Good morrow Neighbour .

I would also bid you Good morrow were it not for your Heresie , but I am bound to be an Enemy of your Religion and its Professors .

How come you to be bound to such an unreasonable temper ? Have we not lived many years as good Neighbours ? I never wrong'd you , but have been always ready to serve and help you according to my power ; I have lent you Money ou● of my Pocket , and you never desired any kindness from me that ever I refused . Why are you now so strange ? why will you now be at enmity with your Friends upon the account of Religion ?

I shall be excommunicated if I countenance and favour such as you are , and be curs'd to the Pit of Hell by my most Holy Father .

He must be a very unreasonable Tyrant that will require any such ridiculous and wicked resolution from you , as pernicious to your self as to us Protestants in this Nation ; for , if you declare enmity against us , can you expect our protection where we are Masters ? if you study to embroil the Nation , can you desire from us to be treated as Friends and Countrymen ? if in stead of wishing us a good morning , or a good day , you are plotting to cut our Throats , can you in reason and justice expect to live in safety amongst us ? Whosoever therefore hath given you this ill devilish temper , and enmity against your Countrymen and Neigbours , never wish'd you well . They seek your ●uine and ours together , and to advantage themselves by the Tumults and Disorders of the Nation . Don't you perceive their wicked designs to destroy us all , under the pretence of Religion , and to set over us a foreign Power , a Frenchman or an Italian ? and must not you be a Mad-man to encourage so great a Treason against your Natural Prince and Countrymen ? Have you more inclination to be a Slave to a Foreigner , than to enjoy the freedom of a Subject ? are you so blind to think that God's honour is promoted by your enmity with us ? Let our Heresie be never so great , That relates to our selves , not to you . You may enjoy the liberties of the English Subjects , and the Laws would never have concern'd themselves with you , no otherwise than with the rest of the Nation , were you but as peaceably affected and disposed as they are all , and as mindful of the Publick safety . Why will you by your hatred draw upon your selves those mischiefs , punishments , and restraints , which you may avoid by being as good to us as we have desired to be to you ?

You speak reason , were not the business of Religion concerned , and the glory of our God . But this makes us not only hazard our lives and fortunes , but declare an unreconcilable hatred to our dearest Relations whom we judge to be contrary to the same . We cannot be well affected to those who are not so to our Pope and the holy Mass , which two things we honour above all earthly concerns , and cannot suffer the least thought which might injure so tender a part of our Religion . This makes us look upon you ▪ Hereticks , though our Countrymen , as the greatest Enemies of truth and goodness ; and the more a verse we are to you , the more we shall merit Heaven , and deserve the greater favour from Christ and his Vicar .

What a strange Perswasion is this ? what Infatuation hath possess'd your Souls ? Religion do ye say , is your Religion the cause of your enmity against us your Brethren ? is it your Religion that prompts you and perswades you to be cruel and inhumane to your own blood , to nourish hatred in your minds , and break out into Disorders and Barbarities ? From such a Religion , good Lord deliver us ▪ My Friend , pray tell me what is the Religion thou dost profess . Is it Christ's Religion ; or the Pope's ?

They two are but one , for I am a Roman Catholick , taught to live according to the Rules of Christ and his blessed Apostles , as they have been delivered to and by the Church of Rome , the Mother of all other Churches of the World .

Thou deliverest in few words a heap of the greatest absurdities imaginable : Christ's Religion and the Pope's are two distinct Professions , as opposite as Light and Darkness , as the Nadyr and the Z●nith of the Astrologers , or as the Antipodes are to our Climate ; for Christ's Religion allows of no bowing to , or before Images of Stone , Timber , Gold , or Silver : the Pope's Religion commands this Idol-worship , and furnishes us with an infinite number of Beads , Images , Crosses , Relicks , and such-like Trinkets that we are to reverence and worship . Christ's Religion saith , that we have but one Mediator betwixt God and Man , the Man Christ Jesus . The Pope's Religion saith , that we have thousands and thousands of Saints and Angels , whose Merits and Intercession save us as well as the blood of the Lamb of God that was sacrificed for us upon the Cross . Christ's Religion teaches us that God hath made him alone the Head of the Church ; and , though in Heaven , he governs all things according to his pleasure on Earth , he defends his People , saves them from ruine and destruction ; he dissappoints the Plots of wicked Men . The Pope's Religion saith that the Pope is the Head of the Christian Church , by whose wisdom and direction we are to govern our actions ; and that he hath power to abolish the Laws of God , and establish new ones at his pleasure . Christ's Religion hath recommended to us two Sacraments , as Seals of the Covenant of Grace : The Pope's Religion saith there are seven . Christ's Religion teaches how we are to administer these two Sacraments , Baptism , and the Lord's Supper , as he hath shewed us in the Gospel . The Pope's Religion hath introduced Salt , Oyl , and so many conjuring Tricks , Motions , and various Postures , that agree not with the holy simplicity of the Gospel , nor with the essential parts of Christian Religion . Christ's Religion hath no Masses , Transubstantiation , Pilgrimages , and such-like Fopperies , that render the Papists ridiculous to their Heathen and Mahometan Neighbours . Christ's Religion commands Honesty , Charity , Love , Mercy to Enemies , as well as Friends , enjoins an obedience to all the Moral Law ; forbids Cruelty , Rebellion , Murder , Adultery , Fornication , and such-like wickedness contrary to the Light of Reason . The Pope's Religion teaches Inhumanities , encourages Faction and Rebellion , uncleanness , and Disorders ; and for worldly ends allows of the greatest Villanies and Abuses . How can you think now that these two Religions are but one , that are so contrary in their Principles ? Pretences and Cloaks will avail nothing to palliate these fowl Actions and Doctrines . All the World sees that what I have here said of them both is true . The Church of Rome never learn'd from Christ , nor his Apostles , to murder Kings , to assassinate Princes , to massacre millions of Souls , to dispence with Oaths , to forbid Matrimony , to allow Concubines , to countenance Crimes , to encourage Sin . The Church of Rome never had from Christ , nor his holy Apostles , any thing of the Doctrines of Prergatory , Transubstantiation , the Merits of the Saints , the worshipping of Angels , and a great deal more that I purposely omit .

From hence I warrant you you will conclude , that Papists are no Christians .

They are Christians by name , and our comprehensive charity will allow them something more , to be Christians because of their Christian Initiation by Baptism , though corrupted and sophisticated with their idle Inventions . But they are no Christians in reality , if they observe strictly the Rules of their Popish Religion , and stick close to the Doctrines and Commands of the Pope . They forsake Christ and his Gospel when they allow themselves liberty to sin by the Pope's Authority , and may be reckon'd amongst the Apostats of Christianity , because they begin well , and ingage themselves by Baptism to Christ's most holy Profession ; but immediately after they deviate from it , and run head long a quite contrary way to that which Christ hath appointed by his Commands and holy Examples . They are Christians as the Arrians , Socintans , and other Hereticks that denyed the Divinity of our blessed Redeemer , and other Fundamentals of the Christian Faith . They are as the circumcised Jews that embrac'd the Idolatries of Paganism , and left the Religion which God had commanded them .

But how comes it to pass that some of your Ministers say , that it is possible for Papists to be saved , if they be not , or such bad Christians as you have represented .

I think there is none but a Flatterer that will say , that it is possible to be saved by the Religion of the Church of Rome ; for not salvation , but damnation is declared and threatened in Gods Holy Word , to all such Persons as shall forsake Christ and his Merits , to rely upon Saints and Angels , as shall practice all those abominations that the Church of Rome recommends to us . It may be some out of a very great Charity may say , that it is possible to be in the Communion of the Romish Church , and yet obtain salvation from the infinite goodness of a God whose mercy is above all his works . It belongs not to us to tell who are , and who are not saved . It is an impudency in Man to prescribe Rules and Laws to the great Creator , and appoint whom he shall , and whom he shall not admit into his Paradise and glory ; or to curse , or damn his Fellow Creatures . God may wash and cleanse from sin the vi●est of Men , and the impurest of Heathens ; and pardon them all their transgressions , and make them partakers of the blood of a crucisied Christ , by an infused Faith at the moment of their departure out of the World : God may find out means that we are not aware of , to sanctifie and glorifie whom he pleaseth . Therefore we may say , that such may be saved notwithstanding their former unworthiness and baseness ; but 't is not by that Life they led on Earth . Thus we confess many good and religious Roman Catholicks may be saved , but not by that Religion which they profess ; not by Masses , Purgatory , Images , the Merits of Saints ; for we may confidently affirm , that by these things no Man can be saved . This Charity of ours should not encourage you in your Errours and Heresies , but rather oblige you to forsake them : For , is it a sufficient Reason for a Man to cast himself Over-board , to say he may by chance swim to Shore through the Billows of the Sea , when he may be safely carried to Land othervise , by abiding in the Ship . The Thiefs fate upon the Cross makes us believe that Thieves and Robbers may at last find a gracious Saviour , and a good God to pardon them : but is this the way to obtain it , to rob our Neighbours , and plunder their Estates ? A Man may escape through a Fire , and only his Clothes may be singed , but we must no● therefore cast our selves into it without a necessity . But let me tell you Neighbour , if you , or any other Papist knows the truth , and wilfully shut your Eyes to all the discoveries of it ; if you see your errour and mistakes , and think that by professing them you may be saved , you will find your selves cozened at last ; for Gods grace seldom or never works upon an obstinate heart , hardened by wilful continuance in a known Sin , or Errour ; and there is no salvation to be expected for a resolved lover of Vice or Errour , who prefers them to his Duty , and Gods holy Commands .

But how comes it to pass , that so many ingenuous and learned Men , whose Byes are as much open as yours , or your Ministers , not only continue in our Religion , but now a-days forsake your Religion to return again to the Religion of the Pope of Rome , and are zealous Papists , as you call them .

Truly it may seem a very great wonder , that Men of any reason in them , not prejudic'd by Education , should embrace so ridiculous a Religion , so full of ●opperies and Extravagances as yours is of the Church of Rome , and should become so great Enemies of their humane Nature , and of their present , as well as of their future Interest . Ridiculous I call the Popi●● Religion , because it teaches that a bald-pated Pope can forgive me all my sins , dispense with the Laws of God , change and alter the fundamental Laws of the humane Nature : It reache● us to pray to God and the Saints in unknown Tongues , wherein Men speak as often Nonsense as Reason : It teaches us to call upon them that cannot hear us , nor yield any assistance in time of need ; that a piece of Bread with a few words is altered into an humane Body , like that of our Saviours upon the Cross : that though it tastes like Bread , and looks like Bread , or a Wafer , that it is a real Saviour , a Christ , an Emanuel , a God , and what not : That we must not believe all our Senses , but give them the Lye on this occasion : That this transubstantlated Body is circumscribed by place and time , and yet every where upon every Priests Fingers : That their God is to be eaten by Mice and Rats , carried away by Devils , and abused by wicked Men , and subject to all the astronts that the meanest of Creatures are subject to , or such ridiculous and extravagant fancies ▪ that no Man of any reason can entertain any such wild opinions of his omnipotent and infinite Maker , or make profession of a Religion that advances any such horrid absurdities . It may seem very strange , that Men of any reasonable Education can yield to any such Doctrines as are Consequents to the Transubstantiation , the worshipping of Images , the praying to Saints and Angels , the Fancies of Purgatory , the Indulgences of Rome , and such-like Opinions , which are so plainly repugnant with our Reason , that none but Mad-men and Fools , none but Blind-men and So●s , can submit to such inhumane and unreasonable Impie●ies , which are as prejudicial to a glorious God , as they are to a reasonable Soul , and tend to give us such mean conceits of our great Creator , that these Doctrines must needs proceed from the Devil , the great Enemy of us both , seeing they ●end to ●urn God into ridicul● .

Hold , hold ; we can shew the Word of God to prove all these things that you wonder at , and the Writings of the holy Fathers ; unto them you say that our reason ought to submit and yield obedience , and why not in these Particulars ?

It is a great mistake , to say the Word of God , or the approved Fathers of the Primitive Church allows your errours . Where have you any thing of Masses , Purgatory , Transubstantiation , bowing to Images , praying to Saints and Angels , and such-like things , in the Word of God , or the Writings of the Fathers ? but rather we can shew you out of them Passages contrary to these Errours . I desire not that you should shew me the names , but the things signified thereby . It is impossible , whatever your Doctors say , to shew the least sign of those Doctrines , that we deny to be Christian , or rational . I could mention several Passages that speak the contrary , which , because they are well known , I shall omit . But are not Men ridiculous and blind , in hopes of preferment , or for worldly advantages , to become Papists , when they may safely profess a better , and a more reasonable Religion , not guilty of such wild and mad Principles ? They are Fools that will prefer the present advantages , benefits , and honours of Life , to the immortal possessions and glories of Eternity ; they are worse than Fools that cannot see the Extravagancy of the Romish Faith : and what shall we say of those that see it , and ye● embrace it ? Men that are brought up in the Protestant Religion , as it is mis-called , but should be rather named the old Catholick Apostolick Religion , which Christ and his holy Apostles have professed before us , and recommended to the Doctors and Bishops of the first Ages , and they have delivered to us , and which is recorded for us in the Word of God . Men that see the follies of an implicite Faith , and the dangers they run into by denying Reason that liberty which God and Nature allow it ; Men that are not b●assed to the Church of Rome by Education , that such men should forsake the Church of England , and become Papists : after that they have had a full Prospect and Knowledge of Christ and his Gospel , is a strange Mystery that we cannot very well understand , nor unfold , unless we knew all the Intrigues of their Lives , and the Inclinations of their Hearts However such men , let their Reason and Learning be never so great , become ridiculous in the Eyes of their unprejudiced Neighbours . Their unconstancy is an unpardonable Crime , which a Turk or a ●ew , looks upon to be a great disgrace in this case , unless the Errour be palpable ; but to be unconstant in the ways of God , to forsake his Word , and his Religion , to stifle the motions of Conscience , to abandon our Interest in Christ , in his Promises and everlasting Rewards , to make profession of so ridiculous and so in●umane a Religion as the P●pish , so directly opposed to that of our Blessed Saviours , is an unconstancy and weakness that is aggravated with the most ●ainous Circumstances , in regard that Religion appears so foolish and childish in the Eyes of all rational men , and recommends to them such Fopperies and Whimseys , that none that hath the least share in this light of Nature , can well entertain them without blinding this Natural Eye . If we should search into the Souls of those understanding persons , as Apostatize to the Pope , we should find them to be either A●heists , Men of no Faith , nor Belief of God , Hell , or Heaven ; of the Rewards of the , one , or the Punishments of the other ; such are inclinable to any Religion that may su●e with their chief aim to render their lives pleasant upon Earth , and may agree with their Delights and Interests ; or they are sensual Worldlings , who are perswaded of the Being of God , and of Rewards and Punishments of another life , but are willing to cheat themselves into a perswasion and possibility of obtaining Heaven without such a strict adherence to Christ and his Religion . Their strong inclinations to ●nst biasses their Judgments before their minds , and leads them headlong into their Eternal Damnation ; many are turned to Popery more by Lust than by Reason , because it is a Religion that allowes them that liberty which the strict Rules of the Gospel forbid : And after all their pleasures and follies , it astures them of obtaining a Heaven for a little Mony . Neighbour , I would not have you , nor any one else , to ground your Faith upon so unsound a Foundation as mens lustful Appe●i●es , which occasions their change , but settle it upon God's holy Word which will never fail you . There you shall see that Popery is the Devil's Religion , which by Blood-shed and Cruelties strives to settle his Empire upon the Souls and Consciences of men , and to lead them into everlasting Perdition . There you shall understand that Popery is a Politick Contrivance to promote the Popes Empire in the World , to enslave all Nations to his proud See , and to cause him to hold by the Power of the Keys what the Roman Empire held by the power of the Sword . But here in England we are not so easily cozen'd by him and his Wicked Agents , neither will we submit to his horrid Abominations ; though our sincerity and constancy cost us our lives and fortunes , we shall be glad to sacrifice them all in the maintenance of God's Truth and Gospel .

I thank you for your Instructions , I shall consider what you have said to me .

I pray God you may , and that he would open your Eyes and the Understandings of all Nations , that they may not suffer themselves to be cheated of their Honours , Glories , Monies , Estates , and Souls , under the pretence of Religion , by the Pope and his Emissaries . That they may at last break the Fetters of the Roman Bondage , and free themselves from the Tyranny of that Imperious City .