I cannot better give an Account than in this place It is not long since that with the old design of exposing the Ministers of the Church of England to the Censures of the World as Men who made it their Business at any rate to run down Popery he set forth a malicious Discourse call'd by him 1. Good Advice tu the Pulpits c. In which he rakes together out of the Sermons published in the last years of the late King's Reign whatever he thought would serve to make them odious The Design was well enough laid and the Circumstances of the Times consider'd it were not to be wondred if some things should have pass'd more hot against those of the Church of Rome than was to have been wished But either our Ministers were then as they have always been very moderate or this Author has been a very careless Examiner of their Excesses However his Attempt soon met with a solid Confutation in an excellent Treatise Entituled 2. An Apology for the Pulpits And in which our Divines are fully justified against his Exceptions To this he has lately set forth an Answer called 3. Pulpit-sayings or the Characters of the Pulpit-Papist examined To which there is an Answer called 4. Pulpit-Popery True Popery And hitherto has this first sort of Controversie been carried on A second thing which has given occasion to some Disputes these late years and which for the Affinity it has to the foregoing I chuse next to mention is SECT II. Of a pretended Agreement of the Church of England with the Church of Rome AND this too the Representer is reported to have had a principal hand in It is no very long time since a Book was published in order to this end and called in express terms An Agreement between the Church of England and the Church of Rome Agreement between the C. of E. and the C. of R. I think I needed not have made any change of my former Head for this Treatise there being perhaps not a more foul Misrepresentation in the World than what the great Chastiser of Misrepresenters has made here in such a pretence as this But tho his Title be General yet the main design of his Book was to expose a particular person of our Church D. Sherlock and whom indeed they have all the reason in the world if they can by any means to run down for I know no man that does the and their Cause more mischief by those excellent Treatises which he continues still to publish against them However both the general and the particular design of this new Contrivance has been effectually answered in the two Replies that have come forth to it viz. 1. The Difference between the Church of England and the Church of Rome in Opposition to a late Book intituled An Agreement c. 2. A Vindication of some Protestant Principles of Church-Unity and Catholick-Communion from the charge of Agreement with the Church of Rome By Dr. Sherlock But what this Author attempted in a more general manner the Publisher of Discourses against us at Oxford more particularly endeavoured with reference to the Holy Eucharist in which as he pretends there is little or no difference between the true Sons of the Church of England and those of the Other Communion And which therefore shall be the next General Head of Controversies to which I will now pass viz. SECT III. Of the Real Presence Of the Disputes which have passed these last years concerning the Holy Eucharist And here I. Concerning the REAL PRESENCE THis is the Point in which Mr. W. would fain piece up a kind of Agreement betwixt us though all the World sees nothing can be more different than the Doctrine of the Real Presence as taught in the Church of England and that of Transubstantiation which is the Real Presence believed in the Church of Rome But however it be Mr. W. doubts not to make it appear That our Divines have asserted the very same Presence of Christ in effect in the Eucharist that the Romanists maintain in a Treatise called 1. Two Discourses concerning the Adoration of our Blessed Saviour in the Eucharist And the former of which wholly pursues the pretended Agreement I have now been speaking of To this there came out first a London Answer in which his Quotations were fully examined his Pretences considered and the whole matter largely stated And in return to his Allegations of some of our Church that believed their Real Presence an Account was given of several that have lived and died in their Communion that neither did nor could believe any such thing The Title of it is 2. A Discourse of the Holy-Eucharist in the Two great Points of the Real Presence and the Adoration of the Host Not long after this a Person of great Worth at Oxford publish'd a second Confutation of the same Piece but with this difference That whereas the former Discourse examined at large his Quotations this chiefly consider'd the Principles on which he proceeded and the Arguments he brought to justifie his Pretences It is called 3. A Reply to Two Discourses lately printed at Oxford concerning the Adoration of our Blessed Saviour in the Holy Eucharist And here this Controversie rested till the last Term when Mr. W. publishing another Treatise upon the same Subject viz. 4. A Compendious Discourse on the Eucharist Added to the End of it two Appendixes in answer to the two Tracts that had been written against them It appears by the Heat and Bitterness of these little Satyrs how much those Books had troubled him and how unable he is to command himself even there where he pretends the most to do it One would have thought after what the Representer had done we had seen the height of what a licentious Pen could arise to in matters of such seriousness But indeed this poor impotent old Man has convinced us of our Error and shewn such an indecent Passion in the menage of his Answer as is much more to be pitied than valued But I shall leave it to those who are engaged with him to take notice of these things It is not to be doubted but that in a little time their Answers will be finish'd both the One and the Other being as I am informed already in good forwardness II. Of Communion in Both Kinds COMMUNION in BOTH KINDS Having thus given an Account of what has pass'd as to the Point of the Real Presence the next thing that naturally offer'd its self was the Doctrine of Transubstantiation But there has pass'd so much concerning this Controversie that I was willing before I came to that to consider all the lesser Debates that have risen relating to this Holy Sacrament The occasion of this Engagement was this Monsieur de Meaux having some years since composed a famous Book upon this Argument it was thought fit by those of the Church of Rome to translate that also as well as the rest of his Tracts into
Catholics in Matters of Faith. Written in French by Monsieur Maimbourg 2. Seek and ye shall find or a search into the Grounds of Religion c. 3. Monsieur de Meaux 's Conference with Monsieur Claude concerning the Authority of the Church SECT V. To these Disputes concerning the Church I do not know any that I can so sitly subjoin as those which regard the pretended Priviledges and Authority of St. PETER and of the POPES as His Successors IT is now some time since an Eminent Person of the other Communion Dr. Godden began the Contest as to this matter in a Sermon Preach'd by him in the Queen Dowagers Chappel and called A Sermon of St. Of S. Peter and the Pope Peter preached before her Majesty the Queen Dowager June 29. 1686. In requital of this a very Learned Man of our Church set out a Sermon which he had occasionally Preach'd in his own Church the very same Day upon the same Text intituled A sermon Preach'd upon S. Peter 's Day Printed at the desire of some that heard it with some Enlargements by a Divine of the Church of England I will not say any thing more of these Two Discourses than this That whoso shall please to read them will find what is to be urged from that famous Text Thou art Peter c. on either side and when they compare them together may judg as they shall find the evidence of Truth to incline them But of this large Subject much more has been set forth and it shall suffice to give a very brief Account of it 1. The Catholick Ballance or a Discourse determining the Controversies concerning 1. The Tradition of Catholic Doctrines 2. The Primacy of S. Peter and the Bishop of Rome 3. The Subjection and Authority of the Church in a Christian State. 2. The Antiquity of the Protestant Religion with an Answer to Mr. Sclater 's Reasons and the Collections of Nobes Testium 3. A modest Enquiry Whether S. Peter were ever at Rome and Bishop of that Church 4. Sure and Honest Means for the Conversion of all Hereticks Of St. Peter and the Popes Supremacy and wholesome Advice and Expedients for the Reformation of the Church 5. Dialogues between Philerene and Philalethe These are I think the chief Discourses that have been Published by our Divines relating to the Prerogatives and Authority that some pretend to in behalf of St. Peter and the Bishops of Rome his Successors As for those which have been sent abroad on this Head by those of the Other Communion these are the Principal that have come to my Knowledg 1. St. Peter 's Supremacy faithfully discuss'd according to Holy Scripture and Greek and Latin Fathers By Mr. Clenche 2. The Popes Supremacy Asserted from the Considerations of some Protestants and the practice of the Primitive Church in a Dialogue between a Church-Divine and a Seeker In Vindication of Nubes Testium Concerning this last Discourse you must observe that it does belong to the Controversie about the Nubes Testium betwixt the Representer and the Divine of our Church who answered that Collection The Representer made a very faint defence of his Nubes against that Answer but gave it a good Title calling it The Primitive Fathers no Protestants To which Mr. G. shortly after replied in his Primitive Fathers no Papists after which that Controversie rested till the Representer peept out again with this Tract in defence of one point only of his Nubes Testium but whoever will take the pains to look into it will find that the Representer's Stock is quite spent and therefore he is forc'd to patch up these Learned Dialogues out of his own Nubes Testium and the Appendix with the addition only of a few bold strokes which F. Sabran would have call'd Calumnies about Dr. Sherlock c. So that this Book deserves no Answer at all however a very Learned Person of our Church having undertaken to answer Mr. Clcuche's Book and Dr. Godden's Sermon about the Pope's Supremacy hath condescended to consider this Tract also and the world will very speedily be obliged with a Compleat and Learned Answer to them all under this Title A Discourse of the Popes Supremacy in Two Parts The First In Answer to a Treatise Entitul'd Saint Peter's Supremacy faithfully discuss'd according to Holy Scripture and Greek and Latin Fathers And to a Sermon of St. Peter Preach'd before her Majesty the Queen Dowager on St. Peter and St. Paul 's day by Tho. Godden D. D. The Second In Answer to a Discourse Entitul'd The Pope's supremacy asserted from the Considerations of some Protestants and the Practice of the Primitive Church in Vindication of Nubes Testium SECT VI. Such have been the Treatises that have pass'd on both sides concerning the Popes Authority The next Point which seems to follow the nearest upon these and which indeed is chiefly founded on Arguments drawn from the Pretences before mention'd is that of our unwarrantableness in separating from the Church of Rome and Chair of St. Peter And concerning which much has been done on both sides AS for our Divines the Treatises they have publish'd in Vindication of our Reformation from the Charge of SCHISM and HERESIE have been these that follow 1. A Vindication of the Church of England from the foul aspersions of Schism and Heresie unjustly cast upon her by the Church of Rome In two Parts Of the Charge of Schism and Heresie 2. An Answer to a late Printed Paper given about by Some of the Church of Rome In a Letter to a Gentleman 3. An Answer to the Considerations which obliged Dean Manby to embrace what he calls the Catholic Religion 4. Notes upon Lucilla and Elizabeth 5. An Apologetical Vindication of the Church of England in Answer to those who reproach her with the English Heresies and Schisms or suspect her not to be a Catholic Church upon their account 6. A few plain reasons why a Protestant of the Church of England should not turn Roman Catholic 7. An Answer to the Spirit of M. Luther and the Original of the Reformation lately Printed at Oxford 8. Animadversions on Mr. W's Discourse of Church-Government In two Parts 9. Reflections on the relation of the English Reformation lately Printed at Oxford and on the Oxford Theses Two Parts 10. An Answer to a Book Intituled Reason and Authority or the Motives of a late Protestant's Reconciliation to the Catholic Church Together with a brief Account of Augustine the Monk and the Conversion of the English 11. The State of the Church of Rome when the Reformation began as it appears by the Advices given to Paul III. and Julius III. by Creatures of their Own. 12. The Queries offer'd by T. W. to the Protestants concerning the English Reformation Re-printed and Answer'd Nor have those of the Roman Communion been sparing in this Argument but have made this a Great Subject of Contention against us As will appear by the following Account 1. Lucilla and
Feasts her Conception and Nativity are considered We are in hopes that the Excellent Author of this most ingenious and diverting Discourse will e're long oblige the World with a Second Part and teach the Papists at length to grow ashamed of their intolerable Superstitions towards the Virgin Mary As for those of the other Communion it is but little they have published in particular on this Subject besides what I have already mentioned But two Pieces there are which I ought by no means no forget viz. 1. Contemplations on the Life and Glory of H. Mary 2. An Apology for the Contemplations by Dr. I. C. Which Apology was fully answered in the ingenious Preface to the Book called An Account of the Life and Death of the Blessed Virgin. SECT IX Of the Validity of Orders in the C. of E. I shall mention but one Particular more on which we have of late as heretofore been attack'd by those of the Roman Church and effectually Vindicated our selves both against their Calumnies and their Reasons and that is as to the Validity of ORDERS in the Church of England THE Occasion of reviving this Matter was given by a little Scurrilous Libel that went abroad under the name of The Church of England truly Represented And in Reply to whose Calumnies Three Discourses have been Published two of them new the other only reprinted viz. 1. A Vindication of the Ordinations of the Church of England in answer to a Paper written by one of the Church of Rome to prove the Nullity of our Orders 2. A Defence of the Ordinations and Ministry of the Church of England in Answer to the Scandals raised or revived against them in several late Pamphlets and particularly in one intituled the Church of England truly Represented c. 3. A short Defence of the Orders of the Church of England as by Law establish'd against some scattered Objections of Mr. Webster of Linne But this Subject hath been most largely and learnedly handled by the Learned Mr Brown of S. John's College in Cambridge in his Sermon ad Clerum and in another Sermon Preached before the University on Commencement Sunday Translated into Latin and both together Printed at Cambridge under this Title 4. Concio ad Clerum habita coram Academia Cantabrigiensi Junii 11. An. 1687. pro Gradu Baccal in S. Theologia Vbi vindicatur Vera Valida Cleri Anglicani Ineunte Reformatione Ordinatio Cui accessit Concio habita Julii 3. 1687. de Canonica Cleri Anglicani Ordinatione Latine reddita aucta a Th. Brown S. T. B. Coll. D. Joh. Evang Soc. annexum est Instrumentum Consecrationis Matth. Parker Archiep. Cant. ex MS. C. C. C. Cantabr I hear the worthy Author hath been very earnestly requested to Translate these Latin Sermons into English and I am told that he delays it only upon the account of some Answer that the Papists have been talking they would give to them being desirous to make his Translation and Vindication one trouble I cannot therefore but in the behalf of those who are so desirous to have these Sermons in English request our Adversaries That if they have any thing to say to them they would make a little more haste with it And for the mighty Master of Controversie who I hear hath resolved to answer a Paragraph in one of them I must needs tell him That Nine Months is more by Eight and an half than an ordinary Controvertist would have taken to answer such a Piece in But in this Controversie we have not been merely upon the Defensive Part but have attack'd their Orders as well as defended our own This a Learned Man of our Church hath done in a Book under this Title 5. Roman Catholics uncertain whether there be any true Priests or Sacraments in the Church of Rome Miscellany Treatises SECT X. Having thus reduced the Principal Treatises that have been set forth to their Particular Heads as far as in so great a Confusion of Matter I could well do it it remains only to add here such Treatises on both sides as I have before pass'd by or could not be so readily brought to any special Consideration NOW those of this kind which have been set forth by the CHURCH of ROME are these 1. Question of Questions 2. Why are you a Catholic 3. Popery Anatomized or the Papists clear'd from the false Imputation of Idolatry and Rebellion 4. Veritas Evangelica or the Gospel Truth asserted in xvi useful Questions 5. Pope Pius Profession of Faith vindicated c. 6. Dr. Sherlock sifted from his Bran and Chaff 7. The Pharisee unmask'd 8. Assertio vii Sacramentorum by King Henry viiith against Luther 9. A Reformd Catechism by P. Manby 10. Animadversions on the Rishop of Bath's Sermon c. To these they have because not at leisure to write new Books or for some other better Reason added an old Book written by one F. Huddleston a Benedictine it is called 11. A Short and Plain way to the Faith and Church c. To this there is an Answer almost finished by a very Learned Person who will demonstrate to the World how little that Book had in it to convince On Our Part have appear'd of this Miscellany kind these that follow 1. Remarks on Popery Misrepresented with reference to the Deposing Doctrine 2. Pope Pius's Creed with Comments 3. The Additional Articles in Pope Pius's Creed no Articles of the Christian Faith. 4. A few plain Reasons why a Protestant of the Church of England should not turn Roman Catholic 5. Thirty plain but sound Reasons why Protestants differ from Popery 6. A Discourse shewing that Protestants are on the safer side notwithstanding the uncharitable Judgement of their Adversaries and that their Religion is the surest way to Heaven 7. A Pacifick Discourse of the Causes and Remedies of the Differences about Religion which distract the Peace of Christendom 8. The Missionaries Arts discover'd 9. A Request to Roman Catholics to answer certain Queries on several of their Tenets mention'd 10. A Brief Account of the first rise of the Name Protestant c. 11. An Historical Relation of several great and learned Romanists that have embraced the Protestant Religion 12. A Catechism truly representing the Doctrines and Practices of the Church of Rome with an Answer to them 13. The Plausible Arguments of a Romish Priest Answer'd by an English Protestant 14. A Discourse between two Protestants in Answer to a Popish Catechism call'd A Short Catechism against all Sectaries 15. A Plain Defence of the Protestant Religion fitted to the Meanest Capacity being a full confutation of the Net for the Fishers of Men. 16. Some Queries to Protestants Answer'd and an Explication of the Roman Catholic 's Belief in Four great Points consider'd 1. Concerning their Church 2. Their Worship 3. Justification 4. Civil Government 17. The Judgement of Private Discretion in matters of Religion defended in a Sermon at S. Paul 's Covent-Garden By Mr. Kidder 18. The
Elizabeth or the Donatist and Protestant Schism Parallel'd 2. The Sum of a Conference had between two Divines of the Church of England and two Catholic Lay-Gentlemen in 1671. 3. The Church of England truly represented according to Dr. Heylin 's History of the Reformation 4. The Gonsiderations which obliged Peter Manby Dean of London-Derry to embrace the Roman Catholic Religion 5. Schelstrate his Dissertation against Dr. Stillingfleet concerning Patriarchal and Metropolitical Authority As to this Book since Mr. Schelstrate's Friends heve ventured to expose it in a Translation here the Reverend and Most Worthy Dean of Paul's will not fail if God continue him health and opportunity to give an Answer and I am sure the world will not be angry with me for raising their Expectations of the Dean's Answer since they are satisfied that he will make them sufficient amends for them 6. A discourse concerning the Spirit of Martin Luther and the Original of the Reformation 7. Church-Government Part V. A Relation of the English Reformation and the lawfulness thereof examined 8. Some Queries to Protestants concerning the English Reformation by T.W. 9. The Schism of the Church of England Demonstrated in Four Arguments formerly proposed to Dr. Gunning and Dr. Pearson the late Bishops of Ely and Chester by two Catholic Disputants in a celebrated Conference upon that Point This little Paper with a large Title was the other day Reprinted at Oxford by the Converts there The foul dealings and egregious disingenuity concerning that Conference as well as the weakness and falseness of its Arguments have been fully shewn in an Answer we have received just now from Cambridg from a Reverend Person who was particularly related to one of those abused Bishops The Title of his Answer is The Reformation of the Church of England justisied according to the Canons of the Council of Nice and other General Councils and the Tradition of the Catholic Church being an Answer to a Paper Re-printed at Oxford c. SECT VII And these are the chief Treatises that have been publish'd on these more General Points We come now to examine what has been done on the more particular Controversies And first we will begin with that which is the Ground of all The RULE of FAITH MAny have been the Debates concerning this both with relation to what we suppose to be the only Divine Rule viz. The HOLY SCRIPTUR Of the Rule of Faith. and with reference to that other which those of the Church of Rome have added to it viz. The TRADITION of the Church And 1. As to the Point of the HOLY SCRIPTURE these discourses have pass'd of late concerning it On the part of the Church of Rome 1. The Protestant's Plea for a Socinian justifying his Doctrine from being opposite to Scripture c. 2. Protestancy destitute of Scripture Proofs 3. A Request to Protestants to produce plain Scriptures directly Authorizing xvi Tenets held by them 4. The 6th 7th 8th 9th and 10th Chapters of the Second Part of the Catholic Representer 5. An Address to the Ministers of the Church of England 6. A Clear Proof of the Certainty and Usefulness of the Protestant Rule of Faith. 7. The Catholic Scripturist 8. Pax Vobix On the Protestant Part. 1. The difference betwixt the Protestant and Socinian Methods in Answer to a Book written by a Romanist and intituled The Protestant Plea for a Socinian 2. An Answer to the Request to protestants to produce plain Scriptures directly Authorizing their Tenets 3. A Summary of the Principal Controversies between the Church of England and the Church of Rome in Answer to Protestancy destitute of Scripture proofs 4. The Lay-Christians Obligation to read the Holy Scripture 5. The Peoples right to read the Holy Scripture asserted in Answer to the 6th 7th 8th 9th and 10th Chapters of the 2d part of the Popish Representer 6. A Treatise proving Scripture to be the Rule of Faith writ by Reginald Peacock Bishop of Chichester before the Reformation about the year 1450. 7. An Answer to the Address presented to the Ministers of the Church of England 8. A Vindication of the Answer to the Popish Address presented to the Ministers of the Church of England In reply to a Pamphlet abusively Intituled A Clear Proof of the Certainty and Usefulness of the Protestant Rule of Faith. 9. Some Dialogues between Mr. G. and others with Reflections on a Book called Pax Vobis To which I must add another and fuller Answer preparing to that same little Piece not yet Publish'd viz. 10. The Protestant and Popish way of Interpreting Scripture impartially compared in Answer to Pax Vobis 2. For what concerns the other Point TRADITION it has been the great Endeavour of some of late to set up once more the Infallibility of it But none with more Noise by an accident which I am now to recount than Mr. G. and the great Master of Controveesie and Patron of this new Hypothesis J. S. It happen'd about a year and half since that the forwardness of Mr. G. to engage in a Dispute wherein he was sure to have the disadvantage both in the Point and in the Person that was to manage it against him led him into a Conference with the Reverend and Learned the Dean of Pauls I need not say what passed there the whole haying since been published The Subject of the Debate was the Infallibility of Oral Tradition The Conference being over Mr. G. according to the perpetual Custom of the vain and assuming spirit of that Party began to make great Boasts in the Coffee-houses what Feats he had done and how great a Victory he had gained tho the Gentleman for whose sake the Conference was held declared himself much more confirmed in the Communion of our Church than he was before and resolved to continue in it This enforced the Dean to publish a short Expostulatory Letter called 1. A Letter to Mr. G. giving a true Account of a late Conference at the D. of P. In return to this Mr. M. who was with Mr. G. at the Conference returned a Letter or two to Dr. Stilling fleet concerning the Conference and these produced a second from the Dean of St. Pauls called 2. A second Letter to Mr. G. in Answer to two Letters lately Publish'd concerning the Conference at the D. of P. One of the Answers to the D. of P's first Letter was called 3. A Letter to the D. of P. in Answer to the Arguing part of his First Letter to Mr. G. To this a Person not yet concerned put in a Reply Intituled 4. A Letter to a Friend reflecting on some passages in a Letter to the D. of P. in Answer to the Arguing part of his first Letter to Mr. G. And here Mr. J.S. was thought fit to be entrusted with carrying on this weighty Controversie which he did in several Letters which he calls Catholic Letters in Answer to the former Letter to the second of the Dean's and to a Sermon which
of Nubes Testium To which our Author has replied in 4. A Third Letter to a Person of Quality being a Vindication of the former in Answer to a late Pamphlet Intituled A Discourse of the Vse of Images And to that in pursuance of his First Design has lately added a Fourth which he calls 5. A Fourth Letter to a Person of Quality being an Historical Account of the Doctrine of the Sacrament from the Primitive times to the Council of Trent shewing the Novelty of Transubstantiation To conclude this Head I shall only add one General Discourse on this Subject which I have before mention'd and can never name too often viz. Of the Authority of Councils and the RULE of FAITH SECT VIII Of the Nature of Idolatry Having hitherto pursu'd the business of the Rule of Faith and the Treatises that have been publish'd on the Occasion of it we will now go on to the more special Examinations that have been made by both these Rules viz. Scripture and Tradition of the particular Points in debate betwixt us And because I have just now mention'd some such Examinations of the two great Rocks of offence to us The Worship of Images and the Invocation of Saints it may not be amiss first of all to see what has been further done upon these Arguments and the other instances of what we esteem The IDOLATRY of the Church of Rome THere is perhaps nothing in all our Disputes with those of the other Communion which they so unwillingly care to enter on as this They look upon the very Name of it to be a kind of Reproach to them and would be thought as heartily as we our selves can desire to detest the Guilt of it But yet 't is too evident to be deny'd that our Charge is very justly brought against them and by consequence that it ought not to be doubted but that our Separation from them must have been most reasonable if it can indeed be made appear as we are perswaded we have plainly shewn that we could not have continued in their Communion without joyning with them in the Practice of one of the greatest of Sins viz. Idolatry But before we come to the Particulars in which this Charge is brought against them it is fit we should first state the general Notion of IDOLATRY and this has been effectually done but very lately The Reverend the Bishop of Oxon having in a Treatise which he published for the abrogating of the Test and Penal Laws given us just occasion to do so This Book is so well known and the Answer to it was so lately published that I shall not need say any thing more of either but only add their Titles which are these viz. 1. Reasons for Abrogating the Test 2. A Discourse concerning the Nature of Idolatry In which a late Author's true and only notion of Idolatry is consider'd and Confuted I must not forget to observe also that the Bishop in his Tract pretending to give a new and very strange Account of the Romish Doctrine of Transubstantiation that part of his Book received two particular Considerations the one in the Preface to the Reverend Dean of Paul's Book Entituled The Council of Trent examined and disproved by Catholic Tradition The other in a Learned Discourse under this Title 3. Transubstantiation the Peculiar Doctrine of the Church of Rome I am told we owe this Book to a very ingenious Nonconformist and as we cannot but thank him for the Discourse he has given us so he deserves to be thanked for his design of answering the other part of the Bishop's Book about the Nature of Idolatry in which he was prevented as I am told by the other Discourse about the Nature of Idolatry coming out while that good design was under his hands I cannot but wish that our Brethren had begun sooner to assist us in such a large Controversie as we have been obliged to manage and that others amongst them would follow the Example which this Learned Author has so worthily set before them Another Writer hath given us a very ingenious short Answer to both parts of the Bishop's Book and calls it 4. A Discourse concerning Transubstantiation and Idolatry being an Answer to the Bishop of Oxford's Plea relating to those two Points As for the particular Instances wherein we make good this charge of Idolatry against them I have before mentioned that of the ADORATION of the HOST See above Page 6. 19. and the Discourses that have been published on that Argument The two Points remaining and of which something was said under the last Head are the WORSHIP of IMAGES and the INVOCATION of Saints I. Of the WORSHIP of IMAGES Upon which Point Of the Worship of Images besides the two Letters written in Answer to the Nubes Testium the following Discourses have also been set forth viz. 1. The Fallibility of the Roman Church demonstrated from the manifest Error of the second Nicene and Trent Councils which assert That the Veneration and Honorary Worship of Images is a Tradition Primitive and Apostolical 2. A Discourse concerning the second Council of Nice which first introduced and established Image-Worship in the Christian Church Anno Domini 787. For the other Point II. The INVOCATION of SAINTS Many Discourses have been Published and a full account given of this Matter and if we may judge by the slender Returns that have been made to them Of the Invocation of Saints little is to be said in Vindication of this Superstition The Treatises that I have seen are these that follow 1. Speculum B. Virginis A Discourse of the due Praise and Honour of the Virgin Mary 2. A Discourse concerning the Worship of the Blessed Virgin and the Saints with an Account of the Beginning and Rise of it among Christians in Answer to Monsieur de Meaux 's Appeal to the ivth Age in his Exposition and Pastoral Letter 3. Wholesom Advices from the B. Virgin to her indiscreet Worshippers This Piece was only a Translation which an Ingenious Lay-man of our Church put into English and set a large Preface before it To this the Catholic Representer gave an Attack in the 4th Chapter of his Second Part and thereby obliged our Author to make a smart Reply upon him called A Letter to the Misrepresenter of Papists 4. An Account of the Life and Death of the B. Virgin according to the Romish Writers with the Grounds of the Worship paid to her 5. The Life of S. Mary Magdalene of Pazzi a Carmelite Nun with a Preface of the Nature Causes Concomitants and Consequences of Extasie and Rapture and a brief Discourse added about discerning and trying Spirits whether they be of God. 6. An Abridgment of the Prerogatives of S. Ann Mother of the Mother of God. 7. The Enthusiasm of the Church of Rome demonstrated in some Observations upon the Life of Ignatius Loyola 8. The Virgin Mary Misrepresented by the Roman Church c. Part I. Wherein Two of her
Misrepresenter still he lets fly at the Principles of his Adversary and undertakes out of his grand concern for the Protestant Interest to shew our Divines that this Gentleman was one who for all his Pretences in their behalf really endeavour'd to set up Popery in Masquerade And to this end came out a formal Piece called 3. A Letter from a Dissenter to the Divines of the Church of England in order to a Vnion But to the great surprize of this Gentleman his Adversary who it seems was as well acquainted with Henry Hill's Press as Natalis Alexander's history and by a sort of Beauties so essential to the Representer that do what he can he is not able to disguise himself presently found out what an Ass was crept into the Lyon's Skin And to let the whole World see what an honest fair dealer this Representer is he quickly gave an account of it in Print in his Answer to the Pamphlet Intituled 4. a Vindication of the Principles of the Author of the Answer to the Compiler of the Nubes Testium from the Charge of Popery In Answer to a late pretended Letter from a Dissenter to the Divines of the Church of England To this I do not know that the Representer has yet replied But in defence of his Nubes Testium we have an Answer that every way befits the Character of its Author It is call'd 5. The Primitive Fathers no Protestants Or a Vindication of Nubes Testium from the Cavils of the Answerer And that has produced us another Defence viz. 6. The Primitive Fathers no Papists In Answer to the Vindication of the Nubes Testium To which is added an Historical Discourse concerning Invocation of Saints in Answer to the Challenge of Father Lewis Sabran the Jesuit And here it was thought this Controversy would have ended till the other day the Representer peept out with his Defence of one Chapter of his Nubes Testium which I have already mentioned under this Title The Popes Supremacy Asserted To which an Answer will be shortly in the Press And here this Debate might have ended had not a short Postscript at the Close of the first Answer to the Nubes Testium engaged our Worthy Author in a new Quarrel with Father Sabran a Jesuit and who is now grown more famous in the World from his New Antagonist the Protestant Footman who as we have before observed undertook the Defence of the Reverend Master of the Temple from such pitiful Cavils as indeed were not worth the while of the Learned Man himself to take notice of and are abundantly answer'd by his new and more proper Antagonist In his Sermon before the King at Chester this Jesuit told his Majesty and the Auditory that he follow'd the advice of St. Austin when he recommended himself to the Blessed Virgins Intercession and advised them to do the same And for this quotes his Thirty-fifth Sermon de Sanctis Upon this there began a hot Debate in Letters betwixt F. Sabran and the Answerer concerning this Authority of St. Austin and at last from a particular Passage rose up to a General Point of the Practice of the Primitive Church as to the Invocation of Saints The Pieces themselves may be consulted in this Order 1. A Letter to a Peer of the Church of England clearing a Point in a Sermon Preach'd at Chester in Answer to a Postscript joyned unto the Answer to Nubes Testium 2. A Letter to Father Lewis Sabran Jesuit in Answer to his Letter to a Peer of the Church of England c. 3. A Reply of Lewis Sabrand of the Society of Jesus to the Answer given to his Letter written to a Peer of the Church of England c. 4. A Second Letter to Father Lewis Sabran Jesuit in Answer to his Reply And here the Controversy about St. Austin's Sermon was either ended or dropt the Jesuit being now ferretted by the Second Letter out of all his starting holes But Mr. G. in his Primitive Fathers no Papists taking into Consideration a Challenge which the Jesuit had made him in one of his Letters about Invocation published an Historical Discourse to prove that Invocation of Saints was neither the Doctrine nor the Practice of the Primitive Fathers Upon this the Jesuit begun again after having taken a little breath and in a whole Sheet undertakes to answer that large Historical Account with this Title 5. The Challenge of Father Lewis Sabran made out against the Historical Discourse concerning Invocation of Saints To which Mr. G. very soon after replied in 6. A Third Letter to Father Lewis Sabrah Jesuit Wherein the Defence of his Challenge concerning Invocation of Saints is Examin'd and Confuted In this Letter Mr. G. made such Discoveries of the strange Disingenuity and confident Ignorance of the Jesuit that he was resolved to rid his Hands of such an Adversary as had neither Learning nor Good-manners and therefore told him in the Conclusion of his Letter that he would trouble himself no more with answering such an Adversary Upon this the Jesuit whose only stock is Confidence being turn'd off by his Learned Adversary was forc'd to address his next Reply to a Third Person and pitcht upon Mr. Needham because he had Licensed Mr. G's Third Letter to him and directed a Letter to him with this Title 7. A Letter to Dr. William Needham In Answer to the Third Letter by him Licensed Written to Father Lewis Sabran of the Society of Jesus To which Mr. G. did finally Reply in an Address to the Jesuit's Superiors and this it 's supposed will end this Controversy it is call'd 8. A Letter to the Superiors whether Bishops or Priests which approve or License the Popish Books in England particularly to those of the Jesuits Order concerning Lewis Sabrah a Jesuit And all these Engagements the first Answer to the Nubes Testium produced But tho we now quit our Author yet we must not therefore leave the Subject For about the same time that the former Answer appeared another Learned Person of our Church began to consider it by Parts in several Letters to a Person of Quality And the Account of which I will now give as far as the Pieces are come to my Knowledg The first that appeared was called 1. The Antiquity of the Protestant Religion With an Answer to Mr. Sclater 's Reasons and the Collections made by the Author of the Pamphlet intituled Nubes Testium In a Letter to a Person of Quality The first Part. The next he Entituled 2. The Antiquity of the Protestant Religion concerning Images With an Answer to the Collections made by the Author of the Pamphlet Intituled Nubes Testium In a Letter to a Person of Quality The 2d Part. What Notice has been taken of the former of these I am not able to say but the latter has produced us an Answer Entituled 3. A Discourse of the Use of Images in relation to the Church of England and the Church of Rome in Vindication
Protestant Resolved Or a Discourse shewing the Unreasonableness of his turning Roman Catholic for salvation 19. A Discourse wherein is held forth the Opposition of the Doctrine Worship and Practices of the Roman Church to the Nature Designs and Characters of the Christian Faith. 20. Two short Discourses against the Romanists by Mr. Dodwell Cambden Professor in the University of Oxford 21. An Answer to a Discourse concerning the Celibacy of the Clergy printed at Oxford 22. A Letter to a Lady furnishing Her with Scripture Testimonies against the principal Points and Doctrines of Popery In return to the last of these Discourses Father Darrell the Jesuit has been pleased to set out a Single Half Sheet which he calls A Letter to a Lady wherein he desires a Conference with the Gentleman who writ Her that Letter This is indeed a new way of answering Books and becoming the busie assuming spirit of that Society One would wonder after so little Success as they have hitherto met with in these Encounters what should move this Reverend Father to be so forward to come into the same List with Goodwin Pulton and a few others of the same Character For tho abundance of Noise in a Conference and of Misrepresentation after may help out a weak Cause and an Illiterate Defender of it when they are sure before-hand of the person for whose sake it is held yet methinks they should be more wary than to run upon such Hazards where in all probability they are not like either to gain their Proselyte or to have the opportunity of these kind of Subterfuges to assist them However tho I have neither the Honour to know the Lady or the Author of that Letter yet for this good Father's satisfaction I will venture for once to promise him That if her Ladyship does desire it not only the Author of that Letter will be ready to meet him but to shew how willing we are to encourage a hopeful Design let him chuse his Gownman between Blackwall and Hide-park Corner and I dare say there is not one among them all that on this or any other occasion will decline to shew him how little reason he has for his forwardness I am now hastning to an End of this Vndertaking and I think I cannot better finish it than with a short Account of a Controversie which made no small Noise in the World between the Reverend Dr. Tenison and Father Pulton the Jesuit About Michaelmas last they met at a House in Long-Acre on the acount of a Boy whom Mr. Pulton had perverted from our Religion Great things were presently talked as usual on such occasions concerning this Conference and the Papists fail'd not to boast of a mighty Conquest made over the Doctor This forced him to resolve on a Publication of what passed tho otherwise as little fit as designed to be communicated to the world Each Party set forth his own Account and first Mr. Pulton his in two Books called 1. A true Account of the Conference c. 2. A true and full Account of a Conference held about Religion between Dr. Thomas Tenison and A. Pulton one of the Masters in the Savoy Dr. Tenison's was Entituled 3. A true account of a Conference held about Religion at London Sept. 29. 1687. between A. Pulton Jesuit and Thomas Tenison D. D. This was followed on the Jesuit's part with a new Discourse called 4. Remarks of A. Pulton upon Dr. Thomas Tenison 's late Narrative with a Confutation of the Doctor 's Rule of Faith and Reply to A. Cressener 's pretended Vindication To which Dr. Tenison reply'd in a second Treatise viz. 5. Mr. Pulton consider'd c. And this produced another Discourse from another hand viz. Mr. Meredith who was present at the Conference called 6. Some farther Remarks on the late Account given by Dr. Tenison of his Conference with Mr. Pulton As for what is added in Mr. Pulton's 3d. Treatise in Answer to A. Cressener the meaning of it is this Mr. Cressener a Schoolmaster being present at the Conference Mr. Pulton in his account of it gave him some occasion to complain of his Relation as to that part of it which concerned him and therefore to justifie himself he published a short Treatise to which Mr. Pulton there refers viz. 7. The Vindication of A. Cressener Schoolmaster in Long-Acre from the aspersions of A. Pulton Jesuit and Schoolmaster in the Savoy And thus this Controversie ended but yet I must not leave it till I have taken notice of another that it begat and that no less memorable than the foregoing For upon the occasion of this Conference a Paper was taken notice of much used by the puny Controvertists of our days called 1. Speculum Ecclesiasticum Or an Ecclesiastical Prospective Glass Written as we are told by a Souldier of that Party T. Ward and to which Dr. Tenison procured a young Man a Friend of his to write an Answer which he did Entituled 2. The Speculum Ecclesiasticum consider'd in its false Reasonings and Quotations But before this was published the Doctor obtained a Copy of a Defence which the Soldier had prepared of his Quotations but was not yet come from the Press and to finish all at once an Answer was set forth to that too at the same time ere it could appear abroad in the world This the Soldier resented and expressed his sense of it in a Letter to Dr. Tenison which together with a Reply to it were published under the Title of 3. An Answer to the Letter of the Catholic Souldier in a Letter from C. D. to A. B. the Examiner of his Speculum However not long after the Defence was publish'd with a dreadful Name viz. 4. Monomachia Or A Duel Between Dr. Thomas Tenison Pastor of St. Martins and a Roman Catholic Souldier And so I think this worthy Controversie ended SECT XI Having now run through the several Heads of Controversy that have of late exercised the Pens of our Learned Men in Defence of our Religion it may not be amiss to stop here awhile and by a brief Recapitulation of the Whole see what more remains to a compleat Vindication of our Selves against all the Tricks and Artifices as well as against the Arguments of our Adversaries IT is sufficiently evident from the foregoing Collection what slender Returns those of the Church of Rome have made to the many excellent Discourses which themselves without any provocation of ours have extorted from us And what prejudice they have hereby done to their Religion I am confident they themselves are not unsensible I need not say what a Number of Disputes they have altogether let fall how many of our Books to this day remain Vn-answered and are ever likely to be so In a word what Trifles many times they have set forth under the arrogant Title of FULL ANSWERS to those they have thought fit to take Notice of And now at last to compleat all they seem to have utterly deserted the
to be laught at he assuring me he would venture that Vpon this I told him it was no jesting matter that if he did provoke you you would turn the rough side of your Tongue to him and ask'd him whether he could digest the being call'd Rogue or Lyar or Mad Dog his answer was that he could not very well why then said I Look you Sir you shall have these and ten times worse if you dare to answer Mr. Sergeant and upon this I out with your Letter and shew'd him how smartly you could handle your Pen. How will you like Sir quoth I to be call'd hot brain'd Letter to the Continuator c. p. 1. Calvinist in Masquerade par boyl'd by the scalding Zeal against Popery into a stanch Protestant To be call'd P. 2. a wilful and bold Calumniator To be told you are a Careless P. 2. Open and Confident Liar To be nick-nam'd a Knight of the Post that writes without fear shame or wit To have your Book call'd P. 3. a little ridiculously malicious Satyr wholly made up of Vapour Insolence silly Amplifications Ironies Invectives and open Falshoods To be nick nam'd a Thersites with a P. 5. steel'd Impudence Sir said I if Mr. Sergeant could bestow all these Complements in so very few Pages upon the Continuator for no reason in the world what must you expect if you should dare to provoke him by an Answer Be wise then and learn so much Wit as to sleep in a whole skin and thank me for my good Advice Now would you think it Mr. Sergeant that any man could have dar'd to have withstood all this And yet this strange man did and bragg'd withal that neither this nor more than this should fright him from answering you I had but one other Argument left to persuade him and concluded that it would do his business for him Well Sir said I to be short with you why will you run your head against a Wall Mr. Sergeant does assure me that his Fifth Letter is P. 5. an Elaborate Discourse and that it is in one word P. 8. Unanswerable why then will you be medling with a Book that cannot be disprov'd that is unanswerable I always took you for a prudent man shew it now and let Mr. Sergeant alone for he says the Best P. 8. Wits of our Nation have also declared in his favour that his Letters are unanswerable P. 8. That he is inform'd his Fifth Letter in particular has sold so well that there are not an hundred left of them Nay more that F.W. had said that these same Letters which you will be daring to meddle with had laid Dr. Stilling fleet so flat that he would never be able to rise again And can you not be quiet without bringing the best Wits of the Nation and F. Warner a Jesuit upon you head They have declared already against you and they will in honour stand up for John Sergeant and then what will become of you But all this was lost Mr. Sergeant upon him and was so far from silencing him that he seem'd to grow proud of having the honour of baffling John Sergeant and the Best Wits of our Nation And for F. Warner he had like to have call'd him F for daring to take Dr. Stilling fleet 's Name into his mouth who had so lately and so thoroughly expos'd him in his Appendix to the Council of Trent's Examination In short As to the seeling of your Letter he told me that if he were not mis-inform'd 't is no great wonder your Bookseller should not have above an Hundred remaining seeing there were but 300. in all Printed and those at your own cost and a considerable number of which you gave in Presents to your Friends who therefore were obliged in Gratitude to commend it And now Mr. Sergeant you see what pains I have taken in your behalf and tho the Continuator neglects you and this other Author defies you yet that your Letter has not been without some effect upon me What the issue of it will be we shall see in a little time as soon as this Historical Discourse concerning Tradition comes out In the mean while all I can further do is heartily to wish you what I fear you will much more need than the Continuator do's Sincerity A Better Cause and a more Civil Pen and remain Sir Your very Humble Servant N. N.