at the best a few Sensuall incestuous Fryars abroad and Popular Preachers at home yea as we have lately seen even Mechanicks Souldiers or any other ignorant persons actuated by the Spirit of Pride and Licentiousness to begin a Sect fitt for the palats and complexions of Seekers after Novelties 162. Matters therefore standing thus in these later times can any rationall man be perswaded that if any of those Holy Fathers cited by the Doctour had lived among us or if such Heresies had been spred among their Disciples and pretended to have been evidently deduced from Gods Word they would have been so zealous in their Exhortations to a promiscuous reading of Scriptures But how much think we would such their zeale have been cooled in case such an Architect of Principles as the Doctour is had been in Vogue in their times For Principles they are which evidently contain the most pernicious Soule-destroying Heresy that ever assaulted Gods Church Principles which banish Peace Charity Humility and Obedience vtterly from the Church and State Principles which if through Gods judgment they should generally prevaile what think you would become of our Saviours Promise for there would not be left in the world one Church at all true or false Since where every one is acknowledged the only inventer and Iudge of his own Faith there may meet a Multitude but it is no Church none having right over another errour and truth vertue and vice being equally Iustifiable Lastly these are Principles the admirable vanity of which I think was never paralleld by any Heresiarch but a certain Rhetorius mentioned by Philastrius who taught That all Heresies were in their precepts of life innocent and in their Doctrins true Omnes Hereses rectê ambulare vera docere 163. Non sum ambitiosus in malis I may with a good conscience protest that it is only Truth and a Charitable compassion to soules miserably seduced by so Comprehensive a Heresy as is contained in the Dostours Principles which hath moved mee to fix such a brand upon them Not that I suspect that he would approve such consequences but I am confident with all his skill he cannot avoyd them 164. Now I must acquaint the Doctour that my iust indignation against these Principles is heightned from my own unhappines if not guilt in being the first who gave occasion that they should be known and received into the Church of England This I am sure neither he nor perhaps any one now alive does know and therefore I will acquaint him with the true Story concerning them 165. As I remember it was in the year 1638. that I had occasion to accompany a Noble freind in a iourney from Dublin to London When we were ready to return I went to a Booksellers shop to search out some bâ—oks to be carried back into Ireland and among others I bought Daillé du vray usage des Peres a Book at that time not at all taken notice of That Book the same night I shewd to my Noble dear Lord Lucius Lord Falkland who perusing and liking the Contents of it desired me to give it him which I willingly did About a month after my return into Ireland he sent me a most civill letter full of thanks both in his own but especially in M. Chillingworths name for that small present telling me that that litle Book had saved him a most tedious labour of reading almost twenty great Volumes 166. This Mysterious speech I easily understood For M. Chillingworth a litle before was returned out of Flanders where he had professed himself a Catholick and being sent for by Archbishop Laud was strictly examined by him touching his Religion And whether he went to Masse or Common Prayer to whom he gaue this account That he had entertained such scruples touching Catholick Religion and withall was as yet so vnsatisfyed with the grounds of the English Protestant Religion that at the present his conscience would not permitt him to goe either to Masse or to Common Prayer And therefore with his Graces leaue he was resolued to spend a year or two in a solitude and the Study of Greek and Latin Fathers fully purposing to embrace that Religion which appeared to him most consonant to what the Fathers generally taught The Archbishop much commended his design and dismissed him with his blessing and a promise also that he should enioy entire liberty to prosecute so laudable a Study Very busy in this Study I found and left him in England But it was presently after interrupted by that vnlucky Book of Daillé which perswaded him to a light esteem of the Holy Fathers vpon whose authority he would no longer rely But yet this did not bring him into the Church of England so as to think himself obliged to belieue her Doctrins and whose authority he saw was much inferiour to the other and from all subordinate but diuided English Sects he had a horrible aversion and contempt Therefore without any long demurr he fixed his mind vpon Socinian grounds which he afterwards shewed in a litle Book of one of them which was an Answer to certaine Theses Posnanienses which Theses as J remember asserted the Authority of the Catholick Church in opposition whereto the Socinian reiecting all Externall Authority layd these very grounds of his Religion That in all necessary Doctrins the Scripture was clear Therefore euery sober Enquirer might with ease find them in it without any help of a Teacher or at least any obligation to believe him Vpon these grounds M. Chillingworth dilated his Discourses with much art and gracefullness of Stile in his Book against a learned Catholick writer And the same grounds so discoursed on Doctour Stillingfleet has contracted Methodically into his Principles And both these Books though manifestly destroying all Authority in the English or any other Church haue been patiently and quietly suffred yea commended by Superiours here to their infinit dammage as is seene at this day which dammage is J belieue more sensible to them since they see no considerable prejudice to Catholicks by them for J doe not remember to haue heard of any one Established Catholick Shaken in his Faith by such grounds Though I confess they obctructed a good while my entrance into the Catholick Church 167. Now it being certain that these Princi ples came originally into England from the Socinians a Sect maintaining a Fundamentall Heresy it is of small edification and less glory to the English Church in case as the Doctour pretends his Faith and hers are built on the same Principles that she should consequently acknowledge herself forced to desert the grounds vpon which she proceeded since the Reformation as being grounds by M. Chillingworths discovery found to be Sandy and ruinous and consequently acknowledge all her Articles of belief all her Laws Constitutions Canons c. misgrounded The consideration of this besides disreputation cannot but raise great Scruples in the minds of her Disciples and Subiects till she not only disavow
precious Gifts to Sects divided from the Church of which scarce any pretend to them and those that doe so do evidently shew by their contempt of all authority renunciation of all Christian Charity furious and restles attempts of new Reformations and Seditious Combinations to the ruine of all Peace that it is a black Spirit which was a Murderer from the beginning by which they are agitated Whereas those humble devout and retired soules among Catholicks stiled by the Doctour Fanaticks are so far from any intention of disturbing Peace and so entirely submitted to Lawfull Authority the Spirit of Prophets being so indispensably Subiect to the Prophets that they are in a continuall readines to renounce all Reuelations Apparitions impulses and whatsoever extraordinary Visitations if they seem any wayes to occasion in them Doubts of the Churches Faith or to prejudice Obedience to her Ordonnances 63. The Doctour I am sure considering his supposed Universall reading cannot be ignorant that such Fanaticks as these though invisible to the busy World were yet esteemd Chariots of Israël and the horsemen thereof That pious wise and Potent Christian Emperours have consulted them in their greatest affairs and have acknowledged themselves obliged to them for miraculous Victories over Tyrants resolving upon warre by their encouragement beginning them with their benediction and conquering by the assistance of their Prayers By their Prayers and not their Disputations the Church has triumphed over Heresies and the world been freed from Plagues and Mortalities At their Names Devills have trembled and by their command though absent those proud Spirits have with a mixture of feare and rage quitted their habitation in the Bodies of unhappy men Yet these the Doctour dares deride and because they are patient will not perhaps repent till it be too lare but will justify still his impious boldnes and petulancy 64. It is truly a sad thing to consider with what disposition of mind persons qualifyed as it seems the Doctour is do apply themselves to the reading of Books of Piety written by Catholicks It is as daggers piercing their hearts when they find no advantage to expresse their malignity If in a great volume full of most heavenly Instructions for the exercise of all vertues and dutyes to God and man they can find but a line or two into which they think they can make their Venenious teeth to enter by that line or two they become edified that is comfortable nourrishment to their minds the whole Book besides being nauseous to them Would not damned soules in Hell if Spirituall Books were sent them thus read and thus descant upon them 65. Now whether the Doctour and some other of his freinds has not shewed himself such a Reader of Catholick Books truly innocent devout and in which the breathing of Gods Spirit may as it were be perceived let any indifferent Reader of his Book be judge How many of such Books from S. Gregory to S. Ignatius his time does the Doctour shew that he has read how many Lives of Saints how many Treatises of Devotion and among them he will give me leave to name Sancta Sophia and poor Mother Iuliana And what account does he give to his Readers of the Spirituall Benefit reaped by him from his laborious reading He it seems is not able out of them all to suggest any point of Instruction in Christian Doctrin not one good affection to God not the least encouragement to a vertuous holy life All these things are vanished out of his memory and evaporated out of his brain having never affected his heart What then does he yeild for his Readers edification He teaches him in reading such Books to pronounce mimically and Scornfully what he finds there concerning Miracles how wel soever attested and concerning Divine Favours communicated by God to his Speciall Servants and this being done to call them Fanaticks and so doeing to esteem such relations sufficiently confuted and such Spirituall Books sufficiently disparaged He teaches him to snatch out of a great Book three or four passages lamely and imperfectly cited to give what construction to them he pleases and whether he does not understand or over-understand them to pronounce them still Fanaticall and there is an end of those Books By the Doctours good will no Protestant hereafter must receiue the least good from them vnless pride malice and contempt of godlines be good things 66. Now having named in the last place poor Mother Iuliana a devout Anchoret about three hundred years since living in Norwich I must needs Signify my wonder what could move his Spleen and choler against her litle Book It is true her language to the ears of this age seems exotick But it is such as was spoken in her time therefore she may be excused Her expressions touching Gods favours to her are homely but that surely is no sin For affections to God are set down with great simplicity indeed but they are withall cordiall and fervent and apt to imprint themselves in the heart of an unpreiudiced Reader The sense and tast she shews to have had of Gods Speciall love to his servants of the omnipotent efficacy of his Grace and his impregnable defence and watchfullnes over his Elect to secure them finally from all dangers of Tentations is indeed admirable Yet the Doctour has no eyes to see any of these things But through what glasses he looked when he spied out blasphemy in her Writing I am not able to say Blasphemy which never hitherto could be observed by so many learned and Religious persons as have perused them But it is no wonder that Spiders should suck and digest into poyson the most wholesom nourishment 67. What hath been hitherto said of Contemplative Prayer is but even too much to such an Adversary it being a Subiect too Sacred and Divine to be treated of in a Polemicall Discourse against an Opponent of the Doctours temper Who I think is the first Protestant Writer that ever made that an argument of Controversy against the Catholick Church The only Excuse that I can devise for so unreasonable a quarrel begun by him is his indulgence to a froward passion conceived by him without any provocation against M. Cressy who severall years since published a Book on that Subiect called Sancta Sophia in which Book notwithstanding he challenges nothing to himself but the Labour of making Collections and the Method of it In that regard therefore it may be permitted him to commend the Directions for the Exercise of Internall Spirituall Prayer and the Practise of all Christian Vertues in Perfection contained in it And this in despight of the Doctours unmerited malice he does with such confidence that he dares promise to himself that if any sober well affected Reader though a Protestant and though at present one of the Doctours admirers shall seriously and with an humble heart peruse it he will either apply himself to the practise of the excellent Instructions contained in it or bewayle his want
But truly we have great obligation to the Doctour though I believe he does not expect wee should thank him for imputing to the Church the frantick Preachings and practises of Mad-men and at the same time telling us that they were excommunicated and other wayes punished by Popes Princes and Bishops Indeed it is a terrible Argument to prove it dangerous to live in a Church because there Heresies false Revelations and impure actions are condemned by it If Holy Institutours of Religious Orders could with their Rules give also power and will to their Subjects not to transgress them the world would be even too happy But this exceeding a Created power to doe it is even necessary that Scandalls should follow such as were given by a Sect of Mendicants the Authours of the horrible Evangelium aeternum the Followers of Petrus Ioannis de Oliva the Beguini Fraticelli Beguardi the Illuminati or Alumbrados of Spain and such other Monsters raised up by the Devill in a cursed imitation of the Graces and Gifts communicated by God to his devout and faithfull servants But the Doctour who can no doubt commend Luther for opposing and dividing Godâ— Church though Luther himself tells him that he did it by the Devills instigation Scornfully derides and reviles any one who shall pretend to defend the Church by Gods Inspiration or Miracles But 〈◊〉 Calvin had not failed in his designed Miracles by raising a man from the dead the quite contrary way the Doctour perhaps would have been reconciled to Miracles and Inspirations 75 Thus we see that nothing that God has done or perhaps can do for the benefit of his Church will please the Doctour If Catholicks live abstracted lives in the Exercise of pure Spirituall Prayer or if God confers on any of them Supernaturall Gifts all this must passe for meer Enthusiasme though the persons with perfect humility submit all to lawfull Authority and though the Doctour alledges nothing to disprove any of these things 76. But least we may in the end hope that he will permitt and encourage us to keep to the Externall Devotions and Publick Liturgy By no meanes there must nothing be thought or done by the Children of the Catholick Church but must be found fault with The Liturgy saith he is a tedious and Ceremonious way of externall Devotion as dull and as cold as the Earth it self Hereto quia de gustibus non est disputandum all that I conceive needfull to say is that the Doctour seems to me not yet cordially reconciled to the Ceremonies and Common Prayer Book of his own lately adopted Church which he knows to have been borrowed from the Catholick Liturgy and for that reason hated by his freinds the Presbyterians and Independents and by them esteemed a tedious and ceremonious way of Externall Devâ—tion as dull and as cold as the Earth it self §. 5. Resisting Authority falsely imputed to Catholick Religion 77. WE have hitherto seen the Doctors charge of Fanaticism on the Catholick Church and his proofs also such as they are But he concludes this his accusation with an Epiphonema truly of great importance if rightly applied which is The Fanaticism of Catholicks in resisting Authority under a pretence of Religion 78. To make this good he very ingenuously absolves the Catholick Church her self and layes this fault only on the Principles and Practises of the Iesuiticall party a party saith he most countenanced and encouraged by the Court of Rome And for proof of this he produces severall Books written and actions done by them in the last age 79. Hereto our Answer must be that Scandalls in Gods Church are unavoydable as our Saviour tells vs. But where will he find any Catholick who will be answerable for all the actions of the Court of Rome or all the Writings of a single party The Popes are absolute Princes as well as Prelats and if some of them have been tainted with ambitiâ—n and a desire to invade the rights of other Princes For what Courts have ever been entirely free Such can never want Ministers zealous diligent and inventive to justify all their pretentions and designs whatever they are Vice will never want Instruments and supporters till the Devill himself be converted and become a good Christian and it will be long before this happen 80. But it is well known that in this Point Princes and States are generally become more clear sighted and more wise then formerly they have been and by consequence the Court of Rome also 81. But to be more particular If the Doctour will think good to consult the Iesuits I believe they will tell him That if they find speciall favour in the Court of Rome it is not with regard to any such Books or Actions imputed by him to their fore fathers and which they are far from defending That they have other Merits and endowments to recommend them to the Popes Favour And particularly that this is not reckoned among their Merits their equally free access and more then ordinary interest of favour in the Court of France where the Doctour knows such Doctrins are far from being admitted will more then sufficiently testify They will further tell him that for as much as concerns the unsafe Antimonarchicall Doctrins contained in the foresaid Books cited by him it is almost a whole Age since that they have been by their Generall forbidden under paine of Excommunication and other most greivous Censures to iustify them either in Writing preaching or disputing and more over which is very considerable this Prohibition was not only made before the condemnation of these Books in France but also was known to the Pope and permitted by him I am moreover confident that he cannot with any tolerable proofs make good his accusation of their being wanting in their fidelity to his Majesty or his Glorious Father during the late rebellious warr which was raised and prosecuted by the Doctours best quondam freinds And more over I may assure the Doctour that if an Oath were framed free from ambiguity and without odious phrases inserted in it wholly unnecessary to the substance of it they would not make any Scruple of ioyning with all their Catholick Brethren in taking it But then what thinks the Doctour of these two Propositions to be sett in the scale against his 1. That it is absolutely unlawfull to Subiects by arms to propagate or defend Religion against their Lawfull Prince 2. That I say not by the Pope to this he and his brethren are as forward as any but by no Assembly Civill or Ecclesiasticall Subiects can be authorized by arms to oppose their Prince upon any pretence what soever Are he and his quondam party ready to declare these Will he or they damne the execrable Covenant Surely the Kings safety and the publick Peace are far more concernd in these then in the former This therefore would be a task in which his Learning and Eloquence would be worthily employed And more over in case himself either by Preaching
His words are these Such a particular way of Reuelation being made choice of by God for the means of making known his Will in order to the happines of Mankind as Writing we may iustly say that it is repugnant to the nature of the Design and the Wisdom and Goodnes of God to giue infallible assurance to persons in Writing his Will for the benefit of Mankind if those Writings may not be vnderstood by all Persons who sincerely endeauour to know the meaning of them in all such things as are necessary for their Saluation And consequently there can be no necessity supposed of any infallible Society of men either to attest or explain those Writings among Christians 91. What is this now but Fanaticism in the heighth of the Notion signified by the word to make euery Christian Soberly enquiring into Scripture to be his own Teacher in all necessary Points of Faith and it is no matter what becoms of vnnecessary Points and to be a competent Iudge of the true sence of Scripture in them all this without any regard to all Externall Authority infallible or fallible either for an infallible one being vnnecessary what necessity can there be of a fallible Authority which none is or can be bound to Belieue If it be Fanaticism to attend to and belieue certain pretended Illuminations Inspirations and Reuelations concerning particular matters perhaps of no great importance with a refusall to submitt them to any Externall Authority what is it to ground his whole Religion vpon his own fancy enquiring into the true sense of Diuine Reuelation 92. But perhaps the Doctour thinks himself and his Churches secure notwithstanding any thing here said because neither himself nor they pretend to any New Reuelations Illuminations or Inspirations in this matter Notwithstanding he will not find an euasion by this For besides that J am sure Presbyterians at least if not the other Sects and likewise the Huguenots of France in their Confession of Faith haue always professed that they haue not only the true sense of Scripture by Inspiration of the Holy Ghost but that thereby they are enabled to distinguish true Scripture from Apocriphall Writings I will take the boldnes to tell him That he himself does the same and if he denyes it it is because he is ignorant of what passes in his own mind 93. To shew this I will here propose a few Questions to him and he not being present to doe it himself I will suppose he gives me leaue to make Answers to them such as J conceiue he will not disavow The. 1. Question Does he after a sober Enquiry vnderstand and assent to the true sense of Scripture in all necessary Points Answer Yes 2. Question Is his Assent to such Points an Act of meer naturall Reason or is it a Diuine Faith Answer A Diuine Faith surely as he hopes and is fully perswaded For he would be sorry if he belieued not better then Devills 3. Question Is a Diuine Faith a Supernaturall Gift of Gods Holy Spirit Answ. Yes the Scripture saying so expresly 4. Quest. Is this Gift of God communicated to his servants any other way then by Illumination Inspiration or the like Diuine operation Equivalent Answ. J must answer in the Doctours place till he better informs me that no other way is known Jn the last place 5 Q. Does he think himself fobliged to acknowledge that he receies this Faith from or to Submitt this his perswasion of a Diuine operation in him to the Teaching of any Church Answ. He will not though J thank God J doe acknowledge any Church fallible or infallible which can iustly require thus much from him Now therefore a primo ad vltimum does the Doctour want any necessary qualification to make him passe for a perfect Fanatick and Enthusiast a Fanatick by duty imposed on him from the Essence of his Religion and moreouer a Teacher of Fanaticism Jf I could absolue him from this I would very willingly but sincerely I cannot since he himself has giuen me a distinct notion of Fanaticism by which he and his party vnderstands an Enthusiastick way of Religion or resisting Authority Civill or Ecclesiasticall vnder a pretence of Religion by which Notion in it self true and proper he is to be iudged without Appeale 94. Now though the Doctour takes vpon him and is generally conceiued by others to be a Champion of the Church of England yet perhaps it would be rashnes in me from his warrant alone to affirme that the Church of England that Church J mean which is established by publick Authority does now at last ground her Faith on such a Fanatick Principle as the Doctour in her name has layd For then it might indeed be truly sayd that the New Faith of the Church of England is the very Faith of New England The Doctour how learned soeuer otherwise he is but a Neophit in this Church and therefore all he says not to be swallowed presently without examining if he wrong the Church of England J am vnwilling to wrong her with him 95. And one particular thing which I have observed from his Book makes me suspect that my Lords the Bishops will not avow this Principle imposed by him on them which is that his Book wants an Imprimatur Now if an Approbation was either not demanded by him or being demanded was refused him it seems strange that against order and Publick command it should be permitted to be so dispersed without any Controll But the truth is there is a great Mistery of late in that Formality of Approbations for some Books want an Imprimatur for the Reader which was not wanting to the Printer Perhaps the Doctours virulence against poore Catholicks was so highly approved by the grave Censor Librorum that rather then it should be hindred from doing mischief to them he was content the Principles also should passe which utterly destroy the foundations of his own Church This may seeme more probable because in like manner a Licence is given to the Printer for a Book of Sermons in one of which composed entirely of Lying Invectives against Catholicks and by a most horrible calumny imputing the Pouder Treason to the Preaching of Catholick Religion there is this passage becoming a Preacher of the Gospell I wish that the Lawes against these Foxes the Papists might be put in execution as they were anciently against Wolues Nothing but an vtter extermination of Catholicks it seems will content the charitable Preacher who seems to intimate also that in his Judgment it is fitt a price should be sett on every Catholicks head as formerly on Wolues to be payed to his murderer Such a Sermon as this the Printer is licenced to print but he who gave it being ashamed that his Approbation of so barbarous a piece should appeare to the world has given order that his Licence should be concealed 96. What judgment therefore in this regard to make of the Doctours
FANATICISM Fanatically imputed to the CATHOLICK CHURCH by DOCTOUR STILLINGFLEET And The Imputation refuted and retorted by S. C. a Catholick O. S. B. Psalm LXXI 4. Iudicabit pauperes populi humiliabit calumniatorem Proverb XXVI 18 19. As a madman vvho casteth fire-brands arrovvs and death So is the man that vvrongeth his neighbour and saith Am not I in Sport M.DC.LXXII Permissu Superiorum TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR MARC-ALBERT D'OGNATE KNIGHT Counsellour to his Catholick Majesty Commissary for Renevving of Magistrats in the Province of Flanders President of the Chamber of Commerce and Navigation and Envoyé from the King of Spain to his Majesty of Great Brittain SIR It had been to be vvished that vve might have concealed from Strangers the Stains of our Nation and that they might remain ignorant that neither Fidelity to our Prince nor Charity to our fellovv-Subjects can secure Catholicks from the vvorst effects of vvar in the midst of Peace such is the Virulence of one malignant Party vvho though they enioy their lives by an unmerited Pardon of their Rebellion vvill never pardon us for our Loyalty In most Countreyes of Europe there are agitated dayly Disputes and Controversies about Religion and in Books on each side ordinarily some sharpness is mingled But in England our Lott must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vve are forced to contend vvith Adversaries vvhose minds by our late Tumults are rendred savage and implacable They to spite us resume a Nevv vvar against Heaven it self deriding and blaspheming the Saints in Glory And against Gods Church on earth they frame Accusations never heard of before making her greatest Vertues passe for the directly opposite greatest Crimes The most Saintly Exercises of Persons among us consecrated to God and entirely subiect to Authority are disgracefully stiled Fanaticism Because vve vvill not be chusers each one of his ovvn Faith vve are accused to have an Enthusiastick vvay of Religion vvee exercise Charity to our Freinds Deceased and that is called an Impediment of Deuotion vve teach as our Saviour did that the vvay to Heaven is strait and consequently that to enter into it vve must practise Confession of Sins Pennances Mortifications Praying Fasting Alms-giving c. and for this vve are charged to be Hinderers of Piety and a Good Life Our acknovvledging an Authority in Gods Church to end Controversies is called an effectuall Mean to multiply them If out of Compassion to persons guilty of Schism and out of a tender love to Vnity any one among us strains his vvitts to persvvade our Adversaries that the distance betvveen us is not so vast as some of them seem vvilling to conceive his recompense must be contemptuous revilings No Pagans or Cannibals must be esteemed so blindly so horribly I dolatrous No Quakers so ridiculously Frantick No Fifth-Monarchists so dangerous both to Church and State These enormous Excesses vvich have been lately exposed to the vvorld in a Stile partly Burlesque and partly Tragicall vvere never heard of in any other Nation but England and only of late in England and I hope for the credit of our Nation are not taken notice of by many Strangers living here and thereby less in danger to be published abroad But from you SIR they could not be concealed since your zeal to Catholick Religion makes you inquisitive into all things that concern it and your perfect knovvledge in our Language renders all our BOOKS as intelligible to you as if vvritten in your ovvn My hope novv is that you being vvell acquainted vvith the present Temper of our Nation vvill judge aright that a Book vvritten in such a Stile and vvholly composed of malignant Passions and nevv-invented Calumnies against Gods Church vvas only the private Design of a malicious Brain on purpose to feed the exulcerated minds of a malevolent Party among us and consequently not to be imputed to any other besides The affection you bear to our Nation from vvhich you are not quite even in blood a Stranger encourages mee to expect thus much iustice from you As for my self I being I hope not the only person engaged in the defence of Truth and Innocence against Malice and Calumny am desirous to address to you this my Ansvver as a Testimony of my gratefull resentment of the favour and honour you have been pleased to conferr generously on mee in allovving mee a share in your freindship the comfortable effects vvhereof have likevvise been extended to an afflicted Community abroad recommended by mee to your Protection But besides this a far greater obligation both my self and all loyall English Subjects have to honour you for your constant respect duty and assistance vvhich you have allvvayes vvith great zeale shevved to his Sacred Majesty and his cause vvhen he vvas inhumanly treated by the same Party vvhich novv so inhumanly treats his Faithfull Catholick Subjects In vvhich fatall Conjuncture also his banished freinds and servants found in your house Hospitality and kindness vvhich vvith them had been banished out of England I beseech you SIR accept this Address as a gage of gratitude honour and respect from SIR Your devoted Servant in our Lord. S. C. To the Reader THE report is very current that Doctour Stillingfleet wonders and even complains that having made a generall formall Challenge to Catholicks to come openly into the field against him being ready with weapons in his hand he cannot yet have the contentment to give further proof of his Skill and courage against them But surely it is not for the Doctors credit to make such a Complaint when the world knows how all passages into the field are stoppd and even walled up I will not say by himself yet at least by his Partizans how Stationers apprehend greater danger in publishing Answers to his Book then any Books of Sedition or Treason and how during the space of a few months since his last Book saw the light Searches into Presses have been more sollicitously exact and more frequent dayly and hourly then they have been all the years taken together since his Majesties Restauration Inquisitors searching into every hole turning over every small paper and rigorously examining both Maisters and Servants whether any thing has been written against Doctour Stillingfleet How securely now may the Doctor triumph and as oft as he pleases multiply his Challenges of Defiance against Catholick Adversaries so bound hand and foot and at how cheap a rate has he gotten from Tradesmen and Gossips immortall honour by a Book then which England never to this day saw any one pretending to Controversy more harmless to the Church he professes to oppose nor more destructive to the Church he professes to defend Now whether this be not a true Character of it I do willingly and confidently stand to the judgment of any learned and considering Protestant Reader who shall think fit to peruse the following Treatise Notwithstanding it cannot be denyed but that the Doctor has used a wonderfull dexterity in mannaging this Controversy