ftri& Alliance with feveral Popish Princes. And will the Catechift have the Boldness to tell the Minifiry, that they are confederated with a Pack of perfidious Rajcals, who are bound by the Principles of their Religion to obferve neither Faith, Truth, nor common Honesty with Protestants? If he does, I know not what Reward he may come to meet with.

But perhaps the English Catholicks alone are the Monsters the Catechift has defcribed. Yet I am very fure their Principles are the fame with thofe of foreign Papists. And I dare appeal to the Judgment of any fober Proteftant in England, who is but thoroughly acquainted with their Perfons and Practice, whether they deferve the infamous Character of Men deftitute of Faith, Truth, and common Honesty.

We have fome of moft States and Profeffions amongst us: And these are as well known by Proteftants, as by thofe of their own Communion. The Catholick Gentlemen, who live at their Seats in the Country, are generally as remarkable for Sobriety and Virtue, for Juftice in paying their Debts, for Hofpitality to their Neighbours, and Charity to all without Diftinction of Proteftant or Papift, as any of their Proteftant Neighbours; Nay, I know a Catholick Family in the Country, which alone relieves more Proteftant Poor, than most of the Proteftant Families in the Neighbour-hood join'd together. And is this acting like Perfons, who by their Principles are bound to obferve neither Faith, Truth, nor common Honefty with Proteftants?

Which

Thofe amongst us, who live by their Profeffion, fuch as Lawyers, Doctors, Chirurgions, Tradesmen, and Shopkeepers, have generally as good a Character, and are reputed by Proteftants themselves as honeft, confcientious, and upright in their Dealings, as any whatsoever. furely is not Acting like Men deftitute of Faith, Truth, and common Honefry. Befides there are feveral Proteftant Servants in Catholick Families, and feveral Catholick Servants even in Pofts of the greatest Truft in Proteftant Families. Alfo Catholicks and Proteftants frequently marry together. Let then the Catechift enquire, how Proteftant Servants are treated by their Catholick Mafters, and how Catholick Servants behave themselves in Proteftant Families.

Let

Let him alfo enquire whether Catholick Women make not as difcreet, as virtuous, and faithful Wives to their Proteftant Husbands, or whether Catholick Husbands, treat not their Proteftant Wives with as much Honour, Tendernefs, and good Manners, as Proteftants themfelves. For if he cannot inform himself of any remarkable Irregularities in the Conduct of Catholick Servants, or Mafters, Wives, or Husbands towards their refpective Proteftant Mafters, or Servants, Hufbands, or Wives, then I hope he will have fome Remorfe of the Scandalous Calumny he has publifh'd of us, viz. that the very Prim ciples of our Religion bind us to obferve no Faith, or Truth, or common. Honesty with Proteftants.

.

I know that they, who are perfonally acquainted with fome Roman Catholicks, and have a real Value for them, yet continue under the general Prejudices they have fuck'd in almoft with their Milk, are wont to anfwer, that if all Papifts were like fuch or fuch a one, whom they know to be a very honest Man, they fhould have nothing to fay against them. It feems then that fuch Papifts, as are perfonally known by Proteftants, are very honest Mn. But thofe, whom they know nothing of, are all Knaves, and void of common Honefty. Perhaps this is the true Reason why we are fo black in the Cafechift's Eyes, and there may be Room to pray God to forgive him, because he knows not what he fays.

I fhall here refume for a Moment, the Subject of Perjury; a Sin hateful both to God and Man. Yet the Catechift charges us pofitively with it, as a Thing of which we are fo far from making any Scruple, that we think it wholly blamelefs, nay neceffary in many Cafes But it will be hard to determine, whether this Accufation be more repugnant to Truth or common Sense, unless we are all fuppofed to be Madmen. For it is notoriously known, that (excepting a few Proteftant Non-jurors) we are the only Perfons in Great Britain, that have fuffer'd by Retufing Oaths; and have fuffer'd grievously by it rather than incur the Guilt of being perjured. Yet for footh our Priefts can difpenfe with Perjury, if the Catechist is to be believed. Can any Thing in Nature be more abfurd ?

No

No Man can be fo great a Stranger to the English Conftitution as not to know, that taking certain Oaths quali fies a Man in the Eye of the Law for any Preferment, Military or Civil: As the Army, the Navy, the Bench, the Bar, the Court, the Parliament: In a Word, for any Place of Honour, Profit, or Truft, So that if we had but Confciences large enough to fwallow a few Oaths, we might not only deliver ourselves in a trice from the innumerable Vexations we are under, but enjoy all the Advantage of tree-born Subjects, and be upon an equal Footing with the best Proteftants in the Nation. And why then do we refufe to do it, if our Church can difpenfe with Perjury? 'Tis fuch an unintelligible Riddle, that neither Reafon nor Religion can account for it. Yet we are told by the Catechift, that our Priests can not only difpenfe with unlawful Oaths, but that the very Principles of our Religion leave no hope of Salvation to them, who will not even at their Deaths take the greatest Untruth upon their Salvation, if the Carbolick Caufe may be holpen by it. pag. 29. And would not the Catbolick Caufe be holpen (as he calls it) by our Qua lifying our felves for Places of Profit and Truft, which nothing but our Abhorrence of Perjury hinders us from Doing? 'Tis therefore a ridiculous Calumny to fay we may have a Difpenfation for Lying and Swearing, when the very Dread of incurring the Guilt of it is the principal Occafion of our temporal Ruin.

Well, if the Catechist be as little able to prove the Errors in Faith, as the Immoralities he has laid to our Charge, I dare boldly fay he has undertaken a defencelefs Caufe. But this will be examined in the following. Sheets, where I affure the Reader he will find neither Scurrility nor Slander, but a plain and modest Vindication of the Catholick Doctrine from the 24 pretended Errors, the Catechift has mufter'd up against us. That is, a plain Expofition of the Catholick Faith tripp'd of the falfe Gloffes and Colourings, wherewith it is ufually fo dif guifed by our Adverfaries, that it appears many Times wholly different from what really it is in itself. And this I take to be it's beft Vindication: Becaufe Truth needs no more than to be fairly fhew'd, and is it's own best De fence, when fet in a true Light.

A PLAIN

''

A.

PLAIN

RATIONAL ACCOUNT

OF THE

CATHOLICK FAITH.

ART. I.

Of Infallibility.

The first pretended Error of the Papifts is, in afferting the Infallibility of the Pope and Church; And that every Man muft fubmit his Faith and Confcience to them. Catechift. p. 6.

T

ANSWER.

HE Catechift ought here to have diftinguifh'd between Faith and Opinion. For the Pope's Infallibility is no Article of Faith, nor propofed by the Church as a Condition of Communion. She teaches, indeed, that the Church establish'd upon Earth by Christ is Infallible in all her Decifions relating to Matters of Faith But this is no Error. On

A

the

the contrary, 'tis a Fundamental Truth grounded on the most exprefs and pofitive Promifes of Chrift. 1. That the Gates of Hell (the Power of Darkness and Error) shall not prevail against his Church, Matth. 16. v. 16. which undoubtedly they would, if She were corrupted in her Faith. 2. That the Spirit of Truth fhall lead her Paftors into all Truth, Joh. 16. v. 13. and that for ever, Joh. 14. v. 16. Matth, 28. v. 20. Which therefore cannot be understood of the Apostles only, because they were not to remain here for ever.

"Tis upon thefe clear Promifes we believe the Church of Chrift to be Infallible in her Faith. And it follows from it, that in all Controverfies of Religion, when the Church has once pronounced Sentence, all fafely may and ought to fubmit to her Judgment. For furely he must have very little Senfe, who is afraid of being mifled, when he follows the Direction of an Infallible Guide.

To render this Submiffion ftill more rational, the Holy Ghoft has taken Care to establish the Church's Authority in the plaineft and strongest Terms. First, Our B. Redeemer has already pronunc'd Sentence on those who will not hear his Church: But if he will not hear the Church, fays he, let him be to thee as a Heathen and a Publican, Matth. 18. v. 17. which if true in private Difputes, is more evidently fo in publick Controverfies of a higher Concern. In another Place he thus fettles the Authority of Spiritual Guides. He that bears you hears me: and he that defpifes you, defpifes me Luc. 10. v. 16.

Secondly, St. Paul pofitively affirms, That the Church of Chrift is the Pillar and Ground of Truth, 1. Tim. 3. y. 15. Which cannot be true if fhe be capable of feducing her Children by falfe Doctrines. Upon this Principle in his Epiftle to the Hebrews he inftructs them in the important Leffon of Submiffion to their Spiritual Guides: Obey them that have the Rule over you and fubmit your felves, Heb. 13. v. 17. And speaking of the fame Guides, whofe Faith follow, fays he, v. 7.

Again, writing to the Ephefian's, he lets them know, That God has not only plac'd in his Church Apof

tles,