The novelty of the modern Romish religion set forth in an answer to three queries propounded by N.G., priest, with a rejoynder to his reply, and a reply to an answer made to three queries propounded unto him : together with animadversions upon some reflexions made by an unknown author ... / written by S.F., M.A. and vicar of Mitton in Craven.

Ʋpon the Fourth Reflection.

IN your Prologue you told me, that it was your purpose to level your few Reflexions a∣gainst my Method and way of answering, pre∣scribing them to the Reader, as a Rule where∣by to determine concerning my Papers, whether I had in them kept close unto the Matter in controversie, and discussed it with Reason; here you direct one particular Reflection against the very same Mark. It seems your Memory is very frail, you forgot to prosecute your purpose in the three first; but to supply that defect, you rub up your Memory in the fourth: I shall pass by this infirmity, leaving the Reader to descant on it as he pleases, and will mind you of that which you told me in your▪ Prologue concerning the unprofitableness of Disputation; conclu∣ding thence, that it was against your inclinati∣on to enter into the Lists: but here you say, that solid disputation is a matter of greatest importance: When will you be constant to your self? It is not you distinction of solid and unsolid, or prudent and imprudent, that can salve the Contradiction; for all that hath been done concerning Points of Religion, hath not been unsolid and imprudent; and yet you say, all hath but made the world to nauseate, and hath not decided one controverted point.

And here I find you agreeing with that re∣markable Disputant M. H. L. in your Opinion concerning my Papers, my Method, and way of proceeding (say you) hath been disorder∣ed and unconclusive; so says M. H. L. but he

passes an ipse dixit, for a sufficient Proof, while you make some little shew of Reason for it; in answer to which, I will tell you a true story: There were two Fencers, that quarrelling about their Valour and Skill, for a decision challen∣ged one another to the Stage; where, when they met, their greatest Quarrel was concern∣ing the Weapons they were to use; and not agreeing about this, they presently whipt off the Stage, leaving the Spectators to gaze one upon another in a friutless Repentance for their mispent Pains and Coin.

I shall leave the Application of this to be made by your self, and do appeal to your own Iudgment to determine how▪ pertinent your present Discourse is, you know my imposed Task was, the resolution of three trivial and unprofitable Queries; will you tell me what infallible Rule, or Guide, or Judge there is to be found and used for the effecting of this? If there be none (as I am sure there is none) for the determining of that which is unnecessary to be known, why talk you of an infallible Rule, and Guide, and Judge?

And why do you say that if I had a mind to have proceeded solidly in a disputation concer∣ning points of Religion, such an infallible rule or guide or Judge should have been nominated, can there be a solid proceeding in a disputation concerning points of Religion, when they are not points of Religion that are to be disputed? The great concern of the Queries is the Identi∣ty or Non-Identity of the present Romish Re∣ligion with Austin's, and of Austin's Religion with that of the Ancient Britains, and of the Religion of the Ancient Britains with that

which was first brought into England? which are not points of Religion; they are not points of Religion which may be affirmed or denied without any hinderance to the Worship of God, and the ignorance of which cannot prejudice the health of the Soul, while man is upon the quest of his Salvation.

Your Discourse here is as pertinent as that was of the Traveller, who when he should have related those things that concerned his Tra∣vels, as what Countreys he passed, and the na∣ture of their Soil, with the quality of the In∣habitants, and the entertainment he found a∣mongst them, talked of the Land of Ʋtopia, and of the World in the Moon, and other feign∣ed Regions, that are not to be found in rerum natura: it seems that you were resolved to put your Pen upon motion, though you did not matter how irregular it was, and to blind the Eyes of your obliging Friend, you would be saying something, though it was nothing to the purpose.

But to follow you in this wild Chace, and to shew how much your Reflection is troubled with the Simples, as well as with Impertinency; First, I will tell you, that all Disputations con∣cerning points of Religion, that have been made between Protestants and Romanists, have been without a previous Agreement concerning an infallible Rule, Guide or Judge, therefore up∣on this ground their discourses must be as dis∣ordered and unconclusive as mine; and sola∣men miseris socios habuisse doloris; it is no small comfort to me, to be ranked among those Learned Protestant Writers, against whose convincing Reasons you dare no more object,

than a Child dares to enter into the Lists to fight with a Man of War.

Secondly, By the force of your own Reason, you are compelled to shake hands with me, and to say Hail fellow, well met, in reflecting a∣gainst my Papers, you have written as much concerning Points of Religion, as I have in an∣swering the Queries, and you have not previ∣ously agreed with me concerning an infallible Rule, or Guide, or Judge, therefore your whole Discourse hath been disordered and un∣conclusive; and pray Sir, to avoid this incon∣venience in the future, do not write again, un∣til you be assured that we do agree about these things: the observation of this Advice will save you the pains and the shame of writing any more Impertinences and Untruths; for if you do continue in retaining your Opinions, for want of this Agreement, you may lay aside your Pen until the last Day of the World doth come.

But you say, it was my Duty to lay down some Principle per se notum, or to nominate an infallible Rule, or Guide, or Judge; if there be an infallible Rule, there is no necessity for an infallible Guide, or Judge; for he that guides and judges according to that infallible Rule, guideth and judgeth infallibly, though he be not infallible in himself; therefore I as∣sure you, being there is an infallible rule, that I do not know any infallible Guide or Judge under Heaven; if you do know any, it is my desire to be informed by you; and if you will comply to my desire, when you lay down your Instructions, be sure to observe your own Prescriptions, and produce not any thing that is

probable, conjectural, or uncertain, but some infallible Proof for them; otherwise (accord∣ing to your Assertion) they must be rejected as erroneous, or at least doubtful: as for an in∣fallible Rule, or Principle per se notum, the Ob∣ligation lies as much upon you, or any other undertaking to write concerning Points of Re∣ligion; will you, or any other have your Asser∣tions to be received for infallible Truths upon your own bare Authority? the Reasons for which you transfer the Duty wholly upon me, are so childish, that it is a shame to take noti••e of them; he that writes concerning Points of Religion, whether he be Opponent, or Answe••∣er, whether he write against an ancient, se••∣led, or a new, upstart Religion; whether he da••e freely to put the nomination of an infallible rule to his Adversary or not, must not think to have his Assertions to pass for infallible Truths, only because of an ipse dixit.

Thirdly, You have an admirable short and ready way of refuting all Disputations that shall be made against your Religion; though Protestants do lay down never so many Princi∣ples per se nota, and tell you of the infallible rule never so much, yet while you do retain your own Principles, you will never agree with them about it; therefore (you will say) all that shall be objected against your Religion, will be disordered and inconclusive; and thus though your Religion be an House built upon the Sand, yet (in your Conceits) it remains as firm and unmoveable as a Mountain; upon the ground of this shameful Defence, which you do make for it; but, good Sir, if a disagreement about this, be of such strength to conclude, let it be

as strong in the mouth of a Protestant, as you would have it to be in the mouth of a Romanist, and let us retort upon you and say, that all that shall be objected by you against the Protestant Religion, will be disordered and unconclusive, because you will not agree with us about an in∣fallible Rule.

Fourthly, Either your Ignorance is wonder∣ful, or your Unconscionableness not to be pa∣rallell'd: Do you not know that I have pro∣pounded three Queries to my Adversary? the Affirmatives of which are as many Principia per se nota, undeniable Truths, though not for the determination of my Adversaries Queries yet, by which the pretended Truth of your Religion may▪ be examined? And do you not know what Protestants do mean, when they speak of an infallible Rule? Yea, have I not told you what is meant by it in that Expression, viz. I do not wonder that you keep a Veil over the faces of your People to hinder them from looking into the Holy Scripture? And if you do know these things, why do you conceal and deny your Knowledge? Can it stand with the pre∣servation of a good Conscience to speak a no∣torious Untruth?

And your inconsistency with your self is as prodigious as either, what you do expresly deny, you do implicitely confess, that you do know that by the infallible rule Protestants do mean the Holy Scripture, because you do produce ar∣guments to prove, that it is not the in∣fallible Rule, Protestants do maintain the Holy Scripture to be this Rule, and if

you do not know this, while you are writing a∣gainst Protestants, why do you produce Argu∣ments against it? it seems that by the frequent use of contradiction, you have attracted such an habit, that if you do open your mouth to speak you must incur the use of it.

But supposing your ignorance to be as great as you do pretend, which no rational man will believe, while you do profess your self to be a Romanist; how can you conclude that I dare not stand to the Judgment and determination of that infallible rule, which I have spoken of, being assured that I should bring a staff upon mine own head, and find my religion to be disa∣greeable unto it? can you draw conclusions from premises that you do not know? it is a great shame to use this kind of argument, but I have your self to be my famous president, which will shield me from the imputation of folly, and bring it home to your own doors; you talk here of an infallible rule, and guide, and Judge, but you have not told me, nor do I know certainly what you mean, whether Fathers or Traditions, or Coun∣cels, or Popes, or Church, therefore you dare not stand to the Judgment and determination of your own infallible rule or guide or Judge, being assu∣red, that you would bring a staff upon your own head, and find your Religion to be disagreeable to them; this (I confess) is as if I should reason after this simple and contradictory manner, I know not the quality of the man, but I know that he is a dangerous man, and will do me a dis∣pleasure, because he hath not made himself known unto me.

Because you plead ignorance so much, I shall dispell this dark mist, and tell you that by the in∣fallible

rule, I do not mean Fathers, or Counsels, or Traditions, or Church, or any thing else, but only the Holy Scripture, that sacred Word of God, which was dictated by the Holy Spirit, and written by such penmen as were specially fitted for that Employment: this is the rule by which we walk, and by which we do prove the truth of our doctrines, and demonstrate the erronious∣ness of the modern Romish Religion; and this you do know, though you have the face to deny it, saying, That while I speak of an infallible rule: you cannot imagine what I should mean, while I stick unto the Protestant Principles, for Scripture alone, say you, it cannot be for reasons expressed before; the meaning of which is ut∣terly unknown to me, unless by it, you do say, that when you do see you are stark blind, for you do know that this is one of the Protestant Prin∣ciples, that the Holy Scripture is the infallible rule: as for the reasons wherewith you do labor to refute the truth of it, when they come to be examined, which will be presently, they will be found to be lighter than vanity, in the mean time let me ask you, why you do fasten the reproach∣ful term of a dead Letter upon the Holy Scri∣pture, and in what sence this may be done? I cannot find by the strictest inquisition, that (as from its self) it can (in any respect) have this ignominious Title applied unto it, nor can I imagine how you can reconcile what you say to the experimented Efficacy of it, and the Doctrine of the Apostle Paul; he proves it to be a living Letter; saying that it is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and that it is profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for Instruction in Righte∣ousness,

that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished to every good work; and that the reading of it hath produced these wholsom effects in many, is so abundantly confirmed by Experience, that it cannot be denied: if the Word of the ever-living God can in any re∣spect have the Title of a dead Letter applied unto it,, I would know whose Word it is that is the living Letter: Is it the Word of Fathers, or Traditions, or Councils, or Popes? Are Abana and Parphar, Waters of Damascus, better than all the Waters of Israel? Must the Word of vain, mortal, fallible men be advanced a∣bove the Word of the ever-living God? take heed of making such blasphemous Assertions, this is the Word that will judge you at the last Day; and if you do not repent for that Blas∣phemy which you have wilfully and wickedly breathed out against it, it is not the imaginary Flames of Purgatory-fire that will procure you a tolerable Judgment,

It is not your pitiful Reasons that can disanul the Authority of this infallible Rule; every one will laugh at the simplicity of your first Deduction: The Arrians (say you) quoted Scripture for the maintaining of their Heresie, therefore it is not the infallible Rule. I will help you with another as conclusive as this; the Devil quoted Scripture to perswade our Sa∣viour to cast himself down from the Pinnacle of the Temple, therefore it is not the infalli∣ble Rule: Is that Authority disanulled, which is abused by some disobedient and unruly per∣sons? Possibly you may be abused as a Romish Priest; but I suppose, you will not acknowledge, that by this that Power and Authority is disa∣nulled,

which you received by Commission from Rome; God is abused by the Sins of men, yet I hope you will not conclude thence, that his Power and Authority is disanulled which he claims over the Sons of men: you do acknow∣ledge the feebleness of this Argument, while you do affirm, that the Abuse of a good thing should not take away the Use of it (of which I will tell you more hereafter) and what was the Arrians impugning the Divinity of Christ by Scriptural Quotations, but an abusing of the Scripture?

That the Arrians impugned the Divinity of Christ with far more plausible Quotations and Texts of Scripture than I can produce for the Protestant Religion, is an Assertion which I deny; and which you ought to have proved; which be∣ing not done, perswades me to believe, that you knew it to be a gross untruth, yet you would confidently avouch it, purposely to deface the Authority, and vilifie the Use of the Holy Scripture, that you might induce your follow∣ers to believe, that the evidence it holds out, is not a sufficient proof for the manifestation of Truth, and the discovery and confutation of Errors; and all this is done as a meer shift, to prevent (if it might be) the Use of that refu∣ting force that is in it, to be employed against your Religion: what will not the Conscience of this Gentleman swallow? what will he not adventure to do for the defence of his errone∣ous Religion? while without any sign of re∣gret, he can favour the Arrians, tread under his feet the Sacred Word of God, and main∣tain it to be a greater Patron and Defender of the Arrian Impiety, than of Protestant Truths:

it is well known, that though the Arrians quoted Scripture for their wicked Opinion, yet they were irresistibly confuted by the clear evidence of Scripture; and it is as notoriously known, that you do reject the Holy Scripture, not ad∣mitting it to be a rule for the determination of that Controversie which is between the Prote∣stants and the Romanists, and consequently, it is easie to determine which of us, whether I and other Protestants, or the Arrian Hereticks can produce most plausible Texts of Scripture for our Opinions; though you distil this false per∣swasion into the minds of your people, that we cannot find any convincing Evidence in the Scri∣pture for the proof of our Religion; yet you know very well, that the Evidence which we produce thence against you, compels you to fly (as sometime the Israelites did from the Phili∣stins) into Holes and Caves, and Thickets; I mean the Coverts of Church, Traditions, Mo∣tives of Credibility, and other dark Corners, to hide your selves.

It is a certain sign that you labour under a miserable scarcity of Arguments, while the ob∣jections which you do make against me, do put weapons into my hands, to be employed for the overthrowing of your self, if you maintain ei∣ther Fathers, or Councils, or Traditions, to be the infallible rule, or guide, or Judge; the He∣retick Diascorus cried out at the Council of Chal∣cedon, Ego habeo Testimonium sanctorum Patrum, I have the Testimony of the holy Fathers on my side; Eutiches appealed to Tradition; sic à pro∣genitoribus accepi & credidi, so have I received from my Progenitors, and so have I believed; the Eutichian Heretick Carosus pleaded the

Council of Nice; Ego (says he) secundum tre∣centorum Patrum expositionem sic credo, My Faith agrees to the exposition of three hundred Fa∣thers; therefore neither Fathers, nor Councils, nor Traditions, are the infallible Rule, or Guide, or Judge: Sure you will not have the face to withstand the force of your own Argu∣ment; and this is as like unto it, as one Egg is unto another; but howsoever you shall take the force of this Argument against your self, I will tell you that your Argument is of no force to work against the Authority of the ho∣ly Scripture; though all the Hereticks in the world should wrest the holy Scripture to main∣tain their destructive Opinions, yet it will stand according to the purpose and appointment of God, to be an infallible Rule, to direct his peo∣ple in the way of salvation.

Nor is it your second Reason that can work any thing to disanul its Authority; it is not Scripture taken according to the private in∣terpretation of fallible men, that is the infalli∣ble rule, but Scripture taken in its own native sence, which in things necessary to be known, is plain and evident to the meanest ordinary capacity: He that calls not many wise men af∣ter the flesh, not many mighty, not many no∣ble, but hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and the weak things of the world to confound the mighty; hath not failed in the end, for which he ap∣pointed the Use of the holy Scripture, which is the instruction of those whom he doth call; therefore it is suted to their capacity, that they may read and understand the things that concerns their eternal Peace; wherefore it is a

most injurious Assertion which you do make, tel∣ling us, that we cannot defend our selves against the pleas of the Quakers, without the use of those Arguments which you do employ against us: while we have the benefit of this infallible Rule, we are sufficiently enabled to deal with all E∣nemies whatsoever, that do profess any thing of Christianity; for by its power we confound the Quakers, and you, and all other Hereticks, that do maintain Doctrines contrary to the plain and evident sence of it; and by its strength the Protestant Tenets are established and main∣tained in clearness as far above the Scriptural Pretences af Arrians, as Light is above Dark∣ness, Truth above Errour, and beyond the greatest resistance that can be made by the strongest Champions of the Roman Church.

Where the Scripture is obscure the sence is not necessary to be known, as God doth not cast his pearls before swine, so he doth not hide them from his children, and for the interpre∣tation of such places we willingly submit unto the Wisdom of Councels, or the Judgment of the antient Fathers, while they are constant to themselves, and consistent one with another, and do not give out any interpretation, that is contradictory to those places that are manifest and plain: and while we allow so much unto Councels and Fathers, you have no reason to say (as you do) that we reject all Councels, and undervalue the Fathers: we must not advance the word of fallible Men above the word of the everliving God, least we should attract the guilt of blasphemy and Idolatry; but yet our allow∣ance doth exceed that measure, which you do af∣ford unto them: when the Fathers speak against

you, they are but children in your account, and when the Decrees of Counsels contradict any of your Doctrines, you cry out against them as illegitimate; you dare not expose your Religion to the decision of the first four General Counsels.

Your Argument is so remarkable for its vani∣ty, that I cannot yet have done with it, though it be sufficiently confuted already, but must expose it in its formality to the view of the judicious Reader, if the Scripture be privatly interpreted and that interpretation employed to maintain errors it cannot be the infallible rule; but the Scripture is privately interpreted by the Qua∣kers, and that interpretation is employed to maintain their errors, ergo, &c. certainly you did not ruminate upon the hypothetical proposition that is included in this Syllogism, when will you prove the consequence of it to be true? if ever that come to pass, it will be miraculous, and then you will be at a very great loss, if you do main∣tain either Traditions, or Fathers, or Counsels to be your infallible rule, or guide, or Judg, Tra∣ditions, Fathers, Counsels, have been privately interpreted, and that interpretation employed by Hereticks to maintain their Errors, there∣fore neither Traditions, nor Fathers, nor Coun∣sels can be the infallible rule, or guide, or Judge verily the world will wonder at your dexterity in defending the cause of the Romanists; while you have been vainly sighting against me, you have been destroying them, and have cast the greatest supports, wherewith they pretend to uphold their Religion, down unto the ground.

Because you have blasphemed the Holy Scri∣pture, denying it to be the Infallible rule, and you confess, that there is a necessity of having such a

rule; I must ask you once again, what and whose word it is, that must have this power and prero∣gative appropriated unto it; is it the word of a∣ny single man, or any society of men, if so, why must that word be advanced above the Word of God? because you say that nothing that is pro∣bable, conjectural or uncertain, can be a princi∣ple to prove, or a rule to walk by, or a Judge to determine; for the same uncertainty, or dan∣ger, which it hath, of erring and being false in its self, the same it must have in proving, ru∣ling and judging; I expect you to produce some∣what of certainty to be the reason; and when this is done, it will afford me that satisfaction, which is not to be found in any of your Writers; but because I am assured, that this will never be done by you; I am bold to commend unto you this wholesome advice, which deserves to be accepted by you; let God be true and every man a lyar, be not so desperately wicked as to advance the word of frail man above the Word of the everliving God, but let his Word have the preheminence above all: and let his people have the benefit of that light, which it holds out for their instruction, that they may see the vani∣ty and destructiveness of those many Errors, which the Roman Leaders have politickly devi∣sed to keep them in bondage, and to maintain the wealth, height and state of the Court of Rome: if you do embrace and practise this ad∣vice, you will have less blood to account for, then otherwise you will have, when the great day of the general Account shall come.