Animadversions on a treatise entitled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…Animadversions on a treatise intituled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…

I suppose I may, upon the considerations we have had of the reasons offered to prove the insufficiency of Scripture, to settle us in the Truth, & to end our differences, conclude their insufficiency to any such purpose. We know, the Scripture was given us, to settle us in the Truth, and to end our differences; we know, it is profitable to that end and purpose, and able to make us wise to salvation. If we find not these effects wrought in our selves, it is our own fault; and I desire that for hereafter, we may bear our own blame, without such Reflections on the holy ⟨p. 103⟩Word of the Infinitely Blessed God.

IX. We are come at length unto the Pope, of whom we are told, That He is a good man, One that seeks nothing but our good, that never did us harm, but has the care, and inspection of us committed unto him by Christ. For my part, I am glad to hear such news of him, and should be more glad to find it to be true. Our Forefathers and Predecessors in the faith we profess, found it otherwise. All the harm that could be done unto them, by ruining their Families, destroying their Estates, imprisoning, and torturing their Persons, and lastly, burning their Bodies in fire, they received at his hands. If the alteration pretended, be not from the shortening of his Power, but the change of his Mind and Will, I shall be very glad to hear of it. For the present, I confess, I had rather take it for granted, whilst he is at this distance, than see him trusted with Power, for the trial of his Will. I never heard of much of his Repentance, for the Blood of those Thousands that hath been shed by his Authority, and in ⟨p. 104⟩his Cause; which makes me suspect, he may be somewhat of the same mind still, as he was. Time was, when the very worst of Popes exhausted more Treasure out of this Nation, to spend it ab•oad to their own ends, th•• some a•e willing to grant to the best of Kings, to spend at home for their goods. I may be, he is changed, as to this Design also, but I do not know it; nor is any proof offered of it, by our Author. Let us deal plainly one with another, and (without telling us, That the Pope never did us harm, which is not the way to make us believe, that he will not; because it makes us suspect, that all we have suffered from him, is thought no harm) let hm tell us how he will assure us, That if this good Pope get us into his Power again, he will not burn us, as he did our Fore-fathers, unless we submit our Consciences unto him in all things; That he will not find out ways to draw the Treasure out of the Ntion, nor absolve Subjects from their Allegiance, nor excommunicate, or attempt the Deposition of our Kings, or the giving away of their Kingdoms, as he has done in former days? That these