A vindication of the Roman Catholicks from the foul aspersions thrown upon them by John Tillotson ... in a sermon preached by him in November, 1687 ... Antoine. 1688 Approx. 37 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 8 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2007-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A25674 Wing A3517 ESTC R6580 12527662 ocm 12527662 62688 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A25674) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 62688) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 303:6) A vindication of the Roman Catholicks from the foul aspersions thrown upon them by John Tillotson ... in a sermon preached by him in November, 1687 ... Antoine. [15] p. Printed for John and Thomas Lane ..., London : 1688. Attributed to M. Antoine. Cf. McAlpin Coll. Reproduction of original in Union Theological Seminary Library, New York. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. Re-processed by University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. Gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. 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Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements). Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Catholic Church -- Sermons. Sermons, English. 2006-02 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2006-04 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-06 John Latta Sampled and proofread 2006-06 John Latta Text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A VINDICATION OF THE Roman Catholicks From the foul Aspersions thrown upon them BY John Tillotson , D , D , And Dean of CANTERBURY In a SERMON Preached by him in November , 1687. WITH ALLOWANCE . LONDON , Printed for John and Thomas Lane , and are to be Sold at the Sign of the Golden-Anchor , the Corner Shop of VVild-street , next Dukesstreet . MDCLXXXVIII . THE PREFACE , SVCH is the Nature of a Sermon , as that the Principles and Tenents of a Religion , are no way better discovered than by it : It being the Exposition of what is to be believed and practised , in order to Eternal Salvation . And what the Preachers do generally most insist upon , that generally is chiefly presumed to be believed , or practised in the Church . Now in most Protestant Sermons , it is observed , that their chief business is railing against the Pope and Popery ; then that may be presum'd , the chief Tenent of the Protestant Church : With such Protestant Doctrine , this Doctor hath filled his Sermon , from the beginning to the ending , falsly aspersing the Roman Catholick Church , with the Notions of Slavery and Bondage ; no better arguments than Cora used against Moyses , flattering the people with a false liberty , which produceth nothing but Confusion and Distraction . Not considering that this his Doctrine , is contrary to the practise of his own Church : For he doth not only make every ignorant Man or Woman , a competent judge of Scripture and Religion , but prefers their judgment before their Pastors , whilst their Church obligeth every one to submit to her decrees . I find in this Doctor 's Sermon , many false and uncharitable Reflections upon Roman Catholicks ; Conclusions drawn from false Suppositions , things unworthy of a Scholar : And which is unworthy of a Preacher ; not one Word of Exhortation to Piety , until he comes to the 21 page , where he speaks thus , It concerns us mightily , for the Honour and Support of our Religion , to be at a better Union amongst our selves , Insinuating to the people the necessary effects of this Doctrine , which are Division and Distraction . All the rest of his Sermon is , Bearing false Witness against his Neighbour . THE TITLE OF THE Doctors BOOK , The indispensible necessity of the knowledge of the holy Scripture , in order to Mans Eternal Salvation , &c. THis Proposition in the sense of the Doctor , is thus rendred plain . There is no Salvation to be had without the knowledge of the Scripture ; which Proposition is notoriously false . For at this present , many thousand Protestants , know not one line of it , unto whom I presume the Doctor will not deny Salvation . 2ly . There was no Scripture heard of , until the time of Moyses , and were all Damned before his time ? 3dly . From the time of Moyses till Printing was found , it is not probable , that every one of the Vulgar could have the Bible , and will the Doctor Condemn them all ? If he doth not , then the knowledge of the Scripture was not necessary . If not necessary then , why is it now ? The Doctor may say , the knowledge of the Scripture is necessary , not the reading of it , and so annuls my last instance . I answer , the Doctors whole drift is at Damning all those that do not read it , from the beginning to the end of his Sermon ; for if he were not for Damning those who read not , his argument would be of no force against us ; for the vulgar sort of Roman Catholicks , may have as much knowledge of the Scripture as needful , without reading it . The Doctor is then for imposing a necessity upon the vulgar , of knowing the Scripture by their own reading : But he doth not tell how much they must know of it , if all , I fear the Doctor hath Damned himself , if not all ? How much must they know , under pain of Damnation , As much as the Doctor will assign the Papists shall know without Book . I would willingly know of the Doctor , why the people might not be saved , if they know it by the Mouth of their Pastor , without reading ? The Doctor seems to answer thus . The people might know it , but the Priests do interpret it falsly to them , but the Doctor , when he said so , did not remember the Story of the Old Woman , who sought her Daughter in the Oven . The Doctor 's TEXT , Woe be to you , Scribes and Pharisees , &c. Mat. 23. V. 15. THe Scribes and Pharisees were Men , as the Doctor owns , who were teachers of the Law ; and under pretence of interpreting the Scriptures , had perverted them , and kept the true knowledge of them from the people . I put this question to the Doctor , Whether if those Scribes and Pharisees had faithfully interpreted the Scriptures to the people , and yet had not put the Bible into the hands of every Milk-Maid to interpret , whether Christ had denounced that Woe to them ? The Doctor must prove the affirmative , before he can reflect upon the Roman Catholicks . I will put down the practice of the Pharisees , the Protestants and Roman Catholicks , as to this point . The Doctor says in his second Page , that the Pharisees were teachers of the Law , and under pretence of interpreting the Scriptures , did pervert them , and keep the knowledge of them from the people . The Protestant Ministers are reformers of the Law , and do interpret the Scriptures to the people , and give the people the liberty to interpret them by the private spirit , in opposition to their Pastors , if they think fit , which hath brought such a fertility of Faiths into this Nation , that there are as many as Reformers , and as many Reformers almost as Men. The Catholick Priests do confine the Scripture to the reading only of the prudent Laity , and doth not think every Cobler a competent Judge of the sense of it , nor able to guide himself in matters of Faith and Practice ; but the Pastors by the Bible , are to guide him , and to read and expound the Scriptures to him . Which of these three doth the Impartial Judge think is the best in all respects ? in the 3 d. Page the Doctor speaks of knowledge and ignorance . What he says of Knowledge , is right Canting . What of Ignorance , is a false Imposition . I never understood Ignorance , a vertue in Roman Catholick Divinity ; If the Doctor had read the Manual of our Laity , he might have found it there , in the exposition of the Ten Commandments a sin . Now , if the Doctor thinks as he speaks , we must be all lovers of Ignorance , not only the Laity , but the Priests themselves . I humbly offer to the Doctor my self , for an Experiment of his Protestant speculation , to be examined ( if he knows how ) in all or any part of Divinity . For if he pleases I will bring him Tradsmen , who shall readily answer him with an Objection , whatsoever he shall be pleased to ask . In the 4th . Page , the Doctor saith , the Scripture alone can instruct us in the Will of God perfectly . I ask the Doctor , Whether it be the Will of God that we should keep Sunday for Saturday , and Christen Infants ? If it be , where doth the Scripture instruct us so perfectly , as that every Milk-Maid can see it there ? But let the Doctor leave Canting , and give a solid reason if he can , why the Church which declared Authoritatively the Scripture to be the Word of God , hath not Authority enough and Knowledge , to instruct us in the Will of God , if there were no Scripture . The Doctor proceeds in the same Page , and says , the Teachers of the Jewish Church , did not proceed so far as to deprive Men of the use of the Holy Scripture ; in the 2d . Page he cannot avoid a Contradiction . For he says that the Jewish Teachers did take away the Key of Knowledge from the people , which the Doctor insinuates was the Scripture . Then they took away the Scripture , and did not . But suppose they did not take away the Scripture ; yet , the Doctor says , they took away the Key of Knowledge ; then a Man may have the Scripture , and yet not have the Key of Knowledge ; then the Jews might have the Scripture , and yet not see Christ in it , as in fact did not . So may the Vulgar have the New Testament , and yet not see the they New Law in it . So may a Protestant Cobler have the Bible , and yet want the Key of Knowledge ; and to whom shall he go to for it ? What if he should go to the Pope ? For the Doctor owns in his Sermon , the Pope had the Key , and indeed I cannot tell how the Doctor should come by it , unless he stole it : Or perhaps it was found in the Ruins of the Monasteries here , in the beginning of the reformation which were broke down , ( the Doctor may say ) to seek for this Key , and it was found there all rusty ( as the Doctor says ) and they have been rubbing it ever since . But to come to my purpose . How is it , that the Scriptures alone , can perfectly instruct us in the Will of God , as this Doctor says , when a whole multitude may have them , and yet not see the Will of God in them ; as the Jews had the Scripture , and yet saw not the Will of God in it ? Now , why may not the Doctors of the Church of England , put the Scripture into the Hands of all the Vulgar , and yet teach them false Doctrine from their Pulpits and keep the true sense and meaning of the Scripture from the people , as well as the Scribes and Pharisees ? then the people may have the Bible , and yet not know the Will of God. Then is the Pastor more necessary for the people than the Bible . We see the Quakers , Anabaptists , Presbyterians , Sweet-Singers , Lutherans , Church of England , &c. all these differ in Faith ; and that they are not all of the right Faith. I suppose the Doctor will own all these have the Bible . How come it that they do not testifie themselves by it ? The Doctor must answer , that the Teachers of these Men do give the people the Bible , but keep from them the Key of Knowledge , as the Scribes and Pharisees did : And if any one should accuse the Doctor of acting like a Scribe and Pharisee in this Sermon ; how will he vindicate himself ? I will undertake to prove him guilty of above 40 false Reflections , and above-right lies against his Neighbours in this one Sermon , which is more than he can prove upon either Scribe or Pharisee . Towards the end of this Page , the Doctor says it is a horrible impiety , to interpret the Scripture in a wrong sense to the people ( God forgive the Doctor for it ) the Roman Catholicks do own it a Crime : But he says : it is more horrible not to permit the people to read it . He thinks this must be taken upon his bare Word , for he brings not one thing like a proof for it . In the 5th . Page , the Doctor doth intermix Prayers in an unknown Tongue , with the not reading the Scripture , and says that the people for these two Errors are sure to perish , and surely damned , and that the Scripture is necessary to save them , and that the Church of Rome in these two points , doth contrive the Eternal Ruin and Destruction of the peoples Souls . For these uncharitable and extravagant expressions , the Doctor brings not any thing like a Proof : This I will prove upon the Doctor , according to his own Tenent , that whatsoever Protestant reads not the Scripture , is surely Damned . And whatsoever Pastor of the Protestant Church , doth not take such care of all , and every one of his Flock : First , That he be instructed to read . 2 dly . That he have the Bible . 3 dly . That he read it . This Pastor for neglecting his Flock , in a thing so necessary to Salvation , must be surely Damned also . This must follow , if the Scripture be necessary to Salvation : And if the Protestant Religion had started up before Printing was found out , how many poor Protestants would this Doctor have Damned then ? I ask'd the Doctor why a vigilant Pastor cannot instruct his Flock in all things conducing to Salvation , without giving them the Bible ? Until the Doctor answers , I say he may , and that it had been done in all Ages ; and I know not why it may not be done in the Protestant Church , unless it be , because Truth and the Will of God are not in the Protestant Ministers . The Reader may be perhaps , desirous to know the truth of the Roman Catholick practice in these two points : As to the first , to wit , The reading the Scripture , the Church doth not debar the Laity from it . She alloweth it to every one , whom the Pastors judge will use it , with respect and submission to the Church , through the Motive of Piety , not Curiosity . Where the Scripture may be ill used there it is not generally suffered to be read . And what slavery is in this ? The Vulgar of the Roman Church , do believe that they are to be fed by their Pastors , neither to feed themselves , nor to be fed by Bibles . St. Paul saith , That Christ appointed Pastors , lest his people should stray into Errors . The Doctor appoints the Bible . The Roman Church appoints the Bible for the Pastor chiefly , and the Pastor for the people . The Doctor appoints the Bible for the people , and the Pastors are useless . If an Indian should come into England , which would soonest make him of the Protestant Church , the Doctor or the Bible ? If the Doctor , then is the Bible not necessary to Salvation . If the Bible , how comes it that so many Millions of well inventioned people in the World , could never see the Protestant there , who notwithstanding were no strangers to the Bible . This I admire in the Church of England , who since the reformation , are much more solicitous to get Estates and keep them , than those things which belong to the next World ( and for this I appeal to their Consciences ) that every one should not claim a right , to be Judge of the Laws of the Land to preserve their Estates , as well as to be Judge of the Scripture , in order to preserve the Soul. In the next place , the Doctor brings Scripture for his Tenent If any one shall think any Text he brings to be like a proof ; if I may be worthy to know it , I will readily answer it . Then he brings Fathers . If the Doctor will be so kind as to let me know out of what part of their Writings he took his Quotations , I will readily answer him . Then follows his Bold Challenge to his Adversaries to bring him any Father , who discourages the Vulgar from reading the Scripture . I answer his Challenge , producing these following . The whole Epistle to the Romans wants interpretation , and is involved in so great abscurities , that we want the aid of the H. Ghost to understand it . The same Father confesses , that in Scripture he never trusted to his own knowledge , nor believed upon his own strength , but where he thought he knew ; yet , there he asked the learned . This Saint had no Protestant spirit . St. Augustin saith , That the Exposition of the Holy Scripture , is to be asked of those who profess themselves Doctors . St. Epiphanius commits the scrutiny of the Scriptures to the Learned . St. Gregory saith , the Word of God abhors carnal and rude Men , and that the Law is partly manifest and partly hidden . To the Weak Faithful , we ought to open those things which are more perfect ; and when they are become proficients , and have clear sight , then to put the light before them . The reasons why Heresies are , is the obscurity of the Divine Scriptures . The unlearned ought not to presume to read the Holy Scriptures , before they have despised and cast off the pomp of the World. I conclude with St. Hierome . When there is no one Art , that any of Vulgar can say they know , yet this ( the knowledge of the Scriptures ) every old prating Woman , every old doting Fellow , every talking Sophister pretends to know . They tear the Scripture , and teach it before they have learnd it . I could have given farther testimony out of the Fathers , if it had been needful ; but these will suffice , to vindicate the Roman Catholick Practice , in contradiction to the Doctor , who so boldly affirmed , that we had not one rag of Antiquity to cover our Nakedness in this point . I assure the Doctor , that some would have been glad of such Rags , to have made the Church of Englands Wedding Garments . The Roman Catholick Practice in the second point , which the Doctor calls Prayers in an unknown Tongue , is thus . The chief part of the Roman Liturgie is the Mass ; the substance of which is an Action , to wit , An Offering to God , of the Body and Blood of his Son , under the form of Bread and Wine , by the Hands of the Priest : A Sacrifice commemorative and applicative of the great Sacrifice of the Cross . The Doctor dares not deny us Antiquity and Universality , as to the truth of this Doctrine . The rest of the Roman Liturgie is subservient to this . That part of the Liturgie , which the Vulgar do frequent , is the Mass , as Morning Prayer ; Even-song , Compline , and Litanies , as Evening Prayers . The rest of the Liturgie is said by Church-Men , at Mid-night , or at three , four , or five of the Clock in the Morning , or at such hours as the Vulgar is seldom present , and perhaps the Doctor would not leave his warm Bed and Wife to hear it , although he pretends to understand Latin. Now that part of the Liturgie which the Vulgar do frequent , they do understand as well , as the Vulgar in the Protestant Church do their Common-Prayer ; for the Mass , I told the Doctor , it was an Action , and Seeing is their most proper sense for it , and the Vulgar may have as good Eyes as the Doctor . As to that part which is properly Prayer , it is Translated into the Vulgar Tongue , and they have it in their Prayer-Books , and being obliged to Church-Service every Sunday and Holy day , they understand it as well as their daily Prayers . The Epistles and Gospels of the Mass , are likewise in the Vulgar Tongue , with the meaning of every Circumstance . And as to the understanding of every word of the Mass , which the Doctor was pleased to reflect upon . I answer , that the greatest part of the Words of the Mass , are the Priest's secret Prayers to God , for himself and the people : There is moreover , daily Preaching and Catechising in the Church , by which there is enough given to the weakest Capacitie , to let him understand , what he ought to believe and do , in order to Salvation . To the Question . Must the Vulgar be acquainted with every thing which is done in , and belongs to the Church , before they can or will be satisfied & edified , or no ? If they must , then the Church of England Edifieth not the greatest part of her Children in her Cathedrals , where , when they sing Musically , few understand them , neither are the Vulgar satisfied and edified in the Protestant Ceremonies , neither am I edified , that the Doctor should so much extoll Knowledge , when not one in ten thousand ever read the Protestant Profession of Faith : Nor one in the like Number , knows how much he is obliged to believe . So that when we rightly examine things we shall find ignorance a Protestant Vertue . And is it not to stumble at a Straw and leap over a Block , to Damn the people if they read not the Scripture ; but let the Tenents of those who read it , be ever so perverse , so they protest against Popery , they are Members of Crist's Church ( as the Bishop of Bath and Wells called the French Hugonots in his Pastoral-Letter ) and go to Heaven . And is not this Pharisaical in the Doctor , to Damn people for not reading the Scripture , a Protestant Tradition , and not Condemn them for their Schismatical and Heretical Opinions , things Condemned by God , his Son , his Apostles , and his Church in all Ages ? I argue farther , thus . It is not necessary that the Vulgar understand explicitly all , and every thing that is believed in the Church , as such decrees of the four first General Councils as are de Fide , or the Thirty Nine Articles in the Protestant Church destinctly . If the Doctor denys this Proposition , he must Condemn most of the Ministers and Laity of his Church ; so by parity of Reason , a Man may be a true Worshiper , and yet not understand distinctly and verbatim every Word which is spoken in the Church . Farther , the Doctor cannot shew any Divine precept or decree of any General Council , which contradicts the practice of the Roman Church , in this point ; which he should have done , if he had spoken Doctor like before he had pronounced Damnation upon the people . Now , where there is no precept contradicted , the Church is to be obeyed . These reasons I give the Doctor , for the Latin Church Liturgy being every where in Latin. 1 st . That the Governours of the Church may have a certain knowledge of the true practice of it , which they could not conveniently have , if it were in every petty Speech . 2 dly . To avoid danger of the nullity of the Sacraments , which would happen if the Priest should not pronounce the Words rightly , of which there is danger , when the Priest is not perfect in the Language . 3 dly . It is convenient for many of the Clergy and Laity . To the Clergy , because they are often sent from one country to another , of different Speeches , for the common good , who if the Liturgie were in the Vulgar Tongue , they for many years could not be able to assist at any Solemnity of the Church . The same Reason is proportionally for the Laity . 4 thly . For Uniformity . 5 thly . Because the Latin is not mutable as other Speeches are . Lastly , Because it hath been so from the Beginning , as these following Fathers do Witness . St. Cyprian insinuates that in his time , the publick Liturgie was in Latin. St. Austin insinuates the same to have been in his time . St. Hierome affirms , that all the Eastern Church used the Greek Language . There are many more Reasons to be given ; some the Doctor gave , such as he thought he could easily refute . The last Argument which the Doctor brought , fell indeed to the Ground for want of a Friend to support it . The other three Reasons which the Doctor says , the Catholicks pretend for themselves , I suppose the Doctor had from the Irish Popish Collier , a Man who had more Devotion than Learning . But what if the Church gave no Reason , and should say , Stat pro ratione voluntas . It is my Will , and you are to Obey : I am impower'd by God , and assisted by his Spirit ; you are to submit , captivantes intellectum ? This Method would not please my Doctor at all . Arbitrary Power ! Egyptian Slavery ! He would raise up Old Cora , with all his Arguments that were used against Moyses ; and Cora would come in with a Why and a Wherefore , against every thing that pleased not his Humour . But must a King give a Reason to every Subject , why he makes such or such a Decree ? If not a King , why the Church ? The Liturgie which the Church used in England ( the Doctor will not deny ) was in Latin , from St. Austin's time , till the Reign of King Henry the Eighth , and were all Damned in those Nine Hundred Years ! Perhaps the Doctor will answer with his Book of Homilies , that all the World , Men , Women , and Children , were Drounded in Idolatry and Superstition . Uncharitable Doctor ! The World will neither believe your Homilies , nor you , without some proof , at least a seeming one , like your caracterised self . But let us consider what were the Works of these Egyptian Slaves ( as the Doctor is pleased to call the Roman Catholicks ) whilst they were in Slavery , under their hard Task-Masters . Some abandoning the World , retired into Monasteries , dedicating themselves intirely to God by solemn Vows , passing their whole Life in Prayer , Fasting , Contemplation ; Day and Night , praising God. Others building and endowing Religious Houses , Hospitals , Alms-Houses , Cathedrals , Collegiate , and Parish Churches . And from whence have you all your Fat Benefices , but from these Egyptian Slaves ? If these Men were Idolaters , then are you with your Wives and Children , like those Heathenish Priests in Daniel , Who devoured those Meats which were offered to Idols . If these Men were Workers of Piety , then may you justly fear to be called to an account by the great Task-Master , for not fulfilling the intentions of your Egyptian Benefactors . But we will now pass from the Egyptian Slavery and Darkness , to the Liberty and light of the Reformation . I fear to assert any thing positively , lest I should Err ; for I cannot find in this Protestant Land of Promise , any terra firma , upon which I can build any Position . I will therefore , ask the Doctor , who , perhaps , may be better acquainted with the Principles of the Reformation than I am . First , Whether God by any Miracle , or any thing like a Miracle , gave testimony of the Truth of the Reformation ? If God did not , how will the Doctor convince me that this is not ignis fatuus , a false Light , and a real Egyptian Darkness . The Doctor may perhaps answer , that he needeth no Miracles , it sufficeth that their Reformation is conformable to Scripture ; but is not this , Doctor , the plea of every Heretick , and cannot they see as well as you ? You are then to justifie all Heresies , or to bring a plea for your selves , such as they cannot use for their justification . I suppose the Doctor will allow every Reformer the same Liberty which he takes himself , and then I ask him if he can shew me a Heretick in the World , and by what Rule he declares him an Heretick ? 2 dly . Are all the Reformations of Christ's Church true ? If not all , how many ? Had there been any right and true Reformation of God's Church , if the Church of England had not reformed ? And did the better Livers of the English people begin and pursue the reformation of England ? Do the reformed live better than the Old Egyptian Slaves ? How many Holy Days and Fasting Days have they added to that Egyptian Calendar . 3 dly . What Benefit hath the World found by the reformation ? If it be a deliverance from Egyptian Darkness , how uncharitable are you to hide this Light under a Bushel ? ( and it is so little indeed , that a Bushel may easily hide it . ) Why do you not let it shine to the World ? Why do you not send your Missioners to unslave and enlighten the World , with the knowledge of your true new Gospel ? Why do you not oppose the Romish Missioners , in all Kingdoms of the World ? Strange , that all the true Ministers of the Gospel , should be so much wedded to Benefices and Wives , that none should have the Spirit of Paul , The charity of God urgeth me to diffuse the truth of the Gospel , over the Face of the Universe . And now how many Countries have they Converted ? How many Kings have obeyed the Church of England ? How many Mores have ye Christened , and instructed in the Indies ? When doth the Doctor think that there will be of all Tribes and People , Tongues and Nations of his belief ? There must certainly be more Apostolical endeavours used , than have been hitherto . For in truth , I never found any Protestant Missioners besides the Penal Laws , the Charity of the Reformation . to free Papists from Tyranny , Slavery , and Darkness , and bring them into the Light and Liberty of the Reformation . Liberty to believe what ye please , so ye believe not the Pope : Liberty to do what ye please , so ye do not please the Pope , Liberty to excuse all Errors , provided ye blame Popery . I find in the Writings of many of the Church of England Men , that they are ready to excuse the Pagans to suppress Popery , to Embrace all Hereticks , to strengthen their party , and prove their universality . He is the worst of Men , who seems any way to favour the Roman Catholicks . I met the other day , with a little Protestant Champion , ( a Three-penny Book ) who briskly contended for the Validity of the Orders of the Church of England . He own'd indeed , that they had them by Succession from the Church of Rome ; but in my Opinion , if they had not found fallen Priests from the Church of Rome , they would have gone to Monsieur Calvin , both for Articles and Orders , and have then thought their Church altogether as good as it is now : But to return to my Little Champion ; he had no sooner proved the Protestant Ordination valid , and that by a Succession of Bishops in the Romish Church , till the beginning of the Reformation , but presently reflects upon Popery with a protestant Eye , and crys out , I will retort my argument upon the Papists , and prove their Ordination invalid , and did prove that for many hundred years before the Reformation , they had no valid Ordination ; and so annulled his own . Thus Acts my Doctor , he cares not what he Preaches to the people , provided it be against Popery ; he cares not what they Learn , so they Learn not Popery , or Learn to Hate it . He cares not how many Lies he tells in his Pulpit , so he can but belie Popery . Witness this Sermon , and Witness the World , whether these Tenents which follow , Collected out of the Doctor 's Sermon , be not notorious Lies . First , in the Title of his Book , Insinuating that the Roman Catholicks are Idolaters , in his Text , That their Clergy are Scribes and Pharisees , Ignorance amongst them is a Virtue . They keep Men in Ignorance of their Religion . They hinder Men to be saved . They forbid Men to know God and serve him . The Priests hide God's Light under a Bushel . Antiquity is against the Papists , and they own it . That in the Ninth and Tenth Century , the Pope took away the Key of Knowledge from the people ; cruel usage in the Church of Rome . The Pope thought it better the people should be Kill'd , than they should understand their prayers . The Church of Rome wishes there were no Bible in the World : The Church of Rome Cruel and Tyrannical upon Mens Souls . The Bishop or Inquisitor alone , can give people leave to read the Scriptures ; and whosoever should presume to do it without License under their Hands , cannot be absolved . They instruct the people sparingly and slightly . Their Sermons are made up with Stories . They leave out the Second Commandment . The Roman Church yields Antiquity to the Protestants . They decline all manner of Tryal . The Roman Priests take the Childrens Bread from them . Doctor , What if they were Married , what would they do then ? would there not soon be in the Roman Church , such a Collection for the Children , as was presently after the Reformation for the poor ? This then must certainly reflect upon those Church-men who have Wives Children . They make Market of the peoples sins . ( The Rector of Colchester will inform the Reader of the practice of the Church of England , if he will give himself the trouble to read his Book ) they pay Mony for Mistakes . The Scripture , the chief and ancient Adversary of the Roman Church . The Roman Church , Egyptian Bondage and Darkness ; cruel Task-Master , denying Men sufficient Means to Salvation . These and many other uncharitable false aspersions , the Doctor in one Sermon , did presume to cast upon the Catholicks , at the very time when his Prince and the Head of his Church , did openly profess that Religion . Surely he was instructed by Luther's familiar Angel : And I find indeed , much of Luther's Spirit in the Doctor , and a great deal of Luther's Angel's Truth . I admire with what Face the Doctor can thus belie God's Church , especially at such a time , when all those injuries must reflect necessarily upon the Head of his own Church , our King , as that he is an Idolater , that his Worship is superstitious , that he is ignorant : That he shall be Damned ; That he is in Egyptian Darkness , and the like . I have here briefly run over the Doctor 's Book . To reflect upon every particular Cant , was not my Business . I was only desired to answer the principal Heads , which are , the not reading the Scriptures and Prayers in an unknown Tongue . If any one shall think there is any material point not answered , I will endeavour to satisfie him or them , if I may be worthy to know it ; in the interim , I leave what is written to the impartial Reader , and return to conclude with my Doctor , giving him this Admonition and Exhortation . Dura cervice & incircumscisis cordibus & auribus , vos semper spiritui sancto resistitis : That is , the Doctor should not stuff up his Sermon with Canting Reflections upon his Neighbours , much less with down right Lies : that he should be cautious how any thing he preaches , might reflect upon the sacred person of his King. That he should take care no Argument might be retorted upon himself , for then he fouls his own Nest . I exhort him to teach his people sound Doctrine , and good Morality ; for that is the way to keep the people in Union ( which is all he exhorts them to in his Sermon ) and if they be not in Union , it will bring them to it , and at length to the knowledge of the Truth , which I wish the Doctor with his Flock . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A25674-e150 Numb . 16. V. 3. Notes for div A25674-e530 Me●●●● . c. 1. v. 10. Ephes . 4. Hiero. in expl . quest . dam. E 15. In. prolog . supra lib. in paralepo . De mob . Ericlesiae . In c●mpeud de fidei doctrina . Nasian . lib. 2. Sud Theolog. Serm , de spiritu . sancto . Isid . lib. 2. de summo bono . Berard supra cantica . In expos . Orat. Dom. De Doct. Christ . c. 13. Praefa in para lip . Page 3. P. 4.5.6 . 8.10.12.14.15.91 .