A Winding-Sheet for Popery, Text
A Winding-ſheet FOR POPERY.
By RICHARD BAXTER, CATHOLICK.
LONDON, Printed by Robert White, for Nevil Simmons, Book-ſellar in Kederminſter, Anno Dom. 1657.
A winding ſheet for Popery. BY Richard Baxter, Catholick.
AMong all the ſects that have troubled the Church of Chriſt, there is none that have heapt up ſuch a multitude of errours, and made ſuch a vexatious ſtir for them in the world, by ſubtilty, importunity, flames and blood-ſhed, as the Papiſts have done. Where they dare do it, they cruelly torment, and bloodily murder thoſe that are not of their erroneous mind: Yea, its part of their Religion to force all Chriſtian Princes to deſtroy us; and if they will not, to abſolve their ſubjects from their allegiance, and deliver up their Countries to a Papiſt that will deſtroy us. For this is the Decree of one of their undoubted Councils, Later. ſub Innoc. 3. Can. 3. And where they cannot or dare not do this, they are buſie day and night to deceive; turning themſelves into the ſhape of various Sects, and creeping in among both rich and poor, but ſpecially inſinuating into Rulers and Commanders, that may do them the greateſt ſervice when they are ſeduced. And their ordinary way is to ſeek firſt to unſettle men, and make them doubt of their former profeſſion, and bring them into diſlike with their Teachers, and ſo to win them over to themſelves. To which end, their common cry is, that we are of a new Religion, that we are Hereticks, that we are a ſmall Party, and divided all to pieces among our ſelves, and that we are but loſt in wandering and confuſion, and all becauſe we have left the Church of Rome, which is the true Catholick Apoſtolick Church, and which all our fore-fathers lived and dyed in, and which is the Center and Head of unity, and the only judge of controverſies, for want of whoſe infallible deciſion, every man interpreting Scriptures as he pleaſe, and being a Pope to himſelf, we are ſo many men, ſo many minds, and all out of the way, and ſhall never be right till we return to the Pope. Here's a fair and plauſible tale, that may catch the ſimple, that know not what the Church or Religion is, and may ſhake thoſe that never built upon the Rock. Like the words of the Harlot, Prov. 2.15. to 20. & 5.3. to 15. & 7. & 9.15, 16. To call paſſengers that go right on their waies; who ſo is ſimple, let him turn in hither.] And 22.14. The mouth of ſtrange women is a deep pit; he that is abborred of the Lord ſhall fall therein.] For my part, I think he that would not fain know the truth if he could, when it is ſo lovely, and his ſalvation lyeth at the ſlake, is worſe then a mad man: And if I could find that Popery is the way of God, I can boldly ſay, I would quickly own it, whatever it coſt me, (by the help of grace.) But having ſearched into their writings and courſes many a year, I am more and more confident, that for us to turn to Popery, is to turn from the will of God, from truth to errour, from the way of the Churches unity, to a ſect, from ſafety to exceeding dangere, and from the way of duty to the way of ſin. And of this I am now to give you my reaſons: wherein I will promiſe you as before the Lord to whom I am even going to give an account, that I will not ſpeak againſt my confcience, nor write any thing but what I would write, if this were the laſt day I had to live, as for ought I know, it may be; nor will I charge any thing on them falſly, but undertake before any man breathing, to prove out of their own writings or doings, that it is theirs; though they dare not own it all to the ignorant.
Reaſon 1. Popery is a way of notorious Schiſm, and therefore not the way of God. Papiſts are a very ſect: moſt deſtructive to the unity of the Catholick Church, of any ſect that I know of in the world. They delude the ſimple, that take their words, by telling them that they are the Catholick Church, and that the Chriſtian world is of their minds, when the far greater part of the Chriſtians in the world are ſtrangers or enemies to Popery. The Chriſtians of Athiopia and other parts of Africk, with all the Greeks, and the reſt in Aſia, and the Proteſtants and others in Europe, that diſown them, are far more then the Papiſts. And it is not long ago ſince they were but a few, in compariſon of the reſt of the Chriſtian world: and long after the Apoſtles daies, they were not known upon the face of the earth. When they were at the higheſt, they never had near one half of the Chriſtian world, under their government. And yet they muſt needs be the whole Catholick Church: When a part of the Church, will needs be the whole, they make themſelves a ſect. They tell us of the ſmallneſs of our Church, and the greatneſs of theirs; but I muſt profeſs that the Church of Rome is not big enough for me to be a member of. The true Catholick Church conſiſteth of all the Chriſtians in the world; of which the Papiſts are but a ſorry corrupted part. That Church that pretendeth to be Catholick and the whole, and yet excludeth the far greater and better part of Chriſtians, is too narrow for me. As the Anabaptiſts ſay, They are the Church; and other ſects ſay, They are the Church; ſo the Papiſts ſay, They are the Church: and a defiled piece would ſwallow up the whole. As if the bramble ſhould be taken for all the wood; and the Oak and the Cedar muſt be no part: Or the Oven or the Chimney muſt be all the houſe; or every Cabbin would be the ſhip; or a dirty village would be the whole Common-wealth. Its well for the Papiſts if they prove a part of the univerſal Church; for I am ſure they are Schiſmatical in pretending to be the whole.
Reaſon 2. In this Schiſmatical pretence, the Papiſts are notoriouſly Sacrilegious, and would rob Chriſt of the greateſt part of his flock, and diſmember the far greateſt part of his body, that they may be taken to be the whole. Hath it coſt Chriſt ſo dear to purchaſe a peculiar people to himſelf? Tilus 2.14. Hath he purchaſed his Church with his own blood, Acts 20. and now ſhall the ſons of men preſume to rob him of the greateſt part? Is his flock ſo little in all, and will theſe preſumptuous Sectaries make it leſs? If you divide the world into thirty parts, according to the judgement of the beſt Geographers, nineteen of them are Heathens, and ſix are Mahometans, and but five are Chriſtians taking in all ſorts: and yet the Papiſts that are not near half of theſe five, would unchurch all the reſt; as if they envyed Chriſt the fruit of his blood-ſhed. How would their King of Spain take it, if they ſhould proclaim that the far greater half of his Dominions is none of his? If Chriſt be ſo tender of every particular ſheep in his flock, that he laid down his life for them, and knows them by name, and none ſhall take them out of his hand, and he that toucheth them doth touch the apple of his eye, John 10.3, 15, 27, 28. Zech. 2.8. how then will he take it at the Papiſts hands that would rob him of the greateſt part? But bleſſed be God that judgeth not as they.
Reaſon 3. Herein alſo they are guilty of moſt inhumane and unreaſonable cruelty; in preſuming to damn the far greateſt part of the Church of Chriſt. If you are ſo ſtraightly charged as to a particular man, [Judge not that you be not judged,] Mat. 7.1, 2. And ſo ſharply taken up, Rom. 14.4. [Who art thou that judgeſt another mans ſervant? to his own maſter he ſtandeth or falleth;] What then are they like to hear that will judge to damnation the moſt and the beſt of the Church of God? Perhaps the ignorant of them may ſay, that All of them are not ſo uncharitable; this is but ſome. I anſwer, If thou be not of this mind, thou art not a Papiſt; For this is eſſential to that which they call the Romm Catholick Faith, to believe that the Catholick Church is only thoſe that are ſubject to the Pope as the Vicar of Chriſt, and Governor of the whole; and that out of this Church, thus headed by the Pope, there is no ſalvation. This is the ſoul of Popery: even as we believe that out of the true Univerſal Church that's headed by Chriſt only, there's no ſalyation. And me thinks, if thou have but the heart of a man, much more of a Chriſtian in thy breaſt, thou ſhouldſt not eaſily believe ſo bloody uncharitable a Doctrine, as that all the Chriſtian world are damned ſave your ſelves. Doſt thou believe this at thy heart? If not, thou art not of the Roman faith: And if thou do, thou haſt little Chriſtian Chanty, and thy deceivers have almoſt taught thee to caſt away the reaſon and the bowels of a man.
Reaſon 4. And, what a Proud and arrogant way is this? for a defiled piece of …he Catholick Church to ſay, We are the whole? As they in Iſa. 65.5. [Which ſay, Stand by thy ſelf, come not near to me, for I am holyer then thou.] To ſay, [You are all damned Hereticks ſave we, and we only are the Church: ſuch horrible Pride doth not animate the Church and Cauſe of Chriſt.
Reaſon 5. And all this is done by them, againſt the very tenor of the Goſpel; and Covenant of Chriſt; as if it were not enough for them to contradict the Scripture in ſmaller matters, unleſs they gainſay the very Promiſe of life, and the Charter of the Saints, and the foundation of our hopes. For it is the ſcope of this Goſpel, that Whoſoever believeth in Chriſt ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting life, John 3.15, 16, 18. & 1.12. John 17.20, 21, 22, 24. Acts 8.37. & 13.39. & 16.31. Rom. 3.22. & 4.11, 24. & 10.9. Gal. 3.22. 2 Theſ. 1.10. John 16.27. & 20.29. Heb. 4.3. Mar. 16.16. Acts 5.14. John 3.36. & 5.24. & 6.35, 40, 47. & 7.38. & 11.25, 26. & 12.46. Acts 10.43. Rom. 3.26. & 9.33. 1 Pet. 2.6. 1 Joh. 5.1, 5, 10. John 14.21. 1 John. 4.7. An hundred texts might eaſily be cited, where God doth make the moſt peremptory promiſes, that all that believe in Chriſt, and love him, and hope in him, ſhall be ſaved. And yet as if it were in defiance of the Goſpel, the Papiſts make it an Article of their Faith, that no man ſhall be ſaved that becomes not a ſubject of the Pope of Rome. Let him believe in Chriſt, and love Chriſt, and hope in Chriſt never ſo much; let him believe in the Father, Son and Holy Ghoſt, yet can he not be ſaved, if he believe not in the Pope. No grace will ſave him; no degree of holineſs will ſave him, that believeth not in the Pope: or at leaſt, none have ſaving Grace, that believe not in him. Wonderful! that it ſhould be poſſible for Chriſtians, for men to be thus beſotted? what muſt become of all thoſe Chriſtians that live many thouſand miles from him, and ſcarce ever heard of his name, and know not whether he be a man or a woman, or whether there be ſuch a place as Rome in the world? Muſt they therefore be all damned, as being out of the Church? Why then would not Chriſt have once mentioned to us this Article of our Faith? Why would he never put it in the Scripture, [He that obeyeth not the Pope or Roman Church, ſhall be damned?] Why was it never in the Churches Creed, [I believe in the Pope, or Church of Rome] as well as, [I believe the Holy Catholick Church?]
Reaſon 6. Moreover the Papiſts cauſe is plainly carnal, being all reſolved into a carnal intereſt, and maintained by it. The main queſtion between us, is, Whether the Pope muſt govern all the Chriſtian world, and all perſons muſt obey him upon pain of damnation? And what is this but to exalt a worm, and lay the Kingdom of Chriſt upon his ſhoulders? If the queſtion were, Whether we ſhould be Holy or prophane? obey Chriſt or diſobey him? we would be aſhamed to be behind them? But when all this ſtir is to ſet up one City to be the Miſtreſs of the world, and one man to be the head of the Church, and this without Chriſt and againſt him; what can we think, but that Ambition makes this Lucifer mad?
Reaſon 7. Moreover, the way of Popery is againſt Chriſtianity, and ſhaketh the very foundation of it, and tempteth the world to infidelity, by building their faith upon an uncertain ground, yea on a ground that is certainly falſe. For according to the Papiſts, we cannot know the Chriſtian Doctrine to be true, nor Scripture to be the Word of God, but on the authority of the Pope or Church? And its as clear as the light, that no man can know that the Pope or Roman Church hath any ſuch authority, till they know the Doctrine of Chriſt to be true, by which they claim it (nor then neither) Who can tell that the Pope or Church of Rome is to be credited, more then any other Church or perſon, till he find ſome ſuch thing in the Word of God? (which is not there.) And if they do find it there, they cannot believe it, becauſe they receive it not on the authority of the Church. So that if you will be a Papiſt, you muſt hold that the Doctrine of Faith is not to be received, but on the authority of the Roman Church; and yet that the authority of the Roman Church cannot be known but by the Doctrine of Faith (as ſome ſay) Or elſe we muſt ſtay till they prove it by Miracles, as the Apoſtles did (as others ſay.)
Reaſon 8. Moreover, this Cauſe and this Church is a novelty and late invention; a thing unknown to the Primitive Church; and therefore it cannot be of God. And yet they are ſo ſhameleſs, as to call their opinions, the old Religion, and to perſwade the ſimple that we are an upſtart generation, and that our Church is but of two or three hundred years ſtanding, becauſe we have forſaken the Roman novelties, and are turned back to the Primitive Antiquity, For our parts, we ſay, and ſay again, Let him be the ſcorn of the Churches, that believeth any Catholick Church, that is leſs then ſixteen hundred years of continuance! And, Let him be counted a man of no Religion, that is of a Religion that is leſs then ſixteen hundred years old: And what can he expect, but to be accurſt of God, that believeth any Goſpel of leſs then ſixteen hundred years continuance, Gal. 1.8, 9. Let us go to the Goſpel, the Records of Antiquity, and ſee there whether our Religion or their opinion be the elder: and let the oldeſt carry it without contradiction. Where find you that Jeruſalem, Corinth, Galatia, Philippi, and all, or any Church in the world, was then commanded to obey the Church of Rome? or that ever ſhe was called the Miſtreſs of all Churches, or the Univerſal Church. Then Rome was but a particular Church like the reſt, and now forſooth it is become the Miſtreſs, and Catholick Church, without obedience to which there is no ſalvation, (if the Pope muſt ſave us.) Where read you that any Apoſtle did direct men to receive the Chriſtian Faith upon the Credit of the Church of Rome? Or, When did Paul, or Barnabas, or any Preacher tell the people, [You muſt believe in Peter, or in the Church of Rome, before you can believe in Chriſt;] Or, [You muſt believe the Chriſtian Doctrine on the Credit of the Church;] Or, [That Church is made the judge of all Controverſies.] O how many Sermons have we of the Apoſtles and the Fathers, for many hundred years after, and never ſuch a word in them? How many Nations and ſouls converted, and never ſuch an argument uſed with them? How many controverſies hotly debated, and never ſuch a remedy propounded. The Romiſh Dominion was then unknown.
Reaſon 9. Moreover, their Profeſſion is much made up of meer contradictions, and the ſubjects of the Pope are ſworn to theſe contradictions (at leaſt thoſe in Orders:) By the Trent Confeſſion, they are to ſwear that [They will never take and interpret Scripture, but according to the unanimous conſent of the Fathers.] And yet they ſwear in the ſame Oath to many particulars which the Fathers were againſt, and many which they never unanimouſly conſented in: They either know not what the Fathers hold, or elſe they know that there's but a ſmall part of the Scripture, or at leaſt far from all, that the Fathers do interpret with unanimous conſent. And there is not one of an hundred or a thouſand of them, that knows what the Fathers do unanimouſly conſent in, and what not; their volumns being ſo many and ſo great, and time ſo ſhort, and moſt ſo idle, or neceſſarily diverted. In abundance of Texts the Fathers differ among themſelves: And here the ſwearers do bind themſelves never to interpret thoſe Scriptures at all, till a Meſſenger from heaven ſhall tell them what the Fathers are agreed on ſince their death. They are ſworn alſo to embrace the ſenſe of their Church: whereas the Fathers and their Church do frequently diſagree: They are ſworn to [all things delivered, defined, and declared by the Canons, and Occumenical Councils, and this without doubting;] O ſtrong faith! when even mens faith in Chriſt himſelf is oft mixt with ſuch doubting, that we muſt pray, [Lord encreaſe our Faith; I believe, help my unbelief.] Yea, there is not one of a multitude of them that knows what all theſe Canons or Councils do contain. Yea, when theſe Canons and Councils do frequently contradict each other; and yet they are ſworn to believe them all: The Council at Conſtance decree that a General Council is above the Pope, and the Council of Baſil did ſecond them; but the Council of the Laterane under Julius 2. and Leo 10. decree that the Pope is above a General Council. The Council of Trent doth add to the Canon of Scripture, contrary to the Council of Laodicea, and Carthage 3. and the Papiſts at this day go contrary to the current judgement of the Church, in adding the Apocryphal Books to the Canon. Abundance more of their contradictions may be ſhown.
Reaſon 10. Moreover, Popery is an uncertain Profeſſion, both for the foundation, and the matter of it, the ſenſe and the perfection. No man can fully tell what it is, or when he hath it, and when he hath it not. For the foundation of it, their Councils and Nations are yet diſagreed, whether the Pope or General Council be the chief, and which muſt be followed when they diſagree: and which is the infallible Judge of Controverſies. And for the matter, how few in the world can tell what is in all the Canons, and Councils, and Fathers, and what is their ſenſe: and abundance other uncertainties I have fully manifeſted in my Book againſt Popery, Disp. 2. & 3. And for the very Articles of Faith, I have there ſhewed that they are ſtill to them uncertain, whether they have yet all or not: becauſe that the Pope may make thoſe to be points of faith, as to the people, that were not ſo before; and ſo he may encreaſe them, who knows how much? Every time that the Pope determines a Controverſie, he makes us a new Article of faith: As he lately did againſt the Janſenians: And how many hundred controverſies are yet to be determined, and conſequently ſo many Articles to be added.
Reaſon 11. Moreover, Popery is a humane Faith; and not a Divine: It leadeth us but to man, and bottometh us on man: and therefore leaveth us ſhort of God. They muſt firſt believe the Chriſtian Doctrine and truth of Scripture, on the authority of the Pope or Church; and then they muſt take the meaning of every word of Scripture upon the credit of the Roman Church, and Fathers. So that the very upſhot of all their Religion, is, They believe the Scripture to be the Word of God, and Chriſt to be the Son of God, becauſe the Church of Rome doth tell them ſo? And how know they that this Church is Infallible? Becauſe they ſay ſo themſelves, or becauſe the Scripture ſaith they are infallible, (but who knows where.) But which is the infallible Church of Rome? The Pope, ſaith one: A Council ſaith another: A Council confirmed by a Pope, ſaith a third. And how knows the world that theſe are the acts of the Pope, and that he confirmed the Council? Becauſe ſuch a Cardinal, or our Pariſh Prieſt, or a Jeſuit ſaith ſo. And here it is that the people are left.
Reaſon 12. Popery fets up a Head for the Univerſal Church that cannot poſſibly govern it, and a Center for the Church, in which it cannot poſſibly unite: And ſo it is but a titular Head, and a name and ſhadow, good for nothing but to divide and vex the ſervants of God; but the Uniting and Ruling of them, which is ſo much pretended to, is a flat impoſſibility. It is not morally poſſible to bring all the Chriſtian world, to be of the Popiſh opinion herein, it being a point that is ſo void of cogent evidence from Scripture and Reaſon, that they are both againſt it. It is naturally impoſſible for the Pope of Rome to be the faithful Governor of all the world, if they would conſent. How many years muſt they be travelling or ſailing to Rome from the Antipodes or other remote parts of the earth? Moſt of them that had cauſes of Appeal to the Pope, would either be drowned at Sea, or deſtroyed by enemies in the paſſages, or ſpent with travel or Navigation, or waſted with age through the length of their journey: And when they come to him, how inſufficient would the poor man be, to decide all their matters? How many thouſand would be waiting every hour at his Holineſs doors? when he hath leiſure but for a few. How long would it be from the beginning of a controverſie to the end, by that time theſe poor men had travelled back again ſo many thouſand miles? And when all the Princes of a great part of the world, are uſually in wars; will they give their ſubjects leave to travail ſo far? and that where the Prince is an enemy to Chriſtianity, as the Turk is? Or would the Princes that he is in war with, give leave to his ſubjects, to paſs through their Dominions? Let us ſee firſt how well an Univerſal Monarch would rule the world by Civil Government, (though yet that is more eaſie) before a ſpiritual Monarch be ſet up.
Reaſon 13. And worſt of all, this falſe pretended Head and Center of the Churches Unity, doth make our Concord Impoſſible till this Head be taken down. The Papiſts are the greateſt hinderers of the Unity and Concord of Chriſtians, I am confidently perſwaded in all the world! And yet all this miſchief is done to the Church under the pretence of Unity and Concord. What if a ſubject ſhould ſet up himſelf in Ireland or Scotland, and ſay, The Prince is abſent, and I am his Deputy, and all are Rebells that unite not in me? Could there be a greater hinderer of Unity then this man? For all that ſubmit to him are Rebells, and all that do not he will endeavor to oppreſs: So is it with the Pope. If we unite in him, we hazard a breaking off from Chriſt; at leaſt, it is ſuch a ſin, that the Chriſtian world will never venture on: and if we refuſe it, the Papiſts proclaim us Hereticks, and will have no Peace with us. So that the Church will never have Concord, till this falſe Head be taken off, and Chriſt only be our Head.
Reaſon 14. Moreover, the Papiſts are at ſuch difference among themſelves, that its little encouragement to us to joyn with them. They differ in many hundred points, as the writings of the Schoolmen, the Thomiſts, and Scotiſts, and Ockamiſts, the Dominicans, Franciſcans, and Jeſuites, and other diviſions among them do declare. If you ſay, This is not in points of faith. I anſwer, 1. That is as pleaſes the Pope or Roman Church, who may make them points of faith at pleaſure. 2. The reaſon why the Pope determineth them not, is much becauſe his Diſciples are diſagreed about them. 3. They differ in their great fundamental it ſelf, even the ſeat of Supremacy and Infallibility, one part telling us it is the Pope, and the other that it is a General Council. This one difference ſurmounteth all the differences of the Reformed Churches, if they were ſet togther. Forſooth, we cannot be Chriſtians, nor know the Scriptures to be the Word of God, but on the Authority of the Church: And when we come to know what the Church is, in Spain and Italy its one thing, and in France another.
Reaſon 15. Moreover, the way of Popery is a way of meer deluſion, and vain oſtentation. They advance the Pope to be the final Judge of Controverſies (or a General Council, as others) and when they have done, they are never the nearer an end of them. He ſeeth many hundred Controverſies among them, and dare not ſpeak a word to determine them. The Church of Rome is the true expounder of the Scriptures: and yet many hundred differences are known to be among their own Expoſitors, and many hundred Texts that the people underſtand not, and yet this Oracle will not ſpeak; this Judge is as dumb as a fiſh, and leaves us all in as much doubt, and ignorance, and contention, as if we had no Judge? So that all the importunity in the world cannot open his mouth: And yet he learnedly inveighs againſt the Proteſtants that have no Judge of Controverſies. What is it to make fools of men if this be not?
Reaſon 16. And what a cafe do the Papiſts put the Univerſal Church into, when our faith and the deciſion of our doubts muſt depend upon ſuch a man as abundance of their Popes have been? Many of their own writers call them no better, then Apoſtates, Hereticks, Murderers, Adulterers, Sodomites, Conjurers, and ſuch were the Heads of the Catholick Church, a long time together. I know the ſilly people are told by their lyars, that all this is lyes: But let them put it to the tryal if they dare, whether I will not as fully prove it out of their own writings, as that ever King William was alive in England? And are condemned Hereticks, and deviliſh Murderers and Adulterers likely to be the infallible Judges of all Controverſies?
Reaſon 17. And many a time they have two, and there, and ſometune four Popes at once, ſo that no man knew which was the Pope. And when Eugenius was depoſed by a General Council, yet he continued in by force, and from him is the ſucceſſion: And yet are theſe Saint Peters ſucceſſours?
Reaſon 18. Moreover, Popery is a way of darkneſs: They flie the light, like Bats and Owls; and therefore it cannot be of God. Their publick prayers and praiſes of God are performed in a tongue which the people underſtand not. Their writers call it the Original of all Hereſies to tranſlate the Scriptures into a known tongue. And now they are forced at laſt to do it themſelves; they diſſwade the common people from the reading of it. Yea they ſuffer no man to read ſuch a tranſlated Bible, but by a Licenſe from the Ordinary, which any man may know is not ordinarily granted, in their own Dominions. Many a man have they burnt to aſhes, for reading the Bible in a known tongue. And how much they befriend the peoples ignorance in many other waies, their writings and ſad experience tell us.
Reaſon 19. Yea, their profeſſion is contrary to the light: They preſume to contradict the very Word of God: Paul hath written a whole Chapter, 1 Cor. 14. againſt publick praying or prophecying in an unknown tongue: And yet they will uſe it, and make the ſilly people believe, that Paul meaneth no ſuch matter as he ſpeaks. How many and many times, is the worſhipping uſe of Images forbidden; And yet they will uſe them, ſay God what he will? How plainly hath Chriſt inſtituted the Lords Supper in both kinds, and how oft is it recited; and they confeſs it was ſo uſed by the antient Church, for many an hundred years. And yet they will preſume to alter all, and to forbid the Cup, even becauſe they will do it. Abundance of ſuch inſtances may be given of their contradicting Scriptures.
Reaſon 20. Yea, Popery fighteth with ſenſe and reaſon, and would make men not only mad, but ſenſleſs. For upon pain of damnation, we muſt believe that the Bread in the Sacrament is no Bread, and that the Wine is no Wine: My eyes, and my taſte, and my feeling tell me that it is Bread and Wine, and if I know not Bread and Wine when I ſee it, and touch it, and taſte it, then I muſt be mad or ſenſleſs: And then how can I tell that I know any thing at all. And yet muſt I be here burnt at the ſtake, and hereafter burnt in Hell for ever, if Papiſts be my Judges, unleſs I will believe that the ſubſtance of the Bread and Wine is turned into the ſubſtance of the body and blood of Chriſt, and that there is now the colour, and ſmell, and taſte, and quantity of Bread and Wine, without Bread and Wine. The colour which I ſee, and the taſte which I reliſh, are the colour and taſte, Of what? Of nothing. Nor of Bread and Wine. For now there's no ſuch thing. Not of the Body and Blood of Chriſt; for that they deny, and well they may. So that if I know bread and wine when I ſee, and feel, and taſte them; then do I know that Popery is a deceit: And if I do not, then I know nothing. For if ſenſe deceive us, all deceives us. Moreover it is againſt the knowledge and experience of our own hearts. Popery tells you that none are ſaved or have Charity but Papiſts, becauſe forſooth they are all out of the Church. Here then is an Argument which Chriſtians have in their breaſts, that all the Papiſts on earth cannot anſwer. Look what degree of aſſurance you have, that you have Charity or any ſpecial Grace, and ſo much aſſurance you have that Popery is a meer chear, which would perſwade you that none have Charity but Papiſts. If any ſtand not to this cenſure, he is no Papiſt. For if a Proteſtant may have Charity, and be ſaved, then the Church of Rome is not the whole Catholick Church. Yea if you know any Proteſtant on earth that you are perſwaded is a true Chriſtian; you muſt needs be as much perſwaded that Popery is falſe. In the mean time remember this to their credit, that by their own confeſſion never did a godly honeſt man turn Papiſt; nor can they deſire any ſuch to turn. So that every man that hath ſaving grace, is ſure.
Reaſon 21. Popery doth too much befriend ungodlineſs, to be the way of God. It is fitted to build up the Kingdom of darkneſs. 1. How it befriendeth Ignorance, and fighteth againſt the means of Knowledge, I have toucht before. 2. They make people believe that many of their ſins are but venial, and properly no ſins, againſt no Law, and do not ſo much as deſerve damnation; and therefore they need no Saviour, nor pardon of that puniſhment. 3. Concupiſcence which inclineth men to all actual ſin, they tell them is no ſin in the Baptized, but before it is. 4. Their very frame and courſe of devotion is ſo formal, that a man would wonder that rational men could approve of it. Such a multitude of ceremonies and hiſtrionical actions and inventions of men, do they think to ſerve God with, that one would think they could not make themſelves believe that the moſt wiſe and holy God will regard them. See my Book againſt Popery, pag. 162, 163. It is againſt the nature of a ſpiritual man, to think ſuch a ſervice ſuitable to God, which is liker a Stage-play or a Morrice-dance. But the Maſs bites not; the profane are well enough pleaſed with this. We find the worſe our people are, the proner are they to ſuch formalities.
Reaſon 22. And indeed the iſſue of their way, doth frighten me from it. I find none of ours ſo prone to turn to them as the moſt ungodly. I hope well of many among them, but I never had the happineſs to meet with a heavenly experienced Chriſtian, that would ſpeak feelingly of the work of the Spirit upon their ſouls, among them all. And almoſt all that ever I was acquainted with, were exceeding ignorant. Many of them of no Religion at all; not knowing who Chriſt is, nor very little that a Chriſtian ſhould know: And many of thoſe few that are among us, are of ſcandalous, careleſs lives: and few have any better then a formal wordy kind of Religiouſneſs; to ſay ſo many prayers, and obſerve ſuch hours and daies, and the like. Look among the common ſort of the Papiſts, and impartially compare their Churches with ours, and ſee whether there be any compariſon to be made in the holineſs of the profeſſors! At Rome it ſelf, the ſeat of his Holineſs, they have large revenues to the Church for the licenſing or permitting of whore-houſes.
Reaſon 23. And I confeſs I ſee not how they can be excuſed from Idolatry in worſhipping the creature with a Divine worſhip. They firſt call the conſecrated Bread, the very fleſh of Chriſt it ſelf, and their Lord God; and then they worſhip it as God, and carry it abroad in proceſſion to that end, and command all to worſhip it with Divine worſhip on pain of Damnation. To paſs by their praying to Saints and Angels, and the Idolatrous expreſſions that many of their writers do uſe of the Virgin Mary, and their ſetting one Saint or other to almoſt all the offices in the world, and filling the world with moſt ridiculous lying ſtories in their Legends, even to the reproach and diſhonour of Chriſtianity it ſelf.
Reaſon 24. And it is not likely their way ſhould be of God, which muſt be carried on by ſuch ungodly means as it is. O the cruelty that they have exerciſed in the world; the ſtreams of precious blood that they have ſhed; the bone-fires that they have made of holy perſons, when they had firſt perſwaded the world that they were the ſervants of the Devil; and continue to ſlander and blaſpheme them when they are dead! And when we diſcover to the people the moſt palpable of their miſdoings, they make them believe that all that we ſay are lies. If their cauſe were Gods, it needed not ſuch ſupports as theſe.
Reaſon 25. And their Doctrine leadeth not to ſettle the ſoul in a durable well-grounded peace: for they lead men ſo much to their own works, and make ſo light of pardon and reconciliation by the blood of Chriſt; and lead men ſo much to ceremonies, and deny them aſſurance of Juſtification or Salvation, when they have done all, and then deſign them to the flames of Purgatory when they die, (unleſs the Pone will be ſo charitable as to eaſe them) that there is little ſetled Peace of Conſcience to be hoped for that way.
Reaſon 26. And though their errours are ſo many and ſo great, that moſt Proteſtants take the Pope to be the Antichriſt, yet are they ſo arrogant as to pretend to Perfection, as the Quakers do: Yea to a double perfection: Not only to be perfect without any ſin (but venial, which is none) but alſo to be perfect by works of ſupererogation, and better then ever God Commanded them to be.
Reaſon 27. And to make all remedileſs, their Church is ſaid to be Infallible; and ſo we muſt never hope that they ſhould repent of any errour that ever they incurr; for then they ſhould give away their Infallibility. So that there is no other cure for them, but by ceaſing to be Papiſts; as there is no Peace to be expected from them to the Church, but by the depoſing their pretended Univerſal Head, the Roman Pope.
Reaſon 28. And to make all deſperate, and open the door to other errours, they have added all the Apocryphal Books to the Canon of the Holy Scriptures, contrary to the Council of Laodicea, and the conſent of many ages of the antient Church, as Doctor Coſin hath fully ſhewed, and Dr. Reynolds, and many others before him.
Reaſon 29. Yea they have added Tradition it ſelf, to be received [with equal pious affection, and reverence] with the holy Scriptures. Concil. Trident. Seſſ. 2. And this Tradition muſt remain unknown to others, and unproved, and we muſt take their words for it, when they have thus equalled it with the Word of God, corrupting thus the fountain of faith.
Reaſon 30. And when the Pope hath done this miſchief to the world, they ſay, that no power on earth can judge him. Though General Councils have depoſed many, and Bellarmine confeſſeth in the caſe of Marcellinus, that they may declare an Infidel Pope to be out of the Church, and that the Church may bear arms againſt the Pope when he would oppreſs it, and in Schiſms may ſee that the Church be provided; yet for all this none may judge the Pope; Reconcile theſe if you can. But herein they are diſagreed among themſelves.
In this one ſheet of paper I have not room to mention their many other errors, nor to annex the proofs of all theſe charges. But I offer my ſelf to make them good to the face of any Papiſt living.
And now I leave it, to the judgement of thoſe that are not willing to be deceived, Whether the Roman or the Reformed be the truer Catholick, and which of them is liker to be ſaved, and in the ſafer way. I doubt not but this Paper will be anſwered by ſome body: Its a bad Cauſe indeed that a man of learning can ſay nothing in: But if the ſilly people will be ſatisfied that its anſwered, without underſtanding any thing in the anſwer that ſhould ſatisfie a reaſonable man, let them even be deceived, ſeeing they chooſe deceit, and let them take what they get by it.
July 25. 1657.
FINIS.
End of the text · Richard Baxter, A Winding-Sheet for Popery (1657)