CHAP. I. Of their Manner of Address.

WHen the Missionaries have a design on any particular person, after acquaintance once got, they are very cautious not to begin to insist closely upon any Religious sub­ject, untill by their industry and diligent observation they have discovered the disposition and inclination of their inten­ded Proselyte: this is one of the secret Rules found in the College of Jesuits at Paderborn, that in attempting to gain young men to list themselves in their Instruct. se­cret. pro super. Societat. Jesu, p. 17. It is one of the pieces publish­ed in the Arca­na Societat. Je­su. 8vo. 1635. See it in En­glish. Printed at London for Tho. Dring. 1658. 8vo in the 2d Part of the Mystery of Jesuitism. Order, they endea­vour to please them with such diversions as are best suited to their tempers, and most apt to allure them, to be of that Society where they meet with what is so agreeable to their inclinations. It is indeed usual with them to cast out several loose words, either concerning the holiness and certainty of their Faith, or the uncertainty and vanity of the Protestants, which they know are as so many latent Darts, which will pierce deeper when other arguments come to drive them on; But till they find how the disposition of the person lyes, they cannot prac­tise their several arts, which vary according as the tempers differ of those they deal with.

Their Character of Religious men gives them always an opportunity to discourse with a serious look, and grave accent of the great things of salvation, which they seldom or never omit to lay hold on, seeing such discourses are very apt to make impressions upon the minds of those who are devoutly inclin'd; and if the person they deal with be such an one, they are very proper and seasonable to be us'd to him; and on the other hand, if he be not, they can put no stop to their design, for by their reiterated pretences of zeal for the salva­tion of Souls, their frequent instances of their trouble to see so many led in error, and ready to perish, and their free of­fering [Page 4] the utmost of their service for so good a work, with their earnest and serious urging the great danger a Protestant is in, they gain even with the loose and vicious, a good opinion of them, that they are really in earnest, and believe and de­sign what they pretend; and there being scarce such a thing in the world as a real speculative Atheist, they know that all are desirous of happiness hereafter, though not willing to leave their sins for it, therefore even with the worst they get this advantage, that by their lamentations, and zealous pre­tences, they are believed to have a design onely to lead them to Heaven; which point gained, they know how to accom­modate their doctrine even to those, by offering them such an easie way to future happiness, that distasting the four methods of repentance, and universal holiness, they will willingly go where they have hopes of gaining heaven, and keeping their sins too.

By this means being sure to gain by serious discourses whoever they have to deal with, you will certainly meet with as heavenly and religious expressions as can be invented; and after they have enlarg'd upon the worth of souls, the impor­tance of the right faith, and their own intentions being onely to enlighten those who are in the darkness of Heresie, which they will express with the utmost of their Rhetorick, and set off with the most devout looks, and earnest actions; they will vary their expressions, to find out what is most taking; some­times they will tell you, we require what God never com­manded,Thus where we teach Me­ditation to be the duty of e­very Christian. Fa. Cross in his Sermon before the Q. Ap. 21. 1686. saith, I do not approve the opinion of those who hold it obligatory to all. by teaching those duties under pain of damnation, which are in themselves not necessary, and the omission of them onely venial transgressions, which do not in themselves deserve damnation; and that we call those mortal sins, affirm­ing that all are absolutely obliged to avoid them, which God never esteem'd as such; and that we make the case of Chri­stians too hard, affirming that there is no difference between Counsels and Commands; whereby we bind every one to doe those things, which none according to them, except by a par­ticular vow, are oblig'd to; that we affirm all our duties to be [Page 5] so imperfect, that they are in themselves sins, thereby discou­raging Christians in their performance of them; and affron­ting the grace of God, as if he could not enable us to keep all his Commands perfectly, but there will still be imperfections in their performances, which make work for daily repentance, so over-burthening the Consciences of Christians, where God hath not done it: This, they know, will be greedily catch't at by the Libertine, who is glad to hear of an easier way to Heaven, than the Protestant Church shews to her Members; and if the person they address to, should happen to be of a devout and severe principle, they know how to make use of the same charge, to work their ends; by com­plaining, that whereas God hath left some things onely recom­mended by way of Counsel, we by preaching them as Com­mands, take away all the Merit of those performances, which is greater where men are left free, than when they are obliged under penalties; and that we do thereby frighten men from real holiness; and by such a general discourse, which they can apply to all tempers, they make their way, towards fixing a good opinion of themselves, in the minds of men, who are much taken if they be inclin'd to vice with the hopes of more liberty, which is offer'd them under the shew of holiness, and if serious with the hopes of meriting, and attaining to a grea­ter degree of glory, by their free uncommanded obedience, than they could expect from an obedience yielded onely to severe Commands; for the feeding of whose humour they will in­large upon that usual Topick, that we have no repentance nor good works in our Church, (a scandal which they often cast upon us) and consequently have none of that strictness which a pious soul delights in; and this seeming argument for the greatest strictness they can turn to the encouragement of an idle and vain disposition, by extolling the easiness of their ab­solution and pennance, when we take such methods, as keep a man all his life to a serious examination and enquiry whe­ther his repentance be sincere.

[Page 6]These discourses, and such as these being applicable to all sorts of men, are common with them even at first; but when they have made a discovery of your dispositions, they come more particularly to their several methods, which are suited to each temper; And having endeavoured with all their power by actions, as well as words to render themselves esteemed, ac­cording to that secret instruction to the Instructiones pro super. Societ. Je­su, p. 4.—Vt se gratam & acceptam praebeat societas incolis l [...]ci, multum ad hoc conducet explicatio finis societa­tis, praescripti in regula secunda sum­marii, incumbere in salutem proximi aeque ac suam. Quare humilia obsequia obeunda, in Xenodochiis, & limo jacen­tes invisendi.—Eleemosynae conqui [...]en­dae, dandaeque pāuperibus allis viden­tibus, ut aedisicati facto nostrorum sint in nos liberaliores. Superiours of the Jesuites, that they should ingratiate themselves with the people, by shewing the end of the society, to be as ten­der of the welfare of their neighbour as of their own; and upon this account undergo the mea­nest Offices, visit the Hospitals, and assist the Poor; make charitable Collections, and dispose of them to the poor in publick, that others be­ing excited by their liberality, may be the more kind to the Society. They begin afresh, if they deal with a devout Soul, to enlarge upon their care of Souls, and their unwillingness to meddle with these mat­ters being more enclined to the more practical duties, as when the Jesuites have a mind to advance any of their Partizans to a high place in any Prince's Court, they are directed to Ibid. p. 30.—Saepe inculcent prin­cipib [...], distributionem honorum & dig­nitatum in Repub. spectare ad justitiam; gravitérque deum offendi si contra eam à principibus peccetur; se tamen nol­le dicant ingerere in ullam admini­strationem reip. & haec se invitos di­cere ratione sui officii; Quod ubi ap­prehenderint principes, explicetur ipsis, quibus virtutibus praediti esse debeant viri ass [...]mendi ad dignitates reip. com­mendationis capita sumantur, ex amicis societat [...]s nostrae, &c.— insist upon the great concern that Religion and Justice hath in those who are advanced to Dignities, and therefore that such ought to be elected as are eminent for their vertues, which they are to enumerate, and then be sure to propose a friend of the So­cieties, as endued with the vertues they before commended; but at the same time express their unwillingness to meddle. Just so they govern themselves in making Converts, among the piously inclined; and as Europae Speculum, p. 71, 72· Lond. 1687. 8vo. Sir Edwin Sands observes, of their gestures, and such preten­ces, When a Fryar an abandoner of the world, a man wholly rapt with divine affections and [Page 7] ecstasies; his Apparel denouncing contempt of all Earthly vanity; his Countenance preaching severity, pennance and discipline, breathing nothing but sighs for the hatred of sin; his Eyes lifted upward as fixed on his joys; his Head bowed on the one side with tenderness of love and humility, extending his ready hand to lay hold on mens souls, to snatch them out of the fiery jaws of that gaping black Dragon, and to place them in the path that conducts to happiness; when such a man, I say, shall address him­self to a woman—or to any other vulgar person of what sort so­ever, perswading, beseeching with all plausible motions of Rea­son, yea with sighs of fear, and tears of love, instanting and importuning no other thing at their hands than onely this, to be content to suffer God to save their souls, and to crown them with everlasting happiness: which they shall certainly attain by ranging themselves with the heavenly army of God, that is, by adjoyning themselves to the Church of Christ and his Vicar; and this again and again iterated and pursued with shew of incre­dible care of their good, without seeking other meed and commo­dity to himself, save onely of being the instrument of a Soul's salvation. Is it to be marvailed, though—he prevail and possess them in such forcible sort, that no access remain for any contrary perswasion— and certainly by their dealing thus with men at single hand in private—they prevail as experience doth daily shew ex­ceedingly.

But as they take this method to deal with some, so they address themselves to others in a quite contrary manner, they having (as I shall prove more particularly hereafter) not onely several ways of insinuation, but several, yea contrary doctrines fram'd on purpose to be as baits for all sorts of men; which as I have often observ'd, so I find it noted by that in­genious Gentleman, who had spent a great part of his time in Italy, the mint of their policies, which they have, to my knowledge, made great use of in these Kingdoms, and some neighbour Nations: Europae spe­culum, p. 37, 38. The particular ways (saith he) they have to ravish all affections, and to fit each humour—are well nigh infinite; there being not any thing either sacred or profane, no [Page 8] vertue or vice almost, nothing of how contrary condition soever, which they make not in some sort to serve that turn; that each fancy might be satisfied, and each appetite find what to feed on; Whatsoever either wealth can sway with the lovers, or voluntary poverty with the despisers, of the world; what honour with the ambitious; what obedience with the humble; what great imploy­ment with stirring and metall'd spirits; what perpetual quiet with heavy and restive bodies; what content the pleasant nature can take in pastimes and jollity; what contrariwise the austere mind in discipline and rigour; what love either chastity can raise in the pure, or voluptuousness in the dissolute; what allure­ments are in knowledge to draw the contemplative, or in acti­ons of state to possess the practick dispositions; what with the hopefull, prerogative of reward can work; what errors, doubts and dangers with the fearfull; what change of vows with the rash, of estate with the inconstant; what pardons with the faulty, or supplies with the defective; what miracles with the credulous; what visions with the fantastical; what gorgeousness of shews with the vulgar and simple; what multitude of ceremonies with the superstitious and ignorant; what prayer with the devout; what with the charitable, works of piety; what rules of higher per­fection with elevated affections; what dispencing with breach of all rules with men of lawless conditions. And so he goes on to shew how the very constitution of their Church is made up of such contrariety; which I shall insist farther on in ano­ther place, my business here being to shew how they are pre­pared to fit each temper and inclination, with suitable dis­courses and allurements. They know the greatest part of men in the world are either very much taken with gaudy and pompous sights, which bewitch their senses, and so wholly pos­sess them, as to take away all room for rational reflexions; or so charm'd with the delights of their belov'd corruptions, that they are unwilling to part with them.

To catch the first sort, we find them boasting of the splen­dour and outward glory of the Church of Rome, to such a de­gree, that they have made this Bellar. lib. de not. Eccl. c. 18. pomp a mark of the True [Page 9] Church; this is observ'd by an ingenious Author of their own Communion: That Sure and Ho­nest meanes for the Con­version of Heretic. p. 110. Lond. 4to. 1687. they insist much upon the fine Churches they have at Rome, whose admirable Structure doth greatly edifie Be­lievers, and as Cardinal Pallavicini says [lib. 8. c. 17.] is of it self capable to convert infidel Princes ▪ this way of catching people by gaudy Shews, and splendid Sights is look't on with such a favourable Eye among them, that the three Bishops See their Letter at large in Vergerius; and lately in English; inti­tuled, The State of the Church of Rome, before the Reforma­tion. 4to. 1687. from Bononia in a Letter of Advice to Pope Julius the Third, observe that the vulgar are given to admire and to be amused with these things, in the contemplation of which their minds are as it were so intangled that they have no relish for any other Food; no inclination to any other Doctrine: they affirm that they were design'd for that purpose, and therefore give it as their Judgment, that they should be augmented and multiplied, for (say they) if the introducing and appointing those few which we have mention'd were of such use to the Settlement of your King­dom, of what advantage would it be were there some new ones ad­ded, and this Advice was so exactly observed, that the excellent Richerius a Doctor of the Sorbon, tells us, that Richer. Hi­stor. Concil. Gen. l. 4. par. 2. p. 246, 247. Colon. 1683. 80. this was the the Scope and Design of the Reformation established by the TRENT COUNCIL, nothing being effected for the Truth, but external Pomp provided for; so that innumerable splendid, gaudy Ceremonies were dayly invented; whence proceeded a magnificent and theatrical Way of adorning their Churches, the Sacerdotal Ornaments glittering with Gold and Silver, while the Priests who wore them were mere Stocks; by which Artifices the peoples minds were amus'd and insensibly drawn from the consideration of the necessity of Refor­mation: which made the Apud Richer. ubi sup. learn'd Andreas Masius complain, that Piety was extinguished and Discipline neglected, while all Applica­tions were made and Inventions used to increase their Pomp. The glittering Gold in their Temples and curious Images of Saints and Angels, the numerous and stately Altars, the mighty silver Sta­tues, the rich and glorious Vestments you see up and down in their Churches, strike the Senses into a kind of Ecstasy; which they are so sensible of, that with all their Rhetorick they en­large upon this Subject striving to perswade their intended Pro­selytes [Page 10] to see with what Magnificence they perform their Wor­ship; thus when his MAJESTY of Blessed Memory Ru [...]shw. Col­lect. par. 1. p. 83. fol. Lond. 1659. KING CHARLES the First being then Prince, was in the Spanish Court, there were great Summs expended in solemn glitter­ing Processions, and their Churches set out with their richest Ornaments, to charm his Senses, but he was too well ground­ed in his Religion to be caught with that Bait: And I remem­ber this is given by In his Epistle to the Non­conformists. 1664, 8vo. Capt. Robert Everard as a Motive to his Conversion as he calls it to the Roman Church. The great use they make of it, enclines me to believe this device is accompanied with more than ordinary Success; it is also so uni­versal, that in the Indies they have these Pageants, to delight the Senses and Phancies of the INDIANS; Gages New Survey of the West-Indies. p. 152. Edit. Lond. 1655. fol. Against Christ­mass Day, they set up a thatch't House like a Stall in some Corner of their Churches, with a Blazing-Star over it, pointing to the three Wise Men from the [...]ast; within this Stall they lay a Crib, and the Image of a Child, the Virgin Mary standing on one side, Ogilby in his History of Ja­pan, edit. Lond. 1670. p. 242, 246, 247, &c. gives an ac­count of the same method used by the Missionaries in that Country. and Joseph on the other, there is likewise an Ass and an Ox, the three Wise Men kneel and offer their Gifts, the Shepherds stand aloof off with theirs, and the Angels hang about the Stall, with several Instruments of Musick▪ and there is scarce an Indian that cometh not to see this Bethleem, as we are assured by one who was a Fryer, and dwelt in those parts above twelve Years; who gives several other Instances of the same Nature:

I have frequently been answered by their Converts (when de­siring to know what they found amiss in our Church) that we d [...]d nothing to keep up the Remembrance of our Saviour, which they were at the greatest Charges to effect; and I have received a Relation from a Gentleman very conversant among them, which for several Reasons I think worth inserting.

This Gentleman in his Travels being at Brussels in the Low-Countries, was often invited by the Priests there to their Churches and Convents, after some time spent in debating Points in difference between the two Churches, they finding no probability of his Conversion; one day told him, there would be a great Ceremony at such a Church the Fryday following (be­ing [Page 11] Good-Fryday) at which they desired he would be present, one of them adding that he thought the sight of it alone was enough to convert any Heretick; and instanced in one or two Persons on whom it had a very powerfull effect: according to their desire the Gentleman went, and by the motion he felt in himself, (the Representation being so lively that it melted him into Tears) doth profess, ‘he believes the weaker sort of men, who are not very well grounded in their Religion may be strangely altered by such a sight; tho' upon deliberation he found it so gross a piece of IDOLATRY that it created in him a greater de­testation of the Religion of the Church of Rome than he had before.’ It being never that I know of related by any Au­thor, I believe it will be very acceptable to the Reader to have an Account of it.

‘At the upper end of the Church there is a large Stage e­rected, in the midst of which is set up a Cross, on which is nailed an Image of our Saviour (given as they say by the INFANTA ISABELLA) made of Pastboard, but ex­actly to the Life, having Joynts, and the Veins appearing as full of Blood; it is crown'd with Thorns, and hangs in the po­sture of a crucified Person; on one side stands the Image of the Blessed Virgin, all in mourning and on the other, a Coffin to lay the Image in. After the Sermon, (the Governor, and most of the Nobility being present,) there come forth, six Fryers bare-foot in their Stoles, who fall prostrate before the Image, frequently beat­ing their Breasts, lifting up their Heads, and looking on it with all the signs of Grief and Adoration; then rising by degrees, two of them remain kneeling, each holding an end of a large Swathe which is put under the Armes of the Image; two stan­ding under the Image to receive it, and the other two ascend­ing two Ladders which are placed at the Back of the Cross; when one with a great deal of Reverence taking off the Crown of Thorns, wipes it and descending brings it to the Front of the Stage, where shewing it to the people they all kneel with much Devotion, then approaching the Image of the Virgin, he falls on his Knees and lays it at her Feet; then return­ing [Page 12] up the Ladder, they with a great noise and knocking take out one of the Nails, upon which the arme of the Image falls, exactly like the arme of a dead man: this Nail he carries to the people, who, as before, prostrate themselves, and he with the same gesture presents it to the Virgin; after which the other nails are shewn and presented: the Body being taken down, and brought by them with a slow pace, and mournfull look to the people, they adore again, when the Fryers upon their knees present it to the Virgin, and with much ceremony lay it in a glass Coffin, in which it is carried round the Town the several Orders (the Carthusians and Jesuits excepted, who attend at no procession) with lighted Candles preceding, the Governour of the Netherlands, and the Nobility follow­ing bare-headed: what they did afterwards, the Gentleman saw not.’

Thus have the Romanists brought the most gross Pageantry into their Church to be motives to their Religion, not conside­ring that the Heathens of Japan and China, and the Inhabi­tants of America, whose Images and the inside of their Tem­ples are all of Massy Gold, have in this respect a fairer Title to be the True Church than they; from whence the Heathens of old cannot be excluded (if Pomp, as Bellarmine and others teach, be a Mark of the true Church) seeing their Ceremonies and Rites of this nature are copyed from them, as is confessed by Cardinal Ad ann. 200. sect. 5. Con­sulto introdu­ctum videtur ut quae erant gen­tilitiae supersti­tionis [...]fficia ea­dem veri Dei cultui sanctifi­cata in verae religionis cul­t [...]m impende­rentur. Baronius, that the Offices of Pagan Superstition were purpose­ly introduc'd and consecrated to the service of God, (as he calls it) and true Religion. And yet by this very Method they gain so much that Europae spe­culum. p. 8. Lond. 1687. [...]0. a diligent Observer of them before cited, affirms, ‘that were it not that the Musick, Perfumes, and rich Sights, did hold the outward Senses with their natural de­light; surely their Worship could not but either be abandon'd for the fruitlesness or only upon fear and constraint fre­quented.’

And in this particular they have their several Baits accord­ing to the several Dispositions of men, for the more refin'd sort of those who are caught with these glorious and splendid [Page 13] sights, they have such representations as I have mentioned; but for the less discerning, they are (like their Similitudes) so gross, that in a person of a very moderate understanding, they are fit­ter to excite a loathing and contempt than admiration; for what other effect can proceed from such a picture, as of that over the Altar at Worms, Burnet's Let­ters of his Travels. p. 287, 288. edit. Roterd. 1687. 80. which one would think was invented by the enemies of Transubstantiation to make it appear ridiculous? ‘There is a Wind-mill, and the Virgin throws Christ into the Hopper, and he comes out at the eye of the Miln all in Wafers, which some Priests take up and give to the people. But not­withstanding the coursness of this Emblem, it is so agreeable to the Genius of the German Boors, that it is to this day over one of their Altars there.’

This practice of theirs, in which they place so much confi­dence, and to which they are beholden for much of their success, is so far from being warrantable, that it is directly contrary to the design of the Gospel, whose simplicity is such, as that it needs none of these gew-gaws to support it, and therefore was spread by the first planters of it without them: Saint Paul was so far from making use of such vanities, that he durst not use the 1 Cor. 2 4, 5. en­ticing words of man's wisedom in his Sermons and Exhortations; which surely is much more tolerable, than to endeavour to gain men to the true Religion, by bewitching them with those sensual objects, which the design of Christianity is to wean them from; and certainly when we are caution'd not to be like Ephes. 4.14. chil­dren tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine, through the slight of men; there is a particular caution included therein against suffering such vain shews, and gaudy pomps to make im­pression on us, which are the peculiar delights of children, and must needs argue us very much 1 Cor. 14.20. children in understanding and religion to be intic'd by them.

The truth of this is so clear, that those among the Roma­nists, who endeavour to fix in their minds a right Idea of Chri­stianity, remembring that the Founder of it said, His Kingdom was not of this world, conceive such an indignation against these carnal and vain Methods, that one of them doth not stick [Page 14] to say, Sure and Ho­nest means for converting Hereticks. p. 110. ‘That if any man be converted by these, he is a fool; and assures us, that he knows that upon people of understanding, who apply themselves to solid things, and grow in spirit and truth, this hath a contrary effect, for these things do debauch the mind, and set it on wandering. The enquiry (continues he) is about seeking God, and finding him in those places; and it is not the sight of the fine guilding, or the excellent painting of an Edifice, nor the hearing of a sweet Harmony, but rather the lifting up of our minds above sensible objects, and separating them as much as possibly we can from sense and imagination: it is the fixing the eyes of our understanding with a religious atten­tion upon that invisible spirit, upon that Sun of Justice; and when we do it with that Love and Reverence that is due to it, we shall never fail of seeing and hearing the most delightfull things.’ And then he goes on to lay down reasons why we ought not to be wrought upon by such external things: Ibid. pag. 111. For this he cites, Hil. contr. Auxentium. & Hieron. ad Mar­cellam viduam. ‘The Fathers (saith he) were of opinion that Antichrist should one day seize upon the most Magnificent Temples of the Christians; this was the opinion of St. Hilary, and of St. Jerome; this last mentions the very Rock of Tarpeius. Therefore the Popes ought not to glory over-much in their Buildings, since Antichrist shall one day place himself in them.—I like well enough to see such fine things as these, but I confess that I have more devotion in a lit­tle Church without magnificence or rich ornaments, than I have in such places. I find that my devotion does insensibly divide, and that sense doth sometimes carry away a part of my mind, and transport it to sensible objects which do not deserve it, and that my affection is thereby weakned, whatever care I take to ga­ther it up and unite it. This hath a much more dangerous effect upon the Common people, who have no knowledge, and whose Re­ligion lyes onely in their eyes and ears, they do in an horrible manner fasten on these things, which are onely obvious to their sense, and go no higher.’

And shall these things which the sober Romanists them­selves confess to be an hinderance of piety, destructive to de­votion, and fit to prevail upon none but fools, be the motives [Page 15] to rational men to leave the pure worship of God, to have their eyes delighted by gaudy shews, and their ears pleased with all sorts of musick? I doubt not but the doctrine of Ecstasies and raptures, so highly applauded in the Romish Church, hath its greatest support from these external glories, which are proper to raise the affections to such a pleasing height, as renders them almost insensible; which though onely the effect of the plea­sure the senses are entertain'd with, are by them extoll'd as holy motions, and divine illuminations, while the soul is not at all affected, or better'd by such transports.

There lyes therefore an indispensable obligation upon every person, but especially upon such as by their natural dispositions are apt to be affected by such things, to keep a constant and severe watch over their affections, that they do not blind their under­standings; remembring Religion consists in the Vnderstanding and Will, being rightly informed and directed; not in the mo­tion of the spirits, and tickling of the senses; the Doctrine of the Gospel being designed for the good of Souls, never an Arti­cle of it calculated to gratifie and please the flesh. Besides, how unreasonable is it that those things which ANTICHRIST shall boast of, and pride himself in, should be ever us'd as an argument to proselyte any to a party? as if they must needs be the onely true Church, because in this they resemble ANTI­CHRIST. If men would but seriously reflect, it is an easie matter to perceive even from hence, that what I noted in the Introduction, of their designs, is true; for what doth all these glorious shews tend to the making a man wise unto salvation, or the fitting him for the enjoyment of God? All the tendency they can have is to work upon mens affections, which I before observ'd, is their main design. Now we know that such emoti­ons are seldom permanent, which made the excellent Richerius, Lib. 4. Part 2. p. 246. speaking of these things, (though himself a Papist) affirm, That those who thought these methods would be long of force, will in a little time find themselves mightily deceived. And this is not unknown to the Missionaries, who therefore strike while the Iron continues hot, and ply the person whose affections are thus [Page 16] raised with their Miracles, their Holiness and such particulars, which we shall discourse of anon.

And I cannot think it one of the least weighty considerations, to deter men from being gull'd by such trifles, to reflect that these things are designed either for such as have no real sense of Religion, or to bring them to have none; the first sort being very glad of such a Worship as gratifies their voluptuous hu­mours; and others more soberly inclin'd, are thereby taught to worship God wholly in a sensual manner, and so estrang'd from the pure and spiritual part of Religion, which God alone delights in.

Neither is this method onely calculated for such, but they have likewise a singular dexterity in accommodating themselves even to the vices and corruptions they find men most addicted to; if ambitious, they endeavour to feed that humour; if vo­luptuous, to gratifie them in that; if revengefull, they permit them to follow their inclinations; if covetous, (though of all vi­ces, they are most enrag'd against that) yet, for a while, they can find a way, not to be grievous to them, and as pliable they are to the prodigal. This is an observation made of the Je­suites by several Doctors of the Sorbonne in Paris; Moral Prac­tice of the Je­suites, p. 384. Lond. 1670. 8vo. ‘They speak of nothing but magnificence and liberality to those who are vain; telling them, that by these actions they establish their reputation; and the more to puff them up with such conceits, they cite examples to that purpose.’ Nay, lest they should be terrified with the torments of Purgatory after this life: Lib. 2. de Purg. c. 7. Bellarmine affirms, that in probability there is a Purgatory where those pains are not endured; which is seconded by many of their Divines, who, together with Bellarmine, found it upon Revelations made to venerable Bede, and others: and Moral Practice of the Jesuites, p. 386. Aquila expresly and purposely defends this opinion; And lest they should grow cold, considering that they must not meet with sensual joys in Heaven, all the happiness of the bless [...]d Spirits consisting in the Vision of God, which these voluptu­ous men cannot apprehend any great delight in, they have therefore coined a new description of that happy place; [Page 17] Ibid. p. 388, 389. Note, that this Book entitu­led, The Busi­ness of the Saints in Hea­ven; was writ­ten by F. L. Henriquez, ap­proved by Fr. Prado Provin­cial of Castile. Ap. 28. 1631. and allowed of by order of the General of the Jesuites, Muti­us▪ Vitelleschi. affirming that ‘there shall be a sovereign pleasure in kissing and embracing the Bodies of the Blessed; that the Angels shall put on womens Habits, and appear to the Saints in the dress of Ladies; that women shall rise with long Hair, and appear with Ribbands and Laces as they do upon Earth; that married people shall kiss one another, and their Children as in this life.’ Thus these subtil Deceivers will rather follow Mahomet's steps in asserting a sensual Paradise, than lose one of their Pro­selytes.

I neither design here to enlarge upon this Subject, nor pre­tend to instance in all their turnings and artifices to this end: the first, because I refer it to another Head, when I come to treat of their disguising and varying their Doctrine; the lat­ter, because I cannot pretend to do it, their Arts being num­berless; but by such instances as these are, the Reader may ea­sily discover them, when they act a part of the same na­ture.

In Christmas Ann. 1624. one Father Leech told Gee's foot out of the snare. p. 13. 4to. Lond. 1624. Mr. J. Gee, ‘That if any but hear Mass, and after hearing be sprinkled with holy-Water and kiss the Priest's Garments, he could not commit that day any mortal sin, though he would never so fain; and my Author cites in the Margin, some Barst. in lib. instit. The Pro­pitiator. pag. 74. vid. Fitz-sim. in fin. citat. in di­vers. loc. Authors who teach the same; an excellent Maxim to make the greatest Sin become none at all, and very much a-kin to that, that God sees no sin in his Children.’

This suiting themselves to the carnal desires of men, is so usual among them, that Ebber. in praef. in com. Philip▪ super. Christ. ad Cor. cited by Mr. Gee. p. 17. thus. An non audis dicentes grata multitudini, flectentes, fingentes, ac refingentes, religionem ad nutum & cupiditates Domino­rum & coetuum quorum gloriam nisi suam pluris faciunt quam gloriam Dei? one of their own Authors could not forbear making this Observation. ‘Do not you hear them how they speak plausibly to itching Ears, altering, fashioning and re-fashioning their Religion; according to the will and wantonness of them whose glory next unto their own they pre­fer before the Glory of God?’

[Page 18]This prostituting the holy Name of Christianity to serve the interest of a Party, and making that God in whom is no Variableness, and who is infinitely Holy to be the Author of such contrary and wicked Doctrines, is in it self so odious, and doth at first sight appear so unworthy, that I think it needless to make any Reflexions on it.

I shall close this Chapter with some Reflexions upon what I mention'd in the beginning, their great pretences of Zeal for the good of Souls, after I have briefly mention'd their remaining Arts, which they practise in their first Address; in endeavouring to discover the Capacities of those they deal with, that if they be of slow and heavy Vnderstandings, they may deal with them as with such, where Arguments of the nature of that Emblem before-mention'd of Christ thrown in­to the Hopper, will be most proper: if they discover quick and sprightly parts, all the ingenious Reflexions upon the Pro­testants, that they can call to mind, are with a pleasant Smile cast out, and they endeavour with all manner of Address to render their Company acceptable and diverting; and when they have thus ingratiated themselves, if you speak of any of our Books or Divines, they will with a slighting accent tell you, they are not worth their minding; ‘as I remember, objecting a passage out of Dr. Stillingfleet against Idolat [...], to one of them; he reply'd, he mistook the Question so, that he had not patience to read him; though another went fur­ther, affirming that he was either a Knave or a Dunce:’ thus the Author of the Request to Protestants, begins with such a Magisterial Sentence, against his Answerer; Protestancy destitute of Scripture-proofs. p. 1. 4to. 1687. ‘that he con­cluded it a Pamphlet unworthy of special notice, and expected, if not more pertinent, yet at least more plausibly replies, ex­cept Protestants meant their Profession should be expos'd by Si­lence, or a silly Defence, and for the future esteem'd destitute of any divine Evidence▪’ though what little reason he had to say so, the World hath since seen, and I dare appeal to any impartial Person on their own side, whether, there be not more of affected Scorn than Truth in that fine Speech. Nay, they [Page 19] will not onely make the World believe that they despise us, but will express their Contempt even in the most unhandsome Language, Acts of the, Conf. at Paris in July, and August. Ann. 1566. in the preface. p. 8. 4to. Lond. 1602. This confe­rence was printed the same year 1566. in French with this Title, Conference entre deux Docteures de Sorbonne, & deux Ministres de l' Eglise reformee. 8vo. as Dr. Ruze, tho' a Frenchman and at Paris when the Ministers Monsieur de Spina and Monsieur Bar­baste Minister to the Q. of NAVARR, desired liberty to pray be­fore they began the Conference, which was then to be held, in the house of the Duke de Montpensier, told them, that if They would go pray, He would go to piss during the time of Prayer.

I cannot here forbear anticipating the next Chapter by desiring the Reader that whenever he meets with such Car­riage, he would make it rather a Subject for his Laughter, than his serious Thoughts; and in the following Chapter I shall give him some Reason for it; and I desire he would take this as a Maxim, to suspect every thing they say; a Maxim very necessary to be observed, as an Antidote against their great Design in the beginning of a proselyting Intrigue; for I durst venture any person among all their Reasons, if this insinuating way of ingaging mens Affections were laid a­side.

If men would learn to love those who are of another Profession, while they hate their Errors and Superstitions, we might hope to see again the primitive Charity restored; and there­fore notwithstanding the bitterness of Romish Spirits, and their greatest Kindnesses carrying a design in them, it is our duty to love their persons, especially those who by particular Obligations deserve it; I know it is an usual way among them to enquire into the Wants and Conditions of others, and they know where to get Money to supply them, and are rea­dy with all officiousness to assist and oblige their acquaintance, especially those they are tampering with; and though we see through these Artifices, yet we are bound to be ready to do the same, or greater kindnesses for them if we are able; but on the other side our just respect for them ought not to lessen [Page 20] our love to truth or make us less diligent in searching after it; neither ought we to have such an opinion of them as to have a less esteem for our Religion: To suffer that would be to love them more than God, and to concur with them to our own deceiving in such unworthy Actions, as an honest Heathen would be asham'd of; I know they have made several Converts by this one Artifice; ‘they will go to a person whom they know to be under straits, and among other Arguments, insist on the want of Charity in our Church, and advise them to go to some of our Ministers and see what they will do for them; upon this some of them have come to some Divines whom I could name, and that very lately, complaining of their wants, and that there is no provision made for them, relating what proffers they have from the Gentlemen of the Church of Rome, if they will be of that Church.’ Now for a Minister to maintain these people is impossible, all that he can do being to give them some present Relief; this the Priests make their Advantage of, remonstrating how true it is, that as they affirm'd our Church is void of Charity; which so a­bounds in theirs, that if they will be reconcil'd they shall have a plentifull Allowance, which guilded Bait hath been greedily swallowed by too many. I cannot say that they have kept their words with none, but I know there are several whom they have gained by this means, who being once made sure by the See the Oath in the Pontifi­cal, Edi [...]. C [...] ­lon. 1682. p. 450, 451. 8vo. Where after they have professed obedience to the Pope, they go on thus, Jurans dico per Deum Omnipotentem, & sancta Dei Evangelia, me in unitate & communione praemissis in concusse mansurum. Et si (quod absit) ab hac me unitate aliqua occasione vel argumento divisero, perjuris reatum incurrens aeterne obligatus p [...]enae [...]nveniar, & cum auctore schismatis habeam in futuro saeculo portionem. Oath which they make them take, have their Al­lowances taken off, under pretence that the Stock is exhausted by the multitude of Converts, and they are able to continue it no longer.

From several Instances which may be produc'd of this kind, it were an easie matter to form very strong Argu­ments against too much Credulity; but our HOLY RELIGION [Page 21] needing no worldly Consideration to uphold it, I shall only reason from the weakness of a change which is begun to be effected by such an Artifice; it being one of the most hei­nous Sins to chuse a Religion for profit's sake, and incompati­ble with true Holiness. Seeing worldly Gains are so far from being permitted to have any force in a Soul endued with that, that the being Christ's Disciple infers a renunciation of them all; from whence I may draw another proof; ‘That the design of those Gentlemen is not to inform mens Vnder­standings, but so they get them to their side, they have their end;’ but this I refer to the SECOND PART, where I design to treat more particularly of this Me­thod.

There is yet another effect which the readiness of the MISSIONARIES to OBLIGE those they deal with, is design'd to produce, the creating such a good opinion of them, as shall incline men to be guided by their Directions: this I mention'd before, but chose to insist upon it here, because it is usually furthered by the opinion of Zeal and Love to Souls, which by their words and gestures they endeavour to drive the people into a belief of.

But here it is to be considered that a fair Carriage is not the sign of a messenger of Truth, but may be and is found in de­ceivers and false Prophets; Matt. 7.15. our Saviour having long since told us that false prophets come in sheeps clothing; and the great Apostle of the Gentiles informs us, that with Rom. 16.18. good words and fair speeches they deceive the Hearts of the simple; and therefore is the more earnest with the Col. 2.4. Colossians, because he knew deceivers would use enticing words; such going about for that end who have a 2 Tim. 3.5. form of Godliness though not the power; and for these who go about in the name of Christ to promote their own ends, with words Psal. 55.21. smoother than Butter; our Saviour, when he told us of them, gave us likewise a rule how to deal with them, Matt. 7.16. ye shall know them by their fruits, not by their outward actions, for none are more outwardly strict than deceivers, but by their Doctrines; if they be not [Page 22] of God, all the rest is but sheeps cloathing, but pretence to inno­cence and sincerity when the Essence of it is wanting; that sheeps cloathing being expounded by the Romanists themselves to im­ply Lucas Bru­gensis in loc. E­dit. Antwerp. 1606. an affected simplicity and sincerity, Maldonate in loc. Edit. Mo­gunt. 1624. enticing words, and specious works. Now for any man to be caught with these which are the special properties of false prophets and decei­vers, would appear incredible, if Experience did not shew how little the Cautions of our Saviour are reflected on, which renders such weak persons the less capable of excuse, because though they were warn'd of this Snare they would not avoid it.

This shew of Zeal and Piety, we are told by the Jesuite Joseph. Acosta de noviss▪ tem­por. l. 2. c 20 Edit. Lugd. 1592. 8vo. Ad signorum magnitudinem accedet apta & composita ad decipi­endum sanctitatis simulatio qua solet (sc. Antichristus) homines parum cautos externa specie vehementer allicere. Acosta, ‘will be industriously affected by the Messengers of Antichrist, where­by he says, they will ensnare many heedless and unthinking Souls;’ which makes that caution of the Wise Man, absolutely necessary to be fre­quently reflected on, and diligently observed, when he speaketh fair, believe him not, for if the ANTICHRIS­TIAN EMISSARIES shall bid as fair for the good opinion of men by such specious preserve, how great an indifference ought every one to preserve for all persons,Pro. 26.25. till they see their fruits. This is equally the duty of all sides, neither can we be too suspicious in matters of our Eternal Concern, where no­thing but evident proof from Divine Authority should pre­vail with us. For in obedience to the command of St. John 1 Joh. 4.1. to try the spirits whether they are of God, it is our busi­ness to receive no Doctrine till it is confirmed by the word of God; this suspicion and caution is recommended to us by the great Champion of the Romanists at OXFORD, so that all reason concurs to excite us to that diligence, for which the Apostle Paul so highly commends the Inhabitants of Act. 17.10, 11. BE­REA, that they would not believe what he taught till by search­ing the Scriptures they found he agreed with them. I know indeed the Gentlemen of the Church of Rome will not allow such a search, but the aforesaid Considerat. on the Spirit of Martin Luther p. 2. Oxford, 1687. 4to. Author expresly affirms [Page 23] that when new Doctrines come into the world, Christians are directed to try such Doctrines whether they be of God, which is all I at present plead for.

If I should urge to this end, the same reason which SOLOMON does, where he gives this Advice; Prov. 26.24, 25. He that hateth, dissembleth with his Lips, and layeth up deceit within him; when he speaketh fair believe him not, for there are se­ven Abominations in his Heart. I could find several Instances given by their own Divines to justify such a Caution; but be­cause this Chapter is lengthen beyond what I at first intend­ed, I shall remit them to another place, and mention onely the instance of Mr. Parsons the famous Writer against K. James's Succession to the Crown, and in defence of the Pope's deposing power; of whom several Jesuits Ca­tech. praef. p. 9. Edit. 1604. 4to. French Divines observe; that no mans Writings are fuller of Spite than his. But it is mixt with such floods of Crocdiles Tears, when he is most spite­full, that he then always pretends so much Charity and ten­derness, as if every hard word he uses went to his very heart; by which the simpler sort are greatly blinded. ‘Nay, they are so us'd to this pretence of love to Souls, that in the INQVISITION, when they are tormenting a Heretick, as they call him, with the greatest Torments, they pretend all is out of love to his Soul; though all the WORLD KNOWS, that Tortures make no real Converts; and consequently see­ing they can have no effect upon the Soul, they can do that no good.’

I know it is very hard for one whose disposition is in­genious, to guard himself from such Insinuations, and therefore have been the more prolix, in setting forth the COMMAND of our SAVIOVR, and the NECESSITY of being very WATCHFVLL over our selves, lest out of a piece of good nature we throw away our Souls, and make ship­wrack of the Faith. Let us endeavour to have a real Love for them, and our desires for their Salvation be sincere and fervent, but till they can shew us a CHVRCH that doth more sincerely advance the great ends of HOLINESS and [Page 24] PIETY, let us hold fast the profession of our Heb. 10.23. Faith with­out wavering; and not throw away our selves out of love to others, as those unfortunate Mr. Rockwood and Sir Eve­rard Digby. See the Gunpow­der-Treason, with a discourse of the manner of its discovery, p. 125, 127.—Lond. 1679. 8vo. Gen­tlemen who purely out of love to Catesby, be­came partakers of his Guilt in the GVNPOW­DER-TREASON, and so lost their Fames, their Lives, and greatly hazarded their Souls.

CHAP. II. Of their strange Confidence in asserting any thing that may tend to their Advantage.

TO strengthen that Advice with which I concluded the former Chapter, it is an excellent Observation, no less true than ingenious made by an eminent Dr. Brevint. Saul and Samu­el at Endor. praef. p. 5. Ox. 1674. 4to. Divine who lived seventeen Years abroad among the ROMANISTS, Ibid. p. 3. ‘that the proper Genius, and as it were the universal Spirit of that Church consists much in a confidence to raise any thing which they have, although that were but a Dung-hill into a Castle, and by the noise of strange Expressions to perswade you out of your own knowledge, that you may believe the Enchantment. Transubstantiation, &c. had been as soon tumbled down as started up, had they not been kept on foot by this kind of RO­MAN-HECTORING.’

Which is so fit a name for their Carriage, that there are no men in the world to whom the Appellation of SPIRITVAL HECTORS, so properly belongs, as to these Gentlemen; all the Brags, fain'd Stories, huffing Expressions, confident Asser­tions, and supercilious Looks, which are the very constituent Qualities of those we call Hectors, are so exactly copyed by these men, that an indifferent person would be ready to con­clude the difference to be very small, if any.

[Page 25]They do with much unconcernedness insist upon the com­mon Arguments of their Predecessors, without taking the least notice of the Answers which have been made to them, yea reiterate the very same objections to the same person who has answered them before; like Flies, which although you drive them away will still return and never cease to trouble you; so these men after you have refuted all their objections they come to you again and produce the same things, as if they were new: And as Flies bring others with them and all together make one, and the same buzzing, so when you can suffer these people no longer, they send you their Emissaries and Disciples, you see many new faces, but you hear still the same song, and see them go round the same circle; insomuch that Drelincourts Protestants self defence, in the preface, L [...]nd. 1685. 12s. Monsieur Drelincourt professes that one certain obje­ction hath been made him, and refuted above an hundred times.

This excellent Method our present Controvertists are so fond of, that they do not scruple to propose objections verba­tim out of Authors who have not onely been several times refuted, but convicted of the greatest insincerity and wilfull forgery: The Author of the Oxford. 1687. 4to. Fifth part of Church-Govern­ment hath copyed out of SANDERS, who not onely reviles our Princes with all the bitter words of an overflowing Gall, and dyed in open Rebellion; but hath been often refuted, and convinced of Forgery by several, and particularly by Dr. Bur­net, in his History of the Reformation from publick Records; and in pleading against our Ordination, hath brought no Ar­guments, but such as were distinctly reply'd to by In his consecration of Protest. Bishops vindicated, in the first [...]ome of his works, Dublin, 1676. fol. & in Tom. 4. Arch-Bishop Bramhall, Mr. Vind. Eccl [...]s. Aug. Lond. 1625. fol. Mason, and Dr. In his History of the Reformati­on. Lond 1679. fol. and his vindicat [...] of the Ordination of the Church of England, Lond, [...]677 8 [...]o. Burnet; the two first long since, and the last very lately; transcribing as the LEARNED REFLECTER observes not one­ly the matter but the very form of those Ar­guments which have been so often confuted.

And the Collector of (that Book so much admired among them, and recommended at this very day by no less a Person [Page 26] than the Vindicator of the Reply to the Def. of the ex­pos. of the Doct. of the Ch. of Eng. p. 3. of the pre­face, Lond. 1687. 4to. Bishop of Condom) the Nubes Testium hath exactly transcribed that notorious Plagiary ALEXANDRE NATALIS, whose wretched Falsifications have been several times exposed, and particularly in the point of IMAGES by Spanhemii Hi­stor. Imaginum, Lugd. Batav. 1686, 8vo. Spanhemius, to say nothing of our own Divines, and yet this Disturber of ANTI­QUITY copies even his very Forgeries, without the least notice of the▪ little credit he is of among the Romanists them­selves.

If at any time they apprehend a rub in their way, either from any Doctrine or Practice of their own, or any Passage of the ancient Fathers, it is almost incredible with what prodigious Assurance they will deny it. Wherein they have an excellent Example set them by the BISHOP OF MEAVX, who wri­ting to the new Converts of his Diocese very gravely tells them; Bishop of Meaux Pastor. Lett. p. 3, 4. Lond. 1686, 4to. THAT NOT ONE OF THEM HATH SUFFER­ED VIOLENCE EITHER IN HIS PERSON OR GOODS; SO FAR HAVE YOU BEEN (saith he) FROM SUFFER­ING TORMENTS THAT YOU HAVE NOT SO MUCH AS HEARD THEM MENTION'D; I HEAR OTHER BISHOPS AFFIRM THE SAME; BUT FOR YOU MY BRETHREN I SAY NOTHING TO YOU, BUT WHAT YOU MAY SPEAK AS WELL AS I, YOU ARE RETUR­NED PEACEABLY TO US YOU KNOW IT. This strange Assertion coming from a person of his Character, was receiv­ed at Paris with such surprize, that men began presently to believe, he would strike it out of the next Edi­tion; so that the Author of the Nouvelle de la Republique des Let­tres. Juin. 1686. p. 736. Il est ap­parent que M. de Meaux retranchera l'endroit cidessus marques, & que les Gens d' honneur se plaindront in petto de ce qu'on se tue de leur sou tenir▪ que les Huguenots ont signe le Formulaire le plus v [...]l [...]ntairement du monde. Republique des Lettres was inclinable to credit that report, because men of Sense would complain in their minds to be thus eternally wearied with these pre­tences, that the Huguenots signed the Formu­lary with all the readiness in the world, but instead of that in his Letter of May the 13th. this present Year, he confirms that bold passage with a [Page 27] On parle e [...]core dans cette cinquieme objection de ceque jay dit dans ma Lettre Pastorale touchant ce qui c'est passé dans le Diocesse de Meaux. & dans plusieurs autres, dont les Eves­ques mes confrere & mes amis n'a­voient fait le recit; & may je per­sist à dire, sons les y ieùx de Dieu, qui jugera les vivans & les morts, que je n'ay rien dit que de veritable; & que l' Autheur de le Republique des Lettres av [...]it rezen un mauvais me­moire, quand il a di [...] que [...]e retranchi­ [...] cet Article dans les Editions [...]bantes, puisque, je n'y ay pas se [...]l­meat Songe- Reply to the Def. of the expos. of the Doct. of the Ch. of Eng. p. 181. solemn protestation in the presence of God who is to judge the quick and dead, that he spoke nothing but the truth, and that he never design'd to expunge that Clause: it is not with­out a sensible regret that I relate this passage, but when a person of his Quality, and refin'd Wit, shall with so great solemnity impose up­on the world wherein so many thousands can convince him of imposture, and call God to witness to so notorious an untruth, we may well expect to meet with very little sincerity from others, who are so great admirers of this Bishop. It is a very true and just Remark made by a late Present state of the Controv. between the Ch. of Eng. and the Ch. of Rome, p. 22. Lond. 1687. 4to. Author, that ‘his MAJE­STIES BRIEF alone may serve for a Confu­tation of so shamefull an Assertion, and shew us how little we can rely upon these Gentlemen when they talk to us of things that were done twelve or fourteen years ago, that make no scruple of dealing thus with us in a matter of Fact, in the sight of the world, before whose eyes these things are acted,’ to which I may add the witness ALL COVNTRIES can bear to the contrary, where multitudes of those poor di­stressed, persecuted Christians have taken sanctuary. But for the particular matters of Fact in that Prelates Diocese my Ibid. 22, 23, 24. Author informs us, ‘That as far as he can learn, the Dra­goons, (by whom they make their Proselytes) were not lodg'd in the Bishoprick of Meaux; but they came up to the very Gates of the City. Being thus in sight of their dan­ger, and expecting every minute when it would fall upon them, the Bishop thought that certainly now if ever they would be dispos'd to a compliance; (so that tho' not tortur'd they were frighted into it.) With this advantage he invites them to a conference, appears more moderate than even his own exposition; and desires very little more of them, than what any one might venture to subscribe. Such advances back't with the terrors of the Dragoons at the Gates, pre­vailed [Page 28] upon them; upon which the Dragoons were dismiss'd. How this agrees with not so much as hearing violences men­tion'd, and returning peaceably, is onely for them to make out who are so good at reconciling Contradictions; especially if we look on his carriage afterwards, when Ibid. p. 23. he actually proceeded to mention Violence, for he threatned those that would not come, and quarter'd the Dragoons ▪ upon the ob­stinate; and particularly on Monsieur de Seguier Couzen to the late Chancellor of that name, who are to this day Priso­ners on th [...] account.’ Nay this same Gentleman who so gravely tells [...]s he heard the same from other Bishops, viz. that there was no force us'd, His pastoral Letter, bears date March 24. and this to the Gentleman, April 4. did in a Letter dated but a few days after that wherein he denies any violence to be used to the Protestants, both own and justifie the Persecution to a Per­son of Quality who had escaped out of France, and he desired to reclaim; which kindled such an indignation in that honou­rable Person, that he Printed the Bishops Letter to him: and yet can this Prelate appeal to God concerning the truth of that which he had contradicted under his own hand?

We need not wonder at his singular dexterity in this mat­ter, seeing it hath been his chief Employment as a Bishop, to make Proselytes, and it would be a great wrong to his quick Apprehension; to suspect his being throughly vers'd in the artifices necessary for accomplishing his end. Which is an opi­nion none that is conversant in his Works can well be of, he having taken so much Care to furnish us with instances of his excellency therein. For being charg'd by the Learned Expos. of the Doct. of the Ch. of Eng. p. 7. of the pre­face, Lond. 1686. 4to. Ex­positor of the Doctrine of our Church, with teaching Prayer to Saints in such a manner, as that it was directly contrary to the same Doctrine as laid down in Laveritable devotion envers la Sr. Vierge, Par. 1679. 4to. Father Crassets Book on that Subject, by his Vind. of the Bishop of Condom's Exposition, p. 115, Lond, 1686, 4to. Let­ter of April the 6th. 1686. Reply to the def. &c. p. 181. ‘affirms he never read that Jesuit's discourse, neither ever heard it mention'd that it was contrary to his ex­position; which he again asserts in his Letter of May 13. 1687. now to prove this of the same stamp with the former [Page 29] passage, the very looking into the Edit. Paris, 1685. 12s. Bishops Book of Com­munion under one kind, where he is answering Monsieur Juri­eux, who objects that Book of Father Crasset against his Lordship, and spends several pages to prove that it plainly contradicts his Exposition▪ is sufficient. So that we must ei­ther conclude the BISHOP answered a Book which he never read, or that his PROTESTATION that he never heard there was any thing in that Jesuites Book contrary to his, MVST BE VNTRVE; for he could not peruse Monsieur Jurieux discourse, without finding the difference insisted on.’ This was urg'd against him by his Def. of the Expos. of the Doct. of the Ch. of England, p. 114. Lond. 1686. 4to. Adversary, but he thinks fit in his Reply to take no notice of it; contenting himself with an unjust reflexion upon that French Divine, but never offers to weaken this Argument, which had been alledg'd purposely to prove his Assertion false. And which will always remain as an unanswerable instance of his insincerity; ‘unless he fly for refuge to that equivocating shift, that he never HEARD Father Crassets Doctrine was different from his, tho' he had indeed READ a discourse which affirm'd that it was, which is an excuse fit for such a Cause and the best that it will e­ver bear.’

There seems to be a kind of Conspiracy among the French-Clergy to deny this Persecution, or at least to represent it as neither so violent or universal as indeed it is, to which pur­pose it is See Last Ef­forts of afflict­ed Innocency, p. 5, 6. Lond. 1682. 8vo. affirm'd in a discourse said to be written by order of the Clergy, (under this Title A LETTER FROM A CHVRCH MAN TO A FRIEND) ‘That there were not forty Churches of Protestants demolish'd in the ten years prece­ding the Year Eighty Two, when it is notoriously known, that in the Province of POITOV alone, near that number were pull'd down; and the Agent of the Clergy had the May before said at the opening of the Assembly, that the K. had demolish'd an infinite number of them.’

But it is not particular Actions onely, which they are so ready to deny and disclaim; but if any Authors, whether Fa­thers, or of a latter date, of whatsoever kind be objected to [Page 30] them, they reckon it a good and sufficient Answer, either to deny that there are such Authors, or that they wrote those Books, or that the passages insisted on are to be found in them; or if all these be made too evident to be handsomely denied, they have then some wrested interpretation which without any hesitancy they will offer as the Sense of the Author they are press'd with.

This Liberty of rejecting Books when they are press'd with them, is not onely practis'd but defended; De cultu Adorat. lib. 2. disput. 5. c. 3. Mogunt. 1601, 8vo. Speaking of Alanus Copus and Sanders deny­ing the Epistle to Joh. Hierosol. to be his, saith, id commune etiam & frequens effugium esse solet iis qui te­stimoniis conciliorum, aut Patrum in aliqua controversia nimis premuntur. VASQUEZ telling us, that it is frequent a­mong the Catholicks, when they are urg'd with Testimonies out of the Councils or Fathers to de­ny that they are theirs, and this ▪ he says is the readiest (and often the best) refuge they can find; and Ad ann. 32. n. 18, 19. BARONIVS, being prest with a passage out of Clement's Constitutions, an­swers, that he might deny the Authority of them, which he affirms to be a very justifiable shift; this is confess'd by the Authors of the In Catholicis veteribus pluri­mos feramus er­rores & extenu­emus, excuse­mus, excogitato commento persaepe negemus, & commodum iis sensum affingamus, dum opponuntur in disputationibus, aut in conflictionibus cum adversariis, Index expurg. libror. qui hoc seculo prodierunt, Edit. 1586. 12s. Index Expurgatorius Belgicus to be their usual practice, and they give directions how to improve it; which the Missionaries are very observant of, as the experience of those who converse with them, may easily discover.

‘I remember when I urg'd one of them with the Novelty of Transubstantiation, he told me it was so far from being new, that it was never question'd, till BERENGARIVS oppos'd it; when I desired him to call to mind that BER­TRAM liv'd SOME AGES before that he mention'd, he reply'd in a GREAT HEAT, THERE WAS NO SUCH MAN, and turning to the Company, desired them to take notice how we coyn'd Authors at our pleasure; but when I undertook to justifie both that there was such a Writer who oppos'd their Doctrine, and had satisfi'd those who were pre­sent, he had no way to come off,’ but by pretending he mis­took [Page 31] the name, but I could not prevail with him to tell who it was he suppos'd I nam'd. ‘When Campion the Jesuite who made such a bustle with his Brags of challenging the UNI­VERSITIES was Confer. with Campion in the Tower p. 134. Lond. 1583. 4to. prest with some Texts out of the Book of Judith to prove that she was not inspir'd by God, he confi­dently affirmed, there were no such passages, tho' it was presently proved that they were to be found in the Vulgar Latin: and Mr. Chark Ibid. 146, 147. alledging Tertullian against Hermo­genes in defence of the sufficiency of Scripture, Mr. Campion first deny'd that Tertullian wrote the Book, and being con­vinc'd of that, without reading the place, he immediately of his own head began a discourse of the Fathers design therein;’ as if it were revealed to him by Inspiration, for he had just before disclaim'd the knowledge of any such piece of Tertul­lians, which way of expounding the FATHERS and SCRIP­TURE at random, he was so in love with, that in the last Conference, being press'd with that passage of our SAVIOUR, Thou shalt Ibid. p. 166. worship the Lord thy God, and him onely shalt thou serve; from whence Mr. Clark inferr'd Mat. 4.10. that as the Text of Deuteronomy, Thou shalt worship no Deut. 6.14. strange gods, justified our Saviours adding the word ONELY, him ONELY shalt thou serve, so we by the same warrant and words do in the question of Justification, take the words Rom. 9.11. Gal. 2.16. NOT BY WORKS, Rom. 3.21.NOT BY LAW, to import as much as FAITH ONELY, for ALL WORKS whatsoever being ex­cluded by these negative Speeches, FAITH ALONE, remain­eth. ‘To evade this Mr. Campion with his usual boldness reply'd, that the word WORSHIP doth of necessity infer so much, and therefore CHRIST did well to expound it by ONELY: but it was not so in the other instance. Where by endeavouring to outface that Argument, he gave up the whole Cause of worshipping Images and Saints, by confessing that GOD ALONE is to be wor­shipp'd.’

[Page 32]And the Jesuit COTTON Confessor to HEN­RY the great of France, Hospi [...]. Histor. Jesuit, p. 222, 223. Edit. Tig. 1670. fol. Pater Cotton, tum dixit eum librum ne­quaquam à suae societatis hominibus emanasse, sed Genovae ad constandum Jesui [...]is odium fictum ab haereticis fuisse. Qui tamen postea, longe ali­ter, quid sentiret, expressit, laudato Scribanii opere & distributis multis illius exemplaribus, atque etiam claro admodum viro commandaret eum, tan­quam juventu [...]i Latinis literis imbuen­dae apprime utile, &c. when Carolus Scri­banius, under the feigned name of Bonarscius had published his Book wherein he defended the power of Popes over the Lives and Tempo­ralities of KINGS, finding how ill it was re­sented at the Court of France, confidently as­serted, that it was a Book written by the Here­ticks, and published only to make the Jesuits o­dious; and yet the same man when he had op­portunity highly commended, the very same Book; as very fit for the instruction of youth, and was a means of dispersing ma­ny Copies of it.

Let the impartial Reader but reflect on this carriage which is so universally approv'd among them, and he will find it was not without reason that I desir'd of him in the former Chapter, TO DISTRUST EVERY THING THEY SAY. It was a Habit, I was very unwilling to endeavour after, till my ex­perience of their way of writing, and observations of their dis­courses, convinc'd me of the absolute necessity, all who deal with them lie under to attain it; for I cannot call to mind any one of their Books, nor remember any particular Conver­sation which I have been engag'd in with them, wherein I have not met with such shuffling and insincere Answers, offer­ed with as grave a countenance, and as much assurance as if there was no jugling at the Bottom.

To alledge all the instances which the late passages of this nature furnish us with, would be as troublesome to the Rea­der as tedious to me. See Answer to the Considera­tions on the Spirit of Martin Lu­ther, p. 12, 13. Oxford. 1687. 4to. The Oxford Champion, gives Luther the Lye, for quoting a passage which though this Civil Gentleman is pleas'd to deny it, is in the Author he professes to take it from: The late See his Let­ter in the pre­face to the history of the Irish Reb. Lond. 1680. fol. Bishop of Meath assures us, ‘There are who contrary to all evidence confidently aver, write and openly proclaim to the world, that there was no Rebellion in Ireland in 1641. but they themselves, the IRISH and PAPISTS of Ireland were [Page 33] then the SUFFERERS, and the PROTESTANTS the first AGGRESSORS, which they back with such confidence, that the Bishop assures us, it hath already gain'd great belief with many.’ An eminent Divine lately discoursing with some of the Roman Church, and producing the Roman Breviary, in con­firmation of the point he was insisting on, one of them very confidently told him that it was forg'd by the Protestants, and when he offer'd the Passion week printed in English at Pa­ris he met with the same Answer. And at this day they spread among their people a report, that the reason of the few hard­ships (for they strive to represent them as few as possible) of the French Protestants is because they designed to Rebell against the King.

It is almost incredible what a multitude of such instances might be given, and as strange, that men who pretend to so much Religion, should be guilty of them; but they find the ef­fects of them so pleasing, that there is no hope they should ever be prevail'd on to relinquish these unhandsome Methods, and behave themselves with more modesty and respect to Truth. For hereby they have so possess'd their people with false notions, and fill'd their heads with such invented stories, that they look upon us as a parcel of men who can neither write nor speak truth; insomuch that ‘but a few days ago, when I offer'd to a Gentleman of that Communion to prove his Church guilty of FORGING AVTHORS, and altering the genuine works of the ancient Fathers and modern Divines, he reply'd that he was so sure of the contrary, that tho' I should swear it he would never believe it true; nay if I should shew him the very Books, he was sure they must be some of our own making, and therefore would giv [...] no credit to them; just such an encounter See his Fal­sificationum Ro­man [...]rum [...] primi Liber pri­ [...]s, in the pre­face, Lond. 16 [...]6. 4 [...]o. Mr. Crashaw had with some of the same Religion upon this Subject; when objecting the INDEX EXPURGATORIUS, they present­ly reply'd it was never done by the Catholick Church, but it was some trick of BEZA or JUNIUS devised to disgrace the Catho­lick Cause. To justifie his Accusation he produced STELLA on Luke, which was purged as the Title it self declared accor­ding [Page 34] to the rules of that Index; they answered, the Title might be put in by some of us in malice, to make the world believe the Romish Church did what they have not done. Nay, when he produc'd Possevine the Jesuite affirming that he was so purg'd; they would not be satisfied but still declar'd there was no such thing. And this is the case of many thousands at this day among them.’

Neither is this confident trick of asserting whatever they fan­sie may advance their Cause, practis'd onely when they are pres­sed with an Argument or Authority; but in their own Argu­ments against us they will not stick to publish the greatest Fal­sities, if it may either create an ill opinion of us, or enhance their peoples esteem for them. Their usual entrance is with great boasts of their Cause, and that if their Enemies dare mee [...] them, the world shall see with how much ease they will baffle all their Arguments, though the ‘Jesuite See Du Mou­lin's life ▪ p. 14, 15. prefixt to his Novelty of Popery, Edit. Lond. 1664 fol. Gontiere was sadly foil'd, when having so far prevailed upon Monsieur Liembrun, that the Gentleman had promis'd to become a Romanist; after a conference which he desired the Jesuite would hold with Dr. Du Moulin; when the conference began, he was so puzz'ld to prove his own mission, that after much turning over the Bible, he retir'd [...]lent and in confusion to a Corner of the Room; upon which Monsieur Liembrun in indignation ad­dressed himself to Gontiere: Father, said he; you told me that if I brought a Minister before you, you would confound him, here is one, and you stand dumb.’ Upon which, the Gentle­man was confirmed in his Religion. And Mr. Campion, not­withstanding all his brags, and vain challenges, was so misera­bly baffl'd, in the four conferences held with him in the Tomes, that whoever reads the Relation published by his own party, will have other thoughts of his Abilities and Learning, than he could possibly form from the Idea, the Commendations given of him by the Missionaries, might prevail with him to entertain.

These brags having raised the expectation of the people to admiration, they are well prepar'd to feed the humour, in which [Page 35] the description given of Reflexions on Mr. [...]ari [...]as, p. 14. Amsterd. 1686. 1 [...] s. Monsieur Maimbourg, is a character of their conduct, that they have no regard to truth, or likeli­hood in what they assert; and tho' I know there are many a­mong them who abhor such practices, yet the much greater number of them do all copy after the same pattern; when the ingenious Author of the Edit. Lond. 1685. Chap. 11. Pap. Misrepresented and Represented, would establish the Books (which our CHURCH rejects for Apocrypha,) as a part of the Canon of Scripture, he cites St. Gregory Nazianzen and St. Ambrose, neither of whom have any thing to the purpose, the first onely mentions the persons of the Maccabees, and commends them; and the latter quotes them as we do any other books, but hath not the least tittle of their being part of the sacred Canon; but thinking to establish two points by one Authority, he tells us in the same Chapter, that St. Jerome doubted of the Book of Judith, which for some time seem'd to him Apocryphal, till the Council of Nice declar'd it otherwise: now tho' I doubt not it was his design, to esta­blish the Authority both of a General Council, and the Book of Judith by this one instance, yet he hath unhappily fail'd in both; the confidence with which he backs this Affirmation be­ing all the strength of it, for it was impossible there should be any truth in it, seeing when the Council of Nice sate, St. Je­rome was either not born, or but two years old; and the Coun­cil made no Decree at all about the Books of Scripture, yet doth that witty Author venture these three untruths in one Chapter, as if because setting a good face on the matter, pre­vails with the people of his Communion, who are kept from examining what they hear affirmed, we must therefore be­lieve all he saith with the same implicit Faith.

But when Baronius and Bellarmine, those Champions of the Church of Rome, Richer. H [...]stor Concil. Gen. lib. 4. par. 2. p. 135. Quibus viris hoc propositum esse nemo nescit ut temporalem Curiae Romanae Monarchiam quovis jure vel injuria vendicent. care not by what means they establish the Doctrine of the Pope's power, which is the character given of them by a learned man of their own Communi­on; their unfaithfulness being so obvious, that a Walsh. Hist. of the Irish Remon­strance, pref. to the Cath. p. 9. E­dit. Lond. 1674. fol. Franciscan Fryer yet living observes, ‘that [Page 36] the great Annalist Baronius, seems to have had no other end in writing his twelve laborious Tomes, than to heap together how well or ill soever all the Topicks he could imagin for asserting to the Bishop of Rome the universal Monarchy;’ when we find that Pillar of the Cause pointing out the way to the inferior Missionaries 'tis no wonder if an exact imitation of these great Examples be affected by them. And indeed this disposition is so natural to the Guides of that Church, that no sooner can a Proselyte breath among them, but he is running in the same path; thus Mr. See Animad­versions upon Fanaticism fa­natically im­puted to the Catholick Church, by the Lord Claren­don, p. 66. Lond. 1674. 8 [...]e. Cressy very seriously attempts to perswade the world that when examination is made of Miracles in order to the Canonization of any Saint, the Testimony of women will not be re­ceived, for which he gives this reason, because naturally imagina­tion is stronger in them than judgment, and whatever is esteemed by them to be pious, is easily concluded by them to be true; but though there be very much weight in this reason, yet the mat­ter of Fact is so notoriously false, that there is scarce any of their noted Saints, in the process of whose Canonization we do not find the Oaths of women pass current, nay, sometimes without any other Testimony to confirm them; for as his Right Honorable and Learned Answerer observes, the single Testimony of the Nurse was the only evidence of the first Miracle that St. Bene­dict (Mr. Cressy's great Patron) wrought: Ibid. & p. 67. and in the Canoni­zation of Ignatius Loyala the Founder of the Jesuits; the Atte­station of Isabella Monialis was taken to confirm his working Miracles; and yet no doubt this plausible Assertion of Mr. Cres­sy's passes for truth among very many who being destitute of opportunities to discover the mistake, yield firm credit to it, be­cause it is confidently advanc'd.

There is nothing more frequent in these Gentlemens mouths, than ALL THE FATHERS are of this opinion, ANTIQVI­TY is VNANIMOVS in this point, and such like bold expres­sions; though they deserve as much credit as Mr. Cressy's pre­tence and very little more.

For though Catholick Scripturist p. 191. Lond. 1686. [...] vo. Mr. Mumford the Jesuite, tells us, that the Text of St. Paul, Let a Bishop be the Husband of one Wife, [Page 37] was only a permission at that time, when it was impossible to find fit men for that office who were single; (an Assertion perfectly false) that the Apostle would have no man who married a second Wife be made a Bishop; and that the Text is so interpreted by the COVNCILS and FATHERS VNANI­MOVSLY, [...]. Hom. 2. in Tit. St. Chrysostome will tell him that this Text is so far from being only a permission of Marriage for a time, that it is designed for encreasing the esteem of it; and if he pleases to consult him in another [...]. Hom. 3. in 1. Tim. Homily upon the same Subject, he will find, that the interpretation he calls ri­diculous is given by that great Divine, the A­postle (saith he) forbiddeth excess, because a­mong the Jews the Association of a second Marriage was lawfull and to have two Wives at once; so that all the Fathers we see are not unanimous in his Exposition, though he is pleas'd to say they are; and if we are as he tells us in the same place ridi­culous in interpreting the words of Saint Paul in this Sense, that a Bishop should have but one Wife at once; we have very good Authority for being so; though his Consideration or Sin­cerity was but small when he tells us ALL the Fathers are V­NANIMOVS of his side, and that 'tis ridiculous to dissent from him. With the same briskness we are told by the Animadver­sions by way of Answer to a Sermon prea­ched by Dr. Ke [...]n. &c. p. 4. Lond. 1687 4to. IRISH Animadverter on the Bishop of Bath and Wells's Ser­mon, that Melchisedeck's Bread and Wine is own'd by all to be a Type of the Sacrament; I suppose he meant ALL of his Com­munion, for he must be very ignorant, not to know that the Protestants deny it; and yet by his telling the Bishop, that he durst not meddle with that point, because of this VNIVER­SAL Consent, he seems to extend his ALL beyond the narrow [...]ounds of the Roman Church. But we may well expect such a spirit of Confidence in the Members of a Church, in whose RVLE OF FAITH, the COVNCIL OF TRENT we find this Assertion, Sess. 21 c 4. eos nul [...]a [...] necessitate i [...] fe­cisse sine contro­versi [...] creden­dum est. that the ancient Fathers when they gave the Eucharist to Infants, did not teach it was necessary to Salvation that they should receive it. An affirmation which we may in [Page 38] some sort excuse the Fathers of that Council for being so hardy as to advance, their Skill in Antiquity being so very small, that it is more than probable very few of them knew the contrary; though a little more modesty might have been expe­cted, than so rashly to pronounce against the whole current of the Fathers, and the universal Tradition of the Church for some Ages, nay against the decree of Pope In­nocent the First, who as Lib. 2. ad Bonif. cont. duas Epist. Pelag. cap. 4. Beatae memoriae Inno­centius Papa sine baptismo Christi, & sine participatione corporis & sangui­nis Christi, vitam non habere parvu­los dicit. Saint Augustine as­sures us, taught, that little children cannot have eternal Life, without Baptism and the participation of the Body and Blood of Christ; with which place when Mr. Campion was press'd, he after the example of this Council, as Confer. with Camp. in the Tower the second day, p. 41. positively an­swer'd there is no such Decree, though the ve­ry work of Saint Augustine was brought, and this passage shew'd him. With the very same Sincerity, doth De Romano Pontifice▪ Lib. 1. c. 10. Bellarmine affirm that the WHOLE CHVRCH and ALL the Greek and Latin Fathers teach, that when Christ said upon this Rock will I build my Church, he thereby meant Peter; and Dissert. 4. p. 1. pa. 274. Alexandre Na­talis, that the Fathers with a NEMINE CONTRA DICEN­TE interpret the Rock to be that Apostle; there needs but very little reading to confute this, notwithstanding all the assurance it is back't with, for not onely particular Fathers tell us, that when our Lord said upon that Rock, he meant, upon the Faith of the Confession Peter had then made, insomuch that Saint Non enim de carne Petri sed de [...]i­de dictum est, Lib. de Sacrament In­carnationis. Ambrose is positive it is not of the flesh but of the Faith of Peter, that this is said, but that main stream of Antiquity runs this way to establish that exposition which Super hanc fidem super hoc quod di­ctum est, Tu es Christus. In Epist. primam Johannis tract. decim. St. Austin so plainly gives, that the Church was establish­ed upon that Faith which Peter had then confessed, when he said thou art Christ the Son of the living God; nay, so far are the Ancient Writers from being unanimous in this point, that there are three several Opinions among them, some and but ve­ry few affirming it was Peter's Person, in the same sense as all the Ephes. 2▪2 [...]. Apostles are called the Foundation of the Church, others [Page 39] that it was himself, CHRIST designed by the word ROCK, and the third that which I have mention'd that it was the Faith then confessed by St. Peter which hath near threescore Fathers and Coun­cils to authorise it; where the first hath hardly six ▪ judge now on which side the NEMINE CONTRA DICENTE lies.

By this time I think it pretty evident, that these Gentlemen are too much akin to those,1 Tim. 1.7. who are desirous to be Teachers of the Law, but understand not, (or at least mind not,) what they say, nor whereof they affirm; which makes the Advice of one of themselves in another case very seasonable, Good Ad­vice to the Pul­pits, p. 50. Lond 1687. 4to. who tells us, that this huffing humour is caution enough to any reasonable man to take care; for if it be our duty to take nothing in Religion up­on trust, it is certainly of very great concern that we be suspi­cious in trusting those, whose insincerity is so very great, that they are not asham'd to publish the most palpable Vntruths; what is to be expected then from their discourses with igno­rant and unwary men, especially in private, where they are in no such danger of being expos'd.

CHAP. III. Of their Slanders.

WHen the Prophet Jeremiah was in the name of the Lord, endeavouring to Reform the Corruptions of the JEWISH CHURCH, he complains, that his enemies said one to another, Jerem. 18.18. Come and let us devise devices against him, and let us smite him with the Tongue; Chap. 20.10. Report say they, and we will report it; which made him give that Caution and Advice to those who obeyed the Voice of the LORD by him. Chap. 9.4. Take ye heed eve­ry one of his Neighbour, and trust ye not in any Brother: for eve­ry Brother will utterly supplant, and every Neighbour will walk in Slanders; whose Case being so very like that of the REFORM­ED [Page 40] CHURCHES, both in the work he undertook, REFOR­MATION, and in the opposition which was made to him by CALUMNIES and SLANDERS, his Advice is as seasonable to us, as to the Reforming Jews; we having to deal with a po­litick sort of men, who notwithstanding the WISE Prov. 10.18. Solomon hath pronounc'd that he that uttereth Slanders is a fool, establish it as a Maxim which they are very diligent observers of, THAT IT IS NO MORTAL SIN TO CALVMNIATE FALSLY TO PRESERVE ONES HONOVR, like the Hereticks Ep. 137. Qui non habendo quod in causa suae divisionis defendant, non nisi hominum crimina colligere affe­ctant; & ea vice plura falsissime ja­ctant, & quia ipsam divinae Scriptu­rae veritatem criminari & obscurarè non possunt, homines per quos praedi­catur adducunt in odium, de quibus & fingere quicquid in mentem veniat possunt. St. Augustine speaks of, ‘who not being able to defend their Cause set themselves to revile their adversaries, spreading the most false reports, that seeing they cannot evade the force or obscure the evidence of the truth con­tained in the holy Scriptures, they may render those who preach it odious, by reporting all the evil of them they can invent.’

I know this is a severe charge, and will be look't upon even by many sober and impartial men, as uncharitable, but if they can either prove that the passages I relate are false, or the Au­thors I cite, who maintain it lawfull are forged and corrupted; I am willing to lie under that imputation: But on the other side, if they prove to be truly cited, I must desire of the Rea­der that their Character of religious men, and their formal pre­tences to sincerity, may be look't upon as indeed they are but a fair covering, and cloak for their designs; and I CHAL­LENGE the WHOLE BODY of them, to prove one par­ticular Instance or Citation false; wherein I do not (as Mr. Pulton in his Remarks) charge those Slanders on them, which are only the additions which a story gets by running from hand to hand; for I know it is possible a man may relate things that are false, without being guilty of the Slander, by being de­ceived in the account which was given him of those matters; but when men make it their business to defame and assert the lawfulness of doing it by false Reports, I think it is no piece of injustice or want of Charity to call them SLANDERERS.

[Page 41]I am not insensible that the generality of men are apt to reason with themselves, that surely Religious Men cannot be of such sear'd Consciences, as to damn themselves by such malicious backbiting; but in this case such a reflexion is ungrounded, for their great Casuists defend it to be lawfull; and are so far from being apprehensive of damnation, that they justifie its pra­ctice, as Father De Jus [...]. l. 2. tr. 2. disp. 12. n. 404. See this passage in the Provincial Let­ters, p. 362. E­dit. Lond. 1657. 8vo. Dicastillo informs us; ‘I have maintained (saith he) and do still maintain that Calumny when it is u­sed against a Calumniator, though grounded on absolute Fal­sities, is not for that any mortal sin either against Justice or Charity. And to prove it I have brought a cloud of our Fa­thers to witness it, and whole Vniversities consisting of them, all whom I have consulted, and among others the Reverend Fa­ther John Gans Confessor to the Emperor, the Reverend Father Daniel Bastele Confessor to the Arch Duke Leopold, Father Henry, sometimes Preceptor to those two PRINCES; All the publick and ordinary Professors of the Vniversity of Vien­na, all the Professors of the Vniversity of Grats, all the Pro­fessors of the Vniversity of Prague, of all whom I have at hand the Approbations of my opinion written and sign'd with their own hands: Besides that, I have on my side, Fa­ther Pennalossa a Jesuite, and Confessor to the King of Spain, Father Pillecorolli a Jesuite, and many others. And when this was objected to the Jesuits by the Author of the Provincial Letters in his fifteenth Letter;’ the Answer to the Prov. Let­ters, p. 342. E­dit. Paris. 1659. 8vo. Answerers of that Letter where they undertake to defend themselves, in­stead of condemning add more Authority to Father Dicastillo's Position, by citing several Authors besides those mentioned be­fore in defence of it. Neither do they deny the Doctrine of Caramuel who asserts, that it is a probable opinion, Prov. Letters. p. 363. that it is not any mortal sin to caiumniate falsly to preserve ones honour, for it is maintained by above TWENTY grave Doctors so that if this Doctrine be not probable there is hardly any such in all the body of Divinity. And the same is asserted by the Theses of the Jesuits at Ibid. p. 361. Lovain, Ann. 1645. in case of calumniating and imposing false Crimes, to ruine their Credit who speak ill of us.

[Page 42]Besides these Vniverslties and Divines, who teach the law­fulness of Calumnies and false Reports, we find it among other Rules of the Jesuits; ‘that they should be sure to put this Do­ctrine in Practice, even against those of their own Cummunion, the ancient Orders of the Roman Church; for if such hap­pen to be an hindrance to their ambitious Designs, by standing in their way, Instruct. se­cret. pro super. societ. Jesu. p. 11, 12. the rule is, let their faults be diligently noted, and they represented as dangerous to the publick peace,’ which as is observed by Discov. of the society in relat. to their Politicks, p. 4. Lond. 1658· 8vo. one no enemy to their Order, was a suc­cesfull means of their enlargement, and succeeding greatness, their instilling into the minds of Princes by false insinuations, an evil opinion of the other religious Orders. Instruct. se­cret. ut supra. p. 20. Among the same instructions they are directed, that all those who hinder and disswade men from giving ESTATES or MO­NEY to the SOCIETY should be turned out, and to prevent their doing mischief after their ejecti­on. Ibid. p. 22. Dicantur malae ejus in­clinationes, vitia, defectus, quos de se in manifestatione conscientiae aliquando superioribus aperuerat.— Externis in­sinuentur causae dismissionis illae ob quas vulgus nos odio habent, sic enim plau­sibilior erit dismissio quorumcunque. LET THEIR FAULTS BE EXPO­SED (saith the eleventh Rule) EVEN SUCH AS IN DISCHARGING THEIR CONSCI­ENCES THEY HAVE REVEALED TO THEIR SUPERIORS: and let Strangers be possess'd that they were guilty of those Crimes which the people are wont to hate us for; this made Bernardi Giraldi Patavini pro Re­pub. Venetorum Apologia p. 129. He cites Mariana's words in his Book de Regimine societatis Jesu, c. 2. Si ipse Paulus Apostolus, Generali Jesuita­rum & assentatoribus ejus contradice­ret, neque errores illorum probaret, futurum esset ut pro extravagante, in­quieto, & turbatore pacis haberetur. Mariana a famous Member of that So­ciety affirm; ‘That if the Apostle St. Paul himself should contradict the Jesuits, and not approve their Errors, they would be sure to re­present him, as an extravagant and restless Di­sturber of and enemy to Peace.’ The observation of which Spirit and Doctrine made Anthony Tirrell in his exam. be­fore Commissioners, June 25. 1602. See it at the end of Dr. Harse­net's Declaration of the Popish im­postures, Lond. 1603. 4to. one who had been many years a Priest declare, They do not account it evil (as I verily think) to ca­lumniate the Protestants by any device whatsoever that may car­ry any probability with it, nor make any conscience to tell and publish any untruths, which they think being believ'd may ad­vance and promote such points and matters, as they take upon them [Page 43] to defend for the honour of the Church of Rome and dignity of their Priesthood, which he affirmed upon Oath the 25th. of June 1602.

§. 3. This is observ'd to be their way of treating their Adversaries, by the Ingenious and Loyal Four Letters on several sub­jects, p. 69.— 1686. Father Peter Walsh, a Fryer of the Franciscan Order, who acknowledges, that their Catholick Writers are generally hurried on to exorbitant Pas­sions and barbarous Language (besides many DOWN-RIGHT LIES and MEER CALUMNIES often) against all those that leave their Church. Neither is the treatment they afford those who continuing Members of their Church oppose any of their designs more Christian and sincere; ‘an exam­ple whereof we have in a Hospir. Histor. Jesuit. p. 249▪— Pontum Tyardaeum Episcopum Cabil­lonensem, eruditionis ac pietatis sin­gularis, [...]irum, cum Jesuitae in suam factionem & conspirationem contra Re­gem Henricum Tertium pertrahere non possent,—populi furiosum odium & invidiam in caput ejus modis omni­bus concitare studuerunt. Est Colle­gium Divioni Jesuitarum, quod Epis­copi hujus non exiguis beneficiis ad­auctum fuit. Erat enim bonae partis fundi illius Clientelaris Patronus;— quamobrem libello, etiam Graecis, La­tinis & Gallicis versibus, atque ora­tione soluta scripto & ipsi dicato cum amplissimo laudum ejus praedicatione, habuerunt gratiam, & fidem dederunt. Sed quod in conspirationem Jesuita­rum, & parricidium Regis consentire noll [...]t, quidam Carolus inter Jesui­tas Collegii istius ascriptus linguam suam & Calamum superiorum instinctu, vehementer contra illum acuit.—Con­tra hunc Praesulem, ob dictam causam non solum in familiaribus colloquiis, sed etiam publicis in contionibus atque editis quoque libellis debacchatus est: ac inter alia [...].—se quadraginta quatuor haereses in tribus foliolis Ho­miliarum ejus in orationem Dominic [...]m exprompsiss [...], &c. vid. locum. French Bishop, who had been a great Benefactor to the Je­suits, insomuch that in their Poems and Pa­negyricks, they had magnified and extolled him for an excellently learned and very pious Pre­late; but when he refus'd to joyn with them in their Conspiracy against King HENRY the Third, they set themselves to defame him; both in their ordinary Discourses, their Books and Sermons, affirming they had discovered four and forty Heretical Tenets in three single Leaves of his works; which drew such a Vindication from the Bishop as will be a blot to their whole Order, while the remembrance thereof remains in the minds of men.’ And indeed it cannot be supposed they will let slip any occasion of discrediting their Enemies, when as you have s [...]en before they believe they may do it without hazarding their Salvation; and that by the Credit they have in the world they may calumniate with­out any great fear of being accountable to the justice of men.

[Page 44] ‘Provincial Letters p. 368, 369, 370, 371. When Monsieur Puys Pastor of St. Niceer at Lyons, translated into French a Book, concerning the duties of Christi­ans towards their Parishes against those by whom they are diverted from them: The Jesuits esteeming themselves to be reflect­ed on (though no mention was made of the Society) one of that Order, Father Alby, wrote against the Translator, af­firming that he was become SCANDALOVS, lay under the suspicion of IMPIETY, of being an HERETICK and EXCOMMUNICATED, and deserved to be cast into the FIRE: But all these imputations were only the pure Off­spring of their own Inventions for some time after, (in the presence of Viz. Mr. De ville, Vicar General to the Cardinal of Lyons. M. Scar­ron, Canon and Pastor of St. Pauls. M. Margat. messieurs Borrand, Sevé, Aubert and Darvie Canons of St. Ni­cier. M. du Gu [...] President of the Treasurers of France. M. Groslier, Provost of Merchants. M. de Fle­chere, President, and Lieutenant Ge­neral. Messieurs de Boissat, de St. Ro­main, & de Bartoly Gent. M. Bour­geois the King's Advocate in the Treasurers Court of France. M. de Cotton, Father and Son and Mr. Boniel. several Divines and Persons of Quality, who all signed the Declaration made by both the Fathers) viz. Sep. 25. 1650. when Mr. Puys declared to the Jesuit that in what he had written he designed no reflexion upon that SOCIETY, for which he had a very great esteem; Father Al­by immediately reply'd, Sir, the belief I was in that your quarrel was against the Society, of which I have the honour to be a Member, oblig'd me to take pen in hand to answer it; AND I THOUGHT THE MANNER OF MY PRO­CEEDING LAWFULL AND JUSTIFIABLE. But coming to a better understanding of your intention, I do now declare, That there is not any thing that might hinder me from esteeming you a man of a very illuminated judgment, of sound Learning and ORTHODOX, as to manners UNBLAMABLE, and in a word, a WORTHY PASTOR of your Church. So that by the Jesuit's own Confession he had no ground for his Calum­nies, but thought it a LAWFULL and JUSTIFIABLE manner of proceeding to represent a person IMPIOUS and an HERETICK, in whom he knew no fault, but that he suppos'd him no friend to his Order.’ This passage is so generally known,In their An­swer to the fifth Letter. that the Jesuits who pretended to Answer the Pro­vincial Letters, durst not deny it, and therefore pass it over.

[Page 45]In the same manner is that pious and venerable Prelate the late Bishop of Pamiers, treated by them; whose Life was an exact Copy of the Primitive Holiness and Simplicity, yet the Burnet's Hist. of the Rights of Princes, p. 399. Lond. 1682. 8vo. Jesuits affirm he was damn'd, for he had excommuni­cated three of their Order, and put them all under an interdict of hearing Confessions in his Diocese.

Whatsoever Crimes they can imagine will render the PRO­TESTANTS odious to the people, they with all imaginable diligence, pronounce them guilty of; in which they act (as Europ. Spec. p. 101. Sir Edwin Sands observes) ‘like a supernatural Artist, who in the sublimity of his refin'd and refining Wit disdains to bring only mere Art to his work, unless he make also in some sort the very matter it self; so these men in blacking the Lives and Actions of the Reformers, have partly devised matter of so notorious untruth, that in the better sort of their own Writers it happens to be check'd, partly sub­orned other Postmen to compose their Legends that after­wards they might cite them in proof to the world as approv­ed Authors and Histories.’

Because they supposed it would be a means to render the Re­verend Dr. Du Moulin contemptible to the world, they reported (as Novelty of Popery, p. 627. he tells us himself) that he was a Fryers Son, though the whole City of Orleans knew the contrary, where his Father was born, and of very good note. And I know a Minister who travelling in some Popish Countries and having been a means to recall a Person to our Church, who was near seduc'd by the continual Importunities of some English Priests, had a report rais'd of him, that he was a Drunkard, and continually spent his time in an Alehouse or a Tavern; which report the very Priest that rais'd it was afterwards asham'd of, when it was prov'd to his face, that the Gentleman had not been within the doors of a publick House except the first night, he came to that Town, during the stay of some months, which he made there: With the very same dis-ingenuity we find the Author of Advice to the Confuter of Bellarmine, p. 1. Lond. 1687. 4to. Advice to the Confuter of Bellarmine, insinuating that the Writer of the Reflexions on the notes of the Church, [Page 46] imployed his PEN to confute them over a pot of Ale; which unhandsome passage he hath neither been pleas'd to explain, tho' Def. of the Confut. of Bel­la [...] ▪ 2d. note of the Ch. p. 1 [...] Lond. 1687. 4to. his Answerer desir'd to know why he commenc't his advice with such a suggestion? nor to defend the truth of a charge which such a passage necessarily implies.

But they are not content to invent Crimes, and charge men with Actions, they never own'd or were guilty of, but pre­tend likewise to dive into mens thoughts, which Laurentii Surii Comment. brevis, p. 259. Col. 1574. 8vo. Quod qui­dem nos de sectarum authoribus dictum praecipue volumus, quos plerosque per­spicuum est contra suam mentem & con­scientiam longe aliter & scribere & docere quam rem ipsam se habere non sint nescii. Surius was so expert at, that he sticks not to affirm, that the Protestant Divines do gene­rally write against their Consciences, and main­tain positions, which they know are false; and Bishop Vsher's Life and Letters, p. 63.65. Lond. 1686. fol. Mr. Cambden's Adversary was so well acquain­ted with that learned persons interior (to use a monkish word) that he tells the world, Mr. Cambden dissembled his Religion ▪ a calumny, those who are inclin'd to credit may see clearly refuted in the place cited in the Margin.

That eminent Patriarch of the Greek Church, (whom with Dr. Smith I shall not be asham'd to esteem a HOLY MARTYR) Mr. Thomas Davis, his Let­ter to Arch-B. Vsher, ib. 381. ‘CYRILLUS LUCARIS, could no sooner begin to Print some of the ancient Fathers, and other Discourses against the Popish Errors, but the Emissaries of Rome per­swaded the Bassa who then presided at Constantinople, that the Patriarch under pretence of Printing would coin and stamp false Money, and Smith's acc. of the Gr. Ch. p. 266, 267, 268. Lond. 168 [...]. 8vo, See also his Miscellanea. p. 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103. Lond. 1686. 8vo. finding some passages in one of his Books, against the Mahometan Religion, they ACCUS'D HIM TO THE VISIER FOR WRITING AGAINST THE ALCORAN, (were not these Fathers rare Christians?) and that he designed to stir up the Greeks to mutiny, which had near cost that Holy man his life, but up­on the English Embassador Sir Thomas Row his expostulating the matter with the Vizier, the malicious and false Informa­tions of the Missionaries appear'd so horrid and abominable, that the Grand Vizier promis'd to restore all the Goods which had been seiz'd upon the first Accusation, and cast [Page 47] the Jesuits into Prison, where they had all been strangled, if the Intercession of the English Embassador had not pre­vailed for their lives; but they were banished the Grand Segniors Dominions, and their Mr. Davis's Letter, ut supr. House and Library give to the Patriarch.’

In the same manner because Father Paul the famous Writer of the History of the TRENT COUNCIL, oppos'd himself to the ambitious pretences of the Pope, who claim'd a temporal Au­thority over all Princes, Fowles Hist. of Rom. Trea­sons, p. 470. Lond. 1681. fol. the Court of Rome carried the great­est bitterness against him daily writing Libels and invectives stuft up with Lies and Forgeries; in the inventing of which there was none more concern'd than Maffeio Barbarian at that time Nuncio in France, and afterwards Pope by the name of Vrban the Eighth; nay so far are they guided by this Princi­ple that rather than be wanting in the observation of it, they care not how unlikely their Slanders are, or else they could never have been guilty of so great an indiscretion against the famous Causabon, Ibid. p. 514. as after they had aspers'd his Father and his whole Family to declare him (as they did) a man of no judgment, affirming that he could not write Latin, or scarce understand it; when he was known to all the learned Men of Europe, to be one of the greatest Scholars of that Age.

But the Jesuit Sheldon's Sur­vey of the Mi­racles of the Church of Rome, p. 25. Lond. 1616. 4to. Parsons was resolv'd not to trouble himself with particular persons, nothing less than the whole Body of Protestants in England would serve his turn; which made him several times assure Mr. Sheldon, that he would undertake to make the Devil speak in any Bishop, Arch-bishop or Arch-heretick in England: and therefore the Priests concern'd in the exorcising of See their Examinations in Dr. Sa­m [...]el Harsene [...]'s. Declaration of Po­pish Impostures in casting out of Devils. Sarah Williams and her Sister (of whom we shall give a larger account when we come to treat of their Miracles) were accustom'd frequently to affirm that all the Protestants in England were possess'd, and they should have their hands full with those possessed Creatures when the nation became Catholicks.

These one would think were pretty handsome Calumnies, and fit for such men to invent and publish; but their late poetical [Page 48] Court hath taught the succeeding Gentlemen who shall be em­ploy'd in this office, a way to affirm the truth of their reports notwithstanding all imaginable evidence of their falsity; for, he not content to affirm that Defence of the Papers written by the late King, p. 126. Lond. 1686. 4to. among all the Volumes of Divinity written by Protestants, there was not one original Treatise which hand­led distinctly and by it self, that Christian Vir­tue of Humility; he renews Hind and Panther in the Pref. Lond. 1687. 4to. the same Chal­lenge near a year after, though the Difference between the Protest. Socinians and methods, p. 62. Lond. 1686. 4to. Author of the Difference between the Protestant and the Socinian Methods, had told him there was one written by Mr. Will. Allen; and set down the place where, and year in which it pass't the Press. In the first indeed he limited his as­sertion, to such as he had seen and heard of, wherein as he shew'd some modesty, so he was likely to do no great harm, it being sufficiently known that in matters of Divinity his acquain­tance goes but a very little way, though in his own Profession he is deservedly esteemed a Master; but to enlarge his asser­tion, and after such an information, to make that General, which he was too modest to do before, shews him an excellent Proselyte: and in this point he seems able to instruct even his ghostly Fathers.

Another artifice by which they endeavour to create an aver­sion in the peoples minds for the Ministers of our Church, is by flying at them altogether, and reproaching them as cove­tous and greedy of Wealth ▪ this they are instructed to do by Seignior S [...]illin. Un­reason. of se­parat. pref. p. 22. Lond. 1681. 4to. Ballarini, who giving Advice to Father Young, con­cerning the best way of managing the Popish Interest in Eng­land; among the other Directions, lays down this, That the Bishops and Ministers of the Church of England be represent­ed us worldly and careless; which Letter was found in Father Young's Study after his death, and translated out of Italian into English. And this Slander they have so far improv'd, that as a Person of Honour Lord Ca­rend. against Cressy, p. 13, 14. observes, ‘they have entred into a Conspiracy in undervaluing whatsoever is written by any Clergyman how learned or vertuous soever in defence of [Page 49] the Church of England, as if he spoke onely for his own Interest, so that they who would undermine it by all the foul and dishonest Arts imaginable have the advantage to be considered as persons ingaged in that Accompt, merely and purely by the impulsion of their Consciences, and for the disco­very of such Errors as are dangerous to the Souls of men; whilst they who are most obliged and are best able to refute those malicious pretences, and to detect the fraud and igno­rance of those seditious undertakers, are look'd upon as men not to be believ'd, at least partial, and that all they say is said on their own behalf; this is a sad truth, and a new engine to make a battery, at which Atheism may enter without opposition, with all its instruments and attendants.’ In prosecution of which design it is usual with them to re­count the Riches of the Clergy, while they maliciously and falsly insinuate that the Revenues Ecclesiastical in England are far greater than in Popish Countries; but if we come to examine but the Wealth of eclesiastical Persons in the Popish times in this Nation, we shall find, that it exceeded by many de­grees that poor pittance which Reformed Divines enjoy [...], a­mong whom it is known that multitudes have hardly suffici­ent to buy themselves Bread; Speed in his Chronicle reckons that in the beginning of King James his time, there were 4543. Livings under ten pound, Edit. Lond. 1623. at the end of the Reign of K. Henry the Eighth. p. 1101. several hundreds of our Livings not amounting to ten pound a year a piece, and several not to five, when the sole Revenues of the Monasteries and Hospitals, beside the two Vniversities and several Mona­steries not valued, in K. Henry the Eighth's time, amounted to Ibid. p. 1100. one hundred eighty six thousand, five hundred and twelve pounds odd Money; besides the Bishopricks and Parishes which being joyned to the former Summ, the Clergy of the Church of Rome were possessed of the yearly Summ of above three hun­dred and twenty thousand one hundred and eighty Pounds even in those times, what would they have yielded then at this day? if then the Gentlemen of the Church of Rome judge the Provisions for the Reformed Clergy too great, the Possessions they enjoyed will certainly appear subject (and consequently [Page 50] themselves) to the same Accusation, but upon much better grounds. Especially when we consider that NEVER ANY CLERGY IN THE CHURCH OF GOD, HATH BEEN OR IS MAINTAINED WITH LESS CHARGE THAN THE ESTABLISHED CLERGY OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND; which an ingenious The Unde­ceiving of the people in the point of Tithes. by Ph. Trelinie Gent. Lond. 1651. 4to. Gentleman hath evident­ly proved. To whose Arguments, if our Adversaries think fit to reply, they shall not want a Defender: And I am ready to prove out of their own Authors, that the Revenues of the French Clergy amount to above one million, and two hundred thousand Pounds of our English Money yearly, that they possess seven parts in twelve of the whole Revenue of the Kingdom; and that the Arch-Bishoprick of Toledo in Spain is as rich as some Kingdoms. And now let all the world judge to whom the Ap­pellation of hirelings belongs, which they are so ready to bestow on us. But not content to cast their reproaches upon the Body of the Clergy, the Oxford Writer hath attempt­ed to bring the Charge of worldliness home to a particular Bi­shop, but so unsuccessfully, that it is evident, he was forc'd to use his invention to maintain it, which all his assurance, (tho' he hath a great Talent that way) will not be able to do; for whereas he affirms, that the Fifth part of Ch. Govern­ment, p. 68. Excellent Hooper (who in Q. Maries days seal'd the Protestant RELIGION with his Blood,) held two Bishopricks at once; it is no­toriously false:See Appendix to Dr. Burnet's Histo­ry of the Reformation, vol. 2. p. 396. Reflect. on the Hist. part of Ch Government, par. 5. p. 35. Ox­ford, 1687. 4to. For he never held but the Bi­shoprick of Worcester, from which Glocester was divided by K. Henry the Eighth, and reunited to it by K. Edward; so that all Hooper enjoy'd was but one Bishoprick which had some years been divided into two; and yet our Author pretends he held them in Com­mendam.

If this means will not do the work, and our Divines still keep up their esteem in the minds of the people, the next design is to expose them as guilty of some immoral Crime; to this end they have (in this City) ‘dress'd some of their own par­ty in the Habit of a Minister, who according to instructions [Page 51] resorted to houses of ill repute, while others of the gang planted there on purpose, pointing at the supposed Minister have been heard to say aloud there goes Dr. or Mr. such an one, that the people might suppose the most eminent of their Mi­nisters, frequenters of such places;’ and I can name some Di­vines whom they have by this Artifice endeavoured to de­fame.

If they have a design that any one of our Ministers should be esteemed idle and lazy men, and negligent in their Office, they watch till he is gone abroad, then repairing to some sick person of their Acquaintance; they desire them to send for him while they are in the house and when the messenger returns, with an account that he is not within; they take occasion to tell the sick persons that our Ministers are never to be found; but always gadding abroad, without minding the concerns of their people, but for their parts, they are always ready to per­form the duty of their Office to all sorts, that send for them; and thus they serv'd an Eminent Divine very lately.

But that Gentleman had a pretty good stock of Confi­dence, who urging a Woman to become his Proselyte told her; that our Divines were men of no Learning, and could not Preach but by the helps they receiv'd from hearing and rea­ding the Sermons of the Romish Priests: and yet this was very gravely urg'd by one of them not many months since. I do not relate this passage that I think there is any danger of its being believ'd even by the meanest understanding to our prejudice; but to let the world see that there is no Slander how improbable or sensless soever which these men are asham'd of.

The truth is they find Calumny their best weapon, and there­fore are resolv'd to use it at all adventures, hence it is we find among the rest of the Directions given by the Jesuite Adami Contzen Politicorum Libri decem. p. 96. he advises to follow the example of those, Qui cum re­cusarent, quasi superbi contumaces in obe­dientes magistratui accusabantur, &c. Contzen, in his Advice for bring­ing Popery into a Countrey, that those who preach against a Toleration, suspecting the design of the Papists in it, be traduced as men that preach [Page 52] very unseasonable Doctrine that are proud, conceited and ene­mies to Peace and Vnion. And for the better managing the Popish Interest in England, Seignior Long's Hist. of Plots p. 89. Lond. 1684. v8o. Dr. Stillin ▪ un­reasonableness of separation, p. 21. of the preface. Ballarini, directs Fa­ther Young, To make it appear under hand that the Doctrine, ‘Discipline and Worship of the Church of England comes near to them; that our Common Prayer is but little different from their Mass; and that the ablest and wisest Men a­mong us are so moderate, that they would willingly go over to them or meet them half way; for thereby the more stayed Men will become more odious, and others will run out of all Religion for fear of Popery.’

And we find even at this time they are observing this In­struction, to which end The Agree­ment between the Ch. of Eng. and the Ch. of Rome, Lond. 1687. 4to. one of their number hath been at the pains to shew, that the Church of England and the Church of Rome are agreed; and the whole Controversie lies between the Church of Rome and dissenting Protestants; but I suppose since the Difference between the two Churches hath been so clearly re­lated in the The Diffe­rence between the Ch. of Eng. and the Ch. of Rome. Lond. 1687. 4to. Answer to that Pamphlet, they will for the time to come keep closer to the advice of doing their Business un­der hand, for the Discourse will hardly convince any body that we are agreed with them.

But it is very pleasant to behold these Gentlemen labouring with all their might to asperse the Reformers, when if those passages they lay to their Charge be blots indeed, they are as preju­dicial to the Gospel it self and to the greatest of the Romish Saints, as if we allow'd them in their full latitude, they can be to us. Thus the Considerati­ons on the spi­rit of Ma [...]tin Luther, sect. 32. Considerer upon the Spirit of LUTHER, spends much time and pains to prove that Luther's Doctrine was not of God, because he relates several Arguments which the Devil us'd against the Mass, thereby attempting to drive him to de­spair, because he had for many years been a Romish Priest; upon which Pulton's Re­marks, p. 1. Mr. Pulton puts this question, Now I ask whether the Doctrine delivered by the Spirit of untruth can be from the Holy Ghost? Now tho' we tell these Gentlemen that Luther spoke this by way of parable, yet seeing that they are deaf on that ear, let it be for once allowed that it was a Real Con­ference, [Page 53] and all they can draw from it is, either that knotty question of Mr Pulton, Whether the Doctrine delivered by the spirit of untruth can be from the Holy Ghost? or that Luther could not be an Holy Man, because the Devil was so often with him, which is the great Argument of the Oxford Considerer, and Mr. Pulton himself in the tenth page of his Remarks. As for the Question, I find in the Gospel, the Devils themselves bearing testimony to our SAVIOUR, Luke 4.41. that he was Christ the Son of the living God, acknowledging him to be the Mar. 1.23, 24. Holy One of God; and an whole Luke [...].28, 29, 30. Legion of these unclean spirits crying out, what have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God? And when to St. Paul, the spirit of Divination bore the same witness, A [...]. 16.16, 17. That he was the servant of the most high God, and shewed the way of Salvation; nay I find also that God made use of the evil spirit's Testimony for the Conversion of many, when the Act. 19.13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. Sons of a Jew undertook to call upon a man who was possess'd, the name of the Lord Je­sus saying, we adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth; the evil spirit answered Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye? And the man in whom the evil spirit was leap't on them and overcame them,—And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus, and fear fell on them all, and THE NAME OF THE LORD JESVS WAS MAGNIFIED; of which the following verses give parti­cular Instances. Now the same Answer which Mr. Pulton will make to an Heathen, putting the same Question in this case, will give full satisfaction to that which he puts to us, for if it be a good evidence to prove the Doctrine of LVTHER false, because the Devil owned the truth of it, the conclusion will hold as firm against the Deity of Christ, and Truth of the Gospel, which the Devil was forced to confess. And if the second inference concludes against Luther what shall we think of their admired In vita Antonii, inter Athan [...] ­pera, vol. 2. Edit. Colon. 1636. [...]. St. Anthony, to whom the Devil frequently appear'd, and using an articulate voice spake to him, acknowledging that he had often attempted [Page 54] to corrupt him, but was not able; nay, that he was seldom without the company of the Devil either beating him or dis­coursing with him, the Author of that Life informs us in a multitude of Instances; and yet for all this, the Papists will maintain his Saintship, so that the Devil's molestation is no Ar­gument against Luther or his doctrine; and there is hardly a­ny of their noted Saints whom the Writers of their lives do not affect to represent to us as persons from whom the Devil was seldom or never absent.

Nor is it any wonder these Gentlemen should be so busie in scandalizing our Divines, though the reflexion falls as se­verely upon their own Canoniz'd Saints, when they have so little consideration as to charge us with those things, which o­thers of their own writing at the same time, and on the same Subject, do acquit us of; an instance of which we have in their frequent cries, that the Answer to a Letter to a Dissen­ter, p. 4. Printed for H. Hills, 1687. 4to. Ex­clusion Bill was managed in the House of Com­mons by the Sons of the Church of England, and that the Mr. Pain's Answer to the Let­ter to a Dissenter, p. 2. 1687. 4to. Rebellion was to be laid to their Charge; Reply to the Reasons of the Ox­ford Clergy against Addressing, p. 6, 7. 1687. 4to. that if we look to the excluding Par­ty they were five to one Church of England men; so that our Church must take the shame of all those things to her self; these loud Clamours have made more noise in the world, than all their new Tests and Instances of the Church of England's Loyalty, which I shall examine in another place; But to the comfort of our Church her Adversaries agree not to­gether, so that she needs no vindication but what she is able to bring from her greatest enemies; therefore one Letter in answer to two main Questions, p. 7.14. by T. G. Lond. 1687. 4to. of them tells the Dissenters, that they were the Actors not onely in 48. but in the business of the Rye and the West too; and one who pleads the very same cause assures us, Discourse for taking off the Test,—p. 35. Lo [...]d. 1687. 4to. that the Dissenters appear'd so rigorous in choosing their Representatives, that they carried it for three Parliaments successfully against the Church of England; and it was in those three Parliaments, that the Exclusion Bill was promoted and stickled for; which [Page 55] is a clear demonstration, that the Exclusioners were not five to one of the Church of England. But as these Gentlemen contradict themselves in this point, so by the same assertion they overthrow their great work of perswading the Dissenters that the Church of England never was, nor never will be willing to ease their Consciences by a Comprehension; when by affirming the Exclusion Parliaments to have been compos'd of Church of England men, they give themselves the lye, seeing all the world knows it was in those Parliaments, that the Bill of Comprehen­sion was promoted.

As they will coin immoral Actions for us, so likewise with the same sincerity, they make a great complaint of our FAL­SIFICATIONS, when he that examines into the matter will find no such thing; thus the Vindicator of Monsieur de Meaux fills part of a page, with a list of his ADVERSARIES Falsifications, and Calumnies, &c. of which you may judge by this instance; Defence of the Expos. of the Doct. of the Ch. of England, p. 3 [...]. That ingenious Gen­tleman tells us, that Mr. de Meaux had affirm­ed, that the denying of Salvation to Infants dy­ing unbaptiz'd was a truth, which never any one before Calvin durst openly call in question; this the Reply to the Defence, &c. p. 62. Vindicator calls a corrupting the Bishops words; which are these, Expos. of the Doctrine of the Chathol. Church, p. 20 Lond. 1685. 4to. the Lutherans believe with the Catholick Church the absolute necessity of Baptism, and are astonish'd with her that such a Truth should be denied, which never any one before Calvin durst openly call in question: now I APPEAL to all the world, whether it be not the same thing, to affirm that Baptism is absolutely necessary to Salvation, and that those who dye unbaptiz'd are not sav'd; for if it be abso­lutely necessary, then without it there can be no Salvation, and whoever asserts that denies Salvation to those who have it not; let our Vindicator then defend himself from the im­putation of Calumny, which I lay to his charge in this parti­cular, the calling that a Falsification and Corruption which is the true meaning of the Bishops words.

[Page 56]I shall end this head with two Instances of their calum­niating the poor Protestants of France, though I could give as many hundreds Policy of the Clergy of France, p. 57, 58, 59. Lond. 1681. 8vo. ‘durirg the heat of the War between France and Holland, the Reformed of Dauphine had kept a Fast in all their Churches; and the Synod that had ordered it had enjoyned all the Ministers that belonged to it assist­ed by their Ancients to visit Families, and put them in mind of what had been promis'd God on the Fast-day, which one of the Ministers (against whom the Fryers of St. Anthony had a long time watch't for an occasion) per­forming, those pretended Religious wrote to Mr. le Tellier Secretary of State, that something was contriving against the King's Service; that the Hugonots had celebrated a Fast through all the Dauphinate; that there was a Plot couched under this Fast, and that Devotion was onely the pretext of it; That this Minister had held secret Assemblies at the houses of the Principals of his Parish, that he had Prayed for the Success of the Hollanders Arms, and that great Summs of Money were gathered by him and his party to send to the Prince or Orange; and with this fair story they caused a great deal of trouble to the Gentleman, and suborned Witnesses to maintain the Accusation, but he broke through all and clear'd his Innocence to the shame of his false Accusers:’ And as they persecuted those poor people with Slanders in their own Countrey, so they continue to prosecute the same unworthy Methods against them in ours, where they are fled for Relief from the grievous Oppressions of their Enemies; for knowing the greatest part of their Subsistence must come from the Cha­rity of their Protestant Brethren, they have endeavoured to hinder them of that by spreading a report that they are Pa­pists: this as to London is known to many hundreds, and that they have done the same in Ireland, we are informed by an ingenious and worthy Hunting of the Romish Fox, p. 94, 95. Du [...]lin. 1683. 8vo. Gentleman, who tells us who they are that can prove the truth of his Assertion.

Thus are we dealt with by the Romanists as the Primitive Christians were treated by the Heathens, but that which sup­ported [Page 57] them doth likewise encourage us, seeing he whom we serve hath pronounced Matt. 5 11. blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake: though we cannot forbear to admonish our Adversaries of that divine threatning,Psal. 101.5. whoso privily slan­dreth his Neighbour, him will I destroy; which is spoken so particularly to them, that it is impossible for them to escape while they doe such things, though they may flatter them­selves, that their Slanders are publick, when the denunciation is against those who slander privily; but if one of those crimes be of such an hainous nature, how much greater is the guilt of both, which I wish I had no reason to charge upon them. Nay, we have this to comfort our selves with, that these Answer to a Letter to a Dis­senter, p. 5. printed for Henry Hills. false Accusations are commonly the last refuge and therefore that cause which staies it self so much upon them cannot hold long.

I noted before that these Gentlemen pretend to know what passes in the most inmost Recesses of the hearts of men, and well they may, when they are so ready to dive into the Secrets of the divine Providence, and from the sudden death of per­sons to conclude what the designs of God in such particular Dis­pensations are. In which knowledge they pretend to be so vers'd, that it is one of the notes whereby to know their Church, given us by themselves, the unhappy death of the Churches E­nemies, that this can be no note of the Church, I shall not concern my self to prove, but refer my Reader to the Disc. of the notes of the Church, p. 333. to 365. Lond. 1687. 4to. Dis­course on this Subject where he will be abundantly satisfied, that it cannot be a note to know the Church by; and that it is more favourable to us than the Roman Church if it were one: All I shall observe is, that if all the Stories they invent and the Reports they spread of the unhappy end of their Ad­versaries were true, yet we know Ecces. 7.15. that there is a just Man that perishes in his Righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness, Chap. 8.14. that there are just Men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked, and there are wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the [Page 58] work of the righteous; so that Chap. 9.2. seeing all things come alike to all, there can nothing be concluded against any Church, from the judgments which fall on the heads of particular Members of it. And our Saviour himself assures us, that such judgments are often sent, where the persons punished are not greater sinners than those who at the same time are spared, which he illustrates by the Instances of those upon whom the Tower of Luk. 13.4. Siloam fell; and the unfortunate Luk. 13.1.2. Galileans whose Blood Pilate mingled with their Sacrifices.

But let our Saviour observe what he will, there are a sort of men, whose policies scorn to be founded upon his holy maxims, and are therefore resolved to invent dismal Stories, where they cannot find true ones, to work upon the Spirits of the more unthinking sort; and therefore in the time of the Siege of Paris, during the League in France, the Priests were grown to that height of immodesty, (not to give it a worse name) as Europae Spec. p 135. to perswade the people there, who generally believed it, that the thunder of the Pope's Excommunications had so blasted the Hereticks, that their Faces were grown black and ugly as De­vils, their Eyes and Looks ghastly, and their Breath noisome and pestilent. Wilson's Hist. of Great Bri­tain. p 26. Lond. 1653. fol. And in Spain the same Instruments of Rome had possest the people, that since the English left the Roman Re­ligion they were transformed into strange horrid shapes, with Heads and Tails like Beasts and Monsters; which was so ge­nerally believ'd among them, that when the Earl of Noting­ham went Ambassadour into Spain Ann. 1603. the Countrey peo­ple could hardly believe their eyes, that the English were such comely and accomplish'd Gentlemen, whose deformity they had before so often heard confidently asserted.

And as they are always employ'd in aspersing the living, so they exert the same diligence in forming some hideous relation of the manner of their deaths, their implacable malice follow­ing them as it did Father Fowlis Hist. Rom. Trea­sons p. 470. Paul Sarpi the Venetian to his Grave, ‘publishing impudent and fabulous Stories concerning his death, of his dying howling, of strange Apparitions of black Dogs, of terrible noises heard in his Cell and Cham­bers, [Page 59] and several such lying Forgeries, as those idle people us'd to invent upon Luther, Calvin and others who will not truckle to the Vsurpations of the Roman Court. But the people of Venice who knew him better, accounted him a Saint, hanging up their votive Tablets at his Sepul­cher.’

‘Nay, they can go yet a step farther, and those very judgments which God inflicts upon themselves, they have the face to affirm, were strokes of divine Vengeance on the Protestants; thus when there were some Wilson's Hist. of Great Brit­tain, p. 241. hundreds of the Ro­m [...]sh Profession met to hear Father Drury a noted Jesuit [...]reach, in the Black Fryers, Oct. 26. 1623. it pleas'd God that the Chamber where they were, fell down, and near a hundred Per­sons with the Preacher were kill'd out-right, and many hurt, yet had they the Confidence to affirm, that this was a Protestant Assembly, publishing Mirror or Looking-glass both for Saints and Sinners, p. 195. Lond. 1671. fol. a Book relating great Iudgments shewn on a [...]ort of Protestant Hereticks, by the fall of an house in Black Fry­ers London, in which they were Assembled to hear a Geneva Lecture; and Dr. Key for Ca­tholicks, p. 258. Lond. 1674▪ 4to. Gouge tells us when and where this Relation was Printed, in his Account of that sad Providence.’

I might particularize in abundance of such passages, but these are enough to let the Reader see that it was not without cause I gave him Caution in the first Chapter to suspect them, for into what a maze of Errors doth he run, who takes the Ac­counts given by those men of the Lives and Deaths of their Adversaries upon their Authority, who give themselves such a Liberty to devise Fables and then report them.

This over politick and wise sort of men, reach yet a note higher, and knowing of how great Consequence the Revolt of any eminent Divine is, are as liberal in their Reports that such and [...] Persons are become Catholicks (as they call them) in which they have as little respect to truth, as in the former Instances. Europ. Spec. 114, 115. ‘But they find by their experience that news make their impression upon their first reporting, and that then if it be good, it greatly raises up the Spirit and confirms the Mind, especially of the Vulgar, who easily believe all that their [Page 60] betters tell them; that afterwards when such Stories hap­pen to be controll'd, mens spirits being cold are not so sensible as before, and either little regard it or impute it to common error or uncertainty of things; yea, and that the good news comes to many mens ears who never hear of the Check it hath; and at least it may serve their turn for some present Exploit, as Merchants do by their news, who finding some difficulty in accommodating their Af­fairs, have in use to forge Letters or otherwise to raise bruits, either of some prosperous success in Princes actions, or of some great alteration in some kind of merchandise, which may serve for that present instant to expedite their business.’

Whether the Missionaries take this piece of Policy from them, or are onely imitated by them, is not material, but that, being secure of an evasion if their report be found untrue, that they were mis-informed, and knowing well that hundreds who hear the account they give, are never undeceiv'd by wan­ting opportunities to discover its falsity; they are no modester in this particular, than in the other Slanders is most cer­tain.

M. Spon's Hi­story of the City and State of Geneva, p. 144. Lond. 1687. fol. Thus in the year 1597. they spread a report throughout Germany, Holland and Italy, that Beza had renounced his Religi­on before the Senate, and had exhorted the Magistrates to re­concile themselves to the Church of Rome; Jesuits Ca­tech, p. 62. and that by his ex­ample many Citizens of Geneva had done the like; Sands Europ. Spec. p. 113. whereup­on he was absolv'd by the Bishop of that City, before his death, by special Order from the Pope. This we are assur'd by several Jes. Catech. p. 62. French Priests was generally believed, till Beza wrote several French and Latin Letters, to convince the world of the Forgery, and that he was yet alive, and History of Gen. p. 144. he died not till six years after.

Of the very same nature, was the report of the Conversion of the Novelty of Popery, Lib. 7. c. 10. cont. 8. p. 627. Reverend Peter Du Moulin, which even while he was Mi­nister of the Protestant Church in Paris, and writing against Rome, was publickly preach'd in the City in many Pulpits, [Page 61] and Benefices assigned to him; they asserted in their Sermons, that he was preparing to go to Rome; which was so generally believ'd that the people flocked to a certain Church, and there waited expecting to hear him make his Recantation. Upon which he observes, that such tricks are apt to astonish the peo­ple for a season, and an untruth that was belie [...]d for three days hath done some effect. ‘And I am able to prove that a Mini­ster now in England travelling in company with others of our Nation of the Protestant Religion, and making a small journey alone, to a neighbour City to that they then resi­ded in; the Priests came to several of his fellow Travellers, assuring them that the said Minister was become a Romanist, that he was publickly reconcil'd, and therefore surely they would not refuse to relinquish that Religion, which he whose Profession obliged him to defend it, and who under­stood it best, durst not continue in. This report was affirm­ed with so much confidence, that upon the Ministers return, several persons of the Roman Catholick Religion, congratu­lated him for his happy Change, and one of the English was ready to follow his example if he had not in time disco­vered the cheat.’

And it is no longer since than the Winter 1685. that a re­port went current through all the Countreys in England, where there are many Romanists, that Dr. Burnet was at Rome be­come a Papist, and [...] great Preferments were bestow'd upon him; this hath been [...] to me by several for a certain truth, when I made [...] enquiry, those Gentlemen affirm­ing, that they had it from very good hands, and had seen some Letters from foreign parts which confirm'd it. ‘But more immodest was the pretence of the Dean of Norwich's Conversion about two years since, which several Priests affirm'd to a Servant Maid, whom they knew to be a great admirer of that Di­vine, urging [...]er to follow the example of such a Learned Man, who was so deservedly esteem'd by her, which they reiterated with so much confidence, and frequency, that the Maid promised to turn likewise; but being convinc't by an [Page 62] eminent Person, (who carried her to hear the Reverend Dean preach) that she was abus'd by a notorious untruth; she was confirm'd in her aversion to that Church, which is upheld by such unworthy means: And I cannot but observe the Provid [...]ce of God in this matter, that the Sermon which the Maid was carried to hear, was levell'd against the Po­pish Errors; whereby she was not onely inform'd of the a­buse, but instructed too.’

But their greatest traffick is in the pretended Conversion of dying persons, thus they would make a Romanist of dying Be­za six years before his death; and this blot they have endeavou­red to cast upon the Memory of that excellent Prelate Bishop King, Mr. Gee's foot out of the Snare, p. 76. Musket the Jesuite publishing a Book of his Con­version to Rome upon his death-bed, intituled the Bishop of Lon­dons Legacy. This relation we are assured did mightily Birckback's Protestant E­vidence. Cent. 16 p. [...]88. Lond. 1635. 4to. shock the peoples minds; but it is wholly false, his Son Dr. Henry King since Bishop of Chichester, Preaching a Sermon for his Fathers Vindication at St. Pauls Cross, Nov. 25. 1621. where he assures the world, that the Bishop before his death received the Eucharist at the hands of his Chaplain Dr. Cluet, together with his Wife, his Children, his Family, Sir Henry Martin his Chan­cellor, Mr. Philip King his Brother, &c. protesting to them that his Soul had greatly longed to eat that last Supper, and to perform that last Christian Duty before he left [...]; and ga [...] thanks to God, that he had liv'd to finish that blessed Work. And then drawing near his end, he caus'd his [...] to read the Confes­sion and Absolution in the Common Prayer. And the person who was reported to reconcile him, Mr. Ib. p. 189. and foot out of the Snare. p. 77. See a relation of this forgery in the History of the Ch. of Great Britain from the Birth of our Saviour. p. 134.188. Lond 1674. 4to. Thomas Preston, be­ing examined before the A. B. of Canterbury and other Com­missioners, protested before God, as he should answer it at the dreadfull day of Judgment, that the Bishop of London did ne­ver confess himself to him, nor ever received sacramental Abso­lution at his hands, nor was ever by him reconcil'd to the Church of Rome; neither did renounce before him the Religion establish­ed in the Church of England; yea he added farther, that to his knowledge he was never in company with the Bishop, never re­ceiv'd [Page 63] any letter from him, never wrote to him, nor did he ever see him in any place whatsoever, nor could have known him from another man. The same did Foot out of the Snare▪ p. 77. Father Palmer the Jesuite (whom they affirmed to be one of those by whom he was reconcil'd) affirm that he never saw the Bishop. This Book of Musket's was known to be such a notorious forgery, that Ib. p. 78. Mr. Anderton an ingenious Priest, expressed his sorrow that ever such a Book should be suffered to come forth; ‘for it would do them more hur [...] [...]han any Book they ever wrote ▪’ yet have they since alte­red the Title, and so printed it again, and a It is a thick Quar [...]o, I have seen it, but cannot remem­ber the Title. Book exceedingly admir'd among them, written about fifteen years since and Dedicated (as I remember to the D. of Buckingham) insists much upon this Conversion; which makes me beseech my Bre­thren of our Church, that they would be carefull to what As­sertion they give credit; and believe nothing in the writings of these men upon their Authority, for let a thing be never so false, they will not stick to report it, and though it be expos'd and confuted, they will urge it with the same confidence, as an uncontradicted truth.

In the same manner when Father Redmond Caron, who wrote in defence of Loyalty to the King against the rebellious O­pinions and Doctrines of the Court of Rome, History of the Irish Remon­strance, p. 759. lay upon his death bed in Dublin, ann. 1666. the Priests raised a Report that he re­tracted his Signature of the Loyal Irish Remonstrance, and all his Books on that Subject, but they were too quick in spreading this piece of Calumny against that Loyal Man, for the account came to his Ears before he died, upon which in the presence of many of his own Order, he protested solemnly that he was so far from recanting, that the Doctrine which he had taught, he looked upon as the Doctrine of Christ, and that it was his duty to main­tain it. Thus if any of their own Church be of a sounder Principle than themselves, they cannot help practising that rule of the Instruct. secret, p [...]o super. societ▪ Jesu. p. 23. De d [...]smiss [...] in ex­hortationibus dicatur, quod iterum ardenter petat ingredi societatem. Jesuits, whereby they are directed, to report that such as leave them are very desirous to be receiv'd again; and although they are so often prov'd and expos'd to the world as Calumniators and Forgers, they with the greatest unconcern­edness invent and report anew upon the next occasion.

[Page 64]But that the World may not be always fed with false Sto­ries, they cast about for an artifice to deceive them by false Con­verts, appointing men to pretend themselves Protestants, and af­ter some time to be reconcil'd to the Romish Church, by the means of their Missionaries. Hunting of the Romish Fox, p. 155.156, ‘Thus ann. 1583. at the Sessions at Glocester in the month of August, one Richard Summers was apprehended, who outwardly seem'd a Protestant, but being one day present at a discourse between one of the Bishop of Glocesters Chaplains and a Puritan (as they were then call'd) us'd this Expression, If this be the fruits of Protestantism, I will lament my ways and turn to my Mother the Ch. of Rome, seeing the Ch. of England is divided. The Chaplain upon this suspecting this man, one day disguis'd himself, and trac'd him to an house, where he found him in a Surplice, and heard him say Mass; after which he dogg'd him to his Lodging and had him apprehended.’

'Tis an attempt not impossible to succeed, to raise such re­ports of particular private Men, but to tell the world of whole bodies of men, whole Nations and Countries and Sovereign Princes becoming Converts, when they know the contrary to be the real truth; is something more amazing, and able to surprise the most thinking men;Europ. Spec. p. 112, 113. yet were not these Gentlemen asham'd to affirm even at Rome it self (where it is an ordina­ry practice) with great Solemnity, that the Patriarch of A­lexandria with all the Greek Church of Africa, had by their Am­bassadours submitted and reconcil'd themselves to the Pope; and receiv'd from his Holiness Absolution and Benediction; but tho' this was found a Fable, about the same time they reported that the Ibid. K. of Scots (K. James) had chas'd the Ministers away, and executed two of them, bestowing their Goods upon the Roman Catholicks; that not only Ibid. in Hist▪ of Geneva, p. [...]44. Beza had recanted his Religion, but the City of Geneva also sought to be reconcil'd, and had sent to Rome an Ambassage of Submission: ‘This news was whis­pered among the Jesuits two months, before it became pub­lick, but at length there came a solemn account of it, which run through all Italy, and was so verily believed to be true, [Page 65] that several went to Rome on purpose to see those Ambassa­dours; and to make up the full measure of this Romish Po­licy, there was news sent from Rome to Lyons, that Q. Eli­zabeth's Ambassadours were at Rome making great instance to be absolv'd.’

‘And there is a certain secular Priest who not long since assur'd me, that he had seen an original Instrument under the hand of the late Arch-bishop of York, and other Prelates, with several Divines, among whom he named Dr. Wallis of Oxford, approving several of the Romish Doctrines, and parti­cularly Prayer to Saints, or for the dead; but tho' upon my earnest intreaty he promis'd to procure me a sight of it, yet he never perform'd it to this day:’ But this is usual among them; when they have a design either to make or confirm Proselytes, these Shel [...]on of Miracles p. 52. Assertions that our greatest Men are Papists, in private, are never out of their mouths; and within these few years they reported publickly Franciscan Convert by Ant. Ega [...]. p. 24. Lond. 1673. 4to. in Ireland, that not onely his late and present Majesty, but all the Nobility and Gentry of the King­dom of England, were privately of their Religion.

And no longer since than Ricaut's State of the Gr. and Armenian Ch. p. 451. Lond. 1679. 8vo. the year 1678. it was gene­rally reported at Rome for six months together that the Arme­nian Patriarch with six and thirty Bishops were on their way thither; to submit to, and acknowledge the Apostolical See; tho' this was a Sham like the rest of their Great Conversions, on which I shall make some few Reflexions by a short account of the great­est of them, which they are most ready to boast of at this day.

The Conversions in the Indies have made so great a noise among them, that multitudes are possest with a belief of e­very thing they are pleas'd to report concern­ing them; but Acosta. de procur. [...]. Lib. 4. c. 3. Pos [...] [...], ab [...] turba, vix quemquam [...], quid vita aeterna, &c. [...] C [...]e­chisandi ratio umbra [...]itis & [...] s [...]milis.— [...] simile su­pervisum est inter tot millia Christia­norum nomine donatorum, tam esse rarum qui Christum agnoscat, ut quod Ephesii olim de Spiritu sancto, Paulo responderunt, possint hi de Christo me­lius usurpare, neque an sit Christus audivimus. Id. lib. 5. c. 2.—Inve­nies tam tenuis & inopis messis apud Indos potentissimam causam in eo esse quod divinis & occultis quidem sed justis consiliis, antiquis Gentibus prae­dicatores fuerint praedicatione sua dig­ni, cum nostri tam sint plerique indig­ni, ut longe plus evertant & dissipent quam aedisicent, atque plantent. Id. l. 4. c. 4. See more out of the same Author ap. Hesp in. Histor. Je­suit. p. 231. a Jesuite of note assures us, that during forty years of the Missionaries abode among them; there was hardly one Indian to be found who understood any two Articles of the Creed, knew any thing of Christ, or an eternal Life; that the Missionaries are careless and do not take any right course for their Conversion; [Page 66] that among so many thousands of Indians who are said to be Christians, it was a rare thing to meet with any who own'd Christ, but all like those Ephesians who St. Paul mentions not to have heard whether there be an holy Ghost, might answer we have not heard whether there be a Christ; and this small progress he imputes to the carelesness and evil examples of those who are sent thither, who took no pains to that end, so that though the an­cient Priests were suitable to their calling, yet the Missionaries were so unworthy, that they de­stroyed more Souls than they gain'd or convert­ed. So little did they make it their business to make them Christians, that they Provin. Let­ters, p. 83, 84▪ and mor. pract. of the Jesuits. p. 390. permit them to pray and worship before their ancient Idols, so they direct their intention to a little Image of Christ or some Saint which they have under their Clothes; against which the Congregation of Cardinals de propaganda fide published a Decree, July 6. 1646. which conside­rations made one of their own Sure and ho­nest means, &c. p. 82. Communion affirm, that they are the strangest Conversions in the world, that they take no care at all to instruct these people or to teach them any thing; they Baptise them only without explaining to them the virtue of that Sacrament or what it signifies; nay without turning them from their former Idolatry. These now are their Conversions, neither are they any better in that part of the Indies subject to the Mogoll, where they have indeed spilt the water of Baptism upon some few Faces (saith Terries Voy­age to Eas [...]-India, p. 450. Lond. 1655. 8vo. one who liv'd in a publick Em­ployment some years there) working upon the necessity of some poor men, who for want of means which they give them, are content to wear Crucifixes, but for want of knowledge in the Doctrine of Christianity are only in name Christians. So that the Jesuits Congregations there are very thin, consisting of some Italians which the Mogoll entertains to cut his Diamonds;—and of o­ther European Strangers which come thither, and some few Na­tives. Ibid. p. 440. And yet the Christian Religion is tolerated there, and the Priests of all Religions very much esteemed by the peo­ple. [Page 67] Ogi [...]by's Ja­pan, p, 262. Much the same account is given of the Converts in Japan, that besides reading Pater Noster, Ave Maria, and some Prayers to Saints, they have little or no knowledge of Re­ligion.

Nor are these remote Converts only in such a miserable Condition, but to come a little nearer home, if we look upon the Proselytes in France, we shall find their case very little better if not worse; for so little are they instructed Last Efforts, p. 291. that two hundred Peasants came at once to the Intendant of their Province, complaining, that since their Conversion they knew not what Prayers to make, for they had been forbidden their old Prayers, and were not taught any other; nay they are so unwilling of that Profession Nouvelle de la Repub. des Lettres, Juin, 1686.—Dans la de [...]nier Fete Dieu plusieurs [...] mieux aime payer une Amende que de tendre devant leurs Maisons. that upon Cor­pus Christi Day 1686. many of them chose ra­ther to pay a Fine, than put up Hangings be­fore their Houses for the Procession; and yet we hear daily brags of these Converts which are such as we should be asham'd of, and so would any other Church but that which glories in her shame.

But as they triumph mightily in Conversions which were never made, and Converts not instructed, nor really altered but only frighted for a time; so upon every little occasion they raise as loud reports of the Accession of whole Nations to their Church; wherein they are indeed a little more ingenious than in those which had no ground at all.

Smith's account of the Greek Church, p 242, 243. and his Nar­ratio de vita Cyrilli Lucarii▪ p. 6. in­ter jus Miscellanea. Thus when several Bishops of Lithuania and Russia nigra (in the year 1595.) in hopes of restoring themselves to some honours in the Diet of Poland, which by means of the Jesuits they were deprived of; sent two of their number to Rome to offer their Submission and Obedience to Clement the Eighth then Pope; there was and is yet great boastings of those Churches being reconcil'd to Rome; ‘though their going thi­ther in the name of the Ruthenick Churches was protested a­gainst by Constantine Duke of Ostorovia, and the rest of the [Page 68] Greek Church who resolv'd to continue in obedience to the Pa­triarch of Constantinople.’

I could give more Instances of this nature, but I refer them to another Chapter; and conclude this point of feign'd conversions, with a known passage of the Intendant Maril­lac's in France, by which we may learn what credit to give to the reports of this nature, when they have the confidence to affirm such a thing of a Person of Honour in publick, and before his own face; yet did that Persecutor of the Protestants in Poictou one day dining with the Last Efforts, 134, 135. Marquess of Verac, give order that the Inhabitants of the place should assemble at the Cross; where he went after Dinner, and getting upon the steps of the Cross told the People in the Marquess's presence, that the King requir'd them all to turn Roman Catholicks, which he exhorted them to do, by telling them, that their Lord the Marquess was there come along with him to change his Religi­on; which bold and impudent untruth, that noble Gentleman immediately contradicted by assuring the people of the contra­ry and that he had no design to change his Religion. After this what credit can be given to these mens Reports in pri­vate.

The Affinity between the slandering the persons of our Divines, and misrepresenting the Doctrines of our Church, leads me to expose that unchristian Artifice, but because the charge of Disloyalty is advanc'd with great Confidence against us, and of great Moment, I shall give that a Chapter by it self.

CHAP. IV. Their accusing us of Disloyalty.

IT is one of the Directions given by the Jesuit Lib. 2. c. 8. Sect. 6. Cont­zen, to traduce such as oppose their designs as men that are Enemies to the publick Peace, which advice Seignior Unreason. of Sepa. pref. p. 22. Balla­rini in his Letter to Father Young thinks most proper to be followed, for the better managing the Popish Interest in Eng­land, to asperse the Bishops and Ministers of this Church, as so factious that it were well they were remov'd.

And that the Missionaries are at this day observing those Directions, is so evident, that it would be time and pains spent to no purpose, to prove it: hence we have had New Test of the Ch. of Engl. Loyalty, Lond. 1687. 4to. a new Test of the Church of Eng­lands Loyalty, an Instance of the Ch. of Engl. Loyalty, Lond. 1687. 4to. Instance of the same, and such scurrilous and weak Pamphlets, sent abroad in the world, either to create an ill opinion of our Loyalty, or to exasperate the Members of our Church, and provoke them to some undecent carriage; endeavouring to find some failure on their part, that they may catch at an occasion to make the world believe, that they have New Test of the Ch. of Eng. Loyalty; p. 8. forfeited that Protection his MAJESTY hath so graciously promised to afford them.