of the Scripture allowed to all forts of Perfons,and their Private Interpretations thereof,was in a great Measure the Caufe of all the different Sects, that sprang up, and divided themselves from their Com'munion ; which is an Affertion abfolutely false; and would become any one better, than one who pretends to write, A True and Modeft Account, &c.

I defire him to read thefe Words of the Archbishop, which will make him blush, if he has any Modefty left. Vol. III. pag. 492. They, (i. e.) the Papifts fay, that Peo

ple are apt to wreft the Scriptures to "their own Destruction; and that the "Promifcuous Ufe of them,hath beenthe

great Ocon of Herefies. It cannot

be deny aan be the condition of the "best things f1 the World, that they are "liable to be abufed; Health, and Light, "and Liberty, as well as Knowledge. "But muft all these therefore be taken

away? This very Inconvenience of "People's Wrefting Scripture to their

own Ruine, St. Peter takes notice of in "his days; but he doth not therefore "forbid Men the Reading of them, as his

more Prudent Succeffors have done "fince. Suppofe the Reading of the Scriptures hath been the Occafion of "Herefies: When were there ever more, than in the First Ages of Christianity?

“and

"and yet neither the Apostles, nor their "Succeffors ever prefcrib'd this Remedy. 66 But are they in earneft? Muft not Men " know the Truth, for fear of falling into Error? Because Men may poffibly miss their Way at Noon-day, muft they never travel but in the Night, when they are fure to lose it?

66

"And when all is done, THIS IS "NOT TRUE, that Herefies have fprung from this Caufe; they have ge

66

nerally been broach'd by the Learned, "from whom the Scriptures never were, nor could be concealed, And for this,

I appeal to the History and Experience "of all Ages. And then he quotes St. Chryfoftome, and St. Hierome. This Paragraph N. C. could not but take notice of; but I fuppofe he thought fit, to filence the Truth here too; because it was not to his Purpose, of traducing His Grace, and the reft of the Learned and Reverend Divines of the Church of England: Which tho' it could not escape the knowledg of any ingenuous and confiderate Reader, yet this, and a great deal more may be swallowed down by fuch weak and credulous People, who too often become a Prey to the Missionaries of the Church of Rome.

I could quote a great deal more to the fame Purpose, but then I must transcribe the greatest part of fome of his Sermons;

and

and therefore I fhall refer the Reader to Serm. 12. Vol. IV. and Vol. III. Serm. 12. where he will find this Subject (as indeed all the reft are) excellently treated on; I shall only make one Quotation more; because it will fhew us the true Cause why the Papifts are fuch irreconcilable Enemies to the Holy Scriptures. Vol. III. Pag. 483.

Doth not our Bleffed Saviour exhort the Jews to search the Scriptures? and "St. Paul charges the Chriftians, that the "Word of God fhould dwell richly in them; "and the ancient Fathers of the Church

frequently and earnestly recommend to "the People the Reading and Study of "the Scriptures: How comes the Cafe 66 to be fo altered ? Sure the Word of "God is not chang'd, that certainly abides " and continues the fame for ever. Was

not the Old Teftament publish'd in a et Language understood by the People; " and the Epiftles of the Apostles by the "Churches to whom they were written; "and the Gospels both by Jews and "Greeks? Were there no Difficulties

and Obfcurities then in the Scripture, capable of being wrested by the unstable " and unlearned? Were not the People "then liable to Error, and was there no Danger of Herefie in thofe Times? these are the great Objections against

And yet

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against putting the Scriptures into the hands of the People? Which is just "like their arguing againft giving the Cup to the Laity, from the Inconveniency of their Beards, left fome of the Confecrated Wine fhould be spilt upon "them: As if Errors and Beards were Inconveniencies lately sprung up in the "World, and which Mankind were not “liable to in the First Ages of Chriftianity.

But, fays His Grace, in truth all their "Objections are level'd against the Holy Scripture itself; and that which the "Church of Rome would find fault with, "if they durst, is, That there should be

any fuch Book in the World, in the "hands either of learned or unlearned; "for if it be dangerous to any, none are "more capable of doing Mischief with "it, than Men of Wit and Learning. "And this is evident, by the Advice

given to Pope Julius III. by the Bishops

met at Bononia: That as little of the Gospel as might be, especially in the Vulgar Tongue, fhould be read to the People; for fay they, This is that Book, which above all others, bath raifed thofe Tempests and Whirlwinds which we were almost carried away with. And in truth, if any one diligently confiders it, and compares it with that which is done in our Church, he will find them very

con

contrary to each other; and our Doctrine to be not only very different from it, but repugnant to it." If this be the Cafe, (as the Arch

bishop goes on) they do like the rest of "Children of this World, prudently enough in their Generation: Can we we blame them for being against the Scriptures, when the Scriptures are " acknowledged to be fo clearly against them? But furely no body who "confiders these things, would be of that Church; which is brought by the "undeniable Evidence of the Things "themselves, to this fhameful Confeffion; 66 That feveral of their Doctrines and "Practices are directly contrary to the Word of God.

Secondly, N. C. fays, That the Popish Religion is under Perfecution, in most Proteftant Countries; that all the Marks of Infamy and Dishonour are put upon them, being not permitted to bear any Civil and Military Office; nay scarce allow'd in fome Countries, to exercise fuch honeft Profeffions or Callings, as may enable them to get their Bread: That they are] rail'd at in the Pulpits by Proteftant Minifters; and fuch falfe and ridiculous Tenents afcrib'd to them, as inflame the People's Hatred, and give them a perpetual Averfion to them and their Religion. And that if the Test and

Penal