scorns or calumnies when merited only for recommending to devout Christians instructions for the practise of Christian Vertues and Piety in the greatest perfection that this life is capable of His Motiues therefore of writing and publishing this Discourse were first his Obedience to certain freinds whose commands he ought in no wise to resist And then a just Indignation in seeing the most Sacred things and Persons in the Catholick Church selected on purpose by him to be contaminated with his inck full of gall and poyson thereby imprudently ministring new aims to Atheists against whom as a considerable and growing Sect among them he and others begin to preach and write by shewing to his utmost ability that all the Religion professed in the world and that thing that bare the name of a Catholick Church for so many Ages before the times of Luther and Calvin was nothing for their Worship but Idolatry for their Devotions but Fanaticism and for their Doctrine and Disciplin nothing but Faction Ambition and Avarice 2. The task therefore here imposed being to answer in the Doctours last Book not the Points of Controversy between the Catholick Church and Protestants reserved for a more learned pen of his worthy Antagonist but those discourses in his Book and principally touching Fanaticism in which the Doctour seems not to have intended to employ his Talent of Reasoning but to discharge his excess of Spleen and choler and to give free scope to all Vnchristian and even in human Passions the Authour hopes he shall not deserve justly a Censure from the Reader if he endeavour here to defend the Truth with as much zeal and confidence as his Adversary hath assaulted it So long as nothing passeth from him that any way woundeth Christian Charity nor any sharpness is used but such as may through Gods Grace prove beneficiall to him and his applauding Readers 3. Now in the Doctours Book there are three Heads of Accusation selected by him with intention to disgrace and fright his Readers from the Communion of the Catholick Church by imputing to her 1. That she is guilty of Severall Opinions and Practises which hinder Devotion and a good life 2. That Fanaticism is not only countenanced by her but made a ground of believing some Doctrins of making some Ecclesiasticall Ordonnanes of erecting Religious Orders and â—kewise of resisting lawfull Authority 3. That there are among her Subiects Divisions about Doctrins of great moment and no possibility of reducing dissenting Parties to Vnity or Obedience 4. These Accusations my purpose is to refute and for his Proofs of them to shew the invalidity of those which are pretended by him to regard the Church her self But as for such as regard the Opinions or Actions of particular persons and which fill up the far greatest number of his leaves some thing shall be said to those among them which seem of any considerable moment and the rest shall be neglected as needing no Answer though never so truly alledged by him And having done this I will as I am perswaded with much greater confidence retort the same Heads of his Accusations upon himself demonstrating that his Protestant Churches as principled by him 1. doe evidently undermine the foundations of Piety and a Good life 2. That the Essence of his Religion is meer Fanaticism in his own sence of the Word and that it iustifies Rebellion against the Civill Magistrate 3. That by the Grounds of his Religion all manner of Divisions and Schims are not only excusable but lawfull and withall incurable 5. He will perhaps when he sees his large Book pretended to be sufficiently answered in a few sheets of paper renew the scornfull complaint made by him in his Preface That those who in some small measure have attempted to answer him have performed it in a way that Ratts answer Books by gnawing some of the leaves of them the Body and Design of them remaining wholly untouched by them Now who those persons are whom he is pleased to resemble to Ratts I can only iudge by guess and if I guess aright particularly of one Authour I could make it appear to the Doctour that the very bowells and most Vitall parts of his great Volume have been eaten through and consumed by that his Adversary 6. However I conceive he wil not have iust reason to apply this Metaphor to the Authour of this present Treatise since it was his own fault by heaping together a great Masse of rubbage and stuff altogether impertinent to make a short Answer sufficient Does he think his Adversaries in case they were allowed the liberty and commodity of publishing large Volumes so much at leasure as to follow him step by step in examining Quotations and answering Obiections which are of no moment whether they be true or false He may by such a way of writing beget in the minds of the vulgar sort of Readers a high Opinion of the Vastnes of his unnecessary reading and his well-furnished Library but his Adversaries will be much to blame if they trouble themsselves with defending every Old Story or personall imputations or indeed if hereafter they engage themselves in any Controversy with him except in Points pretended by him of such consequence as to iustify a necessity in Protestants of separating from the Catholick Church And few such Points are to be found in his Books 7. But moreover as short an Answer as this is he wil have less reason to say That the Body and Design of his Book will remain wholly untouched in it He may indeed perhaps have some ill Design in publishing as it were by conspiracy with others a Book so voyd of Christian Charity and moderation Which Design may remain untouched by mee because I am unwilling to declare the grounds of my coniectures moving me to look upon it as an Ominous ill-boading Book fore-running some expected mischeif But for the Body of his Book that is whatsoever appears to me in it of consequence it is truly a very slender dwarfish Body being almost entirely contained in a few sheets at the beginning and in the last single sheet which enwraps his Protestant Principles The publishing of which Principles was truly an act of commendable ingenuity and confidence also For I think he is the first Protestant-Controvertist who upou such a tender Subiect has appeared bare-faced out of the Clouds And moreover I may take leave to tell him that from a heedfull consideration of those his Principles I do collect that He and myself are of the same iudgment in one matter of great importance viz. That no shew of Reason or conscience can be pretended to escape from the Authority of the Catholick Church but by renouncing entirely as he has done in his Principles all Ecclesiasticall or even Civill Authority and by consequence that no Churches proceed Logically in asserting the grounds of their Religion but only Catholicks or Single-Independents The reason hereof is Because for any Ecclesiasticall Superiours to acknowledge any
Teachers does it not necessarily follow that all Sectaries are equally iustifiable since it is impossible without looking into their thoughts to evince against them that they have not enquired soberly What monstrous opinions now may not hereby be justified and what possibility of confuting them now if among such opinions this be one That it is the necessary Duty of a Christian Subiect to contribute all that is in his Power even goods and life it self to sett up the true Religion that is his own Sect and this against all Power whatsoever civill or Ecclesiasticall which shall seek to oppress it what will the Doctour standing to his own Principles say hereto if he had a mind to oppose it Now that such an Opinion may possibly spring up and the Assertours of it may pretend that it is grounded on evident Scripture the Doctour himself will not deny since I am sure he remembers and has reason to do so that this was the Architectonicall Principle common to all Sects in the like Rebellion this was thundred out in Pulpits of this all Pamphlets were full the Bible and nothing but the Bible was all their warrant the Bible was the Ensign carried up aloft before their Troops as if the King Bishops and all their party had been professed Enemies to the Bible or had grounded their Religion upon the Alcoran whereas indeed all these Sects had turned Christs Doctrine into that bloody law of Mahomet Yet notwithstanding all this the Doctour zealously and furiously against the Papists still contends for putting the Bible into all mens hands and assures them that they are the only Legall Iudges of the sense of it in Necessaries upon condition they will only say that they are Sober Enquirers into it 57. This seems to me to be an evident consequence of the Doctours Principle a Principle never acknowledged in Gods Church for above fourteen hundren years by any one Orthodox Christian or by any unless by some whom the Doctour himself will call Hereticks If the Doctour think I doe not speak truth lett him search and lett him employ his freinds to search into Libraries let them consult all the ancient Fathers of the Church and all Councills and when they have done and seen themselves deserted by all Antiquity and Vertually condemnd and Anathematized by all Councills which pretend to have right to teach and to oblige Christians to yeeld their assent will it not follow that his Religion hath a most pittifully unstable and sandy Foundation But to return from this digression to an argument more gratefull to the Doctour the Fanaticism by him imputed to the Catholick Church with regard to the Prayer of Contemplation 58. Whereas M. Cressy in his Sancta Sophia among severall things by which Liberty of Spirit may be hindered reckons this for one The doing actions meerly for edification the Doctour in scorn adjoyns hereto these words A most excellent and Apostolicall Doctrine These words shew that the Doctour likes not that saying but I cannot imagin what reason he had for it Our Saviour indeed requires that our light should shine before men that they seeing our good works might being edified glorifie our heavenly Father But this concerns only such good works as our Duty obliges vs to doe in Publick But as for other duties such as is Prayer and Fasting he bids us retire into our closets to practise them there without an eye to the Edifiing others and condemns the Pharisees for doing them that they may be seen of men In like manner those who are called to an Internall life and Solitude for them to quitt their proper Exercises to goe abroad on purpose to do actions good in themselves for no other end but Meerly to give a good example for the Edification of others was there iustly esteemed a prejudice to the liberty of Spirit necessary for their state 59. But moreover I would ask the Doctour whether being at Church in a publick Duty and not having any Devotion himself at present he would esteem it a commendable action to pretend to much fervour by lifting vp his eyes or beating his breast and this meerly and only to the end that others seeing him might be edifyed himself being nothing the better for such grimaces or would he give an Alms before people meerly for their edification and not out of a Motive of Charity inherent in himself Truly if he should doe all this in such a manner I should be none of his admirers And much lesse do I or I think any good Christian admire him for his Book so full af all manner of Vnchristian affections which surely he cannot pretend to be written meerly for edification and for which I hope his Judgement is not soe perverted as to expect a reward from God who litle esteems witt without Charity or rather witt shewed for the destruction of Charity and Truth also 60. After this the Doctour out of the same Book mentioning the Supernaturall Favours which innumerable Catholick Writers both ancient and Modern do testify to have been communicated by Almighty God to his servants after a constant exercise of Internall Prayer and Mortification the Doctour I say would have his Reader think that his deriding of these is a sufficient confutation And I may more justly think that a sober Reader will Judge that the only mentioning of a proceeding so contrary to all rules of reasoning is a sufficient Reply 61. What hath been hitherto sayd is even too much touching the defence of a Book of Prayer published by M. Cressy in which the Church of England is so litle concerned and which was compiled for the use of good devout humble Soules and not at all for persons of the Doctours temper Those eminently learned and Pious Fathers and particularly R. F. Leander a S. Martino who with great care perused the severall Spirituall Treatises written by R. F. Baker and gave their Approbations of them were persons in all regards for their profound universall Learning far exalted above the censures of Malignant Pedants and the devout soules to whose practise they recomended those pious Instructions have reaped such fruits from them such effectuall helps far their advancement in the Divine Love and Spirituall Perfection that the bouffoneries of such a Doctour will only produce this effect upon them to give God daily thanks that they have escaped from a Church in which blasphemous Invectives against Gods Saints and the Science of Saints are not only permitted but applauded and rewarded 62. None can justly wonder that a soule so manifestly voyd of Divine Love should want both light and tast in such things Daamantem sentit quod dicimus saith S. Augustin But does the Doctour hope that because he understands not and therefore proudly contemns Misticall Theology and the Exercises of an Internall life the Catholick Church and Governours of it will abate their esteem of that Blessing which manifestly proves that Gods Holy Spirit does not communicate his most sublime and
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
established among us and in veneration to whom such a world of Religious houses and Churches have been erected and enriched with vast possessions I can not without renouncing my Duty as a Christian Religious man and an English man by silence conspire to his dishonour the rather because to my best remembrance I never knew that any of the English Church since the Reformation did ever cast any scornfull Aspersions on his Memory and I believe the Doctour will scarce find any one hereafter willing to imitate his malignant Ingratitude 15. Now what is it that the Doctour layes to the charge of S. Benedict The whole Charge consists in repeating after a ridiculons manner certain passages of S. Benedicts life written by S. Gregory As 1. how being a child he by his Prayers obtained a Miracle for the consolation of his Nurse a Monument of which Miracle remained publickly Visible many years after 2. How he lived three years with wonderfull austerity in a cave unknown to any but S. Romanus who to the Devills despight furnished him with necessary food 3. How he rolled himself in thorns to conquer his amorous Passions 4. How he was enabled by Supernaturall Revelations and Lights to spy out Devills to discover things absent and foretell things to come to be a Spectatour of the Soule of his Sister S. Scholastica in the shape of a Dove going up to Heaven and to see all the world in uno radio Solis c. 16. By this brief Account of the life and actions of S. Benedict all which the Doctour expects that his Readers should esteem to be meer fanaticall Lyes and forgeries his intention seems to be to convict both S. Benedict and S. Gregory of lying against the Holy Ghost and ascribing to a Divine Power pretended Miracles Visions c. which either were not at all or were Sleights of Leger-de-main But what arguments does the Doctour give to disparage S. Gregories relation Will he deny that any Miracles were wrought by Gods servants in that Age If so he will find it a hard task to defend himself against so many Saints learned and prudent men who have testified that they have been eye-witnesses of many He will not surely affirm though he is bold enough to affirm anything that such Miracles if reall were Proofs that the Workers of them were Fanaticks and Deceivers These things considered where will he hope to find Readers who can be inwardly perswaded that what S. Gregory relates is sufficiently confuted by his scornfull manner of repeating it in the new stile of a Theological Scarron Or to iudge this a concluding argument S Benedict wrought Miracles was favoured with supernaturall Visions and Revelations therefore he is manifestly convicted of Fanaticism and upon that Fanaticism he instituted his Religious Order for which he framed a Fanaticall Rule 17. Now by Fanaticism the Doctour ays he intends an Enthusiastick way of Religion that is a Religion built upon falsly pretended Inspirations Illuminations c. Which Definition being approved with what shew of reason can the Doctour accuse S. Benedict of Fanaticism For did S. Benedict frame to himself a New Religion Did he make any the least alteration in the Religion conveyed to him by Tradition and professed by the whole Church Had any of his Visions or Revelations any influence on his Religion to make him introduce any innovations How was he then an Enthusiast 18. But S. Gregory affirms that he had Revelations Inspirations and the Guift of discerning Spirits And these things the Doctor will needs call Enthusiasms Surely he will not deny but that God may yea often has conferred on his servants Revelations of his will in some speciall circumstances which are not in the Doctors sence Enthusiasms Neither will I on the other side deny but many persons even in the Catholick Church have bin seduced by the Devill and their own pride to pretend to lights received from God which were either effects of a distempered fancy or suggestions of the Devill The question therefore is whether S. Benedicts visions and Revelations came the former or the latter way But it is no question touching the Doctours Iudgement in this case for certainly he durst not decide them if he thought or but suspected that they came from God 19. I beseech him now that he would examine his own conscience whether I will not say convincing proofs but rational grounds may not be affoorded that S. Benedicts Visions and Revelations were truely divine considering 1. the Innocence purity and vninterrupted fervour of devotion conspicuous in S. Benedict from his Infancie to his death 2. The admiration in which the age wherein he lived held him both for his piety and the stupâ—nduous favours conferred on him by Almighty God Will the Doctor now say that all that age and all ages following have been deluded by an Hypocrit and Counterfeit Enthusiast and that himself was the only person Clear-sighted enoug to discover the cheat not only all Christians living in his time but even the Pagan Goths had him in veneration By what light now after above a thousand years has he seen that the whole world besides himself have been deluded Hee will easily giue me leave to say assuredly it was not by a supernaturall light least he himself should be suspected an Enthusiast And for a naturall light to justifie him he has shewed us none having concealed the reasons moving him to make a Saint soe glorious in the esteem of the Christian world the obiect of his derision 20. I verily believe the Doctor would have been easily induced to have spared the person of S. Benedict and so of the other Saints had not a saying of Cardinal Bellarmin afflicted his mind and stirred up his choler viz. That Religious orders were at first instituted by S. Benedict S. Romualdus S. Bruno S. Dominick and S. Francis by the inspiration of the holy Ghost This was a sayeing insupportable to a mind by education and wordly interest preveÌ„ted with a strong preiudice and therefore all books and Legends must be searched and everie crifling passage and circumstance perhaps indiscreetly inserted any where by Authors must be made use of to disgrace the Saints and to prove them Enthusiasts Though all the world besides haue them in veneration 21. Now to enter into dispute concerning their personall qualities with such an Adversary wil bee to offend against Charity by giving him occasion of reviling yet more Gods most beloued perfect servants The most commodious way then to make a true judgement of them will be to examine their fruits For by their fruits saith our Saviour they will be known 22. Therefore to determine whether it was by Gods Inspiration that they instituted their respective Orders lett those who doubt yea those who scarce think it lawfull to doubt 1. Examine their severall Rules according to which their Disciples oblige themselves to conform their lives and actions And. 2. consider whether God has acknowledged them for his
Enemies Then his Teachers Then the Ancients only by meditating on Gods law and Keeping his Precepts 29. Thus far concerning the severall Heads of accusations of S. Benedict in a scornefull manner represented by the Doctour to make his Readers merry at the expences of a Glorious Saint But withall his Readers are desired to consider that all these heads are borrowed from S. Gregory who wrote the Saints life from the testimonie of certain Holy men who had been S. Benedicts Disciples So that the very same things which S. Gregory wrote to prove the Sanctity of S. Benedict the Doctour makes use of to shew him as it were on a stage to have been a Fanatick a false pretender to Miracles Visions and Inspirations and an Ignorant Fool And all this without any reason or proof given to iustifie such Imputations 30. But the Readers are desired to consider that whatever opinion they have of S. Benedict to the zeal and Charity of whose Disciples notwithstanding they owe their Christianity yet surely S. Gregory was not a person fitt to make sport for the Doctour and his Readers S. Gregory perhaps the most exalted and most humble Saint the most Illuminated Doctour the most zealous and most Charitable Prelat that since the Apostles times Almighty God ever provided to govern his Church Thus he has alwayes been esteemed not only through the Western but Eastern Churches also And can the Doctour think he can find any Reader who has not in his heart renounced Christianity that wil applaud him for trampling with scorn on S. Gregory For it is from S. Gregory indeed that the Doctour is informed that S. Benedict was a Fanatick if he were such an one It is S. Gregory who commended and confirmed his Rule and if the Doctour may be believed it seems very ignorantly and foolishly stiled it Discretione Praecipuam eminent for the discretion of it which is a vertue ill suiting with a Fanatick It is S. Gregory who has conveyed to posterity an account of the Graces and Supernaturall Favours by God conferred on S. Benedict the truth of which I believe scarce any one hitherto has disbelieved beside the Doctour Certain it is that a generall firm belief of them both during S. Benedicts times and afterward made a change in Christendom scarce ever to be paralleld before or since whilst incredible multitudes of well meaning Christians wakened from a Lethargy of sin either flocked together to take on them the Yoke of that Rule or if they wanted such courage powred forth their treasures to entertain such as consecrated themselves to Gods service And all this the Doctour without any proof pronounces Fanaticism and is desirous that men of this Reformed Age should believe these Divine Favours communicated to S. Benedict to have been Illusions of Satan which Satan himself never durst own and that men had done more wisely if they had continued to serve the world and the Flesh rather then to quitt both in following an Hipocriticall Fanatick 31. Surely the Doctour was much to blame and I hope he will sadly reflect on the danger of raising mirth from such an argument as this Or if he doe not it will be very fitt that when hereafter he mentions those two persons so venerated by all but himself he would abstain from calling them Saints For in the same breath to call S. Benedict a Saint and a Fanatick savours something of blasphemy Yet it will be a hard task for him to conquer so inveterated a custome Mens tongues are so enured never to mention them without that Title of Saint that the only expedient to correct that fault in himself and others will be to let his Readers know that he intends the same ill thing by the terms of Saint and Fanatick Thus farr touching S. Benedict and his Rule by examining whereof I conceived men might Judge whether notwithstanding the Doctours Raillery God did not esteem him his faithfull servant 32. The next thing proposed in order to make the like judgement was to consider whether after S. Benedicts death God did not declare the same thing by making choice of the Disciples of S. Benedict to procure an encrease of his honour and considerable blessings to his Church For if he did surely the Doctour himself how bold so ever will scarce dare to disgrace them hereafter by the Title of Fanaticks 33. To clear this it is to be observed that in S. Benedicts age Christians generally were falln into such a decadence from Piety charity among them was become so cold and frozen and all manner of vices raigned so impudently and uncontrollably that Almighty God was even forced to open a free passage among them for Innumerable armies of barbarous Pagan Nations from the North Getes or Goths Vandalls Francks Hunns Saxons Danes Lombards and many others which like Locusts spread themselves devouring all things through all countreyes especially of the Western Church all which did not expresse their fury so much against their Christian Enemies forces as against their Religion Now what could be expected from such Conquerours but that the Christian Faith should be vtterly extinguished 34. Yet such was the infinite Wisedom and Goodnes of God that that which was a most terrible Plague to impious and dissolute Christians then alive proved in generall to Gods Church and Christian Religion a most unvaluable blessing For in a short time God of those stones raised up Children to Abraham Children not like the former who sluggishly contented themselves with the name of Christians and in their lives denyed Christ but heroically zealous servants of our Lord Witness innumerable Churches magnificently built and richly endowed to his honour Witness innumerable Monasteries and Schooles of Piety frequently inhabited by Emperours Kings Queens Princes and Princesses who preferred a voluntary life of Solitude Poverty and Mortification to the end they might more freely attend to heavenly Meditations before Magnificent Courts Scepters and Crowns Lastly witness a numerous Army of Martyrs not a few of them Soueraign Kings and Princesses tender Virgins witness likewise Aposticall Bishops who willingly offered their blood for the Salvation of their Barbarous Murderers 35. Now who were the persons who by Gods most blessed direction instilled into the hearts of all these such an Heroicall Faith and Divine Loue were they not principally the Disciples of S. Benedict Let the Records and Annals of so many Nations in Europe be consulted they will justifie the same and to Gods glory will testify how his Apostolick Preachers to convert their Ancestours have been dignified with stupendious Miracles Yet all these are derided by the Doctour as Fanaticks the Children of a famous Hypocrit and Fanatick by the Doctour I say who cannot shew one Village converted to Christianity by any one of his own sect nor one Miracle pretended to 36. Now if any thing here delivered touching S Benedict and his Disciples be true and if all be not true wee have been deceived by the Common
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
not haue refused to make use of it being one of the seauenty Patrons to whom he has written most pittifully begging Epistles addressed to all degrees sects and Professions except Bishops And in requitall he cannot but warrant him now a sufficient Minister in case he can get Ordination from a Iustice of Peace or some other qualified Ciuil Magistrate Poor England art thou so unprovided of factious spirits that French Calvinists must be calld in and hired to plant among us the poysonnous roots of malicious Huguenotterie 86 But to return to the Doctour Himself J am far from being of his opinion That the most dangerous Sect among us is of those who under pretence of setting up the Kingdom of Christ think it lawfull to overturn the Kingdoms of the world Such were Venner and his company who saith he acted to the height of Fanaticism among our Sectaries Thus far indeed J agree with him That these Frantick Fifth Monarchists do more professedly teach Rebellion then any other Sect but I should renounce common Reason if I should affirm that such à handfull of mad-men as Venner and Riscrew are a Sect more dangerous to the Kingdom then those numerous Armies of sober Fanaticks Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists c. who all conspired to the raising and prosecuting the late Rebellion Yet all these will say as much for themselves as the Doctour has here done viz. We condemn any opposition to Government under any pretence whatsoeuer For it was in Obedience to a Government such as it was that the Rebellion was upheld a Government divided from the Kings and usurped on purpose to destroy him To conclude this point as zeale for the Kings safety and the Publick Peace is commendable in all English Subjects and in such Strangers salso whom English Preferments have made his Subiects yet certainly in the Doctour and his worthy Huguenot Authour it seems a preposterous and suspicious zeale which has been shewn only against a Party of which not one can be accused of want of fidelity to his Maiesty whilst they speak not a word nor so much as intimate any apprehension of danger from those who unanimously conspired to his Destruction and who for any thing to the contrary appears cannot yet find one word in the Scripture or the Lawes of the Kingdom which condemns their former Rebellion But enough if not too much of this argument which the Doctour would needs discourse upon §. 6. Fanaticism returneed upon the Doctour and his vvhole Religion 87. THe Doctour now for the recreation of his Readers hauing represented Catholicks not only such as now liue but many in glory with God in heaven travestis in a disguise of Ffanaticks acting a Ffarce or Enterlude composed by him the glory of which invention he may lawfully challenge to himself alone for I do not find that any pattern has been giuen him by any other Adversaries of Gods Church He cannot iustly take it ill if in some degree of requitall we endeavour to shew not only himself but the whole Church I mean all the Churches of Protestants as they are Principled by him in his Book to be really without any vizard or disguise very Fanaticks 88. Jn pursuing this subiect we cannot hinder the Doctour from challenging some by him esteemed great advantages in which he much glories and for which he giues God humble thanks For 1. we can find no Religious Orders among them upon the Institutours and Subjects of which we might fasten this Title and whom we might Stigmatize with this brand An attempt indeed has once been made of beginning such an Order of young men and women liuing promiscuously together But by reason of two defects it presently expired For neither would they be persuaded to vow continency in such circumstances truly vnreasonable Neither could a Superiour he or she be found to whom they could be obliged in conscience to profess Obedience and no wonder since it seems their own Church cannot exact it from them 2 We cannot heare of so much as one single person whom we might call a Fanatick for leauing the flesh and the world to the end he or she might entirely consecrate themselues to God in Solitude and Exercises of Spirituall Prayer and Mortification 3. Jn case God should call any one to such a state of life there is an vtter want among them of Instructours and Instructions proper for it vnles The crumms of comfort The Practise of Piety truly for the Substance good innocent Books with store of pious affections or else one a more late one yet better then those called The whole duty of man could serue their turns But these hauing neuer been intended for such an vse it cannot reasonably be expected from them 4. They all of them except the Quakers and Fifth Monarchists with few besides disclaiming all Gratuite Graces Visions Illuminations Inspirations Passiue Vnions c. Jf vpon this account we should call any of them besides these Fanaticks they would and very iustly call us impudent Slanderers 5. Not one Miracle hauing been pretended to since the first Reformation not so much as the curing a Tertian Ague to testify that Reformation was pleasing to God we cannot reasonably accuse them of forging any Miracles 6. The Doctour might haue done well even in revenge against his enemy M. Cressy and his Church History or as he scornfully stiles it Great Legend to have given to the world at least a pretty little Legend of his Reformed Saints But alas his Records will not furnish him with matter of that argument to fill a nutshell So that he has deprived us of the means of requiting him with finding Fanaticks among his Rubricated Saints Yet if he will consult more Ancient and some even Primitive Records as S. Ireneus Tertullian and after them S. Epiphanius S. Augustin and Philastrius together with other Modern writers as Alphonsus a Castro Prateolus c. who have compiled Books expressly touching the Lives and Doctrins of many of his Predecessours it will goe hard if he be not able to discover some among them whom he may call Saints as well as Cranmer and we in requitall Fanaticks But he is too wise to loose his advantage 89. And all these manifold advantages wee yield up to him to our shame and to the Doctours great contentment and to the glory of his Protestant Churches Yet all this will not discourage vs from endeavouring at least to iustify that the Doctour and his Churches are meer Fanaticks This we confidently pronounce and to make this good we will not as he has done exemplify in the Writings or actions of a few persons culld out with an intention to baffle affront and reuile them but we will demonstrates vpon his own grounds and Principles that the very nature and Essence of his Churches and Religion is pure putid Fanaticism 90. Now a demonstrable proof of this the Doctour himself affords vs in the 13. and 15. Principles at the end of his Book
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
which yet does not hinder but that Iudges are reputed fitt and proper to end Law suits 4. That neither the Pope nor the Councill of Trent have decided the fore mentioned Controversies we are to ascribe either to the inconsiderablenes of them or to the want of Sufficient clearness of Scripture or Tradition for either party or to a just and prudent care of preventing Schisms in the Church by such Determinations wherein so considerable parties in the Church are divided in opinion 5. Whereas the Doctour says that the Points in Controversy among Catholicks being many of them the same agitated among Protestants are Points of Faith he is manifestly mistaken For there are among Catholicks no Points controverted but such Doctrins where the sense of Scriptures being variously expounded by the two Parties the Church as yet hath determined nothing which sense of them is de Fide though the Parties themselves would each of them have their own to be so not determined I say so clearly as that both sides are agreed that such is the Churches Decision As for Protestants what Doctrins are esteemed Points of Faith and what School Disputes I think no Oedipus can resolue Doctour Stillingfleet elsewhere saith down right That the Church of England holds no Points to be Articles of her Faith but those wherein the Church of Rome also agrees with her and holds the same to be such His words are There is a great deale of difference between the owning of some Propositions in order to Peace and the believing of them as necessary Articles of Faith The Church of England makes no Articles of Faith but such as have testimony and approbation of the whole Christian world of all ages and are acknowledged to be such by Rome it self and in other things she requires Subscription to them not as Articles of Faith but as inferiour Truths which she expects Submission to in order to her Peace and Tranquillity Thus the Doctour But here I cannot well understand why he saith her Subiects Subscribe them as inferiour Truths and yet maintains the Church of England to require no Subscription to her Articles as Truths for that surely is a requiring of assent to them but a Subscription of non-contradiction or non-opposition of them which consists with the parties holding them Errours Now methinks this the Church of England believing nothing as of Faith but what the Popes and the Roman Churches Faith also secures to them to be so should sound somewhat harsh in the ears of many of his Disciples Again it necessarily follows that the Church of Rome notwithstanding its Idolatry Fanaticism c. yet failes in no necessary Point of Faith 6. Lastly that which makes Disputes among Christians about Dostrinall Points pernicious is not the heynousnes of the Errours themselves on either Party but the refusall to submitt to the Churches Authority when condemning them from whence Schisms are inevitable and such Refusers then truly stiled Hereticks No man will deny but that the Errour of the Photinians or Socinians called anciently Homuncionists for affirming Christ to be meer man is a most grievous Errour incomparably exceeding any among Catholicks Yet if one living in the Commuâ—ion of Gods Church should hold this most pernicious Errour not knowing that the Church had condemned it and being ready to renounce it assoon as he knew this S. Augustin professes he durst not call such a man an Heretick How the Doctour would call such an one I know not But this I will iustify that according to the Doctours Principles he ought to pass for as good and as well grounded a Protestant as himself and therefore especially Orthodox for not submitting his judgment to the Church §. 7. The Doctrin of Pennance Vindicated from the Doctours mistakes 115. NOw notwithstanding what hath hitherto been said I do nothing doubt but those popular Readers for whom only I conceive the Doctour wrote his Book will still resolutely judge every line of it unanswerable The like they will say concerning the other Points of accusation charged by him on the Roman Church as 1. many obstructions of a Holy Life 2. Endless Divisions How happy are we will they think who have escaped out of such a Babel were Frantick Subiects are governed by more Frantick Superiours where mens ears are deafned with endless quarrels and where Lawes are made against Piety In the former regards Papists may deserve our pitty or contempt but in the last our hatred For what cruelty is not too Mercyfull against the Professours of a Religion which teaches so many Doctrins hindring a good life necessary to Salvation that it is scarce possible any of them should be an honest man The Doctour has told them that these wicked men make the Sacrament of Pennance ioynd with Contrition that is as he interprets a remoâ—se of mind for sin sufficient for Salvation But his Adversary in effect bids him with Contrition to ioyne Confession and Absolution He is contented but he will needs have one condition more added which is forsaking of sin which they of the Church of the Rome not requiring notwithstanding all their Confessions and Absolutions a thousand times repeated they destroy the necessity of a good life 116. Here if the Doctour were asked Does the Catholick Church held the Doctrin here by him reproved He could not say she did because then the express Decision of the Councill of Trent disproves him Where three parts of the Sacrament of Pennance are declared Contrition Confession and Satisfaction Now in two of these the forsaking of sin are contained For Contrition implies a sorrow for sin proceeding from a love of God victorious over sin and consequently a detestation of sin And Satisfaction signifies yet more viz A holy revenge taken by the Penitent upon himself for offending God by denying to himself even Lawfull pleasures because unlawfull ones have tempted him to sin which is a great deale more then Protestants require 117. A disposition one may say inferiour to this required by the Councill served Davids turne who says I said I will confess my sins unto the Lord and thou forgivest the iniquity of my sin I cannot now believe the Doctour will acknowledge that a Sinner repentant of his sins out of a love of God Victorious over the Devill the world and the flesh and weho tstifies that sorrow and that Love by submitting to severe Pennances and Mortifications willing also to declare to his own Confusion his most secret sins with a serious purpose of amendment will thereby be put in a state of pardâ—n and Salvation Especially having received from Gods Authorised Ministers Absolution from his sins Absolution I say pronounced by Commission and Iurisdiction from Christ himself and not such an aery Phantosme of an Absolution as the Doctour interprets to be the applying the Promises of pardon in Scripture to the particular case of dying persons for this saith he is that we mean by Absolution and which say I the Silliest
quoties to sinners returning to their vomit and giving but small signs of their Will to relinquish sins the Doctour does very well to taxe it as a great hindrance indeed to a holy life But because some few have practised or perhaps taught this he does very ill to make this a Disswasive from ioyning to the Church herself expressly condemning in the Councill of Trent such a facility in Confessours saying The Priest of our Lord ought as far as his Spirit and prudence shall suggest to enioyn wholesom and convenient Satisfactions according to the quality of crimes and ability of Penitents Least if they should happen to connive at sins and be indulgent to their Penitents by enioyning sleight Pennances for grieveous Crimes they themselves become partakers of the crimes of others 125. Besides this the Doctour I believe is not ignorant though it was not for his purpose to take notice of it that not very long since among severall dangerous Positions collected out of some Modern Casuists such scandalous relaxations in administring the Sacrament of Pennance had a principall place all which were not only condemnd by the Bishops of France almost in every Diocese but also a Book the Author of which undertook to defend them was solemnly prohibited and condemned by the Pope since which time such Doctrins have been wholly restrained and silenced §. 8. Of conferring Absolution and Extreme Vnction in articulo Mortis 126. IN the next place for as much as concerns the conferring Absolution and administring the Sacrament of Extreme Vnction to persons in Articulo Mortis who do or have given any sign of Sorrow or desire of them the Church in her Rituall does no more then hath been the practise ever since the first Councill of Nicea And S. Augustin treating of this Subiect in a Sermon tells his Auditors that out of Charity and care to dying persons Gods Ministers upon the least testification of Sorrow in such patients administer the Sacrament to them though despairing that they shall live to doe works worthy of Pennance so leaving them to Gods mercy This they did by warrant from the first Councill of Arles and the Declaration of Pope Innocent But withall he seriously exhorts them to doe such works in time of health and not to to an Absolution conferr'd in such circumstances for though they may be confident of enioying the full effect of that Sacrament yet saith he I am not confident of i◠Yet notwithstanding such want of confidence he would not be wanting to them to afford them all his assistance in such a perillous hour And if the Doctour were seriously examined by any one of his freinds or by any but a Catholick whether in such circumstances he would refuse an Absolution I mean an Absolution according to his Mode by applying the Promises of the Gospell to his Patient Sure he would not say that his custom among his Parishioners is to bid the poor agonizant to goe to the Devill for there was no hopes for him He would no doubt tell him of Promises and bid him rely upon them though he will not permit Catholicks to do so 127. But the Doctour in prosecuting this Subiect alters his Method of proceeding For whereas generally in his Book he endeavoured to make Catholick Religion odious by telling Stories of the actions and Doctrins of particular persons disowned by the Church here he absolves some Catholick Doctours among the rest Monsieur Arnaud and charges the Church itself for teaching a Doctrin as he pretends manifestly hindring Devotion and a Good Life viz. in that her Canon Whosoever shall say that the Sacraments do not conferr Grace exopere operato let him be Anathema Now says he if Grace be effectually conferred by the force of the bare Externall action acknowledged by all Catholicks what need can there be of a true preparation of the mind by the exercise of Faith Prayer Repentance c. in order to the receiving the benefitt of them He further adds that thoug◠Cassander interprets this to have respect to the worth of the Priest as if his unworthines could hinder the Validity and Efficacy of Sacraments though the receivers be never so well prepared Yet saith he this cannot consist with the Councills meaning because in the twelfth Canon following it was condemned expressly and it is not to be supposed that the Councill would frame two Canons to condemn the same errour 128. Thus argues the Doctour but under favour deales not fairely in not citing the Councills Canon entirely which had he done would have spoyled his inferences from it The words are Whosoever shall say that by the Sacraments themselves of the New Law Grace is not conferr'd ex opere operato but that a belief alone of the Divine Promise is Sufficient for the obtaining Grace Let him be Anathema Which Canon was made specially against Luthers errour who attributed all good to Faith alone making the Sacraments entirely useless In which Errour I doe not know that he is followed by any Sober Protestants except the Doctour who by his discourse seems to renounce all benefitt from the Sacraments themselves he will owe Grace to nothing but his own Faith Prayer c. In his opinion the Sacraments of the New Law as well as the old are infirma egena elementa weak and beggarly elements But Scripture and Tradition have taught the Church and the Church us otherwise viz. That by Baptism the Grace of Regeneration is conferr'd that the Holy Eucharist is Semen immortalitatis that by Extreme Vnction and the Priests Prayers sins are forgiven c. 129. Neither from hence can the Doctour rationally inferr that there will be no need of a true preparation of mind by the excuse of Faith c. since the Church herself requires such preparation as the Doctour speaks of And the very term of Preparation implies that some Benefitt is expected to be received from the Work it self besides and beyond what is obtained by Preparations 130. But this being a Doctrinall Controversy and brought in only by the way in this his present discourse the prosecution of it ought to be reserved for his worthy Adversary if he think good Yet this right I will doe the Doctour that he has with Monsieur Arnaud justly censured one particular Writer who required as necessary for example to a worthy receiving of the most holy Eucharist no other preparation of mind but only an absence of Mortall sins to be had by Confession of them But will any rationall man judge that because there are found in a Church a few Teachers of Security and Sowers of pillows under mens Ellbows that therefore it is dangerous to be a member of a Church most free from warranting that Doctrin which is scarce received by one Bishop in it 131. Yea moreover if he would search among School-men who make the largest allowances in this business he will find that generally all require Faith and Repentance in
Devotions in their Natiue Tongues which are for the most part taken out of the Publick Liturgy and moreouer has commanded all Pastours to interpret to the people in the administring of Sacraments especially the most Holy Eucharist whatsoever they are capable of vnderstanding by which means there is scarce a Rustick so ignorant but well vnderstands what the Priest does through the whole course of the Masse 149. Matters standing thus the Church esteems it more prudent and more conducing also to edification in generall that all Catholick Churches should serve God vniformly in a language which cannot be corrupted especially such provisions being made for the peoples good then to haue the Service of God exposed to Corruptions and continuall Changes But if the Doctour think himself wiser then the whole Western and most Eastern Churches much ioy may he take in his great humility 150. But after all how can the people say Amen will the Doctour say from S. Paul I answer S. Paul in that place Speaks not of the Common Divine Service which was celebrated then in a language well vnderstood and at Corinth doubtles in the Greek tongue but of these Spirituall Hymns and Praises of God extraordinary that were delivered by some in a tongue vnknown And all that can be deduced from it and applied to the Publick Divine servcie is this that either this be performed in a known Tongue or when the Church hath reasonable Motives which she not we must judge of not to change the formerly vsed language of it so much as is necessary for the common people to vnderstand and say Amen to be interpreted as the Apostle saith there ouer and over again Now such Prayers Collects Psalms Hymns Litanies c. as are thought necessary for the common people are interpreted by the Churches order and they have them ready in their Primers Manuels c. Euen all the parts also of the Service of the Masse necessary to be known by them 151. Jt is certain that it is not out of a desire that the people should be ignorāt that the Church thinks not meet to change the language of her Liturgy And I would to God that were the only hindrance of reuniting England to her once beloued Mother for then the breach would not last long §. 12. Of the Churches denying the Reading of the Bible indifferently to all 152. BUt the last and greatest Hindrance of piety and which is wonderfull of Vnity likewise in the Doctours opinion is the Roman Church her denying the reading of Scripture to all persons promiscuously without exception This fault the Doctour will neuer forgiue Her And the truth is if euer there should be a restraint of such liberty in England all the Principles of his Religion would vtterly goe to wrack For how then should euery Sober Enquirer into Scripture frame a Religion to himself How much would the number of Sects be diminished which is great pitty Then Pastours and Teachers would perswade the people that it is their duty to believe and obey them and not to be their own Directours which is intolerable Therefore in so great a concern the Doctours zeale in this Point aboue others may well be forgiuen him 153. How much would the Doctour be beholden to that freindly man who could furnish him with but one line out of any Ancient Ecclesiasticall Writer Father or Councill to iustify the Fundamentall Principle of his and as he pretends of all Protestants Religion viz. That euery sober enquirer may be a Iudge infallible of the sense of Scripture in all Points necessary to Saluation But I can assure him such a freind is not to be found Nay I believe he would thank that man who could shew any Ancient Heretick an Authour of that enormous Doctrin for as he cannot but know that he embraces seuerall Points condemned by the Ancient Church in Hereticks he would no doubt with ioy adopt this Point so beneficiall and necessary to the fabrick of his Protestant Churches 154. To descend to our Modern times Though Luther Calvin Zuinglius c. those disturbers of the world to gain the affections of the Common rabble were very earnest to put the Bible into their hands yet does the Doctour think that they would patiently haue suffred any of their followers to chuse any other Religion out of it but what they as Prophets sent from God had taught them Nay would the Doctour take it well of his own Parishioners if they should doe so Yet he is angry with Catholicks because we rather trust the Churches iudgment then our own a strange quarrell certainly But it is a folly to think that any of the Common sort of people seek into the Bible to find their Religion there not one in ten thousand among us but for his whole Faith relyes vpon the credit and supposed honesty of some zealous Lecturer or reputed learned Doctour Now J would fain know of Doctour Stillingfleet with what conscience he can suffer a whole Congregation of well meaning men who can rely vpon nothing but authority to prefer his authority before that of the whole Church For nothing can be more contrary to the Rules of Common reason in them and for their sinning against Reason he must be answerable to God How does one of the Doctours Parishioners find his whole Religion in Scripture Thus The Doctour will bid him read the last verse of the 6. chap. to the Romans or he will read the words to him The Gift of God is eternall life Here says he the Papists are plainly confuted who say that God rewards our good works with Heaven He will tell him again that the Papists hold that our Lords body is in the Sacrament How shall they be confuted Christ indeed says This is my Body What then this must be vnderstood as if he had sayd This is the figure of my Body Then plain Scripture interpreted by the Doctour is against them Again Look out the first Chapter to Titus you will find that those who are called Elders or Presbiters in the fifth verse are called Bishops in the Seaventh Here our Antichristian Prelats are plainly confuted who exalt themselues aboue Elders c. 155. But one Point there is of main importance to these who will find all things in Scripture which is A Proof that these Books which they are taught to call Scripture are the same which were Anciently written by men inspired by God That they have not been corrupted and that they are rightly interpreted None of all these things they can find in Scripture what remedy therfore for this None in the world but the Doctours own authority He will tell them perhaps that the Vniversall Tradition of all Ages which is of it self credible testifies this and therefore they ought to belieue it But if they should reply and tell the Doctour that for all necessary Points of belief they were according to his Principles to be Iudges for themselues but of that which they call
this her Champion but likewise assert her Authority by Answering all the Discourses of M. Chillingworth my Lord Falkland M. Digges M. Whitby Doctour Stillingfleet and severall other Doctours and Professours in the Vniversities who all exalt their Single judgments above her Authority 168. And as for Doctour Stillingfleet there is another task to be undertaken by him which I believe will give him excercise enough For he knowing that the Socinians as well as himself do make the plain evidence of Scripture in all necessaries to all Sober enquirers a Principle of their Religion and upon this Principle building their Heresy his Study must be to beat them from this Principle which can be done no other way but either by confessing that the Doctrin of Christs Divinity is not necessary to be believed or by demonstrating to them that they do not understand the plainest Texts of Scripture not having been sober enquirers into it This will be a task becoming such an Hectorean Controvertist as the Doctour is esteemed to be considering how even among his freinds the Socinâ—ans among all Protestant Sects are acknowledged to have been very Laborious and far most exact in interpreting the most difficult Books of Scripture and this not without good Success except where their iudgment has been perverted by a resolution to defend their peculiar Hereticall Doctrins Now by this time I believe the Doctour sees what a world of work his Principles have cut out for him which he is obliged to justify not only against Catholicks who abhorr them but Socinians also who invented them as necessary for maintaining their Heresy lastly against my Lords the Bishops his Superiours as I verily believe His Principles therefore being of so very main importance being the only considerable Subiect treated of in his Book my Readers must not wonder that in so short a Treatise I have so oft put him in mind of them since a horrour of the consequences of them forced me to look on them as mihi saepe vocandum ad partes monstrum nullâ virtute redemptum a vitijs §. 13. The Conclusion vvith Advices to the Doctour 169. THus much I judged sufficient to make up an Answer to those parts of the Doctours Book which do not purposely treat of a Doctrinall Controversy for no more was required from mee indeed not quite so much it being only the Section of Fanaticism in which J was particularly concerned But the others intruded themselves J know not well how and by that means forced me also to neglect observing the order in which they lye in his Book Which being no very great fault J hope a pardon from the Doctour will without much difficulty be obtained 170. J shall also stand in need of another pardon for a fault such as it is willingly committed and not yet repented of because J beleive except himself none will esteem it a fault It is this Observing in the Doctours Book a world of Quotations out of Authours which J never saw nor intend to see containing many dismall Stories and many ridiculous passages of things done or said by severall Catholicks in former and some latter times if J had had a mind to examine and say something as in Answer to them an impossibility of finding out those Authours must have been my excuse But J have a better Excuse then that For if the Doctour would have lent mee those Books out of his Library I should have thanked him for his Civility but withall I should have refused to make use of his Offer For to what purpose would it have been to turn over a heap of Books to find out Quotations in which neither the Church nor myself were any way concerned Not concerned J say though they had been Opinions or Actions even of Popes themselves being assured that at least never any Pope how wicked soever ha's brought any Heresy into the Church It is to me all one whether all his Allegations be true or false as to any advantage he can make of them against the Catholick Church unless the Doctour will undertake to demonstrate That it is unlawfull or but considerably dangerous to be a Member of a Church where any persons doe or have lived who have been obnoxious to Errours or guilty of ill Actions 171. Yet J must acknowledge that in one regard a Book written in such a Stile as the Doctour's is may have an influence on the Whole Church and against his intention produce a good effect in it For it may be hoped that Catholicks of the present Age will seriously consider the horrible consequences of seditious licentious and otherwayes unwarrantable Doctrins and Practises of a few Catholicks in former times which have not only been pernicious to the Authours themselves but by the Scandalousness of them have exposed the Church her self how innocent soever to the detestation of such who are without For Sins when Scandalous are an Vniversall and never ceasing Plague which moved our Saviour to say Vae mundo a Scandalis Woe to the whole world because of Scandalls 172. Hoping therefore that by occasion of the Doctours Book such a Benefit may accrew to his Catholick Readers as to render them more watchfull over themselves to prevent hereafter the like Scandals J think my self obliged in requitall seriously to advise him touching the dangerous State he is now in as to his Soule in regard likewise of Scandall He would laugh at me if I should tell him that this danger proceeded from his not being a Member of the Catholick Church It is not that therefore that I now mean though Woe unto him if in the day of Iudgment he be found separated from our Lords Mysticall Body 173. Not to hold him in suspence J take leave to admonish him that since the world sees that he manifestly professes himself a Member of the English-Protestant Church established by Law his Mind must either answer to his Profession or he must be a shamefull Hyppocrit Now in case he be not an Hypocrit he is desired as a genuine English-Protestant to cast his eyes on and to examine severall of the first Constitutions of his Church there he will find an Excommunication denounced ipso facto against all such as shall in the manner there expressed openly oppose any thing contained in the Nine and-thirty Articles in the Books of Common Prayer and of Ordinations of Bishops and Priests c. Which Excommunication is there declared to remain in force till the Offender repent not of his boldness and disrespect but of his Wicked Errour which he ought to revoke 174. After he has considered this he may please to reflect on his Book called Irenicum not to mention his Sermons during the late Rebellion and so comparing together the said Constitutions ratifyed with an Excommunication and his own Book let him ask his conscience whether he has not incurred this Excommunication of the Legality and Validity whereof he being now supposed a declared Protestant cannot nor ought to
doubt though J humbly conceive J may Now his fault in case he be guilty having been publick and notorious and no Repentance no retractation appearing unless perhaps he thinks that the accepting a thousand pounds yearly in Preferments is vertually a Retractation and much less any Solemn Absolution having been given him unless perhaps also he thinks that the Act of Oblivion reaches to Heaven discharging the conscience and dispensing in foro interno from an obligation of demanding Absolution either from Bishops or from the Civill Magistrat who according to his Teaching has received the Power of the Keyes and can Excommunicate and Absolve as well as any Bishop matters J say standing thus J must needs tell him that all Prelaticall Protestants can no otherwise look upon him but as one J doe not say traditum Satanae but excommunicated and separated from Christs Mysticall Body And therefore J coniure him that he would take care of his Soule which must needs be in great danger even though in his heart he believes such Excommunications to be bruta fulmina For in that case also he will conclude himself at least guilty of most damnable Hypocrisy 175. It will now be seasonable with this Act of Charity to him to take my leave of him and putt a period to this my Answer which truly I think sufficient though perhaps he will impute my telling him so to an ungrounded confidence or presumption 176. I have onely one thing more to say to him which is this that I with reason enough may accuse him that in writing his Book he has prevaricated with his Superiours For whereas in his Preface he tells his Readers that He was by command publickly engaged in the Defence of so excellent a cause as that of the Church of England against the Church of Rome even of that Church of England which vpon the greatest enquiry he could make he esteems the best Church of the Christian world I desire no other Iudges but the Prelats of his own Church whether by examining his Principles J have not demonstrated how that contrary to Command and his publick engagement he has been so far from defending her that he has betrayed the cause of his Church to all the Fanatick Sects which have separated from her and with most horrible cruelty sought her destruction and with her the ruine of Monarchy Whereby he has left her in a most forlorn condition tottring upon foundations and Principles which to my certain knowledge were not extant at least not known in England thirty years since In so much as if those who commanded him to defend her will still avow him her Champion there will not be nor ever was a Prelaticall Church so miserably devested of all Authority And therefore let any indifferent Reader judge between us two Whether with better Success He has defended the cause of the Church of England against the Church of Rome or I the cause of his own Church against himself 177. To conclude nothing can be more irrationall then for the Doctour holding to his Principles to profess himself a Controvertist till he can demonstrate that he has the Gift of seeing into mens hearts For since he allowes all Sober Enqâ—irers to be for themselues Iudges of the Sence of Scripture in necessaries and Iudges likewise what Points are necessary till he can disprove the allegations of any Adversary Catholick Protestant or Fanatick by demonstrating that they have either not enquired at all or enquired unsoberly and that none besides himself enquires Soberly it will be most unreasonable in him to condemn or but trouble any Dissenters from him 178. But alas the misery is None are more eager in usurping a Magisteriall and Tyrannicall Power over other mens consciences then such as renounce all Authority internally obliging in the Church Because having no tye upon mens consciences or security in their Subiects Obedience they find externall violence the only Mean to support them Which surely argues a horrible deprâ—vation in the minds especially of Ecclesiasticks which depravation can now only be cured by the Wisedom and Power of the Civil Magistrate Da pacem Domine in diebus nostris Amen FINIS The CONTENTS § I. THe Authours Motive of writing this Treatise D. Stillingfleets three Heads of Accusation against the Catholick Church c. pag. I. § II. A Vindication of the Honour and Sanctity of S. Benedict c. from the Doctours contumelious imputations II § III. Of the life and Prayer of Contemplation derided by the Doctour 28 § IV. Visions c. no Grounds of believing Doctrines among Catholicks 71 § V. Resisting Authority falsely imputed to Catholick Religion 76 § VI. Fanaticism returned upon the Doctour and his whole Religion 88 § VII The Doctrine of Penance Vindicated from the Doctours mistakes 121 § VIII Of Conferring Absolution and Extreme Vnction in Articulo mortis 132 § IX Of Prayer for the Dead 137 § X. Of Indulgences 144 § XI Of the Churches Liturgy in a tongue not generally understood 148 § XII Of the Churches denying the Reading of the Bible indifferently to all 152 § XIII The Conclusion with Advicâ—s to the Doctour 171 ERRATA PAge 3. line 6. read inhuman p. 4. l. 2. read about ib. l. 4. read or Obedience p. 5. l. 16. read to the. p. 7. l. 15. r. upon p. 8. l. 4. read their p. 13. l. 3. r. Preacher p. 17. l. 25. r. sayes p. 47. l. 25. 26. r. severall p. 48. l. 14. r. but be p. 52. l. 22. r. rake out p. 59. l. 20. r. helps for p. 60. l. 7. read therefore p. 67. l. penult r. them ib. l. ult r. both p. 75. l. 12. r. permit p. 76. l. 19. r. herself p. 85. l. 5. r. Apostat p. 87. l. penult r. also p. 88. l. 17. r. returned ib. l. ult r. Fanaticks ib. r. Farce p. 90. l. 8. r. flesh p. 91. l. 17. r. nutshell p. 92. l. 18. r. demonstrate p. 93. in the margent r. 15. Principle p. 95. l. 6. r. Points ib. l. 16. in some of the Copies dele not ib. l. 24. r. receives p. 97. l. 4. r. soever p. 100. l. 9. r. government p. 101. l. 2. r. government ib. l. 10. r. such an one p. 104. l. 10. r. p. 105. l. 11. r. because p. 110. l. 1. at the lines â—nd read the. p. 117. l. 4. r. Catholicks p. 123. l. ult read vvho testifies p. 136. l. 4. read by the exercise p. 142. l. 5. r. their p. 145. l. 5. r. eneruating p. 148. l. 8. r. understood p. 151. l. 10. r. Service ib. l. penult r. desire that p. 152. in the margent â—ead p. 215. A Post-script to the Doctor IF this short Treatise shall after more then half a years strugling haue the fortune to break through all hazards and arriue safe to the Doctors hands the Authour of it will presume in concluding it to offer to him a few Requests The First is That unless he do indeed think
himself obliged in conscience by breaking all Rules of Piety and humanity to do all manner of despight to his Catholick fellow-Subiects he would hereafter at least please to abstain from reviling and blaspheming Gods Saints or traducing the most Divine exercises of contemplative soules more perfectly practised only in Heauen Jt argued certainly a heart brimm full of the Gall of bitternes that to oppose only one single line of his Adversary pag. 31. in which all that he sayes is the mentioning new Sects and Fanaticisms he could allow one hundred and twenty Pages in a senceless and execrable recrimination not considering or rather perhaps too much considering and intending that such a recrimination should reflect with great disparagement on the English Protestant Church In whose Calendar severall of those Saints to this day possess a place Truly in all reason his Attempt by his Socinian Principles of depriving the Governours of that Church of all Anthority granted by her Princes and Parliaments ought to haue suffised him without traducing her as a Canonizer of Fanaticks What excuse he can make for this I cannot imagine unless perhaps his tenderly scrupulous conscience dictates to him that the Scottish Covenant requires all this and more from the obligation whereof the Bishops cannot it seems and his Brethren Presbiters will not absolue him If so his zeale methinks should incite him yet further and particularly to make use of the power and high esteem he has by his late Book gotten in his Vniversity of Cambridge to become a Godfather in rebaptizing and giving a New Name to an ancient and famous Colledge there which at present has two Names both of them extremely inconvenient and prejudiciall to the Design of his beloued Book being called not only S. Benets but likewise Corpus Christi-Colledge For as long as these names continue neither will S. Benedict pass there for a Fanatick nor the Reall presence be esteemed aground of a worse then Pagan Idolatry But I believe he will scarce be able with all his Rhetorick to obtain from them such a compliance or even perswade his own Parishioners to renounce Heaven except S. Gregory S. Benedict S. Francis c. be excluded thence A Second Request is that since to his great credit order has been taken by his friends more solicitous for him then their own Church to render his Book unanswerable he would hasten his zealous Huguenot Brethren of the Savoy iust such Defenders of the Church of England as himself to enlarge his conquests through France also by sending abroad their French Translation of his formidable Book the Rationall Account There will be no need to fear any officious Searchers nor the least obstruction to their dispersing their ware in France for there Catholicks are so confidently secure of the invincible Truth of their Religion that the King himself not only permits but invites yea and expressly commands the subtillest of the Huguenot Ministers to write and publish freely whatsoever they are able to say in defence of themselves or against Catholick Doctrines Now it is manifest that the Doctours friends the zealous Searchers and murderers of all Answers to his Book do not believe that he has any confidence at all either in the truth or honesty of his cause And iust reason they have since it is a cause evidently destructive both to the English Church and state as hath been demonstrated And if themselves had any regard at all either to their Church or the Civill state and peace of the kingdom all betrayed by him they would see and acknowledge that their vigilance would have been much better employed in preventing the birth of so deformed and pernicious a monster My third Request is indeed J fear too reasonable to expect it should be granted by an Adversary of the Doctors temper It is this His design beeing to deterr all English-men from Communion with the Catholick Church from a consideration of dangerous Doctrines and Practises in it he is requested that hereafter he would not abuse the world by fathering on the Church Exotick opinions of particular Schoolmen and by representing the Churches Doctrines lamely falsely and dishonestly His enormous faultiness in this regard in mitation of Doctor Taylor committed in his last Book through every one of the Points mentioned by him may be visible to all heedfull Readers and irrefragable Proofes hereâ—fare in a readiness to be produced if his busy friends the Searchers could be perswaded to rest in their beds in the night time He cannot complain of any difficulty to find out all necessary Doctrines in which Catholicks universally agree as we may for Proteflant Doctrines The Councill of Trent alone will sufficiently furnish him Or if he think fitt to have recourse to the interpretations of its Decisions in all reason and conscience he ought to content himself with such as seem to him most moderate and rationall Christian charity and love of Peace requiring this from him But I fear his unconformity hereto must be pardoned For his principall vocation now being to be a Controvertist to which it seems he is by Superiours engaged and to which employment Preaching Sacraments and all must yield it will be impossible for him to write volumes of Controversy his way if he be confined to matters only which are pertinent or to arguments which are Logically concluding For how could he then delight profanc Readers with ridiculous stories or give scope to his own more profane Fancy in descanting irreligiously on the actions of Saints or fill up many sheets with nasty occurrents raked out of dunghills and charging them on the Church which abhorrs them more then himself How could he I say thus play the Controvertist if he were to assault the Church only in her necessary Doctrines and Discipline exhibited in her Councills I must therefore I fear prepare my self with patience to receive a Refusall to Requests though in my opinion very reasonable and which I here sett down because J believe they will be esteemed such by ingenuous and judicious Readers who surely will not judge the cause of Catholicks prejudiced by the Doctors confutation of a Church no where extant in rerum naturâ except in his own disordered Fancy Lastly he is desired to consider that Almighty God commands us to loue Peace and Truth Zach. 8. 19. both these For Peace alone without Truth is a conspiracy in Errour and an imprudent zeale for Truth may be more pernicious then Errour Both these therefore ought to be loved together And to Hate both Peace and Truth seems a depravation scarce consistent with Human nature or any Rationall Agent besides the Devill himself Since therefore the Doctor by demolishing all Tribunalls in Gods Church which might peaceably end Controversies has endeavoured as much as in him lyes to banish Peace eternally from among Christians it is iustly to be expected from him that being now become by Profession a Controvertist he should give some better testimony to the world that he is at least a Seeker and Promoter of Truth and that his Design in writing Preaching and Disputing is to conquer the iudgments of Dissenters to a belief of that which himself pretends to be Truth But can any reasonable man imagine that he had so much as a desire to convert Catholicks who alone seem to be esteemed by him Dissenters by such a Book as his last is which they cannot read without trembling at the blasphemies of it and without a horrible aversion from one who would make their Church and Faith odious for Doctrines and Practises which the said Church is so far from owning that she condemns them and would moreover persuade them to forsake an established Communion without being informed whither to betake themselves These proceedings are so unreasonnable that it seems manifest he had not so much as a thought of convincing their iudgments so that he will have small reason to wonder that not one single person can be found whom he looks on as an enemy who has given him occasion to erect a Trophey yea moreover though perhaps he will not believe it that a considerable number have against his will had their eyes opened by him to see the desperate state of that cause which seems to seek its last refuge in the Protection of such an Advocat A strange fate certainly this is of a Book so boasted of and to which such conquests have been promised Therefore any sober Reader who shall heedfully reflect on the Doctor 's abilities will hardly be perswaded to believe that he intended his last should be a Book of Controversy but rather an Engin raised by him to work during the space of a few months some considerable mischief against the persons of innocent Catholicks at a season as he thought proper for his purpose when he conceived thereby the whole Kingdom might happily be incensed against them Which holy design if he could effect it would afterward be indifferent to him whether his Book were confuted or not However our hope is that Dominus iudicabit pauperes populi bumiliabit Calumniatorem FINIS Nullos esse Deos in ane coelum Affirmat Selius probatque quod se Factum duÌ„ negat haec videt BeatuÌ„ Martial l. 4. Epigr 21. Pag. 262. Psal. 118. Mem. 2. Cor. 12. v. 2. 3. 4. P. 334. P. 336 P. 336. P. 337. P. 244. Suar. in 3. S Th q 27. Anâ—on Summ. p. 1. tit 8. c. Baron ad A. D. 604. P. 248. P. 235. Irenic P. 392. P. 346. P. 349. P. 350. 13. Principle 15 Principle I. Que. Ansvv. II. Qu. Ansvv. III Qu. Ansvv. IV. Qu. Ansvv. V. Qu. Ansvv. Irenic Eph. iv 4. 5. vers 5. Gesner in Re Bellar. Def. Schlusscâ—b P. 443. Ration Accou p 54. Aug. de Bapt. cont Donat. l. 4. c. 16. P. 180. Conc. Triden Sess. XIV cap. 3. P. 183. P. 181. P. z12 Conc. Tâ—id Ses. XIV c. 8. August lib. 50 hom Hom. 41. Conc. Tâ—id Seâ— VII de Sacram Can. 8. P. 206. Gal. 4. P. 183. Aug. Hom. 50. capvlt P. 681. Luk xvi 9. Lib. de curâ pâ—â— moâ—tuis cap. 4. P. 183. Conc. Tâ—id Ses. xxv Decâ—et de Indulg Ibid. P. 516. P. 188. P. 174. Cor. 14 1. Cor. 14. Vers. 5. 9. 13. 27 28. P. â—15 P. 174. Philast Preface pag. 6. Ibid. p. 22.