from finning; therefore is there a ceffation from re pentance.

4th. Whatever attends the foul, after feparation from this mortal life, is immortal and eternal: this none can deny. But purgatory is a ftate that attends the foul after this mortal life; and therefore, fay I, it is an immortal and eternal state. And if it be, it is either for fomething, or nothing. If for nothing, God makes things in vain: if for the fouls of men and women; then they are never to be ranfomed thence. But fince the Romanists hold a redemption from thence, their confeffion of the temporarinefs of that ftate proves it a mere fiction for when the foul is withdrawn from this visible mortal life, which stands in time, it is centered in an invifible and immortal ftate, beyond the wings and reach of time.

In fhort, this world is the ftage on which all men. do act for eternity; and every venture of theirs brings its true weight of eternal life or death. Death is the confummation of all; and when we ceafe to work, we enter upon reward. But if purgatory were in being, the greatest work were to be done there: which, because it is abfurd to affirm, we conclude, that after death we cease from all our labours, and enter upon our recompence of everlasting happiness or mifery.

I fhall fubjoin some authorities from antiquity.

The fenfe of antiquity, and their own authors.

The doctrine of praying for the dead, we know, was too old a practice; yet not fo old as the apoftle. But how? As for fouls in a third place (for that these Romanists mean by their purgatory, however modest they feem by their half-expreffions)? Nothing lefs! however the fuperftition of the Papifts has driven them into fo foul an apprehenfion: but the ancients, believing there would be a general day of judgment, prayed that God would fhew fuch mercy in that day. Gregory the first is faid to be its father. Certain we are, that fuperftition was both its mother and its nurfe: for VOL. III. F

that

that this fond purgatorian opinion is altogether new, read both their own authors and the Fathers. Polyd. cap. 1. De inven. rerum. Alphonf. a Caftro, lib. 8. verb. indul. lib. 12. lib. Purgat. So Sextus Senenfis, Medina, Caffander, and Bellarmine himself.

That the fathers difowned it, in the fense afferted by the Romanists, and particularly their great faint Austin, let them perufe thefe places, Juft. Martyr. refp. ad queft. 75. Cyprian. ad Demetrian. fect. 16. 22. and in Jerm. de lapfis. Greg. Nazian. orat. 15. in plag. grandinis. Auguft. Enchirid. cap. 68, 69. Again, de Dogmat. Ecclef. 6. cap. 79. But, above all, that the Romanists fhould pray for those, to whom they pray to intercede for them, is most abfurd! yet this is frequent. But for this time enough.

IX. Of the MORAL LAW: Of Obedience to CIVIL MAGISTRATES.

Papist.

'W'

E farther do firmly believe, and highly reverence the moral law, being fo ⚫ folemnly delivered to Mofes upon the mount, fo exprefly confirmed by our Saviour in the gofpel, and containing in itself fo perfect an abridgment of our whole duty both to God and man.'

Anfw. We may take his belief to be as hearty, as his confeffions are fincere. I know not what to fay more truly, than that his whole difcourfe is an irony: we are to measure it by contraries, efpecially when the fruits give the tree the lie.

How far the Roman Catholicks reverence the moral law, is beft feen by confidering how many laws they have made to destroy it.

1. That of images. For though God did exprefly enjoin Mofes, That the Ifraelites fhould not make to themselves the likeness of any thing in heaven or in earth,' (whence the primitive Chriftians abhorred painture) or, when they had so done, that they should

not

not bow down unto it; yet how many edicts are there in being, that require them to be fet up in their churches, as laymens calendars, to whom daily homage is performed? They are the fplendid enfigns of the Popish Pageantry religion.

2. In not only difpenfing with difobedience in children, but in exciting them to it, if they apprehend fome fervice to their church, be it to make a friar, &c.

3. In those frequent bulls for maffacres, that can no more be denied than light at noon-day; by which people have been stirred up, upon the promise of forgiveness of fins, redemption from purgatory, and eternal falvation, or dreadful denunciation of eternal damnation, to enterprize that work of murdering many hundred thousands of men, women, and children, without any legal prefentment, trial or conviction. But the confideration of these things is too much out of fafhion in England; fince many embrace them upon their prefent disguises, and not in their true fanguinary appearances.

4. The breach of the moral law is fignally manifeft in their difpenfations of publick ftews, efpecially at Rome; where the Pope's revenue is not a little greatened by thofe ungodly licences. And it is too fatally known, that by fuch immoral courses, they have crept into the most cabinet counfels of princes; and not only rendered themselves masters of their fecrets, but infinuated their projects by the force of effeminate temptations; which, if denied, might easily be proved in the cafe of Henry the Fourth of France, and others. 5. That religion hath proved the greatest thief in nature: its popes, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, deans, chapters, and whole orders of friars, have near engroffed the greatest share of the wealth of Europe, I mean of those countries where yet they are regent. Before Conftantine, how mean and meek were Chriftian minifters but in his time, and a few ages after, to what a strange degree of exorbitant pride and avarice: did the clergy mount, when it could dare entitle Peter's chair to the whole world! kingdoms and em

pires must be given and taken with a "WE WILL, or "WE GRANT," &c.-View thofe countries; and the univerfal poverty of them impute to thofe fwarms of locufts and caterpillars, who both corrupt and beggar them. This is a theft, though lefs fharking, yet more criminal.

6. They notoriously break the moral law, in that great command, "Thou shalt not bear falfe witnefs

against thy neighbour;" which comprehends all truth-fpeaking. For as no witness is bound to answer, farther than by interrogatories he is provoked; fo is it utterly impoffible that ever truth fhould be told, or men fin in lying (whilft one of the greatest fins) if the Romish maxims were but once practifed: fome of which I fhall touch upon in the sequel of this chapter.

As to that part of their confeffion which may relate to their keeping of promife, and paying fubjection to the civil magiftrates of what religion foever, and much more to those under whom they live; I purpofely overlooked it, because it is well known, that they have been fo far from yielding obedience to the magiftrates of any religion, that they have not stuck to affaffinate thofe of their own, to whofe power they owed their civil and religious protection. And truly, if fuch double cords of duty cannot tie the hands of men from murdering their natural and religious princes (as Henry the Third and Fourth of France, both kings of their country, and therein of their religion; because a little refractory to the finifter defigns of an infolent clergyman or two) I think it needlefs to give their plainer English of obedience, who fo excellently render it in the paraphrase of their life.

I fpeak not this to incenfe the powers against them: for it is my real belief, that neither are all of them fuch, nor would I take the burden off my own fhoulder, to lay it on theirs (being a profeffed abettor of an universal toleration): but this being matter of fact, as they cannot deny it, fo fhould I gladly hear of their confeffion of thefe impieties; and that they difown the like practices, not by fine gloffes, but an amend

amendment of life, and reformation of doctrine; which would really entitle them to that verity they do but hitherto fictitiously attribute to themselves.

The fenfe and opinion of their own authors.

First, Vafquez teacheth, That not only an image ' of GOD, but any creature in the world, reasonable or unreasonable, may without danger be worshipped < with God, as his image. That we ought to adore 'the relicks of faints, though under the form of worms.' De Adorat, lib. 3. difp. 1. cap. 2.

Secondly, They teach, That children may difobey their parents, in being nuns or friars: and this girls may do at twelve, and boys at fourteen years of age.' But the council of Trent enlarged the parent's authority to fixteen. This wretched doctrine was taught and decreed by pope Clement the Third. Tho. Aquin. and after him his scholars, taught the fame. Cap. cum virum de regular. Aquin. 2. 2. qu. 88. art. 9. lib. 1. cap. 101. alfo in cafe the parents were hereticks.

Thirdly, If a nobleman be set upon (fays cardinal Tollet) and may escape by going away, he is not 'obliged to do it; but may kill him that intends to ftrike him with a ftick.' Inftruct. Sacerd. lib. 5. cap. 6. num. 15.

to

Fourthly, If a man be beaftly drunk, and then ⚫ commits fornication, it is no fin.' Lib. 14. cap. 13. n. 4. Also, That a man may lie with women, fatisfy his carnal defire, or for his health-fake.' Lib. 5. cap. 10, 13. A man may bed with his intended wife; nay, it is good to do fo if the marriage be <deferred;' fays Emanuel Sa. Aphor. tit. debitum conjugale 6.

Fifthly, They inftruct how to be an honeft thief. It is lawful to deceive or rob a brother, when to do fo is neceffary to preferve a good name. For no man is bound to restore ftolen goods." Thus Navar. cardinal Cajetan, and Tolet; who farther add, That 'this

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