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<DATE>2013-09-12</DATE>
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<NAME>Anne Simpson</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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*Final validate Corrected [ ] illegible groups out of [ ]. Converted [ ] illegible groups to GAP DESC="illegible". DONE</ITEM>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P> AN ESSAY FOR THE <HI>CONVERSION</HI> OF THE IRISH; SHEWING That 'tis their <HI>Duty</HI> and <HI>Intere&s;t</HI> To Become PROTESTANTS.</P>
<P>In a Letter to Them&s;elves.</P>
<Q><BIBL>S. BASIL, EPIST. 80.</BIBL>
<P><HI>Let the Holy Scriptures be Arbitrators between Us, and who&s;oever hold Opinions con&s;onant to tho&s;e Heavenly Oracles, Let the Truth be adjudged on their &s;ide.</HI></P></Q>
<P><HI>DUBLIN,</HI> Printed by <HI>Io&s;eph <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ay,</HI> and are to be Sold at his Shop in <HI>Skinner-Row.</HI> 1698.</P>
<P><HI>Price Six-Pence.</HI></P>
<PB REF="2">
</DIV1>
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<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB N="1" REF="2">
<HEAD>To my Country-Men, <HI>The ROMAN CATHOLICKS of</HI> IRELAND.</HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>Gentlemen,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P N="1"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 1.</LABEL> I May with Rea&s;on expect that you &s;hould give &s;ome Regard to the following Ad|monitons, &s;ince They Re&s;ult from the <HI>Compa&s;&s;ion</HI> of a <HI>Gentleman,</HI> the <HI>Charity</HI> of a <HI>Chri&s;tian,</HI> and the <HI>Affection</HI> of a <HI>Friend;</HI> and their De&s;ign is to promote the <HI>Safety and Happine&s;s</HI> of the <HI>Kingdom</HI> in general, and of <HI>You</HI> in particular.</P>
<P N="2"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 2.</LABEL> Nor ought it to di&s;oblige you, that I ex|plain my Friend&s;hip not to extend to your <HI>Popory,</HI> or your <HI>Vices;</HI> &s;ince 'tis the De&s;ign of this Epi&s;tle to Reform both The&s;e. 'Tis better that my Affection &s;hould be founded, as it is, upon the <HI>Good Qualities</HI> you are endued with, and the Di&s;po&s;ition I think I perceive in You at This Time to a <HI>General Conver|&s;ion,</HI> and to become <HI>Good Subjects</HI> and <HI>Good Chri&s;tians.</HI></P>
<P N="3"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 3.</LABEL> And &s;ince 'tis your <HI>Intere&s;t</HI> to be &s;o, That you may live Comfortably in <HI>This</HI> World, and be Happy in the <HI>Next,</HI> you ought to be Diligent in <HI>Finding out,</HI> and Careful in <HI>Pur&s;uing</HI> the proper Me|thods for Attaining tho&s;e Important Ends.</P>
<P N="4"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 4.</LABEL> But becau&s;e they are mo&s;t Obedient to their <HI>Phy&s;ician,</HI> who are throughly Convinced that their Di&s;temper is <HI>Dangerous,</HI> I ought fir&s;t to En|quire how far you are from being <HI>Good Sabjects</HI> or <HI>Good Chri&s;tians,</HI> whil&s;t you continue <HI>Papi&s;ts,</HI> in hopes it may prepare you to receive my Directions the more readily for your <HI>Amendment</HI> in both,</P>
<P N="5"><PB N="2" REF="3"> <HI>Sect.</HI> 5. How far too many of You are from being <HI>Good Subjects</HI> to a Prote&s;tant <HI>King,</HI> whom you believe <HI>Damn'd,</HI> and wi&s;h <HI>Dethron'd,</HI> your own Hearts can te&s;tifie, as your Tongues do every day, whil&s;t they expre&s;s the Exultations of your Souls at every Misfortune that befalls the <HI>Engli&s;h,</HI> and the Di&s;&s;atisfaction of your Minds at the Glorious Suc|ce&s;&s;es of Our <HI>Victorious King:</HI> Examine your own Hearts, How much were you griev'd at that Com|mon Good of a <HI>General Peace?</HI> How loth were you to believe it, even after it was <HI>Proclaim'd?</HI> How many Ridiculous and Improbable <HI>Stories</HI> did you ei|ther <HI>Invent</HI> or Promote to keep up the Spirits of your <HI>Party,</HI> during the War, and particularly that groundle&s;s Sham of <HI>England</HI>'s <HI>being left out of the Peace?</HI> How often have you wi&s;h'd Succe&s;s to tho&s;e Enemies of Chri&s;tianity the <HI>Turks,</HI> in hopes it might divert the Confederate Princes, and promote the De&s;igns that were formed to En&s;lave <HI>Chri&s;tendom?</HI> How zealous were you for Arbitrary Power in the late Reigns, in order to bring in <HI>Po|pery</HI> upon the Ruines of the <HI>Laws</HI> and <HI>Liberties</HI> of your Country? But not to in&s;i&s;t upon the <HI>Words</HI> of your <HI>Mouths,</HI> or the <HI>Meditations</HI> of your Hearts, Let us re&s;ort to <HI>Action,</HI> and Enquire how it has been in former Times; and &s;ure it could not be well with Tho&s;e who &s;tifled the operations of their own Rea&s;on, and gave them&s;elves up to the Conduct of <HI>Popi&s;h Clergy,</HI> who&s;e Oath is &s;o &s;trict, that as the <HI>Friar</HI> confe&s;&s;ed, <HI>They must be perjur'd to the Pope, if they prove True to the King.</HI></P>
<P N="6"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 6</LABEL> As to the Time before the <HI>Conquest,</HI> your own Procurator-General, <HI>Peter Wal&s;h</HI> confe&s;&s;es, <HI>Tha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> never any Nation upon Earth came near the</HI> Mile|&s;ian Iri&s;h, <HI>in the most Unnatural Feuds that have been heard of; Feuds</HI> (&s;ays he) <HI>&s;o prodigiou&s;ly Bloody, that as they were first Founded, &s;o they still increa&s;ed and Conti|nued in Blood, from the Foundation of the Monarchy in the Blood of</HI> Heber, <HI>to the Murder of the Penultimate Monarch,</HI> Moriurta Mac Neil; <HI>Feuds continued with</HI>
<PB N="3" REF="3"> <HI>the greatest Pride, most Helli&s;h Ambition, and cruelle&s;t De&s;ires of Revenge, and followed with the mo&s;t horrible Inju&s;tices, Rapines, De&s;olations, Perfidiou&s;ne&s;s, Rebelli|ons, Treacheries and Murders, for almo&s;t</HI> 2000 <HI>Years.</HI> He proceeds, and &s;ays, <HI>That we never read of any other People in the World, &s;o Implacably, &s;o Furiou&s;ly, &s;o Eter|nally &s;et upon the De&s;truction of one another.</HI> He tells you of 600 Battels fought Cruelly and Unnaturally by Men of the &s;ame Country, Language; Lineage, and Religious Rites, Tearing out the Lives of one another for Dominion or Revenge; and that 118 <HI>Iri&s;h Monarchs</HI> were &s;laughter'd by <HI>their own Subjects,</HI> whereof 94 were <HI>Murder'd,</HI> and 86 of them &s;uc|ceeded by the <HI>Regicides,</HI></P>
<P N="7"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 7.</LABEL> And now, Gentlemen, pray con&s;ider whether any <HI>Chri&s;tian</HI> ought to boa&s;t of the Loyalty of &s;uch <HI>Ance&s;tors,</HI> or glory in the <HI>Religion</HI> of &s;uch <HI>Fore-fathers.</HI></P>
<P N="8"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 8.</LABEL> But as it was thus bad before the <HI>Conque&s;t,</HI> it has not been much better &s;ince; for it is manife&s;t that there have been more <HI>Rebellions</HI> in <HI>Ireland</HI> &s;ince the <HI>Conque&s;t,</HI> than there have been in any two King|doms of <HI>Europe</HI> within that period.</P>
<P N="9"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 9.</LABEL> But becau&s;e the greate&s;t Preten&s;ions of <HI>Iri&s;h Loyalty</HI> were made to the Royal Family of the <HI>Stuarts,</HI> who (they &s;ay) were of their <HI>Mile&s;ian</HI> Blood and Lineage, and De&s;cended from the Ancient Mo|narchs of <HI>Ireland,</HI> it will be fit to give you a Sum|mary View of your Ance&s;tors Behavior, and your own, in their Reigns.</P>
<P N="10"><HI>Sest.</HI> 10. And fir&s;t for King <HI>James I.</HI> 'Tis certain that he had but little re&s;pect from the <HI>Iri&s;h;</HI> for as &s;oon as they under&s;tood him to be a <HI>Prote&s;tant,</HI> and Re&s;olv'd to continue &s;o, they oppos'd his Government: Even the great Cities and <NOTE PLACE="marg">1603.</NOTE> Towns that had been &s;tanch in former Rebellions, were deeply Engaged in this. <HI>Limrick, Kilkenny, Clonmel,</HI> and <HI>Wexford,</HI> were of this Num|ber; but <HI>Waterford</HI> and <HI>Cork</HI> were more ob&s;tinate than the re&s;t, &s;o that the Lord <HI>Mountjoy</HI> found it ne|ce&s;&s;ary
<PB N="4" REF="4"> to march in Per&s;on with the Army to Re|duce them.</P>
<P N="11"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 11.</LABEL> This was follow'd by the Gun-Powder-Trea&s;on in <HI>England;</HI> and &s;oon after was the Con&s;piracy of the Earls of <HI>Tyrone</HI> and <NOTE PLACE="marg">1607.</NOTE> <HI>Tyrconnel,</HI> and their Accomplices in <HI>Ireland,</HI> which being di&s;covered, they fled to <HI>Spain,</HI> and the next year, upon promi&s;e of their <NOTE PLACE="marg">1608.</NOTE> Return with Succours, Sir <HI>Cahir O Dogherty</HI> &s;eiz'd <HI>Derry</HI> and <HI>Culmore,</HI> and murdred the Gover|nour and took the Field; but about five months af|ter he was defeated and &s;lain, which di&s;couraged all other Rebellions in that Reign; tho' the Sediti|ous Behaviour of the <HI>Popi&s;h Members</HI> in the <HI>Parlia|ment, Anno</HI> 1613. came very near one, and did in effect Threaten it.</P>
<P N="12"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 12.</LABEL> The next that A&s;cended the Throne was King <HI>Charles I. Who without doubt had as good Title as his Son King James II,</HI> And yet the Iri&s;h did Rebel a|gain&s;t him (<HI>Anno</HI> 1641.) at a time when he was ve|ry much di&s;tre&s;s'd and in a manner more <HI>Barbarous</HI> and <HI>Bloody</HI> than ever had been known before; And when that Kings Affairs requir'd a Peace, the Iri&s;h Papi&s;ts, and e&s;pecially tho&s;e of the Nuncio's Party, <HI>(tho' they boa&s;ted of Loyalty then, as loudly as they do now)</HI> undutifully held him to <HI>Difficult</HI> and <HI>De&s;tructive</HI> Con|ditions, and Vary'd and Inhanc'd upon him, as his Nece&s;&s;ities increas'd; and when the Peace of 1646. was made, it was within three weeks after Perfidi|ou&s;ly Broken by <HI>Publick Edict</HI> of the <HI>Clergy</HI> at <HI>Water|ford</HI> Tho&s;e that did ob&s;erve it, were Excommu|nicated by the <HI>Nuntio;</HI> and the <HI>Kings Heralds</HI> that went to proclaim it, were ba&s;ely Affronted both at <HI>Waterford</HI> and <HI>Limrick,</HI> to the great hazard of their Lives, and contrary to Allegiance, Good Manners, and the Law of Nations.</P>
<P N="13"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 13.</LABEL> Nor were they more dutiful in His Ma|je&s;ties Extremities, for they delayed the Peace of 1648 until a Fortnight before his <HI>Death,</HI> and even then <HI>Forc'd</HI> Conditions upon Him that <HI>Ha&s;tned</HI> his
<PB N="5" REF="4"> Fate: And this <HI>Peace</HI> al&s;o was perfidiou&s;ly violated, as well as the former; not only becau&s;e <HI>Limrick, Waterford</HI> and other great Towns, would not obey the Lord Lieutenant <HI>(Ormond)</HI> according to Stipula|tion, but al&s;o becau&s;e they <HI>Per&s;ecuted</HI> him with a Thou&s;and <HI>Affronts</HI> and <HI>Indignities,</HI> and at la&s;t <HI>Drove</HI> him out of the <HI>Kingdom,</HI> even whil&s;t he was <HI>Cloa|thed</HI> with the <HI>Royal Authority.</HI> And they were no le&s;s Undutiful to the Lord Deputy <HI>(Clanrickard)</HI> tho he was of their <HI>Own Religion;</HI> &s;o that they had no other Quarrel to him, but that he was the King of <HI>England</HI>'s <HI>Deputy;</HI> and yet without his Concurrence or Knowledge, they &s;ent Agents to Offer the King|dom to the <HI>Pope,</HI> the <HI>French King,</HI> the <HI>Duke of Lorain;</HI> or indeed any Body that would take it from the <HI>Engli&s;h.</HI></P>
<P N="14"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 15.</LABEL> As to the Reign of King <HI>Charles</HI> II. they lived in too much <HI>Hopes,</HI> to plunge them&s;elves into <HI>Open Rebellion:</HI> However, they gave this Demon|&s;tration of their <HI>Inclinations,</HI> That in a National Synod held by Extraordinary Favour at <HI>Dublin, Anno</HI> 1666. They refu&s;ed to let the People take an Oath of <HI>Allegiance,</HI> which their own Procurator-General, <HI>P. W.</HI> had fram'd for them; but on the contrary, Per&s;ecuted him and his Adherents for en|deavouring to Bind them to a <HI>Heretick Government</HI> by &s;o &s;trict an Oath; and they al&s;o refu&s;ed to beg Par|don for the Rebellion of 1641. one of their Bi&s;hops publickly averring, <HI>That he knew none at all guilty of any Crime for any thing done in the War.</HI></P>
<P N="15"><HI>Sect&punc;</HI> 16. And as for King <HI>James</HI> II. You mu&s;t al|low that your Partiality was to his <HI>Popery,</HI> and not to his <HI>Per&s;on,</HI> or his <HI>Title;</HI> and that you valued him as your <HI>Popi&s;h Friend,</HI> and not as an <HI>Engli&s;h King,</HI> &s;ince you paid him no more <HI>Re&s;pect</HI> or <HI>Loyalty,</HI> than your <HI>Own Intere&s;t</HI> required; and when that varied, you &s;hewed little Re&s;pect to <HI>Him</HI> or <HI>His Intere&s;t,</HI> but on the contrary us'd him very ill in many things, and particularly in the In&s;tances following.</P>
<P N="16"><PB N="6" REF="5"> <HI>Sect.</HI> 17. Fir&s;t, Whereas nothing could more Prejudice or Di&s;oblige the People of <HI>England,</HI> or Defeat King <HI>James</HI>'s hopes of being Re&s;tor'd there, than the ill U&s;age of the <HI>Prote&s;tants,</HI> e&s;pecially Cler|gy-men, in <HI>Ireland;</HI> yet did you Barbarou&s;ly and Ungratefully abu&s;e the <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> in all parts of the Kingdom; you A&s;&s;aulted and Wounded &s;ome of the Clergy, and forc'd from them &s;everal of their <HI>Churches,</HI> contrary to <HI>Law,</HI> and contrary to King <HI>James</HI>'s <HI>Expre&s;s Command,</HI> whom you <HI>Aw'd</HI> to that degreee, That th&ocirc; he i&s;&s;ued a Proclamation to pre|vent &s;eizing any More <HI>Chnrches,</HI> yet he did not think fit to in&s;ert a Clau&s;e for the <HI>Re&s;titution</HI> of tho&s;e that were illegally taken before.</P>
<P N="17"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 18.</LABEL> Secondly, Contrary to King <HI>James</HI>'s In|tere&s;t and Inclination, and to the Fundamental and Inherent <HI>Right</HI> of the Crown of <HI>England,</HI> you made This <HI>Kingdom</HI> Independent of <HI>That;</HI> You forc'd him to call a <HI>Parliament</HI> Un&s;ea&s;onably, when he had need of the Members to promote the Siege of <HI>Derry</HI> You baffled <HI>Poyning</HI>'s <HI>Law,</HI> and Repeal'd the <HI>Act of Settlement,</HI> and Prohibited <HI>Appeals</HI> and <HI>Writs of Error</HI> from hence to <HI>England.</HI></P>
<P N="18"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 19.</LABEL> Thirdly, Whereas you had Cried Up and A&s;&s;erted King <HI>James</HI>'s <HI>Di&s;pen&s;ing Power</HI> in <HI>Eng|land,</HI> and therefore &s;hould have done &s;o in <HI>Ireland,</HI> that we might have thought you <HI>in Earne&s;t,</HI> yet you were &s;o far from this, that by your Severe Bill of <HI>Attainder,</HI> whereby you endeavour'd to Ruine Wo|men and Children, &s;ome that were never in <HI>Ireland,</HI> and more that had never done you any harm, you took away the King's Power to <HI>Pardon,</HI> which is the Inherent Right of the Crown.</P>
<P N="19"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 20.</LABEL> Fourthly, Th&ocirc; the Chancellor&s;hip and Trea&s;urer&s;hip of <HI>Chri&s;t-Church Dublin,</HI> were found|ed by Queen <HI>Mary,</HI> and the Namination to tho&s;e Dignities re&s;erved to her and her Succe&s;&s;ors; yet did the Titular Archbi&s;hop of <HI>Dublin</HI> clande&s;tinely obtain Bulls from <HI>Rome,</HI> and put in two Prie&s;ts into tho&s;e Places again&s;t King <HI>James</HI>'s Will; and th&ocirc; he
<PB N="7" REF="5"> offer'd them <HI>Equivalents,</HI> yet they Conte&s;ted the matter &s;o <HI>Ob&s;tinately</HI> with him, that he was forc'd to pronounce the Bulls <HI>Surreptitious,</HI> and to write to <HI>Rome</HI> to Ju&s;tifie him&s;elf in a long Letter, wherein he complains heavily of this Undutiful <HI>Attempt</HI> up|on his <HI>Undoubted Right,</HI> lamenting that the <HI>Clergy</HI> were not &s;atisfied to Invade his <HI>Prerogative</HI> in other matters, without <HI>Intruding</HI> even into his <HI>Chappel-Royal.</HI></P>
<P N="20"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 21.</LABEL> So that 'tis manife&s;t that the Pretended <HI>Loyalty</HI> of Super&s;titious and Bigotted Papi&s;ts, e&s;pe|cially Clergy-men, is appropriated to the Court of <HI>Rome,</HI> and not to the Crown of <HI>England:</HI> And if you will con&s;ider that you in <HI>Ireland,</HI> who believe the <HI>Supremacy</HI> and <HI>Infallibility</HI> of the <HI>Pope.</HI> (when|ever the Pope <HI>Excommunicates</HI> the <HI>King,</HI> as <HI>Paul</HI> III. did <HI>Henry</HI> VIII. and <HI>Pius</HI> V. did Queen <HI>Elizabeth)</HI> mu&s;t either renounce your <HI>Allegiance</HI> or your <HI>Reli|gion,</HI> and turn either <HI>Prote&s;tants</HI> or <HI>Rebels;</HI> and if you will likewi&s;e con&s;ider Father <HI>John Talbot</HI> the Je&s;uit's A&s;&s;ertion, <HI>That it is to no purpo&s;e to Exact an Oath of Allegiance from Papi&s;ts, becau&s;e 'tis lawful in Point of Con&s;cience to break that Oath the next hour, provided you follow the Doctrine of Probabilities, and under&s;tand that any one Doctor is of that Opinion:</HI> You will per|haps be of my Sentiment, <HI>That 'tis difficult for one that is Govern'd by a Popi&s;h Prie&s;t, to be a Good Subject to a Prote&s;tant King.</HI> And this may lead you to <HI>Exa|mine,</HI> and con&s;equently to <HI>Dete&s;t,</HI> and &s;hake off a Religion &s;o Incon&s;i&s;tent with True Loyalty.</P>
<P N="21"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 22.</LABEL> My next Enquiry &s;hould be, Whether you are good <HI>Chri&s;tians,</HI> or can be &s;o, whil&s;t you are wrap'd up in &s;o much <HI>Super&s;tition</HI> and <HI>Ignorance:</HI> Pray con&s;ider whether your Religion does not con|&s;i&s;t too much in <HI>Outward Shew</HI> and <HI>Pageantry,</HI> with|out the <HI>Power of Godline&s;s</HI> in your Hearts: How for|mal and vain is your <HI>Devotion,</HI> that is &s;atisfied with the <HI>Number</HI> of <HI>Prayers,</HI> without regarding the <HI>Words</HI> or under&s;tanding the <HI>Meaning,</HI> and without any Intention or Attention of the Mind? How hypo|critical
<PB N="8" REF="6"> are your <HI>Mortifications,</HI> whil&s;t they are per|form'd &s;ometimes by <HI>Deputy,</HI> and &s;ometimes in a Trivial and Ridiculous <HI>Pennance?</HI> Is it not a Mocke|ry to pretend to <HI>Fa&s;t</HI> upon the be&s;t <HI>Fi&s;h Fruit, White|meats,</HI> and <HI>Wine,</HI> that can be got? In a word, Do not you place your <HI>Piety</HI> in being of a <HI>Party,</HI> and make <HI>&V;nity and Communion with the Pope,</HI> the Sum and Sub&s;tance of <HI>Chri&s;tian Religion,</HI> and expect your Salvation from meer Chimerical Notions, &s;uch as the <HI>Trea&s;ures of the Church,</HI> the <HI>Indulgence</HI> of the Pope, the <HI>Ab&s;olution</HI> of the Prie&s;t, and the <HI>Purifi|cations</HI> of Purgatory, with very little regard to <HI>Ho|line&s;s, without which no Man &s;hall &s;ee the Face of GOD?</HI></P>
<P N="22"><HI>Sect</HI> 23. And hence it is that the two Crying Sins of the Nation, <HI>Theft</HI> and <HI>Perjury,</HI> which are rarely found among&s;t <HI>Prote&s;tants,</HI> are &s;o common among you, that the one is become an <HI>Epithet,</HI> and the other <HI>Proverbially Scandalous:</HI> The <HI>Prote&s;tants</HI> know, they mu&s;t make Re&s;titution, if po&s;&s;ible, or b<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> Damn'd; and therefore few of that Communion, but notorious profligate Reprobates, will either <HI>For|&s;wear</HI> or <HI>Steal.</HI> But you are not under this <HI>Awe,</HI> ha|ving too often &s;ome Sophi&s;tical Pretence or other to Ju&s;tifie or Excu&s;e you; and at wor&s;t fancying that you may be ab&s;olved at an ea&s;ie Rate, either by Confe&s;&s;ion and &s;light Pennance, or if that fails, by a few turns in Purgatory.</P>
<P N="23"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 24.</LABEL> And thus have many by the&s;e Loo&s;e Notions been deluded to the <HI>Gallows,</HI> and more to <HI>Hell,</HI> who had never been thus mi&s;erably cheated of their Lives and their Souls, if they had been u&s;ed to Sound Doctrine and good Sermons, or &s;uffered to Read the holy Scriptures, and other good Books, that might better in&s;truct them.</P>
<P N="24"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 25.</LABEL> But the Prie&s;t will &s;ay, He does warn you of the&s;e Vices, and preach Re&s;titution; but Experience has convinc'd us, that whatever he &s;ays on that Subject, is very <HI>Cold</HI> and Ineffectual, and that he does countenance the contrary Practice; &s;ince all is di&s;cover'd to him in <HI>Confe&s;&s;ion,</HI> and yet no
<PB N="9" REF="6"> <HI>Re&s;titution</HI> is made but to &s;pecial <HI>Friends,</HI> or &s;uch whom the Prie&s;t is afraid of: And &s;ince without Re&s;titution he gives Ab&s;olution, and admini&s;ters the Sacrament not only to <HI>Petty Thieves,</HI> but to <HI>Pro|claim'd Tories</HI> and <HI>Rapparees,</HI> who were to Rob and Murther again the next Day.</P>
<P N="25"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 26.</LABEL> For <HI>GOD</HI>'s &s;ake, Gentlemen, do not &s;uf|fer your &s;elves to be thus Impos'd upon: Pray look back a little, and enquire, Was it not the Prie&s;ts that were the Original of <HI>Rapparees?</HI> Did not they enjoyn every one upon pain of Excommunication, to bring a <HI>Rapary,</HI> or Half Pike, in his hand to Ma&s;s? Did not they Head the Rabble, and in many Places at Noon-Day with Bag-Pipes and other Circum&s;tan|ces of Jollity and In&s;olence plunder their Prote|&s;tant Neighbours? Were there ever more <HI>Perjuries,</HI> or greater <HI>Villanies</HI> committed in &s;o &s;hort a time, than whil&s;t the <HI>Popi&s;h Clergy</HI> had the A&s;cendant? Or would your greate&s;t Enemies de&s;ire more, than Li|berty to <HI>Copy afttr your Example,</HI> and to &s;erve you <HI>Now,</HI> as barbarou&s;ly as you &s;erved Them <HI>Then?</HI></P>
<P N="26"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 27.</LABEL> In &s;hort, How can you pretend to be <HI>Good Chri&s;tians,</HI> and to obey the Will of <HI>GOD,</HI> whil&s;t you are &s;o ignorant what it is, and know &s;o little of it? You are utter Strangers to the <HI>Holy Scriptures,</HI> which are the Word of GOD; and even the Pray|ers and Offices of your Church, are in a Language you do not under&s;tand: Scarce one in a Tbou&s;and of you can give a Tolerable Account of the Chri|&s;tian Faith, or the Hope that is in him, but is con|tented with a Jingle, <HI>To believe as the Church believes,</HI> which is, <HI>He knows not what;</HI> and in effect, he thinks that a blind Obedience to the <HI>Avarice and Ambition of the Clergy,</HI> will &s;erve him in&s;tead of the Practice of <HI>Chri&s;tian Vertues.</HI></P>
<P N="27"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 28.</LABEL> And Gentlemen, Since it is not to Up|braid, much le&s;s to Scandalize you, that I have in|&s;i&s;ted upon this <HI>Ungrateful Theam,</HI> but purely for your Service, to open your Eyes, and Undeceive you. That you may plainly &s;ee you want Help and Ad|vice:
<PB N="10" REF="7"> And &s;ince that Chyrurgion is more your Friend that <HI>Searches</HI> your Wound to the bottom, that he may cure it throughly, than he that <HI>Skins</HI> it over, and lets it fe&s;ter and break out again; you will excu&s;e me, if for the &s;ame Rea&s;on, and for your <HI>Thorough Cure,</HI> I put you upon the Enquiry, Whether you are not defective in your Language, Obnoxious to the Laws, and Incapable of Prefer|ment? And whether too many of you are not Slovenly in your Habit and in your Hou&s;es, Un|ju&s;t in your Actions, even to Perjuries and Forge|ries innumerable, &s;hamefully countenanc'd and favour'd by &s;ome of your Courts of Ju&s;tice in the late Reign; Barbarous in your De&s;igns to Extirpate the Prote&s;tants, Poor in your Fortunes, Low in your Reputations, and by your <HI>Ingratitude</HI> and <HI>Cru|elty</HI> Nakedly Expo&s;ed to the Ju&s;t Re&s;entments of a <HI>Provok'd People,</HI> to whom GOD Almighty has Gi|ven, and (notwith&s;tanding frequent Rebellions) Continued the <HI>Dominion</HI> over you.</P>
<P N="28"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 29.</LABEL> And is there any way to Extricate you out of all the&s;e Misfortunes, but a Total Conver&s;ion and Conformity to the Laws, Language, Habit, Manners, and Religion of <HI>England?</HI></P>
<P N="29"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 30.</LABEL> And would not your Mi&s;erable Coun|try-men, now begging and &s;tarving in <HI>France,</HI> be over-joy'd to Return to their <HI>Native Soyl</HI> upon the&s;e Terms? How gladly would they <HI>conform,</HI> if they might be Re&s;tor'd! Why then &s;hould you lo&s;e the Pre&s;ent Opportunity of making your &s;elves and your Po&s;terity happy, by your Conformity to Things that are in Them&s;elves &s;o Excellent, and &s;o much for your Advantage both as to Body and Soul?</P>
<P N="30"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 31.</LABEL> I will not deny but that I pre&s;s this the more Earne&s;tly upon you, becau&s;e I think you are Originally <HI>Engli&s;h,</HI> and of <HI>Britti&s;h</HI> Extraction: To prove this, I &s;hall not wholly Rely on the Te|&s;timonies of <HI>Tacitus, Polybius,</HI> and many other Anci|ent Hi&s;torians and Geographers, who affirm, <HI>That</HI>
<PB N="11" REF="7"> <HI>Ireland was Peopled from Britain;</HI> but &s;hall demon&s;trate it from the Nature of the thing, which could not be otherwi&s;e: For before the U&s;e of the Compa&s;s was di&s;cover'd, they could make no other than <HI>Coa&s;ting Voyages</HI> in &s;ight of the Shoar. Hence 'tis that all Countries were fir&s;t Peopled by their next Neigh|bours; <HI>Greece</HI> from <HI>A&s;ia, Italy</HI> from <HI>Greece, France</HI> from <HI>Italy, England</HI> from <HI>France,</HI> and <HI>Ireland</HI> from <HI>Great Britain:</HI> So that what the Old Iri&s;h Chroni|cles report to the contrary, is not only <HI>Fal&s;e,</HI> but utterly <HI>Impo&s;&s;ible.</HI></P>
<P N="32">32. To this I might add many of the <HI>Cu&s;toms</HI> of the Ancient <HI>Brittons</HI> retain'd in <HI>Ireland</HI> to our own days; your Bows and Arrows, Bolyes, Mantles, Glibs, Bards, Druids, and even your Gavelkind, are derived thence. But what need we &s;ay any more, but that your Character is <HI>Saxon,</HI> and your Language Originally <HI>Wel&s;h?</HI></P>
<P N="31"><HI>Sect</HI> 33. Be&s;ides, Two Thirds of tho&s;e that are called <HI>Iri&s;h</HI> here, are beyond Controver&s;ie of <HI>Eng|li&s;h</HI> Extraction, and the Progeny of the Fir&s;t Con|querours, or of &s;uch as came over afterwards from <HI>England</HI> to &s;upport them: Of this &s;ort in <HI>Mun&s;ier,</HI> we have the <HI>Barryes, Courcyes, Skiddyes, Golds, Coppingers, Galways, Lumbards, Heas. Hodnets, Cogans, Lacyes, Roches, Rices, Mi|aghs, Purcels, Sarsfeilds, Powers, Bar|rets, Fitzmaurice, Condons,</HI> &amp;c. In <HI>Co|naught, Burks, Briminghams, Dillons, Browns, Frenches, Kirevans, Bodkins, Linches, Athys,</HI> &amp;c. In <HI>Lein&s;ter, But|lers, Fitz-Geralds, Nettervills, Plunkets, Apl|mers, Pre&s;tons, Wogans, Barnwells, Cu|&s;acks, Flemings, Nugents, Hu&s;&s;yes, Nangles, Keatings, Talbots, Sherlocks, Eu&s;taces,</HI> &amp;c. And in <HI>Vl&s;ter, Savages, Dowdals, Ru&s;&s;els, Peppards,</HI> &amp;c, And many more. And when I have added, That there have been &s;o many Cro&s;s-Marriages between the old <HI>Engli&s;h</HI> and old <HI>Iri&s;h,</HI> that there is &s;carce a Man of any Note, but has of
<PB N="12" REF="8"> the Old or New <HI>Engli&s;h Blood</HI> in his Veins, I have &s;aid enough to convince the World that you are of <HI>Engli&s;h Extraction.</HI></P>
<P N="32"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 34.</LABEL> And pray Gentlemen, con&s;ider what greater Honour can you de&s;ire, than to be account|ed <HI>Engli&s;h?</HI> Since they are a People Famous all the World over, as well for <HI>Arts</HI> and <HI>Arms,</HI> as for <HI>Hone|&s;ty, Indu&s;try, Courage,</HI> and <HI>Good Nature;</HI> They have for a long time held the <HI>Ballance</HI> of <HI>Europe,</HI> and more than once pre&s;erved the Liberty of the <HI>Chri&s;tian World</HI> from the Attempts of an <HI>Univer&s;al Monarchy;</HI> and which is yet more, when they have &s;ubdued <HI>Others,</HI> they have at the &s;ame time Generou&s;ly Con|quer'd <HI>Them&s;elves,</HI> and have po&s;t-pon'd their <HI>Re&s;ent|ments</HI> to their <HI>Compa&s;&s;ion</HI> and their <HI>Ju&s;tice,</HI> el&s;e there had been no occa&s;ion for this Monitory Epi&s;tle at this time.</P>
<P N="33"><HI>S.</HI> 35. As for the <HI>Laws,</HI> one ought to refer you to the Flouri&s;hing Condition of <HI>England,</HI> that is Govern'd by them: They cannot but be <HI>Excellent,</HI> &s;ince they are derived from the Law of GOD, the Laws of Nature and Rea&s;on, Common Cu&s;toms, which long Experience has found to be U&s;eful, and made into Law, and Acts of Parliament made by your &s;elves, or your Ance&s;tors, and as occa&s;ion requir'd, adapted to Our or Their Nece&s;&s;ities. Nor can you deny but that the Admini&s;tration of the&s;e Laws is Ju&s;t and Equal, without regard to <HI>Shiboleth,</HI> or <HI>Siboleth;</HI> and not as it was in your Time, when few but tho&s;e of your <HI>Party</HI> could have any Succe&s;s in the plaine&s;t Ca&s;es: In &s;hort. I appeal to your own Con&s;ciences, whether you do not live much better under the Government of the <HI>Laws of Eng|land,</HI> than ever your Ance&s;tors did under their <HI>Lords</HI> and <HI>Brehoos.</HI></P>
<P N="34"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 36.</LABEL> As for your Language, it is Originally <HI>Wel&s;h,</HI> to which there are added &s;ome Words of <HI>La|tin,</HI> and &s;ome of <HI>Engli&s;h;</HI> &s;o that you are deceiv'd in believing that <HI>Iri&s;h is a pure Original Language.</HI> But whatever it be, why you &s;hould not for&s;ake it for
<PB N="13" REF="8"> the <HI>Engli&s;h Tongue,</HI> which is much more Copious, and which is by Law the <HI>Language</HI> of this King|dom? No Rea&s;on can be a&s;&s;igned but <HI>Prie&s;tcraft,</HI> to keep you in <HI>Ignorance,</HI> and to uphold a <HI>Feud</HI> between us. Otherwi&s;e, by u&s;ing the Engli&s;h Tongue, one is better qualified for the <HI>Ca&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="2 letters">e,</HI> the <HI>Courts of Ju&s;tice,</HI> and the <HI>Market,</HI> more capable of <HI>Pre&s;erment,</HI> and of <HI>Charity,</HI> and of the <HI>Benefit of Clergy,</HI> and in a word, more fit for the be&s;t <HI>Company</HI> and <HI>Conver&s;ation:</HI> So that it &s;eems to me they are Bewitched who live under a Government, and Refu&s;e to Learn the <HI>Le|gal</HI> and Received Language thereof.</P>
<P N="35"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 37.</LABEL> As to the <HI>Habit</HI> and <HI>Manners</HI> of the <HI>Eng|li&s;h,</HI> you cannot deny but the former is <HI>Neat, Tight,</HI> and <HI>Clean;</HI> and the other, <HI>Correct</HI> and <HI>Genteel;</HI> and therefore as many of you as come to any Under|&s;tanding or Fortune in the World, do imitate us in both, but with this difference, That &s;uch <HI>Iri&s;h</HI> as turn <HI>Prote&s;tants</HI> conform entirely to our <HI>Habit</HI> and <HI>Mannors;</HI> whereas tho&s;e who continue <HI>Papi&s;ts,</HI> are generally more <HI>Slovenly</HI> and <HI>Unfa&s;hionable,</HI> more <HI>Slat|tering</HI> in their Cloaths, and more <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 word"></HI> in their Hou&s;es, But &s;ure there will be no difficulty to per|&s;wade your Conformity to us in the&s;e Points, &s;ince all we de&s;ire of you is, but to be <HI>Neat</HI> and <HI>Clean</HI> a|bout your Per&s;ons, and in your Hou&s;es; and to be <HI>Civil, Genteel</HI> and <HI>Orderly,</HI> in your Conver&s;ation; to which in Truth you are Naturally inclin'd.</P>
<P N="36"><HI>Sect</HI> 38. Nor can I &s;ee why you &s;hould &s;cruple to Conform to the <HI>Religion</HI> of the <HI>Church of England,</HI> &s;ince we believe all that our Ble&s;&s;ed <HI>Saviour</HI> has <HI>Re|veal'd,</HI> or the <HI>Apo&s;tles Taught;</HI> all that the holy <HI>Scrip|tures</HI> Contain, or the <HI>Primitive Chri&s;tians</HI> Believ'd, or the fir&s;t Four <HI>General Councils</HI> Approv'd,</P>
<P N="37"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 39</LABEL> And accordingly, The Symbols of our Faith are the <HI>Apo&s;tolical,</HI> the <HI>Athana&s;ian,</HI> and <HI>Nicene</HI> Creeds; <HI>And after this Manner which you call Herefie, do we Wor&s;hip the GOD of our Fathers.</HI></P>
<P N="38"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 40.</LABEL> And &s;uitable hereunto, the Precepts of our Religion are <HI>Holy,</HI> Exhorting to all &s;orts of <HI>Ver|tue,</HI>
<PB N="14" REF="9"> and forbidding all manner of <HI>Vice:</HI> It enjoyns <HI>Good Works</HI> without the Foppery of <HI>Merit,</HI> and with|out Derogating from the Value of our Saviour's <HI>Sufferings</HI> and <HI>Mediation:</HI> It admits of no Repen|tance but what produces a <HI>Reformation</HI> of Life and Manners; and it indi&s;pen&s;ibly A&s;&s;erts, <HI>That without Holine&s;s no Man &s;hall be &s;aved.</HI></P>
<P N="39"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 41.</LABEL> Hence you may perceive which is the <HI>Ancient Religion,</HI> &s;ince we pre&s;s you to believe no more but the Doctrines of <HI>Primitive Christianity,</HI> which were from the Beginning, and which your Church dare not deny, and which indeed you be|lieve already, whil&s;t the <HI>Church of Rome</HI> obliges you to believe all the <HI>New</HI> Articles &s;he has <HI>Coyn'd,</HI> or &s;hall hereafter <HI>Coyn</HI> for her own <HI>Profit</HI> and <HI>Advantage.</HI></P>
<P N="40"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 42.</LABEL> We that perceive her <HI>De&s;igns,</HI> and are deliver'd from her <HI>Tyranny,</HI> and converted from her <HI>Errors,</HI> being de&s;irous, according to the Divine Pre|cept, to <HI>&s;trengthen our Brethren,</HI> Call out to you with a loud Voice, and fore-warn you of the <HI>Danger:</HI> We beg you to con&s;ider whether you are not over-laden with <HI>Super&s;tition</HI> and <HI>Idolatry,</HI> and whether the <HI>Popi&s;h Clergy</HI> do not make <HI>Tools</HI> of you, to Enrich and Ag|grandize them&s;elves; we offer to Demon&s;trate the <HI>Cheat,</HI> and to &s;hew it to you in divers In&s;tances, and we offer to prove by the <HI>Word of GOD,</HI> That your Church has Apo&s;tatiz'd from her <HI>Primitive Purity</HI> in many Articles both of <HI>Doctrine</HI> and <HI>Practice.</HI></P>
<P N="41"><HI>Sest.</HI> 43. Now &s;uppo&s;ing the Prie&s;t were a <HI>Decei|ver,</HI> and had a mind to Impo&s;e upon you, (as we &s;ay he has) what part could he Act but as he does? He would exhort you to &s;top your Ears, and &s;hut your Eyes, and not to hear or read a word again&s;t the <HI>Church;</HI> Probably he would try to Frighten you, and tell you, <HI>That he that Doubts is Damn'd:</HI> 'Tis certain he would advi&s;e you to an Implicit Faith, blind-fold to believe as the Church (that is, the <NOTE N="*" PLACE="marg"><HI>By the word Church, we under&s;tand its Head the Pope, Greg, Val.</HI> 34.</NOTE> Pope) believes; to be Liberal and Charitable to the <HI>Clergy,</HI> and to tru&s;t <HI>him</HI> to
<PB N="15" REF="9"> direct you right to Heaven, th&ocirc; perhaps he does not know one &s;tep of the way thither him&s;elf.</P>
<P N="42"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 44.</LABEL> And will not you reply to &s;uch a one, That &s;ince GOD has given you <HI>Rea&s;on</HI> and <HI>Eye&s;ight,</HI> and has Publi&s;h'd the <HI>Holy Scriptures</HI> for your Dire|ction, and has commanded you to <HI>Try all things, that you may hold fast</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;. 5. 21.</NOTE> <HI>ohat which is Good;</HI> that therefore you de&s;ire to be inform'd in the <HI>Way</HI> you are to go, that you may examine whether it be <HI>Right</HI> or <HI>Wrong.</HI> And &s;ince our daily Prayer <HI>To &s;trengthen our Faith,</HI> &s;hews there are degrees of it, it mu&s;t needs follow, That &s;uch Scruples in Faith, as put Men upon En|quiry <HI>Why they believe This or That,</HI> are &s;o far from being <HI>Damnable,</HI> that they are &s;ubvervient to a great Duty of <HI>Searching the Scriptures,</HI> in order to increa&s;e our <HI>Faith,</HI> which will certainly grow <HI>stronger,</HI> ac|cording to the Satisfaction we receive of its being well Founded.</P>
<P N="43"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 45.</LABEL> Be&s;ides, This fal&s;e Principle is the Pa|rent of Ignorance and Ob&s;tinacy, and if generally received, would hinder all <HI>Conver&s;ion,</HI> and all Di&s;co|veries of <HI>Truth;</HI> for if it be Damnable to <HI>Doubt,</HI> it is Damnable to <HI>Examine:</HI> 'Tis true, 'tis Damnable to Doubt the <HI>Veracity of GOD;</HI> but 'tis Sophi&s;tical to argue from hence that 'tis Damnable to Doubt Indefinitely, or particularly to Doubt whether <HI>This</HI> or <HI>That</HI> be the meaning of what GOD hath &s;aid. It is indeed a &s;ure way of keeping your Pro&s;elytes, if you can per&s;wade them to be &s;o <HI>Stubborn</HI> as not to hearken to any Body el&s;e, or &s;o <HI>Bigotted</HI> as not to &s;ubmit to <HI>Rea&s;on,</HI> when they do hear it: If my Country-men are of this &s;ort, 'tis in vain to Rea&s;on with them; they are not <HI>&s;ui Juris,</HI> any more than an Idiot under the Conduct of a Guardian, but are in that ca&s;e become helple&s;s, abandon'd to <HI>Spiritual Slavery,</HI> and in great danger of <HI>Eternal Destruction;</HI> and one has no more to &s;ay, but <HI>Populus qui vult <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 span">.</HI></P>
<P N="44"><PB N="16" REF="10"> <HI>Sect.</HI> 46. But becau&s;e I have a better Opinion of them, and that they will be &s;o wi&s;e to a&s;&s;ert their Natural Right of <HI>U&s;ing their Rea&s;on,</HI> both in Exami|ning and Choo&s;ing; I proceed to ask, If I &s;hould tell you, <HI>That Popery is a Meer Artifice to En|rich and Aggrandize the Clergie at the Expence of the People; That it has been your Ruine, and drawn you into many Rebellions and Forfeitures, and has prompted you to many Barbarities against your Friends and Country-Men; That it has Ecclip&s;ed your Under&s;tandings, Debauch'd your Morals, Impoveri&s;h'd your Families, &s;ophisticated your Re|ligion, Degenerated your Manners, and in a Word, has render'd you &s;o stupid, that th&ocirc; you are the greate&s;t Slaves to the mo&s;t Arbitrary Tyrants that ever were in the World, yet you tamely acquie&s;ee, and &s;uffer your &s;elves to be In|&s;ulted and Abus'd, and thankfully Ki&s;s the Spiritual Rod that Cha&s;ti&s;es you.</HI></P>
<P N="45"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 47.</LABEL> I &s;ay, When I tell you this, and the Prie&s;t tells you the contrary, the Que&s;tion will be, Which of us &s;hould a wi&s;e Men believe? Not the Prie&s;t &s;ure, 1. Becau&s;e generally he is Vicious and Ignorant, and knows little or nothing of the mat|ter: But 2dly and chiefly. Becau&s;e he &s;peaks for his <HI>Profit,</HI> his <HI>All</HI> is at &s;take; <HI>Super&s;tition</HI> is his great <HI>Diana,</HI> and if the People for&s;ake <HI>That,</HI> he is undone On the contrary, I have no other <HI>End</HI> or <HI>Profit</HI> by your Conver&s;ion, but the Satisfaction of being an In&s;trument of <HI>Doing You Good,</HI> and making you hap|py, &s;o that you cannot &s;u&s;pect my <HI>Sincerity:</HI> How|ever, I don't de&s;ire to be Tru&s;ted; <HI>Tbey who do Evil, hate the Light,</HI> but I de&s;ire to be brought to the Te&s;t: I advi&s;e you to Examine and Con&s;ider what I &s;ay, and I refer my Self to your own Experience and Ob&s;ervation, <HI>for Matters of Fact;</HI> and to the Scrip|tures, Primitive Ages and Creeds, for <HI>Matters of Faith.</HI></P>
<P N="46"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 48.</LABEL> If I &s;ay, <HI>That your Church, neglecting Piety, makes it her Bu&s;ine&s;s to &s;urport a Faction, and en|rich a Party,</HI> Don't I prove it, if I &s;hew that &s;he En|courages <HI>Super&s;tition,</HI> by equalling the Number of
<PB N="17" REF="10"> the Saints &s;he wor&s;hips, to tho&s;e of the Heathen Gods, and like the Pagans a&s;&s;igning to one the Guardian&s;hip of Gee&s;e, to another the Protection of Cattel, and making a Third Tutelar of a Pari&s;h, and a Fourth Patron of a Kingdom: And by u&s;ing fanta&s;tical Ceremonies, more like the <HI>Orgies</HI> of <HI>Bac|chus,</HI> than the Plain Rites of the Primitive Church&punc; And if I &s;hew that &s;he encourages Rebellion, by the Bulls of <HI>Gregory</HI> XIII. and <HI>Clement</HI> VIII. and tho&s;e of later date by <HI>Urban</HI> VIII. <HI>anno</HI> 1643. Granting a full Pardon of all Sins to the Iri&s;h Rebels, and en|couraging them to continue &s;o; and that &s;he makes Di&s;obedience to the <HI>Church</HI> a more hainous Crime than Di&s;obedience to the Commands of GOD; as the Prie&s;t found who was condemned for having a <HI>Wife,</HI> but was ab&s;olved when he proved her his <HI>Concubine;</HI> and as many of you find, who more ea&s;ily get Ab&s;olution for <HI>Stealing</HI> the Cow, than for <HI>Eating</HI> the Fle&s;h. And if I &s;hew that &s;he pre|fers the <HI>Trea&s;ures</HI> of the Church before the <HI>Merits</HI> of her Saviour, which &s;he cannot e&s;teem <HI>Infinite,</HI> if the Former is made to &s;upply the Defects of the Latter, in Delivering Souls out of <HI>Purgatory.</HI></P>
<P N="47"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 49.</LABEL> And if to this you will add what Arch|bi&s;hop <HI>Spot&s;wood</HI> has recorded. <HI>That the Scots had a Di&s;pen&s;ation to take the Oath of Supremacy, provided they thought otherwi&s;e in their Hearts, and kept in Communion with the Pope:</HI> And if you will reflect on the Extra|vagance of <HI>Di&s;pen&s;ations</HI> and <HI>Indulgences,</HI> and the Doctrines of <HI>Equivocation</HI> and <HI>Probability.</HI> you will ea&s;ily perceive that <HI>Popery</HI> is very diffe|rent from the <HI>Purity</HI> and Simplicity of the <HI>Go&s;pel,</HI> and advances Notions offen&s;ive to the Integrity of an <HI>Hone&s;t Man.</HI></P>
<P N="48"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 50.</LABEL> It is enough to make any wi&s;e Man Su&s;pect and Examine <HI>Popery,</HI> when he &s;ees that almo&s;t every <HI>Article</HI> we differ in, contributes &s;ome|thing to the <HI>Honour</HI> or <HI>Profit</HI> of the Clergy; but if be&s;ides this, we can prove the&s;e Articles <HI>New</HI> or <HI>Fal&s;e,</HI> &s;ure then we have gain'd our Point.</P>
<P N="49"><PB N="18" REF="11"> <HI>Sect.</HI> 51. will try what I can do within the Narrow Compa&s;s of a <HI>Letter,</HI> not thinking it for your Service to be more Prolix, &s;ince few have the Lei&s;ure or Patience to read <HI>Volumes:</HI> And tho&s;e who are Inqui&s;itive after Truth, may be far|ther Informed in any Point they doubt of, by &s;ome of our Learned Divines, who are more than ever to be found in every Dioce&s;s of the Kingdom.</P>
<P N="50"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 52.</LABEL> But fir&s;t let us Examine the <HI>Foundation</HI> of your Religion, as differing from ours, and try what Grounds you have for that <HI>Supremacy</HI> and <HI>Infallibility</HI> you a&s;cribe to the <HI>Pope;</HI> for if that &s;inks, the whole Fabrick will fall; <HI>Bellarmine</HI> thinks the <HI>whole of Chri&s;tianity</HI> depends upon it; and therefore &s;ure it &s;hould be well (I think <HI>Infalli|bly)</HI> proved; but in&s;tead of that, we are put off with <HI>Precarious</HI> A&s;&s;umptions, <HI>&s;train'd</HI> Argu|ments, groundle&s;s <HI>Inferences,</HI> Loo&s;e <HI>Conjectures,</HI> and <HI>Sophi&s;tical</HI> Conclu&s;ions.</P>
<P N="51"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 53.</LABEL> Your Grand Argument is, That to pre|&s;erve Unity, and prevent Confu&s;ion, <HI>A Papal Vicar</HI> and <HI>Infallible Iudge</HI> was appointed by our <HI>Saviour</HI> to determine Controver&s;ies, and Govern the <HI>Church;</HI> which is very ab&s;urd, not only be|cau&s;e our <HI>Saviour</HI> prophe&s;ied again&s;t this Unity, and that <HI>There &s;hould be Schi&s;ms and Divi&s;ions in the Church;</HI> and becau&s;e there were many <HI>Here&s;ies</HI> in the <HI>Primitive</HI> Times, which mu&s;t have been &s;oon &s;uppre&s;t, if they had <HI>Then</HI> known of this <HI>Supre|macy:</HI> But becau&s;e it is little le&s;s than Bla&s;phemy to a&s;&s;ert, That an <HI>Infinite Wi&s;dom</HI> &s;hould In&s;ti|tute <HI>Means</HI> &s;o improper and ineffectual for Attain|ing the <HI>End</HI> de&s;ign'd; &s;ince the <HI>Per&s;on</HI> and <HI>Power</HI> of this <HI>Infallible Iudge,</HI> is not at all, or &s;o ob&s;curely de&s;cribed in Scripture, that there is more difference, even among&s;t Papi&s;ts, about this <HI>Previous Article,</HI> than about all the re&s;t.</P>
<P N="52"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 54.</LABEL> But to proceed, Since you are to make out your Title to the <HI>Iuri&s;diction</HI> you claim, I de&s;ire your <HI>Prie&s;t</HI> to prove, if he can, Fir&s;t, that <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> ap|pointed
<PB N="19" REF="11"> any one <HI>Vicar</HI> or <HI>Pope</HI> to &s;ucceed him in the <HI>Supream Government</HI> of the Church, or that a Vi&s;ible Governour or Head of the <HI>Vniver&s;al Church,</HI> is nece&s;&s;ary or practicable: On the con|trary, our Saviour a&s;&s;ures us, <HI>His Kingdom is not of this World,</HI> and exhorted his Followers <HI>not to &s;trive for Preheminence as Worldlings do:</HI> And <HI>Luk.</HI> IX. 46. He rebuked their Rea&s;onings <HI>who &s;hould be greate&s;t.</HI></P>
<P N="53"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 55.</LABEL> Secondly, Let him prove that S. <HI>Peter</HI> was the <HI>Vicar</HI> or <HI>Pope</HI> &s;o appointed by our <HI>Savi|our.</HI> On the contrary, the Commi&s;&s;ion was to all the Apo&s;tles, <HI>John</HI> XX. 23. <HI>He &s;aid unto THEM, Who&s;o|ever Sins YE remit, they are remitted unto them,</HI> &amp;c. Matth. XVIII. 18. <HI>What&s;oever YE &s;hall bind on Earth, &s;hall be bound in Heaven.</HI> Matth. XXVIII. 19. <HI>Go YE therefore and teach all Nations.</HI> And S. <HI>Paul</HI> tells us, That <HI>to HIM was committed the Care of ALL THE CH&V;RCHES,</HI> That <HI>HE was not behind the very Chief|e&s;t Apo&s;tles;</HI> and <HI>HE with&s;tood</HI> Peter <HI>to his Face, be|cau&s;e he was to be blamed;</HI> and I think that the &s;ingle Text in St. <HI>Paul</HI>'s Epi&s;tle to the <HI>Galatians,</HI> Chap. II. ver&s;. 9. is of it &s;elf &s;ufficient to confute this preten|ded <HI>Supremacy:</HI> It runs thus: <HI>And when James, Ce|phas</HI> (that is, <HI>Peter) and John, who &s;eemed to be Pillars, perceived the Grace that was given to me</HI> (Paul) <HI>they gave to me</HI> (Paul) <HI>and Barnabas the right Hand of Fellow&s;hip; that we &s;hould go unto the Heathen</HI> (Romans, Grecians, <HI>&amp;c.) and they unto the Circumci&s;ion</HI> (the Jews,)</P>
<P N="54"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 56.</LABEL> Thirdly, Let him prove that <HI>Peter</HI>'s <HI>Power,</HI> whatever it were, was to go in <HI>Succe&s;|&s;ion?</HI> On the contrary, <HI>Peter</HI>'s Authority was <HI>Per|&s;onal&punc;</HI> as his Gifts and Graces for the Exerci&s;e of it were; He was filled with the <HI>Holy Gho&s;t,</HI> and &s;o was Qualified to be <HI>Chri&s;t's Vicar:</HI> No body will &s;ay &s;o of tho&s;e many Athei&s;ts, Hereticks, Bla&s;phe|mers, Sodomites and Murtherers, that have pre|tended to be his Succe&s;&s;ors.</P>
<P N="55"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 57.</LABEL> If the <HI>Supremacy</HI> was to &s;urvive <HI>Pe|ter,</HI> why &s;hould it not de&s;cend to St. <HI>John</HI> the Be|loved Apo&s;tle, who out-lived <HI>Peter</HI> many years, ra|ther
<PB N="20" REF="12"> than to the <HI>Bishop</HI> of <HI>Rome?</HI> What Title has that <HI>Bishop</HI> to it? Did our <HI>Saviour</HI> order it &s;o? Or who el&s;e did?</P>
<P N="56"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 58.</LABEL> Let your Prie&s;t &s;hew that <HI>Peter</HI> was Bi|&s;hop of <HI>Rome,</HI> and who made him &s;o: On the con|trary, being an <HI>Apo&s;tle,</HI> he could not properly be a <HI>Bishop</HI> of any particular <HI>See,</HI> any more than the <HI>King</HI> can be &s;aid to be <HI>Governour</HI> of <HI>Limrick.</HI> Be&s;ides, He was the <HI>Apo&s;tle of the Circum|ci&s;ion,</HI> or of the Jews, and &s;o could not be <HI>Bi|shop</HI> of <HI>Rome;</HI> nor can you prove he was there at all: At lea&s;t the Popi&s;h Tradition of his being there 25 years, is certainly <HI>Fal&s;e;</HI> nor have you more than a doubtful <HI>Hi&s;torical</HI> Te&s;timony of his being ever at <HI>Rome,</HI> which is not &s;ufficient for &s;uch an Important Point, upon which the whole of <HI>Po|pery</HI> does depend, and to which you require a <HI>Divine Infallible</HI> Faith.</P>
<P N="57"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 59.</LABEL> Be&s;ides, Your Learned Men do not yet agree, Whether <HI>Peter</HI> alone was Bi&s;hop of <HI>Rome,</HI> or <HI>Peter</HI> and <HI>Paul</HI> together, or who were the Imme|diate Succe&s;&s;ors to <HI>Peter;</HI> &s;o Uncertain is their Hi|&s;tory or <HI>Tradition</HI> in this matter; and if you add your received Doctrine. That want of <HI>Intention</HI> in the Prie&s;t or <HI>Bishop,</HI> makes a <HI>Nullity</HI> in the Sa|crament of <HI>Order,</HI> you cannot be &s;ure that <HI>Innocent</HI> XII. is a Bi&s;hop at all, much le&s;s Succe&s;&s;or to St. <HI>Peter.</HI></P>
<P N="58"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 60.</LABEL> Thus is the Divine and Infallible <HI>Cer|tainty</HI> you boa&s;t to have of your Religion, as di|&s;tinct from ours, built on a <HI>Supremacy</HI> which you &s;ee is &s;upported by very <HI>Improbable,</HI> if not <HI>Fal&s;e</HI> A&s;&s;ertions: But 'tis good enough for you, who are not &s;uffered to Examine the <HI>Grounds</HI> and <HI>Rea&s;ons</HI> of your <HI>Faith,</HI> but take your Religion <HI>upon Tru&s;t,</HI> and venture your <HI>Salvation</HI> upon the <HI>Opinion</HI> of others, who&s;e Bu&s;ine&s;s it is to make a hand of you, and who therefore keep you in the <HI>Dark,</HI> that they may have the better Opportunity to <HI>pick your Pockets.</HI></P>
<P N="59"><PB N="21" REF="12"> <HI>Sect.</HI> 61. But that which demon&s;trates Popery to be a <HI>Politick Contrivance</HI> is, That after &s;uch confident Pre|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ences to <HI>Supremacy</HI> and <HI>Infallibility,</HI> they are not agreed where it re&s;ides. Their Arguments and Proofs tend to make the Goverment of the Church <HI>Monarchical</HI> in the Per&s;on of the <HI>Pope,</HI> whom they pretend to be the <HI>Vicar</HI> of <HI>Ie&s;us Chri&s;t,</HI> which infers <HI>Infallibility</HI> (without which he were a dan|gerous <HI>Center of Vnity.)</HI> But wi&s;ely knowing that many of the <HI>Popes</HI> had but a very bad <HI>Faith,</HI> if one might judge it by their <HI>Works</HI> and that they were &s;o <HI>Fallible</HI> and <HI>Foolish</HI> to contradict one another, and &s;ometimes the Truth, even <HI>Ex Cathe|dra;</HI> they have dexterou&s;ly turn'd about, and Deba&s;ed the Government of the Church into a <HI>Republick,</HI> by &s;ubjecting the <HI>Pope</HI> to a <HI>General Council,</HI> and making his Holine&s;s <HI>Vicar of the Church,</HI> in&s;tead of <HI>Vicar of Chri&s;t,</HI> and by pla|cing <HI>Infallibility</HI> in the <HI>Pope and Council.</HI></P>
<P N="60"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 62.</LABEL> Nor are they of <HI>One</HI> Opinion in this <HI>Main Point;</HI> the Dioce&s;s of <HI>Rome,</HI> and the <HI>Gallican Church,</HI> have very different Notions of this matter, which has been defined both ways in their <HI>General Councils,</HI> which makes them &s;hy of Declaring their Opinion in this knotty Ca&s;e. And if you ask your <HI>Prie&s;t,</HI> he will hardly give you a plain An&s;wer to it: For fir&s;t, There has been no <HI>General Coun|cil</HI> &s;ince the Apo&s;tles time, nor can be, unle&s;s the <HI>Chri&s;tian World</HI> were under one <HI>Emperour,</HI> or &s;ome other means could be found to Summon <HI>All Nations,</HI> and and to have their Repre&s;entatives at the A&s;&s;embly. Tho&s;e which are reputed <HI>General Councils,</HI> are improperly called &s;o; not that the <HI>Whole Church</HI> was there, even by <HI>Repre&s;enta|tion,</HI> but becau&s;e their Decrees being <HI>Orthodox,</HI> were <HI>Generally</HI> Received. What then &s;hall we &s;ay to the Council of <HI>Trent,</HI> where only &s;ome of the <HI>Pope's</HI> Servants, and a very few Prelates from three or four Nations, Decreed New Articles of Faith? Is it not ab&s;urd to call it a <HI>General Coun|cil,</HI>
<PB N="22" REF="13"> when <HI>England, Ireland / Scotland / Den+mark / Sweden / Mu&s;covy</HI> / mo&s;t part of <HI>Ger|many</HI> / and the <HI>Low-Countreys</HI> / the <HI>Greek</HI> and <HI>Armeman</HI> Churches, and many others, nei|ther had a Repre&s;entative there, nor could &s;afely &s;end one.</P>
<P N="61"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 63.</LABEL> But &s;econdly, They are &s;hy of fixing the <HI>Infallibility</HI> in <HI>Pope</HI> and <HI>Council,</HI> becau&s;e it will be enough to confound that Po&s;ition, to &s;hew <HI>That a Pope and Council have Erred,</HI> or that they have <HI>Contradicted</HI> one another, for in that Ca&s;e one mu&s;t be in the wrong.</P>
<P N="62"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 64.</LABEL> And I conceive your <HI>Loyalty</HI> will not &s;uffer you to deny that <HI>Pope Innocent</HI> III. and the <HI>Council</HI> of <HI>Lateran</HI> Erred when they Decre|ed, <HI>That Princes who did not Purge their Kingdoms of Here&s;ie, &s;hould be Depo&s;ed,</HI> for this gives the <HI>Pope</HI> Power over <HI>Princes</HI> in <HI>Temporals,</HI> which &s;urely you will not approve of, th&ocirc; he put it in Practice very &s;martly again&s;t our King <HI>John,</HI> and the Emperor <HI>Otho</HI> the Fourth,</P>
<P N="63"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 65.</LABEL> Certainly <HI>Pope Liberius</HI> and the Council of <HI>Sirmium</HI> Err'd, when they decreed <HI>Arriani&s;m,</HI> for the Council of <HI>Nice</HI> has decreed (and all Chri&s;tians <HI>I</HI> hope believe) the contrary. I &s;uppo&s;e the <HI>Pope</HI> and <HI>Council</HI> of <HI>Lateran</HI> Er|red in advancing the <HI>Pope</HI> above the Council; if not, the <HI>Popes</HI> and General Councils of <HI>Con|&s;tance</HI> and <HI>Ba&s;il</HI> Erred in putting the Council above the Pope, and &s;o did the <HI>French Church. Anno,</HI> 1682.</P>
<P N="64"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 66.</LABEL> Without doubt either the Second <HI>Ni|cene Council</HI> Erred in decreeing the Wor&s;hip of Images; or the General Councils of <HI>Con&s;tanti|nople</HI> and <HI>Francfort</HI> (at which la&s;t there were 300 Prelates and the Popes Legates) Erred in Decree|ing the contrary: Surely Pope <HI>Vigilius</HI> Erred in Confirming the Fifth General Council, or el&s;e he Err'd afterward in Condemning it; and &s;o did Pope <HI>Adrian</HI> and the Sixth General Council, when
<PB N="23" REF="13"> they defined <HI>that Marriage was Di&s;olv'd by Here&s;ie.</HI> or el&s;e the Council of <HI>Trent</HI> Err'd in Defining the contrary.</P>
<P N="65"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 67.</LABEL> But 'tis not my Bu&s;ine&s;s to Examine which was in the Wrong: One of them was, &s;ince they Decreed contrary to each other, and that is enough to prove, <HI>That a Pope and General Council are not Infallible</HI> / for they have actually Err'd and no Argument like matter of Fact. And &s;ure the <HI>French</HI> are of this Opinion, el&s;e why did they refu&s;e to receive <HI>the Council of Trent?</HI> Nay, Our Forefathers were of this Opinion: For the Cannons of General Councils were not of Force in <HI>England,</HI> but &s;uch as the Government were plea&s;ed to Receive, and thereby give them the Sanction of Laws.</P>
<P N="66"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 68.</LABEL> But there is yet a matter more Artificial to be con&s;idered; and that is, that &s;ome <HI>General Councils</HI> are in part <HI>Approved</HI> / and in part <HI>Re|probated:</HI> As if they &s;hould &s;ay, <HI>The Council was a&s;|&s;i&s;ted part of the way, and then left in the lurch.</HI> If they think &s;uch a <HI>General Council</HI> was not <HI>Divinely In|&s;pir'd,</HI> how dare they impo&s;e any of its Decrees on the Church, as matter of Faith <HI>Divinely Reveal'd?</HI> If the Council was <HI>Divinely In&s;pir'd,</HI> why do they Reprobate or Reject any of its Decrees? Is not this plainly to make u&s;e of <HI>what &s;erves their pur|po&s;e</HI> / and to di&s;countenance, how Unju&s;tly &s;oever, every thing that <HI>makes again&s;t their V&s;urpations.</HI></P>
<P N="67"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 69.</LABEL> But 'tis yet wor&s;e, if the Canons of any Council, have been Rejected by one Pope, and afterwards approved by another. For this were <HI>To hold th&egrave; faith in re&s;pect of Times, as well as Per&s;ons,</HI> and to In&s;inuate that the &s;ame Doctrine that is <HI>fal&s;e</HI> to <HI>day,</HI> may be <HI>True</HI> to <HI>Morrow;</HI> and yet 'tis cer|tain that 102 Canons of The Council of <HI>Trullo</HI> (or <HI>Con&s;tantinople)</HI> were Rejected by Pope <HI>Ser|gius</HI> 1. And afterwards, Many of (them and par|ticularly the 82d. Canon) were Received by Pope <HI>Adrian,</HI> 1. and the 7th Synod, and now allowed by the <HI>Romi&s;h Church.</HI></P>
<P N="68"><PB N="24" REF="14"> <HI>Sect.</HI> 70. But I promis'd to &s;hew, That the Arti+cles wherein you differ from us, are either <HI>Fal&s;e</HI> or <HI>New</HI> / or <HI>Both</HI> / I &s;hall endeavour to perform it as fully as my de&s;igned Brevity will permit. An<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> fir&s;t for <HI>Tran&s;ub&s;tantiation</HI> / it was not thought o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> in the Primitive Times, till the Raptures and Flo|rid Expre&s;&s;ions of &s;ome of the <HI>Fathers</HI> / gave Handle to &s;ucceeding Ages to advance this <HI>Mon+&s;trous Doctrine</HI> / which was made an Article o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> Faith in the Council of <HI>Lateran</HI> / <HI>Anno.</HI> 1215. An<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> 'tis upon the &s;ame &s;core, that &s;ome have had th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> Confidence to quote even <HI>Prote&s;tant Doctors</HI> fo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> this Tenent who expre&s;ly wrote again&s;t it, an<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> could not &s;u&s;pect that any Body would be &s;o <HI>Vn+fair</HI> to rai&s;e Con&s;equences from loo&s;e and Meta|phorical Expre&s;&s;ions, directly <HI>contrary</HI> to the Po|&s;ition they a&s;&s;erted.</P>
<P N="69"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 71.</LABEL> 'Tis needle&s;s to &s;ay 'tis <HI>Fal&s;e,</HI> becau&s;e your Sen&s;es demon&s;trate it to be &s;o: It involves a thou&s;and <HI>Contradictions,</HI> and con&s;equently &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> many <HI>Lyes;</HI> 'Tis hard to think you ca<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> believe it, becau&s;e your Sen&s;es contradict wha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> you pretend to believe: Will any Man &s;ay tha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> our Ble&s;&s;ed <HI>Saviour,</HI> when he In&s;tituted this Sacra|ment did eat <HI>Him&s;elf,</HI> or put his <HI>Whole Body</HI> into his <HI>Mouth?</HI> The Apo&s;tles &s;aw he <HI>did not,</HI> an<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> therefore could not believe he <HI>did:</HI> One might as well &s;ay, that the <HI>Hou&s;e</HI> may run out at the <HI>Win|dows;</HI> or as you do, That S <HI>Denis</HI> being Behead|ed carried his <HI>Head</HI> in his <HI>Hands;</HI> as to &s;ay, Tha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> our <HI>Saviour,</HI> who was a <HI>Man</HI> (like us in every thing but Sin) could eat <HI>Him&s;elf,</HI> or be devour'd by the <HI>Apo&s;tles,</HI> whil&s;t he &s;at well, and &s;ound, and <HI>Entire</HI> / among them at the Table.</P>
<P N="70"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 72.</LABEL> In &s;hort, The End of Arguments is to drive your Opponent to an <HI>Ab&s;urdity;</HI> but he that believes <HI>Tran&s;ub&s;tantiation</HI> admits of all <HI>Ab|&s;urdities</HI> in the World, &s;o that there is no Arguing with him. He is Re&s;olute in adhering to the Sen|timents of the <HI>Prie&s;t,</HI> (which he calls the <HI>Church)</HI>
<PB N="25" REF="14"> right or wrong; and if he tells you that <HI>Black</HI> is <HI>White,</HI> that <HI>Vertue</HI> is <HI>Vice,</HI> or as Pope <HI>Zachary</HI> did the Bi&s;hop of <HI>Saltsburg,</HI> that there are no <HI>Antipodes,</HI> 'tis to no purp&s;e to offer Rea&s;on or Demon&s;tration to the contrary.</P>
<P N="71"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 73</LABEL> So that 'tis not <HI>Faith,</HI> but <HI>Negligence, Fear</HI> / or <HI>Intere&s;t</HI> / that makes Men &s;wallow the&s;e Impious <HI>Contradictions,</HI> That a Man <HI>&s;ix foot</HI> high is contain'd in a Wafer an <HI>Inch</HI> broad, and may be devour'd by a little Mou&s;e at one Meal: That what you know and &s;ee to be <HI>Bread,</HI> &s;hould be really and corporally <HI>Fle&s;h</HI> and <HI>Bones:</HI> That the &s;ame Man &s;hould Corporally and Individually be in Ten Thou&s;and Places at once, without Cir|cum&s;cription which is in effect to deny the Hu|manity of <HI>Chri&s;t.</HI></P>
<P N="72"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 74.</LABEL> And all this without any <HI>Ground</HI> or <HI>Nece&s;&s;ity:</HI> For the &s;ame <HI>IESVS</HI> that &s;aid, <HI>This is my Body</HI> / &s;aid he was a <HI>Vine</HI> / a <HI>Door&punc;</HI> &amp;c. and that the <HI>Cup</HI> was his <HI>Blood:</HI> But becau&s;e common Rea&s;on obliges us to take words in a <HI>Metaphorical</HI> &s;en&s;e, when there is plain <HI>Ab&s;urdi|ty</HI> and Contradiction in the <HI>Literal</HI> Expre&s;&s;ion, therefore no Man was ever &s;o ridiculous as to think that our <HI>Saviour</HI> was a <HI>Vine,</HI> or a <HI>Door,</HI> literally and really; and yet the Authority is as expre&s;s, and as &s;trong, as it is for a Bit of <HI>Bread</HI> to be his <HI>Body.</HI></P>
<P N="73"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 75.</LABEL> To conclude this Point: There is no Compari&s;on between the Evidence of our <HI>Sen&s;es</HI> and of our <HI>Rea&s;on</HI> / The former Give more <HI>Cer|tainty,</HI> and are le&s;s Subject to Delu&s;ion, Fallacy or Mi&s;take, and therefore &s;hould Govern the latter, when both are Incon&s;i&s;tent. And &s;ince nothing can reach the <HI>Vnder&s;tanding</HI> but by the <HI>Sences</HI> How can one form and believe any <HI>Conception</HI> of a thing different from the <HI>Sence</HI> he has of it; It follows hence that th&ocirc; one may be per|&s;waded by Argument or Authority to believe My&s;teries <HI>above his Capacity,</HI> and which he does not Under&s;tand or Comprehend, when he knows
<PB N="26" REF="15"> nothing to the contrary; yet 'tis impo&s;&s;ible that a Man can believe any thing <HI>contrary</HI> to his <HI>Know|ledge,</HI> and to what his Sen&s;es perceive. 'Tis probable an Ignorant fellow may be per&s;waded that a Clock can Tell the Hour of the Day, tho' he cannot conceive how an Inanimate Thing &s;hould be capable of &s;o doing; but the be&s;t Sophi&s;ter in the World Would never per&s;wade that Man, (how Ignorant &s;oever,) that the <HI>Clock</HI> is a <HI>Hor&s;e</HI> / or that a Bit of <HI>Bread</HI> is a <HI>Man</HI> / becau&s;e he &s;ees and knows the contrary.</P>
<P N="74"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 76.</LABEL> In like manner when the Prie&s;t has &s;aid all he can for Tran&s;ub&s;tantiation, what does he more than vye weak and &s;ophi&s;tical Arguments that at be&s;t are but <HI>Probable,</HI> again&s;t that <HI>Certainty</HI> and Demon&s;tration my Sen&s;es give me of his be|ing mi&s;taken; He cannot be more <HI>&s;ure</HI> of any thing, than I am of the fal&s;ity of that Doctrine. And indeed, one would think they do not believe it them&s;elves, unle&s;s they would venture on a <HI>Poy&s;on'd Wafer;</HI> which notwith&s;tanding their pretence of Tran&s;ub&s;tantiation, was fatal to Pope <HI>Victor</HI> 3. and will prove &s;o to all that dare try the Experiment,</P>
<P N="75"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 77.</LABEL> As for <HI>Purgatory</HI> (which to this mi|nute the Papi&s;ts can give no Account of nor tell where to place it; and which cannot be a Traditon of the Univer&s;al Church, &s;ince the <HI>Greek</HI> Church, which is as Antient as the <HI>Roman,</HI> never believ'd it) 'Tis a <HI>Novelty</HI> directly again&s;t Scripture, which a&s;&s;ures us, That <HI>where the Tree falls there it lies, Eccl<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> XI. 3. It was introduced Authoritatively of late years, and calculated meerly for getting Money&punc; You may find the de&s;cription of it in the Sixth Book of <HI>Virgil</HI>'s <HI>Aeneads,</HI> and in Mr. <HI>Sullevan'<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> Hi&s;tory of <HI>Ireland.</HI> But it &s;eems there are mor<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>Purgatories</HI> than one, or el&s;e no Cheat is to<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> gro&s;s to put upon the <HI>Iri&s;h;</HI> for they were told&punc; and did believe for &s;ome Ages, that S. <HI>Patrick</HI> ha<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"> a Purgatory at <HI>Loghdirge</HI> in the County o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">
<PB N="27" REF="15"> <HI>Donegall,</HI> until the Lords Ju&s;tices undeceiv'd them, by digging open that Cave, <HI>Anno.</HI> 1630.</P>
<P N="76"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 78.</LABEL> This Doctrine of <HI>Purgatory,</HI> which Father <HI>Barns</HI> confe&s;&s;es, cannot be deduced from Scriptures, Fathers, or Councils, is Bla&s;phemous, in repre&s;enting the Merciful GOD as a <HI>Cruel</HI> Spirit, delighting in our Mi&s;ery, and in derogat|ing from the Value of our Ble&s;&s;ed <HI>Saviour</HI>'s Merits, Mediation and Pa&s;&s;ion, as if they were not <HI>&s;ufficient</HI> to clean&s;e us from our Sins upon &s;eri|ous Repentance without &s;uffering Pains in <HI>Purga|tory.</HI></P>
<P N="77"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 79.</LABEL> But either this Purgatory Pain is Indi|&s;pen&s;ible or not; if Di&s;pen&s;ible, &s;ure our Saviour's Pa&s;&s;ion and Mediation is &s;ufficient; for as St. <HI>John</HI> &s;ays, 1 <HI>Joh.</HI> I. 7, <HI>The Blood of Chri&s;t clean&s;eth us from all Sin.</HI> If it be not Di&s;pen&s;ible what &s;ignify the <HI>Ma&s;&s;es</HI> and Prayers of the <HI>Prie&s;t?</HI></P>
<P N="78"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 80.</LABEL> Be&s;ides, If their <HI>Ma&s;&s;es</HI> and Prayers have any Vertue, why are they &s;o Uncharitable to &s;ell them for Money, as if none but the <HI>Rich</HI> were de&s;ign'd to be Saved, and the <HI>Poor</HI> were to have no Benefit of this <HI>Priviledge</HI></P>
<P N="79"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 81.</LABEL> As for <HI>Praying to Saints</HI> (which they ju&s;tifie by comparing it to <HI>Courtiers</HI> here, whom every Man &s;trives to make his Friends, that they may promote his Petition to the <HI>Prince.)</HI> It is plain <HI>giving the Glory of</HI> GOD <HI>to another,</HI> &s;ince <HI>Re|ligious Prayer</HI> is Undoubtedly a part of <HI>Divine Worship,</HI> and ought not to be made, but to <HI>Him that &s;earches the Heart;</HI> nor can it be heard in &s;o many di&s;tant Places at once by any thing but the Omnipotent and <HI>Omni&s;cient</HI> GOD: For Abra|ham <HI>is Ignorant of us, and</HI> I&s;rael <HI>knows us not, I&s;a.</HI> LXIII. 16. And accordingly the Primitive Fathers argued the Divinity of the <HI>Son&punc;</HI> and <HI>Holy Gho&s;t</HI> again&s;t the <HI>Arrians</HI> and <HI>Macedoni|ans,</HI> by the Practi&s;e of the Catholick Church to <HI>pray to them;</HI> which had been a very Impertinent Argument, if the <HI>Church</HI> at that time had u&s;ed to <HI>Pray to Saints.</HI></P>
<P N="80"><PB N="28" REF="16"> <HI>Sect.</HI> 82. Be&s;ides, GOD has not <HI>Infirmities</HI> and <HI>Pa&s;&s;ions</HI> / as <HI>Princes</HI> have, to be wrought on by <HI>Favourites;</HI> nor is any Man denied Acce&s;s to GOD, as in the Courts of <HI>Princes:</HI> But on the contrary, every one is <HI>Invited</HI> and Encourged to Addre&s;s to <HI>Him</HI> / who has appointed a <HI>Mediator</HI> for us, even the Ble&s;&s;ed <HI>JESUS, who maketh Interce&s;|&s;ion for us, and what we ask in his Name he will give us,</HI> Rom. VIII. 34.</P>
<P N="81"><HI>Sect</HI> 83. Be&s;ides, What <HI>Certainty</HI> have you (and nothing le&s;s will &s;uffice) That &s;ome of Tho&s;e you Invocate as <HI>Saints,</HI> are now in Heaven? <HI>Thomas Becket</HI> / whom you call a <HI>Martyr</HI> / others think to be an ob&s;tinate Rebel, and a <HI>Traytor;</HI> and yet your Oblations at his Shrine in <HI>Canterbury,</HI> were twenty times as much, as to the <HI>Ble&s;&s;ed Virgin</HI> / and an hundred times more than to our Saviour <HI>Chri&s;t.</HI></P>
<P N="82"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 84.</LABEL> Moreover this Doctrine was not known in the Church in the three fir&s;t Centuries: There are no foot&s;teps of it, &s;ays <HI>Cardinal Perron,</HI> either in the Scriptures, or the Fathers, before the fir&s;t four General Councils. It took its ri&s;e <HI>Anno</HI> 364. from an Expre&s;&s;ion of <HI>Gregory Nazianzen,</HI> which de&s;igned no &s;uch Innovation: Why then will you not avoid the danger and Scandal of This Novel|ty, &s;ince there is none in pretermitting the Saints, and Praying to the Ble&s;&s;ed <HI>JESUS,</HI> who you are &s;ure is in Heaven, and both can and will hear you.</P>
<P N="83"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 85</LABEL> Wor&s;hiping of <HI>Images</HI> and Relicks is another <HI>Novelty,</HI> introduc'd by the &s;econd <HI>Nicene Council</HI> and condemned by the Council&punc; of <HI>Frankford:</HI> Your own <HI>Polido<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">e Virgil,</HI> a&s;&s;ures us the Antient Fathers condemned it for fear of Idolatry, <HI>Omnes fere veteres &s;ancti Patres damnabunt Imaginum adorationem propter metum&punc; Idolatriae.</HI> It is al&s;o directly contrary to the <HI>Second Command|ment,</HI> which therefore you leave out of your Catechi&s;ms, and to keep up the number divide the Tenth Commandment into Two: Nothing
<PB N="29" REF="16"> can be more odd than to poject an Image of a thing <HI>Incomprehen&s;ible;</HI> but to fall down and wor&s;hip the Workman&s;hip of your own hands, is certainly as gro&s;s Idolatry as any of the Heathens ever committed, in wor&s;hiping Leeks and Onyons: Nor will the fanciful di&s;tinction of <HI>Latria</HI> and <HI>Du|leia, Relative</HI> and <HI>Po&s;itive,</HI> mend the matter; &s;ince it cannot be conceiv'd that the Heathen Philo|&s;ophers could take tho&s;e <HI>Inammate</HI> Creatures for <HI>Gods:</HI> And if tho&s;e Di&s;tinctions were material, yet they can avail the <HI>common People</HI> but little, &s;ince they do not under&s;tand them, and con&s;e|quently fall into <HI>Idolatry</HI> every Day.</P>
<P N="84"><HI>Sect</HI> 86. To wor&s;hip Carrion, or a dead Carca&s;e, is an Unnatural Impiety; but 'tis yet wor&s;e when one is deceiv'd in the Object, as were tho&s;e of <HI>Ge|neva,</HI> who for a long time wor&s;hip'd that for part of St. <HI>Anthony</HI>'s Arm, which was afterwards found to be <HI>the Bone of a Stag:</HI> And tho&s;e in the Le|gend of St. <HI>Martin,</HI> who wor&s;hip'd a <HI>Damn'd Soul</HI> with high Devotion, mi&s;taking him for a <HI>Saint</HI> in Heaven; And tho&s;e meant by the Anci|ent <HI>Doctor,</HI> when he &s;aid, <HI>Multorum Corpora Ado|rantur in Terris quorum Animae Cruciantur in Inferis.</HI></P>
<P N="85"><HI>Scect.</HI> 87. Nor is it le&s;s &s;tupidity to adore a piece of Wood, as you do the <HI>Cro&s;s;</HI> to &s;wear by it, and to pray to it, as you do on <HI>Good Friday,</HI> to <HI>&s;trengthen the Righteous, and pardon the Guilty:</HI> Hence 'tis that the Legate's <HI>Cro&s;s</HI> precedes the Emperor's <HI>Sword,</HI> becau&s;e <HI>Divine Honour</HI> is paid to the former. In a word, There is much <HI>Danger,</HI> and great <HI>Offence</HI> in this Practice, and therefore you ought to lay a&s;ide this pernicious <HI>Novelty.</HI></P>
<P N="86"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 88.</LABEL> As for the <HI>Communion,</HI> 'Tis beyond doubt that your Religion is <HI>New</HI> in that Particular of Denying the Cup to the Layety; for 'tis cer|tain, and you dare not deny, <HI>That it was not &s;o from the beginning;</HI> for our Saviour in&s;tituted the Sacrament in both kinds. He commanded us to <HI>Drink</HI> of the Cup, which no Man can properly be
<PB N="30" REF="17"> &s;aid to do, when he <HI>Eats</HI> the Wafer, even &s;uppo|&s;ing whole <HI>Chri&s;t</HI> to be contain'd therein. But to what purpo&s;e &s;hall we argue longer on this point, &s;ince the very <HI>Council</HI> that prohibits it, confe&s;&s;es that the <HI>In&s;titution of Chri&s;t.</HI> and the Practice of the <HI>Primitive Church,</HI> was to the contrary.</P>
<P N="87"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 89.</LABEL> How weak is your An&s;wer, <HI>That the Church thought it convenient?</HI> As if the Ble&s;&s;ed JESUS were not a better Judge of Conveniencies than the <HI>Pope</HI> and <HI>Cardinals?</HI> Pray Gentlemen con&s;ider who has the <HI>Antient Religion,</HI> and who is likely to be in the right on't: We follow the Order and In&s;titution of <HI>JESUS CHRIST,</HI> and you do quite contrary, in obedience to the <HI>Pope,</HI> and to <HI>Rea&s;on of State.</HI></P>
<P N="88"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 90.</LABEL> 'Tis ju&s;t &s;o in the next Article of the <HI>Marriage of Prie&s;ts;</HI> GOD Almighty In&s;tituted Marriage, and you &s;ay made it a <HI>Sacrament:</HI> The Apo&s;tles advi&s;e it to all who can't contain: St. <HI>Pe|ter</HI> him&s;elf was a Married Man, and the Scripture mentions his <HI>Wive's Mother:</HI> Your Apo&s;tle St. <HI>Pa|trick</HI> was the Son of <HI>Potitus</HI> a Prie&s;t, and the Pri|mitive Clergy knew no Prohibition in this ca&s;e: On the contrary, many of them were Married: And St. <HI>Paul</HI> allows a Bi&s;hop to be <HI>the Husband of one Wife:</HI> How then can you pretend that your Re|ligion is <HI>Antient</HI> in this particular?</P>
<P N="89"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 91.</LABEL> The Truth is, When the Foundations of <HI>Eccle&s;ia&s;tical Empire</HI> were laid in <HI>Cozening</HI> and <HI>Deceiving</HI> the People, it was nece&s;&s;ary to for|bid Marriage to <HI>Tho&s;e</HI> who were to be the <HI>Mana|gers</HI> and In&s;truments of the <HI>Cheat,</HI> that they might be the more zealous therein, when they had no <HI>Wives</HI> or <HI>Children</HI> to &s;uffer by the <HI>Fraud.</HI></P>
<P N="90"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 92.</LABEL> Proceed we next to <HI>Auricular Con|fe&s;&s;ion&punc;</HI> and we &s;hall find it a <HI>New</HI> Trick to di&s;co|ver Secrets, and add value to the Prie&s;t. Nothing is more groundle&s;s than that Practi&s;e, as 'tis us'd in the <HI>Roman</HI> Church; &s;ince neither CHRIST or|dain'd it, nor the <HI>Ancient Church us'd it / </HI> as <HI>Era&s;|mus</HI>
<PB N="31" REF="17"> confe&s;&s;es, 'Tis one thing to con&s;ult your Pa|&s;tor in difficult Ca&s;es, and another thing to tell him all that you do, If the Confe&s;&s;ion were <HI>Publick,</HI> it might give <HI>Reparation</HI> to the Party injur'd, it might purge the A&s;&s;embly from the <HI>Scandal</HI> of &s;uch a Member; the &s;hame of it might contribute to his <HI>Mortification</HI> and Repentance: But this private <HI>Shrift</HI> to one that is bound to conceal it&punc; can have no other effect but to give the Prie&s;t <HI>Intelligence,</HI> that he may be the better able to compa&s;s his own <HI>De&s;igns,</HI> and tho&s;e of his Church.</P>
<P N="91"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 93.</LABEL> La&s;tly, Your Religion is <HI>New,</HI> Up|&s;tart and Erronious, in forbidding the People to read <HI>Scripture,</HI> for fear (&s;ay you) they &s;hould im|bibe <HI>Here&s;ie;</HI> which is ju&s;t &s;uch weak Rea&s;oning as his, that Refu&s;ed to give his Child Meat, for fear he &s;hould be <HI>choak'd,</HI> and &s;o &s;uffer'd him to be <HI>&s;tarv'd.</HI></P>
<P N="92"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 94.</LABEL> But if this were a Rea&s;on, it would ex|tend to forbid Scripture to the <HI>Clergy,</HI> &s;ince they have been the Broachers of mo&s;t Here&s;ies; <HI>Mar|cion, Paulus Samo&s;atenus, Arius, Eunomius, Apollina|ris, Macedonius, Photinus, Ne&s;torius, Eutiches, Pelagius, Novatius, Donatus,</HI> and many more Notorious He|reticks, having been in <HI>Holy Orders.</HI></P>
<P N="93"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 95.</LABEL> Has not the Spirit of GOD publi&s;hed the <HI>Scriptures</HI> for the U&s;e of all Chri&s;tians? Is not the Reading of them enjoyn'd by GOD Almighty, that <HI>we may come to</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 2. 4.</NOTE> <HI>the Knowledge of the Truth?</HI> Are not tho&s;e commended that <HI>Search the</HI> <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 20. 31.</NOTE> <HI>Scriptures?</HI> Is it not in them that we have <HI>Eternal Life?</HI> Is there not in the <NOTE PLACE="marg">John 5. 39. Rom. 10. 17. &amp; 15, 4. Heb. 5. 14. 2 Tim. 3. 15.</NOTE> <HI>Scriptures</HI> as well <HI>Milk</HI> for <HI>Babes,</HI> as <HI>Meat</HI> for &s;trong Men? And are not they <HI>able to make us wi&s;e to Salvation?</HI> How then dare you to contradict the <HI>Po&s;itive</HI> Commands of of GOD, and the De&s;ign of the Holy GHOST, upon <HI>vain</HI> Fears, and <HI>frivolous</HI> Pretences, meerly
<PB N="32" REF="18"> to keep the People in <HI>Ignorance</HI> / that they may be the more ea&s;ily <HI>En&s;lav'd</HI> and Impos'd upon.</P>
<P N="94"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 96.</LABEL> I have not room to enlarge on the ma|ny other <HI>Novelties</HI> you have introduced into <HI>Reli|gion</HI> / and therefore &s;hall only give a &s;hort hint of your declaring the <HI>Apocrppha</HI> to be <HI>Canonical</HI> by the Council of <HI>Trent,</HI> which was otherwi&s;e e&s;teem'd by <HI>Origen, Athana&s;ius, Epiphanius,</HI> and the Ancient Fathers; and of your <HI>Seven</HI> Sacraments, which were fir&s;t defin'd &s;o in the Council of <HI>Florence, An|no</HI> 1438. and of your &s;candalous Practice of <HI>In|dulgences</HI> /, introduced by <HI>Clement</HI> VI. <HI>Anno</HI> 1350. whereby you have <HI>Traffiqu'd</HI> for the <HI>Grace of GOD</HI> / and Erected a <HI>Market</HI> for the <HI>Remi&s;&s;ion of Sins:</HI> And of your Doctrine of <HI>Merit</HI> and <HI>Supererrogation</HI> / invented to rai&s;e an <HI>Imagina|ry Trea&s;ure</HI> in the Church / to bring in <HI>Real Trea&s;ure</HI> to the <HI>Church-men,</HI> directly contrary to every Man's <HI>Experience</HI> / and the <HI>Holy Scrip|tures</HI> / which a&s;&s;ures us, that at the be&s;t <HI>We are but Unprofitab'e Servants.</HI> And of your Prayers in an <HI>Vnknown Tongue</HI> / directly contrary to the Apo|&s;tles Direction, 1 <HI>Cor.</HI> XIV. 16. <HI>How &s;hall the Un|learned &s;ay Amen at thy giving of Thanks, &s;eeing he un|der&s;tandeth not what thou &s;ayest?</HI> And ver&s;. 19. <HI>In the Church I had rather &s;peak five words with my Under&s;tand|ing, that by my Voice I might teach others al&s;o, than Ten Thou&s;and Words in an Unknown Tongue.</HI></P>
<P N="95"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 97.</LABEL> Thus, Gentlemen, you &s;ee that you have no Foundation in <HI>Scripture,</HI> and but vain Pre|tences of <HI>Antiquity,</HI> for tho&s;e <HI>Articles</HI> that have been Impos'd upon you: And therefore your Church has &s;et up <HI>Traditions</HI> / that is, <HI>Reports</HI> and <HI>Tales</HI> coyn'd for their purpo&s;e, to be the <HI>Ca|non</HI> and <HI>Rule of Faith,</HI> not regarding the Wo pro|nounc'd again&s;t tho&s;e who &s;hould <HI>add to,</HI> or <HI>di|minish from, the Canonical Word of GOD.</HI> 'Tis true, the <HI>Vniver&s;al</HI> Tradition and Practice of <HI>All Churches,</HI> and in <HI>All Ages,</HI> de&s;erves great Re|&s;pect, and we accordingly give it, in the Ob&s;erva|tion
<PB N="33" REF="18"> of the Lords Day <HI>(Sunday)</HI> and in Baptizing <HI>Infants.</HI> But to argue from hence, That the <HI>Traditions,</HI> Reports and Inventions of any Sect, Faction, or <HI>Particular Church,</HI> ought to be deem'd Evidence for it &s;elf, is the mo&s;t Sophi&s;tical Infe|rence that can be, and directly again&s;t the Apo&s;tles Advice, <HI>Not to think of Men above that which is written</HI> 2 Cor VI. 6.</P>
<P N="96"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 98.</LABEL> How much &s;afer is it to rely upon the <HI>Holy Scriptures,</HI> which being dictated by the <HI>HOLY GHOST,</HI> are <HI>Infallible</HI> and <HI>Divine,</HI> and cannot Deceive?</P>
<P N="97"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 99.</LABEL> But &s;ay you, We may be mi&s;taken in the <HI>Interpretation;</HI> and &s;o you may in the Inter|pretation of any Rule of Faith, Traditions, De|crees of Councils, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> Yet &s;till you mu&s;t judge for your &s;elf the be&s;t you can, with &s;uch Helps as you can get, <HI>Exerci&s;ing your Sen&s;es to di&s;cern Good and Evil,</HI> Heb. V. 14.</P>
<P N="98"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 100.</LABEL> Were the <HI>Scriptures</HI> Intelligible to the <HI>Hearers</HI> to whom our <HI>Saviour</HI> and the <HI>Apo&s;tles</HI> preach'd them? If not, to what purpo&s;e were they preach'd? If they were then Intelligible, are they now become otherwi&s;e by being <HI>Written?</HI> Or if they are, what need we go to Particulars and Ni|ceties? Will not an Implicit Faith in the <HI>Scrip|tures</HI> &s;erve, as well as the like Faith in the <HI>Church?</HI></P>
<P N="99"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 101.</LABEL> Neverthele&s;s I allow an <HI>Orthodox Church</HI> to be a great Help and good Guide in Ex|plaining Scripture, but how will you <HI>choo&s;e</HI> this Church, but by the Notes and Characters of it in Scripture, wherein the <HI>Church</HI> (till you are of it) can give you no A&s;&s;i&s;tance? To what purpo&s;e do you publi&s;h <HI>Notes of the Church,</HI> and <HI>Argu|ments</HI> for it, but to convince our Judgments? You may as well propo&s;e them to a Hor&s;e as to a Man, if he may not u&s;e his Under&s;tanding to di&s;tingui&s;h. If then we mu&s;t tru&s;t our <HI>Iudgments</HI> in choo&s;ing <HI>what Church we will be of,</HI> we may as well tru&s;t them in Points le&s;s material.</P>
<P N="100"><PB N="34" REF="19"> <HI>Sect.</HI> 102. I &s;aid, <HI>An Orthodox Church is a good Guide:</HI> But how &s;hall we find it? Even by this Mark, <HI>That its Doctrine is con&s;onant to the Holy Scriptures, and its main de&s;ign is the Glory of GOD, and the Salvation of Souls:</HI> It does not countenance Un|ju&s;tifiable Means of gaining Pro&s;elytes, nor Encou|rage <HI>Evil,</HI> that <HI>Good may come of it.</HI> On the contrary, the <HI>Church</HI> of <HI>Rome</HI> u&s;es a Thou&s;and Ar|tifices and <HI>Pious Frauds:</HI> Sometimes frightning you with Super&s;titious Bugbears, otherwhiles rai|&s;ing your Hopes upon fal&s;e Notions and groundle&s;s Expectations; and where her <HI>Subtilty</HI> fails, her <HI>Cruelty</HI> &s;upplies a Mercile&s;s Inqui&s;ition, to <HI>force</HI> Tho&s;e &s;he cannot otherwi&s;e <HI>per&s;wade,</HI> to &s;ubmit to her <HI>Tyranny,</HI> and promote her <HI>Grandeur.</HI></P>
<P N="101"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 103.</LABEL> Let's try her <HI>Sincerity</HI> in the Topicks made u&s;e of to deceive you, and keep you in her Communion: 1&s;t. They &s;ay you are an <HI>Irish|man,</HI> and ought manfully to &s;upport a <HI>National</HI> Quarrel. 2dly, That your <HI>Intere&s;t,</HI> and Hopes of Recovering your lo&s;t E&s;tate, &s;hould render you in&s;eparable from <HI>Popery.</HI> 3dly, That your <HI>Loy|alty</HI> to K. <HI>James</HI> &s;hould oblige you. 4thly, That <HI>Popery</HI> is the <HI>Ancient Religion.</HI> 5thly, That 'tis the Religion of your <HI>Forefathers.</HI> 6thly, That there is but <HI>One Faith,</HI> and <HI>One Church,</HI> which is that of <HI>Rome.</HI> 7thly, That <HI>Popery</HI> is the <HI>Sa|fer Religion</HI> And 8thly, That 'tis not Honour|able to <HI>change</HI> your Religion. All which <HI>I</HI> &s;hall endeavour to prove Fallacious or Fal&s;e.</P>
<P N="102"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 104.</LABEL> The Fir&s;t is partly An&s;wered <HI>Sect.</HI> 32. where it appears you are of <HI>English</HI> Extraction; but 'twill be a full An&s;wer to &s;ay, That we have no <HI>National</HI> Quarrel again&s;t you, mo&s;t of us having been born in this <HI>Nation;</HI> nor do we look upon you, when you come over to the <HI>English Inte|re&s;t and Religion,</HI> to be other than <HI>Englishmen;</HI> as you may &s;ee in the Noble Families of the Earls of <HI>Thomond</HI> and <HI>In&s;iquine,</HI> and many others, as <HI>Mac|guire, Coughlan,</HI> &amp;c. Between whom and tho&s;e
<PB N="35" REF="19"> of <HI>English Extraction,</HI> no manner of difference <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">s made.</P>
<P N="103"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 105.</LABEL> To the &s;econd <HI>I</HI> &s;ay, It does not con|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ern &s;uch of you as are <HI>Re&s;tor'd</HI> or in <HI>Po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion,</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">or the Bulk of the <HI>common People,</HI> who would get nothing but more <HI>Tyrannical</HI> Ma&s;ters, if the <HI>Old Irish</HI> were Re&s;tor'd; nor the <HI>Merchants, Lawyers, Phy&s;icians</HI> and <HI>Gentlemen</HI> that lo&s;t no E&s;tates; why then &s;hould <HI>T<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">e&s;e</HI> &s;uffer them&s;elves <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">o be us'd as the <HI>Cat's Paw</HI> was by the <HI>Monkey</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">n the Fable, and let their own Fingers be burnt to <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">ull <HI>Nuts</HI> out of the <HI>Fire</HI> of Rebellion, for the Prie&s;t and the old Proprietor to eat? 'Tis certain|<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">y therefore the <HI>Intere&s;t</HI> of all the&s;e to live in Peace, and &s;ee Them&s;elves and their Country pro&s;per and flouri&s;h, and to contribute to it by their <HI>Conformi|ty</HI> to the Excellent <HI>Laws</HI> and Pure <HI>Religion</HI> therein E&s;tabli&s;hed. Nay, the <HI>Old Proprietor,</HI> if he has any Grace, Hone&s;ty or Bowels, will rather delight to &s;ee his <HI>Country</HI> United and Settled in <HI>Peace</HI> and <HI>True Religion,</HI> and &s;eek for <HI>New</HI> Purcha&s;es by his Indu&s;try, than endeavour to put it in a <HI>flame,</HI> and hazard him&s;elf and his Friends upon <HI>vain</HI> and ima|ginary <HI>Hopes.</HI> But as for the <HI>Prie&s;ts,</HI> I know them &s;o well, and their love of <HI>Gain,</HI> that I have no hopes to convert them, without a <HI>Pen&s;ion&punc;</HI></P>
<P N="104"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 106.</LABEL> As to the Third, <HI>Loyalty to the late King James,</HI> it has been partly touch'd upon before; but I mu&s;t add, That <HI>Ireland</HI> was at fir&s;t Conquer'd by the <HI>Blood</HI> and <HI>Trea&s;ure</HI> of <HI>England,</HI> and thereby, and by the repeated Oaths and Submi&s;&s;ions of the <HI>Iri&s;h,</HI> became <HI>part of the Dominions of England,</HI> and and a Subordinate Kingdom to that Crown; and &s;ince that, by &s;everal Acts of Parlia|ment, <HI>Ireland has been In&s;eparably &V;nited and Annex|ed to the Imperial Crown of England,</HI> from whence it will follow, That who&s;oever is King of <HI>England,</HI> is <HI>ip&s;o facto</HI> King of <HI>Ireland,</HI> as much as he is of <HI>Berwick,</HI> or the <HI>I&s;le of Wight;</HI> and the con&s;equence of that will be, That when King <HI>James</HI> Abdicated <HI>England.</HI>
<PB N="36" REF="20"> he de&s;erted all its <HI>Dominions,</HI> and among the re&s;t <HI>Ireland.</HI> And as &s;oon as his Pre&s;ent Maje&s;ty was De|clar'd <HI>King,</HI> and had the <HI>Crown</HI> of <HI>England,</HI> the &s;ame in&s;tant he became <HI>Lawful</HI> &amp; <HI>Rightful</HI> (for I &s;ee no difference, &s;ince Law is the Rule of Right) <HI>King</HI> of <HI>Ireland;</HI> and to con&s;pire again&s;t him thenceforward, was and is <HI>Trea&s;on;</HI> and to levy War again&s;t him, is open and actual <HI>Rebellion.</HI></P>
<P N="105"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 107.</LABEL> And this is proved not only by <HI>Rea|&s;on</HI> and <HI>Con&s;tant Practice</HI> in all Ages, but al&s;o by the greate&s;t <HI>Authority</HI> the Law is Conu&s;ant of, and that is, the <HI>Opinion and Judgment of all the Judges in both Kingdoms,</HI> and <HI>the Supream Authority of both Par|liaments;</HI> this is the <HI>Legi&s;lative Power;</HI> for the King and Parliament cannot only Interpret, but al&s;o Make Laws: And they have both <HI>Authorita|tively</HI> and <HI>Declaratively</HI> &s;ettled this Point &s;o, as to make it <HI>Binding</HI> both to the <HI>Iudgment</HI> and <HI>Con|&s;ciences</HI> of all His Maje&s;ties Subjects: From whence it follows That the <HI>pretended Loyalty</HI> your Prie&s;ts encourage in you towards K. <HI>James,</HI> is in Truth No|torious <HI>Di&s;loyalty,</HI> Undoubted <HI>Trea&s;on,</HI> and Ma|nife&s;t <HI>Perjury,</HI> and Breach of the Oath of Fidelity you have taken to King <HI>William:</HI> But what care your Spiritual Guides for that, if you would but help them to recover their Juri&s;diction, their Tythes, and their Abby and Church-Lands?</P>
<P N="106"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 108.</LABEL> As to the Fourth, <HI>Antiquity,</HI> 'Tis no <HI>Con&s;tant</HI> Note of the Church, for it had a <HI>Begin|ning;</HI> the Churches of <HI>Jeru&s;alem</HI> and <HI>Antioch</HI> are more Antient than that of <HI>Rome,</HI> and yet have Apo|&s;tatiz'd; and the <HI>Greek</HI> Church is altogether as old, and has had a con&s;tant Succe&s;&s;ion of Bi&s;hops. But to give this a full An&s;wer, The Church of <HI>Rome</HI> has nothing <HI>Antient,</HI> I mean <HI>Primitive,</HI> but what we agree in: Her <HI>New Creed</HI> &s;hews that &s;he has a <HI>New Religion</HI> as to the Points in difference, which are al|ready &s;hewn to be <HI>Novelties,</HI> introduced one after another, as &s;he had occa&s;ion and opportunity: And therefore &s;he declines to be tried by Scripture,
<PB N="37" REF="20"> well knowing that is the <HI>Old Religion</HI> which was Revealed at <HI>fir&s;t,</HI> and is recorded in the holy Scrip|tures, where Popery is not to be found.</P>
<P N="107"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 109.</LABEL> As to the Fifth, It follows from what has been &s;aid, That <HI>Popery</HI> as now practis'd, was not the Religion of your <HI>Forefathers:</HI> Be&s;ides, your Ance&s;tors Renounced the Supremacy of the Pope, by Indenture, <HI>Anno</HI> 32 <HI>Heb.</HI> VIII. And long before that by the Statutes of Provi&s;ors and Premu|nire manife&s;ted that they were not &s;uch <HI>Bigots</HI> to the <HI>Papacy</HI> as you are: They Enacted the <HI>Oath of Supremacy,</HI> and took it, and generally went to <HI>Church,</HI> and were called <HI>Church-Papi&s;ts,</HI> until the Pro&s;pect of &s;ome hopeful Rebellion in favour of <HI>Rome,</HI> made them <HI>Recu&s;ants.</HI></P>
<P N="108"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 110.</LABEL> But what if your <HI>Forefathers</HI> wer-<HI>Papi&s;ts</HI> / would you therefore Prefer your Extra|ction before the Truth, Or were not their <HI>An|ce&s;tors Heathens,</HI> and as it would be ill in your <HI>Forefathers</HI> to remain <HI>Heathens,</HI> becau&s;e their <HI>Ance&s;tors</HI> were &s;o, it is as ill in you to remain in <HI>Error,</HI> Ignorance and Super&s;tition, becau&s;e your <HI>Forefathers</HI> were in that condition. In &s;hort, This was the Argument of the <HI>Iews</HI> again&s;t their Conver&s;ion; if it did &s;ound <HI>Ill</HI> in their Mouths, 'twill not &s;ound <HI>Well</HI> in yours.</P>
<P N="109"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 111.</LABEL> As to the Sixth, That there is but <HI>One Faith,</HI> and <HI>One Church,</HI> 'tis true, but that is the <HI>Chri&s;tian Faith,</HI> and <HI>Chri&s;tian Church;</HI> and tho' the &s;everal &s;orts of Chri&s;tians, as <HI>Papi&s;ts, Prote&s;tants, Greeks, Armenians,</HI> &amp;c. may be &s;aid to be of different Communions, <HI>Parties</HI> or Sects, yet they are all Parts of the <HI>Catholcik Church,</HI> and are all of that <HI>One</HI> Chri&s;tian <HI>Church faith,</HI> and <HI>Religion</HI> mention'd in the <HI>Go&s;pel;</HI> and therefore the <HI>Bapti&s;m</HI> of each of the&s;e Chur|ches is allowed by the re&s;t; and the <HI>Papi&s;ts</HI> dare not <HI>Re-baptize</HI> tho&s;e that were Chri&s;tned by <HI>Prote&s;tants,</HI> which proves that they admit the <HI>Prote&s;tant</HI> to be a <HI>True Chri&s;tian Church:</HI>
<PB N="38" REF="21"> And they know well enough, That difference in Opinion does not always make one of a differ|ent Religion; el&s;e the <HI>Fathers</HI> were not <HI>Ca|tholicks&punc;</HI> for there were very few of them but differ'd in &s;ome Point or other; many of them were <HI>Millienaries</HI> / and &s;ome had Notions more Hetrodox: Nay, Separate Communions do ma|ny times rather infer &s;everal <HI>Factions</HI> / than diffe|rent <HI>Religions;</HI> as appears between the <HI>Epi&s;co|parians&punc; Presbyterians</HI> and <HI>Independants,</HI> who&s;e Creed is the <HI>&s;ame&punc;</HI> and con&s;equently their <HI>Religion.</HI> So that it is a Palpable Artifice to ap|ply tho&s;e Texts of the <HI>Go&s;pel</HI> relating to <HI>One Church / One Faith</HI> &amp;c. to any <HI>Particular</HI> Sect, Party, Faction or Communion, within the Catho|lick or <HI>Chri&s;tian Church.</HI></P>
<P N="110"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 112.</LABEL> It mu&s;t be under&s;tood that the word <HI>Catholick</HI> &s;ignifies <HI>Vniver&s;al,</HI> and &s;o 'tis in the Apo&s;tles Creed in French, <HI>L' E&s;gli&s;e Univer&s;elle,</HI> The Univer&s;al Church; which is what I &s;aid be|fore, <HI>The Chri&s;tian Church throughout the World.</HI> Now with what Front can the <HI>Particular Church of Rome</HI> call it &s;elf <HI>The Vniver&s;al Church?</HI> Certainly it would never have pa&s;t, if the People had not been blinded with the Term <HI>Catholick,</HI> which they thought &s;ignified no more than <HI>Orthodox.</HI> But, &s;ay the <HI>Papi&s;ts,</HI> We do not mean the <HI>Particular Dioce&s;s of Rome</HI> only, but al&s;o all other parts of the World that are in Communion with her, and this we call <HI>The Vniver&s;al Church</HI> But this won't mend the <HI>Blun|der,</HI> becau&s;e all tho&s;e Churches in Communion with <HI>Rome</HI> do make but a <HI>part</HI> (much greater in|deed than before) of the <HI>Vniver&s;al Church,</HI> whil&s;t there are any other <HI>Chri&s;tian Churches</HI> out of its Communion: For the <HI>Vniver&s;al Church</HI> mu&s;t comprehend <HI>All A&s;&s;emblies of Chri&s;tians</HI> over all the World. So that if there were 1000 Chri&s;tian Churches or Congregations in the World. and 900 of them vvere of the Popi&s;h
<PB N="39" REF="21"> Communion, as one Third of them are not, yet vvere not &s;he the <HI>Catholick</HI> or <HI>Vniver&s;al</HI> Church, properly &s;peaking, or in any other &s;en&s;e, but as Profe&s;&s;ing the Faith and Doctrine vvhich <HI>our Saviour</HI> Publi&s;hed to the Univer&s;al World. And it is the Point in Que&s;tion vvhether &s;he does that or no. And 'tis to be noted that the vvord <HI>Catho|lick</HI> is in&s;erted in the Creed, in oppo&s;ition to <HI>Iu|dai&s;m</HI> / vvhich vvas in effect appropriated to a <HI>Few;</HI> vvhereas the <HI>Chri&s;tian</HI> Religion is <HI>Catho|lick,</HI> and Univer&s;ally offered to <HI>The Whole World,</HI> and all the Nations thereof.</P>
<P N="111"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 113.</LABEL> To the Seventh I an&s;vver. That Po|pery is not the &s;afer Religion, but on the contrary, is by rea&s;on of its Idolatry and Super&s;tition the mo&s;t dangerous of all Chri&s;tian Religions: 'Tis true We dare not Limit the Infinite Mercy of God, nor determine hovv far Invincible Ignorance may excu&s;e <HI>Idolaters, Papi&s;ts,</HI> or even <HI>Turks</HI> and <HI>Heathens;</HI> Does it follovv that any Man &s;hould choo&s;e to be an Idolater or a Papi&s;t, or a Turk ra|ther then to be a Good Chri&s;tian, becau&s;e this la&s;t is Mode&s;t and vvill not Pronounce any Man Damn'd without warrant, and the former are Ra&s;h and Uncharitable in Cen&s;ures they have no Ground for. Suppo&s;e two Ships Sayling together, one Stanch and the other Leaky, the Crew of the latter &s;wear the &s;tanch Ve&s;&s;el will Peri&s;h, the o|thers perceive no danger to them&s;elves, but think 'tis 1000 to one if the Leaky Ve&s;&s;el reaches the Shore, Yet allow that 'tis po&s;&s;ible &s;he may, Which of the&s;e two would a Wi&s;e Man choo&s;e to go in? or has he any thing to do but to examine which is the Leaky Ve&s;&s;el? and which is the Stanch one.</P>
<P N="112">Moreover if We Examine this Popular Argu|ment by like ca&s;es that have happened in the Church we &s;hall find it but a Pittiful piece of So|phi&s;try: The <HI>Donati&s;ts</HI> denyed the Bapti&s;m of the <HI>Catholicks,</HI> whil&s;t the Church allowed the Bapti&s;m of the <HI>Donati&s;ts,</HI> yet would not S. <HI>Au|gu&s;tin</HI>
<PB N="40" REF="22"> be Re|baptiz'd: St. <HI>Paul</HI> owns a Po&s;&s;ibility of Salvation to the <HI>Iudaizing Chri&s;tians,</HI> who built with Straw and Stubble on Foundations of <HI>Chri&s;tianity,</HI> Which They denyed to The <HI>Ortho|dox,</HI> So that if this <HI>Popish Argument</HI> were Good, All the <HI>Orthodox</HI> &s;hould have <HI>Iudaiz'd,</HI> &s;ince both &s;ides Allowed, They might be &s;aved; But St. <HI>Paul</HI> and the Primitive Chri&s;ti|ans were wi&s;er then to leave a certain way of Salvation for a meer Po&s;&s;ibility of being Saved.</P>
<P N="113">Be&s;ides The Prote&s;tant Religion is the &s;afer be|cau&s;e it Enjoyns you to believe no more then you do already, and only Obliges you to Reject &s;ome <HI>New</HI> Whim&s;ies, which may &s;afely be omitted whether the Doctrine be true or fal&s;e; for Example, tho' the Doctrine of <HI>Merit</HI> were True, Yet 'tis more &s;afe to depend upon the Merits of Our Saviour, than upon our Own; If there be a <HI>Purgatory,</HI> Yet 'tis &s;afer to make our Calling and Election, &s;ure by Piety, and Repen|tance, in this Life, then to Rely upon future Pur|gations; If the <HI>Saints</HI> do hear, yet 'tis more Safe and Profitable to make our Prayers, and Addre&s;&s;es to God, And even if <HI>Tran&s;ub&s;tantiation</HI> it &s;elf were True; Yet it would be &s;afe to approach the Altar, with that Preparation, and Reverence, our Church enjoyns, but if it be not True 'tis very Un&s;afe, and Plain Idolatry to Adore corruptible Bread, for the Ever living and Incorruptible GOD.</P>
<P N="114"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 114.</LABEL> And as to the Eighth and la&s;t Obje|ction, I An&s;wer, That nothing is more Ingenuous and Prai&s;e-worthy, than to Confe&s;s and For&s;ake ones <HI>Errors;</HI> And nothing more <HI>Dishonourable</HI> than to be <HI>Ob&s;tinate</HI> in a <HI>Bad Cau&s;e.</HI> If it had been a Principle that were Ju&s;tifiable, <HI>That one never ought to change ones Sentiment:</HI> our Saviours Preach|ing had been in vain, &s;ince there could be neither Conver&s;ion nor Reformation, without &s;ubverting this <HI>Specious Principle.</HI> But the Truth is, the Princi|ple is not Good, but Worldly, Proud and Deceit|ful,
<PB N="41" REF="22"> and tending to keep us always in the wrong, if once we happen to be &s;o. On the contrary, when the Fir&s;t Impre&s;&s;ions are <HI>Ill,</HI> we are Oblig'd in <HI>Ho|nour</HI> to change for the <HI>Better.</HI></P>
<P N="115"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 115.</LABEL> But what are the mi&s;taken Notions of <HI>Honour,</HI> to the Salvation of ones <HI>Soul?</HI> Or have not you done enough to vindicate your <HI>Honour,</HI> that you have &s;tuck to an Abdicated Cau&s;e till you &s;ee it &s;o entirely bafled that 'tis become the Deri&s;ion of <HI>Europe?</HI></P>
<P N="116"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 116.</LABEL> Have not too many of you already been Mi&s;guided by your Prie&s;ts into &s;o much Vil|lany, that your <HI>Guilt</HI> robbs you of the <HI>Comfort</HI> Good Men might have in their Sufferings? Are you not render'd Poor and Mi&s;erable by being <HI>Tools</HI> for an Infatiable <HI>Clergy,</HI> that &s;uck from you all they can get, even in this Extremity? And have not they, <HI>for their own Ends,</HI> prompted you to all the Re|bellions you have been guilty of, from whence your Forfeitures, Confi&s;cations, and Mi&s;eries have proceeded?</P>
<P N="117"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 117.</LABEL> On the other &s;ide, Gentlemen, you find that the <HI>Prote&s;tants</HI> are an Hone&s;t Good-Natur'd People, infinitely kinder to you than either you de&s;erv'd or hop'd for; And above all, <HI>The KING,</HI> whom you had Provok'd to the la&s;t Degree, <HI>Spite|fully</HI> and <HI>Unnece&s;&s;arily,</HI> and con&s;equently from whom you expected no Mercy; has yet graciou&s;ly mani|fe&s;ted Him&s;elf to you the mo&s;t <HI>Generous</HI> and mo&s;t <HI>Merciful</HI> Prince in the world: So that you never &s;uffer'd le&s;s <HI>Per&s;ecution</HI> for the Exerci&s;e of your Re|ligion, than at this day. All which being con&s;ider|ed, This &s;eems the mo&s;t proper <HI>Juncture</HI> that ever happened, to Undeceive and <HI>Convert</HI> you, and to Di&s;po&s;e you to a Thorough Reformation, and to become Good <HI>Prote&s;tants,</HI> and Good <HI>Subjects.</HI></P>
<P N="118"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 118.</LABEL> And &s;urely tho&s;e of the Prote&s;tant Re|ligion will co-operate all they can to this Conver|&s;ion, by Exhortation and Example, by Good Offi|ces and Good Advice. And certainly the <HI>IRIS<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 span">
<PB N="42" REF="23"> worthy of their Care, and are endued with &s;uch <HI>Excellent Qualities,</HI> as will de&s;erve and recompence all the <HI>Pains</HI> that &s;hall be taken in that <HI>Pious Work.</HI> For it cannot be denied but that the <HI>Iri&s;h</HI> abound in the <HI>Perfections</HI> of Body and Mind. If you &s;ur|vey their Per&s;ons, you will find their <HI>Complexions</HI> Good, their <HI>Con&s;titutions</HI> Healthy, their <HI>Limbs</HI> Nim|ble and Active, their <HI>Stature</HI> Tall, and their <HI>Bodies</HI> Strong and comely: And if you &s;earch their <HI>Minds,</HI> you will find them Religious, Con&s;tant, Patient, and <HI>Faithful;</HI> very <HI>Docible,</HI> and de&s;irous of In&s;truction; Naturally inclin'd to <HI>Manners</HI> and Complement, <HI>Generous</HI> beyond Example, and Pro|fu&s;ely <HI>Ho&s;pitable,</HI> even to a Fault. And in &s;hort, If it were not for the <HI>Bad Principles</HI> of their Religion, they would be <HI>very good Neighbours, good Subjects,</HI> and <HI>good Men.</HI></P>
<P N="119"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 119.</LABEL> 'Tis true, That the be&s;t <HI>Edge</HI> is &s;oon|e&s;t <HI>Turn'd,</HI> and the &s;weete&s;t <HI>Wine</HI> makes the &s;owre&s;t <HI>Vinegar;</HI> And the be&s;t things when corrupted, dege|nerate into the other Extream: And 'tis as true, That the&s;e <HI>Vertues</HI> of the <HI>Iri&s;h,</HI> for want of In&s;tru|ction and Cultivation, are become Intollerable <HI>Vi|ces:</HI> Thus their <HI>Religion</HI> is dwindled into <HI>Super&s;tition</HI> and <HI>Bigotry,</HI> their <HI>Constancy</HI> turn'd to <HI>Ob&s;tinacy,</HI> their <HI>Patience</HI> to <HI>Stupidity,</HI> and even their <HI>Fidelity</HI> is become the Cau&s;e of the <HI>Perfidiou&s;ne&s;s</HI> and <HI>Ingratitude</HI> they are accu&s;ed of.</P>
<P N="120"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 120.</LABEL> And it is to &s;et them Right in the&s;e Important Matters, that is the Charitable De&s;ign of the&s;e Papers; Which if they take Effect, will <HI>Re|&s;tore</HI> the Splendor of their <HI>Vertues,</HI> bring them from <HI>Darkne&s;s</HI> to <HI>Light,</HI> and from <HI>Ignorance</HI> and <HI>Mi&s;ery,</HI> to <HI>Happine&s;s</HI> and <HI>Under&s;tanding.</HI></P>
<P N="121"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 121.</LABEL> And &s;ince there is a great deal of Truth in the Petition of the Mi&s;erable <HI>Iri&s;h,</HI> to the <HI>French</HI> King, &s;etting forth their Deplorable Condition, and the in&s;upportable Calamities they have Suffered. And that they have Po&s;tpond all that is Dear to Men, &s;o (I &s;ay the <HI>Mi&s;taken)</HI> concerns of Religion, Does
<PB N="43" REF="23"> it not hence follow, That if they have Done and Suffered thus in a Bad cau&s;e, They would have Done yet better in a Good One, being rightly In|&s;tructed. Is it not then a Noble Work and Wor|thy our Greate&s;t Dilligence to Advi&s;e and In&s;truct them Effectually? And &s;hould not We from this Con&s;ideration, be Prompted to Labour Your Con|ver&s;ion, and &s;hould not you from hence be Cauti|ous to avoid Tho&s;e Super&s;titions, and Follys that have Reduced your Mi&s;erable Countrymen to that Wretched Condition.</P>
<P N="122"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 122.</LABEL> But 'tis Objected that the <HI>Iri&s;h</HI> Con|verts are not Sincere, and will <HI>Apo&s;tatize</HI> when Time &s;erves, and it might be true if they were Forc'd and Per&s;ecuted to it. But &s;ince they are un|der No Per&s;ecution for their Religion, &s;o that their Conver&s;ion is Voluntary; One may &s;ay that the Sugge&s;tion is fal&s;e and Uncharitable: as may be &s;een in the fir&s;t <HI>Converts</HI> and in &s;ome of the Noble&s;t Families of this Kingdom who&s;e Conver&s;ions were Sincere, and who&s;e Po&s;terity have Proved <HI>Champions</HI> for the <HI>Faith.</HI> Nor can a few in|&s;tances of the contrary, e&s;pecially when Under Temptations that were In&s;uperable to &s;ome of our own, Ju&s;tify an Objection &s;o General. Be&s;ides Time, In&s;truction, and Example &s;trengthen tho&s;e Notions that were weak at fir&s;t; and their Chil|dren will be firm and free from the Pre-po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ions of their Fathers, which con&s;ideration alone is &s;uffi|cient to Induce Us to Labour Your Conformity.</P>
<P N="123"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 123.</LABEL> But 'tis farther Objected, That no People was ever more <HI>Vngrateful</HI> and <HI>Perfidi|ous</HI> than the <HI>Iri&s;h</HI> have been to the <HI>Engli&s;h,</HI> after Innumerable <HI>Favours</HI> Receiv'd from the <HI>Government,</HI> and <HI>Obligations</HI> from Particular Men: And the Matter of Fact is <HI>True,</HI> but yet the A&s;per&s;ion is not <HI>Iu&s;t:</HI> For whenever <HI>Two</HI> Obligations concur, an Hone&s;t Man is bound to Prefer the <HI>Greater,</HI> and to Reject the <HI>Le&s;s.</HI> If my <HI>Father</HI> and my <HI>Friend</HI> Quarrel, 'tis no <HI>Vn|faithfulne&s;s</HI>
<PB N="44" REF="24"> to my <HI>Friend</HI> that I help my <HI>Father.</HI> 'Tis reckon'd to <HI>Abraham</HI> for Righteou&s;ne&s;s, that he would have Sacrific'd his Only Son at the Com|mandment of GOD. And 'tis Frivolous to Ob|ject the Unnatural Barbarity of an Action, when 'tis <HI>Commanded by GOD ALMIGHTY,</HI> who will either prevent the Doing it, or confer Circum&s;tan|ces that will Sanctifie the thing.</P>
<P N="124"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 124.</LABEL> In all Ca&s;es one is bound to regard the <HI>Superiour</HI> Obligation; And therefore when the <HI>Command of GOD</HI> and the Pro&s;perity of their Re|ligion and Countrey, as They thought, came in Competition with their <HI>Obligations to the Engli&s;h,</HI> They &s;hould not be Accu&s;ed of <HI>Ingratitude</HI> or <HI>Per&s;idiou&s;ne&s;s</HI> for preferring the former.</P>
<P N="125"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 125.</LABEL> And 'tis certain, that Accu&s;e them of what you will, as long as they continue <HI>Papi&s;ts;</HI> they will (Maugre all Obligations) <HI>De&s;iroy</HI> the <HI>Prote&s;tants,</HI> as often as They get Opportunity, and the Prie&s;t bids them: For here lies the Secret and Spring-Head of all their <HI>Faults</HI> and their <HI>Misfortunes,</HI> That they take the <HI>Voice</HI> of every Siliy <HI>Prie&s;t,</HI> for the <HI>Voice of GOD.</HI></P>
<P N="126"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 126.</LABEL> And this it is which brings Reproach upon <HI>Iri&s;h Vnder&s;tanding:</HI> Not that you want <HI>Wit,</HI> or Apprehen&s;ion, but that you are <HI>Credulous,</HI> and take things upon <HI>Tru&s;t,</HI> and con&s;equently are ea&s;ily <HI>Impos'd upon:</HI> All the Stories the Clergy convey to you under the Name of <HI>Traditions,</HI> you Receive with an Undoubted <HI>Divine</HI> Faith: Though at the &s;ame time, Cardinal <HI>Baronius,</HI> who had better Examin'd them, tells you, <HI>That he De|&s;pair'd to find out the Truth, even in Matters which True Writers have Recorded, becau&s;e there was Nothing remain|ed Sincera and Uncorrupted.</HI> Surely you mu&s;t have heard of your <HI>Index Expurgatorius,</HI> and the Care that is taken to Raze out and <HI>Cancel</HI> every Text that makes again&s;t the <HI>Papacy.</HI> 'Tis probable that you have heard of the many <HI>Forgeries</HI> your Church &s;tands Accu&s;ed of, and yet you believe every Word
<PB N="45" REF="24"> of <HI>The Lives of the Saints, and of the Golden L<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">gend<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter"></HI> tho' <HI>Ludevicus Vives</HI> confe&s;&s;es, <HI>It is Unworthy Saints or Men; and was Written by a Man of an Iron Forehead, and a Leaden Under&s;tanding.</HI></P>
<P N="127"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 127.</LABEL> But there is nothing more Scandalous to your <HI>Credulity</HI> or <HI>Religion,</HI> than the Ridicu|lous Account your <HI>Church</HI> has given us of her In|numerable <HI>Miracles:</HI> This <HI>Stabbs</HI> the Chri&s;tian <HI>Faith</HI> / and <HI>hardens</HI> the Jews in their <HI>Infidelity:</HI> For finding you have Trump'd up &s;o many <HI>Fal&s;e Miracles,</HI> They have little Regard to tho&s;e that are <HI>True.</HI> And 'tis Ob&s;ervable, That your <HI>Miracles</HI> cannot be for Conviction of <HI>Gain&s;ayers,</HI> &s;ince they are not pretended to be done before any but tho&s;e of your <HI>Own Communion;</HI> And very few at all &s;ince the <HI>Reformation,</HI> when there was mo&s;t need of them.</P>
<P N="128"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 128.</LABEL> In &s;hort, One cannot find more <HI>Comical Stories</HI> to Entertain Company, or make People merry with, than many of your <HI>Miracles,</HI> and &s;ome of your <HI>Sermons.</HI> and if my de&s;igned Brevity woul permit, I could give you many plea&s;ant In&s;tances of both.</P>
<P N="129"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 129</LABEL> This I &s;ay is it which brings your <HI>Vnder&s;tanding</HI> in Que&s;tion, That you will be per|&s;waded by <HI>Blind</HI> Prophecies, <HI>Fal&s;e</HI> Miracles, <HI>Forg'd</HI> Traditions, and <HI>Doubtful</HI> Interpretations, again&s;t <HI>Common Sen&s;e</HI> your own <HI>Experience,</HI> and the <HI>Plaine&s;t</HI> Texts of Scriptures.</P>
<P N="130"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 130.</LABEL> And at the &s;ame Rate they have us'd you in the <HI>Hi&s;tory</HI> of your Countrey, which is not only for the mo&s;t part <HI>Fal&s;e,</HI> but utterly <HI>Impo&s;&s;ible:</HI> All your Antiquaries pretend to draw every one of your Pedigrees through <HI>Mile&s;ius,</HI> all along down from <HI>Adam;</HI> And you are generally tickled with the Fancy: Not con&s;idering that <HI>Mile&s;ius</HI>'s Army and Officers had probably <HI>Their Part</HI> in the Gene|ration of Po&s;terity, as well as he; And that he was not <HI>Pater Patriae,</HI> in a Literal Sen&s;e.</P>
<P N="131"><PB N="46" REF="25" MS="y"> <HI>Sect.</HI> 131. But Gentlemen, to pa&s;s by the&s;e <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 word">,</HI> and come to a Conclu&s;ion: Since 'tis po&s;&s;ible that &s;ome may labour your <HI>Confu&s;ion,</HI> as earne&s;tly as others de&s;ire your <HI>Conver&s;ion,</HI> it imports you to make it appear that you can di&s;tingui&s;h between <HI>Friends</HI> and <HI>Enemies,</HI> in rendring of our Good Wi&s;hes for your Conver&s;ion, Succe&s;sful. If therefore you will diligently Read and Con&s;ider what has been &s;aid, and Con&s;ult Able <HI>Divines</HI> for the Re&s;olution of any Doubts or Difficulties that may remain with you, the LORD giving you Un|nder&s;tanding, you may by His Grace be Converted, and in <HI>This World</HI> partake of all the Enjoy|ments to be found in an Excellent Countrey, under the Be&s;t <HI>Prince,</HI> and the Be&s;t <HI>Government</HI> in <HI>Chri&s;ten|dom:</HI> And in <HI>The World to Come</HI> Enjoy Everla&s;ting Hap|pine&s;s with your Ble&s;&s;ed SAVIOUR in <HI>Glory.</HI> But if your Malice to Us, or your Bigotry to the <HI>Prie&s;t</HI> has <HI>En&s;lav'd</HI> you, to &s;uch a degree of <HI>Stubborne&s;s,</HI> that you will not Learn, or be Better In&s;tructed, you can|not Expect that We &s;hould <HI>Tru&s;t</HI> Men of your <HI>Principles,</HI> that are <HI>Without Re&s;erve</HI> under the Government of <HI>Others,</HI> and Tho&s;e Our Profe&s;s'd and Inveterate <HI>Ene|mies.</HI> On the contrary, &s;eeing that We can have no <HI>Security</HI> of your Good Behaviour, and that there is no <HI>Safety</HI> but in your <HI>Impotence;</HI> Every Hone&s;t Man will concur in &s;uch Methods as <HI>Self-Pre&s;ervation</HI> will both Dictate and Ju&s;tifie.</P>
<P N="132"><LABEL><HI>Sect</HI> 132.</LABEL> I &s;hall Conclude All, with a farther Earne&s;t Exhortation to the <HI>PROTESTANTS,</HI> MA|GISTRATES, CLERGY, and GENTRY, to u&s;e Their Be&s;t Endeavours to Convert you; who be|ing Their <HI>Tenants, Servants,</HI> or <HI>Neighbours,</HI> will be much Influenced by their Exhortations and Example: And if they will take this Happy Opportunity, and at|tempt it immediately, and <HI>All together,</HI> they will meet with Succe&s;s beyond their Expectation, and per|form &s;uch an act of <HI>Charity</HI> and <HI>Wi&s;dom,</HI> as will highly Conduce to the Honour of their <HI>Religion,</HI> the Improve|ment and Safety of their <HI>Countrey,</HI> the Advancement of their <HI>E&s;tates,</HI> and the Salvation of their <HI>Souls</HI> and yours. And even &s;o be it, Ble&s;&s;ed <HI>JESUS. Amen.</HI></P>
<P>And &s;o, Gentlemen, with my hearty Prayers for your Conver&s;ion, I am ever. <HI>&amp;c.</HI></P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
