at his desire but never received or heard of any answer to them. To Innocent XI. Pope of Rome, S. "Great prelate ! "THOU wilt perhaps at first sight admire that the writing inclosed should be sent to thee; but know it was done at the command of the author; and not undeservedly; for if thou rightly weighest and considerest the matter, thou must with us acknowledge, that it would be very unworthily done to keep this little treatise from thy view, which hath been already printed in the Dutch language, and carries the pope's name in the frontispiece. Nor wilt thou be able to deny, that thou art not only not injured hereby, but that we have also performed a duty that we owed thee, in transmitting these questions which properly belong to thee But if thou pleasest to read them and return an answer, thou wilt both oblige the author, and also remove the suspicion of error from your religion, in the sight of all christendom, provided thou can't give a clear answer to the objections, not only in word, but in deed also. "I wrote this at the request of certain Amsterdam, the 23rd day of the Some questions presented to the Papists, and the pope of Rome, as the supreme head of their church, and commended to their consideration by George Fox. "Friends, 1. How comes it to pass, that the pope and cardinals This year there was a great commotion in England about a plot carried on by the Papists against the life of the king, who made his bro grant not to the Protestants living in Spain, Italy, and at Rome, that liberty of meeting together for the right perform ng of divine wor-hip, which ye your-elves enjoy in England, Holland and other places, where the Protestants have the chief power? Would not the pope and his ministers persecute, deliver to the inquisition and burn them, if they should at any time set up as many meetings in Spain, Italy, and at Rome, as ye yourselves enjoy in many places in Protestant countries? Is the royal law of God thus fulfilled, which teacheth, to do to all men what-oever we would have done to ourselves? Matt. vii. 12. Would ye have those things done to you by Protestants, which ye have done to them? But if not; where then are the royal law and gospel among you? God forbid, that we should deny liberty to any one that acknowledgeth God, an 1 believeth in his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. It seems therefore very strange to us, that the pope and Papists do deny the same liberty in the prementioned places, which they themselves enjoy among the Protestants; because it is not only contrary to reason, but also to law and gospel: for the apostle affirmeth, "That he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit," Gal. iv. 29. Have not the Papists therefore openly shewn in themselves the fleshly birth, which is contrary to reason, law, and gospel. 2. Where did Christ or his apostles ever command men, to bow themselves to images, and to worship them, and keep holy-days? Where did they command holydays to be appointed in remembrance of themselves, and ther, the duke of York, go beyond sea for some time; for the parliament suspecting him, a motion was made in the house of commons to exclude the same to be honoured? Why do ye not tell us where in the gospels, epistles, or in the revelation, any such thing was commanded those churches, which were in the time of the apostles and primitive Christians? Where, I say, did Christ or his apostles give command to whip, hang or burn men; or, to speak as gently as may be, at least to imprison any because they dissented from them, and could not adhere to their religion? 3. Wherever did Christ or his apostles in the primitive churches command that candles should be lighted at noon day? Well, shew us where it is written, whether it be in the gospels, or epistles, is not therefore the Roman church degenerated from the church of the primitive times? Is she not fallen from spiritual weapons to carnal, hath she not revolted from that purity and virginity, wherein she witnessed in time past Christ to be the head of the churches? 4. Did the churches of ancient time make choice of a private man, and account him for head of the universal church? Wherever did the primitive church command infants to be sprinkled with water? Did not Christ say, "Teach all nations, baptizing them," &c. Matt. xxviii. 19. Ought they not therefore to be taught before they were baptized? Are ye not degenerated from that faith which Christ is the author and finisher of, and which purifieth the heart, and giveth victory over sin, and evil, which separate from God, and by which we have access to God, and wherewith he is well pleased? Are ye not degenerated from the light, truth, grace, power and spirit, where in the apostles were ? 5. Have ye not degenerated from the ancient church him from the succession to the crown; but this project was quashed. In the beginning of the year 1680, it happen because ye suffer not the people to read the holy Scripture in their mother tongue? for doth not the apostle say. "And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be also read in the church of the Laodiceans," Col. iv. 16. and elsewhere, I charge you by the Lord, that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren," I Thes. v. 27. Yea, did not Christ also say, "O fools, and slow of heart, to believe all that the prophets have spoken," Luke xxiv. 25. How can it possibly be, that your common people should believe those things which Christ, the prophets, and apostles have spoken, unless it be granted them to read or recite the same in their own tongue, to the end they might both hear and understand them by the Spirit which gave them forth? Why then do ye take away the use of the holy Scriptures from the common people? Are ye afraid lest the truth should appear manifest, whereby they might see and believe what is written in the law and prophets, and by Christ and his apostles? Had not the Jews the law and the prophets in their mother tongue, that their children might read them? Ought not therefore all Christians likewise to have the New Testament, that makes mention of Christ and his apostles, in their mother tongue? But if not, why do ye not shew us where Christ or his apostles have forbidden it? 6. But what do you say of the sacrament of the altar (as it is called?) Why have ye slain many, and burnt others alive in England, France, the Low Countries, and other places because they could not approve or receive it? Ye assert it as a thing certain, that the bread and ed, that George Whitehead and Thomas Burr coming to Norwich, and preaching there in the meeting of their friends, were taken prisoners, wine as soon as ye have consecrated them, are made Christ, yea, whole Christ, consisting of soul, spirit flesh, blood, and bones. Besides ye boldly affirm, that all who receive that sacrament do receive whole Christ, and that after your consecration, that very thing becomes immortal and divine. Wherefore come O pope, cardinals, and priests, let us take a bottle of wine, and a loaf of bread, and equally divide the wine into two basons, and cut the bread into two parts: then let the pope, cardinals, or priest consecrate one part which they please; which being done, let us lay up the con-ecrated and the unconsecrated together, in some close place, and secure the same with seven locks and keys on your part, and with as many on ours, both Papists and Protestants keeping watch over it. Put if it plainly appear, that the consecrated bread and wine are immortal and divine, and lose nothing of their virtue and savour, nor grow mouldly or sour, as though they had been unconsecrated, then we will come over to you: but if they lose their property, quality, and savour, and both parts of the bread do alike grow mouldy, then it will be reasonable for you to come over to us, and confess that your sacrament of the altar (so called) is neither Christ nor his flesh, nor any thing immortal or divine; for his flesh saw no corruption, Acts ii. 27. 31.xiii. 35. 37. and his precious blood, which delivers from sin and corruption, cannot be corruptible. Let trial then be made hereof; but let judgment be left to just and equal arbitrators both Papists and Protestants, and that in a place where the Protestants may |