And tliat you may be able to say somewhat to the discourse before 3"0U, or to make a pretence of doing so, you wholly pass by every thing that is contained in it, and impose upon me that which is not in it at all, which you strenuously exagitate. For whereas, a little to take off your edge in reflecting on the persons whom you supposed instrumental in the Reformation, especially King Henry VIII., I minded you how easy a thing it was to deprive you of your pretended advantage, by giving you an account of the wicked lives, with the brutish and diabolical practices, of many of your popes, whom you account the heads of your church, and the very centre wherein all the lines of your profession meet, you feign as though I had imposed all the crimes I intimated them to be guilty of, and many more whose names you heap together, ujoon Popery, or the religion that you pro- fess; yea, that I should say that it is nothing else but only a heap of the wickednesses by you enumerated. Now this I did not do; but you feign it of your own head, that you may have somewhat to speak against, and a pretence of intimating in the close of your discourse that you have considered the chapter about Reformation, whereas in truth you have not spoken one word unto it, nor unto any thing con- tained in it. And yet when you have done, as if you had been talk- ing about any thing wherein I am in the least measure concerned, you come in, in the close, with your grave advice, " That I should take heed of blaspheming that innocent Catholic flock, which the angels of God watch over to jDrotect them." As though a man could not remember the wicked crimes of your nocent popes, but he must be thought to blaspheme the innocent flock of Christ, which never had greater enemies in this world than some of them have been. If this be to blaspheme, then some of your own councils, all your his- torians, many of the most learned men of your church, are notorious blasphemers. But you wilfully mistake, and beg that their schis- matical papal faction may be esteemed the innocent catholic church of Christ ; without a concession whereof, your inferences and persua- sions are very weak and feeble.
Of the like nature unto this is your ensuing discourse about the con- tradictions which you fancied in your " Fiat Lux" to be imposed on Papists, p. 77. Two things you insist upon, waiving those that you had formerly mentioned, as finding them in their examination unable to yield you the advantage you thought to make of them. You feign a " new contradiction," which you say is imposed on Papists. " For," say you, " while our kings reign in peace, then the Papist religion is
410 A VINDICATION OF THE ANIMADVERSIONS ON FIAT LUX.
persecuted as contrary to monarchy; when Ave have destroyed that government then is the Papist harassed, spoiled, pillaged, murdered, because their religion is wholly addicted unto monarchy, and Papists are all for kings. These are contradictions. Is there not somewhat of the power of darkness in this?" But you again mistake; and that, I fear, because you will do so. There was no persecution of Papists in this land at any time but what was in pursuit of some laws that were made against them. Now, not one of those laws intimate any such thing as that they were " opposite unto monarchy," but rather their design to promote a double monarchy on different accounts in this nation ; — the one of the pope, and the other of him to whom the kingdom was given by the pope, and who for many years in vain attempted to possess himself of it. And on that account were you charged with an opposition to our monarchs, but not unto monarchy itself And yet I must say, that if what hath been before dis- coursed of your faith and persuasion concerning the papal sovereignty be well considered, it will be found that if not your religion, yet the principles of some of the chief professors of it do carry in their Avomb a great impeachment of imperial power. Nor can I gather that in the times of our confusion you suffered as Papists for your friendship and love to monarchy, whatever some individual per- sons amongst you might do; seeing some of you would have been contented with its everlasting seclusion, so that your interest in the land might have been secured. And whether your popes themselves be not of 'that mind, I leave to all men to judge Avho know hoAv much they are wont to prefer their own interest before the rights of other men. In the meantime, you may take notice, that whilst men are owned to pursue one certain end, they may at several times fix on mediums for the compassing of it opposite and contrary one to an- other. " Hsec non successit, alia aggrediamur via ;" — " When one way fails, another quite contrary unto it may be fixed on." And whilst it is supposed that their end is the promotion of the papal interest, it is not improbable but that at several times you may make use of seve- ral Avays and means, opposite and contrary one to another, and that this may be imputed unto you without the charge of contradictions upon you. But you may, if you please, omit discourses of this nature, I a-m none of those that Avould charge' any thing upon you to your disadvantage in this world; neither do I desire your trouble any more than mine own. My aim is only to defend the truth, Avhich you oppose.