A papist mis-represented and represented, or, A twofold character of popery the one containing a sum of the superstitions, idolatries, cruelties, treacheries, and wicked principles of the popery which hath disturb'd this nation above an hundred and fifty years, fill'd it with fears and jealousies, and deserves the hatred of all good Christians : the other laying open that popery which the papists own and profess, with the chief articles of their faith, and some of the principle grounds and reasons, which hold them in that religion / by J.L. one of the Church of Rome ; to which is added, a book entituled, The doctrines and practices of the Church of Rome, truly represented, in answer to the aforesaid book by a Prote

A PAPIST Mis-represented and Represented: OR, A twofold Character of Popery. To which is added, The Doctrine and Practices of the Church of Rome, truly Represented, &c

THE INTRODUCTION.

THE Father of Lies is the Author of Mis-representing. He first made the Experiment of this Black Art in Paradise; having no surer way of bringing God's Precept into Contempt, and making our First Parents transgress, than by mis-representing the Command, which their Maker had laid upon them. And so unhappily successful he was in this his first attempt, that this has been his chief stratagem ever since, in all business of difficulty and concern: esteeming That his best Means for preserving and propagating Wickedness amongst Men, by which he first won them to lose their Innocence. And therefore there has nothing of Good yet come into the World, nothing been sent from Heaven, but what

has met with this Opposition; the Common Enemy having imploy'd all his Endeavours of bringing it into discredit, and rendring it infamous, by mis-representing. Of this there are frequent instances in the Old Law, and more in the New. The truth of it was experienc'd on the Person of Christ himself, who, tho' he was the Son of God, the immaculate Lamb, yet was he not out of the reach of Calumny, and exempt from being mis-represented. See how he was painted by malicious Men, the Sons of Belial, Ministers of Satan; a prophane and wicked Man, a breaker of the Sabbath, a Glutton, a Friend and Companion of Publicans and Sinners, a Fool, a Conjurer, a Traytor, a Seducer, a tumultuous Person, a Samaritan, full of the Devil; he hath Bel∣zebub, and by the Prince of the Devils, casteth he out Devils, (Mark 3.22.) There being no other way of frighting the People from embracing the Truth, following the Son of God, but by thus disfiguring him to the Mul∣titude, reporting Light to be Darkness, and God to be the Devil. The Disciples of Christ every where met with the like encounters. Stephen had the people stirred up against him, because they heard he had spoke blasphe∣mous words against Moses, and against God, (Acts 6.11.) Paul also and Si∣las, for exceedingly troubling the City, (Acts 16.20.) Iason also with them, because he had turned the World upside down, and did contrary to the Decrees of Caesar, (Acts 17.6, 7.) Paul again, because he did teach all men every where against the people, and polluted the holy place, (Acts 21.28.) And because he was a pestilent fellow, and a mover of Sedition among all the Iews through∣out the World: to which the Iews also assented, saying that these things were so, (Acts 24.5, 9) Neither did these Calumnies, these wicked Mis-repre∣sentations stop here; he that said, The Disciple is not above his Master, if they have called the Master of the House Belzebub; how much more shall they call them of his Houshold? did not only foretell what was to happen to his Fol∣lowers then present, but also to the Faithful that were to succeed them, and to his Church in future ages, they being all to expect the like Fate; that tho' they should be never so just to God and their Neighbour, upright in their ways, and live in the Fear of God, and the Observance of his Laws; yet must they certainly be reviled and hated by the World, made a by-word to the people, and have the repute of Ideots, Seducers, and be a scandal to all Nations. And has not this been verified in all ages; See what was the State of Christians in the primitive times, when as yet Vice had not cor∣rupted the purity of the Gospel. 'Tis almost impossible to believe in what contempt they were, and how utterly abominated. Tertullian, who was a sharer of a great part, gives us so lamentable a account of the Christians in his time, that 'tis able to move compassion in stones. He tells us, so many malicious Slanders were dispers'd abroad, concerning the manner of their

Worship; and their whole Doctrine describ'd, not only to be folly, and meer toys, but also to be grounded on most hellish Principles, and so to be full of Impieties, that the Heathens believ'd a man could not make profession of Christianity, without being tainted with all sorts of Crimes; without being an enemy to the Gods, to Princes, to the Laws,* 1.1 to good Manners, and to Nature. Hence they conceiv'd such prejudice against them, and they were render'd so impious in the opinion of the Vulgar; that whatsoever Accusations were brought in, tho' never so false and malicious; whatsoever Villanies were laid to their charge; all was welcom to the enraged multitude, to which nothing seem'd incredibie con∣cerning those, that were thus already odious. Upon this it was, that they were brought in guilty of Atheism, of Superstition, of Idolatry, of Cruelty, of Sedition; of Conspiracies, of Treasons: and bloody Persecutions were rais'd against them, to which the people were exasperated by Fears and Iealou∣sies: Quod Pontifices, (as Spondanus says) Gentilitiae super∣stitionis Christianos more solito, calumniis circumvenissent,* 1.2 qua∣si aliquid contra Imperium molirentur; Because the Priests did use to divulge it abroad, that the Christians were plotting against the Government. Nor were these Crimes the whole Sum of their Charge; For besides, every publick calamity and misfortune that befell the Commonwealth, was thrown upon them. If (a) 1.3 Daphnes Temple was consum'd by Lightning from Heaven, yet must the Christians be condemn'd as the Incendiaries: If (b) 1.4 the City was laid in Ashes, it must be reveng'd on the Christians; Nay (c) 1.5 Tertullian has it, if Tiber overflowed, if Nile watered not the Plains, if Heaven stop'd its Course, and did not pour its Rains here below; if there were Earth-quakes, Famine, or Plague; they would immediately cry out, Christianos ad Leones, Cast the Chri∣stians to the Lions, as the cause of all the Calamities that arrived in the World, and all the Evils that People suffer'd. And now the Christians being thus reputed profane in their Worship, Enemies to the Government, and the undoubted occasions of every misfortune throughout the Empire; 'tis easie to conceive, in what contempt they were, and how detestable amongst the Heathens; But because none can relate it so to the life, as (d) 1.6 Tertullian has done, I'le set it down in his own words, as translated by (e) 1.7 Dr. Howel, in his History of the World. Is it not strange (says he) that the hatred wherewith this Name is pursued in such manner, blinds the minds of most Men, that when they witness the Probity of a Christian, they mix in their Discourse as a reproach, that he hath embraced this Religion. One

saith; Truly, he of whom you speak is an Honest Man, if he were not a Christian, and his Life would be free from blame. Another; Do you know such a one, who had the reputation of a Wise and Discreet Man? He is lately turn'd Christian. (Again) These people, by an extreme blindness of hatred, speak to the advan∣tage of the Name Christian, when they strive to render it odious. For, say they, How pleasant, and of what a good humour, was that Woman? How sociable and jovial was that Man? 'Tis pity they should be Christians. So they impute the amendment of their Lives to the Profession of Christianity. Some of them also purchase the aversion they carry against the Name Christian, which we bear, with the price of what is most precious to them; rather desiring to lose the sweet∣ness of life, tranquility of mind, and all sorts of Commodities, than to see in their Houses That which they hate. A man, who heretofore had his mind full of Jea∣lousie, can no longer endure the company of his Wife, what assurance soever he has of her Chastity, after once he perceives her to be turn'd Christian; and parts from her now, when her actions full of Modesty have extinguish'd all suspicions, wherewith he was heretofore mov'd. A Father, who of a long time endur'd the Disobedience of his Heathenish Son, resolves to take from him the hope of succeed∣ing him in his Inheritance, for turning Christian, when at the same time, exe∣cuting his Commands without murmuring. A Master that used his Slave gently, when his Carriage gave him some cause of distrust, now puts him far from him, for being a Christian, when he hath most assurance of his Fidelity. 'Tis commit∣ting a Crime to correct the disorders of a Mans Life, by the motions of a Holy Conversion to the Christian Faith; and the good which is produc'd by so happy a Change, works not so powerfully in the minds of men, as the hatred they have con∣ceiv'd against us. Indeed this hatred is strange; and when I consider, that the Name of Christian only, makes it be so, I would willingly know, how a name can be criminal, and how a simple word can be accused? Thus was Christianity wholly infamous amongst the Heathens, contemn'd and detested by all; and where Lies were in credit, Calumnies and Slanders confirm'd and back'd by Authority, there was no other Crime but Truth. And 'twas these Calum∣nies, these false Accusations (invented to cry down the Christian Religion,) oblig'd Tertullian to write his Apology, wherein he declar'd to the World, that Christianity was nothing like that, which the Heathens imagin'd it to be: That Idolatry, Superstition, Impiety, Cruelty, Treachery, Conspiracies, &c. was none of their Doctrine, but condemn'd and detested by them; that these Crimes were only the malicious inventions of the Heathenish Priests, who find∣ing themselves unable to withstand the force of Christianity, had no other way to preserve themselves in Repute, and the People in their Errour, than by forming an ugly, odious, and most horrid Vizor, a damnable Scheme of Re∣ligion, than holding this forth to the World, and crying out, This is the

Religion of the Christians, these are their Principles; Behold their Ignorance, their Stupidity, their Profaneness; Behold their Insolence, their Villanies, a People unsufferable in a Commonwealth, Enemies to their Country and their Prince: And thus representing it as monstrous as they pleas'd, they brought an odi∣um upon as many as own'd that Name, and condemn'd them for Follies and Crimes, that were no where, but in their own Imagination. And 'twas not only in Tertullians time, that Christianity lay under this scandal, but al∣so in after ages: And therefore, as for the Vindication of the Christian Pro∣fession, he was forc'd to apologize for his time; so did after him St. Cypri∣an, Arnobius, and many other Ecclesiastical Writers; nay, and under Chri∣stian Emperors, the Calumnies of the Heathens yet being urg'd with much vigour and confidence, Orosius was oblig'd to write his History, and St. Augustine his City of God, in defence of the Faith and Doctrine of Christ. And now, when by the propagation of Christianity, and the laborious en∣deavours of her Professors, Heathenism was pretty well extinct; yet was not the Mouth of Malice stopp'd; the same Calumnies, which had been in∣vented by the Infidels, being taken up by evil Christians. No one going out from the Communion of the Church of Christ, but what did, by reviving old Scandals, (and the addition of fresh ones,) endeavour to make her infa∣mous, and blacken her with such Crimes, as could be thought most convenient for rendring her odious to all. It being look'd upon by as many as ever went out of her, the best means to justifie their Separation, and to gain to them∣selves the credit of Orthodox Christians; to paint her out in all the Anti∣christian Colours, and represent her as Hellish, as Wickedness could make her. 'Tis strange how much she suffer'd in this Point from the Manichees, and from the Donatists, and how much pains it cost Saint Augustine, to prove their Accusations to be meer Calumnies, principally intended to raise prejudices in the minds of the People against her; that so being convinc'd by these Hellish Artifices, of her teaching unsound and profane Doctrine, wicked Principles, and humane Inventions instead of Faith, might never think of go∣ing to her, to learn the Truth; nor even so much as suspect her to be the Church of Christ. This, Saint Augustine complains, was the chief cause of his continuing in the Error of the Manichees so long; and that he impugn'd with so much violence this Church. And therefore, after he was come to the knowledge of the Truth, he discover'd this to the World for the unde∣ceiving others, who were caught in the same snare, making it part of his Confessions, Confess. l. 6. c. 3. p. 1.) When I came to discover, says he, that— I mingled Ioy and Blushes, and was asham'd, that I had now for so many years been barking and railing, not against the Catholick Faith, but only against the fictions of my carnal conceits. For so temerarious and impious was I, that, those

things which I ought first to have learned from them by enquiry, I first charg'd upon them by Accusation; readier to impose Falshoods than to be inform'd of the Truth, — And thus I so blindly accused the Catholick Church; now suffi∣ciently clear'd to me that she taught not the Opinion, I so vehemently persecuted. And this he did, deluded and deceiv'd by the Manichees. And now since 'tis certain, that this has not been the case of Saint Augustine alone, but of as many almost, as have given ear to the Deserters of this Church; nay, is at this day the case of infinite numbers, who following that Great Father, when as yet in his Errors; do not enquire, how this thing is believ'd or understood by her, but insultingly oppose all; as if so understood, as they imagine; not making any difference betwixt what the Catholick Church teaches, and what they think she teaches: and so believing her to be guilty of as many absurdities, follies, impie∣ties, &c. as the Heathens did of old: 'Tis evident, there's as much need now of Apologies, as ever there was in Tertellian's or S. Austin's time: Not Apolo∣gies to vindicate what is really her Faith and Doctrine; but rather to clear her from such Superstitions, Profaneness, and wicked Principles, as are malici∣ously or ignorantly charg'd upon her. And tho' the number of Calumnies, the in-sincerity of Adversaries, the obstinacy of a byass'd Education render a performance in this kind, a just Task for a Tertullian's, or St. Augustine's hand; yet because I find no such eminent Pen engag'd in this design at pre∣sent; and the shewing the true Religion in its own Colours, seems a Duty in∣cumbent on every one that's a lover of Truth; I'le endeavour to pull off the Vizor from suffering Christianity, and apologize for the Cotholick Faith; that Faith, I mean, maintained by those Primitive Fathers, with so much Vigour and Zeal; which being first planted in the Head City of the World by St. ••eter, hath been propagated throughout the Universe, and derived down to us by many Christian Nations, in communion with that See, under the Protection of the Holy Ghost, and the Charge of A Chief Pastor, which beginning in that great Apostle, has continued in a visible Succession to these our days. This Faith it is, for which at present I design to make an Apology, which having been in all ages violently oppos'd, does at this time most wrongfully suffer, under Calumnies and false Imputations. I'le en∣deavour therefore to separate these Calumnies and Scandals, from what is really the Faith and Doctrine of that Church; I'le take off the Black and Dirt, which has been thrown upon her; and setting her forth in her genuine Complection, let the World see how much fairer she is, than she's painted; and how much she's unlike that Monster, which is shewn for her. And be∣cause the Members of this Church are commonly known by the name of Pa∣pists; I think I cannot take a more sincere, open, and compendious way, in order to the compleating this design, than by drawing forth a double Cha∣racter

of a Papist: The one expressing a Papist in those very colours as he is painted in the imagination of the Vulgar, Foul, black and Antichristian; with the chief Articles of his imagined Belief, and reputed Principles of his Profes∣sion. The other representing a Papist, whose Faith and exercise of his Re∣ligion, is according to the Direction and Command of his Church. That so, these two being thus set together, their difference and disproportion may be clearly discerned, and a discovery made, how unlike Calumny is from Truth; and how different a Papist really is, from what he's said to be. The former Character is of a Papist Mis-represented; the other of a Papist Represented. The former is a Papist so deform'd and monstrous, that it justly deserves the hatred of as many as own Christianity; 'Tis a Papist that has disturb'd this Nation now above an hundred years with Fears and Jealousies; threat∣ning it continually with Fire and Massacres, and whose whole Design has been, to rob the Sovereign of his Crown, and the Subject of his Liberty and Property. 'Tis a Papist, that is so abominable, so malicious, so unsufferable in any Civil Government, that, for my part, I detest him from my heart; I conceiv'd an hatred against him, and all his, from my Education, when as yet a Protestant; and now, being a Roman Catholick, I am not in the least reconcil'd to him, nor his Principles, but hate him yet worse. I am so far from thinking the Laws too severe against such Popish Recusants, that I could wish a far greater severity were executed against them, their Favou∣rers, and all such as make men so sottishly Religious. And if to be a Pro∣testant, nothing more be requisite, than to protest against such Popery, to hate and detest it; I think my self, and all Roman Catholicks, as good Pro∣testants, as any whatsoever throughout his Majesties Dominions. And I dare engage, that not only as many Roman Catholicks, as under the name of Papists have severely smarted in this Nation, for being the Professors of such kind of Popery, but also that all Roman Catholick Nations in the World shall subscribe to the Condemnation of all such Popish Principles and Do∣ctrines, shall joyn with all good Protestants for the extinguishing it, with all that profess or practice it, and utter rooting it out from his Majesties three Kingdoms, and the whole Universe. The other Papist is one, that lives and believes according to what is prescrib'd in the Council of Trent, in Catechisms set forth by Catholicks, and other Spiritual Books, for the Di∣rection and Instruction of all in their Communion, whose Faith and Do∣ctrine I have here set down, with some Grounds and Reasons of it, and will so leave it to apologize for it self. In drawing out the Character of the former, I have quoted no Authors, but have describ'd him exactly according to the Apprehension I had of a Papist, fram'd by Me when I was a Prote∣stant; with the addition only of some few points, which have been violently

charg'd against Me by some intimate Friends of late, to shew the unrea∣sonableness of my choice, after the quitting of that Communion. The latter is wholly copied out from the Papist that I am now; being the Sum of what I was taught, when reconcil'd to the Church of Rome, and which after sixteen years conversation with Men of that Communion, in hearing their Sermons, in being present at their Catechising, in reading their Books, and discoursing with them, I have found to be their Doctrine. I have done both, I hope, with Sincerity and Truth, and without Passion. For as my endeavours have been, that my Religion should lose nothing by Lies, so nei∣ther do I desire it should gain by them; And did I but know of any thing in the following Papers, that has any relation to that unchristian Artifice, I would strike it out immediately. And do here oblige my self, upon in∣formation, either from Friend or Adversary, to acknowledge the mistake, as it shall be made appear, and make a publick Recantation. But it is time, we should see what these Papists are.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Apog. c. 2.
• * 1.2

  Sp. Anno 286. Par. 5.
• (a) 1.3

  Spond. An. 362.
• (b) 1.4

  Id. Anno 66.
• (c) 1.5

  Apo. c. 40.
• (d) 1.6

  Apo. c. 3.
• (e) 1.7

  P. 1. pag. 936.