I Find your last as full of Doubts and Inquietudes, as your former was of Heat and Zeal: Whether meer Compassion hath altered your Judgement, or that You Fear your own Turn may be next, I cannot tell; But I easily percieve, You, and the greatest part of Honest Thinking Protestants, as well as You, begin, (tho late,) Miseries inflicted on Catholicks.) to suspect, That Catholicks have Wrongfully Suffered the loss of their Fame, their Goods, their Fortunes, and many their Lives. Nor do I wonder to see you touch'd 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 Desarts have not wanted Men Dying with Cold and Hunger; And all this upon account of a PLOT, (Horrid indeed, and Detestable in it self,) but which could never yet be Prov'd against Us, by any One Credible Witness, or Probable Circumstance evincing the Crime.
[Page 2] True it is, Through the Perjuries, Dr. Oates, Captain Bedloe, and others of Debauch'd 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 stigmatiz'd with all sorts of Vice and Infamy; Their Oaths have been Confronted with so many Self-contradictions; Their Forgeries accompanyed with such Incredible, such Impossible Circumstances; Their Lies and Fables so stuffed with Absurdities, Non-sense, and Follies; The Crime of Perjury so often, and so plainly prov'd against them. In short, both their Past and Present Villanies 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 rendred 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 Catholick Religion is made up of Traiterous Principles, Destructive to Peace and Government. You say You have been Inform'd by Common Report, by Printed Books; Nay, by some Ministers in their very Pulpits, That Catholicks 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 Catholick Faith, are Works of Piety, and Meritorious of Heaven. These, [Page 3] 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 Catholicks, whereby to render both their Faith and Persons Odious to many, (otherwise Well-meaning) 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 disown'd by Catholicks. should be Imposed upon Men, which They Themselves Renounce and Detest? If the Turk's Alcoran should in like manner be urg'd upon Us, and We hang'd 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 Breaths. What shall We say? What can We do more? To Accuse Men as Guilty in Matters of Faith, which They never own'd, 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 fore-mentioned 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 learnt, or found asserted in any of them any such Principles. And I propose unto You, this plain and short Dilemma; Either the above-named [Page 4] Principles are esteem'd 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 Catholick Faith, nor owned by Us as such, why are Catholicks, as Catholicks, punished for them? Why is Our Religion Persecuted on that account? Let those in Gods Name, if any there be, of what Religion soever, who hold such Tenents, suffer for them: Why should the Innocent be Involv'd 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, wereby 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 Denyal 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 Ancesters, 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 intangle Us? How Impertinently is the frequenting the Protestant Church, and Receiving the Communion, proposed unto Us, and Refused by Ʋs? Thirdly, Though many Men may be [Page 5] 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 Horrours 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 Head-long into an Assured Damnation; and this at a Time when they might have saved both Bodies and Souls, by meerly Discharging a good Conscience, in acknowledging the Truth, and becoming Honest Men. This, I say is Inhumane, 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 my Self, 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 Catholicks and Protestants, as they severally Relate to God, and the King.
PARAGRAPH I. Of the CATHOLICK FAITH, and CHURCH in General.
1. THE Fruition of God, Redemption in Christ, and Remission of Sin is not attainable by Man, otherwise then 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 applyed to Us, applicable by Faith. otherwise than by a Right Mark 16 16. Heb. 11. 6. Faith in Christ.
3. Which is but One, This Faith is but Eph. 4. 4. &c, One, Entire and Conformable to its Object, being Divine Revelations; to all which Jam. 2. 10 Faith gives an undoubted Assent.
4. Supernatural, These Revelations contain many Mystcries 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 Learnt, to provide Man of some Isa. 38▪ 8. Way or Means whereby he might Arrive to the Knowledge of these Mysteries; Means Joh. 9. 41 Visible and Apparent to all; Means Mat. 11 25. proportionable to the Capacities of all; Means 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 2 Pet. 3. 16. Pro. 14. 12. Mat. 29. 29 Reason or 1 Joh. 4. 1. & 6. Spirit of every Disjunctive Person, or Nation in Particular; But,
[Page 7] 7. It is an Attention and Matth. 18. 17. Luk▪ 10. 16 Submission to the Doctrine of the Catholick or Ʋniversal Church, established by Christ for the Instruction of all, Psal. 2. 8. Isa. 2. 2. &c. 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 Isai. 59. 21. Joh. 16. 13. Eze. 17. 26 Eph. 5. 25▪ &c. 1 Tim. 3. 15 Mat▪ 16. 18 Guided in Truth, and secured from Error in Matters of Faith, by the 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 ought to Deu. 17. 8. &c. 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 Catholick, thus Spread, thus Guided, thus visibly Continued, Can. 6. 8. Joh. 10. 16. Rom. 15. 5. Joh. 17. 22. Philip. 2. 2. in One Ʋniform Faith, and Subordination of Government, is that Self-same which is termed the Roman Catholick Church, the Qualifications above-mentioned, (viz.) Ʋnity, Indeficiency, Visibility, Succession, and Ʋniversality,) 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 Gods Word. it is, that We Receive, and Believe the Scriptures to be Gods Word: And as She can Mat. 16. 18 1 Tim. 3. 15 Mat. 18. 17▪ assuredly tell Us, This or That Book is Gods 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, Isai. 59. 21. Joh. 14. 26. Enlightning 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 deliver'd by God unto the CHURCH, and proposed by Her to be Believ'd as such, are, and ought to be [Page 8] esteem'd Articles of Faith; Divine Revelations only Matters of Faith. and the contrary Opinions, Heresie. And,
11. As an Obstinate Separation from the Ʋnity of the Church, What Heresie, & what Sckism! in known declared Matters of Faith, is Formal 1 Cor. 11. 19. Heresie; So a wilful Separation from the Visible Ʋnity of the same Church, in Matters of Subordination and Government, Mat. 18. 17 is Formal 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 Joh. 5. 39 Holy Scripture, in Points plain and Intelligible in it. Secondly, By Acts. 15. per tot. Definitions of General Councils, in Points not sufficiently Explained in Scripture. Thirdly, By 2 Thes. 2. 15. cap. 3. 6. 2 Tim. 2. 2. Apostolical Traditions, deriv'd from Christ and his Apostles, to all Succeding Ages. Fourthly, By her 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 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 Heresie, all the Faithful, to a Submission of Judgement. But,
[Page 9] 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 meer Humane Judgement or Testimony. Neither of these being Divine Revelations 1 Tim. 6. 20. deposited in the Catholick Church, in regard to which alone, she hath the Jo 14. 16. promised Assistance of the Holy Ghost. Hence it is deduced,
3 If a General Council (much less a Papal Consistory) should underta [...] [...] depose a King, A Deduction from thence concerning Allegiance and absolve his Subjects from their Allegiance, no Catholick as Catholick 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 Catholick Principle, Renounce, even upon Oath, the Teaching, Declar. fac. Sorb. Mantaining, or Practising the Doctrine of deposing Kings Excommunicated for Heresie, 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 Majesties Subjects, Impious and Damnable. Yet not properly Heretical, taking the Word Heretical in that connatural, genuine sense, it is usually understood in the Catholick 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 call'd the Oath of Allegiance.
[Page 10] 5. Catholicks believe, The Bishop of Rome Supreme Head of the Church but not Infallible. That the Bishop of Rome is the Successor of S. Peter, Mat. 16. 17. Vicar of Jesus Christ upon Earth, Lu. 22. 31. and Head of the whole Catholick Church; Jo. 21: 17. which Church is therefore fitly stiled Roman Catholick, being an universal Body Eph. 4. 11, &c. 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 Ʋniversal Acceptance of the Church,) oblige none under Pain of Heresy, to an interior Assent.
7. Nor do Catholicks as Catholicks 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 Dispence with His Majesties Subjects from their Allegiance, upon account of Heresie or Schism, such Dispensation would be vain and null; and all Catholick Subjects (notwithstanding such Dispensation or Absolution,) would be still bound in Conscience to defend their King and Countrey, 1 Pet. 2. v. 12, &c. 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 Catholick Church is no wise responsible for them: Nor, are Catholicks as Catholicks, justly punishable on their Account. But,
[Page 11] 9. As for the King-Killing Doctrine, or Murder of Princes, King-Killine, Doctring Damnable Heresie. Excommunicated for Heresie; It is an Article of Faith in the Catholick Church, and expresly 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 Misdemeanors of what Nature soever, Personal misdemeanours not to be imputed to the Church. ought not to be Imputed to the Catholick Church, when not Justifyable by the Tenents 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 Catholicks as Catholicks ought not to Suffer for such Offences, any more then the Eleven Apostles ought to have Suffered for Judas's Treachery.
11. It is an Article of the Catholick Faith to believe, that no Power on Earth can License Men to Lye, No Power on Earth can authorise Men to Lie, Forswear, Murther, &c. to Forswear, and Perjure themselves, to Massacre their Neighbours, or Destroy their Native Country, on pretence of promoting the Catholick 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 Sacriledge and Blasphemy to the above-mentioned Crimes.
12. The Doctrine of Equivocation or Men [...]al Reservation, Equivocation not allowed in the Church. however wrongfully Imposed on the Catholick Religion, is notwithstanding, neither [Page 12] 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 Vertues, necessary to the Conservation of Justice, Truth, and Common Society.
PARAGRAPH III. Of some Particular controverted Points of FAITH.
1. EVERY Catholick is obliged to believe, Of Sacramental Absolution. that when a Sinner Ez. 18. 21. Repenteth him of his Sins from the bottom of his Heart, 2 Cor. 7. 10 and Ps. 32. 5. Pro. 28. 13. Acknowledgeth his Transgressions to God and his Act. 19. 18. Ministers, the Dispensers of the Mysteries of Christ, 1 Cor. 4. 1. resolving to turn from his evil ways, 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 Joh. 20. 21, &c Mat 18. 18. Apostles, and their Successors, the Bishops and Priests of the Catholick Church, in those words, when he said, Receive ye the Holy Ghost, whose Sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven unto them, &c.
2. Though no Creature whatsoever can make Tit. 3. 5. Condign satisfaction, Of Satisfaction by penitential works. either for the Guilt of Sin, or the Pain Eternal due to it; 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 Act. 26. 20. satisfie by [Page 13] Prayer, Jonas 3. 5. &c. Fasting, Alms, Deeds, and other Works of Piety, for the Temporal Pain, which by order of Divine Justice sometimes remains due, Psa. 102. 9. &c. 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 joyned and applyed to that satisfaction, Jo [...] 2. 12. which Jesus made vpon the Cross, Luk 11. 41. in vertue of which alone, Act. 10. 44. all our good works find a grateful 1 Pe. 2. 5. acceptance in God's Sight.
3. The Guilt 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 1 Cor. 5. 3. &c. Temporal Punishments as remain due after the Guilt is remitted; These Indulgences being nothing else than a 2 Cor. 2. 6. Mitigation or Relaxation upon just causes, of Canonical Penances, enjoyned 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 Remisness 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 rendred matter of Derision, in prejudice to her Faith and Doctrine.
4. Catholicks hold there is a Purgatory, There is a Purgatory or State, where Souls departing this Life with some blemish are purify'd that is to say, a Place of state, where Souls departing this Life, with Remission of their Sins, as to the Eternal Guilt or Pain, yet Numb. 14. 20, &c. 2 Sam. 12. 13. &c. Obnoxious to some Temporal Punishment still Remaining due, or not perfectly freed from the Blemish of some Pro. 24. 16. venial Defects or Deordinations, Ma. 12. 36. and cap. 5. 22. 26. (as Idle Words, &c. [Page 14] not liable to Damnation) are Mat. 5. 26 1 Cor. 3. 15. purged before their Admittance into Heaven, where nothing that is Rev. 21. 27. defiled can enter. Furthermore.
5. Catholicks 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 1 Cor. 15 29. Coll. 1. 24. 2 Mac, 12. 42, &c. 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 applyed? Whether by way of Satisfaction or Intercession? &c. are Questions Superfluous, and Impertinent as to Faith.
6. No Man, though just, 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, 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 Catholick 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 Mat. 26. 26. Body of Christ, Mar 14. 22. which was delivered for us, and his Bloud, which was shed for the Remission of Sins; Lu. 22. 19. the substance of Bread and Wine, 1 Cor. 11. 23. &c. being by the powerful Words of Christ changed into the Substance of his Blessed Body and Bloud, Cap. 10. 16. the Species or Accidents of Bread and Wine still remaining. Thus,
[Page 19] 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, &c. 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 Bloud, or his Bloud from his Body, or either of both disjoyned from his Soul and Divinity, Hence Communicants under under one kind nowise deprived either of the Body or Bloud of Christ. but all and whole 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 Bloud of Christ. True it is,
10. Our Saviour Jesus Christ left unto us his Body and Bloud, under two distinct Species or Kinds; Of the Sacrifice of the Mass. in doing of which, he instituted not only a Sacrament, but also a Sacrifice; Luk. 22. 19, &c. a Commemorative Sacrifice distinctly 1 Cor. 11. 26. shewing his Death or Bloudy Passion, until he come. For as the Sacrifice of the Cross was performed by a distinct Effusion of Bloud, so is the same Sacrifice Commemorated in that of the Heb. 13. 10. Altar, by a distinction of the Symbols. Jesus therefore is here given not only to us, but Lu. 22. 19. for us; and the Church thereby enriched with a true, proper, and propitiatory Mal. 1. 11. Sacrifice, usually termed Mass.
[Page 16] 11. Catholicks renounce all Divine Worship, Wo [...]ship of Images wrongfuly Imposed on Catholicks. Yet there is some Veneration due both to Pictures, and Adoration of Images or Picturs. Luk 4. 8. God alone we Worship and Adore; nevertheless we make use of Pictures, and place them in 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, &c. Acts 5. 15. beyond what is due to every Prophane Figure; not that we believe any Divinity or Vertue 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, &c. as Jos. 7. 6. things peculiarly appertaining to God; Exod. 3. 5. also to the Jo. 12. 26. glorified Saints in Heaven, Psa. 99. 5. as Domestick Friends of God; Phil. 2. 10. yea, 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. Catholicks believe, Prayer to Saints lawful. That the blessed Saints in Heaven replenished with Charity, Rev. 5. 8. pray for us their fellow-Members here on Earth; that they Lu. 15. 7. Reioyce at our Conversion; that seeing God, they 1 Cor. 13. 12. see and konw in him all things suitable to their happy state; that God is Inclinable to hear [Page 17] their Requests made in our behalf, 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 it self, than it is for one Christian to beg the Prayers and Assistance of Romons 15. 30. another in this World. Notwithstanding all which, Catholicks are taught not so to Relie on the Prayers of Others, Yet so as not to neglect our Duties. as to neglect their own Jam. 2. 17. 30, &c. Duty to God; in Imploring his Divine Mercy and Goodness, Rom. 13 14. in Mortifying the Deeds of the Flesh; in Ro. 12. 2. Despising the World; in Loving and Gal. 5. 6. Serving God and their Neighbour; in Following the Footsteps of Christ our Lord, who is the 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 Receiv'd of our Fore-fathers, and what the greatest part of the Christian World now profess, yet have drawn upon Us poor Catholicks in ENGLAND such Dreadful Punishments. I Beseech you Sir, consider our Case, without Passion or Prejudice, and I am confident [Page 18] 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 alledg'd to make good the Proof of a PLOT; And these being deny'd, 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, Catholicks both Taught, and Practised Principles of Loyalty, at a Time when the KING and Kingdom felt the Dire Effects of contrary Perswasions.
You add, A second Objection Answered The two Houses of Parliament, the Judges, and in a manner, the whole Nation, seem'd 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 misinform'd, [Page 19] and consequently abus'd, by the Perjury and Malice of wicked Men; Especially when Minds are exasperated, Jealousies heightned, and Forgeries abetted and multiplyed 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 your self 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, Catholicks 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 Traytor to Luk. 23. 2 Caesar; That he perverted the People, and endeavour'd the Jo. 11. 48 Destruction of Church and State; Nor were there wanting, then as now, an OATS and BEDLOE, Matt. 26 60▪ two false Witnesses to Swear all this.
[Page 20] 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 Soveraign, Pardon our Enemies, Grant Us Patience, and Establish Peace and Charity in our Nation.
This is the daily Prayer of,