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 fever all new Articles of their Creed, and the contempt of that clear and glorious light of Gofpell difcoveries fhining in the discourses and Writings of Proteftant Authors I cannot and I fear God will not) excuse them from that hainous crime of rebelling against the light or with holding it in unrighteoufneffe; and as Chrift 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 Brimstone 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 ery mould come after Antichit which hould defcribe him by thofe Characters by which he is deciphered in the Bible, he fhould certainly apprehend the Pope for him, and I defire all Papifts, who would not venture theif Eternall Salvation upon uncertainfies to do our coule and their own Soules that Juftice as to parufe the Authors of both fides viz! નો Whitaker and Downham on the one, and Bellarofe; mine 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.

- It is no fmall evidence of a good caufe 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 search the Scriptures and other Authors whether those things be true or no, whilst unhappy Papifts like the Andabate of old must winke and fight, and are obliged with an implicit, Faith to follow their guides in fpight of Chrifts A 4 , caution

.

caution ufed upon the like occafion. If the blind, lead the blind both hall fall into the Ditch, Math 15,14 Proteftant Minifters befpeak their hea rers in St Pauls language, speak to wife men judge ye what I fay, 1 Cor. 10.-15. While Popil Priefts, if they would speak out muft fay I freak as to Fooles, believe all that I fay: A plaine figne their Gold is adulterate because they dare not suf fer it to come to the Touchstone.s

My Lord,

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 strike at the Root: For fuch is the Doctrine here difcuffed viz. The doctrine of the Churches Au thority and Infallibility and fo it is acknowledged by all the Romanifts, and we are advised by them (if we mean to do any good) to attaque them in this point. I like the Councell and therefore have refolved use arcem petere to attempt their ftrongeft hold All the Controverfies of the Church of Rome have (what Caligula wifhed all the people of Rome had) one neck, and that is this of the Churches Infallible Authority: while this

is fafe, we do but pare their Nayles, and out their Haire which will quickly grow againe, but if this failes, all falls,wound them here, and it goes to the heart. Whether I have done this here or no, I thall not be fo abfurd or arrogant as to give judge ment in my owȧe caufe, this onely I fhall be bold. to fay, that I have faithfully reprefented the ftrength of the Popish caufe in this great point out of their most famous and approved Authors, and fuch of whom it might be truly faid, Si mas nia Roma Defendi poßent dextrâ hâc defenfa fu iffent, and therefore if all the plaufible pretences of their most confiderable Writers be here removed and destroyed (which I willingly referre to the judgement of the ferious intelligent and impartiall Reader) I may without injuftice conclude that their Doctrine is indefenfible, and their caule defperate,

My Lord

The reason why I devolve the Patronage of this worke upon your Lordship is not onely the confideration of your reall worth and those honourable qualities refplendent in you, that true generofity, fincere friendship, obliging fweetneffe, impartiall valuation of perfons according to their merit, not their party or opinion in little things, and other confpicuous vertues (which they that

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 fever all new Articles of their Creed, and the contempt of that clear and glorious light of Gofpell difcoveries fhining in the difcourfes and Writings of Proteftant Authors I cannot and I fear God will not) excufe thein from that hainous crime of rebelling against the light or with holding it in unrighteoufneffe; and as Chrift 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 shall afcend evermore, they fhall have no reft day nor night which worship the beast and his image, Rev. 14. 9,10,11.

and

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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