The Protestant religion truely stated and justified by the late Reverend Mr. Richard Baxter ; prepared for the press some time before his death ; whereunto is added, by way of preface, some account of the learned author, by Mr. Danel Williams and Mr. Matthew Sylvester.

The Sixth Point accused.

That St. Peters Faith hath failed.

Ans. Who could more ignorantly have stated a Controversie?

1. Protestants are further from the Opi∣nion that Peters Faith failed, than the grea∣test Papist Doctors: Some Protestants hold that no Man that hath true saving Faith, doth ever totally lose it; much less Peter. Others hold, that no Elect Person that hath true Faith, doth totally lose it: And so thought Augustine: Others add, that though some, as Calvin speaks, quale∣cunque semen sidei perderint, having no more immutable Grace than Adam had in In∣nocency, yet all that have a Confirmed Radicated Habit, persevere. And as to Peters Faith, all save those called Armini∣ans agree, (as far as I know,) that his

Faith was not totally lost, nor Peter re∣lapsed into a State of Damnation: But will all the Jesuits say as much?

We commonly hold that the Habit of Peters Faith, must be distinguished from the Acts, and the Act of Assent from the Act that exciteth Confession and conquereth Opposition. And that Peters Faith did not totally fail as to the Habit, nor the Assent, that Christ was the Messiah: But that it actually failed as to the latter Act, that should conquer Fear: Christ said to him and the rest before that, Why are ye fear∣ful, O ye of little Faith: Little Faith, is Faith failing in Degree. This is our Victo∣ry over the World, even our Faith, saith St. John. And did not Peters Faith fail as to part of that Victory, when he Curst and Swore that he knew not the Man?

But by Peters Faith, this Deceiver mea∣neth the Popes Faith: And he instanceth in the Scribes and Pharisees, that were to be heard because they Sate in Mose's Chair, and in Cajaphas the High-Priest. Reader, see what Christians these Slaves of Christs pretended Vicar are: Doth he not plainly infer, that the people did well that believed the Priests, and the Scribes, and Pharisees, that Christ was a Deceiver and workt Miracles by the Devil; and

was a Blasphemer and a Traytor, and de∣served Death; and that cryed Away with him: Crucifie him? And what wonder if they obey their High Priest, when he Commandeth them to Murther Thousands and Hundred Thousands Saints Nicknamed Hereticks, when they justifie them that killed Christ and the Apostles, because the Church Commanded it, (unless they will renounce their own plain Conse∣quence?)

And must we indeed believe, that the Popes Faith never failed, because Peters did not? Then we must believe that Ge∣neral Councils that are their Church, have been very false and slanderous. Reader, I will give thee but an Account of one or two, (when their own most flattering Hi∣storians have written of many a long time, that they were rather Apostatict, than Apostolici, and named but to keep the Ac∣count of time.)

The great General Council at Constance, (that Burnt John Hus and Jerome of Prague, for Truth and Honesty,) finding three Popes Heading three Churches called Ro∣man Catholicks, had no way to return to Unity, but by putting down all three: With much adoe they got down two of them: But Pope John at Rome had the

fastest hold, and they had more adoe to get him down; and had not the Emperour resolved to back them, they had been foiled. Hereupon he is accused in the Council, First, by Fifty Four Articles, of such Monstrous Villanies, as one would think humane Nature were uncapable of. Afterward many more are added, of Poy∣soning Pope Alexander, of Incest with his Brothers Wife, and the Holy Nuns, and Ravishing Maids, and Adultery with Men's Wives, and much more; and of Simony, almost incredible: And amongst the rest, (which I forbear to recite, lest I tire the Reader,) they say and prove, that he was a notorious Simoniack, and a portinacious Heretick; That oft before di∣vers Prelates, and other Honest Men, by the Devils perswasion he pertinaciously said, asserted, dogmatized, and maintained, that there is no Life Eternal, nor any after this: And he said and pertinaciously believed, that Man's Soul dieth with the Body, and is ex∣tinct, as are the Bruits: And he said, that the Dead rise not, contrary to the Articles of the Resurrection, &c.

These Articles being shewed to the Pope, he confest his Sin, and consented to be Deposed, and begged Mercy, but all in Hypocrisie, while he sought to get out of their Hands and Power.

And now Reader, dost thou think that it is the mark of a Heretick, and deser∣veth Burning and Damnation, for a Man to think that this Popes Faith failed? Were it not for tiring you, I would repeat such Articles against many others of them, as would make you think, that not only the Heathen Philosophers, but even Mahomet was a Saint in comparison of these Swinish and Diabolical Popes.

After this, the Great Council at Basil accused Eugenius the 4th. of Heresie and multitudes of horrid Crimes, and deposed him: But he outfaced them, and standing it out to the last, got the better, and the Succession is ever since continued from this Pope, that was deposed by a grand Gene∣ral Council.

Before these, Pope John the 12th. was deposed by a Council at Rome, called by Otho the Emperour, for such horrid Vil∣lanies, as no Pagans that we read of ever matcht. Read them but in Baronius, and Binnius: Drinking Healths in Wine to the Devil, and calling at Dice upon Jupiter and Venus, besides Murders, Simony, In∣cest and all Wickedness, are all consistent with Papal Faith: And if this be no failing, I shall grant that the Popes Faith (nor the Devils,) can never fail.