A Key for Catholics, Treatise 1 · Chapter 46
CHAP. XLVI.
Detect. 37. ANother Practical fraud of the Papiſts is, In hiding themſelves and their Religion, that they may do their work with the more advantage.
I ſhall tell you briefly, 1. The way by which they do this, and 2. The advantage they get by it. And 3. Help you to detect them.
1. The principal means by which they conceal themſelves is, By thruſting themſelves into all Sects and Parties, and putting on the vizor of any ſide, as their cauſe requireth. It's well known that formerly we had abundance of them that went under the name of Proteſtants, and were commonly called by the name of Church-Papiſts: But there is great reaſon to think that there are more ſuch now. Some of them are Prelatiſts, and ſome of them call themſelves Independants: ſome creep in among the Anabaptiſts; and ſome go under the cloak of Arminians, and ſome of Socinians, and ſome of Millenaries, and all the other Sects before mentioned. They animate the Vaniſts, the Behmeniſts, and other Enthuſiaſts, the Seekers, the Quakers, the Origeniſts, and all the Juglers and Hiders of the times: It is they that keep life in Libertiniſms, and in Infidelity it ſelf. Among every one of theſe parties you may find them, if you have the skill of unmasking them.
2. Another way of Hiding themſelves is, by having a Diſpenſation to come to any of our Aſſemblies, or join in worſhip with any party, good or bad: Or elſe they will prove it lawfull without a Diſpenſation, where the Pope interdicteth it not. And their way is this: that all the old known Papiſts, eſpecially of the poorer ſort, ſhall be ſtill forbidden to come to our Aſſemblies, leſt they bring the blot of levity and temporizng on their Religion and leſt there ſhould not be a viſible party among them to countenance their cauſe. But the New proſelites, eſpecially ſuch as are of any power and intereſt in the world, and may do them more ſervice in a masked way, and can fairly avoid the Imputation of Popery, theſe ſhall have leave to come to our Aſſemblies, when their cauſe may make advantage of it. That you may ſee I feign not all this of them, (beſides the proof from certain experience which we daily ſee) let me lay before you the Deciſions of one of their principall Directors, in this work of propagating their faith; and that is, Thom. à Jeſu de Converſ. Gentium. How far they are for favouring of Heathens and Infidels, and Liberty of Conſcience for them (for all their cruelty to Proteſtants) you may ſee him, lib. 5. Dub. 4. pag. 207. Where he tells you that the ſentence commonly received in the Schools is, that it is not lawfull for Chriſtian Princes to uſe any force againſt Infidels, for ſins againſt the Law of Nature it ſelf: and citeth Caject. Victoria, Covarruv. Greg. de valent. And himſelf decides it in the middle way of Azorius, [That Pagans may not be puniſhed for deſpiſing the honour and worſhip of God, though they may for not giving every man his own, and for theft, murder, falſe witneſs, and other ſins that are againſt mens right] Compare this with Sir H. Vane's doctrine of Liberty.
And lib. 5. part. 1. Dub. 6. pag. 220. he teacheth that [A Catholick living among Hereticks may (when the ſcandalizing of others forbids it not) for fear of death, go to the Temples of bereticks, and be among them in their meetings, and aſſemblies, becauſe of it ſelf it is a thing indifferent; For a man may for many cauſes go to the Temples of hereticks, and be among them in their aſſemblies, as that he may the eaſilyer and more effectually and commodiouſly confute their errors, or on other juſt occaſions, (unleſs accidentally it ſcandalize others.) Yea as Azorius ſaith, he may do it to obey a Prince, though he be an heretick, when he feareth the loſs of his honour, maintenance or life: For in this he only obeyeth his Prince: eſpecially if among the faithfull (that is, the Papiſts) he openly affirm, that he doth it only to obey his Prince, and not to profeſs the heretical ſect: For by that open atteſtation he avoideth the offence and danger of Catholicks, and well declineth the unjuſt vexation of the Prince.]
And that Papiſts may eat fleſh on dayes when their Church forbids it, to hide themſelves among hereticks, he determineth in Dub. 5. p. 218, 219. So that the Papiſts are abundantly provided for their ſecurity, againſt ſuch as would diſcover them when it ſtands not with their ends to diſcloſe themſelves.
3. Another moſt effectual way of Hiding themſelves is, by Equivocation or mental reſervations, which we uſe to call Lying, when they are examined about their Religion, their Orders or their actions. Lying that hurteth not another, they commonly maintain to be but a venial ſin, which ſay moſt of them, is properly no ſin at all. And to equivocate or reſerve one half of your anſwer to your ſelves, ſay the Jeſuites, is not Lying, nor unlawfull, in caſe a mans intereſt requireth him to do it. See the words of their own Caſuiſts cited for this by Montaltus the Janſeniſt. Were it a thing that needed proof, I would give you enough of it. Thom. à Jeſu the Carmelite, ubi ſup. Dub. 4. pag. 218. ſecureth them ſufficiently: His Queſtion is [Whether one that denyeth it when he is asked of a Heretick whether he be a Prieſt, or a Religious man, or whether he heard Divine ſervice, do ſin againſt the confeſſion of faith?] He anſwereth, [No: for that is no denying himſelf to be a Chriſtian, or Catholick: For it is lawfull to diſſemble or hide the perſon of a Clergy man or a Religious man, without a lye in words, leſt a man be betrayed and in danger of his life; and for the ſame cauſe he may lay by his Habit, omit prayers, &c.—becauſe (N. B.) humane Laws for the moſt part bind not the ſubjects conſcience, when there is great hazard of life, as in this caſe Azorius hath well taught. Juſt. Mor. Tom. 1. lib. 8. c. 27.] So that by the conſent of moſt, there is no danger to a Papiſt in any ſuch caſe from his own confeſſion.
Another way of Hiding their Religion and themſelves, is by falſe Oaths, which we called, wilfull perjury, but the Jeſuites take for a Lawfull thing, when a mentall Reſervation or Equivocation ſupplyeth the want of verbal truth, as their words cited by the forementioned Janſenian, teſtifie. And who will ever want ſo eaſie, ſo obvious, ſo cheap a Remedy againſt all danger of perjury, as a mental Reſervation is?
Yea that the Pope can ſufficiently diſpenſe with any of their Oaths of fidelity or Allegiance, or the like, I ſhall ſhew you under the laſt Detection. The Parliament hath impoſed on them an Oath of Abjuration, but do they not know how little the Clergy, and ſuch as have their countenance will ſtick at that, ſuch Nets are too wide to catch them in. Hear the words of one of their own Prieſts (Io. Browns Voluntary Confeſſ. in Prins Introduct. p. 203.) ſaith he, [Its ſtrange to ſee the Stratagems which they uſe with their penitents concerning the Oath of Allegiance! If they be poor, they tell them flatly, (when they are demanded to take the Oath) that it is damnable, and no wayes to be allowed by the Church: If they be of the richer ſort, they ſay they may do as their conſcience will inſpire them. And there be ſome of them that make no conſcience at all, to have it taken ſooft as they are demanded.] What would you have more, then ſuch diſcoveries by themſelves?
2. But what get they by this Hiding of themſelves? Anſw. 1. They hereby ſecure themſelves from danger. 2. They do the more eaſily prevail for the multiplication of their ſect: For worldly perſons would not ſo eaſily flock into them without ſome ſuch ſecurity from ſuffering. 3. They preſerve thoſe that are come over to them from revolting, by the diſcouragement of ſuffering, eſpecially the Rich and Honourable. 4. They angle for ſouls with the leſs ſuſpition, when they ſtand behind the buſh: Papiſts are become ſo diſtaſted with the people by the Power-plot, and many other of their pranks, that they may take more with them, if they come masked under another name. 5. By this means they may openly revile and oppoſe the Miniſtry, and Ordinances, and Churches, and Proteſtant doctrine, without diſturbance by the Magiſtrate. A Papiſt in the Coat of a Quaker, an Anabaptiſt, a Seeker, or the like, may rail at us and our doctrine in the open Streets, and Market place, and call us all to naught, and teach abundance of their own Opinions, without a controul. And many a poor ſoul will take an Anabaptiſt Papiſt, or Seeker into their boſome, and familiarly hear them, and eaſily ſwallow down what they ſay, that would be afraid of them if he knew them to be Papiſts. 6. By this means they have eaſier acceſs to a greater number then openly they could have. 7. And by this means they may inſinuate into our Counſels, and know all our wayes, and how to reſiſt us. 8. But above all, by this means they may be capable of any office and truſt among us. They may be Miniſters, or Juſtices of Peace: They may be Parliament men, and Leaders in our Councils, and have the conduct of our affairs: They may have a great influence on the reſt that know them not; They may come to have power in our Armies. And if once the Masked Papiſts come to make our Laws, or guide our Councils and Affairs, and influence or command our Armies, you may ſoon know what would become of Proteſtants: Kings and Parliaments, Prelates and Presbyters ſhall all go one way, if they can accompliſh it: Its eaſie therefore to diſcern that their principall Artifice lyeth in Hiding themſelves (ſo be it ſtill there be a viſible body of their open profeſſors.) And for my own part, I think I have good reaſon to fear leſt the Papiſts are far ſtronger at this day in England that are unknown, then that are known: and that wear the Vizard of Seekers, Vaniſts, and other Sects, then that appear bare faced: Yea I believe that our danger of the open Papiſts is nothing in compariſon of our danger from theſe Juglers. And I confeſs I think an ingenuous open Papiſt ſhould have a great deal more gentle dealing from our Magiſtrates, then theſe Deceivers that have ſuch ſtretching Conſciences. For my own part I muſt confeſs I feel a great deal of charity in my heart for a conſcientious plain dealing Papiſt; and I would never be guilty of cruelty or rigor to them. But this jugling in the matters of God and Eternal life, my very ſoul abhors. I have been ſet upon by theſe Juglers my ſelf, and by ſome of the moſt renowned of them; but as ſoon as I perceived any of them purpoſely chooſe the dark, and hide themſelves in affected cloudy terms or methods, I was more a verſe from their documents, and took them for men that were either enemies to truth, or elſe had not received it into honeſt hearts themſelves. Truth is moſt beautifull in its nakedneſs; It loveth plain dealing, and abhorreth fraud. It takes that for its greateſt friend, that layes it moſt naked to the view of all, and that for its enemy that purpoſely obſcureth it. We have all ſuch a natural inclination to truth, that he ſcarce deſerves the name of a man, much leſs of a Chriſtian, that would not embrace it if he knew it. Did I think that the Papiſts had the truth, the Lord knows I would run after them, and follow them till I had learned it: If ever any of them would work on me, they muſt come bare faced: for I naturally abhor a Jugler in Religion, and a friend of darkneſs.
3. But how ſhall theſe Hiders be Detected? Anſw. 1. You have cauſe to ſuſpect all that uſe a Mask, and purpoſely hide their minds. To ſuſpect them I ſay, to be Papiſts or worſe: They walk not in Gods way that walk in Darkneſs: It is the Kingdom of Satan that is the Kingdom of Darkneſs, and it is he that is the Prince of Darkneſs, and his ſervants that are the ſons of Darkneſs. Me thinks a man that intendeth Deceit, what ever his end be, ſhould not take it ill to be ſuſpected for a deceiver, God is ſo good a maſter that no body ſhould be aſhamed of him. Truth is ſo amiable, that the genuine ſons of Truth are not aſhamed of it. Its no true Religion that aſſureth not men of that which will ſave them harmleſs, and bear them out againſt all the malice of earth and hell, and repair all loſſes that they can ſuſtain in the defending of it. Qui non vult intelligi, debet negligi. He that would not be fully underſtood, ſhall never be my Teacher, nor be much regarded by me. And therefore the Vane and Steril language of Paracelſian Behmeniſts, and Popiſh Juglers, doth ſerve with me for no other uſe but to raiſe me into ſuſpicion of their Deſigns and Doctrines, and to ſignifie a Vaine and Steril mind. Who will not ſuſpect that Tradeſmans weres that chooſeth a dark Shop, and refuſeth to open his wares in the light? I know that Scripture hath its difficulties, and ſtrong meats. But that is from our incapacity of underſtanding higher points, till we are prepared by the lower: It is from the altitude of the matter, and not that God doth envy us the truth, which he pretendeth to reveal: If a Propheſie be purpoſely obſcured, which concerneth not the world ſo neerly, yet ſo are not the Doctrines that our life or death lyeth on. But ſaith Clem. Writer to me, (recited in his late Book againſt me) [Would you not hide your mind or Religion in Spain? Anſw. 1. No: I would not; whenever I found my ſelf capable of ſerving God moſt by the diſcovery; which is the common caſe. 2. Till then, I would not put on the vizor of any thing that I knew to be falſe; and make uſe of Poſitive Jugling and Diſſembling to hide my Religion. 3. If Chriſtians againſt Infidels, or Proteſtants among Papiſts, had thought this diſſimulation lawfull, there had not been ſo many thouſands of them martyred or murdered as were. 4. What Opinion is it that brings men in England into any great danger at this day? Either your Opinion muſt be Atheiſtical, or at leaſt Infidelity, if you ſuppoſe it will bring you now into any great ſuffering: or if it be ſome ſmall matter that you fear, it ſeems you think not your Religion worthy to be openly owned in ſo ſmall a danger. I'le never be of a Religion that is not worthy my openeſt confeſſion, even to the death, when there is ſo much danger.
2. The Jugling Papiſts may be known by this, that they are alwayes looſening people from their Religion, and leading them into a diſlike of what they have been taught; that they may be receptive of their new Impreſſions. And therefore of any one Sect in England, there is none to be ſo much ſuſpected of a ſpirit of Jeſuitiſm, as the Seekers of all ſorts.
3. The Jugling Papiſts may be much detected by this, that they are all upon the Deſtructive part in their Diſputes, and very little on the Aſſertive part. They pull down with both hands, but tell you not what they will build up, till they have prepared you for the diſcovery. They tell you what they are againſt. But what they are for, you cannot draw out of them. As if any wiſe man will leave his houſe or grounds till he knows where to be better: or will forſake his ſtaff that he leaneth on, or the food that he feedeth on, till he know where to have a better proviſion or ſupport. Do they think wiſe men will be made irreligious? They deal by the poor people, as one that ſhould ſay to paſſengers on Shipboard [What fools are you to venture your lives in ſuch a ſhip that hath ſo much encumbrance and danger, and ſo many flaws, and but a few inches between you and death, and is guided by ſuch a Pilot as may betray you, or caſt away your lives for ought you know?] They know now that none but mad men will be perſwaded by ſuch words as theſe to leap into the Sea to ſcape theſe dangers: and therefore they do this but to make men willing to paſs into their ſhip, and take them for our Pilots. If you are wiſe therefore hold them to it, and leap not over-board, but keep where you are, till they have ſhewed you a ſafer Veſſel and Pilot: which they can never do.
When I did but privately deſire of Cl. Writer that he would acquaint me with that truth that he thought me ignorant of, and that we might privately and lovingly conſider how far we were agreed, and where we differed, that we might debate the caſe, and try who was in the right, he reſolutely denyed to have any debate with me, or to open any of his judgement, but pag. 46. reproacheth this very motion, as proceeding from [my aims of a monſtrous ſhape and ugly looks] ſo monſtrous a thing doth it appear to theſe deceiving Juglers, to tell men what Religion they are of, and would have us to receive, when they will freely reproach the Religion which we profeſs.
4. And you may ſtrongly conjecture at the quality of theſe Juglers, by their conſtant oppoſition againſt the Miniſtry. It is Miniſters that are their eye-fore; the hinderers of their Kingdom: Could they but get down theſe, the work were done, the day were their own: And therefore their main buſineſs, whatever vizor they put on, is to bring the people into a diſlike or contempt of the Miniſtry. If they ſeem Quakers, they will rail at them: If they ſeem Seekers, they will diſpute againſt their calling: If they ſeem the gentleſt Behmeniſts, they have their girds at them, to acquaint the world that they are miſguided by them. But at firſt, they will not let you know which is the true Miniſtry, if ours be not; or which is the true Church, if ours be not: Here they leave you.
5. The Jugling Papiſt, what vizor ſoever he wears, is commonly putting in for his own opinions, of the Neceſſity of a Judge of Controverſies, an Infallible Church, a ſtate of perfection here, the magnifying of our own inherent Righteouſneſs, without any great eſteem of Juſtification by the forgiveneſs of ſin: and many ſuch like.
6. Papiſts have ſtill an aking tooth at the Authority and ſufficiency of Scripture; and therefore on one pretence or other, are ſtill diſgracing and impugning it, and leading men aſide to ſome other Rule.
7. Papiſts have ſtill an enmity againſt the Power of the Magiſtrate in matters of Religion: For in ſuch matters their Vice-chriſt muſt be the only Judge. Whereas indeed, by that time the Magiſtrate hath judged, Who is Puniſhable by the Sword, and the Paſtors and Particulars Churches have judged, Who is excommunicable, (which are their undoubted works) there is nothing left for a Pope to do. Suſpect them that are for a Liberty for all; or at leaſt for all that are no worſe then Papiſts. They that ſet open this door intend to creep in at it themſelves at laſt.
8. And it is a ſuſpicious ſign when you find men enemies to the Unity, Peace and Settlement of our Churches, but would ſtill keep us in diviſion and diſtraction. And yet ſome of theſe men will lament our Diviſions, and cry up Unity, but they will ſecretly hinder it, or do nothing to attain it.
9. And it is ſomewhat ſuſpicious to ſee men hang looſe from all our Churches in their practiſe, and joyn with none, nor communicate in the Sacraments. If they know not Sacraments and Church-communion to be both our Duty, and the Means of our ſtrength and comfort, it is doubtful whether they are Chriſtians or Infidels. But if they know this of the Neceſſity and uſe of Sacraments, and Church-communion in general, and yet joyn not with any of our Churches herein, it's a ſhrewd ſuſpicion that they have an eye upon ſome other Church. For ſure a tender conſcience would not be many years in reſolving of ſo great and practical a point, no more then he would live many years without prayer, on pretence of being unſatisfied in the mode of Prayer.
10. And yet on the contrary ſide, there are ſome Jugling Papiſts, eſpecially in our Councils, Civil and Eccleſiaſtick, that play their game by over-doing, and making every thing to be Popiſh and Antichriſtian, to drive us into extreams, and into opinons in which we may eaſily be bafled. And it's not a little that they have won of us at this game.