THE Pharisee Unmasked: IN A New Discovery OF THE ARTIFICES Used by ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIESTS TO Convert Prisoners both at, and before the Time OF EXECUTION.  
Published with Allowance.  
LONDON, Printed by Henry Hills, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty, for His Household and Chapel; And are to be sold at his Printing-house on the Ditch-side in Blackfriars. 1687.   

THE Pharisee Unmasked: IN A New Discovery of the Artifices used by Roman Catholic Priests, to Convert Prisoners, both at, and before the Time of Execution.  
WE see now a days a sort of Men, who like the Crow in the Fable, with painted Plumes and smooth Exteriors, cloak for a time the pernicious Sentiments of their deluded Souls; but at the first opening of their mouths, are presently discovered by their harsh and ill boding Tone.  
The late most Royal and Gracious Declaration of Indulgence, granted by the wisest and best of Princes, as the sweetest and most efficacious means, to re-establish Love, Union, and good Intelligence amongst all his loving Subjects, is their common Stumbling-block, which they no sooner hit against, but they clearly show, who, and what they are: And though it has the general Applause and Approbation of Christendom, and all well-meaning Subjects; yet they like venomous Spiders, endeavour to asperse it with the Poison, with which they themselves abound.  
What other reason can there be for this, than that being too much used to bloody Executions, and to the bitter and doleful Groans of their fellow Subjects, sinking under the weight of the cruelest Persecutions; the Music was so sweet and pleasing to 'em, that now they are pinched, to see a Period put to those Severities, which have been the cause of it.  
One would think that all Pamphlets to this purpose should now cease; but here up starts, when least thought of, a new Zealot, revived, as if it were from a deep Trance, or awaked from heavy dumps, who, sorry it seems, not to have sooner acted his Part upon that public Stage; invents a rare Stratagem to get his place among the Actors. Tyburn, a place more fit for Mourning, than for Mimic, and poor dying, or rather dead Persons, must needs be the Subject of his Scene.  
Since freedom of Conscience, says he, hath been so liberally granted, every minute Opinion has been emulous of Proselytes. You need no more Expressions; we understand full well your meaning, and what you would be at: It is that Freedom of Conscience, and not the making of Proselytes, that touches you to the quick, that venomous humour which it hath engendered in your heart, has been too long fermenting, and is now grown so ripe, that it must needs break out.  
And who can but admire this Actors drifts, to cover his malice and the deep rancour of his Heart with the plausible and specious pretext of tender Love and Compassion to his fellow Christians? Such are those false Prophets of which we are advifed to beware, who comes in sheep's clothing, yet in their hearts being ravenous wolves, by good words and fair speeches deceive the simple. This Man would persuade the World, that in this, he is only concerned for the Souls of his fellow Christians; yet cannot pass without a severe Reflection upon Freedom of Conscience, which is not only always emulous, as he says, but also most efficacious for making Proselytes, because it gives way to Truth to shine forth with all her splendour: who thus appearing in her purest Robes and rich Attire, is able to clear, and open the bemisted Eyes of her Spectators, if not diverted by such false Guides, or overmastered by such specious, though false Pretexts, as he alleges, there needs no Force nor Threats, when she so appears, she alone triumphs and gains the day.  
Then again, our Actor not yet fully roused from his dumps, or if awake, blinded by his Passion, confounds himself and betrays his own Cause, whereas, as he pretends, out of tender Love and Compassion for Christian Souls, he inveighs against Freedom of Conscience, as the cause of making Proselytes; and yet at the same time, would have the World believe, that such Proselytes are made by Force and Threats. Now where Freedom of Conscience is, what use can there be for Force, or how can Threats prevail, where Liberty ensures and bears the sway?  
How come you great Zealot to mistake so soon; is it that the heat of your pretended Love, and Compassion for Christian Souls, perverts your Sense and Reason to that degree, that you perceive not manifest Contradictions, even in your first Periods? But alas you care not by what means, so by any, either right or wrong, you attain your ends: viz. to raise a cloud of dust, to disturb the sight of those poor deluded Members of your Party; whom by too many and too sad Experiences, you know to be more apt to give Credit to scurrilous Pamphlets, though stuffed with lies, so they lay any Aspersions upon Catholics, than to the most Authentic Traditions of the universal Church of Christ, and the Doctrine of the most eminent and famous Lights of the Primitive Times: these Doctors with them do pass for doting Fools, and their Works for Engines forged by Papists, to impose upon simple Men; whilst such Pamphlets they embrace, and hold for undoubted Truths.  
It is this easiness of his Party to adhere to new Inventions, which proved too fatal to so many in later Ages, that encouraged this Man to divulge so ridiculous an Imposture; and laying aside all Fear of God, not to scruple to calumniat others with most notorious Falsities; So verifying by himself and others his Associates in that Trade, that there are now indeed another sort of fishers of men, than what our Saviour made, who with other baits than that of the Gospel, angle souls, and lead them blindfold to eternal ruin, and thus subdue more by falsehood, than they convince by Truth and Reason.  
But there is a generation of men, who, he says, call themselves Priests, who have subdued more by Force than Persuasion, and caught more Souls by a Dilemma, than they have confuted by true Logic. The Dilemma he here speaks of, I suppose by what he said before, consists of Promises without Performance on the one side, and of Force on the other; that of Promises without Performance has so blunt a point, that himself lays no stress upon it; and for the other of Force, which is a sharp point indeed, as it little agrees with that Liberty of Conscience, which his Majesty has been graciously pleased to grant to all: So the eagerness to keep up the Power of Persecution, by hindering the abrogating of the Penal Laws and Tests, manifestly shows to whom that Horn belongs. But why does he say A Generation of Men who call themselves Priests? Does he then believe them not to be truly such? If so, what becomes of the Hierarchy of the Church of England, which pretends no other Origin of that Priesthood and Ordination she claims, above all other Reformed Churches, but the Validity of that in the Church of Rome? But this I suppose is the least of his care; so he may make Catholic Priests contemptible by false Insinuations, he cares not what dirt he throws in his own Mother's Face. But finding no Advantage by his Dilemma, he now proceeds to a Demonstration which he calls Dioti, a thundering one indeed, and which promises more to the Auditors, than what he performs.  
For Premises of this Demonstration, he brings in the first place, Mr. Smith the Ordinaries Relation of the Confession, and Behaviour of Sackvil, Herbert, Pritchard, Grevil, and Snipe, executed at Tyburn the 16 of December last. I stand not to question what this Relation contained, though I am credibly informed that it was not very sincere; yet at least there should have been left out of it, the Confession and Behaviour of Pritchard, and Grevil, both having been brought up in the Catholic Faith, and therefore unlikely to have made any Confession to the said Ordinary, unless they would fain persuade us, that Persons brought up in the Roman Catholic Faith, would forsake it at the hour of Death, as if elsewhere they hoped to meet with better Security for their Souls; a thing of which I know no instance, nor believe the Author of the Pamphlet can give any true one, I say (true) for finding him very expert in inventing things no better grounded, I doubt not, but if he undertook it, he would suppose many: whereas on the contrary, nothing is more frequent than for Protestants, when they are in fear of Death, to embrace the Catholic Faith. As for Sackvil, Herbert, and Snipe, if their Confession and Behaviour had been sincerely related, the World would be convinced, how great an Impostor this Man is, who attaints them after Death, with the foul aspersion of feigned Conversion. But whatever this Relation was, I leave it to any Man of Sense, to judge how insufficient it is to form a Demonstration Dioti, unless to this Ordinary be ascribed that Divine Prerogative, which to the Universal Church of God they deny.  
For a second Premiss, he brings a Reason no less ridiculous than the former. I saw, says he, no such evidential tokens of a thorough Conversion in the dying Men at the place of Execution. A rare way to satisfy those to whom he hath promised a Demonstration Dioti; which is as much as to say, upon my bare assuring you to have seen no evidential tokens of Conversion, you are to hold for an undeniable Truth, that there was no real one. But yet in this, his Moderation may be commended, if compared with his former Insolence, inasmuch as he assures us not to have seen any evidential tokens of the contrary; of which if he had seen, I do not say evidential, but even the least appearance, he had not failed to have taken hold of it, and rather increased than diminished, as he did upon what happened to David Davies. To tread therefore in his own steps, having particularly insisted upon this last, I also, ne ultra crepidam, will go no further. But at the same time, let the World take notice, that the vindication of this Person, is an Apology for all those who, to my knowledge preceded him in the same way; for if there be any Difference,' it's rather in the accidental than material part.  
Now as well for the justification of this dead Man, who can speak no more for himself; as also the Satisfaction of all weak and credulous Persons, who perhaps would give credit to this so false a Calumny; and, not without reason, be scandalised at such inhuman and rather heathenish, than Christian Proceed, which this Man hath so diabolically invented; I think myself in Duty and Conscience bound, to give a true and ingenuous Account of this young Man's conduct, in his Preparation God to witness, that my Design herein, is not to decline from the Truth, which if I happen to do, it will be rather for want of Memory, than out of an intent to conceal one jota thereof: moreover that I relate nothing but what for the most part, I have seen, & quorum pars magna fui.  
This David Davis then, whom this Man attacks even in his Grave, having received Sentence of Death at the Old-Bayly, upon Monday the 16th of January last, in the Morning, was visited by the Ordinary that same day in the Afternoon; what Conference he had with him I know not, but this I know from himself, that he was strictly charged not to admit of any Catholic Priests to Discourse withal, as being sure, no doubt, that they had too convincing and strong reasons to make out the justice of their cause, to be withstood by dying persons, who already walking upon the borders of endless Eternity, and surrounded with the frightful shades of Death, ought then or never, to lay aside all human respects, and regard no other concern, but that of finding the securest, nay the only (there being indeed but one) way to save their Souls.  
But the Prisoner, knowing then no better, was easily persuaded, without further examining the great consequence of that weighty business, to promise to perform what was given him in charge; upon which he was removed from his Fellow Convict, and locked up in a private Room; thereby, as I suppose, the better to secure him from all occasions of any such Discourse, as had been forbidden him.  
That same Afternoon resorted to the Prison one of those Eagles of Prey; as our Zealot calls them, Eagles indeed, but whom neither profit, prejudice, or any other sinister end, but only that love, and tender compassion, which true Christianity obliges them to have for those inestimable Preys, (which cost no less than the precious blood of Christ,) induce to fly into those loathsome and dismal places, where nothing can be met with, agreeable to flesh and blood. He came then to the Prisoner, not yet knowing what persuasion he was of, and there had a Discourse with him for above an hour, of the absolute necessity of true Faith, and the great importance of dying in the only way, which Christ hath prescribed for Salvation; by which though with much ado, he was persuaded not to precipitate a thing of so great a consequence, without further examining, which he promised to do; and thereupon one of his own Bible's being given him, he found many things which soon made him more suspicious of his way.  
Next morning being visited by the same Person again, he told him, that, to his great satisfaction, he had spent the best part of the night in Reading, and seriously pondering upon those places of the Bible, to which he had been directed. He had instructions given him then and in the Afternoon following, upon the due and necessary preparation for a good Death, and upon most of the points of the Catholic Religion, by which he was more and more confirmed, so far, that he declared he was resolved to be reconciled, in case he could not get better satisfaction, and more convincing proofs from his Minister, who, when he came, amongst many other means which he made use of to confirm him in his way, assured him for the chiefest satisfaction, that he would save him without the help of any Sacraments: This I had from the Prisoners own mouth.  
In all which finding, no doubt, less satisfaction than he had received from the Priest for the opposite way; he declared to him his mind, which was to die in the Roman Catholic Faith, wherein he plainly saw better warrants for Salvation. That very night after Prayers and Instructions he made his abjuration, and was reconciled in presence of five persons, after being several times questioned whether he had yet any doubt in those Points of Religion which he then professed, and often warned that none can dissemble with God, and that in matters of Conscience, and Religion, dissimulation is Damnation, to which he constantly answered, that being upon his Death it was no time for him to dissemble.  
The night following being Execution Eve, after having had twice Prayers and Instruction, upon the dispositions necessary for the due Receiving of the Sacraments of Penance and the most Blessed Eucharist; he made a general, and as it was manifest by his manner of declaring, a sincere Confession of all the Sins of his Life, produced many Acts of Contrition, and detestation of his sins; besought God Almighty with Sighs and Tears, through his Infinite Mercy, and the Inestimable Merits of Christ, to forgive him his former offences, with repeated protestations of his steadfast resolution to offend him no more, not only for the small time he had to live, but also if he had many years; after which he humbly begged Absolution, which was given him by the Priest; having before renewed his Profession of Faith.  
Upon Execution day in the Morning after Prayers, Instruction, and Confession of some things which, by a more serious reflection, he found upon his Conscience; he received the Blessed Eucharist, protesting that he firmly believed, what he saw so plainly and so often inculcated in the express words of God, viz. that it was the True, and Real Body, and Blood of Jesus Christ.  
Being brought to the place of Execution, the Priest examined him about his immediate disposition for Death; he told him, that seeing it was the will of God, he was willing to suffer that ignominious one, and besought God to accept of it in satisfaction for his sins. After which he recited the Lord's Prayer, the Belief, and Prayed out of a Catholic Prayer Book, of which he made use during the time of his preparation for that last passage, the Priest made him renew in brief his Profession of Faith, excercise several acts of Hope, Charity and Contrition, after which he gave him the Absolution: all which lasted near upon half an hour, which was a more than sufficient time to recant, if he had any inclination thereunto, having moreover the Ordinary by him in the same Cart. The Rope being fastened to the tree, The Priest asked him what he had to say to the Assembly; he said in plain and distinct terms, to the hearing of many, to whose Conscience I appeal, that he was sorry for his sins, desired all to take Example by him, that he died a Roman Catholic, begged the Prayers of all good Christians at that moment, to which he added that he desired all Roman Catholics, if any then present, to pray for his Soul after Death.  
If this be to die a Protestant, our Zealot has reason to hope, as he says he does, that this young Man died an excellent one; but if the hope he has of his own Salvation has no better grounds, I would advise him in time to look out for some better.  
But as the Devil is always busy, especially in these last moments, in tempting Souls; there happened then an accident, which I suppose, together with his own inveterate malice, has occasioned this Man's odious Pamphlet. The dying man being last of all minded to declare then in public, as he often did in private, that he died in Charity with all the World; he fixed his Eyes upon some Person whom I suppose he knew in the Assembly, upon which he shed a flood of Tears, and in great Emotion broke forth into these Words, I freely forgive the whole World, except that Rogue N. who is the only cause of my Death, for I die wrongfully, and with that he began to revile the Person named, to prevent which, the Priest, who needed not to run to him, as this Man relates, for he was actually standing with him, put his Hand upon his Mouth, and his Hat between him and those Objects whose sight caused in him that transport, and put him in mind of the Instructions before given him, the absolute necessity of forgiving all, and made him sensible if he excepted one, he could expect no forgiveness from God Almighty, who never forgives those that forgive not.  
To this the dying Man replied, that what he had so rashly said, was not out of hatred to the Person named, but out of love to some there present, his meaning being to warn them, not to confide in the said Person. However the Priest for greater Security made him renew his Acts of Charity and Repentance, and in particular detest what he had said, lest any rancour might have been the cause thereof: after which, he reiterated the Absolution, and made him declare again to the Assembly how he freely forgave all, naming expressly him, whom he had before excepted, whom then he prayed God to bless and prosper: Which being done, the Priest committed him to God, gave him the Benediction and retired.  
Now as to the matter of Fact by which this Pamphleteer pretends to evidence clearly his supposed Imposture; I appeal to that cloud of Witnesses to which he refers us, who have been not only Spectators afar off, as he seems to have been, but also auditors both in this and other Occasions of the kind; whether either from this last, or any other who preceded him in like circumstances, they heard one word in that public place as much as tending to recant, or any way able to justify this Man's odious Calumny: and I doubt not but amongst so many, there will be found some unbiass'd Persons, who will be so just to their own Conscience, as to declare the truth of what they have heard, and no more.  
After all I leave it to the impartial Reader to judge, what Reasons, other than pure Malice, could induce this Man to publish such an odious Aspersion, and who by all this shows himself to be the Pharisee: and whether those who no doubt for want of better means, fly commonly to lies and calumnies to maintain their Cause, ought not if they were but Christians, nay, as he says, if they were but Men, to be ashamed of such petty tricks. Whether also the Preparations above mentioned, be not sufficient Dispositions for a good and happy Death, especially in a Church wherein Salvation was never yet denied to be had, even by the most learned and understanding Members of the Church of England, whose Doctrine and Principles this Man shows himself to be ignorant of; when all his Pamplet is grounded upon impossibility of Salvation for those who die in the Communion of the Roman Catholic Church; in which he will doubtless be disowned by the chiefest of his own Party; but thus he proves it to be true by his own Example, that Ignorance, the blind guide of the blind, is always bold, etc.  
Further I leave it to any understanding Man, who as much as pretends to any true Religion, whether one, though in his heart a Protestant (which in this business is not as much as granted) yet dying with all the Preparations above mentioned, belonging to another Church, with public Protestations, even at the hour of his Death, of his real sincerity in that Communion, should not rather be esteemed to die a Heathen, than any thing of a Christian; and therefore rather to be disowned than gloried in, by all Protestants, if they are such as think external Profession, and Practise any thing material to their Religion, according to these Words of Christ, Whoever denies me before men, I will deny him before my Father which is in Heaven. And therefore I hope this Gentleman will cease to glory any further in his vain and groundless hope, of that young Man's dying as good a Protestant as his fellow Sufferer Sinah Jones, whom he canonizes as a true Elect.  
In fine he exhorts his pretended true Pastors to visit those places wherein men are more subject to temptations, if he had added Poverty, Famine, and all other sorts of Miseries, even Death for want of Bread, he had done well; but I suppose himself to be one that never took notice of any such things before, and therefore to be one of those of whom our Saviour speaks, who bind heavy burdens, and lay them upon other men's shoulders, but will not move them with a finger of their own.  
Yet I am glad that his Pastors learn no worse Examples by Catholic Priests, whom they usually paint with the foulest colours, even that of Idolatry, of all Crimes the most detestable; than the due Exercise of their Functions, and the Practice of those Works of Charity, to which it seems those of his own Party, have been heretofore unaccustomed; otherwise what need had they to be called upon thereunto by the grave Exhortation of this pitiful Pamphleteer? By which it appears who are the true Pastors, and who the Cheats, according to the criterium which our Saviour himself hath left us, Ex operibus eorum cognoscetis eos: You shall know them by their works.  
FINIS.