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

XXXV. Of the Uncharitableness of the Papists.

HIs Church teaches him to be very uncharitable; it being her constant Doctrine, that none out of her Commu∣nion can be saved. So that let a man be never so honest in his Dealing, never so just to his Neighbour, never so charitable to the Poor, and constant in his Devotion to his Maker; yet all this shall avail him nothing, if he be not a Member of his Church. 'Tis not enough for him to be∣lieve in Iesus Christ, to confess him his Redeemer, to believe that he died for our Sins, that he rose again, and ascended into Heaven; unless he believes and assents to every Article and Tenet declar'd by any of his General Councils; for that obstinately to deny any one of these, does as certainly place him at the Left Hand of the Judge, as if he perversly stood out against the truth of Christianity, and de∣nied Jesus Christ to be God. And by this means, as many as by his Church are mark'd out for Schismaticks or Here∣ticks, are to expect nothing but Damna∣tion; or rather are condemned already.

HIs Church teaches him no uncha∣ritableness at all, and the Doctrine she delivers concerning the desperate Estate of Hereticks and Schismaticks, is nothing but what she has learnt from the mouth of Christ and his Apostles. Among the last advices, recommended by our Saviour at his Ascension, is found the Sentence of Doom pronounced a∣gainst all such as would not receive the Doctrine preach'd by the Apostles, Preach the Gospel (says Christ, Mark 16.16.) to every Creature: he that be∣lieveth, and is baptized, shall be saved: but he that believeth not, shall be damned. And this is all his Church delivers in this point, repeating the same Sentence of condemnation against all such, as will not receive and believe the Doctrine left by Christ, and preached by his A∣postles. And if among those that be∣lieve not, she comprehends not only Infidels and Heathens, but also all He∣reticks and Schismaticks; 'tis nothing but what she has receiv'd from the Apo∣stles; who did not only shake the dust

off their Feets in witness against those who denied them entrance, and refused to believe in Jesus, but also denounc'd such of the Brethren to stand guilty of dam∣nation, who notwithstanding their belief in Jesus, that he died for the Red••mption of Man, and that rising again he Ascended into Heaven; did make Divisions a∣mongst the Faithful, or Preached any new Doctrine contrary to what they had deliver'd. St. Paul is very express in this, who foretelling Timothy (1 Tim. 4.1, 2, 3.) of some, who in latter times would come and Preach a Doctrine, For∣bidding to Marry, and commanding to abstain from Meats, which God hath cre∣ated to be received: brands them with the infamous Title of Men that depart from the Faith, giving heed to seducing Spirits, and Doctrines of Devils. In these words plainly letting him understand, that though these Men would not deny Christ, yat that their false Doctrine in those two other Points, were enough to make them Seducers, Deserters of Christ, and Leaders to the Devil. And does not he as expresly in his 2d Epistle to Timothy, (c. 2. v. 16, 17, 18.) condemn Hymeneus and Philetus, for prophane and vain bablers, increasers of Ungodliness, and overthrowers of the Faith, who concerning the Truth erred only in one Point, saying that the Resurrection is past already? By which '••is manifest to him, that the Doctrine now taught him by his Church, is nothing but what she has learnt from St. Paul, and the rest of the Apostles; it being deliver'd by them that he is a Lyar who denieth that Iesus is the Christ, (1 Ioh. 2.22.) And that every spirit that confesses not, that Iesus Christ, is come in the flesh, is not of God, (ib. c. 4. v. 3.) And not only this, but likewise A man that is an Heretick, after the first and second admonition, reject; knowing that he that is such is subverted and sinneth, being condemned of himself, (Tit. 3.10, 11.) With this weighty advice to the Brethren, in which they are commanded in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ, to speak all the same thing, that there be no divisions among them, but thet they be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement, (1 Cor. 1.10.) For that having strife and divisions among them, they will shew themselves to be Carnal, and to walk as Men, (ib. c. 3. v. 3.) That therefore, there being but one Body, and one Spirit, one Lord, one Faith, and one Baptism, they should endea∣vour to keep the Unity of the Spirit, in the Bond of Peace, and not be tossed to and fro like Children, and carried about with every Wind of Doctrine, by the slight of men, and cunning Craftiness, whereby they lye in wait to deceive, (Ephes c. 4. v 3, 4, 5, 14.) Who transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ, are false Apo∣stles, deceitful Workers, (2 Cor. 11.13.) But certainly accursed, for that trou∣bling the Faithful, they would pervert the Gospel of Christ. and preach another Gospel, than that which had him preach'd by the Apostles (Gal. 1.7.8.) And this is the Sum of the Doctrine of his Church, which believing that Fai••h is ne∣cessary to Salvation, it being impossible without Faith to please God, (Heb. 11.6.) teaches likewise, that the Faithful ought to hold fast the profession of their

Faith without wavering, for that not only they lose it; who deny Iesus Christ to be God, as some have done: but also all those, who endeavor to pervert the Gospel of Christ, and in any point of Faith obstinately deny, or teach otherwise than was taught by Christ, and his Apostles, as Hymeneus and Philetus did: so that, that Christian makes but a very imperfect and lame profession of his Faith, who can only say, I believe that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh, and that he is God and Man, the Redeemer of the World: unless he can with truth add this like∣wise, I also believe the whole Gospel that he preach'd, and every point of Faith, that he has taught and deliver'd to us by his Apostles: there being the same Obliga∣tion to obey his Precepts, and hearken to his Words, as to acknowledg the Di∣vinity of his Person; and it being a sin of the same blackness, obstinately to oppose any point of his Doctrine, as to deny the truth of his Pers••n. 'Tis not therefore any uncharitableness in his Church, to declare plainly this miserable unhappy state of all such, who wilfully oppose and separate from the Doctrine of Christ, deliver'd by the Apostles, and continued in the Catholick Church; and of such who disobey and seperate from the Government of the same Church, which Christ has Commanded all to hear and obey: But 'tis her Zeal so to do, and the same solicitude for the salvation of Souls, which mov'd the Apostles here∣tofore, to Preach the like Doctrine to their Flock; as also the Primitive Christi∣ans to expel their Communion, and Anathematize all such, who by broaching erroneous Tenets, contrary to any point of Receiv'd Doctrine, or by disobedi∣ence, did wilfully divide themselves from the Belief or Discipline of the Catholick Church: Such as were Marcion, Basilides and Bardesanes, who were Con∣demn'd in the First Age, for opposing that Article of our Faith, in which we believe the Resurrection of the Dead; such the Archonticks, Condemn'd likewise for denying the necessity of Baptism: Such Tatianus &c. for Preaching Marri∣age to be unlawful. Such the Millenarians, for maintaining a thousand Years Reign of Christ up••n Earth, with his Saints in sensual pleasures. And so in all Ages others were condemn'd upon the like account. It having been al∣ways, a received Custom, even in the purest time of the Gospel, for the El∣ders and Prelates, to whose charge Christ committed the care of his Flock, to oppose all those that by new Doctrine. or by making Schisms and Divisi∣ous, did disturb its peace: and not to permit any that by such like means d••d endeavour to destroy his Unity, so much desired and recommended by the Apostles. So that they were equally declar'd Enemies of Christianity, who denyed Christ, and they, who confessing Christ, did yet contradict and reject any part of his Doctrine. And this upon the Principle, that Christian Faith ought to be entire. For that every Article, Mystery and Point of it be∣ing deliver'd by the same hands, and recommended by the same Authority; whosoever did oppose any one Point of it, was immediately judg'd guilty of all,

in discrediting the Authority, on which the whole stood equally grounded. And this is that great Truth proclaimed above thirteen hundred years ago, and now every where read in St. Athanasius's Creed. Whosoever will be saved: before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholick Faith. Which Faith, except every one do keep Whole and undefiled, without doubt, he shall perish everlastingly. By which words was made known to the Christian World▪ the Sense and Doctrine of the then pure and unspotted Church, as receiv'd from Christ and his Apostles. That it is vain for any one to hope for Salvation, unless he first believe the Catholick Faith; and that whosoever does not be∣lieve it Whole and undefiled, shall certainly perish everlastingly. Which is a Doctrine like that deliver'd by the Apostle, conce••ning the observance of the Laws of God; that as whosoever fails in one, is made guilty of all; so al∣so, whosoever disbelieves one Article of the Catholick Faith, does in a manner disbelieve all. There being no more hopes of Salvation for one that denies ob∣stinately any one Point of the Catholick Faith, thô he believes all the rest; then there is for one, who keeps Nine of the Commandments, with the Breach of the Tenth. An obstinate opposition against one Point of Faith, and a sin against one Commandment being as certainly damnable, as if 'twere against all. There be∣ing the same reason, and an equal necessity that the Observance of God'•• Law, and the Assent to the Catholick Faith be alike entire and Whole. And now being convinc'd, that none can believe to Salvation, but he that embraces the Catho∣lick Faith thus wholly and entirely, by an equal submission to all the Mysteries contain'd in it, without opposition to any. And being likewise convinc'd, that no one can arrive to the true knowledg of this Faith, with an assurance of its Integrity, but by receiving it as propos'd and believ'd by the Church of Christ: Which Church was founded by the Son of God, watered with his Blood, and by an infallible assistance of the Holy Ghost (by which it was to be taught all Truth to the end of the World) was secur'd from the danger of being deceiv'd or deceiving others, to the consummation of things: He does not doubt, but as in the Apostles time, so also ever since, and at pre∣sent, God addeth to his Church daily such as shall be saved, (Acts 2.47) there being no entire faith necessary to Salvation, to be found out of this Church; and no possibility, as St. Cyprian says, that God shall be a Father to any, who own not this Church for his Mother. But now, where and which this Church is, and what Society of Men are Members of it, among such variety of Pretenders; though it may seem a great difficulty to some to distinguish; yet to him it is none at all; for since there is no other Church, besides the Ro∣man Catholick, which has had a continued and visible Succession of B••shops and Pastors in all Ages since the Apostles; no other that has converted Infidel Nations to Christianity; no other that has always preserv'd Peace and Unity

amongst its Members, all of them speaking the same thing, and being perfectly joyn'd together in the same mind, and the same judgment; no other that by assem∣bling the Elders and Prelates, has oppos'd in all Ages Heresies and Schisms, and condemn'd all those, who not sparing the Flock, have spoken perverse things, endeavouring to draw away Disciples after them; no other, that has, in obedi∣ence to the command of Christ, send Apostles amongst Infidels and Unbelievers, for the preaching to them the Gospel, and instructing them in Christianity; and by this way, without Arms or Blood, have spread their Faith throughout the World; no other, that by evident and undeniable Miracles, have prov'd the truth of her Doctrine; no other, but what has begun by Separation, whose first Preachers have gone out from this; the time of their first Preaching and shewing themselves to the World, being upon Record, and their new Doctrine censur'd and condemn'd by that Church, from whence they separated. Since, I say, there's no other Society or Christian Congregation in the World, to which these certain Marks of the Church of Christ does agree; 'tis evident to him, that this is the only true Church; that whosoever denies any Article of her Faith, denies so much of Christ's Doctrine; that whosoever hears her, hears Christ; and whosoever obstinately and wilfully is separated from her, is in the same di∣stance separated from Christ himself; and finally, that God addeth to this Church daily such as shall be saved, (Acts 2.47.)