Councill to declare un-appealably the Truth and to do iustice upon the guilty parties Thus the Catholick Church is furnished against Schisms and none of these Defensive arms will the Doctour allow to any of his Protestant Churches and yet he confidently avows that Catholicks have no advantage 109. But let us consider what argumēts an over-weening witt can alledge to prove so strange an affection for he might as well have said That Goverment and such Government as obliges the conscience has not so much force to preserve men in Vnity as Anarchy has 110. As touching his Proofs which take up above an hundred pages our answer to them must be that we may yield him in a manner all the Premises of his faulty Sillogisms and must deny the Consequence of the Conclusions he would draw from them He tells us many Tragicall Stories of miscarriages of Popes how they revolted from the Empire and upon such revolting layd the foundation of greatnes to their See How afterward challenging to themselves a Supreme Temporall Dominion over the whole world they quarrelled with Emperours and other Christian Princes from whence followed rebellions massacres and a whole Iliad of all sorts of mischiefs Well this being granted what follows Therefore says he Papall authority in Gods Church is no good mean to produce peace and order nor consequently Kingly authority in the common wealth since notwithstanding it many Kings have exercised Tyranny and could not always prevent rebellions But S. Peter and S. Paul never thought of such an argument when the most abominable Monster that ever lived governed the Roman world It was to Nero that they commanded Christians to be subiect to pay taxes to yeeld honour c. and this not only out of feare of his power but also for conscience sake It was such an argument as this as the Doctour has reason to remember that was made use of to the destruction of the best King that ever governed this Island Be it therefore granted that after a thousand years of excellent order produced in the Christian world by the government of Popes some of their Successours for about an age or two caused intolerable disorders in the Church and Empire What follows Therefore a Supreme authority in Gods Church is of no good use at all Nay more all manner of Authority is useles for if any authority then Subordination and if Subordination then of necessity a Supreme 111. From hence the Doctour descends to a way of arguing yet less reasonable then this for he tells his Reader of I know not how many Schisms yet all of them after the Church was above twelve hundred years old for before there were scarce any and of yet later disorders since S. Bernards time by reason of quarrels between Bishops and Monastick orders about Exemptions and Priviledges likewise between Regulars and Seculars the other day in England and much more such stuff which Popes either would not or rather could not compose for feare of greater disorders by endangering Schisms yet more pernicious to the Church then the former And what would he conclude from hence The very same as before for his argument in brief is this Subiects are oft times rebellious to their Superiours therefore it were better there were no Superiours at all But might he not as rationally argue that God is Governour of the world yet notwithstanding this the far greatest part of the world not in one or two but in all ages from the beginning hath been rebellious to him therefore his Government is of small benefitt 112. As touching certain truly scandalous quarrells between Bishops and some Regulars concerning Episcopacy and the Churches Government the Doctour ought to have taken notice that never any Regular pretended Episcopacy to be Antichristian as the Doctours freinds the Presbyterians Independents and other later Sects have done Neither have they declared a Government by Bishops to be in it self indifferent or that Ordination and Consecration of Bishops and Priests is a meere Ceremony and conferred as well and Legally by Lay Magistrates as by Ecclesiasticks as the Doctour himself has done The whole controversy consisting among Catholicks about restraining some part of Episcopall Iurisdiction and maintaining Priviledges granted by some Popes to certain Regulars A vast difference therefore there is between Catholicks and Protestants in Disputes touching Church Government and utterly irremediable on the Protestants side whereas wee see it ended or at least silenced among Catholicks 113. But differences of this Nature are not considerable compared to those obiected by the Doctour in the last place which are touching Matters of Doctrin and as he pretends of Faith in which regard he says that the Church of Rome can have no advantage in point of Vnity above others And further he not content with this adds That the Popes Authority being acknowledged by Catholicks the fountain of Vnity and all Catholicks not agreeing in the Popes Infallibility Whereas both Catholicks and Protestants agree in the Infallibility of Scripture which is to Protestants a more certain way of ending Controversy therefore he concludes that Protestants have a more certain and safe way of Vnity then Catholicks For that the Pope has not a sufficient power to reduce to Vnity parties dissenting in Doctrinall Points of weight such as are the Controversies between the Iesuits and Dominicans about Grace and Free Will between the Dominicans and Franciscans about the Immaculate Conception c. is he saith evident since those quarrels have to this day continued many ages and are prosecuted with great eagernes 114. In this manner argues the Doctour whereto the Answer is obvious For. 1. he trifles with and abuses an unskilfull Reader in telling him that the Scripture being acknowledged on both sides to be infallible is a more certain way of ending Controversies then the Popes determination who is not by many Catholick believed to be infallible For how can a Writing the sense whereof is controverted end a Controversy And to say that a writing is of it self a surer mean to end debates then when interpreted by a Iudge to say this and to think to be believed is to call his Readers brutish irrationall creatures and to make all Tribunalls ridiculous 2. It is not the Popes Infallibility but his Authority which ends the Controversies either by Determining the Point in Controversy so as his Determination is accepted by the Church or at least by imposing Silence among Disputants till himself in a Councill unappealeably decide it By which way of imposing Silence severall eager Disputes have been ended by Popes as this age can witness 3. Though all Catholicks do in thesi acknowledge that they are obliged at least to silence when imposed by the Pope Yet it cannot be denyed but that some have not complied with this Obligation But this is not to be imputed to want of Authority in the Pope but to the unrulines of mens passions and pride And the same fault we see in Secular Tribunalls
obligation lying on thers Subiects to submitt to their Authority and at the same time to preferr the Authority of a particular Church before that of the Vniversall which is the fountain of all Authority is to putt out their Subiects eyes and to hale them after them with chains And above all other Congregations the Tyranny of Presbyterians is most brutish who after a denyall of all Visible Authority extant before them endeavour violently to subdue mens consciences to the Jurisdiction of their Classes erected upon controverted Texts of Scripture as interpreted by themselves alone 8. The Doctours Principles therefore being by far the most materiall Part of his Book it is not notwithstanding my business in this Treatise to examine them apart one by one or to trouble my self with making a setled Iudgment whether of the two fore-named Parties Catholicks or Independents has the most solid reasons on their side For being engaged to make Reflexions on that part of his Book which is of least importance writen in an immodest uncivill petulant stile it was not fitt in my Answer to mingle considerations on a Subiect so serious and soberly expressed as his Principles are which indeed deserve to be examined separately with all possible calmness and impassionateness as being an Argument on which all other Controversies do depend and which one way or other makes an end of them all 9. Yet for all this it was not possible for me to avoyd all mention of his Principles in this Answer to a different Subiect since as hath been already intimated and will be seen by the Sequele whatsoever Charge he brings against the Catholick Church and which I pretend here to refute does scarce at all touch Her but lyes most heavily and unmoveably upon his Principles and on any Church acknowledging or adopting them He must therefore dispose himself with the greatest patience he can to be put in mind more then once or twice of his Principles and the fatall Consequences of them From which Consequences till he can effectually clear them he will have little cause to call as he hath done for an Answer to his former large Volume For if it shall appear by the ruine of his that the Principles of Catholick Religion only are solide and inexpugnable that is that the Catholick Church is indeed and to be acknowledged the Pillar and ground of Truth from whose Authority no Appeal is to be admitted then both his Former and latter Books are thereby sufficiently refuted as far as they condemn or but question any Doctrins whatsoever determined by her This being once established he will find his Books not having a few leaves gnawed by Ratts but unà liturâ entirely abolished §. 2. A Vindication of the Honour and Sanctity of S. Benedict c from the Doctours contumelious imputations 10. HAving given this Account of the Motiue and Design of this Treatise it is time to take into consideration the forementioned Heads of Accusation layd by the Doctour against the Catholick Church which he thinks of sufficient weight to deterre any one from ioyning in her Communion I will begin with that touching Fanaticism which though the Second in his Order yet principally concerned me to disprove and particularly that part of it which contains an Invective against the Life and Prayer of Contemplation commended and practised only in the Catholick Church it being a State which from the infancy of the Church hath been esteemed the nearest approching to that of Glorified Saints From whence notwithstanding he has taken occasion to vilify in particular the Authour of this ensuing Treatise Who is very well content to receive his proportion of Scorn with such companions as Thaulerus Suso Rusbrochius Blosius c. 11. Now the Doctour to the end he might make an entrance into his In vective with better grace has prepared a way thereto then which a more proper could not be found for such a purpose by producing on his Stage antickly disgvised the famous Teachers and Erectours of Schools for Contemplation S. Benedict S. Romuald S. Bruno S. Francis S. Dominick and S. Ignatius so exposing them like blind Samson to the derision of profane Readers for from Such only can he expect an applause for his impiously employed Wit And he will find in the end except Repentance prevent it that Selius his argument in the Epigrammatist wil prove a dangerous Fallacy 12. And to the end he may not too much boast of the Novelty of his invention and his profanely employed Witt I doe assure him that I my self being then a young Student in Oxford was witness of a far greater and if Fancy alone be considered far better deserved Applause given to a Preather who in a Repetition-Sermon to the Vniversity descanting on the whole life of our Saviour rendred him and his Attendants men and women Obiects of the utmost scorn and a version as if they all of them had been only a pack of dissolute Vagabonds and Cheats This the Preacher performed taking on him the person of a Iewish Pharisee and Persecutour of Christ. And he performed it so to the life that he would have shamed Lucian and raised envy in the Doctour himself But presently upon it changing his stile as became a Disciple of Christ he with such admirable dexterity and force of Reason answered all the Cavillations and Invectives before made that the loudly repeated Applauses of his Hearers hindred him a good space from proceeding Notwithstanding this the Grave Doctours and Governours of the Vniversity though much satisfied with his Intellectuall abilities yet wisely considering that a petulant histrionicall Stile even in Obiections did not befitt so Sacred a Subiect and that it was not lawfull to personate too naturally a deriding Iew obliged the Preacher to a publick Recantation-Sermon in the same Pulpit the Sunday following And this deservedly For Vitium simulari non potest Virtus potest 13. If the Doctour would now make a second Essay of his Witt and invention on severall Stories as we find them recorded in Holy Scripture he would perhaps find his Fancy as inventive and if Nature had denyed him the Devill would no doubt once more furnish him with Expressions as apt to move the Spleen and laughter of his present applauding Readers as any are now found in his Book by which means he perhaps may arrive at the glory to be acknowledged the Head of a New Sect of the Ecclesiae Malignantium And unless Report deceives us there are already severall Books of the Holy Bible descanted upon in a stile like to his and it may be the unhappy Authours conceive that the same Press may without an Imprimatur be allowed them also 14. It is not now my purpose to make a particular Vindication of each Saint traduced by him But considering the publick Interest obliging the whole Western Patriarchat and most especially England to be tender of the Honour of S. Benedict by whose Disciples if they were Fanaticks Christianity has been
Book truly I cannot determine Only this I may say That if Prelaticall Protestants do allow him for their Champion and approve the Grounds of his Religion it is one of the most Signall Victories that in any Age has been gained by a single Doctour over a whole Church the Governours whereof will be forced to acknowledge that they have no Authority to teach truth or condemn Errours that all the people formerly under them are becom Prophets and that all their Articles Constitutions and Ordonances have been compâ—seâ— and enioyned by an usurped Authority of which they are not willing to be despoyled and perhaps after the example of a late Scottish Bishop to do Pennance for their fault of being Bishops But certainly my Lords the Bishops will hardly with all the Doctours eloquence be perswaded to this compliance with him Regard both to the Kings and Kingdoms safety and their own Character will not permit them to yeeld to an Anarchy first in the Church and presently after in the Kingdom 97. Notwithstanding it cannot be denyed but the Doctour may expect more then ordinary indulgence from them since during their late calamities he did not joyn in the clamour for destroying them He was no Root and branch enemy but on the contrary generously undertook their defence and with great boldness told his then Maisters that though Episcopall goverment and Ordinations as likewise Deans and Chapters which anciently were the Bishops Counsell were not necessary nor perhaps convenient as matters then stood yet neither was their utter destruction they might if the State pleased be retained without sin upon condition that for their Maintenance the ravenous beasts then in power would be content to vomit up three or four hundred thousand pounds of yearly â—ents But my best course is to leave the Doctour to plead his own cause much better then I can doe And I assure him I would not have touched this String nor calld to mind these things passed were it not that hitherto he has made no retractation of any thing written by him and also if his Principles newly published should prevayle in mens minds they would be more destructive to both Kingly and Church goverment then all the Writings of Presbyters and Independents c. 98. But perhaps after all the said Principles though pernicious to Superiours may at least produce Vnity and peace among the people For a man would think if every sober enquirer and who thinks not himself such anone may be allowed to chuse a sence of Scripture for himself what can he desire more Every one then surely will be quiett and contented But I must tell him Quid verbo audio cum facta videam If indeed men could be content to enioy their Faith to themselves and not think themselves obliged to propagate it if they could with patience see their Doctrins confuted their actions derided and their designs opposed peace perhaps might be hoped for ad Graecas Calendas 99. Yet I confess that according to the Welsh Proverb The Gospell and a Stone will drive away a dogg the Doctours Principles and a severe Civill government ioynd together that is a charitable indulgence to tender consciences with a watchfull care to prevent quarrells and eager disputes about Religion may produce that peace which has hitherto never been seen in England since the Reformation and mens minds being enured to tast the pleasure of such a peace may probably in a short time becom as zealous against quarrelling as they are now for it 100. But there is another sort of Peace and Vnity more fitt to be the argument of Writings composed by Ecclesiasticall persons that is Vnity of Faith and Doctrin And this Vnity was intended certainly by Christ when he left his Church established under Spirituall governours to continue in an orderly Succession till the worlds end and was Signifyed by S. Paul saying There is one Body and one Spirit one Lord one Faith and one Baptism c. who also declares that this one Body and one Faith is preserved by Apostles and other Governours instituted by Christ in his Church To the end that Gods people may not be tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrin c. This Unity also is proposed and professed by us in the Creed I believe one holy Catholick and Apostolick Church Now this Vnity the Doctour seeing utterly chaced out of his Churches principled by him earnestly endeavours to prove it a stranger to the Catholick Church also and would seem to intimate that if it be possible to be attained it must be by his Principles And the truth is if men might enioy their consciences and would be induced to abstain from quarrelling persecuting and hating one another Truth in the end would probably prevaile were there not one hindrance more I feare insuperable which is that Truth or true Religion has no other passions and Carnall affections to combat withall besides quarrelsomnes It requires a bending and even breaking of the Will to the Obedience of Lawfull Superiours it requires yet further a captivating even of the Vnderstanding to the Obedience of Faith taught them by the same Superiours It requires also a free discovery of the most secret and most difficult to be acknowledged crimes in order to painfull Satisfactions to be undertaken for their expiation and for obtaining Absolution and pardon of them It requires from many a totall renouncing of all carnall Lusts and all Externall remedies of quenching them These and many other severe exactions are required by true Religion and only by itâ— and therefore no wonder if Sects dispensing in these things prevaile so much against it Yet Gods grace is omnipotent and can work greater and more difficult effects in the hearts of his servants when he is pleased to exert it 101. It is truly an Attempt worthy so heroicall a Champion to pretend to bring proofs from which saith he it appears that the Church of Rome can have no advantage in point of Vnity above his Protestant Churches which is in effect to demonstrate that one Article of our Faith ceases to be true 102. Let this be examined and first let us enquire what helps for Unity I mean Unity of Faith and Doctrin Protestants have and then compare them with those of Catholicks First for the Doctour himself who as yet must pass for the common Advocate of Protestants till he be disavowed surely he will not pretend to contribute the least advantage to such Unity unles he hopes to perswade any one That a licence given to every Christian to chuse his own Faith out of Scripture be a probable way to make all agree in the same Faith which Licence he gives and justifying it is the principall Design of all his Principles Is not this all one as to say Let every man in England think and doe what he pleases and by this means all will agree to be Good Obedient Subiects to the King Yet the Scripture argues
FANATICISM Fanatically imputed to the CATHOLICK CHURCH by DOCTOUR STILLINGFLEET And The Imputation refuted and retorted by S. C. a Catholick O. S. B. Psalm LXXI 4. Iudicabit pauperes populi humiliabit calumniatorem Proverb XXVI 18 19. As a madman vvho casteth fire-brands arrovvs and death So is the man that vvrongeth his neighbour and saith Am not I in Sport M.DC.LXXII Permissu Superiorum TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE SIR MARC-ALBERT D'OGNATE KNIGHT Counsellour to his Catholick Majesty Commissary for Renevving of Magistrats in the Province of Flanders President of the Chamber of Commerce and Navigation and Envoyé from the King of Spain to his Majesty of Great Brittain SIR It had been to be vvished that vve might have concealed from Strangers the Stains of our Nation and that they might remain ignorant that neither Fidelity to our Prince nor Charity to our fellovv-Subjects can secure Catholicks from the vvorst effects of vvar in the midst of Peace such is the Virulence of one malignant Party vvho though they enioy their lives by an unmerited Pardon of their Rebellion vvill never pardon us for our Loyalty In most Countreyes of Europe there are agitated dayly Disputes and Controversies about Religion and in Books on each side ordinarily some sharpness is mingled But in England our Lott must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vve are forced to contend vvith Adversaries vvhose minds by our late Tumults are rendred savage and implacable They to spite us resume a Nevv vvar against Heaven it self deriding and blaspheming the Saints in Glory And against Gods Church on earth they frame Accusations never heard of before making her greatest Vertues passe for the directly opposite greatest Crimes The most Saintly Exercises of Persons among us consecrated to God and entirely subiect to Authority are disgracefully stiled Fanaticism Because vve vvill not be chusers each one of his ovvn Faith vve are accused to have an Enthusiastick vvay of Religion vvee exercise Charity to our Freinds Deceased and that is called an Impediment of Deuotion vve teach as our Saviour did that the vvay to Heaven is strait and consequently that to enter into it vve must practise Confession of Sins Pennances Mortifications Praying Fasting Alms-giving c. and for this vve are charged to be Hinderers of Piety and a Good Life Our acknovvledging an Authority in Gods Church to end Controversies is called an effectuall Mean to multiply them If out of Compassion to persons guilty of Schism and out of a tender love to Vnity any one among us strains his vvitts to persvvade our Adversaries that the distance betvveen us is not so vast as some of them seem vvilling to conceive his recompense must be contemptuous revilings No Pagans or Cannibals must be esteemed so blindly so horribly I dolatrous No Quakers so ridiculously Frantick No Fifth-Monarchists so dangerous both to Church and State These enormous Excesses vvich have been lately exposed to the vvorld in a Stile partly Burlesque and partly Tragicall vvere never heard of in any other Nation but England and only of late in England and I hope for the credit of our Nation are not taken notice of by many Strangers living here and thereby less in danger to be published abroad But from you SIR they could not be concealed since your zeal to Catholick Religion makes you inquisitive into all things that concern it and your perfect knovvledge in our Language renders all our BOOKS as intelligible to you as if vvritten in your ovvn My hope novv is that you being vvell acquainted vvith the present Temper of our Nation vvill judge aright that a Book vvritten in such a Stile and vvholly composed of malignant Passions and nevv-invented Calumnies against Gods Church vvas only the private Design of a malicious Brain on purpose to feed the exulcerated minds of a malevolent Party among us and consequently not to be imputed to any other besides The affection you bear to our Nation from vvhich you are not quite even in blood a Stranger encourages mee to expect thus much iustice from you As for my self I being I hope not the only person engaged in the defence of Truth and Innocence against Malice and Calumny am desirous to address to you this my Ansvver as a Testimony of my gratefull resentment of the favour and honour you have been pleased to conferr generously on mee in allovving mee a share in your freindship the comfortable effects vvhereof have likevvise been extended to an afflicted Community abroad recommended by mee to your Protection But besides this a far greater obligation both my self and all loyall English Subjects have to honour you for your constant respect duty and assistance vvhich you have allvvayes vvith great zeale shevved to his Sacred Majesty and his cause vvhen he vvas inhumanly treated by the same Party vvhich novv so inhumanly treats his Faithfull Catholick Subjects In vvhich fatall Conjuncture also his banished freinds and servants found in your house Hospitality and kindness vvhich vvith them had been banished out of England I beseech you SIR accept this Address as a gage of gratitude honour and respect from SIR Your devoted Servant in our Lord. S. C. To the Reader THE report is very current that Doctour Stillingfleet wonders and even complains that having made a generall formall Challenge to Catholicks to come openly into the field against him being ready with weapons in his hand he cannot yet have the contentment to give further proof of his Skill and courage against them But surely it is not for the Doctors credit to make such a Complaint when the world knows how all passages into the field are stoppd and even walled up I will not say by himself yet at least by his Partizans how Stationers apprehend greater danger in publishing Answers to his Book then any Books of Sedition or Treason and how during the space of a few months since his last Book saw the light Searches into Presses have been more sollicitously exact and more frequent dayly and hourly then they have been all the years taken together since his Majesties Restauration Inquisitors searching into every hole turning over every small paper and rigorously examining both Maisters and Servants whether any thing has been written against Doctour Stillingfleet How securely now may the Doctor triumph and as oft as he pleases multiply his Challenges of Defiance against Catholick Adversaries so bound hand and foot and at how cheap a rate has he gotten from Tradesmen and Gossips immortall honour by a Book then which England never to this day saw any one pretending to Controversy more harmless to the Church he professes to oppose nor more destructive to the Church he professes to defend Now whether this be not a true Character of it I do willingly and confidently stand to the judgment of any learned and considering Protestant Reader who shall think fit to peruse the following Treatise Notwithstanding it cannot be denyed but that the Doctor has used a wonderfull dexterity in mannaging this Controversy
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
or Writing has declared the contrary to either of these or engaged his soule in the Covenant so great so horrible a Scandall as that certainly ought not only to be repented of but a publick revocation of it to be made And moreover my Lords the Bishops his Superiours deale but too mercifully in not requiring also a Recantation from him of what he has written destructive to the Ecclesiasticall Government of that Church in whose revenues they have now given him so great a share But I despair of being able to extort from the Doctour a free expression of his mind touching these two Points which involue a secret never to be discovered At least then he may with Civilitie be entreated to satisfy the world touching the sense of the two Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance which he has taken already as appears by the Preferments he enioys unles perhaps for the tendernes of his conscience he has been dispensed with taking them I doubt not but that in the Oath of Alleagiance he cheer-fully renounced all Authority in the Pope or any forrain Potentate to absolue Subiects from their Allegiance but will he doe the same with regard to any domestick Power Assembly or State at home This were worth the knowing 82. And next touching the Oath of Supremacy the Doctour during the late execrable Vsurpers time publishing in his Irenicum the Iudgement touching Church Government of the prime Patriarch of the English Reformation stiled by him that most worthy Prelat and glorious Martyr Archbishop Cranmer a Martyr indeed if an impenitent Traytor may be called a Martyr and his judgment declared in an answer to a Petition of the Clergy in the Convocation was in brief That Princes and Governours may make Bishops and Priests as well as Bishops may And that a Bishop or a Priest made by them needeth no Consecration by the Scripture Moreover the Doctour signifies that he had in his possession an Authentick Copy of the same Cranmers Answer in resolution of certain doubts propounded by the same Clergy touching Doctrinall Points as about the Masses institution nature receiving c. But this Secret the Doctour envyed his Readers Notwithstanding we may collect the sense of Cranmers Answer from the Subscription to both the Resolutions the Form whereof is this T. Cantuariens This is mine Opinion and Sentence at this present which I do not temerariously define but do remit the judgment thereof wholly to your Majesty So that it seems a finall judgment both touching Government and Doctrin is by the Prime Bishop referred to a Child of about nine years old a great glory surely to the English Clergy for the knowledge of which they are beholding to the Doctour as the Doctour was to Cranmer for confirming the substance of his Book touching Church Government very advantageous to my Lords the Bishops 83. Now this being premised and notice being taken that this Book attributing all this power to the Supreme Civill Governour was printed in Cromwells time he cannot surely refuse to declare whether he intended in taking lately the Oath of Supremacy to acknowledg as much in the King whose Title by Law is Supreme Head and Governour of the Church of England and whether by the Church of England is to be understood only the Prelaticall Church so as that all the Doctours other Protestant Churches are to be supposed exempt from his Iurisdiction For if they be not it is expected that the Doctour should declare that the King as Head of the Church may ordain Bishops and Priests for his own Church and Presbyters for the Presbyterians Ministers for the Independents Holders-forth for Anabaptists Declarers for Quakers and Tub-preachers for that sort of Fanaticks But this is not all For the Doctour if holding to his Book seems obliged to assert a power in the King to appoint also Articles of Belief a hundred ways varying and contradicting one another to fitt the fancies of each respective Congregation But how would the Doctour advise him about Fifth Monarchists Thus much at present upon this Subiect by occasion of the Doctours requiring an account from Catholicks touching their Fidelity which account none were less fitt to require then the Doctour Causa patet 84. But after all did it become a Doctour of such reputation though having a design to doe all the mischeif he could to Catholicks who never provoked him to call into his ayd two such Authours as the Answerer to the Apology for Catholicks and the Answerer to Philanax For touching the former he cannot but know that his barbarous Answer has mett wich a Reply already from an Honourable pen. And for the other where was the Doctours modesty when he stiled himr a worthy Authour for belying most horribly a party among Catholicks as if they had had an influence and had joyned with the Doctours friends in the most barbarous effects of Fanaticism here in the murther of a most excellent Prince Does he not know how oft and particularly how upon the complaint of the late Queen-Mother of most precious memory he has been summoned to make good that his forged calumny but all in vain Js that wretched Serpent to be stiled a worthy-Authour who if he had not been warmed and thawed by English preferments had never been able to hiss in his own countrey and much less to disgorge his poyson to the disturbance of our Island Js any credit to be given to him who would haue that to be believed in England which all France knows to be false viz. That his Father was a loyall subiect to his King that is that he was an Apostar from Huguenotterie where Confession of Faith obliges them to be Traytours and Rebels whensoever the Honour of God that is the Defence of their execrable Religion is concerned 85. If the Doctour had had the patience to delay a while the publishing his Book he might both haue cowntenanced and strengthned his cause very considerably by imploring the succours of another of the same French Huguenot brood of the loyall family of the Du Moulins One by Profession of late God Help us à Physician but heretofore as is said for his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presented to Cromwell in which he celebrated his victories created by him a publick Reader of History in the Vniversity then he became a Controvertist and Teacher of Diuinity the Diuinity doubtles then in fashion and pernicious to lawfull Soverains Jt seems the poor Snake not thâ—iving by his Drugs for he finds very few of the English Holy Tribes weary of living long betakes himself to his former Trade of railing at Papists a Trade at all times but now especially which brings in as certain a Revenue as if he had sett up an Alehouse This doughty Controvertist to putt the world in mind of his first Trade of Surgery has giuen Catholick Religion as he alone thinks a deadly wound in cutting the very Iugulum causae Jf his Book had come abroad time enough the Doctour could
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
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