be known by all Mankind. If then the Pope be this Antichrift, and has by Confequence been fo for many hundred Years in the World, is it not an incomprehenfible Mystery, that he should fit upon his Throne, and reign in the most famous City of the World for fo many Ages together, yet in all that Space of Time no Emperor, no King, no Bishop of whole Christendom fhould know any Thing of the Matter till Martin Luther told the first News of it? Be aftonb'd Oye Heavens at this! Jer. 2. v. 17.

But what encreases this Wonder ftill more is, that whereas the Greek Church separated herself from the Church of Rome about the Middle of the 9th Age, and (Allowing only for a fhortlived Reconciliation about 500 Years after) has ever fince continued in her Schifm, yet in all that Space of Time the clearfighted Greeks, tho' never fo highly exafperated against the Latins, nay tho' they reproach'd them with the most trivial Things, as Shaving their Beards, confecrating in unleaven'd Bread, Eating Hog's Flesh, &c. Yet, I fay, it never enter'd into their Thoughts to accufe them of having Antichrift for the Head of their Church: which, if they could have done it with any 'Colour of Truth, would have fully Juftified their Separation without any more ado.

The plain Truth of the Matter is, the whole Bulk of Antiquity never understood the Prophefies concerning Antichrist otherwise than of a fingle Man; who is to come into the World not long before the Day of Judgment; is to reign three Years and fix Months, and to work fuch ftrange Wonders by the Power of the Devil, who is then to be let loofe, that the Elect themselves will be in Danger of being feduced, if that were poffible. This was anciently the current literal Expofition of the Prophecies concerning Antichrift: But the ridiculous Whim of Applying them to the Bishop of Rome was as far from the Thoughts of any ancient Writer, as of Applying it to the Man in the Moon.

However let us fee what the Catechift has to prove it, The Pope (fays he) is Anickist, because none bave more the

Marks

Marks of Antichrist than be. And this he proves, because no Antichrist can do worfe Things than he. p. 9. Moft ftoutly faid! And the Text, he brings for it, proves the Pope be to the Antichrist as fully, as it proves him to be the great Mogul. It is as follows. Let no Man beguile you by any Means. For that Day (i. e. the Day of Judgment) fhall not come except there be a Falling away first, and the Man of Sin be reveal'd. That Son of Perdition, who oppofeth and exalteth himfelf above all that is call'd God, or that is Worhipped. So that he as God fitteth in the Temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. And then shall that wicked be reveal'd, whom the Lord fhall confume with the Spirit of his Mouth, and fall defroy with the Brightness of bis Coming even him, whofe Coming is after the Working of Satan with all Power, and Signs and Lying Wonders, and with all Deceiveableness of Unrighteousness in them that Perib. 2. Theff. c. 2. V. 3. 4. and 8. 9.

(

a

Muft not a Man both have his Heart ftrangely poifon'd, and his Head difturb'd to apply this Text to a long Catalogue of Chriftian Bilbops fucceeding one another for many Ages together? We find here a single Perfon defcribed, who is to be the Fore-runner of the Day of Judgment; who is to be abandon'd by God to a reprobate Senfe, in, the Study and Practice of all Sort of Wickednefs, and is therefore call'd the Man of Sin, and Son of Perdition. Who will exalt himself bove God, and fit in the Temple of God to be Worshipped as God. Whom the Lord will confume with the Spirit of his Mouth, and destroy with the Brightness of his Coming. And finally, that, he will be permitted by God to feduce the Reprobate with Signs and Wonders wrought by the Power of Satan: amongst which St. John in his Revelations C. 13. (to which the Catechist alfo refers his Reader) reckons particularly, that be will make Fire come down from Heaven on the Earth in the Sight of Men. This is the Defcription of Antichrift in the Text quoted by him to prove that the Pope is the Man. And indeed the Picture St. Paul has drawn of him is as like the Pope, as a Bear is like a Man, and 'tis a full Proof of the Catechift's moft admiráble Skill in Applying Texts. But what Wonder is it? His pious Defign was to feduce the ignorant, who will believe that the

B 2

.

Pope

Pope is a borned Beaft, and has a long Tail, if they be but told fo.

Ay but the Pope claims to himself the Headship or Superiority over the whole Church, and that is a clear Mark of Antichrift: because it is a Ufurpation of a Title belonging only to Jesus-Chrift, who is alone the Head of the univerfal Church. But I have already told the Catechift, that Chrift alone is the fupreme, independent, and invifible Head of the Church, as God alone is the fupreme, independent, and invifible Governour of the World. But as this hinders not Emperors, Kings, and Sovereign Princes from juftly ftiling themselves fupreme Lords and Mafters of their Dominions under God; fo the fupreme Headship of Chrift over the Church is no ways prejudiced by his having, even according to his own Inítitution, a fupreme, vifible, and independent, Subftitute or Governour immediately under him. For if this be a clear Mark of Antichrift, it will follow first, that Antichrift was establish'd by Chrift himself, and received his Commiffion and Authority immediately from him. 2dly, that Leo the Great, that venerable and holy Bishop of Rome, who maintain'd the Supremacy of his See with the utmoft Vigour, was Antichrift. And 3dly, that St. Gregory the Great, who likewife afferted his Supremacy as vigorously as any Pope ever did, and to whofe Zeal England owes it's Converfion, wasalfo Antichr ft: and fo England was converted by Antichrist to Christianity; which I really believe every true Englishman and Christian will be afhamed to own.

AR T. V. §. 1.

Whether Proteftants be guilty of Herefy.

The 5th pretended Error of Papifts is in holding that Proteftants are Hereticks in feparating from them. p. 10.

ANSWER.

W

7E hold that there is but ne Catholic Church, and but one true Faith. The firft is an exprefs Ar

ticle

21 ticle of the Nicene Creed, which (according to the DoEtrine of the Church of England, 8th Art. of Religion) ought throughly to be received and believed The 2d is exprefly taught by St. Paul saying, One Lord, One Faith, One Baptifm. Eph. 4. v. 5. Whence it follows, that they who are not Members of this one Catholick Church, nor profefs this one Faith (Allowing only for invincible Ignorance) are truly Hereticks. And therefore if Proteftants perfift obftinately to deny this Faith, and live in a feparate Communion from this Catholick Church, 'tis their Fault if we cannot entertain a better Opinion of them than the ancient Fathers had of all thofe, who in former Ages feparated themselves from the Faith and Communion of the Catholick Church,

But let us fee, whether in this we do not act conformably to the Word of God. 'Tis evident from the Gofpel that Chrift gave a double Power to thofe, whom he placed in his Miniftry. The first, of teaching the Truths of Christian Religion: and of this he fays, be that bears you bears me. Luke 10. v. 16. The fecond of Governing thofe, that should embrace his Faith. Of this St. Paul fays, obey them that have the Rule over you. Heb. 13. v. 17. The firft Power was defign'd to keep Chriftians in the Unity of Faith. The fecond to keep them in the Bonds of a regular and eternal Communion. Therefore rejecting whatthe Paftors of Chrift's Church deliver as the Chriftian Doctrine, has in all Ages of Chriftianity from the Apoftles to us been call'd Herefy; and refufing to fubmit to the Government of lawful Paftors has likewife in all Ages been accounted Schifm. But both the one and the other are reckon'd by St. Paul amongft deadly Sins. Avoid, fays he, after the first and fecond Admonition a Man that is an Heretick knowing that he who is fuch is fubverted, and that be Sins, being condemn'd of himself. Tit. 3. v. 10. II. Now if Denying and oppofing the publick Faith of the Church be not the Sin of Herely, I should be glad to know what 'Sin it is. But a plain Example will give Light to the Matter.✨

I queftion not but every Protestant will grant that there have been Hereticks in the World and I fhall

mention one, of whofe juft Claim to that Title no true Proteftant can doubt. I mean Arius: who denied the Confubftantiality of the Son. And tho' he pretended to have plain Scripture for his Doctrine (as thefe Words of Christ, my Father is greater than I) this hinder'd not his being condemn'd for an Heretick by the 'great Council of Nice. And indeed he had all the Marks of one. As maintaining a Doctrine contrary to the Faith of the whole vifible Church of Chrift in being: preaching without a Commiffion from her. Appealing from her Authority to the dead Letter of Scripture, as all Hereticks do, and making his own private Judgment the fole Interpreter of it. In a Word, an invincible Obftinacy even after Sentence Juridically pronounced against him, first by, hiszimmeditate Superiour, and afterwards by the Supreme Tribunal of the Church. Thefe are the ufual Marks of what we call an Arch- Heretick, and were undoubtedly very potorious in Arius, and by Confequence in all his Followers.

1

Now the Thing I demand is precisely this, viz. some fatisfactory Reafon, why Arius was an Heretick any more than Martin Luther, John Calvin; Bucer, Zuinglius, Peter Martyr, and other Heads of the pretended Protestant Reformation? Cr (which amounts to the fame) that fome proper and diftinguishing Mark of an Heretick may be found to belong to Arius, which cannot be ap propriated to the other foremention'd Reformers. If the Catechist can perform this, he will do a fignal Piece of Service to the Proteftant Caufe, and have juft. Reafon * to quarrel with us for Accufing him and his Protestant Brethren of Herefy. But if this cannot be done, (and I fear the Talk will prove fomewhat hard) then it follows, that the respective reform'd Churches founded by Luther, Calvin, Zuinglius, &c. are all Heretical Churches like the Arians; and not Part of the true Church of Christ,!

But let us now hear the Catechift. He puts this Queftion. What fay Proteftants to this? Which he an fwers thus. They fay, that it being granted that Protestants did feparate themselves from the Church of Rome, yet they did