they 
now  Hand  in  the  decree  to  which  we  referr'd 
before. 

Upon  this  principle,  every  new  council  begins 
a  new  Jet  of  traditions;  and  by  thus  contradidl- 
ing  and  leaving  the  Jcripturc^  men  of  learning 
are  led  into  endlefs  mazes,  and  the  moft  dilhoneft 
arts ;  and  the  poor  Laity  in  common  life  are  fub- 
jeft  to  perpetual  tyranny^  and  to  have  new  yokes 
of  bondage  put  upon  them  in  every  age. 

May  we  not  therefore  fay  of  thofe  that  return 
to  Popery^  as  the  apoftle  fays  of  the  foolifli  Ga- 
latians^  "  Who  hath  bewitched  them,  that  they 

"  fhould  not  obey  the  truth  ? To  fuffer  fo 

"  many,  or  fo  great  things  in  vain,  (as  we  have 
"  fufFer'd  formerly  in  thefe  nations)  if  it  be  yet 
"  in  vain."  But  we  hope  better  things  of  you, 
and  things  that  accompany  falvation  in  the  com- 
pleateft  fenfe,  though  we  thus  fpeak. 

Upon  what  has  been  faid,  I  hope  the  follow- 
ing advices  will  be  acceptable,  which  with  a 
very  brief  mention  of  them,  1  fhall  leave  with 
you. 

When  you  are  fpeaking  with  tendernefs  and 
charity  of  the  multitude  oi poor  fouls  that  are  un- 
der the  Roman  yoke,  and  hoping  that  many  of 
them  may  be  faved,  let  that  very  compaffion  ex- 
-cite  your  deteflation  of  Popery,  that  hath  io 
fadly  abufcd  and  cfi/la'vcd  humble  and  honeft 
minds.  And  do  not  flatter  any  of  that  church, 
by  allowing  tJiat  falvation  is  to  be  had  any  fur- 
ther. 


f  5^  ] 

ther,  than  as  they  believe  and  obey  the  fcrlp- 
tures. 

Take  care,  if  ever  you  fall  into  converfation 
with  them  upon  the  head  of  traditions^  that  you 
watch  againfl  their  fubtilty,  in  quoting  places  of 
fcripture  which  fpeak  of  traditions  before  the 
canon  of  Icripture  was  compleated ;  and  in  quo- 
ting the  Fathers  for  the  tradition  of  fcripture  it- 
felf,  or  of  things  declared  and  proved  from  thence; 
and  then  applying  thefe  things  to  enforce  their 
ecclejiajlical  demands  and  decifions. 

Be  fure  to  read  the  fcriptures  till  you  are  ready 
in  them ;  and  engage  thofe  about  you,  and  al] 
that  are  under  your  care  to  do  fo ;  or  elle  the 
free  ufe  of  your  Bible,  in  a  language  that  you 
underiland,  is  a  privilege  and  bleiTing  that  will 
rife  up  in  judgment  againfl  you. 

Watch  againfl  infidelity  and  immorality^  and 
every  thing  that  would  difgrace  the  fcripture,  con- 
lidering  how  great  advantage  is  given  to  the  prac- 
tices of  the  Romanifis,  by  departing  from  the 
fcripture,  either  as  a  rule  of  faith,  or  manners. 

And  filially,  let  the  fcripture  be  made  the  great 
bond  of  peace  and  imion  amongfl  all  Proteflants, 
In  things  exprefily  declared,  and  neceffary  to  lal- 
vation,  let  us  firmly  and  unanimoufly  abide;  in 
things  deduced  from  fcripture  by  fair  and  jufl  con- 
fequences,  let  us  leave  every  one  io  judge  as  ac- 
countable to  God,  and  to  his  own  confcience : 
And  in  things  difpiitable,  and  difficult  to  be  un- 
derflood,  let  us  proceed  with  care,  comparing 
fpiritual  things  with  fpiritual ;  and  maintain  cha^ 

G  2  rityt 


[    52    ] 

rity^  allowing  for  different  fentiments  and  opi- 


rjions. 


Here  I  had  clofed,  had  I  not  thought  it  would 
be  of  fpecial  fervice  in  fuch  an  audience  as 
this,  to  recite  one  pafFage  from  a  well-known 
writer  intire^  which  is  often  quoted  by  piece- 
meal :  I  mean  that  immortal  paragraph  which 
we  have  in  Chilli ngworth'^  Proof  that  Prote- 
Jiajits  are  no  Hereticks.  Which  whoever  hears^ 
or  reads,  as  the  language  of  one  converted  from 
Popery  by  ih^Jhidy  of  the  fcriptures^  cannot  help 
being  greatly  moved  with  it,  let  him  hear  or  read 
it  ever  fo  often.  AddrefTing  to  a  writer  of  the 
Ro?nan  churchy  he  thus  fummarily  pleads  the 
Protejlant  caufe. 

'  Know  then,  Sir,  that  when  I  fay  the  religion 

*  of  Protejlant 5  \%  in  prudence  to  be  preferr'd  be- 

*  fore  yours ;  as  on  the  one  fide  I  do  not  un- 
'  derftand  by  your  religion  the  dodirine  of  Bellar^ 

*  w/;?^or£^rcwV/i,  or  any  other  private  men  amongfl 

*  you,  nor  thedodrine  of  thcSorbone  or  of  the y^- 
'  JicitSy  or  of  the  Dominicans,  or  of  any  other  par- 

*  ticular  company  among  you  j  but  that  wherein 

*  you  all  agree,  or  profefs  to  agree,  the  doBrine  of 

*  the  council  of  I'rent :  So  accordingly  on  the  other 

*  fide,  by  the  religion  of  Protejlants,  I  do  not 
'  underftand  the  dodrine  of  Luther,  or  Calvin, 
'  ov  MelanBhon,  nor  the  confefTion  oi  Augujla, 

*  or  Geneva,    nor  the  Catechifm  of  Heidelberg, 

*  nor  the  articles  of  the  church  of  England,  no, 

*  nor  the    harmony  of  Proteflant  confeffions  j 

*  but  that  wherein  they  all  agree,    and  which 

*  they 


.    t  53  ] 

^  they  all  fubfcribe  with  a  greater  harmony,  as 
a  perfeB  rule  of  their  faith  and  a<Stions,  that  is 
the  Bible. 

'  The  Bible,  I  fay  the  Bible  only,  is  the 
religion  of  Proteftants,  whatfoever  elfe  they 
believe  befides  it :  And  the  plain,  irrefragable, 
and  indubitable  confequences  of  it,  well  may 
they  hold  as  matter  of  opinion  j  but  as  mat- 
ter of  faith  and  religion,  neither  can  they  with 
coherence  to  their  own  grounds  believe  it  them- 
felves,  nor  require  the  belief  of  it  of  others, 
without  moft  high  and  fchifmatical  prefumpti- 
on.  I  for  my  part,  after  a  long,  and  { as  I 
verily  believe  and  hope )  impartial  iearch  of  the 
true  way  to  eternal  happinefs,  do  profefs  plainly 
that  I  cannot  find  any  reft  for  the  fole  of  my 
foot,  but  upon  this  rock  only. 

*  I  fee  plainly,  and  with  mine  own  eyes,  that 
there  are  Pope's  againft  Pope's,  Councils  againft 
Councils,  fome  Fathers  againft  others,  the 
fame  Fathers  againft  themfelves,  a  confent  of 
Fathers  of  one  age  againft  a  confent  of  Fathers 
of  another  age,  the  Church  of  one  age  againft 
the  Church  of  another  age  :  Traditive  inter- 
pretations of  fcripture  are  pretended,  but  there 
are  few  or  none  to  be  found  :  No  tradition  but 
only  of  fcripture,  can  derive  itfelf  from  the 
fountain,  but  may  be  plainly  proved  to  be 
brought  in,  in  fuch  an  age  after  Chrift,  or 
that  fuch  an  age  it  was  not  in.  In  a 
word,  there  is  no  fufficient  certainty  but  of 
fcripture  only,  for  any  confidering  man  to  build 
upon.  This  therefore,  and  this  only  I  have 
reafon  to  believe ;  This  I  will  profefs,  accord- 
ing 


[  54  ] 

'  ing  to  this  I  will    live,  and  for  this   if  therd 

*  beoccalion  I  will  not  only  willingly,  but  even 

*  gladly,  lofe  my  life,  though  I  fliould  be  forry 
'  that  Chrijiians  fhould  take  it  from  me. 

<  Propofe  me  any  thing  out  of  this  book,  and 

<  require  whether  I  believe  or  no,  and  feem   it 

<  never  fo  incomprehenfible  to  human  reafon, 
'  I   will  fubfcribe  it   with  hand  and  heart,  as 

<  knowing  no  demonftration  can  be  ftronger  than 
«  this,  "  God  hath  faid  fo,  therefore  is  it  true". 

*  In  other  things,  I  will  take  no  man's  liberty  of 

*  judging  from  him;  neither  Ihall  any  man  take 
«  mine  from  me.     I  will  think  no  man  the  vi^orfe 

*  man^  nor  the  worfe  Chrijlian^  I  will  love  no 
«  man  the  lefs  for  differing  in  opinion  from  me. 
«  And  what  meafure  I  mete  to  others,  I  exped: 
«  from  them  again.     I  am  fully  affured  that  God 

*  docs  not,  and  therefore  men   ought  not  to  re- 

<  quire  any  more  of  any  man  than  this,  "  To 
"  believe  the  fcripture  to  be  God's  word,  to  en- 
*'  dcavour  to  find  the  true  fenfe  of  it,  and  to  live 
•'  according  to  it". 

May  this  be  our  happinefs  through  Jefus  Chrlffc 
our  Lord,  to  whom  be  glory  now  and  ever. 
Amen. 

FINIS. 


Jufi  Fublificd, 

I.pOPERY     the    Great    Corruption    of    Chrlftianity. 
-*-     A    Sermon    preached    at   Salters-Hall^    January    9, 
1734-5.     By  J  o  H  N    Barker.     The  Third  Edition. 
Price  4  d. 

II.  The  Notes  of  the  Church  confidered :  In  a  Sermon 
on  I  Tim.  iii.  14,  15.  preached  at  Saltcrs-Hall,  "Jan.  16, 
1734-5.  By  Samuel  Chandler.  The  Third  Edition- 
Ill.  The  Supremacy  of  St.  Peter  and  the  BiOiops  of 
ILo7ne  his  Succeflbrs  :  Confider'd  in  a  Sermon  preached  at  Sal- 
ter s-Hall^  Jan.  23,  1734-5.  By  Daniel  Neal,  M.  A. 
The  Third  Edition.     Price  4  d. 

IV.  The  Church  of  Rcmc's  Claim  of  Authority  and 
Infallibility  examined.  In  a  Sermon  preached  at 
Salter s-Hall.,  Jan.  30,  1734-5.  With  Additions.  By 
George  Smyth,  M.  A.  The  Second  Edition.  Price  6^. 

Lately  pihliJJjed.,  Price  2d.  or  is.  6  d.  per  Dozen^ 
The  T'-Joentyfijth  Edition  of 

A  Proteftant's  Refolution  :  Shewing  his  Reafons  why  he 
will  not  be  a  Papift.  Digefted  into  fo  plain  a  Method  of 
Queftion  and  Anfwer,  that  an  ordinary  Capacity  may  be 
able  to  defend  the  Proteftant  Religion  againft  the  moft 
cunning  Jefuit  or  Popifh  Prieft. 

In  a  fcjj  Bays  ix^ill  be  PuUiJJoed., 

St.  Jatzko :  Or  a  Commentary  on  a  PafTage  in  the 
Plea  made  by  the  Advocate  for  the  Jesuits  at  Thorn  ; 
in  which  mention  is  made  of  this  Polish  Saint.  A  Tran- 
flation  from  the  priginal  French  of  Monfieur  Beausobre. 


Dr.  HJ  R  R  I  S's 

DISCOURSE 


CONCERNING 


Tranjuhjiantiationj  &c. 


^^^^m^^^^^mmsss^^ 


[Price  Six-P«nce  J 


DISCOURSE 

CONCERNING 

Tranfubftantiation : 

i 

In  which  the  Words  of  the  hijlitu- 
tion  of  the  Lord's  Supper  are  par- 
ticularly conlidered. 

Preached  at  Salters-Hall, 

February  13,    1734-5. 


By    W,    HARRIS,   D.  D. 


LONDON: 

Printed  for  R,  Ford,  at  the  Angel\  and  R.  Hett, 
at  the  Bible  and  Crown ;    both  in  the  Poultry. 

M  DCC  XXXV. 


Luke  xxii.   19,   20. 

TJ/j"  is  ?ny  body  which  is  given  for 

you  :    [which  is    broken  for  yoUy 

I  Cor.  xi,  24.]      This   do  i?z    re- 

membra7ice  of  me, This  cup  is 

the  7tew  teflainent   i?i  my   bloody 
which  is  fijed  for  you. 


H  E  S  E  words,  according  to 
the  dod:rine  of  the  Rejh-m- 
ed  Churches^  are  to  be  un- 
derftood  in  ?ijigurati've  and 
Ipiritual  fenfe,  and  to  mean 
no  more  than,  This  bread 
fignijies  my  body,  which  will  fliortly  be 
broken,  and  this  cup  my  blood,  which  will 
fliortly  be  flied,  for  the  redemption  of  the 
world ;  and  the  eating  this  bread,  and  drink- 
ing this  cup,  are  to  be  a  ftanding  meijwrial 

of 


of  my  death,  in  the  Chriflian  church,    to 
the  end  of  the  world. 

The  church  of  Rojue,  on  the  contrary, 
pretends,  that  thefe  words  mull  be  under- 
lliood  in  a  flridl,  and  literal  fenfe,  and  to 
fignify,'  that  the  bread  and  ivi?2e  in  the 
Lord's  Supper,  when  thefe  words  are  pro- 
nounced by  a  Prielr,  with  an  intention  of 
confecrating  them,  are  immediately  changed 
into  the  real  natural  body  and  blood  of 
Chriil,  and  become  his  VQ-Afejlj  and  blood j 
and  that  they  ceale  to  be  any  longer  bread 
and  wine,  and  have  nothing  but  the  ap- 
pearance, and  accidents  of  them  left.  'Tis 
tluis  exprefs'd  by  the  council  of'trcnt^  which 
was  their  laft  general  coimcil^  and  is  the 
ftandard  of  rncdern  Popery,  viz.  That  by 
the  coiTJecrating  of  bread  and  wi?ie  "Jefiis 
Chriji^  I'ery  God,  and  Tcry  inan^  is  ti'uly, 
really,  and fubf  ant i ally  C07ttaified  imdcr  the 
Jpecies  of  thofe  fenfble  ftgns ;  that  there  is  q, 
converfon  of  the  whole  Jubjlance  of  bread,  in 
this  holy  facrament,  into  the  whole  fub/iance 
of  the  body  of  Chriji',  and  of  the  whole  fub-r 
jiance  of  wine  into  his  blood;  which  converfon 
is  ftly  and  properly  called  T'ranfubfantia- 
tion  \  And  the  council  denounces  an  ana-» 
the  ma  again  ft  all  who  believe  and  teach  other* 
wife. 

*  ConciL  Trid.  SciT.    13.  c.  6, 

This 


[   7] 

Tliis  is  further  explained  in  the  T^rent  Ca^ 
techifm  j  That  'tis  the  true  body  of  Chrift 
ivhicb  was  bor?i  of  the  virg  177,  a77d  is  770W  171 
heave77j  together  with  his  foul  a7id  divinity  : 
That  'tis  e77tire  177  every  part  of  the  breads 
ciTid  every  drop  of  the  wine^  and  that  770  part 
cf  the  fubjia77ce  of  bread  a77d  wi}7e  re7}7ai7is  : 
That  the  accide77ts  of  bread  a77d  wi7ie^  which 
do  rejnai77y  are  i7i  770  fubjedl,  but  exifl  by 
themfelves  /Vz  a  wo77derfiil  777a7777er^  and  which 
is  not  too  ciirioufy  to  be  enquired  i77to  ^. 

This  is  the  point  I  am  to  debate  at  this 
time;  and  becaufe  thefe  words  are  made 
the  principal  fupport  of  this  dodlrine,  I  fliall 
confine  myfelf  to  this  fingle  view  of  the  cafe. 
What  I  have  to  offer  againft  this  interpreta^ 
tion  of  the  words,  1  fliall  reduce  to  the  fol- 
lowing obfervations. 

§.  I.  There  is  no  ncceffity  of  underfland^ 
ing  thele  words  in  this  fenfe.  If  indeed 
they  could  be  underflgod  in  no  other  fenfe, 
and  were  not  capable  of  any  other  con- 
llru(5lion,  it  were  another  cafe;  but  they 
willealily  and  fairly  admit  of  another  fcnie. 
I  readily  acknowledge  the  known  rule  of  in- 
terpretation. That  the  literal  fenle  of  words 
is  not  to  be  forfaken,  and  a  figurative  one 
followed,   without  neceffity :    The  natural 

*  Catech.  ad  Parochos,  P.  2.  De  Euchar. 

and 


[8] 

and  proper  fenfc  is  always  to  be  preferred, 
where  the  cafe  will  admit  and  allow  it ; 
but  then  it  is  as  certain  a  rule,  That  the  li- 
teral fenfe  ought  to  be  forfaken,  and  a  figu- 
rative fenfe  received,  where  the  nature  of 
the  fubjed:,  the  relation  to  the  context^  or 
any  other  circumftance  of  things,  evident- 
ly require  and  rnake  it  neceffary. 

Now  w^hat  I  obferve  here,  as  the  firft  and 
lowefi:  exception  to  this  interpretation  is. 
That  there  is  no  manner  oinecejjity  to  under- 
ftand  thefe  words  in  a  flrid:  and  literal  fenfe, 
but  they  jnay  fitly  be  underftood  in  a  figu- 
rative one;  whether  they  ought  to  be,  or 
not,  mufl  be  confidered  afterward.  For 
the  proof  of  this  obfervation,  I  appeal  to 
the  frequent  figurative  exprefiions  of  a  like 
kind  in  our  Lord's  difcourfes  with  his  dil- 
ciples,  when  he  is  fpeaking  of  himfelf,  and 
upon  all  occafions,  agreeably  to  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Eaftern  nations,  and  of  the 
yewifi  church.  And  the  beft  way  to  un- 
derftand  any  author's  expreffions,  is  to  at- 
tend to  his  phrafeology,  and  ufe  of  words, 
in  like  cafes  in  other  inftances.  Thus,  for 
example,  when  our  Lord  fays  of  himfelf, 
/  a}/i  the  door^  and  the  true  vi?iej  and  the 
good Jhepherd ;  when  he  calls  his  body  this 
tpnpk\  and  the  church  his  body  ;  when  he 
fays,  the  field  is  the  UDorld\  the  tares  are  the 
children  of  the  ivicked  07ie  y  the  haj'vrji  is  the 

end 


[9] 

ejid  of  the  world ;  the  ?'eapers  are  the  angeh ; 
and  when  the  apoftle  fays,  Chriji  is  our 
pajjover^  and  this  rock  is  Chriji  j  the  mean- 
ing is  not,  that  thefe  are  the  very  things 
themfelves,  but  only  that  they  fignify  thefe 
feveral  things  ^  that  there  is  fome  refem- 
blance  and  hkenefs  between  them,  and  they 
are  proper  images  andreprefentationsof  them. 
Thefe  are  confefTed  on  all  hands  to  be  figura- 
tive exprellions,  of  an  obvious  and  eafy  lig- 
nification,  which  were  never  miftaken  by 
any  one,  or  pretended  to  be  ufed  in  a  lite- 
ral fenfe.  Nothing  is  more  ufual  in  all  lan- 
guage, and  among  all  nations,  than  to  put 
the  fg?i  for  the  thing  fignified  by  it.  So  is 
ivax  when  it  becomes  2ijeal^  and  gold  and 
Jilver  when  coined  into  ?}io?2ey. 

This  expreffion  therefore,  'T'his  is  my 
hody^  may  be  underftocd  in  a  figurative  fenfe, 
and  to  mean.  This  \)tt?Afignifies  my  body, 
and  is  defigned  to  be  a  inemorial  of  it; 
and  no  man  can  pretend  to  fay.  That  they 
cannot  be  fo  underftood,  and  are  not  capa- 
ble of  fuch  a  fignification,  or  that  there  is 
any  necejjlty  of  underftanding  them  other- 
wife.  And  why  then  Ihould  we  draw  a 
needlefs  difficulty  upon  the  Chriftian  doc- 
trine, and  perplex  the  minds  of  men,  without 
any  manner  of  neceffity,  and  when  the 
words  can  fo  eafily  be  underftood  in  another 
fenfe  ? 

B  §.2. 


[     10    ] 

§.  2.  'Tis  not  a  convenient,  or  probable 
fenfe,  /.  e.  agreeable  to  the  /iibjeB  fpoken  of, 
and  the  occafwn  of  fpeaking  them.  'Tis 
another  rule  of  interpretation,  That  words 
and  phrafes  muft  be  iinderftood  fuitably  to 
the  /ubjeB  to  which  they  belong,  and  the 
cccajjon  of  fpeaking  them,  and  according  to 
the  genius  and  cuftoms  of  the  people  where 
they  are  fpoken.  So  terms  of  art  are  un- 
derflood  agreeably  to  the  feveral  arts  to 
which  they  relate;  and  the  yewSy  and  all 
the  Eaftern  nations  were  known  to  delight 
in  parabolical  and  figurative  reprefentations ; 
and  nothing  was  more  frequent,  or  better 
underftood  among  them. 

Ifweconfider  thefe  words  in  this  view, 
we  lliall  find  the  matter  ftand  thus :  Our 
Lord  had  been  juft  celebrating  the  laft  pd/J- 
over  with  his  difciplcs,  a  little  before  his 
fufferings,  which  was  a  folemn  feftival  ap- 
pointed by  God,  in  commemoration  of  the 
angel's  pafilng  over  the  houfes  of  the  I/raelites, 
when  he  flew  all  the  firil-born  of  Egypt  3. 
It  confilled  in  eating  a  roafted  lamb,  with 

unleavened  bread  and  bitter  herbs. The 

eating    the    pafchal    lamb    was  called    the 
Lords  Pajfover  +.      So  the  Jewijh   church 

3  Exod.   X. 

*  The  Jews  called  the  Paflbver  the  body  of  the  pafchal 
lamb.     Buxts  Vind.  co'it.  Cop.  p.  14. 

always 


[ "  ] 

always  underftood  it,  from  the  firft  inili- 
tution  of  it  to  this  day.  The  apoftles,  who 
were  all  yews  by  birth  and  religion,  well 
underftood  the  nature  of  their  own  Pafl- 
over,  as  they  had  been  accuftonied  all  along 
to  fuch  ways  of  reprefentation  in  our  Lord's 
difcourles. 

Now  when  the  Paflbver  was  finiflied,  our 
Lord  took  fome  of  the  bread  which  remain- 
ed of  the  pafchal  fupper,  and  broke  it,  and 
faid,  'This  is  my  body,  and  fome  of  the 
wine,  and  poured  it  forth,  and  faid,  This 
cup  is  the  ?iew  tejiamejit  in  my  blood:  i.  e. 
I  appoint  this  fupper  to  be  a  perpetual  me- 
morial of  my  fuffering  and  death  which  are 
now  approaching  j  as  the  eating  the  pafchal 
lamb  was  of  the  angel's  paiTing  over  the 
houfes  of  the  Ijraelites,  I  appeal  to  any 
ingenuous  and  impartial  mind,  whether  this 
is  not  the  natural  fenfe  of  the  exprelTions  and 
much  the  more  probable  and  likely  fenfe  j 
more  agreeable  to  the  fubjed  and  occafion 
of  them,  and  which  makes  the  whole  tranf- 
adiion  uniform,  and  all  of  a  piece:  And 
whether  it  is  not  very  unnatural  and  dif- 
agreeable,  to  fuppofe  our  Lord  immediately 
after  the  obfervation  of  the  PaiTover,  which 
was  fo  well  underftood  by  the  difciples, 
to  infiitute  another  ordinance  inftead  of  it, 
with  fo  ftrange  a  meaning  as  was  never  heard 
of  before,  and  entirely  different  from  the 
B  2  occafion 


■    [  12  ] 

occafion  of  it,  and  without  the  left  hint, 
or  intimation  of  fo  extraordinary  a  thing. 
Can  one  think  it  likely  that  it  fhould 
never  be  made  a  qucflion  by  the  fcrupu- 
lous  difciples ;  nor  more  objected  afterwards 
to  the  Chriftians  by  the  Pagan  writers, 5  who 
were  full  of  queflions  and  cavils,  upon 
other  matters,  where  there  was  lefs  occa- 
fion given. 

Belides,  the  nature  of  a  facrament  re- 
quires this,  which  is  allowed  to  be,  a  vifible 
fenfible  fign  of  -Sifpirif-ual  bleffing  and  bene- 
fit. There  is  alv/ays  fomething  fenfible, 
to  reprefent  fomething  fpiritual ;  fb  nioater 
in  baptifm,  fignifies  the  ^-ajlmig  a-way  our 
Jim^  ^  and  the  arifwer  of  a  good  conjcience  to- 
ward  God :  7  And  bread  and  wine  in  the 
Lord's  Supper  fignify  the  body  and  blood  oi 
Chrifl,  which  was  broken  and  ihed  for  us, 
and  the  blejjmgs  we  obtain  by  his  death. 
Whereas  upon  this  fuppofition,  there  is  no 
vifible  fign  of  the  thing,  but  the  very  thing 
itfelf  J  and  becaufe  nothing  can  be  a  fign  of 
itfelf,  this  deflroys  the  definition  and  alters 
the  nature  of  a  facrament. 

Upon    thcfe    accounts    we    conclude  it 
more  agreeable  to  the  fubjed:,  the  occafion, 

*  When  any  thing  of  this  kind  is  mentioned  in  the 
Chrillian  Apologljl s ,  'tis  conltantly  denied  of  thcmfelves,  and 
Jlrongly  r(?torted  upon  their  adverfaries. 

*  Arts  xxii.  6.  '  1  Peter  iii.  21. 

and 


[  13  3 

and  all  the  circumftances  of  it,  to  iinder- 
lland  thefe  words  in  a  figurative,  and  not 
in  a  literal  fenfe. 

§.  3.  'Tis  not  a  c^;2/^d';z/^  fenfe,  or  fuitable 
to  the  other  exprelfions  which  are  here 
ufed  concerning  it.  If  this  expreflion  was 
defigned  to  be  underftood  in  a  literal  fenfe, 
then  according  to  all  the  rules  of  reafon- 
able  confl:rud:ion,  fo  mufl  the  other  ex- 
prefTions  too  which  belong  to  the  fame 
matter,  and  were  fpoken  at  the  fame  time  j 
efpecially  if  any  of  them  are  exa(£tly  parallel 
to  this.  It  would  be  very  unreafonable  to 
pick  out  a  fingle  fentence  in  the  fame  dif- 
courfe,  and  underfland  it  in  a  flrid:  and 
literal  fenfe,  when  the  other  expreflions 
round  about  it,  are  plainly  figurative  and 
allufive,  or  require  it  to  be  fo  underflood  j 
and  fo  we  find  it  always  was  in  our  Lord's 
parabolical  difcourfes  where  the  figure  is 
continued  quite  thro',  and  appears  in  every 
part. 

If  we  confider  the  matter  in  this  light, 
we  fhall  find  that  neither  thefe  words,  nor 
the  other  exprefhons  here  ufed,  can  be 
underftood  in  any  confiftency  with  them- 
felves,  without  a  figure.  If  the  demonftra- 
tive    this  ^  refers   to    the  bread  fpoken    of 

in 

'  Tho'  Htv  does  not  agree  with  etpr^,  yet  it  will  \\itli 
{he  whole  fentcnge,    this  bread,  taken,    broken  ayff  blejjed ; 

of 


[  1+  J 

in  the  foregoing  verfe,  and  there  is  no  other 
antecedent  to  which  it  can  refer ;  then 
this  bread  which  he  took,  and  blelTed, 
and  brake,  is  my  bod\\  in  the  rigour  of  the 
letter,  will  lignify,  that  it  was  both  breads 
and  his  bod)\  at  the  fame  time  ;  or  that  the 
bread  was  the  fubftance  of  Chrift's  body, 
and  not  changed  into  it;  which  is  a  flagrant 
inconfiftency,  for  they  are  not  only  di- 
itind:,  but  quite  different  things :  And  when 
thefe  words,  this  is  m  y  body,  are  pro- 
nounced by  a  prieft,  it  will  neceflarily 
fignify  the  change  to  be  made,  into  the 
body  of  the  /r/V/?,  and  not  of  Chri/i  ;  un- 
iefs  you  allow  a  figure,  and  fuppofe  him 
to  fpeak  in  the  perfon  of  Chrifl.  Our 
Lord  fays,  'H'his  is  iJiy  body  which  /.y  broken 
for  you ^  when  it  was  not  yet  broken  j  but 
only  in  the  figure  and  reprefentation 
of  it. 

Again,  he  fays, —  this  do  in  remembrance 
of  me,  ^c,  r  I^jyv  oirxixvmvy  as  a  memorial  of 
me.  q.  d.  As  often  as  you  eat  this  bread, 
and  drink  this  cup,  think  of  me  who  died 
for  you  :  Don't  forget  me  when  I  am  go?2e 

of  which  conftruftion  there  are  many  inftanccs  in  the  LXX, 
^nd  in  the  new  teftament.  Eph.  ii.  8.  I'e  are  ja^ved  by 
grace,  thro"  faith,  and  that  ?iot  of  your  fel-ves,  x^  t^tt,  //  /> 
the  gft  of  God.  TuTo  cannot  agree  either  with  ;^e-jf  or 
OT<ns  but  it  refers  to  the  whole  fentence,  q.  d.  This  ap- 
pointment ami  conflitution,  that  we  are  fanned  by  grace  thro^ 
faith,  is  a  free  favour  and  vouchlafcment  of  God. 

to 


[  ^5  ] 

to  the  Father^  and  you  fi  all  fee  me  no  more  : 
Keep  up  the  remembrance  of  your  abfent 
friend  and  benefactor  by  this  token  of 
love  and  refped:  j  as  the  pafchal  lamb  was 
a  perpetual  memorial  of  the  Ifraelites  de- 
liverance and  prefervation  in  Egypt.  This 
is  certainly  the  obvious  meaning  of  the 
words.  But  if  the  natural  body  and  blood 
of  Chrift  be  really  prefent  in  the  facra- 
ment,  how  is  it  then  a  memorial  of  him  ? 
Do  we  properly  remember  one  who  is 
prefent  with  us  ?  Does  not  a  memorial  fct 
up,  or  obferved  in  remembrance  of  any 
perfon  or  ad:ion,  iiippofe  that  pcrfon  to 
be  abfent,  and  that  fa6t  to  be  pafled  ? 
With  what  propriety  can  it  be  faid.  Take 
my  body  in  remembrance  of  my  body  : 
Take  my  felf  for  a  token  to  remember 
me  by  ?  9  May  we  not  with  as  good  i^\\{<:, 
talk  oi  feeing  an  abfent  friend,  as  refnem- 
bri7ig  one  who  is  prefent  ?  No,  he  is  not 
now  bodily  prefent  with  us,  but  at  a  di- 
flance  from  us  :  So  our  Lord  told  the  dif- 
ciples,  Me  you  have  not  always  ;  ^  and  the 
Apoflle  fays,  'Tho  we  have  known  Chrijt 
after  the  fefiy  yet  hejiceforth  know  we  him 
no  more.^  This  is  to  fupply  the  place  of 
his  prefence,  and  to  be  in  fome  fort  inflead 

9  Nemo  recordatur  nifi  quod  in  praefentia  non  eft  pofitum. 
Aug.  in  Pfal.  xxxvii. 

*  Matth.  xxvi.  ii.  ^  z  Cor.  v,  i6. 

of 


[i6] 

of  it.  So  that  this  fuppofition  would  alter 
the  great  dejign  of  the  facrament,  as  the 
former  did  the  nature  of  it  ;  for  it  would 
make  it  converling  with  Chrift  prefent,  and 
not  a  memorial  of  him  abfent.  'Tis  in 
this  fenfe  the  apoftle  fays,  Te  JJoew  forth  the 
Lords  death  till  he  come ^  y{g.mxj'^\iXXiTcy>  de- 
clare it  to  others,  and  make  an  open  pro- 
feffion  of  it,  as  the  Ifraelites  were  required 
to  Jhew  to  their  children  what  the  Lord  had 
done  for  them* 

Belides,  our  Lord  fays  as  exprellly,  This 
cup  is  the  new  tejlament  in  my  bloody  as, 
Uhis  is  f?iy  body  ;  and  according  to  all  the 
reafon  and  rules  of  interpretation,  we  mull 
be  obliged  to  underftand  this  exprefllon  in 
a  literal  fenfe  tqo.  And  then  if  there  is 
any  real  and  fubftantial  change,  it  muft  be 
of  the  cup^  and  not  of  the  njDiiu\  for  he  fays, 
l^his  cup  is  the  ?2ew  tejiajnent.  Well,  'This 
cup  J  i.  e.  the  wine  in  this  cup,  which  is 
itfelf  a  figure,  is  the  new  tejlament^  that  is, 
not  only  procures,  and  confirms  it  to  us, 
or  fignifies  and  reprefents  it,  but  literally, 
this  cup  I  s  the  new  tefiament ;  which  is 
language  fo  flrange  and  uncouth,  that  I 
know  not  whether  any  Papifl:  will  pretend 
to  own  it  :  But  the  reafon  however  is  com- 
mon to  both,    and  if  one  part  of  the  k\\- 

J   J  Cor.  xi.  26.  *  Exod.  xiii.  8. 

tencc 


C  17  ] 


tence  muft  be  underftood  in  a  ftrid:  llteml 
fenfe,  the  other,  which  is  exacftly  parallel^ 
muil:  be  underftood  fo  too  ;  and  they  muft 
neceftarily  either  both  be  true,  or  both  be 
falfe,  unlefs  a  reafon  of  the  diftind:ion  can 
be  aftigned,  and  the  difference  between 
them  pointed  out. 

'Tis  further  confiderable  to  this  piirpole^ 
That  our  Lord  himfcif  expreflly  calls  it, 
after  the  inftitution  and  celebration  of  it, 
the  fruit  of  the  vine.^  And  the  apoftle 
fpeaks  of  it  in  ilich  a  manner,  as  plainly 
(hews  he  had  no  fuch  appreheniion  of  the 
matter  j  for  he  calls  it  bread  three  feveral 
times,  in  the  verfcs  immediately  following 
the  inftitution,  as  if  he  would  purpofely  guard 
againft  fuch  a  conceit  ;  As  oft  as yc  eat  this 
bread y  and  drink  this  cup  j  and  IVhcJosiier 
eateth  this  breads  and  drinhth  this  cup  ;  and,; 
So  let  him  eat  this  bread  and  dri?ik  this  cup  ; 
'T  afTov  TcJTx;,  aud  n^  ocfTyy  this  bread  re- 
maining bread,  not  this  body,  where  there 
is  no  bread  remaining.  And  the  apoftle 
fometimes  reprefents  the  whole  a<flion,  by 
the  b?'eaki7ig  of'  bread.'^ 
•  This  makes  all  the  expreftions  agreeable 
to  the  fubje^t,  and  confiftent  with  them- 
felves,  and  renders  it  together  a  regular 
and  beautiful  reprefentation  of  the  matter. 
J.  add  further, 

*  Matt.  xxvi.  29.  '  Adls^ir.  42.   xx.  7. 

c  §.4. 


[   i8  ] 

<^.  4.  That  this  fenfe  of  the  words  13 
not  n-q/omi/j/t',  or  agreeable  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  human  nature.  As  we  confift  of 
a  confcious  principle,  and  a  material  body, 
io  the  only  powers  by  which  we  attain  all 
our  knowledge,  are  our  reafon,  and  our 
jenjes ;  and  we  have  no  other  by  which  to 
raiie  ideas^  or  pafs  a  judgment  on  any  thing. 
We  juftly  conclude,  that  God  will  deal 
with  us,  in  all  his  tranfadions,  fuitably  to 
the  nature  he  has  given  us,  and  not  con- 
trary to  it.  Whatfoever  therefore  is  con- 
trary to  the  reafon  of  our  minds,  and  the 
fenfes  of  our  body,  in  the  due  exercife  of 
them,  and  upon  their  proper  objedls,  is 
juflly  accounted  ah  fur  d. 

Now  this  is  the  cafe  here  ;  for  all  the 
reafon  of  our  minds  informs  us,  from  all 
the  circumftances  of  things,  that  this  is  fny 
bod)\  can  only  mean,  Tiiis  bread  broken 
fignijies  my  body  which  is  fliortly  to  be 
b.oken  for  you  5  and  not,  this  is  my  real 
natural  body.  'Tis  plain  the  difciples  could 
not  fo  underftand  him,  at  the  time  of  the 
inftitution  :  for  his  natural  body  was  then 
before  them,  and  was  not  yet  broken. 
They  fiw  him  whole  and  entire  before  their 
eyes.  He  took  the  bread  of  the  paflbver 
in  his  hands,  wlien  he  fpake  theie  words, 
and  when  he  had  bleft  it,  eat  it ;  and  they 
could  never  fuppofe  that  he  took  his  whole 

body 


[  19  ] 

body  into  his  own  hands,  and  that  he 
cat  himfclf\  which  would  Oiock  all  the  rea- 
iow  in  the  world.  We  can  judge  of  no 
fenfible  objedt  whatfoever,  but  by  the  efien- 
tial  properties  which  delcribe  its  nature, 
and  diflinguilli  it  from  others  j  nor  do  we 
pretend  to  know  the  abftracl  nature  and 
effence  of  any  thing.  Now  to  fuppofe 
any  objed:  to  be  one  thing,  while  it  has 
only  the  properties  of  another,  and  none 
of  the  properties  of  that  thing,  is  manifeftly 
contrary  to  reafon.  Indeed  no  man  can 
pretend  that  his  own  reafon  would  ever 
have  led  him  to  fuch  a  fenfe  of  the  words, 
or  that  it  was  reafonable  fo  to  underftand 
them.  This  is  fo  evident,  that  feveral  of 
the  greateft  men  of  the  church  of  Romt\ 
have  ingenuouily  given  up  this  ground, 
and  refer  it  wholly  to  the  authority  of  the 
church. 

It  will  be  faid  ;  But  this  is  a  matter  of 
faith,  and  not  of  reafon  :  'Tis  a  myftery  to 

be  believed,    and   is  above  reafon. But 

there  is  always  a  reafon  of  faith,  and  a 
motive  of  credibility,  of  any  propofition  or 
any  fadl.  We  muft  firft  underftand  what 
we  are  to  believe,  and  in  what  fenfe  we  are 
to  believe  it.  'Tis  the  office  of  reafon  duly 
difpofed  and  inftruded,  to  help  us  to  under- 
ftand the  objed:s  of  our  faith,  fo  flir  as  we 
^re  concerned  to  believe  them,  whatfoever 
C  2  further 


[     20    ] 

further  there  may  be  in  the  things  them- 
ieh'es  j  or  elfe  we  mufl  He  open  to  all  the 
impofture  and  delufion  in  the  world,  and 
jbe  obliged  to  believe  whatlbever  any  man 
has  the  confidence  and  prefumption  to  pals 
upon  us  as  the  will  of  God  :  And  an  un- 
reatbnable  faith,  or  believing  without  a  rea- 
fon,  is  a  great  abfurdity,  and  could  have 
no  virtue,  or  acceptablenefs  in  it.  We  are 
enquiring  v/hat  we  are  to  believe,  and  in 
what  fenfe  this  expreffion  is  to  be  under- 
llood  5  and  that  is  the  province  of  reafon, 
and  neither  again  ft  it,  or  above  it. 

Befides,  'Tis  contrary  to  ouxjenjc,  which 
is  the  proper  judge  in  matters  of  lenfe. 
We  plainly  diicern  that  'tis  bread  and  wine 
after  thefe  words  are  pronounced,  as  much 
as  before  j  and  not  the  body  and  blood  of 
a  man  :  It  has  not  only  the  (^rx\c  figure 
and  appearance,  but  the  fame  nature  and 
properties  it  had  before,  the  fame  form,  the 
fame  fmell  and  taft.  "Tis  feparated  indeed 
to  a  facred  ufe,  by  virtue  of  Chrift's  ap- 
pointment, which  is  the  proper  conjecration 
of  it  J  i.  e.  'Tis  a  memorial  of  his  death, 
and  of  the  new  covenant  ;  and  this,  I 
hope,  is  no  conjuration^  as  a  late  writer  5 
is  pleafed  to  exprefs  it  3  but  'tis  neverthe- 
lefs  bread  and  wine,  and  equally  capable  of 

'  Rights  p.    IC?. 

anfwering 


[  21  ] 

anfwering  this  purpofe,  without  any  fuch 
change  of  them,  and  much  more  properly 
too.  Here  is  a  concurrence  of  our  fenfes, 
and  of  the  fenies  of  all  mankind,  at  all 
times,  and  in  a  proper  objedt  of  fenfc.  We 
fee  with  our  eyes  that  'tis  bread  and  wine ; 
and  if  they  are  more  eafily  millaken,  we 
feel^  and  handle  it,  we  Jmell^  and  tajl:  it. 
There  is  no  difference  poffible  to  be  ob- 
ferved,  by  any  of  our  fenfes,  with  the 
clofeil  infped:ion,  and  exadefl  fcrutiny,  be- 
fore and  after  the  confecration,  or  between 
that  bread  and  any  other.  So  that  here 
is  not  a  doubtful  and  dilputable  matter,  for 
which  leveral  things  may  be  faid  on  either 
iide  i  but  there  is  a  plain  fenlibley^J?  on 
one  lide,  and  only  a  confident  ajjertion  on 
the  other.  'Tis  indeed  a  down-right  de- 
fiance and  affront  to  all  the  reafon  and 
fenfe  of  mankind,  which  yet  are  the  only 
faculties  by  which  we  can  judge  of  any 
thing. 

\i  it  be  faid,  That  our  fenfes  often  de~ 
ceive  us,  as  in  the  apparent  dimen lions  of 
the  fun,  the  diflance  of  the  flars,  and  when 
a  flrait  flick  appears  crooked  in  the  water  ; 
—  I  anfwer,  That  is  not  becaufe  our  fenfes, 
efpecially  in  concurrence  with  our  reafon, 
are  not  the  proper  judges  of  fcnfible  ob- 
jecfts  J  but  becaufe  they  are  not  rightly  cir- 
cumflanced,    by  reafon  of  undue  dillancc, 

or 


[     22    ]. 

or  an  unapt  medium  through  which  we 
lee  them.  Nor  do  they  properly  deceive 
us  when  a  due  coniideration  is  had  of  all 
the  circum fiances  of  the  cafe.  If  we  cannot 
iudge  by  our  fenfes  of  fenfible  objeds,  in  a 
due  lituation  and  circumftance,  then  wc 
mufl-  be  liable  to  perpetual  deceit  by  our  na- 
ture and  make ;  then  we  cannot  be  fure  of 
any  thing  ;  that  we  ourfelves  exifl,  or  that 
there  are  fuch  words  in  the  Bible,  but  that 
we  dwell  in  the  midft  of  enchantt?ie?jts^ 
and  in  a  mere  ideal  v/orld,  without  any  real 
objects  about  us :  Then  I  cannot  be  fure 
that  'tis  not  midnight  darknefs  in  the  glaring 
light  of  noon-day,  or  that  in  this  numerous 
alfembly  I  don't  ftand  here  alone,  without 
a  fingle  perfon  prefent  with  me.  This  would 
refled:  an  infinite  dillionour  upon  the  God 
of  nature,  the  wife  Creator  of  the  world, 
who  upon  this  fuppofition,  would  have 
made  us  the  moil  awkard  and  untoward 
creatures  in  all  tlie  world. 

Befides  that  this  would  deilroy  the  great 
proofs  of  Chrillianity,  and  all  the  evidence 
of  miracles,  which  are  nothing  elfe  but  vi- 
fible  fa(ils,  and  appeals  to  the  fenfes  of  men ; 
as  when  our  Lord  healed  the  fick,  and 
raiji'd  the  dead.  The  truth  of  his  refurrec- 
tio?iy  upon  which  fo  great  a  weight  is  laid, 
was  capable  of  no  higher  a  proofs  and  tnere- 
fore  our  Lord  appeals  to  the  fenfes  of  the 

difciples^ 


[    23    ] 

difciples,  when  he  appeared  to  them  after 
his  refurrediion;  5  Behold  ?riy  hands  and  ?fiv 
feet  J  that  it  is  I  my  felf\  handle  me  and  Jee-, 
for  afpirit  hath  not  flcjh  and  bones ^  as  you  fee 
me  have:  And  when  he  had  thus  fpoke'n  he 
Jhewed  them  his  hands  and  hit  feet.  He  ap- 
peals to  their  eyes,  and  hands,  their  fight 
and  feeHng.  And  when  Thomas  was  more 
Icrupulous  and  cautious  than  the  reft  of  the 
difciples,  he  offered  him,  with  the  greateft 
condefcenfion,  and  as  the  higheft  evidence, 
^  Reach  hither  thy  finger,  and  behold  7ny  hand-y 
reach  hither  thy  hand  andthrifl  it  into  my  fide  ^ 
and  be  not  faithlefs  but  believing.  But  how 
would  this  have  been  any  ilitisfaftion  to  their 
anxious  and  doubtful  minds,  if  their  fio;ht 
and  feeling  could  have  deceived  them,  or 
had  not  been  a  fufficient  proof. 

The  apoftles  made  no  higher  pretenfioa 
to  convince  the  world  of  the  truth  of  the 
fa(5t,  than  that  they  wxre  7  eye-iLntnefes  of 
his  refurreBion,  and  his  glory  -,  and  could 
fay,  ^  That  ivhich  nve  have  feen  with  our 
eyes  J  which  we  have  looked  upoji^  and  our 
hands  have  handled  of  the  word  of  life — that 
which  we  have  feen  and  heard,  declare  we 
unto  you.  I  conclude  therefore  from  all  diis, 
that  that  muft  be  unreafonable  and  abfurd 
which  is  evidently  contrary  to  the  fober  rea- 

5  Luke  xxiv.   39.  ^  John  xx.  27. 

?  Afts  iii.  15.     2  Pet.  I,  t6.         ^  1  Epift.  John  i.   i,  2. 

fon 


[     24    ] 
fon  and  found  fenfe  of  all  mankind,  and 
would  deftroy   the  ufe  and   advantage   of 
both,  in  every  other  cafe,  as  well  as  in  this. 
But  I  advance  further  flill. 

§.5.  It  is  an  impoffible  fenfe,  and  cannot 
be  true  j  for  it  implies  a  great  deal  of  con - 
tradicftion  in  it.  This  proceeds  upon  this 
principle.  That  whatfoever  implies  an  evi- 
dent contradi(ftion  to  the  nature  and  reafon 
of  things,  in  any  fad;  or  proportion,  can- 
not be  true,  and  is  impoffible  to  be  done. 
No  power  whatfoever  can  do  that  which 
cannot  be  done,  and  which  is  no  object  of 
power.  'Tis  a  dired;  repugnance  to  all  be- 
ing and  all  power ;  for  that  which  builds 
up  one  fide  of  a  contradidion,  does  necef- 
farily,  at  the  fime  time,  deflroy  the  other. 
So  that  'tis  really  doing  nothing,  and  pro- 
ducing no  effedt,  and  there  is  no  need  of 
any  power  to  do  nothing,  much  lefs  of  di- 
vine power.  When  the  apoflle  fays,  That 
God  cannot  deny  hi?njelf  \  and  that  'tis  im- 
pojjible  for  God  to  lie;  the  meaning  is,  That 
the  divine  Being,  who  is  infinitely  wife  and 
true,  as  well  as  Almighty,  cannot  adl  in 
contradiction  to  the  immutable  nature  of 
things,  and  the  infinite  perfedion  of.  his 
own  nature.      9  So  to  make  a  triangle  a 

fquare. 


[  25  ] 

fquare,  or  a  fquare  a  circle  ;  for  that  would 
deilroy  the  nature  of  the  triangle  and  circle, 
and  they  cannot  be  both  at  once,  or  either 
have  the  properties  of  the  other. 

Now  the  do(fl:rine  of  T'ranfuhfiantiatioji 
plainly  implies  a  contradit5lion  in  many  un- 
deniable inflances.  For  example  \  It  fup- 
pofes  the  bread  to  be  turned  into  the  broken 
body  of  Chrifl,  when  he  himfelf  was  pre- 
fent  with  his  diiciples,  and  his  body  was 
not  yet  broken.  For  if  the  pronouncing 
thefe  words  by  a  Prieft  produces  this  won- 
derful effed:,  then  furely  the  pronouncing 
them  by  Chrift  himfelf,  muft  much  more 
do  it,  for  this  was  the  leading  inftance  to 
all  the  reft.  And  then  here  was  his  natural 
body  entire  and  whole  before  their  eyes,  by 
which  he  took  the  bread,  and  fpoke  thefe 
words  J  and  the  bread  turned  into  his  broken 
body  i  and  fo  he  had  two  diftindl  bodies 
at  the  lame  time,  quite  different  from  one 
another,  one  eyitire^  and  the  other  broken. 
This  ixnplies  this  evident  contradiction, That 
his  body  wa5  broken,  and  not  broken  at 
the  fame  time,  his  blood  {]:ied,  and  not  flied. 
If  there  were  any  change  at  that  time,  it 
muft  have  been  into  his  ivhole  body,  and 
not  into  his  broken  body  ;  but  that  the  fame 
body  fhould  be  both  whole  and  broken  at 
the  fame  time,  is  a  dired:  inconfiilency,  and 
abfolutelv  impoflible. 

D  Befuies, 


[     26    J 

Beiides,  it  fuppofes  his  natural  body, which 
is  but  ont\  to  be  at  the  fame  time  7nany  : 
'Tis  one  body  in  heaven,  and  ten  thoufand 
bodies  on  earth,  and  the  fame  body  divided 
and  feparated  from  itfelf,  which  is  a  contra- 
didion  in  numbers.  Yea,  'tis  one  and  the 
lame  body  with  quite  different  qualities ; 
'tis  a  glorified  body  in  Heaven,  and  a  broken 
body  on  earth  j  it  exifts  fpiritually  and 
bodily  at  the  fame  time  3  it  had  a  being  fe- 
venteen  hundred  years  ago,  and  is  made  a- 
frefh  every  day,  /.  e.  it  was  in  being  before 
it  began  to  be,  and  was  in  being,  and  not 
in  being  at  the  fame  time. 

Further,  it  fuppofes  the  fime  iiidividual 
body  to  be  in  innumerable  places  at  the 
fame  time.  'Tis  in  heaven  and  earth,  and 
in  all  the  parts  of  the  earth,  wherever  the 
facrament  is  adminiflrcd,  how  remote  and 
diftant  foever,  at  the  fime  inftant.  This 
is  a  contradidlion  to  the  nature  of  body, 
which  is  naturally  extended  and  impenetrable, 
and  can  occupy  but  o?ie  place  at  once,  and 
is  circumfcribed  by  it  in  proportion  to  its  fi- 
gure and  magnitude.  When  any  body  is 
removed  out  of  one  place  into  another,  it 
neceilarily  ceafes  to  be  in  the  former  place, 
and  one  place  mufl  be  without  it,  while 
the  other  poifelfes  it.  It  being  but  one  thing, 
it  cannot  be  in  both  j  for  then  it  would  be 
two  things,  and  not  one,  which  is  contra- 
ry 


[  27  ] 


s 


ry  to  the  fuppofition.  'Tis  a  contradidion 
to  all  our  notions  of  matter,  and  all  our 
obfervations  and  experience,  for  the  fame 
fyftem  of  matter  to  be  ad:ually  in  more  places 
than  one  at  the  fame  time,  much  more  to 
be  in  ten  thoufand  places  together. 

If  it  be  faid,  'Tis  now  '\fpiritttal  body, 
and  not  grofs  matter -y  I  anfwer,  It  was  not 
2LjpiritualhuX.  a  wo;Y<7/ body,  when  our  Lord 
fpoke  thefe  words :  And  if  it  be  now  a  fpi- 
ritual  body,  then  how  comes  it  to  have  fleih 
and  blood  ;  when  jieJJ?  and  blood  cannot  in- 
herit the  kingdom  of  heaven  ?  However,  if 
it  be  a  tme  and  proper  body,  it  muft  ne- 
ceffarily  partake  of  the  effential  properties  of 
body,  how  much  foever  it  is  fpirituali^ed, 
or  elfe  it  will  be  no  body  at  all.  Not  to 
add,  That  no  finite  being  whatfoever,  whe- 
ther body  J  or  fpirit^  can  be  conceived  to  be 
in  more  places  than  one,  at  the  fame  time, 
tho'  fpiritual  beings  by  their  natural  fine- 
nefc  and  agility,  can  fooner  remove  from , 
o;ie  place  to  another,  as  the  angel  Gabriel^ 
whom  Da?jiel  faw  in  a  vilion  at  the  be- 
ginning of  his  prayer,  '^  Bei?ig  canfed  to  Jiy 
Jwiftly,  touched  him  about  the  time  of  the 
evening  oblation. 

Once  more,  it  fuppofcs  accidents  to  fub- 
lift  without  any  fubjeB^  to  which  they  be- 

*  Dam.  i.v.  z\. 

D  2  long. 


[   28  ] 

long.  They  allow  there  are  the  accidents 
of  bread  remaining  j  there  are  the  figure, 
colour,  fniell  and  tafte  ;  but  the  fubjiance, 
it  ieems,  is  quite  changed,  and  become  the 
body  of  Chrifl.  But  what  are  they  the 
accidents  of?  Not  of  bread,  for  there  is  no 
bread  left.  Not  of  the  body  of  Chrift, 
for  that  is  a  fpiritual  body,  and  cxijis  after 
the  manner  offpirits,  whatever  that  is.  Then 
they  muft  fubfiit  oi thetnfehes^  and  without 
any  fubjed:  to  which  they  belong  :  And 
then  accidents  become  fubjiajjces^  for  'tis  the 
property  of  a  fubftance  to  lub/ift  of  itjelf-, 
and  then  the  fame  individual  thing  will  have 
two  contrary  natures,  it  will  be  accident 
and  fubftance  too.  The  whole  fubje(5l  muft 
be  changed,  accident  and  fubftance  too,  if 
there  be  any  change  at  all,  for  they  necef- 
farily  fubfift  together,  and  no  accident  can 
remain  when  the  fubjed:  of  it  is  gone  j  as 
you  cannot  conceive  cxtejifwn  without  fome- 
^thing  extended,  or  confcioiijhefs  and  thought 
without  a  fpirit.  This  is  indeed  fuppofing 
a  building  without  a  foundation,  and  raiiing 
caftles  in  the  air.  This  once  occafioned  a 
fmart  repartee  from  a  Phyjician  in  France ^ 
of  the  Roman  communion,  who,  when  preft 
by  an  Englijh  Minifter  -  with  this  difficulty, 
plcafantly  faid  in  the  clofe  of  the  debate, 

*  The  late  learned  and  pious  Mr.  Jfili  Lorimgr. 

PS 


[   29  ] 

He  thought  the  Fathers  of  ^rent  ought  to 
have  been  condemned  to  feed  only  on  acci- 
de?2ts  of  bread  all  their  lives,  for  bringing  fo 
great  an  incumbrance  upon  their  faith. 

If  it  be  faid  after  all,  and  as  the  lalt  re- 
fuge, That  it  is  to  be  confidered  in  the  na- 
ture of  a  miracle^  and  as  the  eifed:  of  divine 
power,  and  is  not  to  be  meafured  by  the 
ordinary  courfe  of  nature,  and  maxims  of 
reafon  and  philofophy ;  Why  can't  he  turn 
bread  into  a  body,  as  well  as  water  into 
wine,  and  multiply  2Lfew  loaves  to  feed  a 
great  multitude^  Nothing  is  impoffible  to 
Omnipotence,  and  'tis  great  prefumption  to 
limit  the  Holy  One  ?  3  I  anfwer.  That  this 
is  not  a  miracle,  but  a  contradiBion  :  "A 
"  miracle  is  an  extraordinary  work  of  God, 
"  above  the  ordinary  powers  of  nature,  evi- 
**  dent  to  fenfe,  and  defigned  for  convid:i- 
"  on".  So  were  all  the  miracles  of  Mo/es 
and  Chrift.  But  here  is  nothing  of  the 
nature  of  a  miracle,  for  there  is  no  evidence 
to  fenfe,  or  any  ground  of  conviction  to  tTie 
mind.  'Tis  indeed  a  flat  co?itradi5fion  to 
nature,  which  is  no  objeift  of  power,  and 
impoffible  to  any  pow  er,  moft  of  all  to  the 
divine  Power,  which  is  always  founded  in 
the  higheft  reafon,  and  governed  by  the 
greateft  wifdom. 

2  Profejfion  of  Cfftholick  Faithf  txtrcilitd  out  of  the  Council 
^Trent,  p.  ^8, 

The 


[30] 

The  difference  in  the  cafes  is  very  evi- 
dent, for  when  the  water  was  turned  into 
wine,  it  ceafed  to  be  water,  and  loft  all  the 
properties  of  it ;  it  had  no  longer  the  colour 
and  tafte  of  water,  but  was  fublimated  and 
enriched  into  wine.  The  cafe  fliould  ftand 
thus  to  make  it  parallel,  That  the  water  was 
confidently  faid  to  be  turned  into  wine,  and 
yet  had  all  the  properties  of  water  flill, 
and  none  of  the  properties  of  wine ;  and 
then  I  doubt  it  would  no  more  have  been 
thought  a  miracle,  than  it  would  have  fa- 
tisfied  the  guefts  at  the  feaft.  So  the  loavis 
were  multiplied  by  the  power  of  Chrift,  by 
the  addition  of  more  loaves,  and  this  we 
can  eafily  conceive  poffible  to  divine  Power. 
But  here  bread  is  fuppofed  to  be  turned 
into  a  human  body,  and  into  as  many  bo- 
dies as  there  were  crumbs  in  thofe  loaves, 
and  yet  has  nothing  but  the  appearance  of 
bread  all  the  while,  and  without  any  form 
and  figure,  or  any  property  of  a  body  at  all. 
■  If  none  of  thefe  are  contradid:ions,  it 
will  not  be  eafy  to  fay  what  is  j  and  if  any 
one  contradidiion  can  be  fairly  fartened 
upon  it,  it  cannot  be  true,  and  is  impojjibk 
\Q  be  the  fenfe  of  thefe  words, 
I  add  further, 

§.  6.  They  were  not  fo  underftood  In  the 
fii'Ji  ogcs^  and  by  the  car  Heft  writers  of  the 

Chriftiaii 


[  31  3 

Chriftian  church.  There  is  fcarce  any  thing 
in  which  the  church  of  Rome  puts  in  a 
ftronger  claim,  or  makes  a  louder  boaft, 
than  the  fenfe  of  antiquity ^  and  the  judg- 
ment of  the  antient  Fathers^  tho'  in  points 
peculiar  to  Popery,  and  in  which  they  differ 
from  the  Proteftants,  Icarce  amy  thing  is 
lefs  fair,  or  more  unjuft.  Now  tho'  we 
acknowledge  nothing  as  an  authoritative 
rule  of  faith ^  but  the  holy  fcriptures,  the 
great  charter  of  the  Chriftian  church ;  yet 
it  mufl  be  allowed  that  the  firfl  ages  and 
firft  writers,  efpecially  for  the  firfl  three 
hundred  years,  had  fome  opportunities  and 
advantages  of  knowing  the  {tn^o.  of  fcrip- 
ture,  beyond  what  we  have  at  this  dillance 
of  time,  efpecially  with  relation  to  matters 
o^faB,  and  the  pra^ice  of  the  church ;  and 
we  refufe  not  their  arbitration  in  the  pre- 
fent  cafe. 

Tho'  it  would  not  be  proper  in  a  popular 
auditory,nor  fland  with  the  limits  of  a  finglc 
difcourfe,  to  go  diftin^lly  into  this  argu- 
ment now  J  yet  thus  much  I  may  fafely  ven- 
ture to  undertake,  That  no  chrillian  writer, 
of  whom  we  have  any  records  remaining, 
for  more  than  five  hundred  years,  ever 
fpake  of  Tranfubflantiation,  as  now  under- 
flood  in  the  church  of  Rome^  neither  ?m»2e 
nor  thi?ig.  They  give  no  fuch  fenfe  of 
thefe  words,  but  fpeak  many  things  which 

are 


[32] 

are  contrary,  and  inconfiflent  with  it.  1 
confefs  they  fometimes  fpeak  of  the  facra- 
ment,  in  their  popular  difcourfes,  with 
ftrong  figures  of  rhetorick,  and  high  expref- 
fions  of  reverence  and  afFedlion,  as  they  alfo 
do  of  baptiifm  ;  and  as  devotional  writers 
often  do  in  other  fubjeds,  as  well  as  this, 
efpecially  where  there  has  been  nocontroverfy 
about  them  ;  but  they  neverthelefs  declare 
their  fenfe  of  this  matter  in  a  great  variety 
of  exprefiioiis.  Thus  ^'Jujiin  Martyr^  and 
-  Ire  mens  in  the  fecond  century  ;  3  Tertullian^ 
^  Ongef?y  and  5  Cyprid7i  in  the  third-y  ^  Kiij'e- 
biiis^  7  Bajily  ^  Ch?-y/b/iome,  in  the  fourth, 
fpeak  of  being  noimjhed  with  the  food  of 

'  Apol.  2,  98.  Tifcpl  *J^  iU  aJ.UA  k:,  cy.f)^?  kV  fJ-iTnCoXt/M 
^ifocj  «u^.     Dial,  cum  Trypho.  Tv-ttQ-  riv  to  Afrv  -f 

iuM^  mr^i/r.iia  -miuv. 

*  Adv.  H-Tref.  1.  4.  c.  34.  Sed  Euchariftia  ex  duabus 
rebus  conflans,  terrena  &  ca;lefti. 

5  Adv.  Marcion.  1.  i.  Quo  Ipfum  corpus  reprxfentat. 
L.  4.  c.  4.   Figura  corporis  mei. 

■+  In  Matt.  XV.  -cfei  niTnicK  ]y  <nj(ji.Co\iK^  cmuctrQ-  aun- 

5  Epift.  63.  ad  Cecil.  Sola'  [aqua]  Chrilli  fanguinem 
non  poteit  exprimere.  In  aqua  vidimus  populum  intelligi, 
in  vino  oftendi  fanguinem  Chrilli. 

^  Dem.  Evang.  1.  5.  c.  10.    c/)a  oiujlCqKov  rk  (j^haiQ" 

7  Epif,  289.  - —  c*  Tn    iKKhtWf-    0    h^dji  bhSi^n   r 

*  In  Cor.  i.  Horn.  24.  Ti  30  ohv  ottpj©- ;  azof/^  Xe^f?- 

on't^MTTf  TTzy^a,,  ei»,oi  aiuM.  iy.  Homil.  1 7.  in  Epift.  ad 
ileb. --- (xxMcr  J^  e(,yei(xynsiv  iija^'of^tdix,  !^fUii. 

the 


[  33  ] 

the  Eiicharifl ;  and  fay,  it  con  fills  of  an 
earthly  and  heavenly  part ;  tliat  'tis  the 
image  and  figure  of  his  body,  and  ex- 
prejjes  and  reprejents  it.  9  St.  Aufiin^  who 
lived  in  the  fifth  century,  and  is  in  great 
efleem  in  the  church  of  Rome,  calls  it  a 
fi.gure  and  fign  of  his  body  and  blood  ;  and 
fays,  his  body  is  i?i  heaven,  and  the  iacrament 
is  the  refemblance  and  reprefentation  of  it. 
He  fays  expreflly,  That  it  is  2.  figurative 
Jpeech,  and  mufl  be  fpiritually  tmderflood. 
'  T'heodoret  fays,  He  hojioiired  the  fymboh 
with  the  7iame  of  his  body  and  blood,  not 
changi?ig  Jiatiire,  but  adding  grace  to  na- 
ture 5  and  that  they  remain  in  xh.^\i  fortner 
fubfiancc,  figure  and  appearance ;  and  may 
be  Jecn  and  handled  as  before.     ^  Pope  Gela- 

9  Cont.  Adamant,  c.  12.  Non  enim  Dominus  dubitavit 
dicere.  Hoc  eft  corpus,  cum  daret  Jig'ium  corporis  iui. 
He  lays  down  a  rule  to  dillinguifh  the  literal  ■s^ni.  figurative 
fenfe  oi  fi:ripture,  and  afiigns  the  facramcnt  as  an  inilance 
of  the  latter.  De  doftr.  Curift.  1.  3.  c.  16.  And  de  \'crb. 
Apofl.  Serm.  2.  Si  quod  in  facramento  vifibiliter  fumicur, 
in  ipfa  veritate  fpiritualiter  manducetur,  fpiritualiter  Libatur. 

(pvaei  ri^c<^.^HK.ci>v-  Dial.  I. 

*  De  duab.  naturis  in  ChririO.  Et  tamcn  ncn  eiTcJefmit 
fubftantia  vel  natura  panis  <.^-  vini  ;  Sc  ccrte  imago  5j  iuiii- 
litudo  corporis  &  fanguinis  Chrilli,  in  aiuone  mylleriortir.i 
celebrantur.  So,  Sacramcntum  memoria;.  Aufi.  cont.  Fault. 
1.  20.  c.  21.   Aliquod  pignus  derelinquat.  Hier.  ia  i  Cor.  ii. 

Theod.  Dial.  i.    'Ey'7iJ'7o-'J6  dfra  JiJhrcu  mi  .-rr^/Mt,    Kj  iv 
tC'WH  o/p8  S\Jhjcu  Ti  ciu'xa.    Cyr.  Cateclu  Mvil.  4. 

E  fius, 


[  34  ] 

fius^  who  lived  in  the  fame  century,  fays, 
it  ceajh  not  to  be  the  fubjiance  and  nature 
of  bread  and  wine^  but  is  the  image  and 
refembhince  oj  Chriji's  body  afid  blood.  'Tis 
often  called  by  later  writers,  The  facra- 
ment  of  remembrance^  the  pledge  of  an  ab- 
fent  friend  j  ih.Q.  Jymbols^  and  antitype  of  his 
body. 

Tliere  is  no  antient  liturgy  which  con*, 
tains  any  prayer  to  this  purpofe  at  the 
Euchariji  ;  that  in  the  3  Clementine  Conjiitu- 
tio?is,  and  thofe  afcribed  to  ^  St.  Bafil^  and 
^Ambro/e,  plainly  exprefs  the  contrary. 
The  great  Council  of  Conjlantinople  in  the 
eighth  century,  which  condemned  the  wor- 
ihip  of  images,  declared,  That  it  was  the 
image  of  his  living  body,  which  was  made, 
after  a  precious  a?id  honourable  manner  ^. 
And  this  is  acknowledged  by  fome  of 
their  own  fchoolmen,  of  the  greateft  au- 
thority and  efteem ;  as  Scotus,  Durandus, 
Ockam,  Sec, 

On  the  contrary.  It  was  firfl  flarted  by 
a  Monk  at  the  beginning  of  tlie  /eventh 
century  ;  and  was  afterwards  countenanced 

^  Tl^(;ff:^i.pco^   ctt   r  atom'  'fi-.iov   it)  ts*  rrtriittov  tStt. 
Wc  ofllr  to  tht;c  this  bread  and  tliis  r.v^.    I.  4.  c.  12. 

tH  Xc«c«.   Antitypis  of  his  body  and  blood. 

5  L.  4.  c.  5.    Wiiicli  is  the  ji^ure  of  the  body  and  bleed 
of  Chilli  our  Lord. 

*  Cone,  Conftant.   Ad.  6. 

by 


C  35  ] 

by  the  fecond  council  of  Nice^  which  firll 
introduced  the  worfliip  of  images,  and  with 
a  defign  to  fupport  it,  in  oppofition  to  the 
Council  of  Conjlantinople.  It  was  afterwards 
brought  into  the  Latin  church  at  the  latter 
end  of  the  ninth  century  ;  7  but  was  con- 
tefted  and  oppofed  for  above  three  hundred 
years,  by  many  of  the  moft  learned  and 
pious  men  of  thofe  times  j  and  was  not 
made  an  article  of  faith  till  the  fourth 
Lateran  Council,  under  Pope  Innocent  the 
third,  in  the  twelfth  century  ;  and  that  in 
a  very  imperious  and  unprecedented  man- 
ner, by  the  meer  authority  of  the  Pope, 
without  the  concurrence  and  confent  of  the 
Synod  -^  the  fime  Pope  who  depofed  our 
King  yohn,  and  firft  fet  up  the  Inquifition. 
It  was  not  properly  eflabllilied  till  the 
council  of  T^rent  in  the  fifteenth  century. 
This  is  the  pedigree  of  this  fpurious  off- 
ipring  ;  thefe  the  circumftances  of  it's  con- 
ception  and  birth.     'Tis  fo  far  then  from 

7  Pafchajius  Rathhartus  firft  formed  it  into  fjinpe  and 
brought  it  into  the  Weftern  church,  but  was  vigoroufly  op- 
pofed by  Rabanus  Maut-us  Archbiftiop  of  Mc7itz,  the  molt 
con/iderable  man  of  thofe  times,  who  fays.  It  was  an  error 
tieiv/y  broached,  and  which  he  oppofed  imth  all  his  might. 
Epift.  ad  Heribaldum,  c.  33.  And  there  was  a  famous  con- 
teil  for  a  long  time  by  Berengarius,  which  occafioned  the 
meeting  of  two  fynods,  and  feveral  hearings  before  the 
Pope  ;  and  by  Bartram  and  others,  afterwards.  See  a  learned 
and  ingenious  difcourfe  of  the  late  Mr.  Thomas  Goodivin  of 
Pinner  :  Tranfubjiantiation  a  peculiar  Doiirine  of  the  Chinch 
ofKomt,    168S. 

'  Matt.  Paris  in  ann.  1215. 

E  2  being 


[   36  3 

being  any  dodtrine  of  the  antient  churchy 
that  'tis  a  no'-oel  doctrine,  of  a  late  date  ^9 
brought  into  the  church  in  a  corrupt  and 
ignorant  age,  by  an  ill  man,  to  ferve  a 
bad  purpofe,  and  in  a  very  extraordinary 
manner. 

§.  7.  It  naturally  leads  to  great  immo- 
ralities J  to  idolatry y  cruelty ^  and  profajie- 
nefs.  'Tis  not  a  meer  abftraft  Jpecidation 
which  refls  in  the  mind,  but  it  affedis  the 
praBice.  The  bread  and  wine  being  fup- 
pofed  to  be  changed  into  the  body  and  blood 
of  Chrift,  is  adored  with  the  ^  fupreme  wor- 
fhip  'which  is  giveii  to  the  true  God^  by 
folemn  prayer,  the  lowefl  proftrations,  and 
highefl  marks  of  homage.  Now  whatever 
worfliip  is  due  to  the  body  of  Chrift  to- 
gether with  his  foul  and  Divinity  ,  if  it 
appears  from  what  has  been  faid,  that  there 
is  no  fuch  thing,  or  any  body  of  Chrift  in 
the  facrament  at  all,  but  only  bread  and 
wine,  fet  apart  in  commemoration  of  it  j 
then  it  muft  be  acknowledged,  that  all  this 
hom.age  and  devotion  is  mifplaced,  and  is 
woriliipping  a  meer  creature,  and  without 
any  warrant  and  appointment,  which  is  the 
tiue  notion  of  idolatry.  And  tho'  I  know 
'tis  faid,  That  however  in  that  cafe,  'tis  only 

9  In  fynaxi  Tranfubltantiationem  fero  definivit  Ecdefia. 
Erapn.  in   i  Cor.  vii.  p.  472.    Edit.  Bafil.  1535. 
*  Cone.  Trid.  Scfl".  13.  c,  c. 

Jimpk 


E  37  ] 

fmple  error,  and  not  idolatry,  becaufe  the 
homage  is  defigned  to  be  paid  to  Chrift, 
and  not  to  bread  and  wine  -,  that  then  in- 
deed they  are  mifialzen,  but  not  idolaters ; 
yet  I  think  we  juftly  charge  the  opinion  and 
praBice  with  idolatry,  for  I  meddle  not 
with  the  perj'ons  of  men  j  at  leaft  till  they 
have  fairly  anfwered  our  arguments,  and 
fufficiently  fapported  their  own  5  becaufe  it 
has  the  nature  of  idolatry  in  it,  and  is, 
worfliipping  a  creature  ;  to  be  fure  as  much 
as  worfliipping  by  mill:ake  an  unco77Jecrated 
hofi,  which  fome  of  their  own  writers  al- 
low to  be  fo  ;  and  their  intention  will  not 
alter  the  nature  of  things,  whatfoever  abate- 
ment it  may  be  of  the  crime.  Befides  that 
this  would  juflify  the  Jewifi  and  Heathen 
idolatry,  vv'hich  is  fo  feverely  condemned  in 
the  fcripture  ;  and  is  contrary  to  one  great 
dejjgn  of  Chriftianity,  v/hich  was  to  brinp- 
men  to  the  worfliip  of  the  true  God,  and 
banifli  all  idolatry  out  of  the  world  ;  to 
tur7i  men  from  idols  to  fer've  the  Having  and 
true  God.  I  am  fure  fo  many  things  are  re- 
quired, in  the  qualification  and  intention 
of  the  prieft,  and  the  qualities  of  the  bread, 
to  make  the  conlecrated  hoft  a  proper  ob- 
jed:  of  adoration  ;  that  it  muft  needs,  up- 
on their  own  principles,  be  full  of  hazard 
and  almofl  impofiible  to  be  fecure  from  the 
danger  of  it.  And  that  cannot  be  a  Jafe 
way  of  religion  which  is  liable  to  fo  great 
an  evil  in  their  daily  worfhip.  And 


[  38  ] 

And  certainly  'tis  the  greateft  inflance 
of  inhumanity  to  eat  the  flefh  and  blood  of 
any  human  perfon,  and  much  more  of  the 
Saviour  of  the  world  j  and  efpecially  in  the 
cafe  of  the  Virgin  Mary^  who  if  fhe  ever 
communicated,  which  I  fuppofe  will  not  be 
denied,  did  eat  the  flefli  and  blood  of  her 
own  child  j  as  Saturn  is  fabled  by  the  Hea- 
then poets,  to  have  devoured  his  own  chil- 
dren :  Befides  the  numberlefs  lives  which 
have  been  facrificed  to  this  idol,  and  the 
altars  flained  with  the  blood  of  martyrs. 
The  great  fymbol  of  union  and  love  has 
been  made  an  engine  of  hatred  and  violence, 
of  the  moft  unchriflian  anathema's,  and  in- 
human cruelties,  in  many  parts  of  the  world, 
in  former,  and  later  ages. 

And  'tis  the  higheft  inflance  of  prophafia- 
tion^  to  eat  the  real  body  of  Chrift,  his  very 
jlejh  and  bloody  which  then  muft  partly  turn 
into  the  nourilliment  of  the  body,  and  part- 
ly go  into  the  draught ;  which  is  too  horrid 
to  bear  a  thought,  or  admit  an  aggravation. 
I  only  add, 

§.  8.  'Tis  an  infinite  fcandaly  efpecially 
to  infidels  and  unbelievers,  and  an  efFcd:ual 
prejudice  to  the  propagation  and  entertain- 
ment of  the  gofpel  in  the  world.  'Tis  the 
higheft  offence  to  a  great  part  of  the  Chri- 
Jtian  world,  to  fee  men  worfhip  the  holt, 

and 


[  39  ] 

and  fall  down  to  a  bit  of  bread.  The 
greateft  part  of  the  Greek  ""  church,  the 
Mofcovites,  Armenians^  the  Nejloriaiis^  the 
Maronites^  Efhiopia?is^  and  the  vaft  empire 
of  the  AbyJjineSy  ^c.  and  all  the  Frotefiant 
churches,  which  together  make  a  greater 
body  of  Chriflians  than  thofe  in  the  com- 
munion of  the  church  of  Rome,  have  an 
irreconcilable  prejudice  to  the  dodirine,  and 
can  never  unite  upon  this  foot.  They  ought 
according  to  the  apoflle's  rule,  upon  this 
account,  to  remove  the  offence  out  of  the 
Way :  5  l^hat  no  man  put  a  Jtiimbling-block,  or 
occafion  of  falling  in  his  brother  s  way  :  And, 
*  Give  none  offence,  neither  to  the  few  nor  the 
Gentile,  nor  the  church  of  God. 

But  what  is  more  confiderable,  'tis  an 
infinite  prejudice  to  the  unbelieving  world, 
and  hinders  the  progrefs  of  the  gofpel  where- 
ever  it  comes  to  be  known.  The  fewifi, 
the  Mahometan,  the  Pagan  world,  look 
upon  it  as  monflirous  and  ridiculous,  for 
men  to  make  their  God,  and  eat  him  when 
they  have  done.  It  reflects  an  infinite 
difhonour  upon  the  Chriftian  dod:rine,  and 
expofes  it  to  fcorn  and  contempt,  s     They 

*  Mr.  Claud.  Doft.  Cathol.  de  I'Euchar.  Smith  De 
ftatu  hodierno  Ecclefirc  Grscx.  Ludolph.  Hiflor.  Ethiop. 
1.  3.  c.  5.  n.  45. 

3  Rom.  xiv.  13.  4-   I  Cor.  x.    32. 

5  Ecquam  tarn  amentem  efle  putas,  qui  illud  quo  vef- 
catur,  Deum  credat  efle?     Cicer.  De  natur.  Dcor.  1.  3- 

can 


[  40  ] 

can  never  bring  men  to  believe  Chrijlianit^ 
to  be  tiTie,  but  upon  reafons  which  will 
prove  Tranfubflantiation  to  be  falfe,  and 
there  will  be  jufl:  fo  much  reafon  againft  the 
one  as  there  can  be  for  the  other.  Indeed 
it  deftroys  the  great  evidence  upon  which 
it  ought  to  be  received,  and  which  was  de- 
figned  to  convince  the  v/orld.  And  tho' 
their  zeal  and  induftry  in  propagating  the 
Chriflian  religion  in  heathen  countries,  may 
juftly  deferve  commendation,  and  in  fome 
refpedls  be  an  example  to  others ;  yet  we 
cannot  but  deteft  the  fliamelefs  favings,  and 
deceitful  fliifts  of  their  Mijjioiiaries^  who 
conceal  and  diffemble  the  matter,  and  at- 
tempt to  reconcile  them  by  fcandalous  com- 
pliance, and  falfe  pretences  j  for  the  truth 
of  which  I  appeal  to  the  late  condud:  of  the 
yefuits  in  China, 

If  it  be  faid.  That  this  is  nothing  peculiar 
to  their  dodlrine,  that  it  gives  offence  to  the 
world,  for  fo  did  the  do(5rine  of  the  crcfs  at 
firflj  and  the  preaching  of  Chrijl  crucified y 
by  the  apoftles,  was  ^  T'o  the  yews  ajtum- 
bling-block^  and  to  the  Greeks  foolifmefs :  1 
anfwer;  It  was  fo  through  their  own  fault-, 
from  the  prejudices  of  their  own  minds, 
and  the  falfe  notions  they  had  entertained  ; 
not  from  the  nature  of  the  thing.     There 

6  I  Cor.  i. 

was 


Ui  ] 

was  nothing  abllird  and  unreafonable,  biit 
the  greatefl  wifdom  and  kindnefs,  in  faving 
the  world  by  the  death  of  Chrift,  which 
the  church  of  Rome  acknowledges  as  well 
as  we  :  But  the  cafe  is  otherwife  here ;  the 
matter  is  infinitely  abfurd,  and  fliocking  to 
all  reafonable  nature.  The  offence  arifes 
from  the  natui^e  of  the  thing,  and  is  a  fcan- 
dal,  not  only  to  the  unbelieving  world,  but 
to  far.  the  greater  part  of  the  Chriftian 
world  too. 

I  (hall  deduce  this  corollary  from  what 
has  been  faid.  That  the  adoration  of  the 
hofl ;  t\\Q  Jacrifice  of  the  Mafs  as  a  propitia- 
tion for  the  quick  and  the  dead  ;  and  the 
communion  i?i  one  kijid^  are  utterly  ground- 
lefs,  and  without  foundation  ;  for  as  they 
all  go  upon  the  fuppofition  of  Tranfubftan- 
tiation,  and  entirely  depend  upon  it,  fo  if 
the  foundation  is  removed,  they  muft  ne- 
celfarily  fall  too. 

I  fhall  conclude  with  this  pradlical  re- 
JleSiion  upon  the  whole.  What  juft  matter 
of  ajlonijhment  is  it,  on  the  one  hand,  that 
fo  many  nations  of  men,  many  of  whom 
are  of  exquifite  learning  and  refined  feiife ; 
iXiany,  I  doubt  not,  truly  pious  and  de- 
vout J  fhould  ever  be  brought  to  agree 
in  {o  complicated  a?i  abfurdit)\  without  any 
neceffity,  or  probability,  againft  all  rea- 
fon  and  poflibility,  and  to  fo  great  a  mif- 
chief  and  inconvenience  to  the  Chriftian  in- 
F  tereft. 


[    42    ] 

tereft,  with  fo  little  fhadow.  of  reafon  for 
it,  and  ib  many  fubflantial  and  undeniable 
reafons  againft  it.  How  unfpeakable  are 
the  prejudices  of  education,  the  bias  of 
worldly  interefl,  and  the  awes  of  authority 
and  power !  One  cannot  forbear  thinking  of 
thofe  awful  words  of  the  apoflle  ;  ^  Becaufe 
they  f^eceived  not  the  love  of  the  truth,  that 
they  might  be  favedy  for  this  caife  God  fenf 
them  jlrojig  dchi/ions  to  believe  a  lye.  No 
wonder  that  men  of  freer  minds,  or  greater 
honefty,  in  Popifli  countries,  are  often 
tempted,  when  they  apprehend  fo  great  an 
abllirdity  in  the  Chriftian  doctrine,  to  throw 
off  all  belief  of  the  Chriffian  revelation,  and 
become  fecret  Deijis ;  which  is  faid  to  be 
the  cale  efpecially  in  Italy,  from  whence 
this  dodirine  fprang,  and  where  it  is  tri- 
umphant. 

And  what  reafon  have  we,  on  the  other 
hand,  to  be  thajikful  to  God,  for  the  inva- 
luable bleffing  of  the  Reformatioriy  which 
delivered  us  from  the  tyranny  and  fupcr- 
ftition  of  the  church  of  Rome,  and  reftored 
in  fo  great  a  meafure  the  rights  oi  cori/tience^ 
and  purity  of  the  Chriflian  worfhip.  Wc 
partake  of  the  ordinances  of  the  gofpel, 
according  to  the  inftitution  of  Chriffc,  with- 
out the  grofs  mixtures  of  fuperflition  and 

'  z  Thefl".  ii.    io>  1 1. 

idolatry. 


[  43  ] 

idolatry.  May  it  fpread  and  prevail,  ia 
God's  good  time,  thro'  the  whole  Cliriflian 
\vorld,  and  be  carried  every  where  to  a 
clofer  conformity  to  the  Chriftian  rule ; 
may  we  never  forfeit  fo  great  a  blefTing  by 
our  unworthinefs  and  abufe;  but  ever  enjoy 
it  ourfelves,  and  tranfmit  it  down  to  the 
lateft  pofterity. 


F   2 


AP  P  E  ?7' 


APPENDIX. 


^^1  Shall  add  three  hiftorl^ 
§»  c^^  pafTages  relating  to  this 
*iJ|  fubje^t,  which  I  believe  wiU 
Vx^^M  be  allowed  to  be  very  remark- 


able. 


One  is  the  noble  challenge  of  the  excel- 
lent Bifhop  Jewel  in  a  fermon  at  Paul's- 
Cro/s,  1560.  If  any  learned  man  of  all  our 
adverfarieSj  or  if  any  learned  men  who  are 
alive ^  be  able  to  bring  afiy  one  Juficient  fen-^ 
tencey  out  of  any  one  catholick  doBor  or  fa- 
ther ^  or  out  of  a?iy  old  general  cou?icily  or 
out  of  the  holy  fcriptures  of  God ;  or  any 
one  example  of  the  primitive  churchy  where^ 
by  it  fiiay  be  clearly  and  plainly  proved, 
'That  there    was  any  private  mafs   in  the 

whole   world  at  that   time, or  that    the 

People  were  then  taught  to  believe  that  Chrifl's 
body  is  really,  fubjl  ant  tally,  corporally,  car- 
pally,  or  naturally,  in  the  facrament, — / 
promife  then  that  1  will  give  over,  andfuh- 

fcribe 


APPENDIX. 

fcrlhe  to  htm.     But  I  am  well  afjured  that 

they  Jhall  never  be  able  truly  to  alledge  one 

j'entence  ;  and  becauje  I  know  it^  therefore  I 

j'peak  it,   leji  you    haply  Jhould  be  deceived^ 

Works,  p.  58. 

When  Cardinal  Perron  was  ask'd  by 
fome  of  his  friends,  in  his  lafl  licknefs. 
What  he  thought  of  'Tranfubjiantiation  f 
He  anfwered,  That  it  was  a  Monster, 
And  when  they  asked  him,  How  then  he 
had  writ  fo  copioully  and  learnedly  about 
it  ?  He  replied.  That  he  had  done  the  ut- 
rnofl  which  his  wit  and  parts  had  enabled 
him,  to  colour  over  this  abufe,  and  render 
it  plaufible  ;  but  that  he  had  done  like 
thofe  who  employ  all  their  force  to  defend 
an  ill  caufe.  Drelincourt,  Repon/e  d  letres 
de  Monfeig.  le  Prince  Er?2ejl  aux  cinq  Mini- 
ftres  de  Pari.  Geneve  1664. 

The  lafl  is  a  paflage  of  Archbifhop  JJJher, 
a  prodigy  of  learni?ig  and  humility  j  who 
having  been  fo  happy  as  to  convert  feveral 
Roman  Priefls  from  their  errors,  and  en- 
quiring diligently  of  them.  What  they, 
•who  J'aid  Mafs  every  day,  and  v/ere  not 
obliged  to  confefs  venial Jins^  couid  have  to 
trouble  their  Confeflbrs  with  ?  They  inge- 
nuouily  acknowledged  to  him,  That  the 
phiefeft  part  of  their  coiiflant  ccnfellion, 

WLIS 


APPENDIX. 

wafe  tlieir  Infidelity  as  to  the  point  'O-f 
^rmlubfiantiafion ;  and  for  which  they 
iluVtiially  acquitted  and  abiblve<3  one  another. 
Prcface  to  Archbifhop  Wakes  i)iJcourfe  of 
the  holy  Eucbarifi  in  two  points.,  of  the  real 
T  re  fence  and  Adoration,  1688.  who  bore  a 
noble  part  in  the  Fdpifh  Cmtro'verjy  ill  thiC 
Iltig'A  of  King  James  the  fecoii'd. 


F    I    N    I    S. 


^Sf^^^ii^ 


Jzifi  Publified, 

I.pOPERY    the   Great    Corruption    of   Chrl- 
•^    ftianity.    A  Sermon  preached  at  Salters-HaU, 

?anuary  9,  173^-5.    By  J  o  H  N  Barker.   The 
hird  Edition.     Price  4  d. 

IL  The  Notes  of  the  Church  confidered :  In  a 
Sermon  on  i  Tim.  iii.  14,  15.  preached  at  Salters- 
Hally  Jan.  16,  1 734-5.  ^"j  Sam u EL  Chandler, 
The  Third  Edition. 

III.  The  Supremacy  of  St.  Peter  and  the  Bifliops 
of  Rome  his  SuccefTors:  Confider'd  in  a  Sermon  preach- 
ed at  Salters-Hally  Jaji.  23,  1734-5.  By  Daniel 
Neal,  M.  a.     The  Third  Edition.     Price  4^, 

IV.  The  Church  of  iJo;n<?*s  Claim  of  Authority- 
and  Infallibility  examined.  In  a  Sermon 
preached  2.tSalters-Hally  Jan.  30,  1734-5.  With. 
Additions.  By  George  Smyth,  M..  A.  The  Se-. 
cond  Edition.  Price  bd. 

V.  Scripture  and  Tradition  confidered  :  In  a 
Sermon  on  E  P  h  E  s.  ii.  20.  Preached  at  Salter s^ 
Hall,  February  6,  1734-5.  With  Enlargements.  By 
Samuel  Wright,  D.  D.  The  Second  Edition. 
Price  6d. 

l^aUly  f.uUi/hid^Prke2  d.  oris.  6  d,  perDozen^ 
The  Twentyfifth  Edition  of 

A  Proteftant's  Refolution :  Shewing  his  Reafons 
why  he  will  not  be  a  Papifl^.  Digefted  into  fo  plain 
a  Method  of  Queftion  and  Anfwer,  that  an  ordi- 
nary Capacity  may  be  able  to  defend  the  Proteftant 
Religion  againft  the  moil  cunning  Jefuit  or  Popifli 
Prieft. 


Next  Month  will  be  ready   to  be   delivered 
to  the  Subfcribers, 

npHE  Hifk)ry  oi  England,  during  the  Reigns  of 
"*"  King  JViUlam  and  Qi^ieen  Mary,  Queen  j^nne, 
and  King  Geirrge.  By  Mr.  Oldmixon.  This 
Work  will  confift  of  about  Two  Hundred  Sheets  in 
Folio,  and  contain  more  than  both  Volumes  of  Bifliop 
Burnet's  Hiftory  of  his  own  Times.  The  Matter 
jbas  been  carefully  colledled  from  curious  Manufcripts, 
and  the  mod  rare  Printed  Tradfe.  It  will  contain  a 
very  exa<Sl  Account  of  the  Debates  in  Parliament, 
and  fhort  Extracts  out  of  the  moft  remarkable  Poli- 
tical Pieces  within  this  Compafs  of  Time.  The 
Whole  is  in  Profecution  of  the  Author's  Firft  5^ /;fwr, 
to  fet  the  Dark  and  Pernicious  Defigns  of  the  Ene- 
mies to  our  prefent  happy  Conjiitution  in  a  Fair  an^I 
Full  Light. 

Suhfcriptions  at  a  Guinea  a  Book,  half  down,  are 
taken  in  by  Richard  Ford,  at  the  Jngel,  and 
Richard  Hett,  at  the  Bible  and  Crown,  both 
in  the  Poultry, 


A  Second 

DISCOURSE 

CONCERNING 

Tranfubflantiation : 

In  which  the 

Sixth  Chapter  of  St.  Joh7zs  Gofpel  is 
particularly  confidered. 

Preached  at  the 

Merchants  Ledure  at  Salters-Hall^ 
April  22,   1735. 

By    W,    HARRIS,   D.  D. 


LONDON: 

Printed  for  R.  Ford,  at  the  j^ngcl;  and  R.  Hett, 
at  the  Bible  and  Crown ;    both  in.  the  Poultry. 

M  DCC  XXXV*. 


John   vi.  c^i,, 

Ve7^il}\  verily^  I  fay  u?2to  you^  Ex- 
cept ye  eat  the  jiepj  of  the  fon  of 
7na7i^  and  d?'i?ik  his  blcod^  ye 
have  no  life  i?i  you. 


^^AJH  O'  the  principal  fupport  of 
'^*  *"'  the  dodiiine  of  TraiTJubftan- 
tiation  is  drawn  from  the 
^f^p  words  of  the  inflitution  of 
^^  the  Lord's- fupper,  which  I 
have  already  confidered  3  yet 
becaufe  this  difcourfe  of  our  Lord  in  this 
chapter  is  made  great  ufe  of  to  this  purpofe 
by  the  Popilh  writers,  and  particularly  in- 
fifted  on  in  the  late  Profrffion  of  faiths  and 
is  the  only  place  in  the  New  Teftament  be- 
lides,  which  can  a;ive  any  colour  or  coun- 
tenance  to  it  j  I  have  therefore  thought  it 
might  be  proper  to  conlider  this  matter  at 
this  time,  which  has  been  fo  often  mi- 
ftaken  by  them,  and  perhaps  is  not  always 
A  2  diAindly 


A  Second  Difcoiirfe 

diftlnftly  imderftood  among  our  felves.  It 
will  be  fufficient  to  the  prefent  purpofe,  and 
lead  us  to  take  in  the  whole  chapter, 
fo  far  as  it  relates  to  this  fubjed:,  to  con- 
fider  a  little  particularly  thefe  two  enquiries : 

1.  Whether  this  difcourfe  of  our  Lord  has 
any    dired:  relation  to  the  Lord' s-fupper  f 

2.  If  it  has  any  reference  to  it,  Wherher 
there  is  any  ground  in  it  for  the  dodtrine  of 
Tranjuhftantiation  ? 

I.  Whether  it  has  any  direB  relation  to 
the  Lord's-fupper  :  /.  e.  Whether  this  was 
the  primary  delign  of  it,  and  what  our 
Lord  intended  to  inflrud  the  people  about 
at  this  time  :  If  it  was  not,  there  can  be 
no  pretence  for  this  dodirine  in  this  dif- 
courfe ',  and  that  it  has  no  direB  relation 
to  it  will  I  think  fufficiently  appear,  by  con- 
iidering  all  the  circum fiances  of  the  cafe, 
and  fixing  the  true  fcnfe  of  it,  vix.  the  cc- 
cajion  of  fpeaking  it ;  the  perjb?is  to  whom 
it  was  directed  i  the  time  of  it,  and  the 
proper  meaning  of  it,  as  here  explained  by 
our  Lord  himfelf. 

I.  Let  us  confider  to  this  purpofe  the 
occafwn  of  it.  If  we  confult  the  former  part 
of  the  chapter,  we  fliall  hnd  that  this  was 
the  miracle  of  the  loaves^  and  the  mention 
of  the  7nanna  in  the  wildernefs.  Our  Lord 
having  croifcd  the  fea,  or  the  lake  of  Galilee 

in 


ver.  1 1 , 


cojicerning  Tj^anfuhjlantiation. 

in  that  part  of  it  which  wafhes  the  city  of 
Tiberias,  which  was  built  by  Herod  in  ho- 
nour of  T'iberius  Ccefar  i  and  went  into  the 
defert  for  greater  retirement,  the  multitude 
who  had  it^w  his  miracles  followed  him. 
The  compaffionate  Redeemer,  who  was  con- 
cerned for  the  bodies  as  well  as  the  fouls  of 
men,  was  folicitous  for  their  refrefhment  in 
fo  defolate  a  place,  and  fed  five  thoiifand 
mejij  beftdes  the  uoomen  and  children^  with 
five  ba?dey  loaves,  and  t'woj'mall  fifies :  A 
fmall  proviiion  for  fo  great  a  number  ;  but 
he  knew  what  he  would  do  ,  for  when  they  —  6. 
were  all  filled  they  gathered  the  frag?nents 
together,  and  filled  twelve  baskets  with  the 
fragments  which  remained  over  and  above  to  — 12, 13, 
the?n  who  had  eaten.  Each  of  the  twelve 
difciples  filled  his  basket  with  fragments, 
as  they  had  diftribiited  the  loaves  to  the 
people.  Upon  the  fight  of  this  miracle  the 
multitude  were  fo  flruck  with  amazement 
and  convidiion,  that  they  faid,  T^his  is  of 
a  truth  that  prophet  who  /l?ould  come  into  14. 
the  world,  i.  e.  the  promifed  Mefliah  who 
has  been  fo  long  expedted  :  and  in  the  fud- 
den  tranfport  of  their  zeal,  were  for  taking 
him  by  force  and  making  him  their  kifig.  ^5- 
They  were  for  lifiiing  under  him  as  their 
head  and  chief,  agreeably  to  the  worldly 
notions  and  fpirit  of  the  carnal  "Jews,  ex- 
pedting  probably  under  fuch  a  captain  to 
be  delivered  from   the  power  of  the  Ro- 

7nans. 


6  A  Second  Difcourfe 

mans^  as  the  Ifraelites  were  by  Mofes  from 
the  Egyptians. 

When  they  came  back  to  Capernamn  the 
next  day,  following  Jefus  and  the  difciples 
who  departed  the  evening  before,  our  Lord 
knowing  the  temper  of  their  minds,  and 
the  motives  of  their  adion,  reproved  them 
for  their  worldly-mindednefs  ^  Ye  feek  ?ne 
not  becaiife  ye  Jaw  the  miracle^  and  attended 
to  the  true  defign  of  it,  but  becaiife  ye  did 

ii.  eat  of  the  loaves  and  were  filled  j  and  called 
off  their  minds  from  earthly  things,  and  put 
them  upon  believing  in  him.  He  took  the 
advantage  of  feeding  their  bodies  to  inflrud: 
their  minds.  They  took  offence  at  the  free- 
dom he  ufed  with  them,  and  altered  their 
mind  and  behaviour  towards  him :  So 
changeable  and  inconflant  is  the  mind  of  the 
multitude,  and  fo  ealily,  and  fometimes 
unreafonably,  do  they  run  into  the  greateft 
extremes.  They  now  demanded  a  lign  of 
him  J  What  fign  fiewefi  thou  then,  that  we 
7nay  believe  "^  What  doft  thou  work  f'  This 
was  very  unreafonable,  when  the  multi- 
tude had  followed  him  over  the  fea,  be- 
caule  they  faw  the  7?ii racks  he  had  done  on 
2.  theju  who  were  difeafed  j  and  they  had  i^tn 
the  miracles  of  the  loaves  but  the  day  be- 
fore. Upon  this  occafion,  they  tell  him  of 
the  manna  in  the  wildernefs  ;  Our  fathers 
did  eat   manna    in   the   wildernefs,    as   'tis 

3 1 .      written  jHe  gave  them  bread  from  heaven,  q.  d. 

If 


concernm^  Tr^aiiftihjl aiitlatiojt.  7 

If  thou  wouldft  have  us  believe  on  thee, 
let  us  fee  fuch  a  miracle  as  Mofes  wrought 
in  the  wildernefs,  when  he  fed  a  whole  na- 
tion of  men  for  forty  years,  with  bread 
from  heaven.  This  was  faid  by  way  of 
diminution  and  difparagement  of  the  mira- 
cle he  had  wrought. 

Thefe  two  things  occafioned  our  Lord's 
difcourfe  in  the  following  part  of  the  chap- 
ter, and  led  him  to  fpeak  of  himfelf  in 
this  manner,  under  the  figure  of  the  bread  32,  33. 
of  God,  and  the  bread  fj-om  heave?i :  a  way 
of  fpeaking  familiar  in  our  Lord's  difcour- 
fes,  and  common  among  the  Jews.  So  he 
took  occafion  from  the  water  cf  Jacob'i 
icr//,  to  difcourfe  to  the  woman  of  Sa7na- 
ria,  of  the  waters  of  Vfe.  This  therefore  Chap.  iv. 
was  very  agreeable  to  the  occafion,  and  a 
natural  tranfition  to  fuch  a  defcription  of 
himfelf,  without  any  need  to  fuppofe  the 
ficrament  intended  by  it,  v/hich  is  not 
once  mentioned  throughout  the  whole  chap- 
ter, nor  any  of  the  outv/ard  figns  which 
belong  to  it ;  and  which  the  occafion  did 
not  at  all  lead  him  to.  This  will  further 
appear  if  you  coniider, 

2.  The  perfons  who  were  fpoken  to. 
'Tis  plain  from  the  beginning  of  the  chap- 
ter, that  they  were  the  people  of  Caper- 
naum, who  had  followed  him  into  the  de- 
fert,  and  it^w  his  miracles ;  and  that  they 
XSQXQ  fpoken  in  the  fynagogue,    where  our 

Lord 


8  A  Second  Difcourfe 

Lord  was  ufed  to  take  all  opportunities  of 
inftriiifling  the  people,  and  teaching  his  do- 
59.   d:rine  j  T^hefe  th'mgs  faid  he  in  the  jynagogiie 
as  he  taught  at  Capernaum. 

Now  it  will  be  to  our  prefent  purpofe  to 
conlider   the  temper   and   chara(5ler   under 
which  they  are  here  reprefented.     It  plain- 
ly appears,  that  they  were  worldly -minded 
and  infincere;  for  they  followed  him  not 
26.   for  the  miracle^  but  for  the  ha'ves^  and  on- 
ly to  be  fed  and  entertained  by  him,  with- 
out their  own  labour  and  care.     They  were 
offended  at  him  when  he  calls  them  to  feek 
heavenly  things,  and  to  labour  not  for  the 
z-j.  meat  which  periJJjeth^    but  for  that  which 
endureth  to  everlajiing  life.     And  when  he 
34.   firfl  told  them  of  the  bread  of  God  which 
cometh  down  from  heaven,  and  giveth  life  to 
the  world;  which  they  underftood  of  the 
prefent  life,  and  then  they  faid,  Everj?iore 
give  us  this  bread :    Tho'  Mojes  wrought 
many  other  miracles,  they  only  take   no- 
tice of  the  manna  in  the  wildernefs.  They 
were  wholly  intent  upon  prefent  good,  and 
fenfible  gratification.     They  minded  earthly 
things,    and  fet  their  hearts  and  affeciions 
upon  things  on  the  eai'th,  not  on  things  above, 
Rom.xvi.  and  were  like  thofe  whoy<fr^W  ;z(?/  the  Lord 
^^'  y^J^^^  Chrifl,  but  their  own  bellies. 

And  they  were  prejudiced  and  captious, 
who  inftead  of  being  willing  to  be  in- 
ftruded,  and  attend  to  his  dodlrine,  mif- 

conflrued 


concerniiig  T'ranfubjlantiation.  9 

conftrued  his  words,  and  underftood  him 
in  a  grofs  and  carnal  manner,  contrary  to 
the  occalion  and  true  defign  of  them  :    So 
they  murmured  at  kim^  becanfe  he  J'aid,  I       40. 
am  the  bread  of  life  which  came  down  from 
heave?2.     They    cavilled    at   his   birth  and 
kindred,  and  reproached  him  with  his  mean 
defcent  and  appearance  j  Is  not  this  Jefus        42- 
the  fon  o/' Jofeph,  whoje  father   and  mother 
we  know ;  how  is  it  then  that  he  faith  ^  I  came 
down  from  heaven  j  as  if  they  would  charge 
him  with  a  falfhood.      So  when  our  Lord 
tells  them,  No  tna?i  can  come  unto  me,  ex- 
cept the  Father  who  hath  fent  me  draw  him  -,     44, 65. 
he  don't  defign  to  cxcufe  them,      but   to 
hlame  them.     He  drew  them  with  the  cords  Hofea  xi. 
of  a  man,  by  the  powerful  motives  of  his  4- 
doctrine    and  miracles,    and  the  common 
influences  of  his  grace  j  and  fo  the  Father 
is  drawing  men  to  Chrift  wherever  the  gol- 
pel  comes ;  but  they  drew  back,  and  al- 
ways refifted  the  Holy  Ghofl.     They  wrejied  P^.^  vli. 
his   words   with   great   perverfenefs  ;    T'he'i^' 
jfews  therefore  Jlrove  among  themfehes,  fay- 
ing. How  can  this  man  give  us  his  flefi  to        rz. 
eat  ^  Some  among  the  difciples,  who  feem- 
ed  to  own  and  follow  him,  faid,    T'his  is  a        60. 
hard  faying,  who  can  hear  it  -,    too  hard  to 
be  digefted  j  and  afterwards  went  back  and       66, 
followed  no  more  with  him.  *      They  quit- 

B  ted 

*  c*  T»T»  may  refer  either  to  ^ova  or  to  ^ft/uetT©- 
underftood  i  from  that  tifne,  or  upon  the  occafion  of  that 
dijcourfe :  Our  trandators  follow  tJie  former ;  X  think  the 
latter  more  natural. 


10  A  Second  Difcourfe 

ted  their  appearing  profeffion  and  regard 
to  him  when  they  found  his  dod;rine  was 
not  for  their  turn,  and  was  wholly  cal- 
culated to  promote  their  fpiritual  good, 
not  their  worldly  interefts  and  ends.  Upon 
this  account  he  tells  tliem  j  Ton  alfo  have 
36.  Jeen  me^  or  known  me,  -f-  and  believed  not. 
This  was  the  true  reafon  of  their  offence, 
not  the  want  of  fufficient  means  of  con^ 
vidlion  ;  for  they  faw  his  miracles,  the  evi- 
dences of  his  divine  authority  and  com- 
miffion  J  but  becaufe  they  were  not  rightly 
difpofed  towards  him,  and  did  not  like 
his  doctrine.  And  he  upbraids  them  at  an-r 
other  time.  Thou  Capernaum,  who  art  ex- 
alted up  unto  heaven^  Jloalt  be  brought  down 
to  hell ;  for  if  the  jnighty  works  which  have 
been  done  in  thee  had  been  done  in  Sodom, 
it  would  have  remained  to  this  day :  It  will 
be  ?nore  tolerable  for  the  land  of  Sodom  in 
Matt.  xi.  the  day  of  judgment^  than  for  thee.  They 
23 •  were  incurably  obftinate  in  their  infidelity 
under  all  their  advantages  for  faith,  and 
tho'  it  was  the  place  of  his  ordinary  refi- 
dence,  and  mighty  works. 

Now 

\  ico^XiTi  may  probably  fignify  a  tvanfitnt  and  care- 
lefs  view  of  things  without  due  confideration,  or  clofe  at- 
tention of  mind  to  the  true  reafon  and  defign  of  them  : 
but  in  the  40th,  where  he  fays,  Eve>y  one  rvho  hath  Jlon 
the  So72,  and  believcfh  on  him,  haih  c-~oerlaJ}ivg  life  ;  the 
word  rriw^uv  may  fignify  a  clofe  and  attenti-ve  confidera- 
tion, or  deep  contemplating  and  weighing  the  circumlLinces 
and  rcafons  of  the  cafe,  which  belongs  to  upright  mindf, 
and  is  productive  of  f;uth. 


conceiviing-  T^ra?ifuhfla7ttiatio7t, 

Now  is  it  at  all  likely,  or  fiiitable  to  this 
ftate  of  things,  that  our  Lord  Ihoiild  tell 
fuch  people  as  thefe,  in  fuch  circum fiances, 
and  upon  fuch  an  occafion,  of  the  facra- 
inent  of  the  Lord's-fupper ;  the  facred  in- 
ftitution  peculiar  to  his  followers,  who 
were  fo  difpofed  towards  him,  and  were 
ready  to  forfake  him  ?  Would  it  not  have 
been  quite  difagreeable  to  his  ufual  condudl, 
to  go  off  from  the  immediate  occafion  of 
his  difcourfe,  to  a  thing  fo  foreign  to  it^ 
and  to  perfons  fo  improper,  and  who  were 
never  like  to  have  any  concern  in  it  ?  Add 
to  this, 

3.  The  tijne  of  it,  or  when  our  Lord 
held  this  difcourfe  with  the  Caparnaites, 
'Tis  a  circumilance  of  fome  conlideration, 
and  will  give  further  light  to  the  matter, 
if  we  can  fix  the  time  when  it  was  fpoken. 
It  appears  from  the  beginning  of  the  chap- 
ter, that  it  was  about  the  time  of  the  palf- 
over  :  And  the  paffover,  the  feajl  of  the 
yews  was  nigh  ;  or  near  approaching.  The 
paffover  was  an  annual  commemoration  of 
their  deliverance  out  of  Egypt,  and  the 
greateik.  Jejiivai  in  the  Jewifh  church,  and 
which  occafioned  the  greatefl  refort  from 
all  quarters.  It  was  obfcrvcd  in  the  middle 
of  the  month  Nija?i,  which  anfwers  to  our 
March,  and  fo  accounts  for  the  exprelnon 
in  the  loth  verfe,  that  there  was  much  grafs 
B  2  in 


n 


12  A  Second  Difcourfe 

in  the  place  where  the  five  thouland  were 
made  to  fit  down. 

This  difcourfe  happened  a  httle  before  the 
celebration  of  the  pafiTover ;  and  we  find  by 
the  evangehfts,  that  the  Lord's-fupper  was 
inftituted  at  the  time  of  the  pafiTover,  a  Httlc 
before  his  fufferings.  Now  fuppofing  it  was 
only  the  third  palfover  after  his  baptifm, 
which  is  the  lowefi;  computation,  for  fome 
think  it  was  the  fecond  j  and  there  will 
be  above  a  year's  difi:ance  from  the  time  of 
this  difcourfe  to  the  time  of  the  infliituti- 
on.  So  that  the  Lord's-fupper  was  not  yet 
in  being,  and  was  not  infi:ituted  till  at  leafi: 
a  whole  year  after.  It  can't  be  thought 
realbnable  that  our  Lord  fhould  ipeak  di- 
redlly  in  a  large  difcourfe,  to  a  multitude 
of  people  who  were  now  offended  with 
him,  and  grown  averfe  to  him,  and  of 
whom  many  forfook  him,  as  foon  as  he 
had  finiflied  it,  of  the  prime  ordinance  of 
the  gofpcl  worlliip,  fo  long  before  the  in- 
fHtution  of  it,  and  of  which,  I  think,  we 
find  not  the  leafl  mention  or  allufion  to  it, 
in  any  part  of  the  gofpel  befides. 

And  tho'  he  fpeaks  to  them  of  his  death, 
or  giving  his  fiejh  for  the  life  of  the  'world^ 
which  was  at  as  great  a  diflance  as  the  in- 
flitution  of  the  facrament ;  yet  that  was 
the  prime  defign  of  his  coming  into  the 
world,  and  was  only  occafionally  dropt 
under  covert  exprefiions,  and  not  the  pro- 
felTed  fubjedl  of  it  neither*  'Tis  much 
/  '         more 


concerni72g  Tra^ifubjiantiation.  1 3 

more  reafonable  to  fuppofe  that  his  difcourfe 
(hould  turn  upon  fome  ufeful  fubjed;,  and 
which  more  immediately  concerned  them- 
felves,  and  was  more  fuitable  to  the  temper 
of  the  people,  and  the  prefent  circum- 
ftances  of  things,  than  that  he  fliould  fpeak 
to  them  of  a  thing  irrelative  to  the  fubjed: 
and  occalion  of  it,  which  was  not  now  in 
being,  and  could  not  be  underflood  by  any 
who  heard  it.  But  to  come  nearer  to  the 
matter ; 

4.  Let  us  conlider  the  proper  meaning 
of  this  difcourfe,  as  here  explained  by  our 
Lord  himfelf.  And  becaufe  this  is  the  moft 
dired  and  conliderable  proof,  and  upon 
which  the  merits  of  the  caufe  muft  turn, 
1  fhall  reprefent  it  more  diftindrly. 

Now  I  obferve  in  the  firft  place.  That 
our  Lord  explains  himfelf  by  believing  in 
him,  or  receiving  and  embracing  his  do- 
ctrine :  And  this  he  not  only  dropt  occa- 
iionally,  but  is  carried  quite  thro'  the  chap- 
ter, and  repeated  over  and  over,  to  lead 
them  to  a  right  fenfe  of  his  words,  and 
guard  them  from  mifconftrudtion.  Thus 
he  tells  them,  This  is  the  work  of  God,  that 
ye  BELIEVE  on  him  whom  he  hath  fent,  *  /29,— 35 
ajn  the  bj-ead  of  life -y  he  who  cometh  to 
me  JJjall  never  hunger ^  ajid  he  who  belie- 

VETH 

*  The  allufion  here  is  lofl:  in  our  tranflntion,  which  would 
appear  by  thus  rendering  the  27th,  Work  not  chief y  for  the 
meat  n.vhich  perijheth,  ipyj.^it£n.  28th,  W/jat  fhall  ot-r  db, 
t/jat  "M-'c-  tnight  'ujoik  the  tuorks  of  God,  kfya^u^^»  29th, 
^ii  is  the  'work  ofGod,  787?  ^  70  s/3j^y. 


14  A  Second  Difcourfe 

37-  VETH  hi  7ne  Jl: all  never  thirft.  And,  All 
that  the  Father  hath  given  rne^  Jl)all  come 
to  me-,  and  him  who  cometh  unto  me^  I 
will  in  no  wife  cajl  out  j  v/hich  is  a  ufual 
expreflion  in  the  New  Teflament,  to  lig- 
nify  believing  in  him,  or  becoming  his  dif- 
ciples,  and  taking  him  for  our  teacher  and 

40-  Lord.  So  again,  ^his  is  the  will  of  him 
whofent  me,  that  every  one  who  feet h  the  Son^ 
and  BELiEVETH  in  hitn,  may  have  ever^ 
lafling  life.     And  in  another  expreffion  of 

56.  great  force,  to  the  fame  purpofe :  He  who 
eateth  my  flejh,  and  drinketh  7ny  blood, 
DWELLETH  in  me,  and  I  in  hi?n.  This 
t  Ep.  iv.  is  explained  by  the  fame  apoftle.  He  who 
^^'  dwelleth  in  love  dwelleth  in  God,  and  God  in 
him.  The  fenfe  is,  he  loveth  me,  and  de~ 
lighteth  in  me,  and  is  thereby  intimately 
united  to  me,  and  communicates  from  me^ 
as  the  branches  from  the  vine,  or  the  food 
which  is  digefled  and  incorporated  with 
the  body  ;  and  I  have  a  fpecial  favour  and 
regard  to  him,  and  will  be  prefent  with 
him,  and  manifcft  myfelf  to  him. 

From  all  this  it  appears  plainly,  That 
he  fpeaks  in  thefe  figurative  expreffions, 
taken  from  the  occafion  of  his  difcourfe, 
of  believing  in  him  or  receiving  his  do- 
d:rine  which  he  brought  from  heaven, 
and  which  is  the  proper  food  of  the  foul, 
as  bread  is  of  the  body  j  all  the  precepts  of 
purity  and  humility,ofmeeknefsandpatience, 
of  felf-denial  and  heavenly-mindednefs,  and 
particularly  the  dodrine  of  his  death,  or  giving 

his 


co72cemmg  'Ti^anfuhjlantiatton,  15 

hh  life  for   the   world.     And  though  this 
may  feem  a  harfli  figure  in  our  language, 
yet   it  was  very  agreeable    to  the  Jewifli 
idiom,    and   eafily    underftood  among  the 
fews.     Nothing  was  more  frequent  in  the 
eaflern  languages,  than  to  reprelent  receiv- 
ing a  doctrine,  and  harkening  to  inftruc- 
tion,  by  eating  and  drinking  it,    or  imbi- 
bing and  digefting  it,    as  proper   nourifh- 
ment  and   food.     So  we  read  in   the  Old 
Teftament  :    Wijdom  is   introduced  laying, 
Come    eat    of  my  bread,    and  drink   of  my  prov.  ix. 
ivijie^  which   I  have  mingled ;  i.e.    the  in-5- 
ftrudions  which  I  have  prepared:    Eat  ye    —6. 
that  which  is  good,  and  let  your  foul  delight 
itfelf  in  fatnefs.     And  fo  in  the  Prophet : 
Ho,  every  one  who   thirfleth,    come  to  //?f  Ifa.  Iv.  i, 
waters  of  life  ;  come  buy  and  eat ;  buy  wine 
and  milk,  without  money  and  without  price. 
And    in   the  New  Tellament,    our  Lord 
fpeaks  in  the  fame  figure  :    Blejj'ed  are  theyM2it.t.\-.6. 
who  hunger    a?jd  thirfi    after    righteoufncfs. 
And  he  fays  of  himfelf,  My  meat  is  to  do  John  W. 
the  will  of  him  who  fent  me.     The  apoflle  34- 
fpeaks  of  being  nourifhed  up  in  the  words  o/'iTim.iv. 
faith   a?id  fund  doSlrine.     The   firft  prin-^- 
ciples    of   chriflianity    are  called  milk  for 
babes,  and  thz  f?icere  milk  of  the  word;  andHeb.  v. 
more  improved  knowledge,  meat  for  flrong^"^'  '  + 
men.     The  expreiiion  of  hisfejlj  and  blood, 
in    this  fenfe,    is   no  harder  to  be  under- 
ftood,  than  when  the  apoftle  fays  of  the 

Chriftians, 


1 6  A  Seco7td  Difcourfe 

Eph.v.     Chriftians,  Te  are  members  of  his  body,  of 
3°'  hisfleJJj,  and  of  his  bones.^ 

Befides,  I  obferve  again,  That  this  eating 
and  drinking  flands  connedled  with  eternal 
life.     This  is  very  remarkable  in  the  whole 
difcourfe,  and  repeated  upon  all  occafions  : 
He  keeps  this  ftill  in  view,  and  holds  it  up 
to  them  continually,   as  the  great  benefit 
and  advantage  by   him,   and  the  neceffary 
and  infeparable  confequence  and  effedl  of  it. 
To  this  purpofe  'tis  remarkable.    That  he 
prefers   it  to  the  ?nan?ia  in  the  wildernefs. 
When  the  Jews  faid.  Our  fathers  did  eat 
manna  in  the   wildernefs  \  he  anfwers.  My 
32, 33-   Father  gives  you  the  true  bread  from  heaven^ 
and  which  givetb  life  to  the  world.     And, 
T^his  is  the  bread  which  came  down  from 
49-     heaven^  not  as  your  fathers  did  eat  bread  in 
the  wildcrfiefs^    and  are  dead ;    but  he  who 
eateth  of  this  bread  f  jail  live  for  ever.     And 
58,     again,  I'his  is  the  bread  which  came  down 
frojn  heaven^   that  he  may  eat  thereof  and 
not  die.     'Tis  of  a  noble  original,  of  a  more 
excellent  kind  j    it  ferves  a  higher  purpofe, 
and  is  of  a  greater  extent.     'Tis  bread  from 
heaven,  and  the  bread  of  life,  and  which 
gives  life  to  the  world,  and  of  which  he 
who  eateth  fhall  live  for  ever. 

So 

*  The  Talmudifts  frequently  mention  eating  the  MeJJlah, 
for  partaking  of  his  benefits.  Light/.  Horae  Heb.  in  Joh. 
vi.  53.  And  Pbilo  Judn-us  fays,  J  d  (jidyttv  '6'^  tvuCoKov 
Te«<P"f  -i'-y^y-'^i':-     De  Leg.   Alleg.      And  CIcm.    Alexan. 

Strom.  Lib.  5. 


concerni/ig  T?'a?ifubJlantiation,  17 

So  he  fpeaks  all  along  of  life  as  the  con- 
fcquence  of  it ;    He  who  ccmeth  to  me  Jhall 
fie-ver  hunger^    and  he   who  bcUe'veth  in  me     35. 
Jhall  never  thirji  :  He  fliall  want  no  necef- 
fary  help,   and  (hall   be  fatisfied  with  fuit- 
able  good.     So  the   final  felicity  is  repre- 
fented,  T^hey  fJoall  hunger  no  more ^   neither  Kcv.\\i. 
thirji  any  more.     And,  This  is  the  will  of^^- 
him  who  fent  ;;/f,  that  every  one  who  feeth 
the  Son  ami  believeth  on  him  may  have  ever- 
lajling  lije,  and  I  will  raije  him  up  at  the     ^^' 
lajl  day.     Verily^  verily^  ^ J'-V  '^'■^^^^  y^^^->  ^^     47- 
who  believeth   on  7ne  hath   everlafting  life  : 
hath  a  prefent  right,    and  is  fecure  of  the 
future  poffeffion.    ^s  the  living  Father  Jent 
me  J    and  I  live  by   the  Father^  Jo  he  who 
eateth  me  floall  live  by   me.     And,   he  who   57,58. 
eateth  this  bread  JJmll  live  for  ever.     Here 
is  hfe,   and  everlafting  life  j  and  raifmg  up 
at  the  laft  day,   to  fignify  a  ftate  of  glori- 
ous blelTednefs  and  immortality.     So   our 
Lord  tells  the  woman  of  Samaria,  in  the 
fame  figure  of  fpeech,  Bnt  whojbever  dri?ik- 
eth  of  the   waters  which  I  Jhall  give  hiniy 
Jhall  never  thirji ;  but  the  waters  which  I 
Jhall  give  him,  Jhall  be  in  him  a  well  of 
water  Jpringing  up  into  everlafting  lije,         Jo'in  iv- 

Now  as  all   thefe  various  reprefentations  ^^' 
import   fomething   fpecial  and  peculiar  to 
the  perfons  of  whom  they  are  fpoken,  and 
plainly   fignify  the   great  bleflings  of  the 
gofpel,  and  benefit  by  the  death  of  Ciirifl; 

C  fo 


1 8  ■ '        A  Semid  Difcotirf,^ 

fo  they  all  agree  to  the  true  (tn^Q  of  the  ex- 
preffions  as  here  reprefented  and  explained  ; 
that  is,  as  they  {igmfyjaitb  in  him,  or  an 
hearty  embracing  his  dodirine  with  an  an- 
fwerable  fubjediion  and  dependence  upon 
him.  This  is  the  great  docftrine  of  the 
gofpel,  and  conflant  language  of  it,  par- 
ticularly in  the  writings  of  this  apoftle  : 
M^rkxv'i.  He  ivho  believeth  jlmll  be  favcd.  God  Jo 
'  ■  loved  the  ivorld  that  he  gave  his  only  begot- 

ten   Son,     that  whcjoever  believeth    in  hi??! 
fkould  not  perifi^    but  have  everlajii?ig  life. 
John  iii.   And,  He  who  believeth  o?i  the  Son^  hath  ever- 
J^  6      ^^^fi^'^S.    ^if^'     ^hej'e  thi?igs  are  njoritte?!  that 
you  might  believe  that  yejiis   is  the  Chrift, 
the  Son   of  God,    and  that    believi?ig   you 
Chap.  XX.  jnight  have  life  thro  his  name.     And,  God 
^ '  ■         fent  his  only  begotten  Son  iiito  the  world  that 
I  Ep.  iv.  ^^e  might  live  thro  hi?n. 

But  how    does  this  agree  to  the   facrd- 

jnent  "^    Do  all  who  partake  of  that  obtain 

'everlalling  life  ;    and  is  this  the  neceffary 

confequence  of  it  ?    Will  it  fecure  life  to  all 

who  ever  once  partake  of  it,  whatfoever  they 

.  are  otherwife  ?    Did  Judas  obtain  eternal 

life,  fuppoiing   he  partook  of  the  Lord's- 

fupper,  as  well   as  the  reft  of  the  apoftles, 

;o.   wheji  our  Lord  fays  here.  Have  ?iot  I cho- 

fen  you  twelve^  a?id  one  of  you  is  a  devil  ? 

Does  every    wicked   man  and  unbeliever, 

who  continues  under   the    power   of    fin, 

and   is  condemned  by  the  golpel,    never- 

thelefs 


concerning  'TranfubJla7itiation.  19. 

thelefs  obtain  everlafting  life,  if  he  comes 
to  the  facrament  ?  Can  this  be  thoiio-ht 
poffible  by  any  who  believes  the  dodirine 
of  Chriil,  or  confiders  the  nature  of  the 
future  bieflednefs  ?  No,  the  facrament  may, 
be  eaten  and  drunken  unworthily^  and  to  coti- 
de?nnatioj2y  but  true  faith  is  always  con- 
ned:ed  with  eternal  life.  And  i-s  this  abfo- 
lutely  necejfary  to  this  end,  and  can  none 
be  favcd  without  it  ?  Can  it  be  faid  in  this 
ienfe,  F^xcept  you  eat  the  flefi^  and  drink, 
the  blood  of  the  fon  of  man.,  you  have  no 
life  in  you  ?  Then,  in  the  ftridinefs  of  the 
expreffion,  good  men  who  died  under  the 
Old  Teftament  and  before  Chrifl  fuffered, 
are  periflied,  and  could  not  have  everlafting 
life,  tho' they  all  ^^/  of  the  fame  fpiritual 
77ieat^  and  drank  of  the  fame  fpiritual  drink^  i  Cor.  x, 
i.e.  were  true  believers,  according  to  the  ^' 
difpenfation  they  wxre  under.  And  then 
what  muil  become  of  thofe  who  thro'  dif- 
couragement  and  fear,  or  by  any  necellary 
and  unavoidable  means,  as  by  ficknefs,  or 
diftance,  are  prevented  and  difablcd  all  their 
lives  ?  If  then  the  cafe  ftands-thus,  as  we 
plainly  fee  it  does,  xhii  \.\\q  eati?ig  his  fefi 
and  drinking  his  bloody  which  is  here  fpoken 
of,  is  necelllirily  conncdlcd  with  everlafting 
life,  it  cannot  be  underftood  o'i  facrament al 
eating,   but  only  o^  believing  in  him. 

I  obferve  again  in  the  next  place,  That 

our  Lord  himfelf  reprefents  it  as  2. fpiritual 

C  2  thing, 


20  ^  Second  Difcourfe 

thing,    and    to   be  fpirltually    underftood. 
Beiides  the  frequent  expreffions  which  run 
thro'  the  whole  chapter  to  point  out  the  true 
meaning,  and  guard  againft  miftakes,  when 
our  Lord  perceived  that  fome  of  the  difci- 
pies  appeared  diiTatisfied,  as  well  as  the  'Je'ws 
murmured,  he  fpake  more  dired;ly  to  them 
in  the  clofe,   and  gave  them  the  true  key  of 
the  whole  difcourfe  ;    //  is  the Jpirit  which 
63.       quickeneth^  the  Jlejh  profit eth  nothing  :   'The 
ivords    which    I  (peak  unto   you,    they  are 
fpirit,  and  they  are  life.    q.  d.  The  fpirit  is 
the  principle  of  life  to  the  fiefh,  and  gives 
it  vigour  and  motion  j  and  when  the  fpirit 
is  withdrav/n,   the  fiefh   figniiies  nothing, 
and   cannot  preferve  its  own  life ;    {o  'tis 
the  fpiritual  fenfe  of  my  words  which  has 
only  power  to  give  you  life :    the  carnal 
fenfe  can  be  of  no  ufe  to  this  purpofe,  no, 
tlicugh    you    could  eat  my  natural   flefh. 
The  v/ords  which   I  have  fpoken  to  you 
in    this  difcourfe    are   fpiritual  and  effica- 
cious J  to  be  underftood  in  a  fpiritual  fenfe, 
and  able    to  give  life  to  the  foul,   as  the 
fpirit  does  to  the  flefh  j  and  you  ought  to 
underftand  me  all  along  of  fpiritual  afiions, 
and  what  relates  to  fpiritual  improvement, 
or  the  nouriihment  and  food  of  the  mind. 
'Tis  not  therefore  my  living  flefh,   as  you 
abfurdly  imagine,  but  my   word  and  do- 
drine,    which    will    make  you  fpiritually 
alive,  and  live  for  ever.     So  the  apofllc  fays 

of 


C07jcerning  Tranfubflanttatton,  21 

of  the  Jewifh  meats,  'Tis  a  good  thing 
that  the  heart  be  ejiablified  with  grace^  i.  e. 
the  gofpel,  or  dodrine  of  grace,  oppofed 
to  diverfe  and  Jlrange  do5l vines ^  in  the 
former  part  of  the  verfe  j  and  7iot  with  Heb.  xli 
jneats  which  ha^e  not  profited  them  who  have  9- 
been  occupied  therein. 

So  'tis   plain    the   apoflle  Peter  under- 
ftood  our  Lord,  tho'  the  Jews  murmured 
and  miftook  him  j  for  when  upon  occa-» 
fion  of  fome  of  the  difciples  going   back^ 
and  walking  no  more  with  hitn^  he  faid  to 
the  reft  of  them,    Will  ye  aljo  go  away  ? 
Feter  readily  replies,    Lord^  to  whom  fiall 
we  go,  thou  haji  the  words  of  eternal  life  ? 
which  plainly  refers  to  what  our  Lord  had 
faid  juft  before.  My  words  are  Jpirit,  and 
they  are  life :  Thy  dod:rine  is  the  means  of 
fpiritual  life,  and  the  true  way  to  eternal 
life  i  or  in  the  language  of  the  apoflle,  tlie  -^^^  ^• 
words  of  this  life  j    or  words  whereby  we  \^^  ^^ 
jjiuji  be  faved.  14. 

This  might  be  farther  ilLuftrated  by  the 
parallel  difcourfe  of  our  Lord  to  Niccdemus, 
when  he  ftumbled  at  our  Lord's  expreffion 
of  being  born  again^  as  the  fews  here  mur- 
mured at  his  talking  to  them  of  eating  his 
flcjh^  and  faid.  Can  a  man  be  born  when  he  John  u, 
is  oldf  Can  he  enter  the  fecond  time  into  his  4- 
mother  s  womb  and  be  born  f  as  they  faid 
here,  Ho'iv  can  this  man  give  us  his  fiefi  to    ^j. 
eat  ?    Our  Lord  anfvvers.  Verily^  verily,  I 

fay 


2  2  A  Second  Difcourfe 

fay  unto  yoUy  except  a  man  be  born  of  wa- 
ter ^  and  of  the  fpirity  he  cannot  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  -,  which  is  exa6tly 
parallel  to  the  words  of  the  text.  Except 

you  eat   the  feJJj   of  the  fon  of  man^    and 

,  drink  his  bloody  ye  have  no  life  in  you  :  It 
follows,  that  which  is  born  of  the  fefj  is 

fieJJdy  and  that  which  is  born  of  the  Jpirit 
is  Jpirit  'y  that  is,  'T'is  the  Jpirit  which 
quickenethy  the  flejl:)  profiteth  nothing.  When 
he  ftill  continued  perplexed,  and,  faid.  How 
can  thej'e  things  be  t  Our  Lord  replies, 
^Art  thou  a  jnafter  in  Ifrael,  and  knoweji  not 
thcfe  thiiigs"^  Art  thou  a  learned  man,  and 
one  of  .the;  great  councilj.  and  underftandefl- 
hot  what  is-  fo  frequent  in  tlie  Jewifli  lan- 
guage, ■  and  the  writings  of  the  rabbi's  ? 
Art  thou  unacquainted  with  the  practice  o-f 
the  Jewilli  church,  who,  when  they  bap- 
tize a  profeiyte,  call  him  a  new  man,  and 
fay,  he  is  born  again  F  -f- 

I  (hall  only  further  obferve,  That  this 
difcourfe  of  our  Lord  was  underllood  in 
this  fenfe  by  the  antientSy  who  have  any 
occafion  to  mention  it,  as  far  as  I  have  ob- 
ierved,  in  the  firll  three  centuries.  C/t^ 
jnens  yilexandrinus  *  fays  diredlly,  "  WheA 
■^,       "  our  Lord  fays,   Eat  my  flejh  and  drink 

'"  *\  my  bloody  he  allegorically  means  the  drink" 
;"  of  faith,  and  of  the  promifes  3  and  that 

" •"''     '"  i  Vid".  Lightf.  Horx  Ilcb.  in  Joh.  iv. 

i^'^cuuA  mQ-  ctW.n;i'pt7i).     Clem.  Alex.  P.xdag.  c.  6, 


concerning  7?^anftibJlantiation.  23 

^^  our  Lord  is  by  way  of  allegory,  to  them 
''  who  believe,  meat,  and  flelh,  and  nou- 
'^  rifhment,  and  food."  T'ertulliaji  -f-  fays, 
"  Our  Lord  urges  his  intent  by  allegory, 
'^  and  calls  his  word  fiej}\  to  be  devoured 
*'  by  the  ear,  ruminated  upon  by  the  mind, 
*'  and  digefted  by  faith."  Origen  j  fays, 
"  We  are  faid  to  drink  of  his  blood,  when 
*'  we  receive  his  word,  in  which  life  con- 
"  lifts ;  and  that  he  feeds  mankind  with 
"  the  flefli  and  blood  of  his  word,  as  with 
"  pure  meat  and  drink."  Eufebius  ||  fays 
exprefsly,  "  His  word  and  dodlrine  are 
"  fiefh  and  blood."  And  Jerom  4-  ^^ys, 
*'  Li  the  true  fenfe,  the  body  and  blood 
"  of  Chrift,  is  the  word  and  dodrine  of 
*'  the  fcripture." 

And  now,  I  think  It  feems  plain  upon 
the  whole,  That  this  difcourfe  of  our  Lord 
relates  to  his  docftruie  and  inftrud;ion,  and 
muft  be  underftood  in  a  fpiritual  and  figu- 
rative fenfe  j  and  that  the  Lord's-fupper  is 
not  at  all  diredly  fpoken  of  or  intended, 
but  quite  another  thing,  as  the  proper  fub- 
jed:  of  it.  Having  fpoken  fo  largely  of 
■1  the 


•f-  Auditu  devorandos,  ruminandus  intelleftu,  &  fide  di- 
gerendus.     De  Refur.  carnis,  cap.   36,   37. 

J  Orig.  Homil.  16,  17. 

11  <yf5  au-rn  it)  Tw  cv/Mt-^  )y  T^  Kcyni  lum  "^  cm^ffo.  K) 
ii  (U(M.     De  Ecclefiaft.  Theol.  1.  3.  c.  12. 

4-  Licet  &  de  mylterio  poffit  intelligi,  tamen  vcrius  cor- 
pus Chrifti,  Sf.  fanguis  ejus,  fermo  fcripturarom  eft;  lii 
•Pfal.    147. 


24  -^  Second  Difcotirfe 

the  firft  enquiry,  I  fhall  need  to  be  briefer 
on  the  fecond. 

II.  Whether  if  this  difcourfe  at  all  re- 
fer to  the  facrament,  there  is  any  ground  in 
it  for  the  doctrine  of  'TranfubJia?jtiation  ? 
And  here  I  fhall  not  propofe  to  argue  from 
the  nature  of  the  thing,  but  only  from  our 
Lord's  difcourfe  in  this  place  j  and  that 
there  is  no  fufficient  ground  for  it,  even  up- 
on that  fuppofition,  will  appear  from  the 
following  conliderations. 

I.  If  the  Lord's- fupper  is  not  the  diredi 
ilibjedt  of  the  difcourfe,  but  quite  another 
thing,  as  we  have  fliewed  before  ;  then  no- 
thing can  be  i7if erred  from  it,  or  built  up- 
on it,  which  relates  to  it.  If  our  Lord  is 
not  profefledly  fpeaking  of  the  facrament, 
but  of  believing  in  him,  and  embracing 
his  dodtrine,  then  it  cannot  be  inferred  from 
hence,  that  we  eat  his  fleJJ.\  and  drink  his 
bloody  in  a  literal  fenfe,  in  the  Lord's-fup- 
per  ;  for  that  would  be  an  inference  with- 
out any  foundation,  and  would  be  inferring 
one  thing  of  a  quite  different  nature  from 
another  ;  as  if  1  fhould  fay,  'tis  mid-day 
becaufe  'tis  high  tide,  or  dark  night  be- 
caule  'tis  low  ebb,  where  there  is  no  neccf- 
fary  connexion.  We  might  at  this  rate 
infer  any  thing  from  any  thing,  and  argue 
without  any  principles  to  proceed  upon, 
and  draw  conclufions  without  premifes. 

If 


concer?mtg  Traj-ifuhjlaiitiatio/i.  25 

If  the  true  fenfe  of  thefe  words  has  been 
rightly  reprefented,  there  can  be  no  pre- 
tence for  the  dodrine  of  T^ranjiihjlantiatio'n 
in  them,  and  nothing  but  the  meer  found 
of  the  words  in  two  or  three  verfes,  with- 
out any  regard  to  the  true  fenfe  of  them, 
or  any  relation  to  the  context,  and  the  evi- 
dent occafion  and  defign  of  the  whole  dif- 
courfe.  If  the  Lord's-fuppcr  is  not  the 
dired;  fuhied;  cf  it,  however  it  may  be  al- 
luded to,  but  fpiritual  eating  and  drinking 
by  faith ;  a  meer  allufion  can  be  no  fuffi- 
cient  ground  to  raife  any  doctrine  whatfo- 
ever,  much  lefs  to  jcftify  any  abfurd  and 
unreafonable  opinion  about  it.  It  would  be 
foreign  to  the  matter,  if  the  dodlrine  were 
never  fo  true,  and  could  not,  at  leafl,  be 
inferred  or  proved  from  hence.  This  rank 
weed  does  not  grow  in  this  good  foil :  'Tis 
no  plant  of  our  beavcfily  Fathom's  planting. 
And  this  alone,  if  there  was  no  other  confi- 
deration,  would  be  fufficient  to  flrike  cfFthis 
pretence,  and  difcharge  this  fcripture  fi-oni 
this  fervice.     But  this  is  not  all  y  for, 

2.  If  there  wxre  any  reference  to  the 
Lord's-fupper  in  this  difcourfe,  it  would 
evidently  conclude  the  ivrong  way,  and  be 
fo  far  from  eflablifhing  Tranfubflantiation, 
that  it  would  quite  overthrow  it.  "  Tran- 
fubftantiation  is  a  wonderful  converfion 
of  the  whole  fubftance  of  bread  and 
wine  in  the  Lord's-fupper,  into  the 
whole  body  and  blood  of  Chrift,  fo 
that  there  is  no  fubftance  of  bread  and 
D  *'  wine 


26  A  Second  Difcourfe 

"  wine  remaining,  but  only  the  accidents 
"  and  appearances  of  them."  Now  it  falls 
out  very  unhappily  here,  that  the  whole 
turn  of  our  Lord's  difcourfe  is  quite  oppo- 
fite  to  this ;  for  he  fpeaks  of  himfelf  as  be- 
come breads  and  under  the  notion  of  bread-, 
not  of  bread  becoming  himfelf.  He  does 
not  fay,  The  bread  which  you  are  to  eat 
will  become  my  body,  and  the  wine,  my 
blood  J  but  he  fays  on  the  contrary,  lam 
35 •  the  bread  of  Hfe:  I  am  the  living  bread 
^''  which  came  down  Jrofn  heaven  y  and  the 
bread  of  God  which  came  down  from  heaven. 
He  is  the  living  breads  as  well  as  the  bread 
of  life,  who  is  himfelf  living,  as  well  as 
gives  life  to  others,  which  cannot  be  faid 
55.  of  any  other  bread.  So  my  fefi  is  meat 
*<tA>j9wf.  indeed,^  my  blood  drink  indeed;  as  he  is  the 
true  light  and  the  true  vine,  to  fignify  not 
fo  much  the  propriety  as  the  excellency  oi 
it  ;  that  'tis  perfed:  in  its  kind,  and  prefer- 
able to  all  others.  This  reprefcntation  of 
himfelf  runs  thro'  the  whole  chapter.  He 
came  from  heaven  to  be  the  living  bread, 
on  which  we  are  to  feed  and  be  nouriflied  5 
not  the  bread  to  become  Chrift,  or  his 
real  flefli  and  blood.  This  plaiiily  contra- 
didts  and  overturns  the  docftrine  of  Tran- 
fubftantiation,  inftead  of  fupporting,  or  gi- 
ving any  countenance  to  it. 

And  when  he  fpeaks  of  eating  his  fefi, 
and  drinking  his  blood,  it  plainly  relates  to 
his  death,  and  not  to  the  facramciit ;  and 

means 


concerning-  T^ranftihjlantiation.  27 

means  the  fame  thing  which  he  had  before 
called  bread.  This  appears  in  another  verfe 
where  he  joins  them  both  together,  and 
makes  them  equivalent  exprelfions ;  The 
BREAD  which  I  gi'-je  is  my  flesh,  which  5'- 
I  give  for  the  life  ofthc  world.  W\sjicjh 
miift  be  underftood  in  the  fime  (^\\k^  in 
which  he  is  faid  to  be  bread  y  for  they  are 
parallel  expreffions  in  this  difcourfe,  and 
both  given  for  the  fame  end.  In  the  fame 
fenfe  therefore  in  v/hich  he  is  bread y  in  the 
fame  fenfe  we  are  to  eat  Iiim  ^  and  as  the 
one  can  only  be  underftood  in  a  fpiritual 
fenfe,  for  Chrift  cannot  be  litterally  bread, 
fo  muft  the  other,  by  neceflary  confe- 
quence,  be  underftood  too. 

And  at  this  rate  what  muft  become  of 
the  doctrine  of  communion  in  one  kindy 
when  our  Lord  here  exprefsly  requires  the 
eating  his  fefi  and  the  drinking  his  bloody 
as  necelfary  to  everlafting  life :  'Tis  his 
blood  fhed  and  poured  forth,  and  not  as 
contained  in  his  body  j  the  blood  of  his 
flain  and  crucified  body,  not  of  his  living 
and  glorified  one  ;  and  we  are  to  drinky  and 
not  to  eat  his  blood  :  and  fo  our  Lord 
himfelf  inftituted  it  afterwards,  when  he 
faid,  Drink  ye  all  of  it.  And  tho'  in  a  fi-  ^^^^x. 
giiratiije  fenfe  they  may  both  fitly  fignify  xxvj.  27. 
the  fame  thing,  that  is,  believing  in  him ; 
yet  in  a  proper  fenfe,  as  they  underftand 
it,  it  cannot  fignify  the  fame  thing,  but 
two  diftind  things.  So  that  eati?ig  his  flejhy 
D  2  and 


2  8  A  Second  Difco'U7^fe 

and  drinking  his  bloody  cannot  be  underllood 
in  the  fenle  of  'Tranjubfiantiation^  or  eating 
his  natural  fleih  in  the  facrament,  but  only 
of  fpiritual  feeding  on  his  dod:rine,  or  be- 
lieving on  him. 

3.  Then  the  Capamaites  were  in  the 
right,  and  did  not  jnifunderftand  his  do- 
diiine.  They  plainly  underftcod  him  in  a 
fenfe  fomewluTt  like  that  of  T^y-anfubfian- 
tiation,  tho'  not  altogether  fo  abfurd  ;  and 
this  was  the  ground  of  their  offence,  and 
of  their  leaving   him    at   lafl :    'The  Jews 

41-  7nur mured  at  him  becaufe  he  faid,  I  am  the 
bread  which  came  down  from  heaven.      And 

52.   how  can  this  ?nan  give  us  his  fieflo  to  eat  .^ 

^°-  And  fome  of  his  difciples  faid,  This  is  a 
hard  faying^  who  can  hear  it?  This  occa- 
fioned  their  murmuring  and  offence.  They 
plainly  underftood  him  in  a  grofs  and  car- 
nal fenfe,  as  if  he  meant  to  give  them  his 
natural  fiefli  and  blood  to  eat  and  drink, 
as  the  church  of  Rome  underftands  it  now. 
Now  then  I  afk,  Whether  they  under- 
flocd  him  right  or  wrong,  and  took  his 
true  meaning  and  defign  or  not  ?  If  they 
underftood  him  right,  then  why  are  they 
blamed  5  why  does  our  Lord  reprove  them 
for  their  murmuring,  and  charge  them  with 
^.  unbelief,  and  upbraid  them  for  being  of- 
fended ?    Why  docs  he  fay,    Te  alfo  have 

c>f.  jeen  me  and  believed  not  ?  And  again.  There 
61.   are  Jome  of  you  who  believe  not.     Does  this 
alfo  offend  you  ?    Why  is  this  made  an  ar- 
gument 


concerning  'Tranfuhftajitiation,  29 

gument  of  unreafonable  prejudice  and  of- 
fence, and  reckoned  an  error  and  fault  in 
them  ?  It  was  certainly  a  grofs  iniftake  of 
his  meaning,  and  a  great  flupidity  in  them, 
to  underfland  him  in  fo unreafonable  a  fenfe, 
when  he  had  dropt  fo  many  hints  to  fecure 
his  meaning,  and  fuch  ways  of  exprellion 
were  fo  ufaal  and  well  known  among  the 
Jews.  Will  any  man  of  fobriety  and  un- 
derftanding  pretend  to  juflify  the  Caper- 
naites^  and  maintain  that  they  underftood 
aim  in  the  fenfe  he  deiigned  ?  I  am  fure 
fhat  feveral  of  the  greatefl:  interpreters  in 
the  church  of  Home  underfcand  it  other- 
wife,  as  cardinal  Cajetan^  yanfonius^  and 
others ;  and  the  coimcil  of  Tf^ent  itfelf,  after 
long  debates  about  it,  thought  fit  to  com- 
promife  the  matter,  and  leave  it  undeter- 
mined, "f- 

If,  on  the  contrary,  they  under  flood  him 
niTong^  then  Tranfubjiantiation  cannot  be 
right,  and  that  fenfe  of  the  words  muft  ne- 
ceffarily  be  falfe^  for  that  cannot  be  right  in 
the  one^  which  was  wrong  in  the  other.  If 
the  Jews  miftook  his  meaning,  the  Papijis 
cannot  take  it  right.  They  plainly  run  into 
the  flime  error  which  he  blamed  here  in  the 
carnal  Jews.  If  this  was  the  thing  intended 
in  thefe  expreffions,  then  they  underftood 
him,  in  the  main,  right  j  and  did  not  mi- 
flake  his  meaning  ^  and  there  was  no  ground 

of 

f  Utcunque  juxta  varias  Patrum  &  Dofiorum  interprcta- 
tiones  intelligatur.     Cone.  Trid.  Sefs.  zi.  c.  i. 


30  A  Second  Difcourfe 

of  oftence,  and  forfaking  him ;  or  if  there 
was,  it  was  not  owing  to  their  prejudices  and 
mifunderflanding,  but  to  the  nature  of  his 
dodlrine  ;  and  that  indeed  would  always 
be  a  ground  of  offence  to  upright  and  difinte- 
refled  men  to  the  end  of  the  world. 

4.  I  argue  from  our  Lord's  afcenfion  to 
61,  62.  heaven.  This  is  referred  to  here:  When'Jefus 
knew  in  bimjelf  that  his  difciples  murmured 
at  it^  he  f aid  unto  them^  Doth  this  offend  you  ^ 
What  and  if  you  p^  all  fee  the  Jon  of  man  af- 
cending  up  where  he  was  before'^  Some  un- 
derftand  thefe  words  to  refer  to  their  obje- 
d:ion  againfl  his />(2r^;z/^^^,  and  his  calling 
himfelf  the  bread  of  life  which  came  down 
from  heaven,  which  is  mentioned  in  ver.  58, 
You  cannot  wonder  that  I  faid  I  came  down 
from  heaven,  when  you  fhall  fee  me  afcend 
to  heaven,  and  go  up  in  a  viiible  glory  with 
the  attendance  of  angels,  from  whence  \ 
came.  This  he  often  calls  going  to  the  fa- 
ther. He  had  fpoken  of  this  before  j  No 
Chap.  iii.  Ma?i  hath  afcended  up  into  heaven ,  but  he 
'3-  who  came  down  from  heaven^  even  the  fon  of 
man  who  is  in  heaven.  The  fame  perfon 
was  to  afcend  to  heaven,  who  came  down 
from  heaven,  and  as  a  proof  and  evidence 
that  he  did  fo.  And  when  he  afcended  to 
heaven,  he  fat  on  the  right  hand  of  God : 
He  rcfides  and  dwells  there,  invefted  with 
the  highcfl  dignity,  and  fovereign  authority, 
and  therefore  cannot  be  bodily  prefent  b.ere 
on  earth. 

But 


concerning  7ra?tfubJlantiation.  31 

But  the  reference  feems  more  likely  to 
ver.  56.  where  he  fpeaks  of  ^^/'zVzg-  hisjiejh^ 
and  eating  hinij  and  living  by  him^  and 
living  for  ever  -,  and  their  objediion  to  him 
upon  that  account,  How  can  this  man  give 
us  his  jlejid  to  eat  f  and,  This  is  a  hard  fay- 
ing^ who  can  hear  it  ?  Which  is  the  imme- 
diate connexion  of  the  words,  and  relates 
to  the  difciples  who  were  to  fee  him  afcend : 
In  relation  to  this,  he  fays.  What  a?id  if  you 
JJjall  fee  the  fon  of  man  afcend  up  where  he 
was  before  f  q.  d.  You  cannot  think  of  eat- 
ing my  flefli  on  earth,  when  you  fhall  fee 
me  afcend  to  heaven.  This  will  be  a  fen- 
Jible  demonftration  to  the  contrary,  and 
make  the  thought  of  it  utterly  unreafonr 
able  and  abfurd.  It  will  appear  impoffible 
to  eat  my  natural  flefh,  when  you  fliall  fee 
me  afcend,  tho'  you  mull  always  do  it  in 
the  fenfe  I  intend.  So  one  of  anticnts  * 
fays,  "  He  tells  them  of  his  afcenfion  to 
"  draw  off  their  minds  from  the  grofs  con- 
"  ceptions  of  corporal  eating  his  fiefh." 

This  is  plainly  the  force  of  our  Lord's  rea- 
foning  in  this  place;  and  tho'  feme  men 
have  found  a  way  to  bring  down  Chrift  from 
heaven  to  be  lacrificed  to  God  afrefh,  and 
continually  devoured  by  men,  yet  this  will 
reduce  the  matter  to  this  plain  oppofition, 
that  either  Tranfubfantiation  muft  deftroy 
this  reafoning  of  our  Lord,  or  this  reafoning 

will 

illud  Evang.  ^icunqne  di.serit. 


3  2  A  Seco72d  Difcourfe 

will  deftroy  T^ranfubftantiatioii :  x'^nd  which 
of  thefe  is  the  more  reafonable,  judge  ye 
ivithin  yourjehes. 

I  iliall  only  further  obferve  here,That  tho* 
two  or  three  of  the  antient  writers  chiefly  af- 
ter the  third  century,  feemed  to  think,  that 
this  difcourfe  might  relate  to  the  Lord's- 
fupper,  or  at  leafl  be  an  aliufion  to  it,  and 
be  fitly  accommodated  to  it,  as  fome  devo- 
tional writers  among  the  moderns  alfo  do; 
yet  none  of  them  ever  underftood  it  in  the 
fenfe  o^  Tra?:fubftantiatio?ij  or  for  literal  eat- 
ing his  natural  flefh,  and  drinking  his  blood, 
but  only  of  eating  and  drinking  him  fpiritual- 
ly,  and  by  faith,  with  refped  to  his  dcd:rine 
and  death ;  which  tho'  'tis  peculiarly  proper 
in  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's-fupper,  yet  was 
their  prefent  duty  at  that  time,  and  is  a  necef- 
fary  duty  at  all  times,  as  well  without  the  ufe 
of  the  facrament,  as  with  it.  1  Ihall  only 
give  you  the  teftimony  of  St.  Auftin  *  to 
this  purpofe,  tho'  in  his  later  writnigs,  he 
was  of  the  fame  opinion  with  the  more 
antient  Fathers,  as  appears  in  his  book  Ds 
civitate  Dei.  He  lays  down  this  excellent 
rule  of  interpreting  fcripture  -,   "  \^  the  fay- 

"  ing 

*  Si  praceptiva  eft  locutio,  aut  flagitium  aut  facinus  ve- 
tans,  aut  benchcentiam  jubens,  non  ell  figura:a.  Si  autem 
flagitium  aut  facinus  videtiir  juberi,  aut  utilitatem  autbene- 
f.centiam  vetari,  ftgurata  eft.  IS'ifi  manducwveritis,  inquit, 
(arnetn Jilii  hominis,  i^  favguinem  biberiUs,  niitam  in  'vcbis 
non  habebltis.  Facinus  vel  flagitium  vidctur  juberi  J:gurr.  ergo 
eft,  prscipiens  paffioni  Domini  efte  communicanduni,  & 
fuaviter  atque  utiliter  in  memoria  recondenuum,  cuou  ;aro 
ejus  pro  nobis  cruciiixa  &  vulnerata  fit.  Dt  Docir.  Chrijii, 
Lib.  X.  c.  1 6. 


concerning  7ra?7ful?J}antiatio?t.  33 

"  ing  is  preceptive,  either  forbidding  a  wic- 
<*  ked  adtion,  or  commanding  to  do  that 
"  which  is  good,  it  is  no  Jigiirathe  fliying  ; 
"  but  if  it  feem  to  command  any  wicked 
**  thing,  or  forbid  what  is  profitable  and 
"  good,  it  isjigwative.  This  faying,  Ex- 
«'  cept  ye  eat  the  jlejJo  of  the  Jon  of  man,  and 
**  drink  his  bloody  ye  have  no  life  in  yon, 
"  feems  to  command  a  wicked  and  flagi- 
"  tious  thing  ;  it  is  therefore  a  figure^  en- 
"  joining  us  to  communicate  in  the  paffion 
"  of  our  Lord,  and  lay  it  up  in  dear  re- 
*'  membrance  that  his  flefli  was  crucified 
"  and  wounded  for  us." 

I  might  add,  that  when  the  heathens,  by 
mifinformation,  objedied  to  the  Chriftians 
their  eating  of  man's  flefli,  they  reje(fted  it 
with  deteflation,  and  retort  it  upon  their  ad- 
verfaries  with  great  aggravation  j  which  they 
could  not  have  done  with  any  reafon  and 
truth,  or  any  modefiiy  and  fliame,  if  this 
dodirine  had  been  true,  and  they  had  fo 
underflood  the  matter.  * 

E  If 

*  'Av^puTHuv  aa^Kav^z^f  «  "/vuffMur..  We  Chriftians 
don't  own  the  eating  of  human  flefh.     y^iji-  Mart.  Apol.  z. 

n^tp  Ju/;' ««  €f7i'  etV3-eft>7re?rt><st.  Tatian  cont.  Gnecos. 

Minutiui  Felix  reprefents  it  as  a  calumny  of  the  devil.  Si 
ratio,  non  inftigatio  dxmonis  judicaret — His  enim  &  hujus- 
modi  fabulis  iidem  daemones  ad  execrationis  horrorem,  im- 
peritorum  aures  adverfus  noe  referferunt — Sic  ell:  negotium 
dsmonum  ;  ab  ipfis  enim  rumor  falfus  Sc  feritur  &  fovetur. 
Mi  nut  a  0£l. 

Tertullian  fays.  They  might  be  afhamed  to  objeft  it  to  the 
Chriftians.  Haec  qui  editis  quantum  abeilis  a  cooviviis 
Chriftianorum. — Erubefcat  error  vefter  Chrillianis,  qui  ne 
animalium  quidem  fanguinem  in  epulis  efculentis  habemus. 
4^0 1,  c.  9. 


34  -^  SecQiid  Dlfcourfe 

If  any  after  all  iliould  think  it  ftrange 
that  our  Lord  fhould  repeat  and  conttJiiie 
this  figurative  way  of  fpeaking  throughout 
the  chapter,  andafter  fo  great  a  miftake  of 
his  meaning,  and  offence  to  the  "Jcjos  and 
to  fome  of  the  difciples  j  I  iliall  only  fay, 
That  as  thefe  expreffions  were  well  under- 
ftood  among  the  jcivs^  and  agreeable  to 
their  manner  of  fpeaking,  and  he  had  given 
fufficient  hints  quite  thro'  the  difcourfe,  to 
lead  them  to  his  true  meaning,  and  prevent 
'  miftake,  to  honefh  and  attentive  minds,  and 
accordingly  we  find  the  twelve  underftood 
his  meaning,  and  took  no  ofi'ence  at  it ;  ih 
it  was  very  ufual  in  our  Lord's  difcourfes  to 
a  mixed  multitude,  and  when  he  had  to 
do  with  unreafonable  and  prejudiced  men, 
who  iLewed  no  difpofition  to  receive  and 
attend  to  his  do6lrine,  but  only  to  cavil  and 
be  offended,  not  to  open  his  mind  fo  freely 
that  they  could  not  miflake  it,  to  put  them 
upon  enquiry,  and  for  the  exercife  of  their 
diligence,  and  the  trial  of  their  fincerity  j 
perhaps  too  that  they  might  not  thro'  their 
perverfenefs  be  hardned  in  their  oppofition 
to  him.  This  is  the  feafon  afii2;ned  for  his 
fpeaking  to  them  fo  often  in  parables.  Matt, 
xiii.  13. 

I  fliall  conclude  all  with  two  remarks  of 
a  different  kind,  from  what  has  been  faid. 
The  one  is,  That  there  is  no  foundation  in 
fcripture  for  the  anticnt  cull:om  oicojuminit^ 
eating  infants.     This  pradlce  began  early, 

and 


concernino-  7ra}ifuhJiantiatio?t,  35 

and  continued  a  confidemble  time  in  the 
Chiiftian  church,  chiefly  in  Africa^  and  is 
obferved  in  fome  of  the  Eaflern  churches  to 
this  day.*  But  as  it  was  plainly  built  upon  a 
miftaken  fenfe  of  thefe  words,  as  if  they  re- 
lated to  the  facrament,  and  made  itabfoiute- 
ly  neceflliry  to  the  ililvation  of  every  one  ; 
fo  when  the  words  are  rightly  underftood, 
there  appears  no  foundation  or  pretence  for 
fo  flrange  a  thing.  Indeed  it  has  been  dif- 
ufed  in  the  church  of  Kome  for  feveral  cen- 
turies, which  however  right  in  itfelf,  is  no 
great  mark  of  her  infallibility^  and  flrid: 
adherence  to  the  unanimous  fenfe  of  thean- 
tient  Fathers  in  interpreting  fcripture,  to 
which  neverthelefs  their  prieils  are  fworn  at 
their  ordination. 

The  other  thing  I  would  remark  here  is 
of  a  practical  nature,  and  m.ore  importance. 
That  we  Ihould  carefully  attend  to  the  Jpi- 
ritual  meaning,  and  true  defign  of  this  dif- 
courfe,  that  is,  that  we  believe  on  Chriil  to 
everlafting  life,  or  receive-  his  dod:rine,  and 
depend  upon  his  death,  who  came  from 
heaven  to  reveal  the  will  of  God  to  men, 
and  to  give  his  fefifor  the  life  of  the  world. 
It  will  fignify  nothing  to  our  acceptance 
with  God,  and  eternal  life,  to  renounce  the 
dodtrine  of  T'ranfubjlantiation  and  the  er- 
rors of  Popery^  if  we  have  no  participation 
with  Chrift  by  believing  in  him  ;  if  we 
have  no  part  in  him,  and  are  not  made  par-  Joh.^iii. 
E  2  takers^' 

*  Ludolp.  Hill.  Ethiop.    Lib.  3.  c.  6. 


23 


36  A  Second  Difcourfe 

Heb.  iii.  fakcrs  cf  Chrifi  J  of  his  fpiritual  benefits  by 

^'^'         2l  living  faith. 

As  we  have  the  clearefl  revelation  of  the 
will  of  God  by  him,  and  the  free  ufe  of 
our  bible^  and  many  opportunities  and  helps 
for  underftanding  it,  which  are  denied  the 
people  in  Popifh  countries ;  if  we  don't 
make  an  anfwerable  improvement  in  a 
greater  increafe  of  knowledge  and  holinefs, 
we  {hall  incur  a  greater  guilt  and  condemna- 
tion, and  be  more  blameable,  and  more  mi- 
ferable  than  they.     So  our  Lord  tells  Caper- 

Matt.  XI.  naum^  Thou  who  art  exalted  up  to  heave?i,JJ:alt 
be  brought  down  to  hell-,  ajid  it  fmll  be  more 
tolerable  for  Sodom  in  the  day  of  judgment  than 
for  thee.  Prctejlajits  will  perifh  with  greater 
aggravation  than  Papijls,  as  they  have  greater 
advantages  for  their  falvation;  and  I  doubt 
not,  but  the  errors  of  the  Papifls  will  be  lefs 
criminal  than  the  ignorance  of  Proteitants, 
their  zeal  may  juftly  reproach  bur  negleBs, 
and  Popifli  fuperjiition  will  fare  better  than 
Proteftant  profane nefs  or  irreligion. 

Let  us  not  fatisfy  ourfelves  v/ith  underftand- 
ing  the  true  meaning  of  the  words,  but  at- 
tend to  tlie  great  defgn  of  them,  to  bring 
us  to  true  faith  in  Chrift,  and  to  imbibe 
and  digefl  his  dod:rine,  or  ?ning]e  the  word 
we  hear  with  faith  ^  that  we  may  prof t  by  if. 
Let  us  be  chiefly  concerned  about  eternal 
life  J  to  which  he  leads  our  thoughts  quite 
through  this  difcourfe,  and  not  be  diverted 
by  worldly  cares,  or  unreafonable  preju- 
dice,   from  purfuing  the  great  end  of  his 

dod;iine 


Heb. 


concerning  Traiifiihjlantiation,  37 

dodlrine  and  death,  and  the  principal  care 
and  bufinefs  of  our  hves.  As  he  took  oc- 
cafion  from  earthly  things,  from  the  loa'vei 
and  manna^  to  fpeak  of  fpiritual  and  hea- 
venly things,  let  us  be  excited  by  our  daily 
diligence  and  care  about  lower  things,  to 
a  more  earneft  and  vigorous  concern  about 
fpiritual  good,  and  to  labour  for  the  meat 
which  periJJjeth  not,  but  efidiireth  to  everlaji- 
ing  life.  If  we  attend  only  to  the  pre- 
fent  advantage  by  him,  and  reft  in  a  meer 
outward  profeffion,  as  the  Jews  here  fol- 
lowed him  for  the  loaves,  we  fliall  be  in 
danger  of  being  offended,  2Si^  forfaking  him 
too ;  efpecially  if  difficulties  and  trials 
fhould  arife  :  but  if  we  coniider  him  as 
having  the  words  of  eternal  life,  we  fliall 
fay  with  the  apoftle,  Lord  to  whotn  Jlmll 
we  go  but  only  unto  thee  ?  and  clofely  ad- 
here to  him,  and  continue  in  his  word.  If 
our  hearts  are  ejlabliped  by  grace,  we  fhall 
not  be  carried  about  with  diverfe  and f  range  Heb.  xiii. 
doctrines,  nor  like  children  be  tojjed  to  and^- 
fro,  and  carried  about  with  every  wind  of 
doBrine,  from  whatfoever  quarter  it  blows,  Eph.  iv. 
by  the  flight  of  men,  and  cunning  craftinefs  H- 
whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive.  If  we 
heartily  embrace  his  do(5lrine  by  a  found 
faith  and  fubjed;ion  of  foul,  and  feed  upon 
the  bread  of  life  for  our  daily  nourifliment 
and  ftrength,  we  fliall  haver  everlajling  life 
by  him,  and  be  raifed  up  at  the  I  aft  day, 

FINIS. 

p.  4.  1.  penult,  for  Our  Loi-d  having,  read  When  our  Lord, 
P.  16.  1.  23.  read  nobler. 


Printed  and  Sold  by  R.  Ford,  and 
R.  Hett. 


I.  'T^  H  E  Reafonablenefs  of  believins;  in  Chrlft, 
-*-  and  the  Unreafonablenefs  of  Infidelity  ;  in  two 
Sermons  preached  at  the  Merchants  Lecture  m  Salter s- 
Hall,  May  21,  28,  1728.  With  an  Appendix, 
containing  brief  Remarks  upon  the  Cafe  of  Lazanis, 
relating  to  Mr.  JVcolJlon's  fifth  Difcourfe  of  Miracles. 
By  W.  Harris,  D.  D.  The  Second  Edition  cor- 
rected. 


II.  Lukewarmnefs  in  Religion  reprefented  and  re- 
proved ;  in  two  Sermons  preached  at  the  Merchants 
Lecture,  Novc?7ib.  2,  16,  1731.  To  which  is  ad- 
ded, a  Difcourfe  concerning  falfe  Zeal.  By  the 
fame  Author. 


The  Veiieration  <?/' Saints  /^W  Images, 
as  taught  a?id praEiisdiit  ^/6^  Church 
of  Rome,    examined. 


S  E  RM  O 

Preached    at 

SALTERS-HALL, 

February  20,  lycjzj.-^. 
By  0.   HUGHES,  D.  D. 

O   TO  x.1iT/icu  'ryy^aH.vujuVj    y[g.v    eir'  ov^jULom.    t'd 
Greg.  Nyflen.  de  Placilla  Fun.  orat.  V.  2,  p.  965. 


LONDON: 

Printed   for  R.  Ford,  at    the  Jngel ;    and  R.  Hett, 
at  the  Bil^/e  and  Crown ;  both  in  the  Poultry. 

M  DCC  XXXV. 

[Price  Six-pence.] 


ISAIAH  xlii.  8. 

/  am  the  LOR  Z),  that  is  my  na7ne^  and  ?7iy 
glory  'will  I  not  gi've  to  another^  ?ieither  my 
praij'e  to  gra'ven  images^ 

f/pr/ST^^SpMONGST  other  things  objeded 
t|||S^^!ip  by  Proteftants  againft  the  church 
^fJlMl'\^^  of  Rome^  her  idolatrous  worfhip 
wM^^^i  is  not  the  leaft  confiderable.  This 
^^i&^^  is  indeed  a  very  high  charge,  and 
the  Papifts  would  have  reafon  for 
their  complaints,  if  it  could  not  be  fufficiently 
fupported  :  But  this  I  think  it  eafily  may. 

Their  'veneration  of  Saints  and  Images  canfiot, 
I  apprehend,  be  clear'd  from  the  charge  of  ido- 
latry ;  notwithstanding  all  their  endeavours  to 
reprefent  their  doctrine  on  this  head  in  the 
moft  harmlefs  and  inoffenfive  lisjht. 

Tis  my  province  in  the  courfe  of  this  ledture, 
to  difcufs  this  fiibjed: :  I  will  endeavour  to  do  it 
in  the  mofl  impartial  manner  j  and  will  appeal 
to  your  own  underflandings  for  the  verdid:,  whe- 
ther the  dodrine  and  pra(5tice  of  the  church  of 
A  2  Rome 


[4] 

Rome  is  chargeable  with  idolatry  on  this  account^ 
or  not. 

In  order  to  this,  'twill  be  proper  In  the  firfl 
place  to  ftate  the  true  notion  of  Idolatry  ;  and 
this  I  take  to  be,  the  giving  religious  in'or/Jjip  to 
any  but  the  great  God.  I  ground  the  defini- 
tion upon  our  Saviour's  words  j  the  devil,  we 
are  told  made  him  an  infolent  propolal  of  all  the 
kingdoms  of  the  earth,  in  cafe  he  would  fall 
down  and  worihip  him  :  Chrill:  parlies  not  with 
the  temptation,  but  reje(£ls  it  with  the  highcft 
refentment,  Get  thee  hence  ^  S  at  an -y  for  it  is  ivr  it- 
ten,  thou Jlmlt  worjhip  thel^oxd  thy  God,  a77d 
him  only  flmlt  thou  jer-veJ-  The  objection  that 
the  term  [only]  is  not  in  the  original  Hebrew^ 
from  whence  Christ  quotes  the  pafl'age,  is  an 
idle  cavil :  for  allow  it  be  not  exprej'sly  there, 
yet  if  it  be  not  implicitly  and  virtu  ally  there ; 
and  the  words  are  not  to  be  underftood  in  this 
exclufive  fenfe,  our  Saviour's  anfwer  is  nothing 
to  the  purpofe  j  and  the  devil  might  have  reply'd 
upon  this  fuppolition,  tho'  God  mufl  be  wor- 
fliipp'd,  yet  others  may  be  worihipp'd  too.  Be- 
lides  ;  our  blelTed  Lord  by  having  adopted  the 
words  for  his  own  has  made  them  gofpel,  and 
has  taught  us  in  what  fenfe  we  are  to  underftand 
that  law  of  Mofes,  if  we  were  at  a  lofs  before 
how  to  interpret  it  >  and  he  does  by  this  likewife 
intimate  to  us,  that  the  law  is  of  perpetual  obli- 
gation. 

Nor  can  any  thing  be  more  exprefs  in  con- 
firmation of  this  notion  of  Idolatry,  than  the 
firfl  commandment,    Thou  JJ^lt  have  no  other 

Gods 

*  Matt.  iv.  10.  Vid.  Dent.  vi.  13.  andx.  12,  20.  and  xiii.  4. 


[  5  ] 

Gods  before  me  j'^  i.  e.  fays  the  learned  Grotiiis^ 
befides  me.3  I  think  the  commandment  (hould 
rather  be  read,  there  Jhall  be  to  thee  tio  other  God 
before  tne  j  the  verb  is  in  the  fingular  number  and 
lb  explain'd  by  the  Chaldee  ;  and  fo  it  excludes 
every  other  being  from  any  (hare  in  religious 
worlhip,  appropriating  it  entirely  to  Deity.: 
The  Arabic  verilon  ur.derflands  this  to  be  the 
fenfe  of  the  command,  rendring  it  thus  j  Let  no- 
thing he  adored  by  thee  befides  myfef.  Paying 
religious  woifliip  to  any  being,  or  adoring  it,  is 
making  a  God  of  it.  I  believe,  all  interpreters 
agree  in  this  as  the  true  meaning  -of  the  com- 
mandment, that  we  are  not  to  worlhip  any  other 
God,  but  the  Lord  Jehovah.  The  Papifls 
themfelves  allov^,  that  to  give  proper  divine  ho- 
nour to  a  creature  is  idolatry  and  a  breach  of  this 
commandment ;  but  they  hope  to  free  themfelves 
from  fuch  an  imputation,  by  afet  of  difl:ind:ions 
framed  for  that  purpofe  ;  the  force  of  which  I 
fhall  enquire  into  hereafter  :  "  We  are  forbid- 
"  den,  fay  they,  by  the  firfl  commandment  to 
**  w^orihip  any  creature  for  a  God,  or  give  it  the 
"  honour  which  is  due  to  God."  + 

The  objed;  of  idolatry  is  a  falfe  God,  that 
which  really  is  no  God,  tho'  honour'd  as  fuch 
by  men.  The  apoftle  Vaul  fupports  this  notion 
in  that  remarkable  paiTage,  We  know  that  an  idol 
is  nothing  in  the  "world^    and  that  there  is  none 

other 

*  Exod.  XX.  3, 

3  Vid.  Grot,  ad  loc.  The  LXX  read  it  rrKw  €f/«  :  and  the 
Chaldee,  Syriac  and  Arabic  verfions  put  the  fame  conftruftion  up- 
on it. 

♦  Abridgment  of  the  Cliriflian  doftrinc  ;  faid  in  the  title  page 
to  be  printed,  Bafele^  Awwo  i6bo;  tho'  'tvyas  publifhed  in  the 
college  De  p-opaganda  fide  at  Rome, 


[  6  ] 

vther  God  but  one.^  By  which  we  are  to  under- 
iland,  not  that  an  idol  has  no  real  being,  or 
exiftcnce  in  the  world  ;  for  the  matter  of  an 
idol  is  for  the  moft  part  fome  real  thing  :  But 
the  meaning  is,  an  idol  is  no  God  in  itfelf 
and  only  fo  in  tlic  conceit  of  the  fond  idolater, 
and  therefore  not  worthy  of  divine  honours. 
In  this  fenfe  the  Gods  of  the  Heathens  are 
faid  to  be  idols  ;  for  all  the  gods  of  the  peo- 
ple ai'e  idols ^  but  the  Lord  fimde  the  hea^-cens^ 
The  original  word,  tranilated  idols,  lignifies  not- 
GodSj  or  no-Gods,  or  inanities,  iiothingnefjesJ  'Tis 
fit  to  take  notice  here,  that  the  foundation, 
upon  which  the  great  God  claims  all  religi- 
ous worlliip  as  appropriate  to  himfelf,  is  fuch 
as  makes  it  for  ever  impoffible  to  give  it  to  any 
other  without  an  high  affront  to  his  Majefty : 
'Tis  upon  the  foot  of  creation  ;  All  the  Gods  of 
the  people  are  idols,  but  the  Lord  made  the 
heavefis :  God  is  abfolute  monarch  and  lord 
over  all  created  nature ,  and  he  expeds  the 
homage  of  all  his  creatures  j  All  nations,  ichom 
thou  hajl  made,  Jlsall  come  and  ivorJJjip  before 
thee,  oh  Lord,  and  Poall  glorify  thy  name,  for 
thou  art  great  and  doefi  wondrous  things ;  thou 
art  God  alone.^ 

Having  thus  ftated  the  notion  of  idolatry,  the 
merits  of  the  caufe  betwixt  us  and  the  church  of 
Rome  are  now  to  be  tried ;  and  by  what  follows, 
I  think,  it  will  evidently  appear,  that  the  vene- 
ration which  Papills  pay  to  Sai?Jts  2ind  Lnagcs,  is 
juflly  charged  to  be  idolatrous  and  antichriflian. 

It 

5   I  Cor,  viii.  4.  ^   i  Chron.  xvi.  26. 

7  Vid.  Drul".  Obf.   facr.   I-  16.  c.  9.    Vid.   etiam  Alerc   Lex. 
advoc.  Jial.  •*  Plal.  viii.  10. 


[7] 

It  will  be  proper,  as  the  fubjed:  is  double,  ta 
confider  feparately, 

The  veneration  paid  to  Saints  in  the  church 
of  Rome ;  and 

The  regard  they  fliew  to  Imagss^  in  their  re^ 
ligious  worfliip. 

I.  As  to  the  high  veneration  the  Romanijls 
profefs  to  Saints -y  there  are  feveral  particulars 
confiderable,  flich  as,  ereding  temples  and  cha- 
pels in  honour  of  them;  dedicating  altars  to 
them ;  appointing  holidays  to  be  celebrated  in 
remembrance  of  them  ;  making  vows,  confef- 
fmg  lins,  and  dirediing  folemn  praifes  to  them 
for  bleffings  receiv'd  ;  offering  facrihces  to  God 
for  the  honour  of  the  faints ;  and  particularly  the 
facrifice  of  the  mafs,  which  is  furely  a  moll  re- 
ligious acft,  forafmuch  as  Christ  is  faid  to  be 
offer'd  in  it  to  the  Father;  placing  a  confident 
hope  and  truft  in  them ;  and  in  confequence 
hereof  calling  upon  them  not  only  as  intercefTors, 
but  as  the  immediate  prote6tors  from  all  evils, 
and  the  liberal  diilributers  of  all  blefiings,  both 
of  grace  and  glory ;  befides  a  mofl  ftupid  and 
fuperftitious  regard  to  what  they  call  their  re- 
licks. 

Thefe  are  all  inftances  of  the  RofniJJj  venera-? 
tion  of  Saints.^  which  might  be  feverally  conli- 
der'd ;  but  I  fhall  infiil  upon  one  only,  namely, 
their  invocation  or  praying  to  Sai?its. 

I  prefume,  I  need  not  be  more  explicit  and 
fay,  departed  Saints :  There  is  no  danger  of  the 
church  of  Rome's  being  fo  much  as  fulpedcd  of 
too  high  a  regard  to  the  Saints  of  God  v/hile 

they 


[8] 

they  are  living ;  fo  far  from  it,  that  'tis  her 
known  charad:er  to  perfecute  and  deflroy  the 
Jiving,  while  they  pretend  to  honour  the  dead ; 
and  in  truth,  the  greatefl  piety  cannot  fecure 
from  her  mercilefs  hands,  where  any  have  cou- 
rage enough  to  think  for  themfelves  in  the  mat- 
ters of  their  God,  or  prefer  the  infallible  di- 
rections of  his  word  to  the  traditions  and  inven- 
tions of  men,  contrary  to  fcripture,  and  often- 
times repugnant  to  common  fenfe.  This  is 
crime  enough  to  expofe  the  moft  ftrid:ly  good 
man'  to  the  mofl:  grievous  fufferings  j  for  as 
to  thefe  the  church  of  Rojne  may  vie  with 
all  the  nations  of  the  earth ;  never  more  cruelty 
pradiis'd  by  any  fet  of  men ;  and  perhaps  fhe 
is  anfwerable  for  (hedding  more  innocent  blood, 
than  all  the  religions  and  churches  in  the  world 
put  together. 

But  to  expofe  this  mercilefs  difpofition  is  not 
my  province ;  you  may  exped;  it  with  the  ut- 
moft  advantage  from  a  more  able  hand. 

I  return  to  my  fubjed:.  Invocation  of 
Saints.  Prayer  is  one  of  the  principal  branches 
of  religious  worfliip,  which  is  the  peculiar  pre-, 
rogative  of  the  great  God  :  If  therefore  men 
make  the  objed:  of  it  a  creature,  then  are  they 
guilty  of  downright  idolatry.  But  that  I  may 
be  in  no  danger  of  carrying  the  charge  againfl 
the  Romanijis  too  high,  I  will 

I,  Reprefcnt  and  fairly  ftate  the  dodrine  and 
practice  of  the  church  of  Rome  in  this  affair  of 
praying  to  the  Saints.  The  main  difficulty  here 
will  be,  to  faften  any  thing  upon  the  Papifts^, 

which 


f  9] 

which  they  will  own  as  their  dod:rine  ;  for  they 
have  got  a  trick  of  denying  every  thing,  which 
they  are  charged  with,  as  an  abfurdity  in  their 
worfhip.  The  Romifi  rehgion,  they  tell  us,  is 
quite  alter'd  from  what  it  once  was  j  nor  will 
they  adhere  to  any  decrees  of  Popes,  or  councils, 
or  the  determinations  of  their  moft  applauded 
champions,  any  further  than  they  anfwer  their 
purpofe,  even  tho'  all  the  while  their  pradtice  is 
exactly  agreeable  to  them. 

The  council  of  l^re?it  conven'd  in  the  i6th 
century,  is  what  they  pretend  moft  to  regard  j 
they  univerfally  agree  to  this,  as  to  doBrinah ;  tho' 
the  Galilean  church  has  never  receiv'd  or  fubmit- 
ted  to  it,  as  to  difcipllne.  'Tis  a  claufe  in  Pope 
Pius?,  creed,  which  no  Papift  will  fcruple  to 
fubfcribe  :  "1  undoubtedly  receive  and  profeJs 
*'  all  things  deliver'd,  defined  and  declar'd  by 
*'  the  facred  canons  and  general  councils,  and 
*'  particularly  by  the  holy  council  of  T^renty  ^ 

This  famous  council  then  has  decreed  in  re- 
ference to  the  matter  now  in  debate,  as  follows ; 
"  The  holy  fynod  commands  all  bifliops,  and 
**  others  whofe  office  and  bufinefs  it  is  to  teach  ; 
"  that  they  diligently  inftrudl  the  faithful  con- 
♦'  cerning  the  intercelTion  and  invocation  of 
*'  Saints  j  teaching  them,  that  the  Saints  reign- 
**  ing  with  Christ  do  offer  up  their  prayers 
*'  to  God  for  men  ;  that  it  is  good  and  profit- 
"  able  humbly  to  invocate  the  Saints  j  and  to  fly 
**  to  their  prayers,  help  and  afhflance,  for  the 

»  Vid.  ProfefT.  of  Catholick  Faith,  p.  5.  J  /mall  hook  lately 
■printed,  and  noiv  in  ufe  for  the  reception  of  converts  into  the  church, 

B  **  obtain-* 


[    10   ] 

''  obtaining  bleflings  from  God  thro'  his  foil 
*'  Jesus  Christ."  To  oblige  to  this  pra6lice 
the  fame  council  adds,  that  "  thofe  who  deny 
"  the  Saints  fhould  be  invocated,  or  alTert  that 
"  they  do  not  pray  for  men,  or  that  an  addrefs 
'^  to  them  that  they  would  pray  for  us  is  ido- 
"  latry,  or  repugnant  to  the  word  of  God,  and 
"  injurious  to  the  honour  of  Jesus  Christ 
*^  the  one  Mediator  between  God  and  men,  or 
"  fay  'tis  a  fooH{h  thing  to  fupplicate  the  Saints 
*'  reigning  in  heaven  by  the  voice  or  the  mind  :** 
All  fuch  perfons,  who  dare  fay  any  of  thefe 
things,  are  in  the  judgment  of  this  infallible 
council  pronounced  to  think  impioujly.  And  a 
little  lower,  after  having  mention'd  fome  other 
decrees  about  relicks,  pi^ftures  and  images,  'tis 
added  as  y/hat  I  fuppofe  is  to  be  referr'd  to  the 
whole  chapter  J  '^  But  if  any  one  fhall  teach 
*'  or  think  contrary  to  thefe  decrees,  let  him  be 
*'  accurfed."  9  So  that  if  the  power  and  autho- 
rity of  the  church  of  Rome  be  equal  to  her  im- 
pofing  and  malicious  fpirit,  every  man  who 
thinks  contrary  to  thefe  impious  opinions,  muft 
neceffarily  be  damned  BleiTed  be  God,  the 
rewards  and  punilhments  of  eternity  are  not  at 
the  difpofal  of  fallible  men. 

In  defiance  of  all  their  curfes,  we  may  ven- 
ture to  pronounce  concerning  this  their  do(flrinc 
and  pradiice,  that  it  is  idolatrous  and  cannot 
be  acceptable  to  the  great  God. 

It  is  true  indeed  they  have  endeavour'd  to 
foften  and  difguife  their  own  dodrine,  that  fo  it 
fnight  appear  with  more  advantage,  or  at  leafl 

have 

9  VM.  Cone,  Trld.  Sefs  25. 


have  its  native  deformity  concealed.     In  all  the 
difputes  betwixt  Papijh  and  Protcjlants  this  has 
been  their  method.     The  prefent  Archbifliop  of 
Ca?iterbury ^  Dr.  Wakt\  who  deferves  to  be  men- 
tioned with  honour  for  the  noble  part  he  bore 
in  the  controverfies  in  King  'Jama  lid's  reign, 
reprefents  this  humour  of  the  Papifts  in  a  very 
ftrong    manner ;     "  Popery,    lays    he,    in     its 
"  proper  colours  is  fo  unlike  Catholic  Chrilli- 
"  anity,  that  'tis  vain  ever  to  hope  to  promote 
"  it,  if  it  appears  in  its  own  fhape.     It  is  ne- 
"  ceflary  therefore,    that  the  religion,  like  the 
"  prophet,  Ihould  come  to  us  in  p?eeps  cloath- 
"  ing^  and  the  herefy   be  made  look  as  ortho- 
"  dox    as    is   poffible.      Some  things    are    de- 
"  nied,    others  mollified,    all  difguifed,   and   a 
"  double  benefit    thereby  obtain'd  ;   Popery  is 
"  X.O  be  received  as  a  very   innocent  harmlefs 
*^  thing  J    and  the   Proteftants,    efpecially    the 
"  miniflcrs   and  iirfl  reformers,   reprefented  to 
*'  the  world,  as  a  fort  of  people  that  have  fup- 
"  ported  themfelves  by  calumnies  and  lies,  and 
**  made  a  noife  about  errors  and  corruptions, 
"  which  are  no  where  to  be  found,  but  in  their 
*'  own  brains  or  books,  but  which  the  church 
"  of  Kome  detefls  no  Icfs  than  we."  ^ 

The  fame  method  are  the  emilHirles  of  Rofue 
taking  now  ;  palliating  every  thing  that  appears 
blocking  ;  flriking  out  or  explaining  away  thofc 
articles  of  faith,  which  they  have  not  been  able 
to  vindicate  again fl  the  force  of  objecftors  ;  and 
thus  making  a  fort  of  new  religion  that  may 
be  lefs  diflaflful.     The  books  they  now  pub- 

B  2  hfh 

•  Prefent  State  of  the  Controv.  ^c.  publifh'd  1637,  p.  10. 


[  12  ] 

Hill  amongft  us,  rcprefcnts  moft  of  the  contro- 
verted articles  of  faith,  in  a  very  different  man- 
ner from  what  their  church  does  really  profefs, 
and  their  people  continually  pra€life.  For  you 
mufl  know,  that  there  is  a  vaft  difference  be- 
twixt Popery  as  it  is  fet  to  view  in  Ejigland, 
and  what  it  is  as  exercifed  in  Ital)\  or  any  other 
Popifh  countries,  where  the  civil  government 
is  fubie(fted  to  it,  and  it  is  able  without  check 
or  referve  to  prad;ife  all  its  arts,  and  to  appear 
without  difguife  with  all  its  pageantry  and  pomp. 
But  Proteftants  mufl:  not  be  told  all  at  once  j 
there  are  feveral  myfterious  and  important  things, 
which  are  not  fit  to  be  communicated  to  thole, 
whom  they  are  endeavouring  to  gain  over  to 
the  Rofnifi  church  :  Thefe  things  muft  be  re- 
ferv'd,  till  their  profelytes  are  got  into  fafe 
cuflody ;  and  afterwards  when  they  have  given 
away  all  liberty  of  judging  for  themfelves,  and 
are  brought  to  believe  every  thing  the  church 
fays  to  be  true,  then  they  may  be  trufled  with 
the  difcovery  of  even  the  greatefl  abfurdities  ; 
lor  they  have  now  gone  too  far  to  recede  -,  and 
if  they  difcover  any  hefitation,  or  give  fuf- 
picion  of  their  being  lliocked  at  fuch  difcoveries, 
their  fincerity  is  immediately  queftion'd ;  and 
where  the  church  has  power  in  her  hands,  they 
mufl  expe6t  fome  motherly  corredion  for  their 
untowardnefs  ;  and  'tis  well  if  they  efcape  being 
burnt  for  hereticks. 

It  will  be  proper  here  to  confider  the  feveral 
evafions,  whereby  they  think  to  excufe  their 
worfliip  of  the  Saints  from  the  charge  of  ido- 
latry j  and  the  feveral  arguments,  by  which  they 

fupport 


[   ^3  ] 

fupport  the  dodtiine  and  practice  of  their  church 
in  this  matter. 

I.  They  tell  us,  that  the  veneration  they  pay 
to  Saints  is  very  different  from  that  honour, 
which  they  give  to  God.  "  There  is  nocom- 
"  parifon  between  the  one  and  the  other  :  No, 
"  God  forbid.  Jay  they,  for  this  would  be  a 
*'  high  treafon  againfl  his  divine  Majefty."  ^ 

To  fupport  themfelves  herein,  they  have 
forged  a  number  of  diflindiions,  which  if  fair- 
ly examined  cannot  be  of  any  fervice  to  their 
caufe.  They  mention  feveral  kinds  and  degrees 
of  worfhip  ',  fupreme  and  Juburdinate  ;  abjolute 
and  relative  ;  termi?iative  and  tranjient  -,  proper 
and  improper  -,  primary,  and  fecondary ;  theie 
and  many  other  diflind:ions  they  have  con- 
trived to  puzzle  the  caufe  and  delude  the  igno- 
rant people. 

I  anfwer  :  T^he  nature  of  the  thing  will  not 
admit  fiich  fubtle  dijiinctions.  Religious  worfliip 
is  but  one,  as  the  objedl  of  it  is  God  alone. 
"^Tis  plain  our  Saviour  underftood  it  fo  -,  for  in 
his  anfwer  to  the  devil  (which  I  have  men- 
tion'd  before)  he  tells  him  that  God  alone  is 
to  be  worfliipp'd.  If  there  were  degrees  in  reli- 
gious worfhip,  we  may  prefume  that  the  devil 
himlelf  had  fo  much  modefty  as  not  to  ask 
the  higheft  degree  of  it  j  nay  he  afk'd  no  more, 
than  what  the  church  of  Rrme  feems  to  me  to 
pay  to  Saijits  and  Images  every  day  ;  Fall  down 
and  worfiip  me,  or  by  falling  down  worihip  and 
do  honour  to  me  :  the  outward  ad:  as  it  feems 
would  have  contented  the  devil.     But  this  Chri/i 

refufes  • 

*  Prof,  of  Cath.  faith,  p.  39. 


[  ^4  J 
refufes  ;  and  for  this  reafon,  becaufe  we  are  to 
worfliip  the  Lord  our  God,  and  ferve  hini 
ONLY  :  And  this  muft  be  underftood  to  deter- 
mine, that  not  the  leafl  degree  of  rehgious  wor- 
fhip  is  to  be  given  to  a  creature  ;  whether  it  be 
flippofed  to  be  a  good  or  a  bad  fpirit  ;  a  living 
Saint  in  heaven  or  a  wooden  one  on  earth. 

Again  ;  'T'he  facred  fcriptiire  no  where  mc?2- 
tions  any  fuch  diJlinBions  :  If  it  did,  we  iliould 
have  heard  of  it  from  our  adverfaries  long  ago, 
but  they  do  not  pretend  any  fuch  thing  ;  their 
particular  docftrines  have  no  foundation  in  the 
book  of  God,  and  therefore  they  give  us  very- 
little  trouble  on  this  head  :  They  derive  their 
original  elfewhere,  and  are  generally  the  offspring 
of  vicious  or  alpiring  minds.  St.  Paul  tells  us, 
that  he  deliver'd  the  whole  counfel  of  God  ;  if 
therefore  he  fays  nothing  of  thefe  diflindiions, 
'tis  plain  they  have  no  foundation,  nor  are  they 
of  any  ufe  in   the  church  of  Christ. 

Further  ;  T'he  com?non  people  7ieither  knoiv  nor 
obferve  thefe  diJiinBions  -,  confequently  they  can- 
not plead  the  diftindtions  to  excufe  themfelves 
from  the  charge  of  idolatry.  Tho'  by  the  by, 
1  doubt  not  but  the  poor  ignorant  devotees  of 
the  church  of  Rome  are  in  a  lefs  hazardous 
ftate  than  their  wife  and  learned  men  j  who  have 
opportunities  and  advantages  of  knowing  better, 
but  wilfully  fhut  their  eyes  againft  the  light. 
Thefe  fubtlc  and  nice  diftindions  may  ferve  as 
toys  for  children  to  play  with  at  prefent,  but 
will  not  ftand  the  teft  at  the  great  day. 

Once  more  ;  Even  their  oiim  learned  ?nen  differ 
with  refpeSl  to  thefe  diflifiBions,  and  do  ?iot  equally 

maintain 


[  15  ] 

inaintaln  them.  Their  grand  advocate  Cardinal 
Bellarmine  fcruples  not  to  term  the  worfliip  due 
to  Saints,  an  emi7ient  kind  of  adoration :-  And 
fays  another  man  of  great  renown  amongft 
them  ;  "  We  honour  the  Saints  not  only  with 
"  that  worihip,  which  we  pay  to  men,  who 
"  excel  in  virtue,  &c\  or  any  other  dignity  ; 
"  but  alfo  with  divine  worfliip  and  honour, 
"  which  is  an  a6t  of  religion."  3  This  we  take 
to  be  downright  idolatry  ;  but  I  fuppole  the 
writer  himfelf  had  a  diftrufl,  that  he  had  gone 
too  far  5  and  therefore  to  help  himfelf  off,  he 
adds,  "  but  we  do  not  give  divine  worfhip  and 
"  honour  to  the  Saints  for  the?nfehes  j  but  for 
"  God,  who  hath  made  them  Saints."  But 
who  can  imagine,  that  he,  whofe  name  is 
Jehovah,  will  be  thus  trifled  with,  or  fuffer 
his  glory  to  be  thus  given  to  others. 

But  tliere  is  another  noted  diftindtion  which 
they  have  formed  for  their  relief ;  we  hear  of 
it  from  every  writer  in  the  controverfy  j  I  mean 
their  Latr^ia  and  Dulia,  two  forts  of  worfhip, 
as  they  aifert ;  the  former  appropriate  to  God  ; 
but  the  other  being  of  a  lower  nature  may  be 
paid  to  Angels  and  Saints  j  who  having  a  mid- 
dle fort  of  excellence  between  divine  and  human, 
are  intitled  to  this  middle  fort  of  worfliip,  be- 
twixt that  honour  which  is  paid  to  God,  and 
that  civil  rcJpeB  which  we  pay  to  men  accord- 
ing to  their  feveral  ranks  and  excellencies.  But 
this  is  a  diflindion  without  a  difference  ;  the 
promlfcuous  ufe  of  the  words  both  by  profane 
^n-d  facred  authors  deflroys  the  diflindion  en- 
tirely. 

*  Prsef.  deEccI.  triump.         3  ^zor.  Inft.  Mor.  l.Q.  c  lo. 


[   i6  ] 

tirely.''^  Befides  ;  if  there  be  any  real  difference 
in  the  fignification  of  the  two  words,  I  appre- 
hend that  the  latter,  which  the  Rommiijis  apply 
to  Saints,  is  more  emphatical  and  ftrong  than 
the  other  ;  for  it  properly  fignifies  one  devoted 
to  the  fervice  of  another  ;  and  in  this  fenfe  the 
njerb  is  iifed  by  the  evangelifts,5  No  man  ca?iferve 
two  majiers  ;  where  the  meaning  muft  be,  no 
man  can  be  entirely  devoted  or  addi(fled  to  two, 
efpecially  two  that  are  oppofite  to  each  other  in 
their  tempers  and  commands.^ 

I  cannot  but  obferve  here  that  feveral  learned 
men  of  the  Romip  church  have  given  up  this 
long  exploded  diftincition.  Ludovicus  Fives 
fhows  out  of  Snidas  and  Xenophon,  that  thele 
two  words  are  ufually  taken  for  one  another.  7 
Their  learned  Dura?itus  allows  the  fame  as  to 
St.  Paids  ule  of  the  word.^  Cardinal  Bellar- 
mine  9  and  Vafquez  ^  are  forced  to  own  the  di- 
ftin^tion  to  be  unfcriptural,  and  that  both  the 
Hebrew  and  Greek  words  are  promifcuoufly 
ufed  :  But  the  learned  Nicolas  Serrarius  fpeaks 
out  moft  freely  on  this  head,  and  tells  us  -,  that 
it  is  "  the  opinion  of  the  moil  and  the  wifefl 
"  among  them,  that  it  is  one  and  the  fame 
"  virtue  of  religion,  which  containeth  both 
"  Latria  and  Dulia."'^ 

But 

*  Hefychius.     Gloflk.    LXX.    Laurent.  Valla   ad   Matt.   iy. 
^kAm:«  pro  Dei  cultu  ufurpatur,  Afts  xx.  19.    Rom.  xii.  1 1. 

5  Matt.  vi.  24.  and  Luke  xvi.  13. 

*  Vid.   Gal.  iv.  8,  and  Whithy  ad  loc. 
7  Vid.   Not.  in  Aug.  dc  Civ.  Dei. 

*  De  rit.  Eccl.  Cath.  p.  410. 
9  De  Sanft.  Beat.  1.  i.e.  12. 

*  Difp.  93.  in  3.  p.  Sum.  c.  !• 
^  In  Litan.  z.  q.  27. 


[  17  ] 

But  before  I  difmifs  this  head,  'twill  be  fit  to 
obferve  that  the  Romanifts  have  another  fort  of 
worfliip,  which  is  pecuhar  to  the  Virgin  Mary  : 
She  being  a  mofl  eminent  Saint  above  all  the 
reft,  muft  not  be  put  off  with  that  /cw  worfliip 
they  pay  to  Saints  in  common  ;  but  muft  have 
fomething,  tho'  of  the  fame  kind,  yet  of  a 
much  higher  degree :  This  they  call  Hyper Juh'a ; 
and  'tis  fit  every  fiither  ftiould  have  the  naming 
of  his  own  child  j  this  fort  of  worftiip  is  their 
own  produdfion,  they  may  therefore  have  full 
liberty  to  call  it  what  they  pleafe.  It  is  truly  a 
very  hyperbolical  fort  of  worftiip  ;  and  raifes  the 
blcifed  Virgin  to  a  degree  of  honour,  which 
fhe  never  exped:ed  j  and  which  I  dare  fay  flie 
would  highly  refent,  if  flie  was  acquainted 
with  it  ;  and  feverely  punifli  her  fond  votaries 
for  their  profanenefs  and  blafphemies,  if  flie 
had  half  the  authority  in  heaven,  which  they 
talk  of. 

2.  They  tell  us,  that  the  honour  w^hich  they 
pay  to  the  Saints,  they  terjninate  on  God,  as 
its  end  :  "  They  reverence  the  Saints  with  an  in- 
"  ferior  honour  as  belonging  to  him,  for  his 
"  fake,  and  upon  account  of  the  gifts  wich  they 
*'  have  receiv'd  from  him."  ^  The  Bifliop  of 
Condom^  the  great  reformer  and  new  mocleller 
of  Popery  in  the  laft  century,  has  taught  them 
this  evalion."^  And  heie  comes  in  their  diftin- 
dlion  of  relative  and  ahfolute  worftiip  :  which 
if  it  would  ferve  their  caule,  will  likewife 
juftiiy  all  the  idolatry  of  the  Heathen  world. 

C  I  may 

»  Prof,  of  Cath.  faith,  p.  39. 

*  Vid.  Exp.  Doa.  Cath.  Ch.  §.  3.  p.  4. 


[/8  ] 

I  may  as  well  worfliip  the  Su7i  for  God's  fake 
and  as  belonging  to  him,  as  St.  Dominick^  St. 
Francis^  or  any  other  Saint  the  church  of  Kotiie 
can  boafl  of ;  I  am  fure  we  are  more  beholden 
to  that  glorious  luminary  of  heaven  for  the 
benefit  the  world  receives  from  its  heat  and 
light,  than  for  any  good  mankind  has  ever  re- 
ceiv'd  from  hundreds  of  nominal  Saints  in  the 
Rof7tiJ]j  calendar.  Befides ;  if  I  worfliip  either 
the  Sun,  or  Popifh  Saints,  I  fliall  not  be  excufed 
from  idolatry,  by  faying  I  ad:  thus  for  God's 
fake,  or  becaufe  they  belong  to  God  :  If  this 
be  the  rcafon  of  my  paying  them  worfliip,  the 
aB  of  worfliip  terminates  on  the  objed:  'tis  di- 
redcd  to.  This  I  fuppofe  the  Romanijis  will 
allow,  when  they  are  put  in  mind  that  accor- 
ding to  their  pretended  fcheme,  the  worfliip 
they  pay  to  Saints  is  a  very  low  degree  of 
worfliip  ;  and  I  prefume  they  would  not  make 
the  great  God  the  objed:  of  any  worfliip,  but 
that  which  is  fupreme  and  mofl:  excellent.  Be- 
fides ;  if  I  did  a  thing  for  God's  fake,  I  ought 
furely  to  have  God's  warrant  for  it ;  or  at  leafl: 
fome  fignification,  that  my  doing  fiich  a  thing 
would  be  acceptable  to  his  Majefl:y. 

3.  They  excufe  themfelves  further  by  fay- 
ing, that  if  the  honour  they  pay  the  Saints  be 
judged  too  great,  their  church  has  no  where 
ifjjomd  it,  but  only  declared  it  to  be  in  her 
opinion  fit  and  lawful. 

I  allow  that  the  Council  of  'Trent  fiys,  V/j 
good  and  profitable  :  A  modefl:  way  of  fpeak- 
ing!  and  would  do  no  great  harm,  if  every  one 
was  left  to  judge  of  the  fitnefs  and  advantage 

of 


[  19  ] 

of  fuch  a  pradice,  and  accordingly  to  follow 
it  or  not.  But  this  is  not  the  cafe.  Even  that 
fame  council  goes  further,  and  condemns  all 
who  think  otherwife,  as  chargeable  v/ith  impious 
Jentiments.  And  belides  ;  the  creed  of  Pope 
Pius  IV,  compos'd  by  virtue  of  an  order  of  this 
fame  council,  (and  lately  publiflVd)  which  every 
one  in  holy  orders  is  obliged  to  fubfcribe  and 
fwear  to,  does  exprefsly  iniifb  upon  this  as  an 
article  of  faith  \  "  I  do  conftandy  hold,  that 
"  the  Saints  reigning  together  with  Christ 
"  are  to  be  invocated."  And  this  I  think  a- 
mounts  to  an  injunftion.  But  'tis  the  conftant 
way  of  all  impofers  to  reprefent  their  impoii- 
tions,  only  as  what  they  recommend  and  think 
good  and  profitable  :  They  injoin  the  obfervance 

of  them,    but  are  afliam'd  to  own  it. This 

worfliip  of  Saints,  the  Papifts  fay,  is  not  in- 
joined  :  But  if  I  do  not  prad:ife,  and  declare  my 
belief  of  it,  I  cannot  be  admitted  as  a  member 
(or  at  leafl  not  as  a  prieji)  of  that  church  j  out 
of  which  it  feems  falvation  is  not  to  be  found. 

Not  injoin'd  j    but  every   prieft   folemnly 

fwears  to  preach  and  teach  it  j  and  therefore  if 
the  common  people  are  to  be  doers  of  the 
word   as  well  as  hearers  of  it,   they  muft    con- 

fider  themfelves  as  obliged  to  this  practice. 

Not  injoin'd ;  but  if  a  man  disbelieves  it,  or 
will  not  conform  to  it,  he  is  immediately  pro- 
nounced a  Heretic,  may  lofe  his  life  for  it,  or 
however  mull:  expecft  everlafling  damnation  in 
the  world  to  come. 

4.  We  are  told,   the  church  of  Rojne  means 
no  more  by  addreffes  to  the  Saints,  than  merely 

C  2  to 


[    20    ] 

to  beg  their  prayers  :  Ora  pro  nobis.    They  only 
pray  to  Saints  to  pray  for  them  ;    "  prayer  to 
"  Saints  in  any  other  fenfe,  as  if  they  were  the 
"  authors  or  difpofers  of  grace  and  glory,  they 
"  condemn  as  fuperftitious  and  impious."  ^  So 
the  new  converts  are  taught  ;  but  they  can't  ex- 
ped:  to  be  believed  by  any,  who  have  conversed 
much  with  Popifh  writings  ;    unlefs  fuch  only, 
who  leave   it  to  the  infillible  church  to  deter- 
mine for  them  the   fenfe  of  what   they    read. 
We  difclaim  her  pretenfions,  and  therefore  take 
the  liberty   to   queflion  the  truth  of  this   ex- 
cufe  ;  and  if  I  am  not  greatly  miflaken,  we  are 
able  to  confront  them  to  the  intire  fatisfadlioii 
of  all  hncere  inquirers  after  truth.     Let  any  man 
read  their  books  of  devotion,  their  hours ,  their 
offices^  their  rojhries,  their  breviaries,  and  their 
miff'als,    an4  then   fay  whether    it  be  not  mofl 
daring  confidence  in  the  church  oi  Rome,  to  fiy 
they   only  beg  the  Saints  prayers ;  'tis  protejia- 
tio  contra  faBum  in  the  mofl  egregious  man- 
ner ;    they  might  with  equal  modefly  tell  us, 
when  we  read  their  books,  that  we  don't  fee  a 
word,  a  fyllable  or  a  letter  in  them  ;  that  'tis  all 
a   dcceptio  vijiis :     There's    nothing  but    blank 
paper,  never  ftain'd  by  ink  j  the  words  are  only 
imprinted  upon  our  imaginations.    If  my  fenfes 
deceive  me  not,  I  read  fuch  and  fuch  direct  ad- 
dreffes  to  the  Saints  ;  and  if  my  reafon  fails  me 
not,  I  am  fure  thofe  prayers  are  more   than  a 
bare  asking  the  Saints  to  pray  for  us. 

In  anfwer  to  this  plea  of  the  Romijh  church,  I 
fliall  fuggeft  a  few  hints, 

I.  They 

S  Prof,  ofCath,  faith,  p,  4^4 


[     21     ] 

1.  They  formally  pray  to  the  Saints,  and  with 
an  equal  fliew  of  devotion,  as  they  pay  to  God 
himfelf.  Thefe  addreffes  to  Saints  are  attended 
with  all  the  folemnities  of  religious  worfhip  ; 
they  are  mix'd  in  the  fame  feivice  with  prayers  to 
God  J  the  fupplicants  are  in  the  fame  humble 
pofture  upon  their  bended  knees,  or  proftrate  on 
the  ground  with  hands  and  eyes  lifted  up  to  hea- 
ven j  and  all  this  in  places  dedicated  to  God's 
fervice,  and  at  the  hours  and  feafons  appointed 
for  it. 

2.  They  apply  to  the  Saints  for  their  heJp  and 
ajjiftance  as  well  as  their  prayers  :  fo  the  council 
of  T^rent  teaches  :5  by  which  they  mean  more 
than  their  prayers,  or  elfe  'tis  an  idle  tautology. 
No  queftion  but  they  meant  more,  tho'  they  did 
not  care  to  fpeak  more  plainly:  they  left  it  open 
for  others  to  ad:  at  pleafure  ;  and  to  this  is  owing 
the  monflrous  heaps  of  blafphemous  expreffions, 
which  zealous  Rommiijis  in  the  heat  of  their  de- 
votions have  addrefs'd  to  the  Saints. 

If  they  do  not  exped  their  help^  as  well  as 
their  prayers,  what  is  meant  by  begging  the 
Saints  to  ?7idke  hafte  to  their  relief  ^^  and  why  do 
they  pray  to  particular  Saints  in  particular  cafes  ? 
Their  Saint  Peter  fure  mufl  have  the  greateft  in- 
tereft  in  the  court  of  heaven,  next  to  the  Virgiji 
Mary ;  methinks  they  fliould  run  to  him  upon 
all  occafions.  But  the  truth  is,  they  have  bor- 
row'd  their  theology  from  the  pagans-^  and  fo 
they  have  a  variety  of  Saints  and  SaintefTes,  to 
anfwer  the  Gods  and  GoddeiTes  in  the  heathen 
world.    And  as  the  feveral  kingdoms  of  the  earth 


were 


^  Ad  eorum  orationes,  opem  auxiliumque  confugere.     Seff.  25. 


[22] 

were  formerly  ilippofed  to  be  under  the  protecti- 
on of  different  Gods;  in  like  manner  are  they 
now  confign'd  over  to  the  guardianfhip  of  feve- 
nil  Romifl:i  Saints.  Time  was  when  thefe  nati- 
ons of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  were  taught  to 
apply  for  help  to  St.  George^  St.  Andrew^  and 
St.  Patrick,  BlelTed  be  God  our  eyes  were  open'd 
by  the  Reformation:  And  I  truft  we  are  now  un- 
der a  furer  protection  ;  that  God  himfelf  will 
be  our  defence ;  and  that  neither  Kome  nor  hell 
fliall  ever  prevail  againft  us. 

The  church  of  Ro7ne  has  alfo  particular  Saints 
for  particular  diforders)  which  plainly  intimates, 
that  their  trull:  is  in  the  Saint  apply 'd  toj  or  elfe 
they  might  beg  the  prayers  of  one  Saint  as  well  as 
another.  They  have  St.  Anthony  for  inflam- 
mations }  St.  Fetronilla  for  the  ague ;  St.  Sigif- 
77iund  for  fevers ;  St.  Margarita  for  help  in 
child-bearing;  St.  Roch  for  the  plague  j  and 
infec^lious  diforders  ;  St.  Apollonia  for  the  tooth- 
ach;  St.  Lucia  for  fore  eyes;  St.  Ottilia  for  deaf- 
nefs:  There  is  a  number  of  others,  who  prelide 
ovtv  \ht  lear?ied profeffions',  oi  owtv  particular  fo- 
ci c  tics -,  or  who  will  proted:  the  Jbldier  and  the 
Jailor  from  w^ars  and  tempefts.  Befides  many 
hundreds  more,  which  are  not  worth  naming : 
There  is  however  one  Saint,  who  I  fear  does  not 
come  in  for  his  ihare  of  devotions,  tho'  perhaps 
as  much  needed,  and  I  queflion  not  as  able  to 
help  as  any  of  them  ;  I  would  efpecially  recom- 
mend it  to  the  new  converts  to  pay  their  iirft 
compliments  to  him  ;  'tis  one  St.  Mathiirin^ 
who  it  feems  has  an  admirable  noftrum  for  the 
cure  of  folly. 

To 


[   23  ] 

To  thefe  their  tutelary  Saints  the  Romanifls 
addrefs  their  prayers,  imploring  their  help,  and 
afking  from  them  fuch  bleffings  as  none  but  God 
can  give.  The  mariners  in  the  fliip  with  Jojiah, 
when  in  danger  of  being  caft  away,  a'ied  e'very 
7nan  unto  his  God.^  Natural  religion  teaches  to  run 
to  God,  whom  the  winds  and  the  waves  obey: 
But  a  papifi  is  direcflcd  to  have  recourfe  to  the 
help  of  St.  Nicholas.  And  thus  in  cafes  of  iicknefs, 
or  any  other  diftrefs,  we  are  to  call  upon  God,  the 
great  phyfician  and  an  almighty  Saviour;  he  has 
encouraged  us  to  call  upon  him  in  the  day  oj  trou- 
ble, he  has  bid  us  do  fo,  he  has  promis'd  delive- 
rance, and  then  expedis  that  we  fliould  glorify 
him.  9  To  pray  to  the  Saints  therefore  for  thele 
bleffings,and  to  diredl  thankfgivings  tothem,when 
we  are  deliver'd  from  threatning  evils,  is  an  un- 
warrantable infringement  of  the  prerogatives  of 
God,  and  a  giving  his  glory  to  others,  which  he 
will  highly  refent  and  punifh. 

Innumerable  inltances  of  fuch  prayers  to  Saints 
for  their  help  might  be  produced  out  of  the  devo- 
tional writings  of  R.omanijls,  and  fuch  as  are  li- 
cenfed  and  allow'd  by  authority.  They  can't  de- 
ny that  St.  Feter  is  invocated,  "  to  untie  the 
**  bonds  of  their  iniquity,  and  to  open  the  gates 
*'  of  heaven  to  them :"  and  that  all  the  apoftles  are 
"  called  upon,  "to  abfolve  them  from  their  fins,  to 
^  heal  all  their  fpiritual  diforders,  and  to  increafe 
"  their  virtues."  If  their  memories  fail,  we  can 
tell  them  of  prayers  to  Saints,  that  they  would 
*'  illuminate;  furnifh  with  all  grace;  grant  thepar- 
"  don  of  fm;  proted  from  the  power  of  the  de- 
vil; 

«  Jon.  i.  5.  9  pfal.  1.  15. 


[  2+] 

*''  vil ;  comfort  under  all  troubles ;  blefs  with 
"  health  of  body,  vigour  of  mind  and  peace  of 
*'  confcience;  and  finally  that  they  would  deliver 
"  them  from  hell,  and  raife  them  to  the  enjoy- 
*'  ment  of  heaven."  All  this  I  prefume  is  more 
than  a  bare  afking  their  prayers.  I  am  amazed 
that  any  in  the  Romifi  church  lliould  have  the 
front  to  deny  their  praying  for  the  Saints  imme- 
diate help.  One  of  their  own  writers  tells  us, 
that  "  the  prayers  made  to  and  deliver'd  by  the 
"  Saints  are  better  thdiU  thofe  made  by  Christ."* 
Their  grand  cliampion  Cardinal  Bellarmi?ie  by 
way  of  plea  fays;  *'  that  tho'  the  words  ufed  upon 
"  thofe  occafions  may  feem  to  imply  more,  than 
"  a  bare  praying  to  the  Saints  to  pray  for  us,  yet 
"  this  is  the  whole  they  intend."^  A  forry  ex- 
cufe  truly  !  I  dare  fiy  they  do  not  imagine,  that 
all  who  ule  fuch  prayers  mean  no  more  by  them: 
How  many  thoufands  are  there  who  ule  them 
without  any  fuch  intention?  and  how  can  the 
fenfe  of  a  prayer  be  known  but  by  the  natural 
fignification  of  the  words  ufed?  What  is  the  rea- 
fon  tliat  iiich  forms  have  not  long  ago  been  al- 
tered and  new  modell'd  and  adjufled  to  the  mean- 
ing of  the  words,  when  they  have  been  fo  often 
objeded  againfl  the  church  of  Ro7?ie  ?  Sure  that 
infaUihk  church  can  frame  prayers  in  a  more 
confident  manner,  to  make  words  and  fenfe  a- 
gree  1  'Tis  plain  the  governors  of  that  church  do 
fcandaloully  negled;  the  fouls  of  men  by  not  al- 
tering thefe  forms,  and  fo  the  ignorant  are  led 
into  fnarcs ;  or  elle  that  they  approve  of  fuch 

prayers^ 

*  Salmcron  in  i  Tim.  ii.  dif.  8.  p.  467, 

*  Dc  beat.  Sand.  J.  i.  c.  17. 


[   25  ] 

prayers,  and  defiie  the  common  people  (Hould 
underftand  them  according  to  the  common  iife 
of  the  words.  I  doubt  not  but  this  latter  is  the 
true  cafe  ;  for  by  this  prad:ice  many  profitable 
ends  are  anfwer'd  for  the  good  of  the  church  ; 
and  this  appears  to  me  to  be  the  grand  view 
aim'd  at  in  the  whole  fcheme  of  Popery  ;  By  this 
craft  they  get  their  gain. 

I  mufl  under  this  head  take  particular  notice 
o^  the  hyperchiliay  or  extravagant  worlliip,  which 
the  Roman  church  pays  to  the  Virgin  Mary  ; 
and  which  cannot  without  the  mofl  open  in- 
coniifhence  be  laid  to  intend  no  more  than  ask- 
ing her  prayers. 

In  mere  compafTion  to  my  auditory  I  mufl 
omit  many  inftances  in  fupport  of  the  charge 
I  have  advanc'd  againd:  the  church  of  Rome ; 
they  are  fuch  blafphemous  expreffions,  which 
truly  pious  Chriflians  will  fcarce  be  able  to  bear 
the  hearing ;  and  yet  'twill  be  neceffary  to  men- 
tion fome :  for  otherwiie  we  fhail  be  told  that 
the  charge  is  falfe.  The  Roman  Breviaries, 
the  Offices  of  the  bleir-;d  Virgin,  and  our  Lady's 
PJ'alter  will  farnidi  us  plentifully.  Thefe  books, 
tho'  loaded  with  blafphemies,  are  not  prohibited^ 
nor  have  they  ever  undergone  any  ecclefiaftical 
cenfurej  and  therefore  in  all  reafon  may  be  iup- 
pofed  to  be  allowed  by  the  church.  Our  LacWs 
Pfalter  particularly  is  allow'd  and  approved,  tho' 
'tis  no  better  than  a  vile  burlefque  of  David's 
Pfalms  ;  the  name  of  Lord  being  erafed,  and 
the  name  Lady  being  put  in  the  room  ;  fo  that 
the  juil  flights  of  devotion  ufed  by  the  fvvcet 
finger  of  Ij'rael  to  the  great  God,  are  here  ficri- 

D  legioufly 


[    26    ] 

legioLilly  apply'd  to  the  Virgin  Mary.  ^Twas 
the  notable  performance  of  Cardinal  Bonaven- 
ture^  a  Francifcan  friar  ;  it  is  printed  at  large 
in  the  fourth  Tome  of  his  Works  under  pub- 
lick  licence,  [by  the  command  of  Pope  SixtusY^ 
and  the  pcrmillion  of  fupcriors.]  And  for  this 
and  other  his  extraordinary  piety,  this  blafphe- 
mous  creature  was  afterwards  canonized  for  a 
Saint. 

The  high  titles  the  Rofuijh  church  gives  the 
Virgin  Mary  in  their  addrelTes  are  not  to  be 
born  :  I'll  give  you  a  fpecimen,  for  all  which  I 
have  my  vouchers.  She  is  called  the  ''  mother 
"  of  mercy  ;  queen  of  heaven  ;  fountain  of 
"  compalhon  y  the  vein  of  pardon  ;  the  hope 
' '  of  the  world  ;  the  fare  refuge  of  the  diftref- 
*'  fed  ',  the  caufc  of  all  creatures  3  the  founder 
*'  of  all  blefnngs  ;  the  author  of  filvation  ;  fo- 
*'  vcreign  light  of  the  world  j"  and  to  finilh  the 
whole,  Ihe  is  addrefs'd  to  as  "  the  inexhauftible 
*'  fountain  of  all  good,  and  all  perfecft,"  or  ab- 
foiutcly  perfc(5t.  There  are  none  of  thefe  titles 
can  be  applied  to  her  with  propriety  j  and  moft 
of  them  not  without  the  highefh  blafphemy  and 
idolatry  :  Particularly  can  the  character  of  nil 
■perfect^  and  inexhaujliblc  fountain  of  all  good  be 
applied  to  any  being  but  God  without  horrid 
blafphemy  ?  To  addrefs  to  any  but  God  under 
this  characfter  is  barefac'd  idolatry :  The  in- 
voking and  venerating  the  Virgin  Mary  as  fucli, 
is  making  an  idol  of  her  ;  but  left  they  fliould 
be  thought  to  be  wanting  in  any  inftance  of 
rclpcd  to  her,  they  tell  us  "  that  God  has  given 
'*  her  half  his  kingdom  y  and   that  no  favours 

«'  arc 


[     27    ] 

are  granted  here  on  earth,  but  what  firft  pafs 
thro'  her  holy  hands ;  without  her  there  is  no 
pardon  j  'tis  ihe  procures  the  expiation  of  our 
fins,  and  'tis  thro'  her  prayers  our  Ibuls  are 
cleanfed  j  "  ^  and  another  of  their  writers  iiiys, 
'tis  morally  impoHible  that  any  who  has  a 
true  devotion  for  this  good  Lady  can  be 
damned."- 

Again  j  they  expe(ft  help  from  the  Virgin 
Mary  by  virtue  of  her  authority  in  heaven  : 
"Twas  originally  a  mad  flight  of  Bojia'-cciitiirc's,^ 
"  Oh  emprefs  and  our  mofl  kind  Lady,  by  the 
*^  authority  of  a  mother  command  thy  mofl 
"  beloved  Son  ;"  But  it  is  to  be  found  in  the 
M<afs-Book,  printed  at  Paris  1634.  I'll  men- 
tion a  pafiage  or  two  out  of  prayers  diredled  to 
this  exalted  Lady.  "  Oh  mother  of  my  God, 
be  pleafed  to  make  me  partaker  of  that  faith, 
that  devotion,  that  love  and  humility,  that 
purity  and  holinefs,  with  which  thou  thy  felf 
didft  often  communicate,  i.  e.  receive  the  Eu- 
charif1:."3  Again,  "  We  praife,  we  blefs,  we 
glorify,  we  give  thee  thanks,  we  love  thee, 
with  all  our  heart,  with  all  our  foul,  with 
all  our  flrength  j  we  offer,  give,  confecrate, 
facrifice  to  thee  this  lame  heart  ;  take  it,  pol- 
fefs  it  whole,  purify  it,  enlighten  it,  landtify^ 
it  'y  that  thou  maylt  live  and  reign  in  it  now, 
and  always  and  throughout  all  ages."  + 
Once  more  ;  the  frequency  of  their  addref- 
fes  to  the  Virgin  Mary  is  an  evidence  of  their 

D  2  undue 

'  L'OfF.  ds  la  Sainte  Vierge  Miirie,  Zr/^f  1681.  p.  33. 
'  Mendof.   \'iriu.  1.  2.  prob.  9. 

^  L'Ange  Conduct,  diiiis  la  devotion  Chrctienne,  p   j^. 
-^Ib.  p.  185, 


[   28  ] 

undue  refped;  to  her.  Their  Rofary^  which 
they  pretend  the  Virgin  Mary  herielf  infpired, 
and  dehver'd  to  St.  Doiriinic  about  the  year 
I220  ;  and  which,  one  of  them  lays,  is  a  book 
that  cannot  be  valued  at  its  full  worthy  confifts 
of  an  hundred  and  fifty  Ave  Marias^  and  iifteen 
Pater  Nojlers ;  fo  that  hxre  are  ten  addreffes  to  the 
Virgin^  to  G?ie  direfted  to  God  ;  an  equitable 
proportion  befure  !  Is  not  this  exalting  a  creature 
abovd  God  ?  But  no  wonder  at  this,  if  it  be  the 
opinion  of  tlic  Romanifts  in  general,  which  St. 
Bernardine  declares  as  his  own,  that  the  Virgin's 
reply  to  the  Angel  Gabriels  ialutation  ;  Behold 
the  handmaid  of  the  LORD,  be  it  unto  me  ac- 
cording to  thy  word  ;5  was  fo  highly  meritorious, 
"  that  by  that  ad;  flie  has  done  more  for  God, 
"  than  God  for  her  and  all  mankind  ;  and  that 
'^'  men  may  i'd.'^j  to  their  comfort,  that  upon  the 
"  Virgin's  account  God  is  more  obliged  to  man, 
"  than  they  are  to  Gcd.".^  Oh  horrid  blaf- 
phemy  !  Monftrous  impiety !  This  the  lan- 
guage of  a  Roman  Saint,  venerated  as  fuch  by 
the  holy  church  ;  it  fliould  rather  be  abhorr'd  as 
the  language  of  a  tongue  fet  on  fire  by  Hell. 

I  have  been  the  larger  on  this  head,  as  it  is 
the  turning  point  of  the  controverly  ;  and  I 
hope  I  have  fufficiently  fliow'd  that  the  church  of 
Rome  does  fomething  more,  than  pray  to  Saints 
to  pray  for  them.     And  yet  they  add, 

5.  That  what  they  do  is  really  no  more  than 
dehring  the  prayers  of  fellow-faints  on  earth.7 
This  plea   is  confuted   by  what   has  been  juft 

mentioned, 

5  Luke  \.  1%. 
•*  Bernard.  Seneiif.   Scrn.6i.  art.  1.  c.  11. 
7  Trof.  ofCith.  uiith,  p.  43    Vid.  Bp.  Condom.  Ice  cit. 


[  29  ] 

mentioned,  upon  fuppolition  that  the  RomtJJ:> 
church  actually  prays  to  Saints  for  their  af- 
fiftance.  But  we  will  wave  that  ;  and  only 
fay,  that  common  fenfe  will  really  point  out 
a  vail  difference  between  the  two  cafes  men- 
tion'd.  Befides  j  the  council  of  'Trefit  meant 
more  :  This  is  plain,  becaufe  they  found  the  rea- 
fon  of  praying  to  the  Saints  upon  their  reigning 
with  Christ;  which  would  be  downright  non- 
fenfe,  upon  fuppoiition  that  the  regard  paid  to 
the  Saints  in  heaven,  was  not  fomething  more 
than  the  regard  due  to  Saints  on  earth ;  and  the 
invocating  the  y^r/wt-r  was  not  widely  different 
from  asking  a  fhare  in  the  prayers  of  the  latter. 
The  fame  council  direfts  to  invocate  the  Saints, 
in  the  manner  of  juppli cants;  which  furely  inlinu- 
ates  more  than  the  bare  asking  a  favour  of  a  li- 
ving friend,  with  whom  we  converfe.  When 
fellow-faints  are  removed  out  of  the  reach  of  ci- 
vil converfation,  they  are  no  longer  to  be  applied 
to  for  any  favour ;  and  it  would  be  no  greater 
an  abfurdity  to  fall  down  upon  my  knees  here  at 
London^  and  to  pray  to  a  living  Saint  at  York ; 
than  to  diredt  a  prayer  to  a  departed  Saint, 
fuppofed  to  be  in  Heaven.  Every  one  fees  a  ma- 
nifeft  difference  between  bowing  the  knee  in  3 
civil  falutation  of  a  friend  prefent  with  me  ;  and 
the  bowing  down  in  a  folemn  prayer,  and  calling 
aloud  to  a  fellow-faint,  who  neither  hears  nor 
fees  me. 

6.  The  church  of  Kome  pleads  antiquity  for 
this  pradice.  The  council  of  Trent  fpeaks  of  it 
as  the  ufage  of  the  apojiolic  and  catholic  church 

from 


[  30  ] 

from  t}ie  beginning  of  Chrlfllanlty/  Bellanmne- 
and  Azorius  >  allert,  it  was  approved  by  all  the 
Qreek  and  Latin  fathers.  In  anfwer  to  this  1 
would  offer  two  things, 

1.  That  fuppofing  what  they  aifert  be  true; 
yet  this  will  not  prove  the  lawfulnefs  or  fitnefs  of 
the  prad:ice.  It  proves  no  more,  than  that  thofe 
fathers  were  of  that  opinion  j  but  this  does  not 
infer  an  obligation  upon  us  to  be  of  the  fame 
mind.  Our  religion  is  to  be  learnt  from  the  fa- 
cred  Scriptures,  and  from  no  other  authority.  If 
the  word  of  God  appoints  any  religious  wor- 
fliip,  I  am  bound  upon  my  allegiance  to  my 
Lord  and  Master  to  conform  to  it :  If  the 
word  of  God  is  filent  as  to  any  a6t  of  religion, 
all  the  fathers,  councils  and  popes  that  ever  were 
have  no  authority  to  bind  my  confcience  3  'tis  a 
bold  jnvafion  of  the  rights  of  Jesus  Christ, 
the  only  lawgiver  to  his  church  j  and  in  duty  to 
him  I  am  bound  to  bear  my  tefhimony  againfl 
fuch  unwarrantable  ufurpation.  He  has  left  no 
deputy,  or  vicar  on  earth,  neither  has  he  quali- 
iied  any  for  fo  im.portant  a  trufl:.     But 

2.  I  deny  the  truth  of  their  alfertion ;  and  in- 
fift  upon  it,  that  they  have  not  antiquity  on  their 
fide.  There  are  fathers  againfl  fathers,  councils 
jigainfl  councils,  popes  againfl  popes ;  and  fome 
of  each  fort  again  ft  themfelves ;  fo  that  if  we 
were  to  be  guided  by  authority,  we  fliould  be  at 
a  lols  where  to  fix,  and  every  onemuft  be  allow'd 
to  chufe  his  own  mafler.  However,  if  antiqui- 
ty be  of  any  confequence  in  determining  matters 

of 

'*  SfffT.  21;.  *  Dc  ccol.  triuinp.  1.  i.  c,  6, 

3   Irifi,  iiior.  T.  I.  I-  ').  c.  10. 


C  31  ] 

of  religion,  the  earlieft  mufl  be  the  beft:  and 
this  is  clearly  agalnfl  the  church  of  Rojiie  in  the 
affair  now  before  us. 

Archbiiliop  UJJ:er,  who  had  as  accurate  a 
knowledge  of  antiquity  as  moft  men,  tells  us^ 
that  "  as  to  the  firfl  400  years  after  Christ, 
"  for  nine  parts  of  that  time,  not  one  true  tefli- 
"  mony  can  be  produced  out  of  any  father  in 
"  favour  of  this  dottriiie  3  but  thefe  kind  of  men 
*'  (fays  he)  have  fo  inured  their  tongues  to  talk 
"  of  ALL  fathers  and  all  writers,  that  they 
"  can  hardly  ufe  any  other  form  of  fpeech ;  ha- 
"  ving  told  fuch  tales  as  thefe  fo  often  over,  that 
"  at  lail  they  perfiiade  themfelves  that  they  be 
"  very  true  in  good  earneil."* 

Cardinal  Perron^  Richiieu^  and  other  learned 
writers  amongft  the  Ro}?ja7iifls  own,  that  the  in- 
vocation of  Saints  was  not  pradiis'd  for  the  three 
firfl  centuries  :  The  reafon  they  alTign  is  a  veiy 
remarkable  one,  and  what  fliould  for  ever  have 
kept  that  prad:ice  out  of  the  Chriftian  church ; 
'tis  this,  becaufe  praying  to  the  Saints  would  have 
been  too  much  like  the  pagan  idolatry,  and  fo 
have  obftrudied  the  fpreading  of  the  gofpel,  the 
heathen  juftifying  themfelves  by  this  pradtice. 
And  by  the  by,  I  verily  believe  that  the  fuper- 
ftitions  and  fopperies  of  Popery  have  done  more 
prejudice  to  the  Chriftian  caufe,  than  all  the 
open  oppoiition  made  by  Jews  or  Infidels. 

The  firfl  fymptoms  of  this  worfliip  did  not 
appear  till  towards  the  end  of  the  fourth  century; 
it  leen^s  to  fpring  out  of  the  regard  which  the 
Chriftians  at  that  time  fhow'd  to  the  memory  of 

the 

♦  Anf.  to  Jefuit's  Challenge,  p.  421,  434. 


[32] 

the  martyrs ;  they  frequented  their  tombs  and 
erected  altars  there,  praying  to  G  o  d  and  enga- 
ging themfelves  to  a  ftrid:  imitation  of  the  virtues 
and  piety  of  the  departed  martyrs:  But  by  de- 
grees, as  the  church  got  into  eafier  circum  fiances, 
men  grew  wanton  and  fuperftitiousi  and  the  re- 
gard they  at  firft  paid  to  G  o  d  at  the  tombs  of 
the  martyrs,  adoring  him  for  the  advantage  of 
their  examples,  dwindled  into  praifes  and  eulo- 
giums  of  the  Saints  themfelves.  In  thefe  they 
ufed  fome  apoflrophes  and  rhetorical  addreffes : 
from  hence  arofe  a  fuperflitious  regard  to  them, 
and  at  laft  it  grew  up  to  a  dired:  invocation  and 
adoring  of  them.^ 

It  would  be  endlefs  to  multiply  quotations  out 
of  the  fathers,  which  I  am  furniflied  with ;  I 
fhall  entirely  wave  them,  and  only  further  add, 
that  it  does  not  appear  that  any  publick  prayers 
to  Saints  were  eftablifli'd  till  A.  D.  787  by  the 
2d  council  of  Nice:  and  this  council  was  con- 
demn'd  by  another  held  at  Fra?icofurt  A.D.  794: 
and  the  invocation  of  Saints  was  likewife  con- 
demn'd  by  a  former  council  held  at  Corijlantvjo- 
pie  A.  D.  754,  where  no  lefs  than  338  bifhops 
were  prefent.  ^  It  is  upon  the  whole  plain,  that 
this  was  no  dodirine  of  the  firfl  and  purefl  ages 
of  Chriflianity  ;  and  by  what  authority  it  be- 
comes a  duty  now,  it  concerns  them  to  confider, 
who  plead  for  the  pra(5lice. 

7.  It  is  further  pretended,  that  out  of  reve- 
rence to  the  divine  Majefly,  they  apply  to  him 
by  the  Saints,  and  this  argues  great  humility. 

Thus 

^  Vid.  Span.  Chr.  fac.  p.  865, 
7  lU.  13 13,  &  fec^. 


[  33  ] 

Thus  in  St.  Pauls  time,  there  was  a  fet  of 
men  attempted  to  introduce  into  the  church  Aji- 
gel-ivorjhip  upon  the  fame  pretence  of  humiHty. 
The  aportle  condemns  it,  as  an  inftance  of  hu- 
mihty,  which  God  had  not  commanded  nor 
did  he  exped: :  Let  no  incm  beguile  you  of  your  r<?- 
wardj  in  a  'voluntary  huiniUty^  or,  as  it  may  be 
render'd,  a  volunteer  in  humihty  j  pleafing  him- 
felf  in  his  humility,  or  afFeding  it.^  The  pagan 
idolaters  pleaded  the  fame  excule  for  the  woilhip 
of  their  inferior  Godsj  and  faid,  "  By  thefe  we 
•'  go  to  the  great  God,  as  by  officers  we  go  to  a 
*'  King,"  St.  Ambrofe  refuted  this  plea  in  favour 
of  heathen  idolatry,  and  it  will  ferve  equally  for 
a  confutation  of  the  popijh.  His  words  are  to 
this  effecft,  "  Is  any  man  fo  mad  or  unmindful  of 
*'  his  falvation,  as  to  give  the  king's  honour  to  an 
*'  officer  of  his  court  ?  which  if  a  man  does,  he 
"  isjuftly  condemned  as  guilty  of  treafon :  and 
"  yet  they  think  themfelves  not  guilty,  who 
"  give  to  a  creature  the  honour  due  to  God's 
"  name,  and  forfaking  God  adore  their  fellow- 
"  fervants,  as  tho'  any  thing  greater  than  that 
"  v/as  referved  for  God  himfelf"  He  goes  on 
and  fhews  the  difference  of  the  two  cafes;  "  there- 
*'  fore  (fays  he)  we  go  to  a  king  by  his  officers 
"  and  nobles,  becaufe  the  king  is  but  a  man,  and 
"  knows  not  of  himfelf  whom  he  may  moft  fit- 
*'  ly  employ  in  the  adminiflration  of  his  affairs: 
"  his  officers  and  courtiers  mull:  enquire  the  cha- 
"  rasters  of  men,  and  recommend  to  him ;  a 
''  king  is  not  able  to  do  all  by  himfelf.  But 
"  there  is  no  need  of  one  to  recommend  us  to 

E  "  the 

*  Col.  ii.  18.     Bthiiv  IV  To.'Trwajt^cvjjiH' 


[  3+  ] 

*^  the  favour  of  God  j  a  devcut  mind  is  a  fuffi- 
"  cient  recommendation  to  him,  from  whom 
"  nothing  can  be  concealed,  and  who  knows 
''  the  deferts  of  all."? 

I  can't  help  remarking  here,  that  one  grand 
caufe  of  errors  both  in  faith  and  practice,  is  a  pre- 
tending; to  be  wife  above  what  is  written :  and 
concluding  what  is  fit  to  be  fettled  in  the  matters 
of  God,  from  what  is  ufually  done  amongfl 
men.  'Tis  a  foolifh  conceit,  that  God  is/hch  an 
one  as  onrfehes,  which  difpofes  men  to  make  al- 
terations in  the  conflitution  and  fettlement  of  his 
kingdom,  and  boldly  to  iiwade  his  royal  prero- 
gative: God  will  liuely  fooner  or  later  repro'-ce 
thofe,  who  dare  treat  him  in  fo  free  a  manner.^ 

But  when  the  church  of  Rome  is  got  into  this 
fit  of  modefcy  ( for  'tis  not  her  natural  temper) 
let  her  be  ask'd ;  Where  is  humility  or  reverence 
to  the  great  God  in  pretending  to  dictate  to  him, 
or  determine  the  fitteft  way  of  accefs  to  him, 
when  he  himfelf  has  dire6led  a  very  different  one? 
An  earthly  king  would  feverely  relent  fuch  fancy 
infolence  j  and  would  not  treat  the  daring  offen- 
der with  that  patience  and  forbearance,  which  the 
bleffed  God  exerciles  towards  men.  It  is  well 
for  us,  that  God  is  not  altogether  fuch  an  one 

as  ourfelves. I  am  fure  the  Roj7iiJJj  church 

would  give  a  much  flroiiger  evidence  of  her  re- 
verence to  God,  than  ever  yet  flie  has  given  ;  if 
file  would  clofely  adhere  to  the  declarations  of 
God's  will,  as  they  are  recorded  in  the,  facred 
Scriptures  j  and  make  that  infallible  book  the  on- 

ly 

'i  Ambr.  Comm.  ad  rRom.  i. 
'   rial.  1.  21. 


[  35   ] 

ly  rule,  whereby  to  regulate  faith,  and  worfhip, 
and  manner  of  Hfe. 

Having  fully  ilatcd  the  Rontijld  dod:rine  of  in- 
vocating  the  Saints,  and  fairly  conlidcr'd  all  they 
have  to  fay  in  fupport  of  fuch  a  practice ; 

II.  I  fhall  now  produce  fome  arguments  ngainfl 
it,  to  Ihow  that  it  is  not  only  iinprofitabJe,  but 
iikewiie  unlawful. 

I.  We  have  no  command  of  God  for  it.  In 
all  our  difquilitions  about  religion  we  are  to  con- 
fider  the  bleffed  God,  as  the  recftor  of  the  world, 
who  has  an  unqueftionable  right  to  prefcribe  laws 
to  his  rational  creatures:  thele  laws,  fufficiently 
iiotiiied,  we  are  bound  to  obey.  Accordingly 
God  has  reveal'd  his  mind  to  man  in  the  lacred 
Scriptures,  thofe  ftanding  oracles  of  our  holy  re- 
ligion. Whatever  inftitutions  we  meet  wdth  there 
as  appointed  by  God,-  we  are  religioufly  to  com- 
ply with ;  whatever  elfe  is  appointed  by  others^  if 
it  have  no  foundation  in  the  word  of  God,  we 
are  fo  far  from  being  obliged  to  the  pradtice  of  It, 
that  in  honour  to  God  we  ought  to  protefl  again  ft 
it,  as  a  bold  ufurpation  of  the  divine  authority. 

In  the  cafe  before  us,  the  practice  of  the  Ro- 
man church  is  altogether  vohinta}')\  without  any 
dlrecftion  of  Go  d,  our  adverfaries  themfelves  be- 
ing judges;  for  they  don't  attempt  the  proof  of 
it  out  of  Scripture. 

Now  fuppofmg  that  God,  as  the  fountain  of 
honour,  may,  confidently  v/ith  his  own  dignity, 
.make  a  grant  of  fome  fort  of  religious  wori'hip 
to  Angels  or  eminent  Saints,  his  favourite  friends, 
dear  to  him  3  yet  if  he  has  not  ki:n  fit  anv  where 

E  2  '  t<> 


[  36  3 

to  make  this  grant,  who  dare  give  his  glory  to 
another?  Who  can  anfwer  to  his  Majefty  the 
bold  infringement  of  his  prerogative?  Can  the 
invocation  of  Saints  be  thought  agreeable  to  God, 
when  he  has  not  given  us  the  leaft  intimation 
that  it  is  lo  ?  If  this  was  neceflary  or  fit,  is  it  not 
furprizing  that  when  fo  many  directions  are  given 
about  prayer  in  the  word  of  God,  we  fhould 
no  where  be  taught  this  lellbn  ?  Efpecially  when 
we  are  bid  to  pray  for  one  another,  and  to  ask 
the  prayers  of  fellow-chriftians  in  our  afflictions, 
is  it  not  aftonifliing  that  we  fliould  not  be  direct- 
ed to  the  Virgin  Mary,  or  fome  other  Saint  of 
intereft  in  the  court  of  heaven,  whofe  prayers  the 
church  of  Rome  tells  us  are  very  meritorious  ?-  -  -^ 
But  not  one  word  in  all  the  book  of  G  o  d  look- 
ing this  way.  And  can  any  one  fuppofe  that  a 
matter  of  this  confequence  would  have  been 
omitted,  if  God  had  intended  or  expeCled  any 
fuch  thing  ?  But  there  is  neither  command,  nor 
example,  nor  promife  to  encourage  the  pradtice, 
nor  threatning  to  thofe  who  negleCl  it,  upon 
which  to  graft  this  doCtrine,  in  the  whole  Bible. 
Their  own  doCtors  bear  teflimony  to  this; 
Banncs,  Cottan,  Bellarmine  and  PerroJi :  and 
this  latter  confefied  to  Ifaac  Cafciiibon,  that  he 
himfelf  never  prayed  to  Saints,  but  only  as  he 
went  in  proceffion.'  He  had  the  checks  of  con- 
fcience,  that  what  he  did  was  wrong,  but  yet  he 
muft  fave  appearances,  and  do  it  to  fecure  his 
credit  with  men  of  that  intcreft  in  which  he  was 
imbark'd :  parallel  to  the  cafe  of  Naayjian,  hi 
this  thing  the  Lord  pardon  thy  fervant^  &c.  ^ 

In 

-■  I'id  Andr.  orufc.  poftKuma..  *  2  Kings  v.  18. 


[  37  ] 

In  a  word,  nothing  muft  be  allowed  in  God's 
worfliip,  but  what  we  have  his  warrant  for ; 
ih  that  the  very  filence  of  fcripture  is  enough 
to  condemn  the  praying  to  Saints.     But, 

2.  The  fcriptures  are  very  ftrong  againft  this 
worfhip.  Our  Saviour's  anlwer  to  the  devil,  al- 
ready mention'd,  appropriates  religious  worfhip 
to  God,  and  confequently  excludes  the  Saints 
from  any  right  or  claim  to  prayer,  which  is  a 
principal  part  of  worfhip. 

The  worfliip  of  Angeh  is  exprefsly  forbid  by 
the  Apoftle  ;  and  the  chriftian  converts,  to 
whom  he  writes,  are  warn'd  againft  being  be^ 
guiled  into  the  prad:ice  :'  By  parity  of  reafon  the 
worfhip  of  Saints  mufl  be  condemned  3  the 
Saints  cannot  be  fuppofed  to  have  higher  pre- 
tenfions  to  this  homage  than  the  Angels,  if  they 
be  allowed  to  have  equal.  An  Angel  reproved 
St.  yohn  for  an  attempt  to  worfliip  him  ;  befell 
at  his  feet  to  worJJjip  him^  (a  common  poflure  of 
image'-worfiippers  in  the  Romijlj  church :)  fee  thou 
do  it  fiot,  fays  the  Angel,  /  am  thy  fellov)-fer^ 
'uanf^  and  of  thy  brethren  that  have  the  tefii^ 
vtony  of  Jesus  ;  worfiip  God  :^  He  is  the  only 
adequate  objedt  of  religious  worfhip  ;  the  highefl 
Angels  and  the  moil  exalted  Saints  in  the 
heavenly  world,  are  but  our  fellow-fervants ;  we 
all  belong  to  one  family  and  ferve  the  fame 
mailer ;  thofe  above^  indeed,  in  a  higher  flation  ; 
we  belowy  in  the  ilation  afligned  us  for  the  pre- 
fent,  but  in  expedlation  of  advancement  in  God's 
due  time. 

The 
f  Col.  ii.  18,  *  Rev,  xix;  ?o. 


[  38  I 

The  doBrine  of  de'^jils,  which  the  apoflle 
tells  Timothy  of^^  as  what  would  be  taught  in 
the  apoftacy  of  the  latter  times,  I  apprehend 
to  be  nothing  .elfe ;  than  this  idolatrous  \vorfliip 
of  Saints  in  the  Romifi  church,  borrow'd  from 
the  worfliip  of  Daemons  or  inferior  Gods  in  the 
Pagan  world.  A  parallel  might  be  drawn  be- 
tween the  one  and  the  other  f  but  inftead  of 
thajt,  Iclofe^this  hpad  with  a  pafTage  of  one  of 
their  own  writers  ;  *'  Many  Chriflians,  fays  he, 
■  do^for  the  moft  part  tranfgrefs  in  a  good 
thing,-  that  they  worfhip  the  Saints  and  Sain- 
telFes,  no  otherwife  than  they  worfliip  God 
himfelf  j  nor  do  I  fee  in  many  things,  where- 
in there  is  any  difference  between  the  opinion 
wliich  they  have  of  their  Saints,  and  that 
which  the  Gentiles  maintain'd  concerning 
*'  their  Gods."  5  , 

3.  This  pradice  hio;hly  derogates  from  the 
honour  of  God;  As  God  was  the  maker  of  all 
things,  fo  'tis  his  glory  to  have  all  his  creatures 
depend  upon  him,  and  dired:  their  eyes  to  him 
for  the  fupport  of  the  feveral  natures  which  he 
has  given  them,  and  for  a  fupply  of  needful 
blefiings.  Praying  to  the  Saints  for  a  fupply  of 
our  wants  mufl  certainfly  lefTen  our  fenfe  of  de- 
pendance  upon  God,  and  obligation  to  him  j 
and  this  infringes  his  honour. 

It  is  an  affront  to  God,  as  it  is  without  his 
warrant  or  diiedion.     And, 

Itis.  injurious  to  God,  as  it  argues  low  and 
mean   thoughts  of  his  Majefly.     It  looks  as  if 

5    I  Tim.  iv.  ;i-,>;:^   ^  A   ' 

4  Vid.  J  of.  iicde  of  the  apoftacy  of  the  latter  times. 

5  Lud.  Viv.  in  Aug.  dc  Civ.  Dei,  1.  S.  c.  27. 


[  39  ] 

we  did  not  efteem  him  that  almighty,  wife,  and 
good  being,  which  he  really  is.  For  did  we  firmly 
believe  his  infinite  wifdom^  we  fliould  fcarce  pre- 
tend to  prefcribe  or  fettle  the  way  of  approach 
to  him,  and  that  different  from  his  own  ap- 
pointment.  Were  we  thoroughly  perfuaded  of 

his  immenfe  goodnefs  and  compajjion^  we  fliould  not 
defirefucha  number  of  advocates,  as  if  God  were 
almofl  inexorable.— And  were  our  mindsproperly 
imprefs'd  with  a  fenfe  of  his  almighty  po'wer, 
we  fhould  not  run  to  Saints  or  Angels  for  their 
help  ;  but  have  recourfe  to  him,  who  is  the 
Lord  of  angels  and  men,  andean  imploy  any 
of  his  creatures  as  inftruments  to  compafs  his 
ends,  and  to  promote  the  happinefs  of  thofe  who 
trufl  in  him  and  pray  to  him. 

4.  It  is  highly  injurious  to  Jefus  Chriji.  And 
thus  it  is  partly,  as  it  defeats  one  grand  end  of 
his  coming  into  the  world,  and  fetting  up  the 
gofpel-kingdom  in  it,  'uiz.  to  deflroy  idolaiTy, 
which  in  the  flrongell:  (tx\k  is  the  work  of  the 
devil.  See  ift  Epillle  of  yoh?i,  and  the  chapter 
where  the  text  is. 

But  it  is  principally  injurious  to  Christ's  in- 
tercefhon.  The  Papijis  can't  allow  this ;  tho' 
every  one  may  fee,  that  having  recourfe  to  the 
prayers,  the  help  and  afiiflance  of  Saints  mufl 
be  an  affront  to  that  one  mediator  between  God 
and  men,  the  man  Christ  Jesus  :  it  is  an  in- 
finuation,  that  he  is  not  thought  fufHcient  to 
manage  man's  caufe  with  God  without  the  aid 
of  affifling  Saints  or  Angels.  As  the  notion  of  two 
Gods  is  herefy  againfl  iiatiiral  religion  j  fo  the 
dodrine  of  more  mediators  and  interccfTors  than 

one. 


[40  ] 

one,  is  herefy  againft  the  gofpel.  There  is  cm 
God,  and  one  mediator  beHveen  God  and  men^ 
the  man  Christ  Jesus,  who  gave  himfelf  a 
ranjbm  for  all!"  Now  is  not  applying  to  the 
Saints  for  their  prayers  and  their  help  a  barefaced 
oppofition  to  this  gofpel  dodtrine,  and  an  open 
injury  to  the  bleffed  Jesus  ?  But  it  feems  thefe 
men  are  better  acquainted  with  the  mind  of 
Christ  than  his  own  Apollles ;  or  otherwile 
St.  "John  was  greatly  miftaken,  when  he  tells 
US;  If  any  man  Jin,  we  have  an  advocate  with 
the  Father^  Jesus  Ce^rist  the  righteous :  He 
fhould  furely  have  faid,  we  have  many  advo- 
cates :  But  this  doctrine  was  not  true  in  St. 
yoh?is  days,  tho'  the  church  of  Rome  has  de- 
termined it  now. 

I  prefume  mother  church  was  in  one  of  her 
fits  of  modefty,  or  in  a  penitential  mood,  when 
fhe  appointed  this  worlhip  oi  Saints  :  For  be* 
fides  the  profit  it  brings  in,  which  we  do  but 
hint  at:  I  can  imaojine  but  two  inducements  ihe 
could  have  to  inllitute  fo  extraordinary  a  fervice ; 
namely,  cither,  the  good  mother  was  fenfible  of 
the  abominations  of  her  children  ;  nor  had  rea- 
fon  to  imagine  they  would  mend  their  man- 
ners, when  they  had  the  benefit  of  her  indul^ 
gences  ;  and  fo  concluded  they  would  fi:and  in 
need  of  all  the  prayers  and  all  the  merits  fhc 
could  fcrapc  togetb-cr  for  them  :  Or  cljt\  being 
confcious  how  llie  had  departed  from  the  gofpel 
of  Christ,  ihe  concluded  that  llie  could  not 
with  any  modcfly  apply  to  him,  whom  flie 
had  highly  afiVontcd,  and  therefore  file  direcfts 

her 

*   I  Tim.  i).    ij,  i> 


[41   ] 

her  poor  children  to  the  patronage  of  ofheiSj 
whom  for  that  purpofe  fhe  Had  exalted  to  great 
honours. 

According  to  the  conftitution  of  the  gofpel, 
we  may  as  lawfully  make  to  ourfelvcs  more  Gods, 
as  we  may  more  m.ediators  than  one. 

But  to  evade  the  force  of  this  reafoning,  the 
Romijb  church  has  framed  a  very  fubtle  diflin- 
d:ion  betv/een  a  mediator  of  redemption^  and  a 
mediator  of  interceJfion\  the  former,  they  fay, 
belongs  to  CiiRisry^/t'/v,  the  other  the  Angels 
and  Saints  in  heaven  are  intituled  to.  But  the 
icriptures  give  no  countenance  to  fuch  a  dillin- 
(Stion.  They  plainly  teach  us,  that  the  intcrcef- 
fion  of  Christ  is  founded  upon  the  meritorioul- 
nefs  of  his  death  and  fufferings  3  his  giving  him- 
{'cX^  a  ranfom  for  us,  and  being  the  propitiation 
for  our  fins,  claims  for  him,  and  fupports  the 
charadier  of  our  mterceffbr.  Thefe  are  mutually 
dependent  and  clolcly  connected.  He  is  exalted 
to  the  right  hand  of  God,  as  a  reward  of  hia 
fufferings,  and  there  he  fits  to  make  interceflion 
for  us :  Whoever  therefore  advance  any  to  be 
affeflbrs  with  Christ  in  this  important  work, 
they  undervalue  his  merits,  and  rob  him  of  his 
glory. 

The  clofe  connexion  of  redemption  and  in- 
terceflion our  adverfaries  feem  to  be  aware  of; 
and  therefore  to  folvc  the  difficulty,  Bellartnine 
fays,  the  Saints  are  7nediators  by  participation -y 
but  this  is  with  the  fame  propriety,  as  he  elfe- 
where  calls  them  Gods  by  participation.  Accord- 
ingly the  church  of  Rome  makes  no  fcruple  in  her 
publick  prayers  to  beg  God's  pardon,  mercy  and 
S"  favour 


[    42    ] 

favour  on  account  of  the  merits  of  the  Saints  ^ 
and  prays  to  them  to  obtain  bleffings  by  virtue 
of  their  merits  :  They  depend  upon  the  merits  of 
the  Saints,  and  put  themfelves  under  their  pro- 
tecflion  with  the  utmoft  fatisfadlion  of  mind,  as 
if  tlicy  were  Gods.     Bifliop  Stilliii^feet  to  this 
purpoie  lays,  *^  I  have  known  mylelf  intelhgent 
*',  perfons  of  their  church,  v/ho  commit  their 
"  fouls  to  the  Virgin  Marfs  protection  every 
"  day,  as  we  do  to  ahnighty  God's  ;   and  fuch 
"  who  thought  they  underftood  the  do6lrine  and 
''  pra6lice  of  their  church  as  well  as  others."  ^ 
In  the  celebration  of  the  Mafs^  the  prieft  fays 
thus,  "  We  pray  thee,  oh  Lord,  by  the  merits 
"  of  thy  Saints  (he  kilTes  the  altar)  whofe  re- 
"  licks  are  here,  and  of  all  thy  Saints,  that  thou 
*'  wouldft  grant  us  the  pardon  of  all  our  fins, 
^'  Amen,"  ^      Not  a  word  of  Christ  in  the 
prayer.     But  none  of  their  docflors,  that  I  know 
of,  ever  deny'd  the  merits  of  their  Saints,   and 
therefore  we  may  difmifs  this  head;  for  every 
one  muft  fee  that  by  this  pradice  great  diiho- 
nour  is  done  to  Christ,  as  if  he  needed  the 
affiftance  of  the  Saints,  in  order  to  the  fuccefs  of 
his  interceffion  :  Nay,  fome  amongft  them  have 
carried  the  matter  further,  and   have  not  fcru- 
pled  to  fay,  "  that  the  intercefiion  of  the  Saints 
*'  is  fometimes  more  available  than  Christ's."  5 
And  another  fays,  "  he  cannot  tell  which  to 

'   Of  Idol,  of  the  Church  of  Romr,  p.  145. 
*  Miff.   Rom.   Ed.   Paris,    16S4. 

3  Vid.  Salnifr.  ubi   fup.    cit.       Hen.   F.'fz-Sh/:c»  of  the  Mais, 
I.  2.  p.  2.  C.  3. 

**  prefer,. 


[43  ] 

prefer,     the   Mother's    milk,    or    the    Son's  ■ 
''  blood."  * 

5.  This  invocation  of  Saints  is  highly  abfurd„ 
For, 

It  does  not  appear  that  they  have  any  knouo-' 
ledge  of  our  affairs  here  on  earth,  or  can  hear 
our  prayers.  The  Koinaiiifis  prove  they  have, 
thus;  It  is  faid  there  is  joy  in  the  pre  fence  of  God 
over  onefmner  that  repenteth :  5  And  'tis  faid  the 
Saints  /Jjall  be  equal  unto  the  Angels  ;^  therefore  the 
Saints  know  of  the  repentance  of  linners,  and  by 
parity  of  reafon,  they  know  other  things.  But 
we  fhou'd  remember  that  our  iikenefs  to  Angels, 
as  there  mentipn'd,  is  to  commence  at  the  re- 
furrecftion  ;  and  then  I  prefume  there  will  be  no 
further  room  or  need  of  prayers  to  the  Saints.  But 
if  the  inhabitants  of  heaven  have  any  knowledge 
of  our  affairs,  'tis  moft  likely  to  fuppofe  they 
have  it  by  revelation  from  God  ;  and  upon  this 
fuppolition  'tis  monftroufly  abfurd  to  pray  to 
them  ;  for  then  it  will  be  thus :  Firft  pray  to  a 
Saint,  then  God  tell  that  Saint,  who  it  is  that 
prays,  and  what  he  prays  for  3  then  the  Saint 
muft  go  back  to  God  and  pray  for  fuch  perfon, 
and  for  fuch  a  mercy  deiired.  Can  any  thing 
be  more  abfurd  than  this,  to  fend  God  upon 
the  errands  of  his  creatures  ;  or  to  luppofe  that 
to  be  done  in  heaven  by  God  and  his  lervants, 
which  would  be  laugh'd  at  as  a  fooliili  and  ri- 
diculous farce,  if  ad:ed  between  a  king  and  his 
fubjed:s,  or  a  mafter  and  his  fervants  on  the  ftag^ 
oi  this  world. 

+  Car.  Scrihar.   in  Amphit.  honor, 

5  Luke  XV,    10.  ^  c.  XX.    36. 

F  ?  Again  j 


[44] 

Again  ;  if  they  could  hear  our  prayers,  'twould 
be  abfurd  to  pray  to  them,  becaufe  they  have  no 
■power  or  authority  to  intercede.  Thole  who  pre- 
tend to  imploy  them  in  this  fervice,  fliould  be 
able  to  produce  their  commilhon. 

Further ;  Praying  to  them  fuppoies,  that  they 
^rc  pojjifsd  of  di-viiie  perfect iom^  and  fo  makes 
Gods  of  them.  Particularly  it  fuppofes,  that 
they  are  ojnniprefent ^  omnifcient^  almighty^  and 
aU'jiifpcient :  Thefe  are  incommunicable  perfe- 
(flions  of  Deity,  and  can't  belong  to  any  crea- 
ture; and  yet  thefe  muft  be  llippofed  to  be  in 
the  Saints,  if  all  men,  from  all  parts  of  the 
earth,  and  in  all  circumftances  arc  to  dired:  their 
prayers  to  them :  I'll  give  a  fpecimen  of  fuch  a 
prayer;  ''  My  dear  Angel  St.  Michael^  all  the 
*'  Angels,  my  patrons  and  patroneffes,  Saints 
"■  and  SaintelTes,  whofe  feaft  is  celebrated  this 
*'  day  ;  come  and  keep  me  company,  and  affift 
"  me  in  my  neceflities."  7  Befides ;  the  power 
of  knowing  the  hearts  of  men  is  by  confequence 
afcribed  to  the  Saints  by  this  practice  of  the 
church  of  Rome  ;  nor  can  the  charge  be  evaded, 
lince  the  council  of  T'rerif  fpeaks  of  mental 
prayer  as  well  as  vocal.  Mental  prayers  can 
comx  within  the  knowledge  only  of  him,  who 
fearches  the  heart;  which  God  claims  as  his 
peculiar  prerogative,  I the\jORT>  fearch  the  heart  ;* 
nor  will  he  give  this  glory  to  another. 

Once  more;  this  is  abfurd,  becaufe  we  may 
be  fure,  that  the  Saints  the/fi/ehes  isdHI  not  admit 
this  'Lcorjhip.     St.  Peter  and  St.   Paul  with  the 

'   [,'.\rc;c  Comha.  ^Jc.  p.    i. 
*  jtr.  wi:.    10. 

greateft 


[  45   ] 

greatefl  abhorrence  rejefted  it,  while  they  were 
on  earth,  as  an  abominable  indignity  to  the  great 
God  :  and  I  prefume  they  have  not  lefs  reverence 
for  the  divine  Majefty  now  they  are  got  to  hea- 
ven. The  Romanijh  ufe  this  fort  of  arguing  to 
prove  that  the  Saints  in  heaven  pray  for  thofe  be- 
low ;  becaufe  they  did  fo  when  they  themfelves 
were  on  earth,  and  their  charity  is  increafed  by 
their  fight  of  God  in  heaven.  9  And  I  fuppofe 
charity  is  not  the  only  grace  or  virtue  the  Saints 
will  be  perfed:ed  in,  when  they  are  got  to  hea- 
ven :  Their  charity  is  not  fo  perfected  fure,  as 
to  deftroy  their  other  graces ;  it  is  not  fo  im- 
proved, as  to  abate  their  reverence  to  God,  or 
their  zeal  for  the  honour  of  their  Saviour  ;  their 
humility  can't  be  turn'd  into  a  proud  afpiring 
to  be  equal  with  the  fon  of  God,  It  was  part 
of  their  excellence,  while  on  earth,  to  have  hum- 
ble thoughts  of  themfelves,  and  an  admiring 
fenfe  of  obligation  to  Christ  their  redeemer; 
they  had  learnt  to  account  themfelves  but  iin- 
profitable  feri: ants  to  the  great  God  ;  and  when 
rhey  had  done  their  beft,  'twas  the  humble  lan- 
guage of  their  fouls,  Not  /,  hut  the  grace  nfGor> 
that  was  with  me.  And  I  prefume  they  will 
not  be  lefs  fenfible  of  obligation  to  God,  or  of 
their  own  unworthinefs,  when  they  have  reach'd 
heaven ;  they  will  then  caft  their  crowns  at  the 
foot  of  God's  throne,  afcribing  the  glory  of  all 
his  works  both  in  the  kingdom  of  providence 
and  of  grace  to  him.  Thou  art  worthy  to  rccei'-ce 
all  honour  and  glory  and  praife.  '     They,  holy 


9  Pioi".  of  Cath.  Faith,  p.  41. 
f  Rev.  iv.   :o. 


fouls, 


[  46  3 

fouls,  have  no  notion  of  merit;  and  therefore 
know  themfelves  not  to  be  qualified  to  intercede 
for  others. 

I  am  incUn'd  to  think,  that  the  Ro?niJh  church 
was  aware  of  this,  and  doubted  whether  truly- 
pious  Saints  above  would  undertake  to  mediate 
men's  concerns  with  God  :  And  therefore  to  do 
them  juftice,  they  do  not  rigidly  infift  upon  it, 
that  the  Saints  they  worfhip,  fliould  be  fuch 
only  as  pajsd  tke  tune  of  their  fojourning  in  the 
fear  of  God,  truly  good  and  pious  fouls ;  'tis  not 
neceflary  with  them,  that  they  fliould  be  ftricftly 
Saints^  in  the  full  fenfe  of  that  word,  or  in  the 
efteem  of  God  ;  'tis  enough  for  their  purpofe  if 
they  are  Saints  of  the  Pope's  making  ;  and  there- 
fore no  wonder  that  we  meet  with  fuch  a  differ- 
ent variety  of  names  in  their  calendar  3  every 
man  may  pick  and  chufe  his  patron,  for  there 
is  choice  enough. 

Some  few  there  are  on  the  roll,  whofe  praile 
is  in  the  church  of  Christ  ;  fuch  as  were  great 
inflruments  cf  promoting  the  gofpel,  while  here 
on  earth  ;  and  thcfe  I  doubt  not  Ihine  now  with 
a  glory,  like  the  fun  in  the  kingdom  of  our  Fa- 
ther above. 

But  others  there  are,  who  have  left  no  re- 
membrances of  them,  only  fuch  as  mujft  raife 
the  juft  indignation  of  every  pious  mind  :  Men 
of  moil  wicked  and  profligate  lives,  monfters 
in  nature  for  cruelty,  and  of  the  mofl  bloody 
difpofitions,  V/itneis  here  St.  Domijiic,  whofe 
memory  will  ever  be  abhorr'd,  for  his  having 
been  the  author  and  contriver  of  that  curfed 
engine  of  perfecution,  i\\q  Inquifjion  :    Witnefs 

likewife 


[  47  ] 
likewife  a  Saint  of  our  own  country,  the  famous 
Thomas  a  Becket,  who  had  no  good  quality  be- 
longing to  his  character;  pride  and  treachery 
eompofed  the  man  ;  li.:  was  a  rebel  to  his  king, 
and  a  traytor  to  his  country  j  but  being  a  bigot 
to  the  church,  his  lins  were  abfolved,  (N.  zeal 
for  the  church  will  cover  a  multitude  of  fins!) 
and  he  was  raifed  to  the  dignity  of  a  Romijh 
Saint  J  and  became  in  a  manner  the  idol  of  this 
part  of  the  woild  for  near  200  years :  he  per- 
fectly eclips'd  the  glory  of  the  other  Saints  for  a 
while ;  nay,  we  are  told,  that  whereas  there 
were  three  altars  in  the  cathedral  church  of  Can- 
ierbiiry^  one  eredlied  to  the  honour  of  Christ, 
another  to  the  Virgin  Mary\  and  a  third  to  this 
St.  I'homas-y  the  offerings  at  his  flirine  came  to 
about  1000  /.  when  thofe  to  the  Virgin  came 
not  to  5  /.  and  to  Christ  nothing  at  all.  And 
a  noted  hiftorian  tells  us,  that  in  one  year,  viz. 
A.  D.  1420,  there  were  no  lefs  than  50,000 
foreigners  came  in  pilgrimages  to  pay  their  ho^ 
mage  at  this  tomb.  -  Upon  the  whole,  the 
church  of  Rome  has  no  reafon  to  faften  the 
charge  of  idolatry  in  the  heathen  world,  on 
their  wcrfhipping  evil  Spirits ;  they  can  match 
the  worft  of  them  wath  feme  of  their  Saints. 

Others  of  this  facred  tribe  could  be  thus  ad- 
vanced, one  w^ould  think,  for  nothing  but  their 
folly.  Their  great  St.  Francis^  according  to 
their  own  accounts,  may  be  juflly  fufpeded  of 
wanting  common  feme.  His  throwing  away  his 
cloaths,  and  running  about  ilark  naked,  was 
fuch  a  freak,  that  he  ought  either  to  have  been 

*  Rapin'i  Hilt,  of  Eng.  V.  3.  p.  48, 

whipp'd 


[48  ] 

whipp'd  about  the  flrccts  by  way  of  punifliment 
for  his  impudence,  or  have  been  contined  for  a 
madman.  His  preaching  to  birds  and  bealts,  and 
talking  to  them  as  fellow-creatures,  was  flupid 
and  ridiculous. 

Once  more;  There  are  other  Saints  on 
their  lift,  who  never  had  any  real  exiftence;  no 
other  being,  but  the  imaginary  one,  which 
their  own  legends  have  given  them  :  and  their 
accounts  of  them  are  fo  romantic,  that  one  would 
imagine  they  could  not  themfelves  believe  there 
ever  were  fuch  perfons :  witnefs  their  monftrous 
giant  St.  Chrijlopber^  who  carried  Christ  crofs 
an  arm  of  the  fea  3  St.  Longmus  the  Roma?t 
foldier,  who  thruft  the  fpear  into  Christ's 
body  on  the  crofs  ;  St.  George  j  St.  JJrfula  with 
her  II 000  virgins:  and  many  others,  whofc 
names  are  preferved  among  the  Romifi  Saints, 
though  they  never  had  a  being  amongft  living 
men. 

6.  This  worfliip  of  Saints  is  very  imprudent. 
For  fuppofing  it  be  allowable,  'tis  a  round  about 
way  J  which  common  prudence  would  forbid  us 
to  ufe,  unlefs  God  himfelf  had  dired:ed  it.  No 
prudent  man  would  try  twenty  methods  to  effed: 
a  thing,  which  could  as  well  or  better  be  done 
one  particular  way.  The  facred  fcripture  tells 
us  the  diredl  way  to  the  father  is  by  J  ejus  Chrifl : 
/  am  the  n.vay,  the  truth  and  the  life^  fays  he  of 
himfelf;  nay  he  fpeaks  it  exclufively  of  all 
others,  no  7nanco7ncth  unto  the  father  but  by  7ne''^, 
The  great  God  has  direded  me  to  come  to  him 
by  his  Son,  and  has  allured  me  of  fuccefs  in  this 

way : 

5  John  xiv    6 


[  49  ] 

^Aray:  Now  though  perhaps  I  may  be  vain  enough 
to  think,  that  it  would  be  more  humble  and 
more  relped:ful  to  go  to  God  by  the  interceffion 
of  Angels  or  Saints  ;  yet  if  I  defired  fuccefs, 
common  prudence  would  teach  me  to  take  the 
way,  which  God  has  appointed. 

Befides;  fuppoling  it  to  be  a  doubtful  cafe, 
whether  we  fhould  give  religious  worfliip  to 
Saints  or  not ;  prudence  would  forbid  my  doing 

it,  becaufe  it  is  fafer  not  to  do  it.  — If  Pro^ 

tejlants  are  in  the  right,  the  PapiPus  a'.e  guilty  of 
a  moil  heinous  lin,  in  giving  God's  glory  to 
others:  if  they  are  in  the  right,  then  njje  are 
wanting  in  fome  refped:,  which  we  n.;^nt  have 
given  to  the  Saints ;  but  were  not  bound  by  any 
command  of  God  to  do  it  j  for  this  is  not  pre- 
tended. If  we  are  in  the  right,  the  church  of 
Rotne  is  expofed  to  the  dreadful  refentments  of 
God  for  finning  againft  him  :  if  we  are  not  in 
the  right,  all  we  lofe  is  the  benefit  we  might  re- 
ceive by  the  prayers  of  Saints :  but  I  apprehend 
we  fhall  not  feel  the  lofs,  if  we  can  fecure,  ( I 
pray  God  we  all  of  us  may  ! )  an  interefl  in  the 
prevailing  interceffion  of  Christ  our  redeemer* 

I  clofe  with  remarking,  that  the  RomiJJj  man- 
ner of  making  Saints  is  a  great  objecflion  againft 
worfhipping  them.  This  is  done  by  the  Pope, 
with  a  heap  of  ridiculous  ceremonies,  and  for  the 
fake  ufually  of  immenfe  funis  of  money,  given 
by  princes  who  are  defirous  of  the  glory  of  pro- 
curing canonization  for  fomc  favourite  friend ;  + 
for  you  mud:  know  that  thefc  Saints  generally  arc 

G  drawn 

*  V,  Picart's  Cerem.  and  rel.  cull.  Vol.  I.  p.  3H6. 


[  50  1 

drawn  up  to  Heaven  by  a  cord  of  gold,  and  if  it 
was  not  for  the  power  of  that  metal,  hundreds 

of  them  had  never  been  fuppofed  to  be  there. 

But  what  horrid,  infolent  arrogance  is  this,  for 
a  fniful  earthly  man  to  pretend  to  make  thefe 
petty  Gods :  If  his  Holi?7cJs  had  this  power,  the 
Romanijls  might  with  fome  fort  of  propriety  ftile 
him  our  Lord  God  the  Pope  ;  and  need  not  deny, 
or  be  afham'd  of  it  afterwards.  Monflrous  im- 
piety, for  a  finful  creature  to  conflitute  himfelf 
the  diftributer  of  heavenly  blefiings!  And  this 
he  eifedlually  does  by  appointing  the  Saints, 
whofe  prayers  and  merits  procure  them,  and  by 
whofe  hands  they  are  convey'd. 

II.  I  am  now  come  to  the  lid  branch  of  my 
fubjed:,  which  is  the  ivorjhip  of  Images.  I 
muft  be  brief  in  my  remarks  upon  this.  Let  us 
firft  enquire  what  the  doctrine  of  the  church  of 
Rof?ie  is  in  relation  to  this  matter,  and  then  exa- 
mine the  reafons  againft  it. 

Their  late  book  for  the  ufe  of  converts  de- 
clares, that  *'  they  do  not  think  it  unlawful  to 
"  have  the  Images  of  God  the  Father,  and  of 
"  the  bleffed  Trinity;  and  they  make  no 
*'  difficulty  of  painting  God  the  Father,  under 
*'  the  figure  of  a  venerable  old  man"  5.  But  I 
think  the  fcripture  is  exceeding  plain  againlt  this, 
and  I  take  it  to  be  abfolutely  unlawful  to  make 
any  fuch  reprefentations  of  God  :  he  is  a  fpirit, 
and  therefore  cannot  be  likened  to  any  thing  that 
is  corporeal.  To  ivhom  will  you  liken  God?' 
or  ivh at  UkeiKJs  will  ye  compare  unto  him^'^  But 

the- 

5  Id.  Ibid.  p.  .j9.  ^  Ifaiah:::.  i8,  Sec. 


[   Sr   ] 

the  Romanijis  fay,  that  they  do  not  think  fuch 
Images  of  God  unlawful,  "  provided  tliey  be 
"  not  underflood  to  bear  any  likenefs  or  refem- 
"  blance  of  the  divinity"  7 :  But  for  what  end 
are  Images  defigned,  if  not  to  reprefent  the  pro- 
totype? 

But  the  Council  of  T'rent  has  exprefsly  autho- 
rized the  making  and  ufe  "  of  Images  of 
"  Christ  and  of  the  Virgin  Mjry,  and  of  other 
"  Saints,  and  has  appointed  that  they  fliould  be 
**  placed  in  churches,  and  that  due  honour  and 
"  veneration  be  given  to  them".  The  Romifi 
dod:ors  differ  about  the  veneration  due  to  Images ; 
fome  fay,  they  are  to  be  worfliipped  p-operly^  fo 
as  to  terminate  the  worfliip  on  the  very  Images ; 
others  fay,  analogically  or  improperly  fo  as  to  ter- 
minate the  worfhip  upon  the  prototype  or  ori- 
ginal, whofe  Image  it  is.  [  I  fuppofe  thefe  do- 
<ftors  will  then  allow  that  fome  worfhip  is  termi- 
nated on  the  Saints,  not  all  on  God.  ]  Some 
argue  for  xh^  fame  fort  of  worfhip  as  is  due  to  the 
original ;  others  fay  an  inferior  and  different  one. 
Their  dodlors  thus  differing,  the  council  has  left 
it  at  large  :  though  there  is  one  claule,  whicli 
blabs  what  they  mean;  their  learned  men  mav 
be  acquainted  with  it,  but  it  was  not  hie  to  trufl 
it  with  the  common  people  :  they  mean  in  truth 
to  command  every  thing,  which  has  been  efta- 
blifhed  by  the  decrees  of  councils,  but  efpccially 
of  the  2d  Council  of  Nice?'  Now  'tis  well 
known  in  the  learned  world  that  this  Council  of 

G  2  Nice 

7  Ifaiali  xl.    i3,  ^c. 
*  Cone.  Trid,  Sefs.  25. 


[52] 

Nice  ex^prefsly  confirms  the  adoration  of  Images, 
They  fay  thus,  *'  It  is  our  opinion  that  the  Ima- 
"  ges  of  the  glorious  Angels  and  Saints  are  to  be 
'^  adored',  but  i^  any  man  is  not  fo  minded, 
"  but  doubt-^  ^Dout  the  adoration  of  Images,  him 
**  the  Synod  pronounces  accurled".  Hence  learn 
the  fenfe  of  the  fathers  of  'T'reiit  j  and  that  this 
is  the  real  opinion  of  the  church  of  Home  may 
be  inferr'd  from  the  conftant  pradlice  of  her 
votaries. 

Our  adverfaries  fay,  they  do  not  pray  to  the 
Images,  but  only  bfore  them  j  and  that  "  be- 
"  caufe  the  fight  of  a  good  pidure  or  Image 
"  helps  to  enkindle  devotion  in  the  heart".  How 
a  devout  frame  of  mind  towards  God  fliould  be 
rais'd  by  the  fight  of  the  Image  of  St.  Francis^  the 
picture  of  St.  Dominic^  or  the  fhrine  of  St.  ^hotjias 
of  Canterbury^  I  am  at  a  lofs  to  conceive  :  and  if 
any  devotion  be  thus  artificially  raifed,  I  imagine  it 
cannot  be  of  much  account  with  that  God  who 
fearches  theheart,  and  requires  truth  in  the  inward 
parts.  They  would  have  us  believe,  that  they 
pay  no  regard  at  all  to  the  Image,  but  only  thrd 
that  to  the  original :  This  pretenfion  ' .  ;;xtremely 
confident,  A  naked  reprefentition  of  what  they 
do  with  reference  to  the  Lxi.igcs,  wiii  be  a  fuffi- 
cient  confutation  of  I'.is  bold  evafion. 

The  ImagCkS  of  Saints  are  in  tli^ir  churches ; 
placed  there  by  authority  -,  the  people  flill  down 
on  their  knees  before  them,  or  lie  proflrate  at 
their  feet ;  they  offer  incenfe  to  them  ;  they  ered: 
altars,  and  dired  prayers  to  them  ;  they  make 
vows  before  them  s  and  they  kifs  them.     Thefe 

arc 


[  53  ] 

are  all  a<fts  of  adoration,  and  their  learned 
docftors  will  defend  this  devotion.  Thefe  were 
the  expreffions  of  Heathen  idolatry ;  and  why 
they  fliould  not  be  interpreted  fo  now,  I  know 
not.  Thefe  actions  plainly  fliow  that  their  regard 
is  to  the  Image  itfelf  Let  me  particularly  men- 
tion the  ceremony  of  kijjifig  the  Images.  To 
kifs  in  a  religious  fenfe  is  to  adore  ;  thus  idolaters 
were  wont  to  kifs  their  gods.  Fliny  mentions  the 
kifs  as  a  facred  rite  ufed  in  their  adorations.  The 
facred  fcriptures  alio  mention  this  9.  Cicero  tells 
us  of  a  brazen  ftatue  of  Hercules,  that  the  chin 
and  lips  of  it  were  worn  off  by  thofe  who  did 
adore  him  :  And  I  can  tell  you  of  a  brazen  ftatue 
of  St.  Peter  in  the  great  church  of  Rome^  whoie 
toes  are  worn  oif  by  thofe  who  adore  him  :  And 
I  am  well  ailured  by  fome  ingenious  gentlemen 
of  unqueftionable  integrity,  who  have  a(5tually 
feen  this  famous  Image ;  that  it  bears  thofe  marks 
of  venerable  antiquity,  by  which  ^very  one 
skill'd  in  that  fort  of  learning  knows  it  to  have 
been  a  ftatue  of  'Jupiter  in  Pagan  Rome.  The 
worfhip  truly  feems  to  me  to  be  the  fame  in 
Papal  Rome ;  and  therefore  the  Images  may  fcrvc 
as  well  now  as  heretofore,  only  altering  the 
names.^ 

That  they  have  a  regard  to  the  images  tlicm- 
felves  does  alfo  appear  from  hence,  that  they 
afcribe  miracles  to  them  j  they  arc  flupid  enough 
to  think,  that  fome  images  bleed,  others  weep  j 

ibme 

9  I  Kings  xix.  i8.  Job  xxxi.  27.  and  Hof.  xiii.  2. 
*  V,  Dr.  Con.  Middlcton^  Letter  from  Romt  ;  a    nioil   cuiioas 
and  entcruining  piece,  printed  Z-cz/dtr/,   1729. 


[  54  ] 

fomc  give  a  gracious  nod  to  the  devotees  in  to- 
ken of  acceptance  of  their  prayers  and  offerings, 
and  are  made  to  bend  the  body,  or  reach  forth 
the  hand  towards  their  deluded  worftiippers  ;  they 
imagine  there  goes  forth  from  them  a  power  of 
heahng;  and  they  tell  us,  that  by  the  touch  of 
them  difeafes,  otherwife  incurable,  have  been 
and  are  removed ;  and  as  they  have  particular 
3aints  for  the  cure  of  different  diforders,  fo  like- 
wife  have  they  fcveral  pidtures  and  images  of  the 
fame  Saint,  which  have  their  different  powers 
of  performing  mighty  feats.  I  will  mention- 
one  inftance  3  I  have  it  upon  very  good  autho- 
rity, and  I  fuppofe  moft  of  our  Italiafi  mer- 
chants know  the  truth  of  it. 

Tho'  there  are  in  Italy  many  pi<5hires  and 
Images  of  the  Virgin  Mary  ;  yet  there  is  a  pi- 
(fture  of  high  renown,  call'd  Madona  di  montc 
negro:  She  belongs  to  a  convent  on  the  black 
mountain  near  Lroorne ;  'tis  an  ugly  piece  of 
daubing,  (not  greatly  adapted  to  enkindle  devo- 
tion, one  would  think)  pretended  to  be  found 
under  ground  by  a  fliepherd,  to  whom  it  was 
reveal'd,  that  he  fliould  carry  it  to  the  place 
where  it  now  relides,  and  that  a  church  fliould 
be  built  there  j  which  in  procefs  of  time  was 
done,  with  a  handfome  convent  and  a  comfort- 
able fubfiftence  for  a  number  of  Monks :  This 
Madona  brings  her  mafters  great  gain  by  the 
wonderful  cures  flie  works ;  flie  is  peculiarly 
ferviceablc  in  epidemical  diffempers  3  upon 
which  occafion  (lie  has  been  applied  to  for  help, 
even  by  whole  communities :    Witnefs  the  city 

of 


[  55  ] 

of  Livorne-,  when  fuch  a  diflemper  raged  there, 
tliis  Lady,  at  the  interceffion  of  the  citizens, 
was  brought  down  from  the  black  mountain, 
attended  by  the  feveral  confraternities  with  great 
pomp  -y  the  citizens  firft  giving  a  large  fecurity 
to  return  her  fafe,  when  flie  had  ftopp'd  the  in- 
fed:ion  ;  the  Great  Duke  himfelf  likewile  be- 
came bound.  She  was  placed  on  the  high  altar 
in  the  Dome,  or  great  church,  whither  crowds 
of  people  flock'd  to  worfliip  her.  The  mighty 
feat  v/as  after  a  time  perform'dj  and  the  Lady 
fafely  condud:ed  home  again,  bringing  back  a 
handfome  gratui.y  to  the  Monks,  who  lent  her : 
For  the  Great  Duke,  to  (hew  his  fenfe  of  obli- 
gation to  the  Lady  for  preferving  his  city,  pre- 
fented  her  with  a  crown  of  diamonds,  valued  at 
30,000  crowns. 

If  all  this  does  not  fuppofe  virtue  to  be  lodged 
in  the  Image  itlelf,  and  that  regard  is  fhewn  to 
it,  I  know  not  what  can. 

A  praftice  fo  abfurd  can  never  be  thought  to 
be  appointed  by  God  j  nor  fhould  one  ima- 
gine that  reafonable  creatures  could  ever  be 
beguird  into  it. 

The  facred  fcripture  is  full  and  exprefs  againft 
every  thing  of  this  nature.  The  lid  command- 
ment fo  ftrongly  forbids  it,  that  the  Papifis  of- 
ten leave  it  out  of  their  common  catechifms 
and  manuals ;  and  this  befure  is  done,  left  fe- 
rious  people  lliould,  by  difcovering  fo  plain  a 
law  of  God  againft  fo  conftant  a  prad;ice  of  the 
church,  be  frighten'd  away  from  her.  Difobe- 
dience  to  parents,  murder,  adultery,  theft,  ^c. 

are 


[  56] 

are  no  more  a  breach  of  other  commandments, 
than  bowing  down  to  graven  Images  is  a  viola- 
tion of  thojecond  j  and  by  virtue  of  her  difpen- 
iing  power  the  Romijh  church  may  as  well  rob 
us  of  all  as  of  one. 

But  I  refer  you  to  the  facred  fcriptures ;  your 
acquaintance  with  which  wdll  furniih  you  with 
pailages  enough,  that  condemn  this  worfliip  as 
idolatrous. 

Antiquity,  which  our  adverfaries  are  fo  fond 
of,  is  againft  them  in  this  article  :  The  primi- 
tive church,  for  the.  firfi:  four  centuries,  knew 
no  fuch  cuftom  j  the  Chriftians  then  always  ob- 
Jeded  it  againfl:  the  heathens  ;  which  no  doubt 
they  would  have  retorted,  had  there  been  room. 
So  averie  were  many  of  the  fathers  againfl  Ima- 
ges and  pictures,  that  they  would  not  allow  fo 
much  as  making  them  at  all ;  but  this  was  car- 
rying the  matter  too  far.  Some  of  the  hea- 
thens themfelves  would  not  admit  Images  into 
their  temples.  The  worfliip  of  them  was  not 
eftabliflied  in  the  church  till  towards  the  end  of 
the  eighth  century.  ^ 

As  for  the  excufe  which  the  Romifi  church 
pleads  for  herfelf,  that  many  F  'Leflants  allow 
Images  and  pidnres  in  :Iieir  Juirches,  they  bow 
to  the  altar,  and  at  tiic  name  of  Jesus,  (which, 
fay  they,  is  an  Image  or  remembrance  of  our 
Saviour  to  the  ear,  as  the  crucifix  is  to  the  eye) 
that  they  cred:  churches,  and  keep  holidays  in 
memory  of  the  Saints,  and  the  like.     The  ob- 

•  Vid.  Spanh.  Chr.  Sac.  p.   1306. 

jedtlon 


[57] 

je(^ion  no  way  concerns  us  j  and  therefore  hh 
fit  to  leave  it  for  any  to  anfwer,  who  find  their 
practice  affected  by  it. 

I  clofe  with  a  few  remarks, 

1.  Let  us  thank  God,  that  our  lot  is  cafi:  in 
a  land,  where  we  are  not  fubjeftcd  to  the  abfur^ 
dities  and  impofitions  of  Rome.  Time  was, 
when  this  was  the  cafe  with  Engla7idj  but  God 
has  deliver'd  us.  Let  us  ihew  our  gratitude  to 
God  by  doing  all  we  can  to  fupport  the  Pro- 
teftant  government  under  which  we  live,  againft 
all  the  refllefs  attempts  of  our  enemies. 

2.  Let  us  clofely  adhere  to  the  fcriptures: 
We  fhould  take  all  our  directions  from  that  un- 
erring guide  j  make  it  the  rule  of  our  faith, 
our  worfhip,  and  our  lives.  And  let  us  always 
bear  our  teftimony  againft  any  additions  made 
to  it ;  or  any  thing  in  the  worfhip  of  God  ap- 
pointed only  by  fallible  men. 

3.  Let  us  polTefs  our  minds  with  a  juft-  ab- 
horrence of  Popery,  and  guard  againft  it,  as  a 
religion,  in  many  things,  contrary  to  the  gof- 
pel,  and  fubverfive  of  Chriftianity. 

4.  Let  us  pity  and  pray  for  our  fellow-crea- 
tures, who  are  under  the  Romifi  yoke.  Tho' 
we  ought  to  deteft  many  of  the  dodrines  and 
practices  of  the  church  of  Rome ;  yet  we  do  not, 
we  dare  not  wifh  ill  to  any  of  their  perfons ; 
the  worft  we  wifh  them  is  converfion  and  for- 
givcnefs ;  and  I  am  perfuaded  we  fhall  all  heartily 
concur  in  this  addrefs  to  God,  in  their  behalf, 
with  which  I  clofe  my  difcourfe :  "  Lord  have 
**  mercy  upon  them,    convince  them  of  their 

H  **  miftakes^ 


(C 

(< 
(( 
cc 

(C 

(< 
(( 


[  58  ] 

miflakos,  convert  them  from  their  errors,  re- 
form them  from  their  fuperftitions  and  idola- 
tries, mend  their  tempers  and  difpofitions  to- 
wards their  fellow-creatures,  reftrain  their 
power,  recover  them  to  thy  pure  worfhip, 
that  they  may  receive  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus,  forgive  their  lins,  and  fave  their 
Ibuls.     Amen, 


FINIS, 


^m 


.T    ;j