Key to many useful Discoveries. As, r. That a form'd Defign of Mifreprefentation and Slander is a fure Mark that the Čaufe, in Favour of which they are employ'd, is a very bad one. 2. That thofe, whofe Faith and Morals lye under the Injuftice of publick Cenfure may comfort themselves with this Reflection, that nothing was ever more contemptible than Religion, when in its greatest Purity. 3. That what our B. Redeemer faid to his Followers. Luk. 21. v. 17. You shall be hated by all Men for my Sake, was not confined to the primitive Times. For Truth always was, and always will be, odious to infincere and worldly Spirits: And the prefent Age is fo over-flock'd with thefe unhappy Difpofitions, that if they had been as frequent in the primitive Times, few Nations perhaps would ever have embraced the Chriftian Faith. 4. That the fame Methods are still purfued against the Truths of the Gospel, as were at firft employed against the Gospel it felf. My Meaning is, that the Character of Catholicks is as unfairly reprefented now, as that of the Chriftians was in the primitive Ages.

I might appeal for the Truth of this to an infinite Number of Proteftant Books and Sermons fill'd with fuch falfe Characters both of our Faith and Morals, as cannot but create the strongest Prejudices again us. But I have luckily met with a Two-penny Libel, which has faved me the Trouble of tranfcribing Volumes. "Tis entitiled, A Proteftant's Refolution, fhewing his Reasons why he will not be a Papist, &c. This Piece not only contains a Summary of the most usual Objections against or rather Mifreprefentations of our Doctrine; But all the old fcandalous Calumnies, that Malice has ever invented against us, are epitomiz'd in it. So that, as it gives us the very Marrow and Quinteffence of many Volumes of Mifreprefenfation and Slander, I flatter myself that the following Sheets, tho' they only attack this malicious Libel by Name, will be a fufficient Answer to Books of a much larger Size.

Now, tho' the Fourth Edition of the Piece I fpeak of appear'd feveral Years ago, I came not acquainted with it, otherwife than by the bad Character that was given me of it, till about the middle of August, Anno

1719.

1719. But unless I had trufted to my own Eyes rather than common Fame, I fhould have thought it impoffible, that a Person who not only profeffes himself a Chriftian, but fets up for a Guide and Teacher of Chriftians, fhould be capable of Writing fuch an unchriftian Piece.

Whoever is the Author of it (for I know nothing of him but his Exorbitant Hatred to Papifts) I fhall make bold to call him the Catechift as often as I have Occafion to Name him: Because he has deliver'd his Reasons against the 24 pretended Erros of Popery in the Method of a Catechifm: That is, by Way of fhort Questions and Anfwers: Which was doubtlefs done to fit them for the weak Capacity not only of Boys and Girls, in order to imbue them with an early Hatred towards us, but of the Populace in general, who greedily fwallow down any Thing against Papists, tho' it be never so abfurd, or improbable in itself.

But dare I then prefume to blame him for writing against us? By no means. But I hope it is no Prefumption to expect a Protestant, tho' he writes against Papifts, fhould guide his Pen by the common Rules of Charity and Justice. I likewife hope it is no Prefumption to expect that a Writer, tho' he be a Proteftant, fhould remember that he is alfo a Chriftian: This I think is but reasonable. And therefore if the Catechift had done no more than fairly to propofe his Reafons against the pretended Errors of Popery, or if he had only labour'd to inftruct or fettle Proteftants in their Religion by Jober Reasoning, all this had been fair and honourable. Thofe of his own Communion would have applauded his Zeal, and others of a different Perfuafion would have valued him as an upright well meaning Man, who fought not to ruin the Perfons of his Adverfaries, but only to convince their Judgments. For no Man can be justly blameḍ for ftanding up in Defence of a Caufe, which upon ra tional Motives he judges to have Truth and Juftice on it's Side But as the Catechift has managed the Caufe of Religion, he is neither juftifiable before God nor Man: Nor do I wrong him in the leaft in faying, that he appears rather as the Captain of a furious Mob, breathing nothing but Maffacre and Plunder, than a fober Advocate for the Chriftian Faith.

a 3

I fhall therefore wave the ordinary Complaints on Account of unfair Dealings of a lefs mifchievious Nature, fuch as are the Mifreprefentation of our Doctrine to make it appear abfurd and ridiculous. For we are fo accufom'd to this fort of Treatment, that we expect nothing elfe from any Man that draws his Pen againft us; and we are the lefs affected with it, becaufe the ufual Confequences of it feldom go beyond Contempt, which is but a fmall Evil comparatively to that of Hatred, and was therefore too little to fatisfy the fiery Zeal of our Catechist. For he was not content to employ his beft

Endeavours as many other Proteflants have done before

him, to make us appear ridiculous in our Faith, unlefs he alfo render'd us the most hateful Creatures upon Earth, by painting our Morals and Practice in the very blackest Colours.

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the most c

What was he confcious to himself that his Reasons hel against the 24 pretended Errors of Popery would be of no Force to hinder Proteftants from turning Papists, unless Reviling, Forgery, and Slander were called in to his Affiftance? I am fure it can be no rafh Judgment to think fo, or fomething full as bad, if we but obferve that his Catechifm is fully ended, pag. 27. And he tells us in the Title Page, that the Reasons it contains are digefted into fo plain a Method of Questions and Answers, that any ordinary Capacity may be able to defend the Proteftant Religion against Jefuit or Popib Prieft. And why then did he not lay down his Pen when he had done our Bufinefs Ja effectually for us, that there was no farther danger of any ones being feduced even by the most cunning Jefuit or Popis Prieft? What Neceffity was there after that of adding 20 pages more by way of an Appendix chiefly to defame and traduce our Perfons? Certainly either it was because he had a real miftruft of the Solidity of his Reafons against our Doctrine, and thought they would do but little Execution without the help of Slander, which does no great Honour to the Proteftant Caufe; or what is worfe for himself, he was moved to it out of pure Malice to do us Mifchief meerly for Mifchie fake: Since, if he exprefs'd his Thoughts fincerely in his Tik-page, his End was fully anfwer'd without it.

In effect, the 20 additional pages in the End of his Catechifm contain principally a moft virulent Invective fill'd with as much Gall and ftudied Malice as can be crowded into fo fmall a Compafs. And, I must needs fay the Character he there gives of us is fo very black, that were we really the hideous Monsters, he has defcribed us, we fhould undoubtedly deferve the utmoft Hatred and Execration of all Mankind. So that confidering with what Industry his Catechism has been fpread among the common People, as I have lately been inform'd, I can attribute it to nothing elfe but a special Providence on the one Hand, and the more moderate Temper of the Generality of English Protestants on the other, that we are not torn in pieces by the Mob, or have not Stones thrown at us as we walk the Streets, I know not whether this: was the Chriftian Defign of our charitable Catechift. God only knows the Heart and I will not prefume to: judge of it. However to fhew I am not confcious of) having overftrain'd the Matter, I fhall fet down a Part of his own Words, and then the Reader may judge of him as he pleases.

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1. He tells us, That Proteftants being Adverfaries to the Church of Rome, her Popish Sons owe them nothing but Ruin and Destruction, and the vileft Means they can use for that End are meritorious and glorious, pag. 27. 28.

2. That they make Perjury in this kind not only blameless but necessary: And that Breach of Oaths is no less with them than a Virtue or a neceffary Duty in many Cafes," page 28.

3. That by the facred Decrees of their Councils they must be forfworn, if they will not be Excommunicated. And that one, who has taken the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, fins mortally Not if he takes thefe Oaths (for that their Priefts may difpenfe with) but if he keeps them. Whence he concludes, that no Papift can poffibly give any Security which may be trust ed, that Proteftants shall enjoy any Thing, which is in their Power to deprive them of, pag. 28. 29.

4. That their Religion has laid fuch strong Bonds upon them to break all Bonds that may favour Proteftants, that it leaves no Hopes of Salvation to them, who will not at their Death

take the greatest Untruth upon their Salvation, if the Catholick Caufe may be help'd by it, pag. 29.

5. That the very Principles of their Religion bind them to obferve no Faith, or Truth, or common Honesty with thofe whom they account Hereticks, pag. 30,

6. That they amongst Papists, who are executed for real Treafons and Murders deny it at their Deaths (being over-aw'd by their Priefts,) Ibid.

7. That hundreds of Irish Papifts are executed in the Kingdom of Ireland every Year for Murders, Thefts, &c. yet when they come to dye take it upon their Salvation, that they are as Innocent of the Fat they die for as the Child unborn. page 31.

8. That for fbedding of Blood the Papal Rome exceeds Heathen Rome, page 34.

For Proof of this laft Calumny the Catechift relates fome Facts, of which I fhall take Notice in my Appendix. Only the laft of them being a valuable Piece fhall be here fet down at its full Length in his own Words.

Add to this (fays he)" their bloody traiterous Defign against King Charles II. the Government, and the Pro"teftant Religion. A Confpiracy, which had it taken "Effect, might have turn'd England into an Aceldama, "a Field of Blood, or Shambles of Popib Butchers. These "Things confider'd, I hope no Man will be fo mad as

to kiss the Pope's Toe until his Nails be pared; fo as he will "not fcratch and make the Blood run about the Mouth "of Christendom, pag. 35."

I cannot here forbear remarking, how good an Inclination the poor Gentleman has to be witty, even at the Expence of his Neighbour's Reputation. Yet methinks fo merry a Jeft was brought in fomewhat unfeafonably in fo tragical a Relation. But let that be as it will, the difmal Story he here tells us must either be the Rye-Houfe-Plat (the Hiftory whereof is fully related by the late Bishop of Rochester) or the Defign of feizing the King's Perfon at Oxford, which was prevented by the unexpected Diffolution of the Parliament: Or laftly that which is commonly known by the Name of Oates's Plot. For I never read of any other in the Reign of King Charles II. If he means either of the two former