Roman-Catholick PRINCIPLES, In Reference to God and the King, Explained in a LETTER to a Friend, And now made Public to show the Connexion between the said PRINCIPLES, And the Late POPISH PLOT. The Third Edition, Revised. Matth. 22. v. 21. Render to Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and and unto God the things that are God's. John 11. v. 48. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him, and the Romans shall come and take away both our Place & Nation. Printed in the Year, 1680. SIR, I Find your last as full of Doubts and Inquietudes, as your former was of Heat and Zeal: Whether mere Compassion hath altered your Judgement, or that You Fear your own Turn may be next, I cannot tell; But I easily perceive, You, and the greatest part of Honest Thinking Protestants, as well as You, begin, (though late,) Miseries inflicted on Catholics. ) to suspect, That Catholics have Wrongfully Suffered the loss of their Fame, their Goods, their Fortunes, and many their Lives. Nor do I wonder to see you touched with some Concern at our Miseries; For besides the sad Spectacles of Bloodshed, (which I mention without any Resentment, or Disrespect to the Government,) the Prisons have been filled with Us, whole Families Ruined and Exiled; poor Widows and Innocent Orphans have Perished through Distress, the very Woods and Deserts have not wanted Men Dying with Cold and Hunger; And all this upon account of a PLOT, (Horrid indeed, and Detestable in itself,) but which could never yet be Proved against Us, by any One Credible Witness, or Probable Circumstance evincing the Crime. True it is, Through the Perjuries, Dr. Oates, Captain Bedloe, and others of Debauched Lives, and Desperate Fortunes, have Positively Sworn, (if bare Positive Swearing, without any other Probability of Truth, Of Wicked Men. may stand for good Evidence,) to a multiplicity of Particulars. But these Men have been, and still are, so notoriously stigmatised with all sorts of Vice and Infamy; Their Oaths have been Confronted with so many Self-contradictions; Their Forgeries accompanied with such Incredible, such Impossible Circumstances; Their Lies and Fables so stuffed with Absurdities, Nonsense, and Follies; The Crime of Perjury so often, and so plainly proved against them. In short, both their Past and Present Villainies are now become so Apparent and Perspicuous, that the greatest part of the Nation hath an Abhorrence of Them. But You tell me, (and You are in the right,) That the Thing which hath rendered Credible the Testimony of otherwise Incredible Witnesses, against Us, and which hath Invalidated all contrary Evidence given in our behalf, is a Persuasion many Protestants have, Evil Principles wrongfully Imputed. That the Catholic Religion is made up of Traitorous Principles, Destructive to Peace and Government. You say You have been Informed by Common Report, by Printed Books; Nay, by some Ministers in their very Pulpits, That Catholics hold it an Article of Faith to Believe, That the POPE can Depose KINGS, Absolve their Subjects from their Allegiance, and Dispose of Kingdoms to whom He pleases: That to Murder Protestants, and Destroy the Nation by Fire and Sword, for propagation of the Catholic Faith, are Works of Piety, and Meritorious of Heaven. These, and the like Horrid Aspersions; together with I know not what Feigned Idolatries, Superstitions, and Abuses, are (as you have rightly Intimated,) laid to the Charge of Roman Catholics, whereby to render both their Faith and Persons Odious to many, (otherwise Wellmeaning) People, who not sufficiently examining the Truth of Things, but taking all for granted, Judge nothing Ill enough can be said or done against Men so Principled. And is it not Strange and Severe, That Principles, and those pretended of Faith too, And always disowned by Catholics. should be Imposed upon Men, which They Themselves Renounce and Detest? If the Turk's Alcoran should in like manner be urged upon Us, and We hanged up for Mahumetans, all we could do or say in such a Case, would be patiently to Die, with Protestation of our own Innocence. And this is the Posture of our present condition; We Abhor, We Renounce, We Abominate such Principles; We Protest against them, and Seal our Protestations with our Dying Breathes. What shall We say? What can We do more? To Accuse Men as Guilty in Matters of Faith, which They never owned, is the same thing as to Condemn them for Matters of Fact, which they never did. You press the Question, and say, some of our General Councils, several Papal Decrees, and many of our Doctors and Divines, assert the forementioned Principles. Sir, I have been Instructed in the Articles of my Faith, and I acknowledge the Lawful Authority of General Councils; Yet I profess I never learned, or found asserted in any of them any such Principles. And I propose unto You, this plain and short Dilemma; Either the abovenamed Principles are esteemed by Us ●● Matters of Faith or not: If they be, what further can be required of Us, than to Deny, and Forsake such a Faith? And this We constantly do. But if They be not Matters of Catholic Faith, nor owned by Us as such, why are Catholics, as Catholics, punished for them? Why is Our Religion Persecuted on that account? Let those in God's Name, if any there be, of what Religion soever, who hold such Tenants, suffer for them: Why should the Innocent be Involved with the Guilty? There is neither Reason nor Justice in it. Hereunto some Persons, An Objection, (I hope out of Zeal and Misinformation, rather than Malice,) stick not to say; That Dispensations, and I know not what Indulgences and Pardons, whereby to Legitimate the Crimes of Lying and Forswearing, when the Interest of our Church requires; is a main part of our Religion: And by Consequence, the Denial of our Principles, is no sufficient Justification of our Innocence. Answered. I answer; First, It is in the highest measure Censorious in any one, to Impose upon all Our Ancestors, and the greatest part of Mankind, who are, or have been Members of our Religion, such an Excess of Folly and Wickedness, as must needs have perverted all Humane Society. Secondly, If We could Lawfully Deny the Principles of our Faith when Interest requires; Why have We lost Our Estates, Our Liberties, Our Lives for the Profession of it? To what purpose are Oaths and Tests devised to entangle Us? How Impertinently is the frequenting the Protestant Church, and Receiving the Communion, proposed unto Us, and Refused by Us? Thirdly, Though many Men may be induced to Lie, and Forswear, when they have some Hopes or Prospect thereby of Temporal Advantage; Yet that Persons Dying for their Conscience and Religion, (as divers have done, and those no Fools, even by the Confession of our Adversaries,) should be so stupendiously Sottish and Mad, either to imagine, that Lies and Perjuries, for concealment of Treason, Murder, Massacre and Destruction of others by Fire and Sword, should be Acts of Virtue, pleasing to God, Dispensable by the Pope, and Meritorious of Heaven: Or that, on the contrary, Knowing, and Believing, (as needs They must,) such Monsters and Horrors to be Odious and Detestable in the sight both of God and Man, They should nevertheless, upon the very brink of Eternity, Wittingly and Willingly cast Themselves Headlong into an Assured Damnation; and this at a Time when they might have saved both Bodies and Souls, by merely Discharging a good Conscience, in acknowledging the Truth, and becoming Honest Men. This, I say is Inhuman, and contradictory to all Sense and Reason to believe. Now therefore I am come to what you so often, and so earnestly press me to, (viz) to satisfy the World, and clear myself, my Fellow-sufferers, and my Religion, The Intent of this Epistle. from the Imputation laid upon Us, on pretence of such Principles, by a True and Candid Explanation of my Belief and Judgement, in the Main Points of Faith and Loyalty, Controverted between Catholics and Protestants, as they severally Relate to God, and the King. PARAGRAPH I. Of the CATHOLIC FAITH, and CHURCH in General. 1. THE Fruition of God, Redemption in Christ, and Remission of Sin is not attainable by Man, otherwise then a Eph. 2. 8. 1▪ Cor. 15. 22. in and by the Merits of Jesus Christ, who gratis Purchased It for Us. 2. These Merits of Christ are not applied to Us, applicable by Faith. otherwise than by a Right b Mark 16 16. Heb. 11. 6. Faith in Christ. 3. Which is but One, This Faith is but c Eph. 4. 4. &c, One, Entire and Conformable to its Object, being Divine Revelations; to all which d Jam. 2. 10 Faith gives an undoubted Assent. 4. Supernatural, These Revelations contain many Mystcries e 1 Cor. 1. 20. Mat. 16. 17 transcending the Natural Reach of Humane Wit or Industry; Wherefore, 5. It became the Divine Wisdom and Goodness, By the Divine Providence to be Learned, to provide Man of some f Isa. 38▪ 8. Way or Means whereby he might Arrive to the Knowledge of these Mysteries; Means g Joh. 9 41 Visible and Apparent to all; Means h Mat. 11 25. proportionable to the Capacities of all; Means i John 15. 22. Sure and Certain to all. 6. Not from private Interpretation of Scripture. This Way or Means is not the Reading of Scripture, Interpreted according to the Private k 2 Pet. 3. 16. Pro. 14. 12. Mat. 29. 29 Reason or l 1 Joh. 4. 1. & 6. Spirit of every Disjunctive Person, or Nation in Particular; But, 7. It is an Attention and m Matth. 18. 17. Luk▪ 10. 16 Submission to the Doctrine of the Catholic or Universal Church, established by Christ for the Instruction of all, n Psal. 2. 8. Isa. 2. 2. etc. cap. 49. 6▪ Matt. 5. 14 Spread for that end throughout all Nations, and visibly continued in the Succession of Pastors, and People throughout all Ages: From which Church o Isai. 59 21. Joh. 16. 13. Eze. 17. 26 Eph. 5. 25▪ etc. 1 Tim. 3. 15 Mat▪ 16. 18 Guided in Truth, and secured from Error in Matters of Faith, by the p Mat. 28 20. Joh. 14. 16. promised Assistance of the Holy Ghost, and guided by the Holy Ghost for that end. every one may, and aught to q Deu. 17. 8. etc. Mat. 23. 2. Learn both the Right Sense of the Scripture, and all other Christian Mysteries and Duties, respectively necessary to Salvation. 8. This Church, This Church is the same with the Roman Catholic, thus Spread, thus Guided, thus visibly Continued, r Can. 6. 8. Joh. 10. 16. Rom. 15. 5. Joh. 17. 22. Philip. 2. 2. in One uniform Faith, and Subordination of Government, is that Selfsame which is termed the Roman Catholic Church, the Qualifications abovementioned, (viz.) Unity, Indeficiency, Visibility, Succession, and Universality,) being applicable to no other Church, or Assembly, whatsoever. 9 From the Testimony and Authority of This Church, From the Testimony of which, we receive the Scripture to be God's Word. it is, that We Receive, and Believe the Scriptures to be God's Word: And as She can s Mat. 16. 18 1 Tim. 3. 15 Mat. 18. 17▪ assuredly tell Us, This or That Book is God's Word, so can she with the like Assurance, tell us also the True Sense and Meaning of it in Controverted Points of Faith; The same Spirit that Writ the Scripture, t Isai. 59 21. Joh. 14. 26. Enlightening Her to Understand, both It, and all Matters Necessary to Salvation. From These Grounds it Follows, 10. Divine Revelations only Matters of Faith. All, and only Divine Revelations delivered by God unto the CHURCH, and proposed by Her to be Believed as such, are, and aught to be esteemed Articles of Faith; Divine Revelations only Matters of Faith. and the contrary Opinions, Heresy. And, 11. As an Obstinate Separation from the Unity of the Church, What Heresy, & what Sckism! in known declared Matters of Faith, is Formal u 1 Cor. 11. 19 Heresy; So a wilful Separation from the Visible Unity of the same Church, in Matters of Subordination and Government, Mat. 18. 17 is Formal x Tit. 3. 10 1 Cor. 1. 10 cap. 12. 25 Schism. 12. The Church proposeth unto Us Matters of Faith: How Matters of Faith are proposed by the Church. First, and chiefly, By the y Joh. 5. 39 Holy Scripture, in Points plain and Intelligible in it. Secondly, By z Acts. 15. per tot. Definitions of General Councils, in Points not sufficiently Explained in Scripture. Thirdly, By a 2 Thes. 2. 15. cap. 3. 6. 2 Tim. 2. 2. Apostolical Traditions, derived from Christ and his Apostles, to all Succeeding Ages. Fourthly, By her b Jam. 2. 18. Practice, Worship and Ceremonies, Confirming her Doctrine. PARAGRAPH II. Of Spiritual and Temporal Authority. 1. GEneral Councils (which are the Church of God, What is the Authority of General Councils. Representative) have no Commission from Christ to Frame New Matters of Faith, Gal. 1. 7, 8. (these being sole Divine Revelations,) but only to a Deu. 17. 8. Explain and Assertain unto Us, what anciently was, and is Received and Retained, Mat 18. 17. as of Faith in the Church, Act. 15. per tot. upon arising Debates and Controversies about them. Lu. 10. 16. The Definitions of which, General Councils in Matters of Faith only, Heb. 13. 7. 17. and proposed as such, Oblige, under pain of Heresy, all the Faithful, to a Submission of Judgement. But, 2. It is no Article of Faith to believe, That General Councils cannot Err, either in Matters of Fact or Discipline, An Explanation of the same Authority. alterable by Circumstances of Time and Place, or in Matters of Speculation or Civil Policy, depending on mere Humane Judgement or Testimony. Neither of these being Divine Revelations b 1 Tim. 6. 20. deposited in the Catholic Church, in regard to which alone, she hath the c Jo 14. 16. promised Assistance of the Holy Ghost. Hence it is deduced, 3 If a General Council (much less a Papal Consistory) should undertake 〈◊〉 depose a King, A Deduction from thence concerning Allegiance and absolve his Subjects from their Allegiance, no Catholic as Catholic is bound to submit to such a Decree. Hence also it followeth: 4. The Subjects of the King of England lawfully may, A second Deduction concerning the same, without the least breach of any Catholic Principle, Renounce, even upon Oath, the Teaching, Declar. fac. Sorb. maintaining, or Practising the Doctrine of deposing Kings Excommunicated for Heresy, by any Authority whatsoever, as Repugnant to the fundamental Laws of the Nation, Injurious to Sovereign Power, Destructive to the Peace and Government; and by consequence, in His Majesty's Subjects, Impious and Damnable. Yet not properly Heretical, taking the Word Heretical in that connatural, genuine sense, it is usually understood in the Catholic Church; on account of which, and other Expressions, (no wise appertaining to Loyalty,) it is, Of the Oath of Allegiance. that Cathoclicks of tender consciences refuse the Oath commonly called the Oath of Allegiance. 5. Catholics believe, The Bishop of Rome Supreme Head of the Church but not Infallible. That the Bishop of Rome is the Successor of S. Peter, d Mat. 16. 17. Vicar of Jesus Christ upon Earth, Lu. 22. 31. and Head of the whole Catholic Church; Jo. 21: 17. which Church is therefore fitly styled Roman Catholic, being an universal Body e Eph. 4. 11, etc. united under one visible Head. Nevertheless. 6. It is no matter of Faith to believe, That the Pope is in himself Infallible, separated from a General Council, even in Expounding the Faith: By consequence Papal Definitions or Decrees, though ex Cathedra, as they term them, (take exclusively from a General Council, or Universal Acceptance of the Church,) oblige none under Pain of Heresy, to an interior Assent. 7. Nor do Catholics as Catholics believe that the Pope hath any direct, Nor hath any Temporal Authority over Princes. or indirect Authority over the Temporal Power and Jurisdiction of Princes. Hence, if the Pope should pretend to Absolve or Dispense with His Majesty's Subjects from their Allegiance, upon account of Heresy or Schism, such Dispensation would be vain and null; and all Catholic Subjects (notwithstanding such Dispensation or Absolution,) would be still bound in Conscience to defend their King and Country, 1 Pet. 2. v. 12, etc. at the hazard of their Lives and Fortunes, even against the Pope himself, in case he should invade the Nation. 8. And as for Problematical Disputes, The Church not responsible for the Errors of particular Divines. or Errors of particular Divines, in this or any other matter whatsoever, the Catholic Church is no wise responsible for them: Nor, are Catholics as Catholics, justly punishable on their Account. But, 9 As for the King-Killing Doctrine, or Murder of Princes, King-Killine, Doctring Damnable Heresy. Excommunicated for Heresy; It is an Article of Faith in the Catholic Church, and expressly declared in the General Council of Constance, Conc. that such Doctrine is Damnable and Heretical, Const. being contrary to the known Laws of God and Nature. S●ss, 15. 10. Personal Misdemeanours of what Nature soever, Personal misdemeanours not to be imputed to the Church. ought not to be Imputed to the Catholic Church, when not Justifyable by the Tenants of her Faith and Doctrine; For which Reason though the Stories of the Paris Massacre; the Irish Cruelties; Or Powder-Plot, had been exactly true, (which yet for the most part are Notoriously misrelated) nevertheless Catholics as Catholics ought not to Suffer for such Offences, any more than the Eleven Apostles ought to have Suffered for Judas' Treachery. 11. It is an Article of the Catholic Faith to believe, that no Power on Earth can Licence Men to Lie, No Power on Earth can authorize Men to Lie, Forswear, Murder, etc. to Forswear, and Perjure themselves, to Massacre their Neighbours, or Destroy their Native Country, on pretence of promoting the Catholic Cause, or Religion; Furthermore, all Pardons and Dispensations granted, or pretended to be granted, in order to any such ends or Designs, have no other validity or Effect, than to add Sacrilege and Blasphemy to the abovementioned Crimes. 12. The Doctrine of Equivocation or Men●al Reservation, Equivocation not allowed in the Church. however wrongfully Imposed on the Catholic Religion, is notwithstanding, neither taught, nor approved by the Church, as any part of her Belief. 2 Cor. 1. 12 On the contrary, Simplicity and Godly Sincerity are constantly recommended by her as truly Christian Virtues, necessary to the Conservation of Justice, Truth, and Common Society. PARAGRAPH III. Of some Particular controverted Points of FAITH. 1. EVERY Catholic is obliged to believe, Of Sacramental Absolution. that when a Sinner a Ez. 18. 21. Repenteth him of his Sins from the bottom of his Heart, 2 Cor. 7. 10 and b Ps. 32. 5. Pro. 28. 13. Acknowledgeth his Transgressions to God and his c Act. 19 18. Ministers, the Dispenser's of the Mysteries of Christ, 1 Cor. 4. 1. resolving to turn from his evil ways, d Lu. 3. 18. and bring forth Fruits worthy of Penance, Jam▪ 5. 16. there is (then and no otherwise) an Authority left by Christ to Absolve such a Penitent Sinner from his Sins; which Authority Christ gave his e Joh. 20. 21, &c Mat 18. 18. Apostles, and their Successors, the Bishops and Priests of the Catholic Church, in those words, when he said, Receive ye the Holy Ghost, whose Sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven unto them, etc. 2. Though no Creature whatsoever can make f Tit. 3. 5. Condign satisfaction, Of Satisfaction by penitential works. either for the Gild of Sin, or the Pain Eternal due to it; g 2 Cor. 3. 5. This satisfaction being proper to Christ our Saviour only; yet penitent Sinners Redeemed by Christ, may, as Members of Christ, in some measure h Act. 26. 20. satisfy by Prayer, Ionas 3. 5. etc. Fasting, Alms, Deeds, and other Works of Piety, for the Temporal Pain, which by order of Divine Justice sometimes remains due, Psa. 102. 9 etc. after the guilt of Sin, Ps. 109. 23. and Pains Eternal are (gratis) remitted. Dan. 9 3. These Penitential Works are notwithstanding satisfactory no otherwise than as joined and applied to that satisfaction, Jo●● 2. 12. which Jesus made upon the Cross, Luk 11. 41. in virtue of which alone, Act. 10. 44. all our good works find a grateful i 1 Pe. 2. 5. acceptance in God's Sight. 3. The Gild of Sin, Indulgences are not Remission of Sins, but only of Canonical Penances. or Pain Eternal due to it, is never remitted by Indulgences; but only such k 1 Cor. 5. 3. etc. Temporal Punishments as remain due after the Gild is remitted; These Indulgences being nothing else than a l 2 Cor. 2. 6. Mitigation or Relaxation upon just causes, of Canonical Penances, enjoined by the Pastors of the Church on Penitent Sinners, according to their several Degrees of Demerit. Abuses herein not to be charged on the Church. And if any abuses or mistakes be sometimes committed, in point either of Granting or Gaining Indulgencies, through the Remissness or Ignorance of particular Persons, contrary to the ancient Custom and Discipline of the Church; such Abuses or Mistakes cannot rationally be charged on the Church, nor rendered matter of Derision, in prejudice to her Faith and Doctrine. 4. Catholics hold there is a Purgatory, There is a Purgatory or State, where Souls departing this Life with some blemish are purified that is to say, a Place of state, where Souls departing this Life, with Remission of their Sins, as to the Eternal Gild or Pain, yet m Numb. 14. 20, etc. 2 Sam. 12. 13. etc. Obnoxious to some Temporal Punishment still Remaining due, or not perfectly freed from the Blemish of some n Pro. 24. 16. venial Defects or Deordinations, Ma. 12. 36. and cap. 5. 22. 26. (as Idle Words, etc. not liable to Damnation) are o Mat. 5. 26 1 Cor. 3. 15. purged before their Admittance into Heaven, where nothing that is p Rev. 21. 27. defiled can enter. Furthermore. 5. Catholics also hold, Prayers for the Dead available to them. That such Souls so detained in Purgatory, being the Living Members of Christ Jesus, are Relieved by the q 1 Cor. 15 29. Coll. 1. 24. 2 Mac, 12. 42, etc. 1 Jo. 5. 16. Prayers and Suffrages of their Fellow-members here on Earth: But where this place is? Of what Nature or Quality the Pains are? Superfluous Questions about Purgatory. How long each Soul is detained there? After what manner the Suffrages made in their behalf are applied? Whether by way of Satisfaction or Intercession? etc. are Questions Superfluous, and Impertinent as to Faith. 6. No Man, though just, r Jo. 15. 5. 16. can Merit either an Increase of Sanctity or Happiness in this Life, Of the merit of good Works, through the merits of Christ. or Eternal Glory in the next, Independent on the Merits and Passion of Christ; Nevertheless in and by the Merits of Christ Jesus, s Mat. 16. 27 the good Work of a just Man, proceeding from Grace and Charity, are acceptable to God, Cap. 5. 12. so far forth as to be, Cap 10. 42. through his Goodness and Sacred Promise, 2 Cor 5. 10 Truly Meritorious of Eternal Life. 2 Tim. 4. 8. 7. It is an Article of the Catholic Faith, That in the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist, Christ really present in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. there is Truly and Really contained the t Mat. 26. 26. Body of Christ, Mar 14. 22. which was delivered for us, and his Blood, which was shed for the Remission of Sins; Lu. 22. 19 the substance of Bread and Wine, 1 Cor. 11. 23. etc. being by the powerful Words of Christ changed into the Substance of his Blessed Body and Blood, Cap. 10. 16. the Species or Accidents of Bread and Wine still remaining. Thus, 8. Christ is not present in this Sacrament, But after a supernatural manner. according to his natural way of Existence, that is, with extension of parts, in order to place, etc. but after a Supernatural manner, one and the same in many places, and whole in every part of the Symbols. This therefore is a real, Substantial, yet Sacramental Presence of Christ's Body and Blood, not exposed to the external Senses, nor Obnoxious to corporeal Contingences. 9 Neither is the Body of Christ in this Holy Sacrament, Whole Christ in either species. Separated from his Blood, or his Blood from his Body, or either of both disjoined from his Soul and Divinity, Hence Communicants under under one kind nowise deprived either of the Body or Blood of Christ. but all and whole u Jo. 6. 48 50, 51. 57 58. living Jesus is entirely contained under either Species; so that whosoever receiveth under one kind, Acts 2. 42. is truly partaker of the whole Sacrament, and no wise deprived either of the Body or Blood of Christ. True it is, 10. Our Saviour Jesus Christ left unto us his Body and Blood, under two distinct Species or Kind's; Of the Sacrifice of the Mass. in doing of which, he instituted not only a Sacrament, but also a Sacrifice; x Luk. 22. 19, etc. a Commemorative Sacrifice distinctly y 1 Cor. 11. 26. showing his Death or Bloody Passion, until he come. For as the Sacrifice of the Cross was performed by a distinct Effusion of Blood, so is the same Sacrifice Commemorated in that of the z Heb. 13. 10. Altar, by a distinction of the Symbols. Jesus therefore is here given not only to us, but a Lu. 22. 19 for us; and the Church thereby enriched with a true, proper, and propitiatory b Mal. 1. 11. Sacrifice, usually termed Mass. 11. Catholics renounce all Divine Worship, Worship of Images wrongfuly Imposed on Catholics. Yet there is some Veneration due both to Pictures, and Adoration of Images or Pictures. c Luk 4. 8. God alone we Worship and Adore; nevertheless we make use of Pictures, and place them in d Ex. 25. 18. Churches and Oratories, to reduce our wandering thoughts, and Enliven our Memories towards Heavenly things. 1 Kin. 6. 35 And farther, Luke 3. 22. we allow a certain Honour and Veneration to the Picture of Christ, Num 21. 8. of the Virgin Mary, etc. Acts 5. 15. beyond what is due to every Profane Figure; not that we believe any Divinity or Virtue in the Pictures themselves, for which they ought to be Honoured, but because the Honour given to Pictures is referred to the Prototype, or things represented. In like manner, 12. There is a kind of Honour and Veneration Respectively due to the Bible, to the Cross, to the Name of Jesus, And other sacred things. to Churches, to the Sacraments, etc. as e Jos. 7. 6. things peculiarly appertaining to God; Exod. 3. 5. also to the f Jo. 12. 26. glorified Saints in Heaven, Psa. 99 5. as Domestic Friends of God; Phil. 2. 10. yea, g 1 Pet. 2. 17. to Kings, Magistrates, and Superiors on Earth, Luk. 3. 16. as the Vicegerents of God, Act. 19 12. to whom Honour is due, Honour may be given, without any Derogation to the Majesty of God, or that Divine Worship appropriate to him. Ron. 13. 7. Furthermore, 13. Catholics believe, Prayer to Saints lawful. That the blessed Saints in Heaven replenished with Charity, h Rev. 5. 8. pray for us their fellow-Members here on Earth; that they i Lu. 15. 7. Rejoice at our Conversion; that seeing God, they k 1 Cor. 13. 12. see and konws in him all things suitable to their happy state; that God is Inclinable to hear their Requests made in our behalf, l Ex. 32. 13 2 Chron. 6. 42. and for their sakes grants Us many Favours; That therefore it is Good and Profitable to Desire their Intercession; And that this manner of Invocation is no more Injurious to Christ Our Mediator, nor Superabundant in itself, than it is for one Christian to beg the Prayers and Assistance of m Romons' 15. 30. another in this World. Notwithstanding all which, Catholics are taught not so to Rely on the Prayers of Others, Yet so as not to neglect our Duties. as to neglect their own n Jam. 2. 17. 30, etc. Duty to God; in Imploring his Divine Mercy and Goodness, o Rom. 13 14. in Mortifying the Deeds of the Flesh; in p Ro. 12. 2. Despising the World; in Loving and q Gal. 5. 6. Serving God and their Neighbour; in Following the Footsteps of Christ our Lord, who is the r Joh. 14. 6 Way, the Truth, and the Life: To whom be Honour and Glory for ever and ever, Amen. The Conclusion. THese are the PRINCIPLES, A Conclusion from the Premimises. These are the TREASONS, These are the IDOLATRIES, and SUPERSTITIONS, which, though no other than what We have Received of our Forefathers, and what the greatest part of the Christian World now profess, yet have drawn upon Us poor Catholics in ENGLAND such Dreadful Punishments. I Beseech you Sir, consider our Case, without Passion or Prejudice, and I am confident you will see, We are not such Monsters as our Adversaries Represent Us to be, nor entertain such Principles as are Inconsistent with our Duty to GOD, and the KING. You seem to say, This very PLOT with which We are charged, An Objection Answered. proves Us Guilty of wicked Principles. But, under Favour, You here commit a Vicious Circle in way of Arguing: For first, here are wicked Principles alleged to make good the Proof of a PLOT; And these being denied, the PLOT is introduced to make out the wicked Principles; As if a Man should say a thing, because he thought so, and give no Reason why he thought so, but only because he said so; which instead of Proof, is to beg the Question. Certain I am, Catholics both Taught, and Practised Principles of Loyalty, at a Time when the KING and Kingdom felt the Dire Effects of contrary Persuasions. You add, A second Objection Answered The two Houses of Parliament, the Judges, and in a manner, the whole Nation, seemed to Believe, and cry up the Evidence given of a PLOT. I answer, The most Upright Persons, and those even of Supreme Authority, may sometimes be misinformed, and consequently abused, by the Perjury and Malice of wicked Men; Especially when Minds are exasperated, Jealousies heightened, and Forgeries abetted and multiplied by the clandestine endeavours of a Malignant Party, who love to Fish in Troubled Waters; and who by raising Feuds, and Fomenting Disorders, make their way to sinister ends. You yourself are sensible, there are a sort of People, who under a colourable Zeal against Popery, (as they term it,) strike at Monarchy, and undermine the Government. I shall not need to dilate on this Subject; our Nation hath once had a sad Experience of this Zeal, and I heartily wish the same Tragedy may not be Acted over again. In Fine, whatsoever is pretended against Us, Catholics suffer for their Religion. it is manifest We suffer for our Religion, wrongfully traduced. It is a farther Comfort to Us, that our Sufferings (God be praised) are in some measure, not unlike to those of Christ our Lord; Their Sufferings not unlike to those of Christ our Lord. For it was laid to his Charge as it is to Ours, that he was a Traitor to a Luk. 23. 2 Caesar; That he perverted the People, and endeavoured the b Jo. 11. 48 Destruction of Church and State; Nor were there wanting, then as now, an OATS and BEDLOE, c Matt. 26 60▪ two false Witnesses to Swear all this. Thus God, I hope, hath Predestinated Us, Rom. 8. 29 (as the Apostle saith) to be conform to the Image of his Son; to the end, that Suffering with Him, Ver. 17. We may (through his Mercy) be Glorified together with him. Sweet Jesus Bless our Sovereign, Pardon our Enemies, Grant Us Patience, and Establish Peace and Charity in our Nation. This is the daily Prayer of, SIR, Your Faithful though Distressed Friend, M. B. Errors escaped in the Marginal Texts, Page 6. against Numb. 5. for Isa. 38. 8. r. Isa. 35. 8. Pag. 6. against Numb. 6. for Mat. 29. 29. r. Mat. 22. 29. Pag. 12. against Numb. 1. for Luk. 3. 18. r. Luk. 3. 8. Pag. 13. against Numb. 2. for Acts 10. 44. r. Acts 10. 4. Psalm 35. Verse 11. FALSE WITNESSES did rise up; they laid to my Charge things that I knew not. Matthew 5. Verse 11. Blessed are ye when Men shall Revile you, and Persecute you, and shall say all manner of Evil against you FALSELY, for my sake; Rejoice and be glad, for great it your Reward in Heaven.