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པ་།སྙ

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To the Right Honourable

ARTHUR Earle of DONEGAL Lord Viscount Chichefter, of Carickfergas,Baron of Belfaft,one of his MAJ ESTIES most Honourable Privy Coun cellours for his Kingdome of Ireland.

My LORD,

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Ow much it concernes every man to be rightly informed in the Controverfies between Rome and Us, is fufficiently evident from the great importance they

have in reference to our everlafting ftate: The Papifts think the Proteftant Doctrine is dangerous to Salvation; and the Protestants know the Popifh Dotrine to be fo: For although they ufe confidently to give it out to their Partisans that their Religion is a fate way in the judgment of Prote ftants themselves, and though in former times of ignorance God might wink at fome members of

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the Church of Rome that held the foundation, although they built a great deale of Hay and Stubble upon it: Yet fince the late Edition of feverall new Articles of their Creed and the contempt of that clear and glorious light of Gospell difcoveries fhining in the difcourfes and Writings of Proteftant Authors I cannot and I fear God will not) excufe them from that hainous crime of rebelling against the light or with holding it in unrighteoufneffe; and as Christ faid to the Jewes, they have now no cloake for their Sinnes.

What the portion is of the followers of An tichrift we may more fafely understand from the Teftimony of God then from the conjectures of men; of them we read that they shall be damned, 2 Thef. 2. 12. That their names are not written in the Book of Life, Rev. 13.8. That they shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God and fhall be tormented with Fire and Brimftone-and the Smoak of their Torment fhall afcend evermore, and they shall have no reft day nor night which worship the beast and his image, Rev. 14. 9,10,11.

The onely doubt is whether the Papifts be followers of Antichrift, or (which comes to one) whether the Pope be Antichrift, which feemed fo probable to the famous Lord Bacon that being asked by King JAMES whether he thought him fo to be, it was no leffe truely then wittily anfwe

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red by him, That if an hue and er y mould come after Antichfift which hould defcribe him by thofe Characters by which he is deciphered in the Bible, he friould certainly "apprehend the Pope for him, and I defire all Papilts, who would not venture their Eternall Salvation upon uncertain fies to do our coule and their own Soules that juftice as to peruse the Authors of both fides viz. Whitaker and Downham on the one, and Bellarmine and Leßius on the other, and then I doubt not but they will conclude the notorious weakneffe of their cavils, or pretended Answers to our Allegations to be at least an high prefumption of the truth of our Affertion, if not fufficient to put an end to all further doubtings.

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JMy Lords!

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It is no fmall evidence of a good cafe and felicity of our Proteftant people, that they are permitted to feel with their own Eyes, and are both allowed and warned by their teachers, not to take matters of Salvation upon truft but to enquire and fearch the Scriptures and other Authors whether those things be true or no, whil'ft unhappy Papifts like the Andabate of old muft winke and fight, and are obliged with an implicit, Faith to follow their guides in fpight of Chrifts A 4

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Caution used upon the like occafion. If the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the Ditch, Math. 15,14 Proteftant Minifters befpeak their hea rers in St Pauls language, fpeak to wife men judge ye what I fay, 1 Cor. 10.-15. While Popill Priefts, if they would fpeak out muft fay I freak as to Fooles, believe all that I fay: A plaine figne their Gold is adulterate because they dare not fuf fer it to come to the Touchftone.fr.shady andte sitao wided Ina enten s and ten

My Lord,

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In the handling of thefe Controverfies I thought it moft prudent and ingenuous to follow the Councell which Benhadad gave to his Souldiers, to fight neither with fmall nor great, but with the King of Ifrael, and therefore I did not mind the branches, but have indeavoured to ftrike at the Root: For fuch is the Doctrine here difcuffed viz. The

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and fo it is acknowledged by all the Romanists, and we are advised by them Lif we mean to do any good) to attaque them in this point. I like the Councell and therefore have refolved de arcem petere to attempt their ftrongeft hold All the Controverfies of the Church of Rome have (what Caligula wished all the people of Rome had) one neck, and that is this of the Churches Infallible Authority: while this

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