Antidote Against Popery, To the reader – Table of contents
To all that conſcionably inquire after the Truth, that they may be ſaued; both of the reformed Religion, and of the Romane Catholike.
COurteous Reader, thou mayeſt haply blame mee for my ouer-diligence in writing-ſo much, and now vponupon a ſubiect ſo throughly canuaſed already in diuers bookes of learned Authors. But know, that I hauehave beene drawne to doe this by the ſollicitation of others, being l…th of my ſelfe to interrupt my courſe in another tract, which I hauehave begung,Treaſury of Eccleſ-expoſitions. and to perfect which will require the whole life and labour. of one whole man. Many hauehave written ſo I grant, in this argument, as that they exceed this of mine without all compare: but ſome are ſo large and hauehave made their bookes to ſwell to ſo great volumes, as that they are onelyonly for profeſſed Students, and not for eueryevery mans memory, leyfure or money. Some againe are ſo ſhort, and doe ſo proſecute ſome points onelyonly, as that howſoeuer they be for eueryevery man, yet when they are read, almoſt eueryevery man remaineth ſtill vnſatisfied in many things. Laſtly, ſome are neither too large, nor too ſhort, but hauehave written fully, methodically, and logically: yet not ſo fully, but that diuers particulars hauehave beene omitted, the common motiues on both ſides hauehave not beene ſo throughly weighed, the originalls of the many e…rours of the Church of Rome, and the Apoſtolike Antiquity of the Reformed Religion hath not beene ſo declared, nor the treatiſes in the manner of them ſo fitted to the capacity of the vulgar, ſo as that many read them, but for want of capacity, and through theſe defects in the worke, are not ſo much moued. Now to ſupply all theſe defects, and to inſtruct all, euen my moſt vncapable Country-men in eueryevery point and motiue, ſo as that there might be nothing to hinder thoſe that deſire to know the truth, and to cleaue vntounto and obey it; I hauehave written this plaine and ſhort Dialogue. And herein I am not ſo blind but I ſee to what enuying and hard cenſuring I expoſe my ſelfe, but neither credit, nor life are any thing to me, ſo that by any meanes I may ſaue ſome: OnelyOnly let mee ſay thus much in way of Apologie, that it is well knowne, that I am not malicious againſt the Romane Catholikes, nor out of ſpite hauehave thus written or vſed the name of Elymas to diſgrace any but wilfull Pontificians, who for ſiniſter reſpects, againſt their knowledge ſeeke to lead into error not onelyonly common people, but noble gouernors, that attentiuely hearken to Pauls preaching. For the reſt let mee intreat you to read me, not as an enemy, vnleſſe I ſhall therefore bee counted your enemy,Gal. 4.16. becauſe I tell you the truth; but as one that deſireth and prayeth for your ſaluation; and I doubt not, but through Gods grace, you ſhall ſee that, which will make you ſuſpect, and not ſo well to like your preſent eſtate, nor ſo much to condemne our reformation, if not to ſeparate your ſelues, and to come out with vsus from amongſt them, leſt ye periſh euerlaſtingly. For I profeſſe before God, who knoweth all ſecrets, that till I ſeriouſly ſtudied vponupon theſe things, I was not ſo reſolued, that the Pope is the Antichriſt, nor your tenents and ſuperſtitions ſo damnable: but the further I waded into this ſtudy, the more was I reſolued, ſo as that now I make no further doubt of it. And therefore my hope is, that the like effect may by reading theſe my meditations bee wrought in others alſo, that the vnſtable may be ſetled, and the erring bee brought home into the one ſheepfold of Chriſt, before it be too late, which God grant vntounto you all for his mercies ſake. Amen.
A Table of the points of both Religions diſcuſſed in this Booke.
Of the Proteſtant Religion.
1 God onelyonly is to be beleeued in, and not the Church. Page. 2
2 Chriſt onelyonly is our Mediator, and not the Saints departed. Page. 2
3 Iuſtification and ſaluation is by faith onelyonly. Page. 3
4 Faith aſſureth of ſaluation. Page. 4
5 The ſoules of the faithfull goe not to Purgatory. Page. 5
6 Prayers for the dead auaile not. Page. 6
7 The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is no ſacrifice.
There is no reall preſence, it ought to be in both kinds. Page. 6
8 Baptiſme doth not quite: ake away naturall corruption. Page. 7
9 The Sacraments of the new Teſtament are but two onelyonly. Page. 7
10 There is no perfection of righteouſneſſe in this life. Page. 7
11 There is no liberty of will vntounto good. Page. 8
12 Mariage is free for all men. Page. 8
13 The Scriptures alone are ſufficient. Page. 10
14 None ought to be debarred from reading the Scriptures. Page. 11
15 The Pope is not ſupreme head of the Church. Page. 12
16 God onelyonly is to be called vponupon, and not the Saints departed. Page. 14
17 The vſe of images in diuine worſhip is vnlawfull Page. 15
18 All prayers ought to be in a knowne tongue Page. 17
19 Confeſſion of ſinnes is not neceſſary to any but to God onelyonly. Page. 17
20 Satisfaction for ſinne cannot be made by workes of penance. Page. 17
21 All ſinnes are mort all none veniall. Page. 18
22 To goe on Pilgimage is a ſuperſtition. Page. 19
23 Extreme vncton ought not now to be. Page. 19
24 Croſſing and holy water are vaine ſuperſtitions. Page. 19
25 Nothing is to be taken from the word for any end. Page. 20
26 Wilfull pouerty is not warrantable. Page. 20
27 To vow perpetuall Ʋirginity is vnlawfull. page. 21
28 Of Holy dayes and faſts vponupon their Eeues. page. 21
29 The Clergy is ſubiect to the King, as well as the laity. page. 22
30 Superſtitions ceremonies in baptizing, are anoyded. page. 23
31 The holy S…rament is not to be kept for after-vſes. page. 23
32 The Church of Rome is no true Church, becauſe ſhe razeth the foundation. page. 24
33 The ignorant Papiſts indangered as well as others. page. 32
Of Popery.
1 Satisfaction for temporall puniſhments. page. 25
2 The merit of Saints: of the Maſſe, and of workes. page. 26
3 The ſaints Mediators. page. 27
4 Free-will preparing for grace. page. 28
By theſe the foundation is razed. page. 29
5 Vncertainty of faith. page. 31
6 The Popes ſupremacy. page. 37
7 The worſhipping of Images. page. 43
8 The ſingle life of Prieſts. page. 47
9 The reall preſence. page. 49
10 Prayers in the Latine tongue. page. 53
11 Purgatory and praying for the dead. page. 54
12 Croſſing and holy water. page. 55
13 Freewill. page. 59
14 Iuſtification by workes. page. 60
15 The vncertainty of ſaluation. page. 62
16 Satisfaction for ſinne. page. 62
17 Seuen Sacraments. page. 64
18 Apocryphall Scriptures and traditions, &c. page. 65