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Hile fo many Learned Pens are employed to fuch excellent purpose, in answering the Writings, and confuting the Doctrines and Practices of the Church of Rome, I cannot but think it a very useful Work to give fome plain Directions to those, who are Unlearned, who have neither Time to Read, nor Money to Buy, nor Abilities to Understand more Learned Controverfies. Our Divines indeed have taken great care to write fhort Tracts, with great Plainnefs and Perfpicuity, and with as little unneceffary fhew of Learning as may be, to fit them the better for Unlearned Readers; and they have had, by the bleffing of God, wonderful Succefs; Popery was never fo generally understood, as it is at this day; the meanest Tradef men can now dispute against Popery with Jufficient Skill and Judgment, and need not be beholding to the prejudices of Education to fecure them: and therefore my business shall not be at prefent down-right to State any one Controverfie be

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tween us, and the Church of Rome, but to direct our People how to fecure themselves against the Attaques of our Roman Adverfaries, to check their conferring and difputing Humour, or to baffle them. I shall reduce all into as plain a Method and as fhort a Compass as I can, and fhew,

First, How to stop them at the beginning of their Difpute. Secondly, Give fome Rules about the Topicks, from which they Difpute, fuch as Reafon Scripture, and the Authority of the Ancient Fathers and Writers of the Church.

Thirdly, How to Answer some of their most popular Pretences, fuch as the Uncertainty of the Proteftant Religion, the Mif-representations of Popery, &c.

Fourthly, To give fome fhort Directions ās to particular Controverfies.

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TOW I do not by this mean, that they should always avoid their Company, and run away from them where-ever they meet them, which is very ill Manners; though it is not adviseable neither to court fuch Acquaintance, or to make them our Intimates, when neither the Obligations of Nature, nor other Civil or Political Reafons make it neceffary; for Converfation many times prevails more than Arguments can do, and will as foon corrupt Mens Faith, as Manners.

Nor do I mean, that Protestants fhould obftinately refufe to Difcourfe with Papists when they meet them; to

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hear what they have to fay for themselves, and to give a Reafon for their own Faith; this is not agreeable to Proteftant Principles, To prove all things, and to hold fast that which is good: and yet this ought to be done with great prudence and caution too; for there are a fort of perverfe Difputers, who are to be avoided according to the Apoftolick Precept, If any man teach otherwise and confent not to wholfome words, even the words of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and to the doctrine which is according to godlineß; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and Strife of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil Surmifing, perverfe difputing of men of corrupt minds, and deftitute of the truth, fuppofing, that gain is godlineß; from Such withdraw thy felf, 1 Tim. 6. 3, 4, 5.

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Men of weak Judgments, and who are not skilled in the Laws of Difputation, may easily be impofed on by cunning Sophifters, and fuch as lie in wait to Deceive: The Church of Rome is very fenfible of this, and therefore will not fuffer her People to difpute their Religion, or to read Heretical Books, nay not fo much as to look into the Bible it felf; but though we allow all this to our People, as that which God not only allows, but requires, and which all confidering Men will allow themselves, whoever forbids it; yet we do not allow them to be petual Seekers, to be always doubtful of their Religion, to be like children toffed too and fro with every wind of Do trine. And therefore the liberty of Judging and Inqui ring, which we allow, is only that they may understand the true Reasons of their Faith, and be well grounded in it, which men may be, who are not able to answer every cavilling Objection; but it is an abuse of this liberty, when men have itching Ears, and hearken after all Novelties of Opinions, and grow wanton and fceptical Difputers; and therefore it is very confiftent with that liber

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ty, which Proteftants allow, to advise Chriftians to be very careful how they hearken to fuch as Preach any new Doctrine, which they have not been taught; that the weak in Faith and Knowledge fhould not venture upon doubtful Difputations; that they fhould not be hafty to queftion what they have believed, nor to give heed to new Doctrines; that they should not rely on their own understanding in these matters, but when they meet with any difficulties, fhould confult their Spiritual Guides, not to be finally determined by their Authority, as the Church of Rome requires, but to hear their Reasons, and what Answers they can give to fuch difficulties, as they themfelves cannot answer. With fuch Cautions as these, we dare venture our People to hear, and read, and enquire, as much as they please, and have not found yet, that our Roman Adverfaries have been able to make any great impreffion upon fuch honeft and prudent Inquirers. But that which I intend at prefent, is of another nature, to teach our People a Way to make thefe men fick of Difputing themselves, to make them leave off thofe Impertinent and Noifie Squabbles, with which they disturb all Company they come into: and this is no fuch mighty Secret neither, as may be expected, but is very plain and obvious at the first propofal.

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For when you are affaulted by fuch troublesome Difputers, only ask them, Whether they will allow you to Judge for your felves in matters of Religion? if they will not, why do they trouble you with Difputing? for the end of Difputing, is to convince; and you cannot be convinced, unless you may Judge too. Would they difpute with a Stone, that can neither hear, nor understand? or would they make a Speech to convince a Horse, that he is out of his way, and must take another Road, if he would return home? And do not they talk to as little purpose,

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