same Tradition was so constant in the antient Christian Church that Origen asks who doubts but that the Saints do aid us by their prayers Add hereto that the antient Liturgies of S. Basile c. have the same prayers to Saints in the same form as they are found in the Misfall and Breviaries at this day And that not any Father condemns the practise of it either as a novelty or supersticion which in all other cases upon all occasions they have done 13. To shew the innocence of the church far from deserving such behaviour from her children as she ha's found in this regard Consider first that all that the church decides in this point is that they may be pray'd to 2. That by the church no man is obliged or constrained to pray to them or to any but to God 3. That this is onely that they would intercede for us a thing which we sinners desire at the hands of other sinners greater perhaps then our selves 4. That excepting only the Litanies which are rather ejaculations and wishes then formed prayers and excepting some few Poeticall Hymnes to which a greater license hath alwayes beene allowed the Church both in the Missall and Breviary directs the prayers which she makes with reâ—pect to Saints immediately to God himself desiring him to hearken to the intercession which his Saints make for us and by their ministery to aid us And therefore whereas Protestants make their chief difficulty in this matter to be their uncertainty whether our prayers can arrive to the Saints hearing though it may be resolved out of expresse Scripture even out of those words There is joy in heaven over one sinner that repeurs â—ot certainly when the prayers are directed immediately to God as the church does no man will doubt but they may arrive thither I cannot chuse but on this occasion to publish the ingenuity of the Socinians once more who deal with Religion as they would do with an Astronomicall Hypothesis framing and changeing heaven and earth according to their phaenonema And therefore they to take away the trouble of examining either Scripture of Fathers dissolve the whole controversie with framing a new point of Philosophy viz. that separated souls have no apprehension nor parception at all but are indeed as sencelesse as the bodies contrary to millions of stories which are surely not every one false contrary to expresse Scripture This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise and S. Pauls judgement Whether it was in the body or out of the body that I was wrap'd into Paradice I cannot tell God knows by which words though he knew not which of these two wayes it was yet he gives to understand that he might have been rap'd in Spirit without the body Of Veneration of Images 3. Concerning Images we may consider 1. That they had them in the antient church Tertullian puts it out of all doubt who makes mention of the lâ—st sheep generally graven upon the Chalices And S. Ambrose saith That a person appeared to him which seemed like to S. Paul the features of whose countenance I had learned sayes he from his picture The profession and practise of S. Paulinus is so clear in this behalfe and so confessed by Protestants that it is lost labour to quote him 2. No man can deny but that the sight of holy stories in picture do both more easily represent to weak capacities and put even the best men in mind of good things then the reading them in a book 3. The Councell of Trent Sess. 25. expressely professeth that the ground of Catholiques Veneration of them is not that it is believed that there is any divinity or vertue in them for which they ought to be venerated So that all occasion of superstition is evidently cut off 4. That things which have any regard to Religion are to be respected and treated with reverence this nature teaches and the Calvinists acknowledge as I took notice before out of Monsieur Daillé 5. That by reason we have not words enough to expresse all our conceptions nor variety enough of outward actions and postures to expresse our inward intentions and notions hence all the trouble and contradiction among Christians in this point hath proceeded And therefore as the antient Jewes applied the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the posture thereby represented viz. prostration both to the supreme degree of adoration due only to God and to the reverence of honorable persons So likewise the second Councell of Nice for want of words applying the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which imports the same to images therefore it was that till the misunderstanding was cleared the Westerne Church in the Councell of Francford rejected their decision But those who love Schisme will needs most unjustly reassume a voluntary misapprehension of the churches intention in this point which clearly distinguishes and makes an infinite distance betweene the respect which they give to Images and that which they render to God and gives little more to Images then Protestants themselves confesse to be due to all holy things pertaining to Religion The Jewes at this day the greatest enemies certainly of Idolatry that ever were yet will not unfold the volume of their law til after many humble declinations of their bodies and kissings of their hands neither will any sober Christian enter into a church though he do not pray without uncovering his head to shew that he makes a difference between that place and an ordinary prophane house The ground of the lawfulnesse and fitnesse of these outward expressions is this because since we cannot chuse but in our minds and thoughts make a a difference betweene holy and prophane objects it is as fitting to expresse that difference by outward shews So that if Catholiques be to be suspected of superstition and idolatry in this behalf certainly the Calvinists are much more guilty for exhibiting an outward reverence to the Bread and Wine in their Cene seeing they will not allow a distinction between the severall respects which Catholiques acknowledge 6. That the church obligeth no man hîc nunc to exhibit any veneration to Images c. Only they must not condemne it in those that allow and practise it Of Prayers and Offerings for the Dead and Purgatory 4. The denyall of this made Arrius a Heretique and besides him I do not find since Christianity begun til the last age any one single person that denyed or questioned it never was there found any Liturgy without it nothing so frequent in Fathers and Ecclesiasticall histories as the recommendation of it In a word I am confident there is not one doctrine or practise of Christianity delivered with so full unquestionable a Tradition So that a man may as wel make an Apology for being a Christian or believing the Gospells to be the word of God as for this The truth is the more sober and learned sort of English Protestants do confesse the immemorial antiquity of iâ—
Peter to whom our Lord after his Resurrection consigned the feeding of his Sheep to the present Episcopaecy retains me there Lastly the very name of Catholique retaines me there which not without cause this Church onely among so many and so great Heresies hath in such sort maintained that when a stranger demands Where men meet to communicate with the Catholike Church there is not any one Heretike ha's the confidence to direct him to his Temple or house S. AUGUST de Unit. Eccles. c. 19. I Suppose if there were extant any wise man to whom our Lord Jesus Christ had afforded his testimony and if he were consulted with by us concerning this question we should by no means doubt to do that which he should determine and this left we should be judged to oppose our selves not so much to him as to the Lord Jesus Christ by whose tectimony he was commended Now Christ ha's afforded a testimony to his Church THE PREFACE 1. I Had no intention at all to write much lesse to give to publike view this account of the Reasons and Motives of my relinquishing Error and Schism and rejoyning my self to Catholike Vnity Not that I preferred mine own ease before the endeavouring to contribute though in the smallest degree to the spirituall good of others But me thought a writing of such a nature would seem to argue that I judged my self a person of such consideration as that men would expect from my hands such an account A conceit which truly I never entertained neither had I any reason so to do 2. Yea afterward when some men I am confident without any visible grounds either from my conversation in times past or late proceedings did assume to themselves the authority or rather licence to judge of my inward thoughts and intentions charging me with worldly ambition discontent or melancholy and attributing to such unworthy Principles that change which was only the effect of Divine goodnesse and mercy implored with earnest and continuall prayers Yet other mens injustice to me did not make me injust to my self so far as to think that that could qualifie me so as to be fit to appear in publike All the effect it had upon me was in regard of my self a secret joy to suffer any thing for so blessed a cause as Catholique Unity and in regard of the authors of such aspersions a secret griefe and compassion that they would needs declare themselves ill-willers to me for endeavouring without any others hinderance or losse to save mine own Soule or that resolving to be so injust they would make choice of such imputations which though they had in themselvs been true yet no man could believe them to have been competent accusers and informers of thoughts known only to almighty God 3. But what neither the just contempt and disesteem which I had of my self would permit nor the unjust calumniations of others could extort from me a command intimated from certain vertuous worthy persons Superiours of the Holy Order of the Carthusians whom I thought my self in some sort obliged to obey though as yet my Superiours only in desire and reverence gave me the assurance to adventure upon They judging it requisite that I should give some proof both of the matute advice and also of the reasonablenesse of my change made me consider my self only as fit to obey them without altering in any degree the mean esteem I had of my self And the same persons advising the publication of what I wrote have thereby made me by this in genuous declaration of what I knew of my self almost against my will to answer the aspersions which those that I am sure knew me not so well haue published 4. Now I do not pretend by this Narration to deprive them of their liberty of calumniating me still since they may if they please say linguam nostram magnisicabimus labia nostra â nobis sunt quis nâ—ster Dominus est Psa. 11. 5. After this profession of the occasion and progresse of my enquiry and resolution in point of Religion which I here make in the presence of God and before the world protesting that I do my self believe this history of my self which I now publish I assure them I shall not put my self to the trouble of saying any more for mine owne vindication in this respect Neither here do I answer their calumnies any other way then by discovering my self naked to my very thoughts 5. They may hereafter if they please continue to traduce me more probably and ingenuously for no doubt I shall in this writing give them many advantages against my self yea I must tell them my intention was to do them this pleasure and for that reason I called this Narration an Exomologesis and that with reflection upon severall notions of that word For first it is a publike Confession and that not onely of my former errours and Schism but withall joyn'd with a discovery of no doubt many imperfections in searching after truth during the twi-light of my doubtings and uncertainties and many weaknesses in defending the truth after I had found it So that they have confitentem reum and such an one as wil be glad to have discovered unto him whatsoever is disproveable in this Treatise to the end that when he is convinced he may satisfie for them also Besides this is called an Exomologesis in as much as it is intended to be a publike Confession or Thanks-giving a Tabula votiva representing to the world the tempests of Schisme and Heresie from which I could not have escaped the utmost danger of shipwrack had not almighty God the lover of souls provided a secure haven for me in the Catholike Church And therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I give thee thanks O Father Lord of heaven and earth for that thou hast hidden these mercies from the wise and prudent and revealed them unto babes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even so Lord for such was thy good pleasure HOSANNA IN EXCELSIS The first Section Conteining an Historicall Narration of the Authors occasion of doubting and method in searching satisfaction CHAP. I. The occasion of my departure out of England Bloody commotions of Calvinists there The horriblenesse and strangenesse of them 1. IT was in the moneth of June in the yeare of our Lord 1644. that those most unnaturall bloody dissentions in Great-Brittaine universally spread through all the Provinces of that unhappy Nation constrained me not so much to avoid my personall danger as out of the horrour to be a spectatour of such inhumane Tragedies as were every where daily acted to forsaâ—e my native countrey to recreate my selfe with a voluntary exile to follow the conduct of the mercifull hand of God which provided for me not only an opportunity convenience of subsisting in forrein countrys but likewise means of diverting in som measure my mind from the sad remembrance of the miseries I left behind me and by a retreit into places lesse frequented
Let them chuse whether of these two they had rather believe They call themselves Christians we propose to them Jesus Christ and Donatus Let them consider what will become of them if they bestow only words upon Jesus Christ and their bearts upon Donatus So that this conclusion of his is unalterably tâ—ue not for his times only but til Christs second coming viz. That all separation which is made before the drawing the net on shore or before harvest i. e. the end of the world is a eamnable separation Being Sacrilegium Shismatis quod omnia scelera supergreditur i. e. being the sacriledge of Schisme which surpasses all other crimes Aug. con Ep. Parm l 2. 10. Therefore to shew the extreme in justice of English Protestants against the Catholique Church and the just judgement of God upon 〈◊〉 for it we may desire them to consider that in their owne congregations they are constrained to connive at both errours in doctrine and abuses in practise to support a Schismaticall Unity which they would not suffer for Catholique Unity So S. Augustine speakes to the Donatists lib. 2. Why do they saith he perniciously suffer such kind of men in the crime of a Sacrilegious Schisme which they might and ought to have tolerated profitably in the integrity of Catholique Unity Again let them consider with what justice they can condemne the other Sects Presbyterians and Separatists if they seek the same destructive way of reforming them which themselves practised upon the Catholiques For the Presbyterians will alledge Scripture as well as they they will pretend errours and superstitions as well as they And the Separatists beyond this will alledge for themselves that which it will be impossible for them to reply reasonably to for they will say Since you your selves have taken away all obliging humane authority in points of Religion give us leave to enjoy that liberty for our own consciences which you have purchased us we desire not to tyrannize over other men only we would not suffer that you should pretend by a shew of liberty to introduce tyranny If Protestants shall oppose secular power or multitude to such allegations that will be to confesse that their reformation was a meere worldly design If they shall say that it is not fit that a smal conventicle of Sectaries should prevail against a Nationall Synod of the English Clergy then they must not take it ill to have those efficacious words of S. Augustine applyed unto them Is the just weighing of matters come to this passe that a Councell of the Maximianenses who are an under-segment of your Sect shall have no force or consideration against you because in comparison of your numbers they are but a very few and shall a Councell of your own prevaile against Nations against the heritage of Christ and the ends of the earth his possession I wonder if that man have any bloud left in his body that should not blush at the mentioning of such a thing as this Aug. Ep. 154. ad Emer Don. 11. I will conclude this conclusion with a brief consideration of an accusation which Protestants lay against Catholiques whom they charge with extreme uncharitablenesse for affirming that Protestants dying in their Religion without repentance cannot be saved Hereto it is answered that Catholiques do not pretend to judge of the salvation or damnation of Protestants in particular yea they will not doubt to say that to many thousands of them neither their Heresie nor Schisme shall prove de facto damnable but that supposing they dye with an intention to renounce whatsoever their opinions should appear to them to have been erroneous their invincible ignorance caused by education misinformation of Catholique doctrines c. may probably find pardon from our mercifull Judge in case they be truly penitent for all other faults committed by them upon supposition that any such have been committed But surely it is no uncharitable judgement to say in generall That it is damnable to dye in a damnable or mortall sinne without repentance And therefore since even by Protestants confession Heresie and Schisme are in a high degree damnable sins and since Catholiques are verily perswaded that Protestants are guilty of these two crimes it may be called in them a mistake but it cannot be called uncharitablenesse in Catholiques upon such a supposition to make such a judgement Yea on the contrary I wonder how the English Protestants c. who pretend that Catholiques are guilty of these two crimes can notwithstanding contrary to the doctrine of all Antiquity affirm that such persons are not in a damable estate surely it is self-guilt and not charity that makes them so charitable CHAP. LI. The fourth Conclusion Proofes of it out of Fathers THE FOURTH CONCLUSION is That the Catholique Church ever after the times of the Apostles was is and shall be visible continuing in an uninterrupted succession of lawfull Pastors and true doctrine to the end of the world 1. FOr confirmation of this conclusion out of Scripture Texts sufficient both for number and perspicuity have already been produced both out of the Old and New Testament in the second conclusion 2. The same doctrine is no lesse conspicuous in the writings of the Fathers It is easier saith S. Chrysostome Hom. 4. in Esa. that the Sun should be extinguished then that the Church should be obscured And again The Sun is not more manifest nor the light proceeding from it theu the actions of the Church The Church saith S. Cyprian de Unit. Eccl. being cloathed with the light of our Lord spreads its beames through the whole world The Church saith S. Augustine hath this most certain mark that she cannot be hidden And again Do not these men grope at noone day as if it were midnight It is a quality common to all Heretiques not to see the thing of all things in the world most clear viz. the church which is placed in the light of all Nations out of the unity whereof whatsoever they do though it may seem to be done with great exactnesse and diligence yet can no more secure them from the wrath of God then the spiders webs from the rigour of the cold Hereupon the same Saint de unit Eccl. calls Christ the most true declarer of his body insomuch as be suffers us not to be mistaken neither in the Bridegroom nor in his Spouse Upon which grounds he makes severall exclamations to this purpose Id. cont cres l. 3. O the mad perversenesse of men Thou conceivest that thou deservest to be praised for believing Christ whom thou seest not and believest thou shalt not be damned for denying his Church which thou seest Since that Head is in heaven and this body is upon earth Thou acknowledgest Jesus Christ and that which is written of him O God be thou exalted above the heavens and doest not acknowledge the church in that which follows and let your glory be spread through all the earth The like expressions he
those that wrote this Confession to say this both for themselves and in the name of all their faction to the worlds end and this without consulting any of them to know whether they had received such an immediate revelation or testimony and without pretending to such an eminent gift of Prophecy as never was example of the like since the world began this exceedes all wonder Good Lord to what strange times are we reserved to see a Sect so numerous so powerfull as they have shewed themselves upon many sad occasions and not one of them but is a Prophet What a stupendious thing is this that there should not be found one Calvinist destitute of this so certeine so divine a testimony beyond the assurance of all Churches since Christ and yet not one Englishman or Frenchman unlesse of that faction nor any Christian that I know of besides that knowes any such thing of himselfe or dares pretend to it For surely if any one had it some would professe it since a man cannot have a Testimony but he knowes he has it This is a miracle beyond all that Christ and all his Apostles ever wrought in the Church But is it not more probable nay is it not beyond all probability most certaine most palpable that all these men knowingly and wilfully deceive themselves and would fain but cannot deceive others Is not this apparently a lying against the Holy Ghost Why may it not as well be expected that in their next Confession or rather their Presumption they should pretend as at least most particular writers among them doe for themselves and their heires a discerning infallible Spirit to judge of the sense of Scripture as well as the books Indeed what may not be expected from such as having had a hatred to charity and therefore no true love to the truth God has justly given over to strong delusions to believe such palpable lyes 4. But leaving these men miserably pleasing themselves in pretended inspirations and by that meanes attributing to the Holy Ghost not only all their errours but likewise their renouncing of Christian Charity Unity which is impossible as long as they take upon them to believe that it is from the Spirit that they have divided themselves from Gods Church both in opinion and practise I will returne to my enquiry concerning the authority of the Church CHAP. XVIII Importance of the Controversie concerning the Churches authority Meanes for satisfaction in it abundantly sufficient in Antiquity This Controversie before all others ought to be most diligently studyed by Protestants 1. PRoceeding therefore for mine owne satisfaction to read the Fathers upon this argument and resolving to read them as unpartially as possibly I could that is silencing mine owne understanding when it would interpose that no discourse or Rhetorique ought to have force against those demonstrations which I thought I had against the Churches infallibility or when it would invent forced senses to that world of passages which I found in the Fathers inconsistent with my pre-assumed assurance Proceeding I say in the best manner I could to the reading of the Fathers upon this point I found that as this controversie was of so infinite importance that upon the decision thereof eternall peace or warre in Religion among Christians depended the most wise and mercifull Providence had suitably furnished us with meanes of satisfaction in so important a point infinitely more copious evident and powerfull then in any other besides For in other speciall points of Controversie we must be content to informe our selves of the minde of Antiquity therein onely by particular dispersed passages of the Fathers commonly spoken en passant they having no occasion ordinarily to combate with Heretiques about them But in this businesse of the Churches authority I found Epistles Treatises Bookes yea volumnes full of almost no other subject I found that I may here before the proper season declare the successe of so many moneths labour that the maintaining of the authority of the Church against Heretiques alledging onely Scripture as a Rule and disclaiming all Judges of that Rule but themselves as to themselves had beene the businesse of many Ages the principall employment of many the learnedst holiest Fathers of the Church I found that such an authority of the Church had been a Tradition of all others most Universall not any one booke of Scripture being so often testified of in Antiquity as this I found that if this authority of the Church were not to be preserved inviolable all Synods and Councels that ever were in the Church fell to the ground yea more became not only of no validity but were to be esteemed the most unjust Tyrannicall conspiracies that ever were as presuming without sufficient warrant to accuse and anathematize whosoever opposed or accepted not their determinations even in such points as were not in Scripture at all or at most onely there in consequence to their interpretation Lastly I found to my infinite satisfaction and for which I thinke my selfe obliged to spend the greatest part of my life in glorifying Almighty God for it a full effectuall and experimentall satisfaction by acknowledging this authority and suffering my selfe to be taken out of my owne hands to be conducted by her that Christ had appointed for that office in a word I found that that saying of S. Hierome was most true viz. That the Sun of the Church presently dryes up all the streames of errour and Schisme 2. For these reasons I cannot chuse but adjure all Protestants especially English who think satisfaction and repose of mind upon earth and glory to be revealed in heaven to be things desirable that omitting or at least deferring all particular disputes with Catholiques they would in the first place without prejudice and partiallity examine what the present Catholique Church sayes and in what words Shee sayes it when Shee comes to declare her necessary doctrine concerning this her authority and that having found what it is that Shee requires to be believed they would without altering her expression and without applying thereto any particular Schoole-man's or Doctours interpretations as by an obliging necessity to be subscribed to or received compare what the Church defines with what the Fathers Councels do generally and purposely agree in And if this method produce not in them the same effect which by the blessing of God it did in mee yet at least they will have this contentment after an ingenuous and to my knowledge not-much by them-practised way of examination to conclude that they finde that their owne single judgement and interpretation of Scripture deserves rather to be relyed upon and to be preferr'd above all manner of visible authority of all persons and ages how sacred soever esteemed by others they will either become Catholiques or remaine in their own then not very unreasonable opinion Protestants still but persons meriting from themselves the highest esteem for infallibility that the Church ever enjoyed since the Apostles times CHAP.
expound Heresies have been so far from prevailing against the Church that they are utterly vanished and the Church built upon that Rock which gave Peter that his new name continues firm and unmoveable and no doubt will do so to the end of the world whatsoever engines of cunning malice or rebellion the Calvinists and other bloudy Sects do raise against it to batter it with greater violence then ever before 6. I am the more confirmed in joyning thus with the Fathers because I perceive that they yea that one single Father of the first magnitude S. Augustine ha's already answered all the most considerable arguments which the Protestants of these times are ready to borrow of their Fathers the Donatists c. to destroy the authority of the Church He ha's already cleared the objection from the example of the Jewish Church reduced to such an almost invisible estate that there were left no more then seven thousand men and those hidden which had not bowed the knee to Baal And from that speech When the â—on of Man comes shall he find faith upon earth and Come out of Babylon my people and from the example of that great Eclipse in the Catholique Church during the interregnum of Arianisme S. Aug. collat post con Don. cap. 20. id l. 81. quaest qu. 61. id dâ— Un. Eccl. S. Hier. con Lucif S. Aug. Ep. 48. CHAP. XXIX The Objection from the overflowing of Arianisme in the Church answered Mr. Chillingworth's objection That Christs promises are conditionall answered 1. THis last objection concerning Arianisme because even the-now-English-Protestants think they have great advantage from it I am not in so much hast to draw towards an end of this conclusion but I can be content to set down S. Augustin's answer to it with a short Appendix It seems the Donatists took the advantage from some hyperbolicall language of S. Hilary concerning the great deluge of Arianisme upon the Church to enervate the promises of Christ concerning the extension and duration of it To this S. Augustine Ep. 48. thus answers That time concerning which Hilary wrote was such that thou hast thought that thou mightst privily assault such a number of divine testimonies as if the Church were perished out of the world c. Hilary therefore either blames only the tares which were in the ten Asian Provinces and not the wheat or he thought fit therefore the more profitably by how much the more vehemently to blame the wheat which by some default was in danger For even the Canonicall Scriptures have this customâ— in reprehensions that the word seems to be addressed to all when it reaches home only to some few 2. For confirmation of this answer of S. Augustine it may be observed 1. That the violent brunt of that Persecution of the Catholiques by the Arrians lasted scarce four years namely from the Councell of Ariminum to the death of the Emperour Constantius 2. That during that time the Western Churches felt little change by that Persecution 3. That those who subscribed the cunningly contrived Creed at Ariminum did not intend to prejudice thereby the faith of the Councell of Nice since the new Creed was capable of a Catholique sense 4. That even in the East very many glorious Catholique Bishops survived the fury of the Arrians 5. That the succession of Catholique Bishops was so far from being interrupted thereby that S. Hierome who lived neer those times professeth that in his daies there was not one Bishop in the Catholique Church that was not a legitimate successor of those glorious Prelates of the Councell of Nice From all which considerations we may rationally collect that our Lord in this example gave a warning to the Rulers of his Church to be vigilant to prevent the like dangerous Heresies for the future but withall to be confident in his promises since he had been so carefull to perform them that when Heresie had all imagineable advantages yet he provided so for his Church by putting an end to those tentations that the succession of lawfull Bishops was not at all interrupted by them 3. Beside these Mr. Chillingworth produceth an engine his friends know from what forge to invalidate as he believed all manner of advantage which Catholiques reap from the promises of Christ concerning a perpetuall succession of his Church by saying that those promises are onely conditionall viz. If Christians would make use of and improve those meanes that Christ had left for the propagation of his Church otherwise not 4. But hereto the answer is very ready For 1. All that is alledged is spoken meerly gratis there being no warrant from any circumstance in those Texts wherein such promises are contained for such an interpretation and therefore when plain Texts are and have been interpreted in a sense absolute by all Catholiques of all times a new unnecessary interpretation will certainly find no entertainment with any unlesse it be such as make antiquity a prejudice to truth 2. M. Chillingworth applies this interpretation to future times onely not to passed or present so that thereby it shakes onely our hope for succeeding times not our faith for the passed or present and therefore it is not availeable in the dispute in hand concerning the Roman Catholique Church which all English Protestants acknowledge to be a true Church of Christ defective in no necessary truths all the fault being her superabundance 5. And for this reason it was that generally he was blamed and I my selfe have often taxed him for serving himself of so scandalous and as we thought so uselesse an interpretation But upon more serious consideration I judged not him unreasonable for it but my selfe and others not quick-sighted enough to perceive the necessity he had though he never discovered himselfe plainly to any man as far as I know to make use of so desperate a glosse For doubtless he saw clearly that if there were such absolute Promises of indefectibility and divine assistance to the Catholique Church none could with any justice challenge them but the Roman Church since she only appropriates them to her present Communion all others laying down their claim The speciall allegations which she may produce to prove her self in a speciall manner interessed in these promises I shall take notice of in the last conclusion Lastly S. Augustine will afford us a satisfactory answer who to the like objection of the Donatists viz. Men would not persevere and therefore Christian Religion hath failed out of all Nations except only the party of Donatus Answers him As if the Holy Ghost was ignorant what would be the future wills of men which yet foreseeing notwithstanding foretold that the Church of Christ should endure for ever De unit Eccl. c. 12. CHAP. XXX The generall ground of the Churches authority viz. Christs promises The severall subjects and acts thereof 1. TO return therefore to the authority of the present Catholique Church by vertue of which she obligeth all men in her communion
whether that authority which is indeed supreme be not unappealable from and necessarily to be submitted to by all particular subordinate persons To say such persons have no authority to be Guides is to contradict expresse Scripture And to say that there can be a subordination of authority without one that is supreme Or that that which is indeed supreme may by particulars persons or churches be opposed or so much as appealed from is to contradict not onely what is assumed but evident reason and all order 3. Where it is said That no Church is fit to be a Guide in Fundamentalls but only a Church of one denomination as Greek Roman Abyssine c. For otherwise no man can possibly know which is the true Church but only by a pre-examination of the doctrines and that were not to be guided by the Church to the true doctrine but by the true doctrine to the Church I answer That a Catholique Church there is as we profess in the Creed and that this Catholique Church is visible and easily to be designed plainly distinquishable from new Sects and innovating congregations and that this body representatively united is the supreme authority on earth and that every particular Church or member of this Catholique Church as such is a sufficient guide to those that live in her Communion As concerning his phrase a Church of one denomination I grant that God ha's not apparently obliged himself to confine his Promises to any particular Dioecose Province or Nation no not perhaps even to Rome it self Only this may certainly be affirmed that the Catholique Church shall by vertue of Christs promises continue to the worlds end a visible Church teaching all substantiall doctrines of Christianity guided by a lawfull succession of Pastors under one visible Head which visible Head ha's hitherto for above sixteen Centuries been the Bishop of Rome and that is a fair presumption that it will be so to Christs second coming for I know nothing but a generall earthquake there and swallowing up of that place that is likely to hinder such a succession since it ha's already abidden all variety of oppositions and tempests when the whole power of the Roman and infernall Empire sought to extinguish it and when all sorts of Heretiques and Schismatiques sought to undermine it But I shall speak more of this when I come to the last conclusion concerning the perpetuall visibility of the Church 4. In the fourth place to his first proofe that no Church of one denomination can be an infallible guide in fundamentalls because if so then she should be infallible in non-fundamentalls also I answer that even by Mr. Chillingworth's own confession it does not follow that if Christ hath promised to preserve his church from all errour in fundamentalls that therefore by vertue of that promise she should be exempted from all errour whatsoever and the reason given by Mr. Chillingworth is worth the marking The Church sayes he may erre and yet the gates of hell not prevaile against her for seeing you Catholiques do and must grant that a particular Church may hold some errour and yet be still a true member of the Church Why may not the universall Church bold the same errour and yet remain the universall Church unlesse every the least errour be one of the gates of hell 5. And indeed many Catholique Writers there are who upon the same grounds with Mr. Chillingworth extend the promise of the holy Spirits assistance to the church not to all inconsiderable circumstantiall doctrines but substantiall and traditionary only And for a further proof we may add that there are some Fathers of great antiquity and authority who hold whether justly and truly or no I debate not but they hold that there are reall differences between the four Evangelists in some circumstances of no considerable moment related by them and by consequence there must of necessity in their opinion be an errour such as it is in some one of them at lâ—ast The which inconsiderable differences whether reall or imaginary there being an exact demonstrable agreement amongst them all in points of Doctrine do rather in S. Chrysostomes judgement in Mat. Hom. 1 establish then invalidate or any way prejudice the divine infallibility of their writings since thereby it is apparent sayes he that they did not compose them by consent and conspiracy for then they would have been scrupulously punctuall in all even the smallest circumstances but in the ingenuous simplicity and sincerity of their hearts In like manner S. Hierome tells us that in his time some learned Catholiques were of opinion that the Apostles and Evangelists in the New Testament quoted some passages of the old Testament and the Septuagint meerly out of their memory not looking into the books themselves and that by that means their memory failing their quotations were not exactly true yet notwithstanding those Fathers were far from questioning the authority or infallibility of any one of the Evangelists as concerning any substantiall doctrine contained in any of their Gospells c. So likewise in the Latin Translation of the Bible there are not only differences of senses from Originalls Hebrew or Greek now extant not only great and uncertain variety of reading in the antient Latin Copies but likewise as the Protestants brag very great diversity between the Impressions published by the Authority of Pope Sixtus Quintus and Clemens Octavus since the Councell of Trent wherein notwithstanding they are mistaken for though Sixtus Quintus had design'd an Impression and prepared a Bull for the authorizing of it yet God took him away before he effected his intent thereby as it were signifying that it was his pleasure to take away from Heretiques all seeming advantages against his Church But though this had been as the Protestants imagine surely a more corrected reimpression does not imply that the Church wanted the true Scripture since none of such differences are of such considerable moment as to cause any uncertainty in points of Doctrine For I conceive it was never heard that any errour was grounded meerly upon a various reading of any Text of Scripture But to proceed certain it is that there were much greater differences between the antient Italica and other Latin Translations of the antient Church and this of S. Hierome as likewise yet greater between the Septuagint and the Hebrew and yet neither do the Apostles refuse to quote some passages out of the Septuagint wherein the Translation is manifestly faulty however in a matter inconsiderable neither will any Catholique affirm that the promise of the holy Spirits assistance did fail the antient Church although it only made use of a Translation of the Scripture very imperfect if compared with S. Hieromes no not though upon such differences of reading it were possible to ground doctrines which might be circumstantially erroneous It is true such doctrines would be of no considerable moment but however they might be erroneous yet without any prejudice to Christs
again de util cred c. 2. There is one Church if you cast your eyes upon the surface of the earth more abundant in multitude and likewise as those who know by experience affirm more sincere in truth then all others but concerning truth that is another dispute And again cont Pet. l. 2. c. 95. Division and dissention makes you Heretiques and peace and unity make us Catholiques And Uincentius Lerinensis cap. 9. O admirable change the first Authors of the same opinions are called Catholiques and the Sectators Heretiques namely because they separated for them And S. Prosper de prom ben Dei p. 2. l. 5. He who communicates with the Universall Church is a Christian and a Catholique and he who doth not communicate with it is a Heretique and Antichrist Hereupon it is that the Fathers understand and interpret the word Câ—tholique not with respect to doctrine or belief but Communion externall So S. Augustine collat car d. 3. We shew by the testimony of our Communion that we have the Catholique Church And again brevic coll l. 3. The Donatists saith he answered that the word Catholique or universall was not derived from the universality of Nations but from the plenitude of Sacraments that is from the integrity of doctrine And again Ep. 48. ad Vinc. Reg. Thou thinkest that thou hast spoken subtilly when thou interpretest the name Catholique not of Universall Communion but of observation of all precepts and divine Sacraments or Mysteries 7. And to the end to demonstrate to Schismatiques that they could not pretend to any portion in the Catholique Church the Fathers ordinarily silenced them from any claim thereto by asking them whether they could addresse communicatory letters unto or receive such letters from all Catholique Bishops which they not being able to do were supposed to be sufficiently convicted So S. Augustine ep 163. speaking of Fortunatus the Donatist I asked him if he could send communicatory Letters which we call Formatas whither I would name c. But because the thing was manifestly false they quitted that discourse with confusion of language Hence it was that the antient Schismatiques not being able with any the least pretence to challenge the title of Catholiques were forced to repaire themselves by laying an aspersion or diminution on that name as when Sympronian told S. Pacian ep 1. That none under the Apostles were called Catholiques and when Gaudentius the Donatist affirmed that the word Catholique was a humane fiction which S. Augustine calls Verba blasphemia Blasphemous words lib. 1. con Gaudent 8. Notwithstanding in some cases the Fathers allow that a man may possibly be separated from the externall communion of the Catholique Church without imputation of Schisme according to this discourse which I have found quoted out of S. Augustine Often times also it happens saith he that the divine Providence permits that some good men should be cast out of the Christian Congregation by some over-turbulent sedition of carnall men which injury done unto such men when they shall bear it patiently for the peace of the Church and shall not attempt any innovations of Schismes or Heresies they will instruct men with what true affection and with how great sincerity and charity we ought to serve God The designe and resolution therefore of such men is either to returne when the tempest is calmed or if that be not permitted them either by reason that the tempest yet continues or out of fear lest by their returne another tempest should be raised more violent then the former they preserve a will and affection to serve even those to the violence and commotions of whom they have given place defending to the death without making any separated conventicles and maintaining by their testimony the faith which they know is preached in the Catholique Church Such as these the Father who sees in secret crownes in secret 9. I remember that Monsienr Grotius from this speech of S. Augustine and a suitable action I think of S. Chrysostomes defends the non-association to the Catholique Church of himselfe and such peaceable Protestants as himselfe But surely in vain for first this discourse of S. Augustine supposes that such persons doe not hold any doctrines condemned by the Catholique Church 2. That whensoever leave or opportunity shall be given they will readily embrace her Communion 3. That they doe not communicate with any Sects manifestly in separation from it None of which suppositions can he applied to Monsieur Grotius c. and therefore such a Communion in voto or desire cannot in the judgement of Antiquity availe them since if it could no Heretique nor Schismatique could be culpable or that in such a sense doth not communicate with the Catholique Church for there is not any of them but would willingly communicate with her upon these termes viz. That she would change the clauses and conditions of her Communion and reform her selfe according to the patternes of their particular respective Sects 10. A fourth mark of Heresie and Schisme is when the first Authors of them can be named and by consequence can be proved to be in time posteriour to Catholique Unity And particularly for doctrines such were esteemed Hereticall which could not be maintained to be Apostolicall that is not which the Authours did not pretend to be deducible out of Apostolicall Writings for all Heretiques generally alledged Scripture for all their blasphemies but which they could not prove to have been professed in the church and deduced successively from Age to Age since the Apostles times Thus S. Athanasius in Dec. Syn. Nic. cont Arian Behold we have proved the succession of our doctrine delivered from hand to hand from Father to Sonne But as for you Arians new-Jewes and children of Caiaphas what Progenitours can you show of your speeches So likewise S. Pacian Epist. 3. For my selfe holding my selfe assured upon the succession of the Church and contenting my selfe with the peace of the antient Congregation I have not learned any studies of discord CHAP. XLVIII An Application of the former marks of Schisms to the present Controversie and a demonstration that they doe not suit to the Romane but onely Protestant Churches 1. HAving thus informed my selfe of the mind of Antiquity concerning the nature and marks of Schisme and Heresie and applying them to the controversie in hand between the Roman and Protestant c. Churches it appeared as clear to me as the Sun at noone day that if the same Fathers and Bishops meeting in the antient Councells to condemn the Arians Nestorians Eutychians Novatians and Donatists c. had lived in these times they must of necessity upon the same grounds have condemned the Lutherans Calvinists English-Protestants Socinians c. For it being apparent that there is really a Schisme among the Western Christians since Luthers Apostacy in as much as so many Sects doe not onely actually separate from the communion of that church which before that separation they all called the Catholique Church but
hath upon Psalm 56. and in his 166. Epistle ad Donat and on 1. Ep. of S. John Tract 2. c. And again in Psal. 70. The Christian world is promised and this is believed by them This promise is fulfilled and it is contradicted by them And againe If the church shall not continue here on earth even to the end of the world to whom did our Lord say Behold I am with you even to the end of the world And again de Bapt. con Don. l. 3 If from the time of S. Cyprian the church perished from whence did Donatus appeare out of what earth did he bud out of what See did he arise from what heaven did he fall And again cont Jul l. 5. If by those holy Priests of God and famous Doctors Irenaeus Cyprian Rheticius Olympius Hilary Ambrose Gregory Basile John Chrysostome Innocent and Hierome the Manicheans have violated and corrupted the Church Tell me Julian who was it that brought thee forth was it a chast Matron or a Harlot who in her travelling brought thee forth by the wombe of spirituall Grace into that light which thou hast forsaken I willingly omit infinite other passages especially out of S. Augustine to the same purpose because even Protestants generally do not question the substance of that truth herein contained CHAP. LII Application of these proofes to the advantage of the Romane Catholique Church and against Protestants c. 1. THe cause therefore is clear in the generall Thesis that the Fathers opinion was that by vertue of Christs expresse promises his church was to continue visible and distinguishable from all other unlawfull congregations to the worlds end This I do not find denied by the English Protestants I mean neither that this was the sense of the Fathers nor that this sense was ture 2. The great controversie therefore is in the Hypothesis or application of the generall Thesis viz. whether that such conclusions as the Fathers deduce from the visibility of the Catholique church in their dayes may rationally be inferred from the Roman Catholique church visible in these dayes For example that it is unlawfull upon any pretence of errors or abuses in practise to separate from the externall communion of that church which now calls it selfe the Catholique Church which is only the Roman for the Grecian churches though they challenge the title of Catholique Churches that is true members of the Catholique yet I doe not find that they make an association to their externall communion a necessary condition to all Christians 3. The English Protestants say no against all Roman Catholiques who unanimously affirm that since such discourses of the Fathers were grounded upon Christs promises to his church which were to be effectuall to the end of the world that therefore they are as fitly and necessarily to be applied to the present as to the antient Catholike church and that no other church but that in communion with the Roman can make any valuable or legitimate pretentions to that title Though the truth is if it be to be granted that there is any visible Catholique church at all whose externall communion is necessary the Protestants are inexcuseably culpable since they neither would nor could upon their grounds communicate with any church in the world that was in being when Luther began his Apostacy 4. In this controversie therefore upon these following considerations and grounds I fully satisfied my self that the plea of Roman Catholiques was just and reasonable For â— Though English Protestants deny the Roman church to be the Catholique church cum Emphase yet they acknowledge her to be a true member at least of the Catholique church being forced hereto for their own interest to justifie the lawfulnesse of their Ordinations c. And this acknowledgement alone is sufficient to condemne them for their separation as guilty of Schisme since he who separates from an acknowledged true member of the Catholique church doth consequently separate from the Catholique church 5. Secondly they acknowledge that the whole body of the present Catholique church enjoyes the same priviledges and authority that it did in the times of the antient Fathers that a Schisme from it is as pernicious as antiently that a truly Generall Councell now is as obliging and unappealable from as heretofore And upon these grounds they will condemn themselves since it is apparent that if the Easterne churches were assumed together with the Western to make up the full body of the Catholique most of the opinions and pretended errours upon which they ground the lawfulnesse and necessity of their separation will appear to be the doctrines of the church called Catholique even in their sense as e. g. acknowledging the blessed Sacrament to be a proper Sacrifice propitiatory for quick and dead the Reall Presence per modum transmutationis Prayer for Dead and Purgatory Invocation of Sâ—ines Veneration of Images c. And therefore if all the four Patriarches had met at the Councell of Trent they had Infallibly concur'd in condemning the Protestants as Heretiques in these points and their separation upon such grounds is Schisme properly so called 6. Thirdly it appeared evidently to me that those communions and congregations of Christians which acknowledge subjection to the Pope could only rightfully challenge the name of the Catholique church For 1. I took it for granted that that which was called the Catholike church after the times of the four first Generall Councells when the Aâ—â—ans Photinians Macedonians Nestorians Eurychians c. were anathematized was indeed the onely truâ— Catholique church by which account the Abyssine churches as being at least antiently Eutychians and severall Eastern churches as Nestorians Jacobiâ—es c. were and are to be excluded from that denomination which yet the Protestants now although they dare not communicate with them would admit into the body of the church but most unreasonably for if the Abyssines continue yet Eutychians the Protestants of England who receive the foure first Generall Councells do thereby acknowledge them to be Heretiques if they have quitted Eutychianisme and really adjoyned themselves to the Roman church according to severall Embassies mentioned by Damianus à Goes c. then Protestants will find it so much more to their disadvantage to argue any thing from the Abyssine churches 2. I could observe nothing which could make me doubt that that which was called the Catholique church from the four first Generall Councells to S. Gregories the Greats dayes inclusivè was indeed so For if in S. Gregories dayes there was a Catholique church is Protestants grant there was then that which was in communion and subjection to him was only it since none that I know pretend to allow that title to any congregation divided from him Now in the church of S. Gregories time it is apparent that in a manner all points of Doctrine now by Protestants called errours and causes of their separation were universally acknowledged as Catholique doctrines as I shewed before by a joynt confession
not true because they find no satisfaction in the discourses and answers which the Schoole-writers endeavour to give to a thousand foolish objections which they conjute up out of Aristotles Philosophy against this Mystery to be adored and trembled at It is onely Scripture testimonies of Faâ—hers Ecclesiasticall Tradition Generall Councells and the Profession of the present Catholique Church which are the proper Judges of this controversie and whose authority when it is employed as it ought will assert this divine truth of the Reality of Christs presence by way of conversion in the blessed Sacrament to the confusion of all Novelties and all Blasphemies of Heretiques The antient both Latin and Grecian Fathers who certainly were of wits as subtill and pierceing as any that have succeeded them yet never thought upon such nice enquiries as now every young Philosopher can prattle of and therefore I professe since I am far from finding any obligation at all lying upon me to the contrary yea since the Councell of Trent Sess. 13. c. I. hath defined this point in the language of Antiquity and not of the Schools saying that Christ is present in the Sacrament Sacramentaliter i. e. mysteriously inexplicably I will never endeavour to answer any Philosophicall arguments any other way then with such words as these of S. John Damascene The Bread and Wine is changed into the Body and Blood of our Lord but this after an unsearchable manner For of this matter we know no further but only that the word of God is true and efficacious and omnipotent Damasc. de Orthod Fide lib. 4. cap. 14. Of the Adoration of our Lord Jesus Christ present in the holy Eucharist 9â— Let us now consider to what the church obliges all Catholiques in this point If any one saith the Councell of Trent Sess. 13. Can. 6. saith that Jesus Christ the only Son of God ought not to be adored with the exteriour worship of Latria it self in the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist and that for that end it ought not to be proposed publikely to the people to be adored and that those who adore him are Idolaters let him be Anaâ—hema Which worship of Latria is not given to the outward Symbolls of the Eucharist but only to Jesus Christ himself there present A certaine degree of respect even by the confession of the Calvinists is due to all outward instruments of Religion as to Chalices to the books of Scripture to the water of Baptisme and to the Species of Bread and Wine in the Holy Eucharist And Catholiques allow no more But the true object which a Catholique adores with this sublime act of adoration or Latria is in the case in hand Jesus Christ himself who is to be adored every where wheresoever he is present and therefore likewise in the holy Eucharist in the which the Catholique church knows and acknowledgeth no other substance as the Calvinists desire to impose on them but only Jesus Christ. And if they be Idolaters for this the Lutherans are so too who teach the same doctrine though they expresse themselves in the point of the Reall Presence after another new-invented manner yet notwithstanding the Calvinists when their worldly interests obliged them could be content to comunicate with the Lutherans and could swallow their pretended Idolatry but out of fear and hatred of Catholique union make even the church her self a prejudice against her doctrine 10. For mine own part whilest I was a Protestant I professe I could never answer to mine own reason why we should condemn the worshipping of Christ whom we professed to be present in very truth without figures or fancies If he had not been there after a peculiar Sacramentall manner I might lawfully notwithstanding have worshipped him there because I may and ought to worship him every where as being God omnipresent yea though his humane nature be locally present only at the right hand of the Father in glory yet I may worship the man Jesus Christ every where because that person which is God and Man is every where present viz. according to his divine not humane nature and yet it seems when a new accâ—ssion of another kind of Sacramentall truly reall presence is added to the former though I acknowledge this later presence to be as reall as the former I must be forbidden to expresse that I acknowledge and believe it any other way then by saying with my lips that I do so I must then deny unto him in that place at his owne table and altar and at that time whilest are celebrated those mysteries adorable even to Angells themselves that worship and respect which I would have given him at mine own table or whilest I was doing the ordinary works of my calling But it will be said perhaps you are not forbidden to worship him but you must not worship him as present there And why for Gods sake Bid me rather believe that he is not after an epseciall manner present But this is tyranny and injustice in the highest degree to command me to believe that he is as truly though after another manner present there as at the right hand of his Father and at the same time to command me by my works to belye my belief No no. Quà m magis ingenuè Peribonius How much more ingenuous are the Socinians then all other Sects for whereas the rest would gladly pretend Antiquity and take much unprofitable pains to make a Father now and then speak a word in their favour The Socinians instead of puzling themselves to untye cut asunder all such knots and difficulties they with an impudent resolutenesse break through all obstacles Let the antient church determine what it please and let the antient Fathers agree to speak as they have a mind if what is spoken and decreed either suit not with what they fancy that the Holy Ghost does mean or naturall reason being Judge ought to mean or if the Holy Ghost in their opinions hath been silent in it without more aâ—o they presently reject and condemn it upon which grounds they strein not to alter all the language almost of the church they know no such thing as a Sacrament they acknowledge no promises to nor no â—ffects of such ceremonious actions as the church and all Christians call Sacraments they scoffe at the Reall Presence and abominate the adoration of Christ in his Mysteries Let S. Ambrose de Sp. 5. l. 3. say By his footstool is meant the earth and by the earth the body of Christ which every day we adore in the mysteries and which the Apostles adored in our Lord Jesus Let S. Augustine in Psa. 48. say For he took earth from earth both because be conversed here in very flesh and gave us likewise very flesh to eat for our salvation Now no man eats that flesh but that he adores it first And thus a way is found how the Lords footstoole is adored And again Epist 120. expounding that of the Psalmist All
insomuch as the very name of Contemplation is unknown among them I mean in the mysticall sense for all that is understood among them in their Treatises of devotion by that word is only the descanting upon any mystery of divinity or passage of Scripture 8. Finding therefore not only beyond but contrary to my expectation such a treaâ—ure in the Catholique Church as true Devotion an union with and participation of the Divine Nature and the means to purchase this treasure being so obvious there and so unknown all the world over besides could I do lesse then say Quis dabit mibi pennas ficut Columba Who will give me wings like a dâ—ve that I may fly into the wildernesse retired out of the world and be at rest that wildernesse into which God ha's promised that he will bring his chosen ones in which loquetur ad cor corum i. e. He will communicate himself familiarly unto them I do freely confesse my partiality I could not chuse but wish that truth might appear to me to be the companion of Holinesse and that that church which could give such admirable directions to love God might not deceive us when she would instruct us to know him In a word I was the easilier perswaded to believe and submit to the churches authority because thereby I was sure to evacuate pride and an esteem of mine own sufficiency to be mine own directour and by consequence to exercise at least an act of humility and obedience if not of faith 9. As for the prejudices and accusations before mentioned which I once imputed to the Catholike Church the clearing of them is not at all difficult for as for the first the whole force of it lyes in this â— that Christ is accused to have taken care both for the subsistence and honour of his servants and Ministers a fault that no sect can forgive as if they intended to be revenged upon their seducing Ministers by exposing them to beggery and dishonor But this was never the disposition of Catholiques they have alwayes willingly afforded this double honour to the Clergy and yet never any Church upon earth laid so heavy censures upon avarice Usury and Simony as the Catholique Church both done Concerning the 2. the prostitution of Indulgences and Pardons is in formall words condemned by the Councell of Trent So that it is not the Church which opens Paradice so freely to rich men but only particular avaricious Priests who I fear do by such vain promises shut it both against themselves and such customers To the 3. the imputation onely concernes two or three private Casuists so far from being justified by the church that the Pope hath expressely censured and condemned them Concerning the 4. I fear indeed the scandall of prostituting absolutions for the greatest crimes upon ridiculous penances is but too common but yet without any fault of the church yea we may reasonably judge of the mind of the Councell of Trent in that respect by the zealous practises of S. Charls Barromée then whom no man had a greater influence upon that Councell who immediatly after its dissolution spent himself wholly in endeavouring to restore the antient discipline as far as this wicked age could bear it according to the mind of that Councell For the 5. as the rest it only reflect upon particular persons and touches not the church at all The like may be said of the last which speaks of Attrition and the sufficiency thereof with the Sacrament of Penance to qualifie a person guilty of sin for Remission Upon better enquiry I found that all Catholique Authors though they assent to that doctrine in grosse yet they do not all agree in their explication of the notion of Attrition For in direct opposition to my pre-conceived prejudice I find that not to speak of Jansenius and his followers who professe to embrace S. Augustines Doctrine therein the learned Estius and Sylvius the former in l. 4. sentent dist 16. 9. and the latter in suppl D. Tho. ad 3. p. a. 1. q. 1. do thus expresse themselves that there are foure acceptions of the word Attrition according to four Motives unto sorrow for sin 1. Out of meer naturall and humane motives as losse of goods fame health c. 2. Out of fear of hell and not at all the love of God 3. For the offence indeed committed against God but yet this out of an in-efficacious suspended and meer optative will Now none of these three say they are sufficient even with the Sacrament to qualifie a sinner for the remission of his sins But only the fourth which is indeed essentially Contrition but an imperfect one according to the expression of the Councell of Trent being a Grief for sin because God is offended joyn'd with an absolute purpose no more to offend him and proceeding from a will to please him as deserving to be loved above all things though this will be as yet feeble remisse and imperfect This they say is the lowest qualification that with the Sacrament can suffice to remission of sins And this they resolutely contend to be the sense of the Councell of Trent grounding themselves upon this to their seeming firm foundation viz. That it is against Scriptures and the Doctrine of the antient Church to say that a man without any degree of true charity can be capable of the remission of his sins or the favour of God But very many dissent from the riâ—ouâ— of this â—â—eir explâ— cation That which the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 14. â—â— 4. concerning this point is That Aâ—trition call'd there imperfect Contrition excluding a will of sinning and joyn'd with a hope of pardon but arising from a consideration of the filthinesse of sin and fear of punishment for it although without the Sacrament of Penance it cannot of it selfe bring a sinner to justification yet it disposes him to the obteining the Grace of God in that Sacrament And that it does not as Calvin affirmes make a man a hypocrite or more a sinner then before but on the contraery that it is a gift of God and an impulse of the holy Spirit not yet inhabiting in man but only moving him by whicâ— a penitent being helped doth prepare unto himselfe a way unto righteousness Then which what could be spoken more moderately cantelously and piously To conclude this argument Scandalls there will and must be in the church to the end of the world as our Saviour foretold and withall as he foretold a grievous woe to the authors of them and a blessing proportionable to those that would not be scandalized that is that neither would joyne in heart to consent to such scandalls nor out of hatred of them to usurp the Angells office who only are deputed to separate and pluck up all scandalls at the end of the world or to rent the mysticall body of Christ. CHAP. V. The Conclusion wherein the imputation of inconstancy charged upon the Author is answered as likewise of forsaking
Infallibility he did ill and even enviously to their glory that he did not name those worthies for my part besides the noble Author of the following Discourse whom certainly he means for one and by consequence Mr. Chillingworth I cannot remember that ever I heard any great Elogium in this respect given to any English writer Yet it may be he might have an eye upon the last Arch-bishop of Canterbury and his late enlarged Dialogue which if he did then I conjure I. P. that he would once more peruse the said Arch-bishop's Discourse and single from it whatsoever is impertinent to the main essential controversie that is whatsoever touches particular debates of Catholicks about the Popes infallibility and the exceptions that may be found against certain Councels as likewise about the several qualities and conditions required to an acknowledged obliging Councel all which things are nothing to the purpose And lastly that laying aside all these unnecessary velitations he would apply the Arch-bishops most efficatious arguments to an Oecumenical confirmed Councel especially if he will add the condition too of being actually received by the Church and my life for his he will see reason to acknowledge that all that discourse is of no force at all against the Church yea that the Archbishop himself never intended it should However the Calvinists or fantastical private Spiritists or exalters of humane reason might deal against the universal authority of Gods Church the Prelates of England were too wise to judge that people would be so blinde as to think any obedience could be due out of conscience to a National Church begun and continued upon secular and indeed unlawful intrests if that Church should build its authority upon a profession of renouncing all authority And therfore though they were very earnest in the controversie about Ecclesiasticall Authority when they were to write or proceed juridically against Presbyterians or Separatists yet they loved not to talk of it against the Catholick Church yea it was from the Catholick Church onely that they borrowed their Arguments against their Schismaticks as may in a good measure appear in the printed Reasons of the University of Oxford against the Covenant Negative Oath and Ordinances concerning Discipline and Worship approved by generall consent in a full Convocation June 1. 1647 and it was under the shadow of their pretence to be still a member of the Catholick Church and to have received their Authority and Succession from it that they obliged good easie Protestants to continue their subjects But this is but a guesse that I. P. in this passage reflected upon the late Archbishop or any other English Prelaticall Writer 13. Certain it is he must intend my Lord Falkland as one of the great Defenders of the Doctrine of the Church of England since he speaks this in his Preface to his Discourse of Infallibility and with an evident design thereby to recommend both the Author and his work This being so I. P. will give me leave to use his own words O the strength of Reason rightly managed O the power of Truth clearly declared Yea O the force of a guilty conscience For what else but the irresistable power of truth and evidence of reason and acknowledgement of guilt could move him so publickly to condemn his own Church and to confess its â—surpation impossible to be justified Behold O Protestants how your Church is defended here is a discourse that undertakes to demonstrate and if you will believe your brother I. P. has admirably and unanswerably performed it that upon earth there neither is nor ever was any Guide that could oblige any other to follow his direction and that every mans conscience is to be guided by his own single naturall Reason chusing that Faith which is most agreeable to Nature and holding it onely so long as Nature likes it and then changing it for another In fine a Discourse that gives you leave yea almost invites you to return to the Religion of the old Philosophers those Epoptes and Priests of Nature If there be any force in this your Defenders discourse what becomes of your Articles and Canons your Synods and Convocations your Infallible Acts of Parliament and Proclamations It is evident he might as well yea more reasonably have said That the Councell of Trent is a great defender of the Church of England for that indeed justifies Ecclesiasticall Authority whereas this discourse directly and purposely and universally destroyes it But the meaning or that which should be the meaning of I. P. is this That the Authority of the Church of England is impossible to be maintained for if as the Catholick Church avows there be in the Church by Christ's appointment any Authority Ecclesiasticall obliging in conscience it is certain it is not inherent in the Church of England that began but yesterday and is not now at all and when it began it began by the renouncing of all visible authority Again if as this discourse pretends there be no obliging authority that is no infallible one for surely none can be obliged to an authority that confesses it self questionable then both the Catholick Church and the Church of England are meer names and verbal sounds that signifie nothing This is so evident that it is pitty to insist longer upon the persecuting of good I. P. that here publishes his conviction and confession and must either tear out this Preface before such a discourse or abjure his Church of England if ever it appear again 14. By what hath been said it is apparent that the doctrine of the Infallibility of the Church speaking by a lawful Oecumenical Councel is delivered by as full a Tradition as it is possible for a doctrine to be delivered And therefore Protestants are inexcusable and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 since receiving such special Books of Scripture upon no other grounds but Tradition they yet renounce the Churches authority which is more universally and authoritatively delivered and confirmed The same Truth is unanswerably grounded upon what hath formerly been proved in this Book viz. That it is impossible that that which any one à ge agrees in as Tradition should not be so because that would argue that some former whâ—le Age hath agreed to deceive their posterity Ob. 15. But perhaps I. P. or his friends will say That though what hath been asserted may be effectual to demonstrate the Infallible Authority of the universal Church yet not so to demonstrate that the Roman is that Infallible Catholick Church since the Greeks may put in their plea at least to be a very considerable part That they are not unwilling to submit to the Universal Church though she should condemn them For though the importunate restless malice of som Calvinistical spirits among them hath procured some uncivil and indeed unchristian Clauses to be put into the English Articles derogating from the Authority of General Councels yet the true English Protestant hath alwaies been ready to protest submission to the
Allelujah He may answer Amen He may keep the Gospell He may have the Faith and preach it only salvation he cannot have Again l. 3. cont Petil. c. 5. No man preaching the name of Christ and carrying or ministring the Sacrament of Christ is to be followed against the Unity of Christ. Again cont adv Le. Proph. l. 1. 6. 17. If he hear not the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen and a Publican which is more grievous then if he was strucken through with a sword consumed by flames exposed to wilde beasts Again l. de Past. c. 12. The Divel saith not let them be Donatists and not Arians for whether they be here or there they belong to him that gathers without making a difference Let him adore Idolls saith the Divell he is mine Let him remain in the superstition of the Jewes he is mine Let him quit Unity and passe over to this or that or any Heresie he is mine 4. Witnesse likewise S. Fulgentius de rem pec cap. 22. Out of this Church neither the title of Christian secures any man neither doth Baptisme conferre salvation neither doth any man offer a sacrifice agreeable to God neither doth any man receive Remission of sinnes neither doth any man attain to eternall life for there is one onely Church one onely Dove one onely well-beloved one only Spouse Again de Fid. ad Pet. D. c. 39. Hold this most firmly and doubt not of it in any wise that every Heretique and Schismatique whatsoever baptized in the name of the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost if before the end of his life he be not reunited to the Catholike Church let him bestow never so many almes yea though he should shed his bloud for the name of Christ he cannot obtain salvation Witnesse lastly S. Prosper He who does not communicate with the Universall Church is a Heretique and Antichrist de prom praed Dei p. 4. c. 5. 5. Surely no man can justly blame if a serious consideration of such testimonies of Scripture such a conspiracy of all the Saints almost of the antient Church agreeing to condemne Schisme as the most heinous inexcuseable sin that a Christian was capable of committing not to be redeemed with Faith Sacraments Almes Miracles no nor Martyrdome it selfe awakened me from the Lethargy I was in and from the presumption which I had viz. that since I my selfe had no influence upon the beginnings of the Separation but on the contrary approached as neere in my beliefe to the Catholique Church as Truth in my opinion would permit me and lastly since I judged charitably of the state of Cutholiques that therefore the guilt of Schisme should never be imputed to me Not content therefore to rest upon these imaginations in a matter upon which my eternall happinesse inseparably depended if the expresse words of Scripture and unanimous consent of Antiquity were to be believed I proceeded to examine the present state of Protestant c. Churches in separation from the Romane by the markes which the antient Fathers afforded me to judge by whether of the two parties were guilty and to which of them this so heynous low viz. 1. They all agreed that Schisme was a thing of it self evident whereof the most ignorant understandings might inform themselves For this being the foundation of all their disputes of the Catholike Church that it is a congregation so visible and illustrious that it cannot be hidden from the eys of any man that does not willingly shut them it does necessarily follow that they who are not in visible communion with that visible church are apparently Schismatikes 5. Secondly and by consequence that the mark of Schisme and Heresie was not a separation from the true faith simply but from that faith which is openly professed by the Church For otherwise if they had defined Schisme with respect onely to the true Faith all the evidence of Schisme would be utterly taken away since it would be alwayes ambiguous and disputable which of the parties in a Schisme held the true doctrine of which ignorant people could not be Judges and the learned would never acknowledge themselves guilty Besides the parties evidently in Schisme would be sure either not at all to acknowledge or at least to excuse and extenuate their fault by saying that though they were in some sort divided from the Catholique Church yet this was not so unpardonable since they left the Church only in points not fundamentall for in such they agree with Catholiques and by consequence remain the same church still in substantialls This is at this day the plea of many Protestants as it was anciently of the Pelagians according to that of S. Augustine de Pec. Orig. l. 2. c. 22. Pelagius and Goelestius saith he desirous cunningly to avoid the odious name of Heresie affirme that the question concerning Originall finne may be disputed without endangering Faith But this assertion of theirs he confuted particularly in his fourteenth Sermon De Verbis Apostoli and in generall against both Heretiques and Schismatiques proves that whatsoever in particular their opinions are yet since they professe otherwise then the church does and requires of them to doe they are in a damnable estate because thereby they vertually renounce one fundamentall Article of faith viz. of the authority and unity of the Catholique Church and therefore if they break communion though but for one doctrine and that of it self of no great importance their orthodoxnesse in all other points will not avail them wanting truth and especially renouncing charity and obedience to the Universall Church Hereupon the same Father in Psal. 54. saith of the Donatists We have each of us one Baptisme in this they were with me We celebrated the Feasts of the Martyrs in this they were with me We frequented the solemnity of Easter in this they were with me But they were not in all things with me In Schisme they were not with me In Heresie they were not with me In many things they were with me and in some few things they were not with me But in those few things in which they were not with me those many things do not profit them in which they were with me So again the same Father Ep. 48. Speaking to the same Donatists You are with us in Baptism in the Creed in other Sacraments of the Lord but in the Spirit of unity in the bond of peace and finally in the Catholike Church you are not with us 6. Thirdly that the proper to all eys visible and essentiall mark of Schisme for what cause soever it matters not is a wilfull separation from the externall Communion of the Catholique Church So S. Augustine de unit c. 4. Those who do so dissent from the body of Christ which is the Church that their Communion is not with the whole wheresoever it is spread but are fouud in some party separated it is manifest that they are not in the Catholike Church And