Tradition of whole Nations besides bookes never hitherto contradicted Nay if any one Miracle has been truly reported of him or them in what a condition has the Doctour by his unseasonable mirth concluded himselfe The Wiseman tells us there is a time to weep and a time to laugh God has placed them in this order that weeping should goe before Laughing but the Doctour has perverted the order He must expect therfore after his and his profane Readers mirth a time of weeping will succeed God Almighty grant that his weeping time may come in this life and that weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth come not together 37. I doe not know how any Adversary of the Catholick Church could with all his study have shewd himself more impotent in his passions and less succesfull in reasoning then the Doctour has done in his book Certainly it must be a hatred horribly poysonous against the Catholick Church Militant which will not spare the Church Triumphant I defy the Doctour how bold a Champion soever for Schism to say publickly or by writing to signify only his opinion that S. Benedict S. Gregory S. Francis and the rest are now reprobate damned souls in hell Yet such they must needs be if they were Hipocriticall Visionaires and false pretenders of Miracles on purpose to gather Disciples and withal dyed vnrepentant of these things as most certainly they did Now if such be not his opinion nay if he be not assured that they are in an accursed condition was not his tongue or penn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sett on fire of hell whilst it uttered such Blasphemies against them as a perpetuall Monument of his rage till the day of Iudgment when he must be answerable for all that shall be corrupted by them 38. But suppose that all these Accusations could really be verified must the whole Church be esteemed Antichristian in which Salvation is scarce possible to be had for to prove that is the Doctours design because five or six Hipocrits have lived undiscovered in it because a Young man notwithstanding all his austerities and prayers having been inflamed by the spirit of uncleannes chose rather to torment his flesh by rowling himself naked among bryars and nettles then to suffer its impure delectations or because another young man having been commanded to restore to his Father all the goods committed to his care meerly to hinder his Charitie to the poor in a fitt of fervour gave up not only his goods but cloaths also to his very Shirt or because another man out of some severe or the Doctour may call it capricious humour or to procure contempt to himself would refuse to give a civill respect to his betters 39. What then would the Doctour say of a Church in which Visions and Dreams and Revelations far more exotick in outward appearance are proposed to mens belief In which one who calls himself a Prophet professeth that another sort of Mortification was enioynd him then that which S. Benedict practised namely to mixe his bread with mans dung and so to eat it In which a Prophet by Gods command for three years together walked naked and with his feet bare before all the people In which another commands his Disciple not to salute or shew any respect to any person whosoever should come in his way Yet not any of these persons or actions the Doctour dares deride or refuse to yield his assent and approbation of them though he has encouraged his profane Readers by his example to deride them §. 3. Of the Life and Prayer of Contemplation derided by the Doctour 40. THe Doctour not being contented with recreating himself and others by vnsainting and as he hopes plucking downe from Heaven many glorious Saints so esteemed by Gods Church whose company notwithstanding where ever they are I wish both he and my self may forever enjoy proceeds to represent as ridiculously the way of devotion in greatest request among those of the severall Orders instituted by them This is the Prayer of Contemplation taught by Rusbrochius Suso Harphius Blosius and F. Baker reduced into a Method by M. Cressy He might if he had pleased have cited far more ancient Authours had he consulted Cassian the Disciple of S. Chrisostom in his Conferences of Hermits of his time and a Primitive writer Denis the Arâ—opagite who whatever his true name was was questionles an Authour of the second or at least the third Age of the Church and who describes the most sublime and most purely Divine Prayer exercised by Hierotheus a Disciple of the Apostles It had been a Mastery worthy of such a Champion as the Doctour to have trampled on such Contemplatives as these or on S. Paul the Hermit and S. Anthony or rather on S. Mary Magdalen S. Mary the Egyptian and other inhabitants of desarts who it seems wanted such a directour for Contemplation as the Doctour is 41. If he doe acknowledge a reall difference between an Active and a Contemplative life in the opinion of the Ancient Fathers exemplified by the employments of the two holy sisters S. Martha and S. Mary Magdalen he might doe well to teach this Age what is meant by a Contemplative life and what way and Manner of Devotion peculiarly suits to it And whether among all the Sects which he call by the common name of Protestants he can tell us any news of any who have pretended to a Contemplative life or given any Rules for such as would performe the exercises of it Such are and have always been esteemed such Solitude Abstraction from worldly cares Rigorous abstinences Cilices indispensable Obedience to Superiours Continuall Prayer practised according to the degrees of it still more and more pure and Spirituall a performance of all dutyes and even ordinarie actions in vertue of Prayer and Vnion in Spirit with God c. I doe not now require of him an account of Raptures Extasies Passive Vnions with God in which a pure soule only receives Divine influences For these things he derides as Phantasticall Enthusiasms and yet all ages have mentioned them and afforded innumerable Examples of them and they are recorded by persons eminent for Piety and Learning 42. But the Doctour has one argument unanswerable which iustifies him to call that language unintelligible Canting by which certain Mystick Divines endeavour as well as they can to express the most pure operations of the soule herself and likewise of God upon the soule in Contemplative Prayer and this argument is drawn from a treasvre of most deep Humility His argument is this I even I the most learned and all comprehending Doctour Stillingfleet doe not understand the language of such Mysticks therefore it is unintelligible Canting 43. Yet notwithstanding this more then Herculean argument I believe I can oppose against him an Antagonist who will have the boldnes to maintain that he will answer this argument and demonstrate it not to be concluding And this is a certain Holy man that professes of himself that
For though his Book proves in effect exceeding harmless to the common Cause of Catholicks and though all the Weapons made use of by him against the Catholick Faith really want both edges and points of Sufficient sharpnes and strength to make an entrance into the Rock on which our Saviour has built his Church yet they pierce into the very bowells of the Persons fortunes and condition of English Catholicks whose destruction he seems to design And on the other side though the same weapons do draw out the very heart-blood of the English Church yet he pretends all the way and seems to be acknowledged by them a Champion of its cause and not to intend the least harm to the Prelats and Subiects of it Cicero was wont to say that he thought any one Roman Augur could not without Smiling look upon another Augur considering what large preferments and honours they enioyed by befooling the whole Roman Common-weale with their ridiculous fopperies The like smile of secret intelligence passes between the Doctor and his ancient Brethren For a great pleasure it must needs be to them to see him in his new dress in his Surplice and Scarlet-Hood so Canonically defending out of the Pulpitt the Church of England or brandishing his Sword against her Adversaries in printed Volumes but so defending it as not to do the least harm to the old cause Not one word falls from his tongue or pen to give his now Prelats warning of their danger from Presbyterians Independents Latitudinarians and other Sects though all these conspiring against them had held their Necks so many years of late under their feet But nothing can be more ridiculous to those Sectaries nor truly more deserving detestation from all loyall Subiects then to see the same Sectaries quondam friend Doctour Stillingfleet zealously pretending a care of the Safety of his Majesty and the State against the seditious writings and practises of ill-principled Subiects and at the same time as if he thought the world by vertue of the Act of Oblivion had quite forgott the last twenty years troubles naming none but Catholicks as such ill-principled Subiects who yet alone among all Dissenters from the English Church had all of them unanimously adhered to his Majesty and for his Majesties sake had defended also the said Church against the Doctor and his Brethren in evill the Sectaries The plain truth is the Doctors collusion and prevarication in his Book seems to me so visible and so insupportable that it is a shame that hitherto not one true Prelaticall Protestant has appeared as a Defender of the English Church and State against him but on the contrary even some English Prelats themselves have congratulated and boasted of his supposed succesfull endeavours against the Catholick Church though ruinous only to themselves Indeed it was the Doctors Master-piece by his Drollery to putt Protestants into a fitt of laughing that being in so good an humour they might drink down the Poyson he presented them This Poyson it seems does not yet sensibly work with them and therefore they neglect to provide Antidots Well all J can say is Viderint ipsi But they may also do well to consider that to this hour they have not from this Defender of the Church of England seen one line which was not more to the advantage of their Enemies the Sectaries then of their own Church So that abating severall hundred pounds of yearly preferments he still is what he was before his Majesties return He was pleased to stile some late Catholick Writers by the name of Ratts for not answering line by line his great Volume He must give me leave to make use of his Metaphor another way applying it to himself It is a common Observation among Mariners that when they see a Ship suddenly freed from Ratts formerly abounding there they conclude that there are some leaks in it unobserved by any but the Ratts themselves which threaten its sudden sinking Now let any one judge wherther the Doctour by publishing his Principles has not stolln out of the Church of England yet with a Latitudinarian conscience holding fast his Preferments and does not this argue that the Ratt foresees or shrewdly suspects some danger to the Ship and therefore provides for his own safety by returning to the same Sects which uncessantly plott against it and it is to be feared against the Civill State too It is a sad thing therefore that not one Protestant will open his eyes and give warning of the dangerous proceedings of their Champion Now whether that task and duty deserted by them has not been efficaciously enough undertaken and performed by the Authour of the following Treatise J leave to all indifferent Iudges to determine They are also hereby entreated to impute the delay of this Answer to the true cause above mentioned or indeed to any thing rather then to the least guilty apprehension which Catholicks may have of encountring such an Adversary as the Doctour is supposed to be by persons who are perswaded that an insolent confidence must needs be accompanied with Reason and Truth And for such persons so qualified no doubt it was that the Doctor wrote his Book not to instruct them but to imprint his own enormous passions in their minds Whereas Readers of but ordinary capacity and prudence will easily perceive that it was a consciousness of his own inability to cast any prejudice on the received Doctrins and Discipline of the Catholick Church her-self that forced him to indulge to his fancy and invention to expose to contempt and hatred of unwary Readers the Opinions and Practises of a few particular persons among Catholicks not alwayes faithfully related by him and most of them already censured by Superiours But that which has gained to him the most of his applauding Readers is his acting the Theologicall Zani after a fashion altogether new and unexpected whilst he most ridiculously imputes Fanaticism to the Catholick Church of which never any Heretick before him suspected her capable My last request to the Reader is that seeing this Treatise written in a stile so unpractised hitherto by mee and indeed so contrary to mine own inclination he will interpret it aright and believe that J judged my self obliged to neglect complements of Civility to such an Adversary If he had written like one that sought out Truth J should have condemned my self if any phrases of bitterness had escaped my pen. But in answering such a mass of Buffonry mixed with rancour and malice the Wise man has taught me my Duty Proverb xxv 5. OF FANATICISM §. 1. The Authours Motive of Writing this Treatise Doctour Stillingfleets three Heads of Accusation against the Catholick Church c. 1. THe Authour of this following Treatise may with confidence profess that it was not from a resentment of severall contemptuous Aspersions cast on him by Doctour Stillingfleet in his lately published Book that he was induced to write this Answer For who would not glory in suffring any
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
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
precious Gifts to Sects divided from the Church of which scarce any pretend to them and those that doe so do evidently shew by their contempt of all authority renunciation of all Christian Charity furious and restles attempts of new Reformations and Seditious Combinations to the ruine of all Peace that it is a black Spirit which was a Murderer from the beginning by which they are agitated Whereas those humble devout and retired soules among Catholicks stiled by the Doctour Fanaticks are so far from any intention of disturbing Peace and so entirely submitted to Lawfull Authority the Spirit of Prophets being so indispensably Subiect to the Prophets that they are in a continuall readines to renounce all Reuelations Apparitions impulses and whatsoever extraordinary Visitations if they seem any wayes to occasion in them Doubts of the Churches Faith or to prejudice Obedience to her Ordonnances 63. The Doctour I am sure considering his supposed Universall reading cannot be ignorant that such Fanaticks as these though invisible to the busy World were yet esteemd Chariots of Israël and the horsemen thereof That pious wise and Potent Christian Emperours have consulted them in their greatest affairs and have acknowledged themselves obliged to them for miraculous Victories over Tyrants resolving upon warre by their encouragement beginning them with their benediction and conquering by the assistance of their Prayers By their Prayers and not their Disputations the Church has triumphed over Heresies and the world been freed from Plagues and Mortalities At their Names Devills have trembled and by their command though absent those proud Spirits have with a mixture of feare and rage quitted their habitation in the Bodies of unhappy men Yet these the Doctour dares deride and because they are patient will not perhaps repent till it be too lare but will justify still his impious boldnes and petulancy 64. It is truly a sad thing to consider with what disposition of mind persons qualifyed as it seems the Doctour is do apply themselves to the reading of Books of Piety written by Catholicks It is as daggers piercing their hearts when they find no advantage to expresse their malignity If in a great volume full of most heavenly Instructions for the exercise of all vertues and dutyes to God and man they can find but a line or two into which they think they can make their Venenious teeth to enter by that line or two they become edified that is comfortable nourrishment to their minds the whole Book besides being nauseous to them Would not damned soules in Hell if Spirituall Books were sent them thus read and thus descant upon them 65. Now whether the Doctour and some other of his freinds has not shewed himself such a Reader of Catholick Books truly innocent devout and in which the breathing of Gods Spirit may as it were be perceived let any indifferent Reader of his Book be judge How many of such Books from S. Gregory to S. Ignatius his time does the Doctour shew that he has read how many Lives of Saints how many Treatises of Devotion and among them he will give me leave to name Sancta Sophia and poor Mother Iuliana And what account does he give to his Readers of the Spirituall Benefit reaped by him from his laborious reading He it seems is not able out of them all to suggest any point of Instruction in Christian Doctrin not one good affection to God not the least encouragement to a vertuous holy life All these things are vanished out of his memory and evaporated out of his brain having never affected his heart What then does he yeild for his Readers edification He teaches him in reading such Books to pronounce mimically and Scornfully what he finds there concerning Miracles how wel soever attested and concerning Divine Favours communicated by God to his Speciall Servants and this being done to call them Fanaticks and so doeing to esteem such relations sufficiently confuted and such Spirituall Books sufficiently disparaged He teaches him to snatch out of a great Book three or four passages lamely and imperfectly cited to give what construction to them he pleases and whether he does not understand or over-understand them to pronounce them still Fanaticall and there is an end of those Books By the Doctours good will no Protestant hereafter must receiue the least good from them vnless pride malice and contempt of godlines be good things 66. Now having named in the last place poor Mother Iuliana a devout Anchoret about three hundred years since living in Norwich I must needs Signify my wonder what could move his Spleen and choler against her litle Book It is true her language to the ears of this age seems exotick But it is such as was spoken in her time therefore she may be excused Her expressions touching Gods favours to her are homely but that surely is no sin For affections to God are set down with great simplicity indeed but they are withall cordiall and fervent and apt to imprint themselves in the heart of an unpreiudiced Reader The sense and tast she shews to have had of Gods Speciall love to his servants of the omnipotent efficacy of his Grace and his impregnable defence and watchfullnes over his Elect to secure them finally from all dangers of Tentations is indeed admirable Yet the Doctour has no eyes to see any of these things But through what glasses he looked when he spied out blasphemy in her Writing I am not able to say Blasphemy which never hitherto could be observed by so many learned and Religious persons as have perused them But it is no wonder that Spiders should suck and digest into poyson the most wholesom nourishment 67. What hath been hitherto said of Contemplative Prayer is but even too much to such an Adversary it being a Subiect too Sacred and Divine to be treated of in a Polemicall Discourse against an Opponent of the Doctours temper Who I think is the first Protestant Writer that ever made that an argument of Controversy against the Catholick Church The only Excuse that I can devise for so unreasonable a quarrel begun by him is his indulgence to a froward passion conceived by him without any provocation against M. Cressy who severall years since published a Book on that Subiect called Sancta Sophia in which Book notwithstanding he challenges nothing to himself but the Labour of making Collections and the Method of it In that regard therefore it may be permitted him to commend the Directions for the Exercise of Internall Spirituall Prayer and the Practise of all Christian Vertues in Perfection contained in it And this in despight of the Doctours unmerited malice he does with such confidence that he dares promise to himself that if any sober well affected Reader though a Protestant and though at present one of the Doctours admirers shall seriously and with an humble heart peruse it he will either apply himself to the practise of the excellent Instructions contained in it or bewayle his want
But truly we have great obligation to the Doctour though I believe he does not expect wee should thank him for imputing to the Church the frantick Preachings and practises of Mad-men and at the same time telling us that they were excommunicated and other wayes punished by Popes Princes and Bishops Indeed it is a terrible Argument to prove it dangerous to live in a Church because there Heresies false Revelations and impure actions are condemned by it If Holy Institutours of Religious Orders could with their Rules give also power and will to their Subjects not to transgress them the world would be even too happy But this exceeding a Created power to doe it is even necessary that Scandalls should follow such as were given by a Sect of Mendicants the Authours of the horrible Evangelium aeternum the Followers of Petrus Ioannis de Oliva the Beguini Fraticelli Beguardi the Illuminati or Alumbrados of Spain and such other Monsters raised up by the Devill in a cursed imitation of the Graces and Gifts communicated by God to his devout and faithfull servants But the Doctour who can no doubt commend Luther for opposing and dividing Godâ— Church though Luther himself tells him that he did it by the Devills instigation Scornfully derides and reviles any one who shall pretend to defend the Church by Gods Inspiration or Miracles But 〈◊〉 Calvin had not failed in his designed Miracles by raising a man from the dead the quite contrary way the Doctour perhaps would have been reconciled to Miracles and Inspirations 75 Thus we see that nothing that God has done or perhaps can do for the benefit of his Church will please the Doctour If Catholicks live abstracted lives in the Exercise of pure Spirituall Prayer or if God confers on any of them Supernaturall Gifts all this must passe for meer Enthusiasme though the persons with perfect humility submit all to lawfull Authority and though the Doctour alledges nothing to disprove any of these things 76. But least we may in the end hope that he will permitt and encourage us to keep to the Externall Devotions and Publick Liturgy By no meanes there must nothing be thought or done by the Children of the Catholick Church but must be found fault with The Liturgy saith he is a tedious and Ceremonious way of externall Devotion as dull and as cold as the Earth it self Hereto quia de gustibus non est disputandum all that I conceive needfull to say is that the Doctour seems to me not yet cordially reconciled to the Ceremonies and Common Prayer Book of his own lately adopted Church which he knows to have been borrowed from the Catholick Liturgy and for that reason hated by his freinds the Presbyterians and Independents and by them esteemed a tedious and ceremonious way of Externall Devâ—tion as dull and as cold as the Earth it self §. 5. Resisting Authority falsely imputed to Catholick Religion 77. WE have hitherto seen the Doctors charge of Fanaticism on the Catholick Church and his proofs also such as they are But he concludes this his accusation with an Epiphonema truly of great importance if rightly applied which is The Fanaticism of Catholicks in resisting Authority under a pretence of Religion 78. To make this good he very ingenuously absolves the Catholick Church her self and layes this fault only on the Principles and Practises of the Iesuiticall party a party saith he most countenanced and encouraged by the Court of Rome And for proof of this he produces severall Books written and actions done by them in the last age 79. Hereto our Answer must be that Scandalls in Gods Church are unavoydable as our Saviour tells vs. But where will he find any Catholick who will be answerable for all the actions of the Court of Rome or all the Writings of a single party The Popes are absolute Princes as well as Prelats and if some of them have been tainted with ambitiâ—n and a desire to invade the rights of other Princes For what Courts have ever been entirely free Such can never want Ministers zealous diligent and inventive to justify all their pretentions and designs whatever they are Vice will never want Instruments and supporters till the Devill himself be converted and become a good Christian and it will be long before this happen 80. But it is well known that in this Point Princes and States are generally become more clear sighted and more wise then formerly they have been and by consequence the Court of Rome also 81. But to be more particular If the Doctour will think good to consult the Iesuits I believe they will tell him That if they find speciall favour in the Court of Rome it is not with regard to any such Books or Actions imputed by him to their fore fathers and which they are far from defending That they have other Merits and endowments to recommend them to the Popes Favour And particularly that this is not reckoned among their Merits their equally free access and more then ordinary interest of favour in the Court of France where the Doctour knows such Doctrins are far from being admitted will more then sufficiently testify They will further tell him that for as much as concerns the unsafe Antimonarchicall Doctrins contained in the foresaid Books cited by him it is almost a whole Age since that they have been by their Generall forbidden under paine of Excommunication and other most greivous Censures to iustify them either in Writing preaching or disputing and more over which is very considerable this Prohibition was not only made before the condemnation of these Books in France but also was known to the Pope and permitted by him I am moreover confident that he cannot with any tolerable proofs make good his accusation of their being wanting in their fidelity to his Majesty or his Glorious Father during the late rebellious warr which was raised and prosecuted by the Doctours best quondam freinds And more over I may assure the Doctour that if an Oath were framed free from ambiguity and without odious phrases inserted in it wholly unnecessary to the substance of it they would not make any Scruple of ioyning with all their Catholick Brethren in taking it But then what thinks the Doctour of these two Propositions to be sett in the scale against his 1. That it is absolutely unlawfull to Subiects by arms to propagate or defend Religion against their Lawfull Prince 2. That I say not by the Pope to this he and his brethren are as forward as any but by no Assembly Civill or Ecclesiasticall Subiects can be authorized by arms to oppose their Prince upon any pretence what soever Are he and his quondam party ready to declare these Will he or they damne the execrable Covenant Surely the Kings safety and the publick Peace are far more concernd in these then in the former This therefore would be a task in which his Learning and Eloquence would be worthily employed And more over in case himself either by Preaching
not haue refused to make use of it being one of the seauenty Patrons to whom he has written most pittifully begging Epistles addressed to all degrees sects and Professions except Bishops And in requitall he cannot but warrant him now a sufficient Minister in case he can get Ordination from a Iustice of Peace or some other qualified Ciuil Magistrate Poor England art thou so unprovided of factious spirits that French Calvinists must be calld in and hired to plant among us the poysonnous roots of malicious Huguenotterie 86 But to return to the Doctour Himself J am far from being of his opinion That the most dangerous Sect among us is of those who under pretence of setting up the Kingdom of Christ think it lawfull to overturn the Kingdoms of the world Such were Venner and his company who saith he acted to the height of Fanaticism among our Sectaries Thus far indeed J agree with him That these Frantick Fifth Monarchists do more professedly teach Rebellion then any other Sect but I should renounce common Reason if I should affirm that such à handfull of mad-men as Venner and Riscrew are a Sect more dangerous to the Kingdom then those numerous Armies of sober Fanaticks Presbyterians Independents Anabaptists c. who all conspired to the raising and prosecuting the late Rebellion Yet all these will say as much for themselves as the Doctour has here done viz. We condemn any opposition to Government under any pretence whatsoeuer For it was in Obedience to a Government such as it was that the Rebellion was upheld a Government divided from the Kings and usurped on purpose to destroy him To conclude this point as zeale for the Kings safety and the Publick Peace is commendable in all English Subjects and in such Strangers salso whom English Preferments have made his Subiects yet certainly in the Doctour and his worthy Huguenot Authour it seems a preposterous and suspicious zeale which has been shewn only against a Party of which not one can be accused of want of fidelity to his Maiesty whilst they speak not a word nor so much as intimate any apprehension of danger from those who unanimously conspired to his Destruction and who for any thing to the contrary appears cannot yet find one word in the Scripture or the Lawes of the Kingdom which condemns their former Rebellion But enough if not too much of this argument which the Doctour would needs discourse upon §. 6. Fanaticism returneed upon the Doctour and his vvhole Religion 87. THe Doctour now for the recreation of his Readers hauing represented Catholicks not only such as now liue but many in glory with God in heaven travestis in a disguise of Ffanaticks acting a Ffarce or Enterlude composed by him the glory of which invention he may lawfully challenge to himself alone for I do not find that any pattern has been giuen him by any other Adversaries of Gods Church He cannot iustly take it ill if in some degree of requitall we endeavour to shew not only himself but the whole Church I mean all the Churches of Protestants as they are Principled by him in his Book to be really without any vizard or disguise very Fanaticks 88. Jn pursuing this subiect we cannot hinder the Doctour from challenging some by him esteemed great advantages in which he much glories and for which he giues God humble thanks For 1. we can find no Religious Orders among them upon the Institutours and Subjects of which we might fasten this Title and whom we might Stigmatize with this brand An attempt indeed has once been made of beginning such an Order of young men and women liuing promiscuously together But by reason of two defects it presently expired For neither would they be persuaded to vow continency in such circumstances truly vnreasonable Neither could a Superiour he or she be found to whom they could be obliged in conscience to profess Obedience and no wonder since it seems their own Church cannot exact it from them 2 We cannot heare of so much as one single person whom we might call a Fanatick for leauing the flesh and the world to the end he or she might entirely consecrate themselues to God in Solitude and Exercises of Spirituall Prayer and Mortification 3. Jn case God should call any one to such a state of life there is an vtter want among them of Instructours and Instructions proper for it vnles The crumms of comfort The Practise of Piety truly for the Substance good innocent Books with store of pious affections or else one a more late one yet better then those called The whole duty of man could serue their turns But these hauing neuer been intended for such an vse it cannot reasonably be expected from them 4. They all of them except the Quakers and Fifth Monarchists with few besides disclaiming all Gratuite Graces Visions Illuminations Inspirations Passiue Vnions c. Jf vpon this account we should call any of them besides these Fanaticks they would and very iustly call us impudent Slanderers 5. Not one Miracle hauing been pretended to since the first Reformation not so much as the curing a Tertian Ague to testify that Reformation was pleasing to God we cannot reasonably accuse them of forging any Miracles 6. The Doctour might haue done well even in revenge against his enemy M. Cressy and his Church History or as he scornfully stiles it Great Legend to have given to the world at least a pretty little Legend of his Reformed Saints But alas his Records will not furnish him with matter of that argument to fill a nutshell So that he has deprived us of the means of requiting him with finding Fanaticks among his Rubricated Saints Yet if he will consult more Ancient and some even Primitive Records as S. Ireneus Tertullian and after them S. Epiphanius S. Augustin and Philastrius together with other Modern writers as Alphonsus a Castro Prateolus c. who have compiled Books expressly touching the Lives and Doctrins of many of his Predecessours it will goe hard if he be not able to discover some among them whom he may call Saints as well as Cranmer and we in requitall Fanaticks But he is too wise to loose his advantage 89. And all these manifold advantages wee yield up to him to our shame and to the Doctours great contentment and to the glory of his Protestant Churches Yet all this will not discourage vs from endeavouring at least to iustify that the Doctour and his Churches are meer Fanaticks This we confidently pronounce and to make this good we will not as he has done exemplify in the Writings or actions of a few persons culld out with an intention to baffle affront and reuile them but we will demonstrates vpon his own grounds and Principles that the very nature and Essence of his Churches and Religion is pure putid Fanaticism 90. Now a demonstrable proof of this the Doctour himself affords vs in the 13. and 15. Principles at the end of his Book
His words are these Such a particular way of Reuelation being made choice of by God for the means of making known his Will in order to the happines of Mankind as Writing we may iustly say that it is repugnant to the nature of the Design and the Wisdom and Goodnes of God to giue infallible assurance to persons in Writing his Will for the benefit of Mankind if those Writings may not be vnderstood by all Persons who sincerely endeauour to know the meaning of them in all such things as are necessary for their Saluation And consequently there can be no necessity supposed of any infallible Society of men either to attest or explain those Writings among Christians 91. What is this now but Fanaticism in the heighth of the Notion signified by the word to make euery Christian Soberly enquiring into Scripture to be his own Teacher in all necessary Points of Faith and it is no matter what becoms of vnnecessary Points and to be a competent Iudge of the true sence of Scripture in them all this without any regard to all Externall Authority infallible or fallible either for an infallible one being vnnecessary what necessity can there be of a fallible Authority which none is or can be bound to Belieue If it be Fanaticism to attend to and belieue certain pretended Illuminations Inspirations and Reuelations concerning particular matters perhaps of no great importance with a refusall to submitt them to any Externall Authority what is it to ground his whole Religion vpon his own fancy enquiring into the true sense of Diuine Reuelation 92. But perhaps the Doctour thinks himself and his Churches secure notwithstanding any thing here said because neither himself nor they pretend to any New Reuelations Illuminations or Inspirations in this matter Notwithstanding he will not find an euasion by this For besides that J am sure Presbyterians at least if not the other Sects and likewise the Huguenots of France in their Confession of Faith haue always professed that they haue not only the true sense of Scripture by Inspiration of the Holy Ghost but that thereby they are enabled to distinguish true Scripture from Apocriphall Writings I will take the boldnes to tell him That he himself does the same and if he denyes it it is because he is ignorant of what passes in his own mind 93. To shew this I will here propose a few Questions to him and he not being present to doe it himself I will suppose he gives me leaue to make Answers to them such as J conceiue he will not disavow The. 1. Question Does he after a sober Enquiry vnderstand and assent to the true sense of Scripture in all necessary Points Answer Yes 2. Question Is his Assent to such Points an Act of meer naturall Reason or is it a Diuine Faith Answer A Diuine Faith surely as he hopes and is fully perswaded For he would be sorry if he belieued not better then Devills 3. Question Is a Diuine Faith a Supernaturall Gift of Gods Holy Spirit Answ. Yes the Scripture saying so expresly 4. Quest. Is this Gift of God communicated to his servants any other way then by Illumination Inspiration or the like Diuine operation Equivalent Answ. J must answer in the Doctours place till he better informs me that no other way is known Jn the last place 5 Q. Does he think himself fobliged to acknowledge that he receies this Faith from or to Submitt this his perswasion of a Diuine operation in him to the Teaching of any Church Answ. He will not though J thank God J doe acknowledge any Church fallible or infallible which can iustly require thus much from him Now therefore a primo ad vltimum does the Doctour want any necessary qualification to make him passe for a perfect Fanatick and Enthusiast a Fanatick by duty imposed on him from the Essence of his Religion and moreouer a Teacher of Fanaticism Jf I could absolue him from this I would very willingly but sincerely I cannot since he himself has giuen me a distinct notion of Fanaticism by which he and his party vnderstands an Enthusiastick way of Religion or resisting Authority Civill or Ecclesiasticall vnder a pretence of Religion by which Notion in it self true and proper he is to be iudged without Appeale 94. Now though the Doctour takes vpon him and is generally conceiued by others to be a Champion of the Church of England yet perhaps it would be rashnes in me from his warrant alone to affirme that the Church of England that Church J mean which is established by publick Authority does now at last ground her Faith on such a Fanatick Principle as the Doctour in her name has layd For then it might indeed be truly sayd that the New Faith of the Church of England is the very Faith of New England The Doctour how learned soeuer otherwise he is but a Neophit in this Church and therefore all he says not to be swallowed presently without examining if he wrong the Church of England J am vnwilling to wrong her with him 95. And one particular thing which I have observed from his Book makes me suspect that my Lords the Bishops will not avow this Principle imposed by him on them which is that his Book wants an Imprimatur Now if an Approbation was either not demanded by him or being demanded was refused him it seems strange that against order and Publick command it should be permitted to be so dispersed without any Controll But the truth is there is a great Mistery of late in that Formality of Approbations for some Books want an Imprimatur for the Reader which was not wanting to the Printer Perhaps the Doctours virulence against poore Catholicks was so highly approved by the grave Censor Librorum that rather then it should be hindred from doing mischief to them he was content the Principles also should passe which utterly destroy the foundations of his own Church This may seeme more probable because in like manner a Licence is given to the Printer for a Book of Sermons in one of which composed entirely of Lying Invectives against Catholicks and by a most horrible calumny imputing the Pouder Treason to the Preaching of Catholick Religion there is this passage becoming a Preacher of the Gospell I wish that the Lawes against these Foxes the Papists might be put in execution as they were anciently against Wolues Nothing but an vtter extermination of Catholicks it seems will content the charitable Preacher who seems to intimate also that in his Judgment it is fitt a price should be sett on every Catholicks head as formerly on Wolues to be payed to his murderer Such a Sermon as this the Printer is licenced to print but he who gave it being ashamed that his Approbation of so barbarous a piece should appeare to the world has given order that his Licence should be concealed 96. What judgment therefore in this regard to make of the Doctours
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
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
servants by making use of them to the great benefitt of his Church and dilatation of his honour Now if it shall appear that their Rules advance perfection in all Christian vertues And that such among them as have Squared their Actions by their Rules have in a signal manner benefitted Gods Church and encreased his honour It is most certain that Bellarmin had just grounds how angrie soever the Doctour be to say that such Orders were Instituted by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost 23. I doe heartily wish for the Doctours good that he would without prejudice examine these two points or at least patiently read what is here written concerning them Now to descant upon all their Rules and to Enumerate the services done by the severall Orders to Gods Church would be too tedious I will therefore as my duty more particularly engages me confine my self to S. Benedicts Rule and his Disciples Actions And in so doeing the Reader will be sufficiently informed in all the rest Since they all agree in the Sanctity of their Rules and glory of their actions Though in some circumstantiall Rites and Observances there be some variety 24. As touching therefore the Rule of S. Benedict whether it was written with a Fanatick Spirit or not The Doctours own Judgement may be appealed to If he would vouchsafe to read and examine it For what is it but a collection skilfully made of all Evangelicall precepts and counsells of perfection There the Ecclesiasticall Office is so wisely ordered that the whole Church Judged it fitt to be her Pattern There S. Benedict teaches his Disciples to begin all their Actions with an eye to God begging his assistance and referring them entirely to his Glory There a holy family is so ordered with such a decent assignation of dutyes proper to all offices both of Superiors and subjects in their severall Rancks that a great and Wise King made choice of it for his Rule in Managing his Kingdome There a contempt and hatred of the world is taught with great Energy Religious men are enioined to hide themselves from it that they may in their Sequestred cells enioye a freer conversation with God And because they cannot exclude themselves out of their Solitude They are instructed to mortifie there all Sensuall Passions by prayer and Temperance If by Gods Providence they enioyed plenty of Temporall goods The poore and strangers only reaped the fruits of it Yea their Lawgiuer taught them not only by his Rule but example also to preferre even in the times of the greatest scarcity the satisfieing the wants of others before their own Hospitality was a vertue soe peculiar to them and so constantly practised by them that till the Rapine and furie of a Tyrant here in England destroyed them there was no need of any Law among us for sustaining the Poor who after soe many Modern Lawes can scarce be preserved from Perishing And there which the Doctour may doe well to consider the vertues of Humilitie and Peacefull obedience most contrarie to and Inconsistent with Fanaticism are of all others most copiously and vehemently inforced as if in them the Spirit of his Rule did Principally consist By these two vertues his Disciples were securely guarded from all dangers which an externall exercise of other vertues might expose them to By the former Humilitie they were exempted from Pride and self complacencie in case God should bestow any Supernaturall favours on them And by the latter Obedience which obliged them to discover even their most secret Thoughts to their Superiours and Spirituall Directors they were secured a Demonio Meridiano from false Illuminations and Illusions of the Enemy And lastly to prevent all Innovations in opinions touching Religion and disturbing of the Churches peace by spreading abroad new invented Fancies a most strict Silence was inioynd them at home and none permitted to goe abroad either for busines or preaching but such as the Superiour esteemed fitt with the benediction and prayers of whom and of their other Brethren they were sent forth and at their Return received again 25. Now can the Doctour believe that it was a fault in Cardinal Bellarmin to say that it was by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost that such a Rule as this was instituted and Families erected for the observing of it And yet if he will peruse it he will find that I have omitted many other Perfections which shine forth in it 26. And whereas from some mistaken expressions of S. Gregory he charges S. Benedict with the great crime of being a hater of Human Learning wee doe not find that he forbids his Disciples the study of it in his Rule at such times as the Office of the Quire and Manuall Labour for the benefit of the Monastery afforded them a vacancy And it is unquestionable that wee owe to his followers the preservation of almost all the Literature which remains in the world For by their care in conserving and Transcribing of books all our Libraries are now soe richly furnished and the Doctour enabled to write against them and their Master This they did notwithstanding such a deluge of Barbarous Nations which for Religions sake hated and sought to destroy all manner of Learning And S. Benedicts Disciples doeing so they thought such their care to be no Transgression of their Rule 27. But as for S. Benedict himself Almighty God did not call him to be a Critick but a Teacher of Sanctity And to enable himself thereto wee find in the last Chapter of his Rule that he was no stranger in the books of Holy Scripture in the writings of the Ancient Doctours of the Church in the Conferences and lives of the holy Fathers all which he recommends to his Disciples But as for the Subtilties of Pagan Philosophers the Elegancies of their Poets and the like considering his Vocation it would have been in him the vice of Curiosity to have spent his time in them Which S. Augustin Judges to have been the Concupiscence of the Eyes reckoned by S. Iohn as one of the three great Temptations of the world 28. S. Benedict therefore was not a hater of Human Learning as the Doctour vnjustly and without warrant stiles him But for his own vse and office he preferred before it that Learning which the Wiseman stiles Scientiam Sanctorum that learning which does not puff up the mind but renders it Docibilem Dei and makes the possessors of it Saints And I am confident that in the day of Iudgment God will never as the Doctour does impute this choice to him as a fault I would to God the Doctour instead of deriding would imitate him In this regard therefore it was that S. Gregory stiled S. Benedict Scienter nescium Sapienter Indoctum Skilfully ignorant and wisely Vnlearned By which Character he had no intention certainly to disparage him but rather to paralell him with the Kingly Prophet who writing of himself Saith That he was wiser and had more understanding then his
make them write Non-sense by concealing their Sense And thus also he treats M. Cressy again in repeating severall passages of Sancta Sophia touching Contemplative Prayer For selecting from severall places certain abstruse Words and Phrases made use of by Mysticks to express as well as they can their conceptions he presents them all together in a heap before his Readers eyes and then miscalls them Vnintelligible Canting whilst in the mean time he leaves out the interpretation which M. Cressy gives of those words and phrases to make them intelligible Truly it is not without some scruple now that I take notice of any thing that such an Adversary as the Doctour shewes himself doth or can write on an argument so unfitt for Controversy as Contemplative Prayer is which cannot but he disgustfull to such a sensuall Palat as he shews his to be being willing to corrupt the Palats also of his Readers It may be e're long they will see a Treatise on this Argument demonstrating the substance of what so ever the Doctour finds fault withall in M. Cressy's Sancta Sophia to be suitable to what the Fathers of Gods Church have both from Tradition and from their own experience also delivered on that most Divine Subject And the Doctour shall have free leave without any future Reply once more to call what those Holy Fathers write unintelligible Canting and intolerable Non-sence though their expressions be parallelled and confirmed by numerous Texts of Holy Scripture In the mean time for the Readers sake I will here add some Reflexions upon what the Doctour has written 51. He proceeds further saying That the utmost effect of contemplative Prayer if intelligible and practicable is gross Enthusiasm And why Because forsooth M. Cressy says that by a diligent practise of such internall Spirituall Prayer the soule receives from God a heavenly light and Inspiration for her direction in all her actions according to the Psalmists words Accedite ad Deum illuminamini and according to the Prayer in his own Churches Liturgy borrowed from the Roman Fifth Sunday after Easter Lord from whom all good things doe come grant us thy humble servants that by thy holy Inspiration we may think those things that be good and by thy mercyfull guiding we may perform the same The word Inspiration therefore needs not trouble the Doctour neither by it is any other thing meant but Divine Grace which sayes he none denyes 52. Yet he must know that this Divine Grace obtaind by Spirituall Prayer constantly exercised though it be in its nature and Kind the same which every good Christian enioyes yet the lights and motions of it extend much farther even to the directing a person not only in necessary dutyes but to the sanctifiing of all his actions otherwise in their own nature indifferent and improving them for the perfectionating the soule in Divine love in soe much as those actions which are performed by ordinary good Christians meerly out of an impulse of Nature or for some sensuall satisfaction are by these done in obedience to the Divine Will discovered to them 53. And whereas to distinguish these Inspirations from those pretended to by Fanaticks it was sayd that in Contemplative persons these direct rather to not doing then doing when both these seem otherwise equally indifferent I wonder why the Doctour should be displeased with this He may remember that in the time of the late Vsurper when himself was a great leading Preacher all the actions almost of his Brethren were pretended to come from a Divine light and Inspiration all warranted by the Bible which Light more it seems to the Doctours mind directed them to nothing but doing viz to reform Religion to rebell against their King to pluck down Hierarchy to multiply Sects to usurp the office of Preaching without any Vocation to imprison Pillage kill their fellow subiects and the like But no such effects proceed from the lights and Inspirations of Internall livers among Catholicks they having the same Vocation that S. Mary Magdalen had leave the many businesses to Martha vnles God by their lawfull Superiours calls them to externall Emploiments which when he does he enables them to perform them with greater Perfection as we see by the Conversion of many Nations performed by such as had spent a great part of their lives in Solitude and Contemplation 54. It is most certain that if Luther Calvin Tindall and such Reformers had by Prayer disposed themselves for such lights as these and also followed the direction of them they would never have procured warre and bloodshed destruction of Kingdoms rebellions of Subjects tearing asunder Gods Church and sacrilegiously invading its revenues neither would they to satisfie their lusts have incesttuously polluted themselves with Consecrated Virgins in a word they would have done all things contrary to what they have done And if the Doctour himself had followed the guidance of such a Light he would never have published such a Book in which pretending to demonstrate that Salvation can scarce possibly be attayned in the Catholick Church whatsoever is alledged by him which truly concerns the Church it self may be contained in twenty or thirty pages whereas the Book it self consists of five or Six hundred all the rest being Scurrilous buffonries petulant revilings of Gods Saints imputing to the Church the Doctrins and practises of madmen or Sectaries condemned by the Church herself and any thing that he could take out of Dunghills which might be serviceable for his unchristian purpose to eradicate out of his Readers hearts Charity and all sense of humanity and all this without any provocation as if enraged to see that the same mercifull indulgence is not denyed to Catholicks alone which is allowed to himself and all Sects among us which vnanimously conspired to his Majesties destruction and of which not any one to this day has renounced the Principles which led them thereto as if I say in that rage his design was to expose innocent and peaceable subiects to all manner of Contempts affronts hatred and mischievous attempts of their fellow Subiects to the disturbance of the kingdoms peace and the renewing of our publick calamities and Tragedies to which he knows that thirty years since such books and Sermons were made use of as a Prologue 55. He must give me leave to add hereto that in the Principles at the end of his Book giving an account of the Faith of Protestants he has layd a foundation to support and iustify not only all manner of Sects but the worst effects of them I mean the late Rebellion and any other that may follow hereafter I will not say this was his Intention but the consequence may easily be demonstrated 56. For in the said Principles this being layd down by him as a ground of Protestancy That every sober enquirer into Scriptures may be infaillibly certain of all necessary Truths contained in them without any obligation to consult or however to obey Ecclesiasticall Superiours and
Teachers does it not necessarily follow that all Sectaries are equally iustifiable since it is impossible without looking into their thoughts to evince against them that they have not enquired soberly What monstrous opinions now may not hereby be justified and what possibility of confuting them now if among such opinions this be one That it is the necessary Duty of a Christian Subiect to contribute all that is in his Power even goods and life it self to sett up the true Religion that is his own Sect and this against all Power whatsoever civill or Ecclesiasticall which shall seek to oppress it what will the Doctour standing to his own Principles say hereto if he had a mind to oppose it Now that such an Opinion may possibly spring up and the Assertours of it may pretend that it is grounded on evident Scripture the Doctour himself will not deny since I am sure he remembers and has reason to do so that this was the Architectonicall Principle common to all Sects in the like Rebellion this was thundred out in Pulpits of this all Pamphlets were full the Bible and nothing but the Bible was all their warrant the Bible was the Ensign carried up aloft before their Troops as if the King Bishops and all their party had been professed Enemies to the Bible or had grounded their Religion upon the Alcoran whereas indeed all these Sects had turned Christs Doctrine into that bloody law of Mahomet Yet notwithstanding all this the Doctour zealously and furiously against the Papists still contends for putting the Bible into all mens hands and assures them that they are the only Legall Iudges of the sense of it in Necessaries upon condition they will only say that they are Sober Enquirers into it 57. This seems to me to be an evident consequence of the Doctours Principle a Principle never acknowledged in Gods Church for above fourteen hundren years by any one Orthodox Christian or by any unless by some whom the Doctour himself will call Hereticks If the Doctour think I doe not speak truth lett him search and lett him employ his freinds to search into Libraries let them consult all the ancient Fathers of the Church and all Councills and when they have done and seen themselves deserted by all Antiquity and Vertually condemnd and Anathematized by all Councills which pretend to have right to teach and to oblige Christians to yeeld their assent will it not follow that his Religion hath a most pittifully unstable and sandy Foundation But to return from this digression to an argument more gratefull to the Doctour the Fanaticism by him imputed to the Catholick Church with regard to the Prayer of Contemplation 58. Whereas M. Cressy in his Sancta Sophia among severall things by which Liberty of Spirit may be hindered reckons this for one The doing actions meerly for edification the Doctour in scorn adjoyns hereto these words A most excellent and Apostolicall Doctrine These words shew that the Doctour likes not that saying but I cannot imagin what reason he had for it Our Saviour indeed requires that our light should shine before men that they seeing our good works might being edified glorifie our heavenly Father But this concerns only such good works as our Duty obliges vs to doe in Publick But as for other duties such as is Prayer and Fasting he bids us retire into our closets to practise them there without an eye to the Edifiing others and condemns the Pharisees for doing them that they may be seen of men In like manner those who are called to an Internall life and Solitude for them to quitt their proper Exercises to goe abroad on purpose to do actions good in themselves for no other end but Meerly to give a good example for the Edification of others was there iustly esteemed a prejudice to the liberty of Spirit necessary for their state 59. But moreover I would ask the Doctour whether being at Church in a publick Duty and not having any Devotion himself at present he would esteem it a commendable action to pretend to much fervour by lifting vp his eyes or beating his breast and this meerly and only to the end that others seeing him might be edifyed himself being nothing the better for such grimaces or would he give an Alms before people meerly for their edification and not out of a Motive of Charity inherent in himself Truly if he should doe all this in such a manner I should be none of his admirers And much lesse do I or I think any good Christian admire him for his Book so full af all manner of Vnchristian affections which surely he cannot pretend to be written meerly for edification and for which I hope his Judgement is not soe perverted as to expect a reward from God who litle esteems witt without Charity or rather witt shewed for the destruction of Charity and Truth also 60. After this the Doctour out of the same Book mentioning the Supernaturall Favours which innumerable Catholick Writers both ancient and Modern do testify to have been communicated by Almighty God to his servants after a constant exercise of Internall Prayer and Mortification the Doctour I say would have his Reader think that his deriding of these is a sufficient confutation And I may more justly think that a sober Reader will Judge that the only mentioning of a proceeding so contrary to all rules of reasoning is a sufficient Reply 61. What hath been hitherto sayd is even too much touching the defence of a Book of Prayer published by M. Cressy in which the Church of England is so litle concerned and which was compiled for the use of good devout humble Soules and not at all for persons of the Doctours temper Those eminently learned and Pious Fathers and particularly R. F. Leander a S. Martino who with great care perused the severall Spirituall Treatises written by R. F. Baker and gave their Approbations of them were persons in all regards for their profound universall Learning far exalted above the censures of Malignant Pedants and the devout soules to whose practise they recomended those pious Instructions have reaped such fruits from them such effectuall helps far their advancement in the Divine Love and Spirituall Perfection that the bouffoneries of such a Doctour will only produce this effect upon them to give God daily thanks that they have escaped from a Church in which blasphemous Invectives against Gods Saints and the Science of Saints are not only permitted but applauded and rewarded 62. None can justly wonder that a soule so manifestly voyd of Divine Love should want both light and tast in such things Daamantem sentit quod dicimus saith S. Augustin But does the Doctour hope that because he understands not and therefore proudly contemns Misticall Theology and the Exercises of an Internall life the Catholick Church and Governours of it will abate their esteem of that Blessing which manifestly proves that Gods Holy Spirit does not communicate his most sublime and
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
which yet does not hinder but that Iudges are reputed fitt and proper to end Law suits 4. That neither the Pope nor the Councill of Trent have decided the fore mentioned Controversies we are to ascribe either to the inconsiderablenes of them or to the want of Sufficient clearness of Scripture or Tradition for either party or to a just and prudent care of preventing Schisms in the Church by such Determinations wherein so considerable parties in the Church are divided in opinion 5. Whereas the Doctour says that the Points in Controversy among Catholicks being many of them the same agitated among Protestants are Points of Faith he is manifestly mistaken For there are among Catholicks no Points controverted but such Doctrins where the sense of Scriptures being variously expounded by the two Parties the Church as yet hath determined nothing which sense of them is de Fide though the Parties themselves would each of them have their own to be so not determined I say so clearly as that both sides are agreed that such is the Churches Decision As for Protestants what Doctrins are esteemed Points of Faith and what School Disputes I think no Oedipus can resolue Doctour Stillingfleet elsewhere saith down right That the Church of England holds no Points to be Articles of her Faith but those wherein the Church of Rome also agrees with her and holds the same to be such His words are There is a great deale of difference between the owning of some Propositions in order to Peace and the believing of them as necessary Articles of Faith The Church of England makes no Articles of Faith but such as have testimony and approbation of the whole Christian world of all ages and are acknowledged to be such by Rome it self and in other things she requires Subscription to them not as Articles of Faith but as inferiour Truths which she expects Submission to in order to her Peace and Tranquillity Thus the Doctour But here I cannot well understand why he saith her Subiects Subscribe them as inferiour Truths and yet maintains the Church of England to require no Subscription to her Articles as Truths for that surely is a requiring of assent to them but a Subscription of non-contradiction or non-opposition of them which consists with the parties holding them Errours Now methinks this the Church of England believing nothing as of Faith but what the Popes and the Roman Churches Faith also secures to them to be so should sound somewhat harsh in the ears of many of his Disciples Again it necessarily follows that the Church of Rome notwithstanding its Idolatry Fanaticism c. yet failes in no necessary Point of Faith 6. Lastly that which makes Disputes among Christians about Dostrinall Points pernicious is not the heynousnes of the Errours themselves on either Party but the refusall to submitt to the Churches Authority when condemning them from whence Schisms are inevitable and such Refusers then truly stiled Hereticks No man will deny but that the Errour of the Photinians or Socinians called anciently Homuncionists for affirming Christ to be meer man is a most grievous Errour incomparably exceeding any among Catholicks Yet if one living in the Commuâ—ion of Gods Church should hold this most pernicious Errour not knowing that the Church had condemned it and being ready to renounce it assoon as he knew this S. Augustin professes he durst not call such a man an Heretick How the Doctour would call such an one I know not But this I will iustify that according to the Doctours Principles he ought to pass for as good and as well grounded a Protestant as himself and therefore especially Orthodox for not submitting his judgment to the Church §. 7. The Doctrin of Pennance Vindicated from the Doctours mistakes 115. NOw notwithstanding what hath hitherto been said I do nothing doubt but those popular Readers for whom only I conceive the Doctour wrote his Book will still resolutely judge every line of it unanswerable The like they will say concerning the other Points of accusation charged by him on the Roman Church as 1. many obstructions of a Holy Life 2. Endless Divisions How happy are we will they think who have escaped out of such a Babel were Frantick Subiects are governed by more Frantick Superiours where mens ears are deafned with endless quarrels and where Lawes are made against Piety In the former regards Papists may deserve our pitty or contempt but in the last our hatred For what cruelty is not too Mercyfull against the Professours of a Religion which teaches so many Doctrins hindring a good life necessary to Salvation that it is scarce possible any of them should be an honest man The Doctour has told them that these wicked men make the Sacrament of Pennance ioynd with Contrition that is as he interprets a remoâ—se of mind for sin sufficient for Salvation But his Adversary in effect bids him with Contrition to ioyne Confession and Absolution He is contented but he will needs have one condition more added which is forsaking of sin which they of the Church of the Rome not requiring notwithstanding all their Confessions and Absolutions a thousand times repeated they destroy the necessity of a good life 116. Here if the Doctour were asked Does the Catholick Church held the Doctrin here by him reproved He could not say she did because then the express Decision of the Councill of Trent disproves him Where three parts of the Sacrament of Pennance are declared Contrition Confession and Satisfaction Now in two of these the forsaking of sin are contained For Contrition implies a sorrow for sin proceeding from a love of God victorious over sin and consequently a detestation of sin And Satisfaction signifies yet more viz A holy revenge taken by the Penitent upon himself for offending God by denying to himself even Lawfull pleasures because unlawfull ones have tempted him to sin which is a great deale more then Protestants require 117. A disposition one may say inferiour to this required by the Councill served Davids turne who says I said I will confess my sins unto the Lord and thou forgivest the iniquity of my sin I cannot now believe the Doctour will acknowledge that a Sinner repentant of his sins out of a love of God Victorious over the Devill the world and the flesh and weho tstifies that sorrow and that Love by submitting to severe Pennances and Mortifications willing also to declare to his own Confusion his most secret sins with a serious purpose of amendment will thereby be put in a state of pardâ—n and Salvation Especially having received from Gods Authorised Ministers Absolution from his sins Absolution I say pronounced by Commission and Iurisdiction from Christ himself and not such an aery Phantosme of an Absolution as the Doctour interprets to be the applying the Promises of pardon in Scripture to the particular case of dying persons for this saith he is that we mean by Absolution and which say I the Silliest
Martyr whose Relicks lay there so to be helped with our Lord by his Intercession where it may be observed that S. Augustin both allows Praying to the Martyr in the behalf of such Deceased and supposes the Martyrs hearing such Prayers But withall the Father tells them that should some Deceased not have the happines to be buried in such a Holyplace others are not therefore to neglect their Supplications for such because not so minded of them as of others when they goe to the Memoriall of the Martyr And then comes to our very case that howeuer such soules may want Kindred or freinds to remember them as the other hath yet the Common prayers of the Church pro defunctis are without naming any particular persons offred vp for them His words are Adsupplicationes faciendas pro omnibus in Christianâ Catholica Societate defunctis etiam tacitis nominibus quorumcumque sub generali commemoratione suscepit Ecclesia Vt quibus ad ista desunt Parentes aut Filij aut quicunque cognati velamici ab vna eis exhibeantur pia matre Communi §. 10. Of Indulgences 141. BUt toward the latter end of his Book treating of Indulgences the Doctour alledges a practise in the Church which these Catholicks who pretend to iustify it will J belieue find very great difficulty in answering the Doctours proofs that it is really a hindrance of the care of a good life If any therefore do find harm by relying vpon such a Practise they may thank themselues they voluntarily and without any obligation procure such harm to themselues The Councill of Trent in its decision of this Point of Indulgences expressly Condemns a too frequent vse of them as enervating Ecclesiasticall Discipline and desirous to correct all scandalous abuses crept in them ordains an vtter abolishment of all vnlawfull gain for the obtaining of them enioyning likewise all Bishops in their Provinciall Synods to take care that the Benefit of Indulgences may be dispensed piously holily and without corruption to the people 142. Now if after such solicitude shewed by the Councill all abuses doe not yet cease this must be imputed to humane frailty and corruption and to the erroneous Doctrin of some Schoolmen or rather some passages of them singled out from the context and stript from the necessary circumstances and so misapplied whereby the power of the Donour of them is extended without its certain limitts and a vertue attributed to them far exceeding that which the present Church acknowledges in them 143. This seems plainly to appeare by the words of the Councill declaring That since a Power of conferring Indulgences hath been giuen by Christ to his Church which from the most ancient times hath exercised this Power diuinely granted to her Therefore the Holy Synod doth teach and command the vse of Indulgences to be retained in the Church as very healthfull to Christian people and approved by the authority of Holy Councills 144. From this Declaration of the Councill the Doctour truly says that some Catholick Writers do make this Deduction That Indulgences are only a relaxation of the ancient Severity of Church Disciplin according to the old Penitentiall Canons Which Deduction seems the lesse irrationall since the Indulgences inserted by the Councill are the same which from the most ancient times have been exercised by the Church And such an vse of Indulgences if the Doctour refuse to the Catholick Church he dares not to his own Since he cannot deny but that in the Spirituall Courts the Iudges assume a power either to qualify Corporall punishments imposed by the Laws and Canons on Speciall sins or commuting them into Pecuniary But I must add one thing that euen these Indulgences may be said to extend their vertue till after death Since it is certain that being duly administred and taking away the obligation to the Seuerity of the Penitential Canons they doe consequently abate the Suffrings after death which otherwise the Penitent was to vndergoe having neglected to make Satisfaction in this life In a word Catholicks are taught that Indulgences are beneficiall to none but those that are already in the state of Grace And that Remission of Penalty only and not sin is conceded by them Likewise that they relate to Purgatory only not to Hell And lastly by the form of them it appears that the vertue of them after death is only per modum Suffragij 145. As touching the Doctours Questions concerning Indulgences if he expect an Answer to them he must goe into some of our Catholick Schooles where he will not faile to receiue Solutions to them all if they were twice as many but I dare not assure him that these Solutions will give him Satisfaction For my part I have nothing to say about them nor I am sure any other Catholicks as a Catholick Neither doe I belieue that euer any Protestant Controvertist wrote a Volume against the Catholick Church of which not near a tenth part did in any sort concern her and such a Book the Doctour certainly knows his to be and by consequence every ingenious prudent Reader will easily discouer from how poysonous a heart it issued and to how vnchristian an end it was directed §. 11. Of the Churches Liturgy in a tongue not generally understood 146. ANother Practise in the Catholick Church there is which the Doctour esteems a notable hindrance to Piety which is the Publick Ecclesiasticall Office being in a Tongue vnder stood by few This he will not allow to be a matter of Discipline only and consequently in the Churches power to alter Because the Churches power is only to edification for a power beyond that the Apostles themselues never challenged Now it is manifest saith he that S. Paul judges Praying or Preaching in an vnknown tongue not to be of edification 147. Notwithstanding with the Doctours favour his allegations doe not proue the mater not to be of Discipline meerly For the Case stands thus It was far from being the Churches Primary intention that the publick Office should be in a tongue not vnderstood by the people for it was at first composed in the language generally Spoken and vnderstood through Europe But that Language being changed by a mixture of the Dialects of seuerall barbarous nations she thought it not prudent that the publick Service of God composed with great care and exactnes should be exposed in euery Nation to vnsskillfull Translatours and every age to be varied as Dialects did alter it not being in her power to examine all Translations after every new Edition And the same judgmēt the most ancient most extended Churches in the East had all which in a manner do to this day retain their ancient Liturgies now not vnderstood by the Common ignorant people 148. Notwithstanding to repair as much as may be this incommodity the Roman Church at least has taken great care in her Councills that the people in all Nations should be furnished with
Devotions in their Natiue Tongues which are for the most part taken out of the Publick Liturgy and moreouer has commanded all Pastours to interpret to the people in the administring of Sacraments especially the most Holy Eucharist whatsoever they are capable of vnderstanding by which means there is scarce a Rustick so ignorant but well vnderstands what the Priest does through the whole course of the Masse 149. Matters standing thus the Church esteems it more prudent and more conducing also to edification in generall that all Catholick Churches should serve God vniformly in a language which cannot be corrupted especially such provisions being made for the peoples good then to haue the Service of God exposed to Corruptions and continuall Changes But if the Doctour think himself wiser then the whole Western and most Eastern Churches much ioy may he take in his great humility 150. But after all how can the people say Amen will the Doctour say from S. Paul I answer S. Paul in that place Speaks not of the Common Divine Service which was celebrated then in a language well vnderstood and at Corinth doubtles in the Greek tongue but of these Spirituall Hymns and Praises of God extraordinary that were delivered by some in a tongue vnknown And all that can be deduced from it and applied to the Publick Divine servcie is this that either this be performed in a known Tongue or when the Church hath reasonable Motives which she not we must judge of not to change the formerly vsed language of it so much as is necessary for the common people to vnderstand and say Amen to be interpreted as the Apostle saith there ouer and over again Now such Prayers Collects Psalms Hymns Litanies c. as are thought necessary for the common people are interpreted by the Churches order and they have them ready in their Primers Manuels c. Euen all the parts also of the Service of the Masse necessary to be known by them 151. Jt is certain that it is not out of a desire that the people should be ignorāt that the Church thinks not meet to change the language of her Liturgy And I would to God that were the only hindrance of reuniting England to her once beloued Mother for then the breach would not last long §. 12. Of the Churches denying the Reading of the Bible indifferently to all 152. BUt the last and greatest Hindrance of piety and which is wonderfull of Vnity likewise in the Doctours opinion is the Roman Church her denying the reading of Scripture to all persons promiscuously without exception This fault the Doctour will neuer forgiue Her And the truth is if euer there should be a restraint of such liberty in England all the Principles of his Religion would vtterly goe to wrack For how then should euery Sober Enquirer into Scripture frame a Religion to himself How much would the number of Sects be diminished which is great pitty Then Pastours and Teachers would perswade the people that it is their duty to believe and obey them and not to be their own Directours which is intolerable Therefore in so great a concern the Doctours zeale in this Point aboue others may well be forgiuen him 153. How much would the Doctour be beholden to that freindly man who could furnish him with but one line out of any Ancient Ecclesiasticall Writer Father or Councill to iustify the Fundamentall Principle of his and as he pretends of all Protestants Religion viz. That euery sober enquirer may be a Iudge infallible of the sense of Scripture in all Points necessary to Saluation But I can assure him such a freind is not to be found Nay I believe he would thank that man who could shew any Ancient Heretick an Authour of that enormous Doctrin for as he cannot but know that he embraces seuerall Points condemned by the Ancient Church in Hereticks he would no doubt with ioy adopt this Point so beneficiall and necessary to the fabrick of his Protestant Churches 154. To descend to our Modern times Though Luther Calvin Zuinglius c. those disturbers of the world to gain the affections of the Common rabble were very earnest to put the Bible into their hands yet does the Doctour think that they would patiently haue suffred any of their followers to chuse any other Religion out of it but what they as Prophets sent from God had taught them Nay would the Doctour take it well of his own Parishioners if they should doe so Yet he is angry with Catholicks because we rather trust the Churches iudgment then our own a strange quarrell certainly But it is a folly to think that any of the Common sort of people seek into the Bible to find their Religion there not one in ten thousand among us but for his whole Faith relyes vpon the credit and supposed honesty of some zealous Lecturer or reputed learned Doctour Now J would fain know of Doctour Stillingfleet with what conscience he can suffer a whole Congregation of well meaning men who can rely vpon nothing but authority to prefer his authority before that of the whole Church For nothing can be more contrary to the Rules of Common reason in them and for their sinning against Reason he must be answerable to God How does one of the Doctours Parishioners find his whole Religion in Scripture Thus The Doctour will bid him read the last verse of the 6. chap. to the Romans or he will read the words to him The Gift of God is eternall life Here says he the Papists are plainly confuted who say that God rewards our good works with Heaven He will tell him again that the Papists hold that our Lords body is in the Sacrament How shall they be confuted Christ indeed says This is my Body What then this must be vnderstood as if he had sayd This is the figure of my Body Then plain Scripture interpreted by the Doctour is against them Again Look out the first Chapter to Titus you will find that those who are called Elders or Presbiters in the fifth verse are called Bishops in the Seaventh Here our Antichristian Prelats are plainly confuted who exalt themselues aboue Elders c. 155. But one Point there is of main importance to these who will find all things in Scripture which is A Proof that these Books which they are taught to call Scripture are the same which were Anciently written by men inspired by God That they have not been corrupted and that they are rightly interpreted None of all these things they can find in Scripture what remedy therfore for this None in the world but the Doctours own authority He will tell them perhaps that the Vniversall Tradition of all Ages which is of it self credible testifies this and therefore they ought to belieue it But if they should reply and tell the Doctour that for all necessary Points of belief they were according to his Principles to be Iudges for themselues but of that which they call
himself obliged in conscience by breaking all Rules of Piety and humanity to do all manner of despight to his Catholick fellow-Subiects he would hereafter at least please to abstain from reviling and blaspheming Gods Saints or traducing the most Divine exercises of contemplative soules more perfectly practised only in Heauen Jt argued certainly a heart brimm full of the Gall of bitternes that to oppose only one single line of his Adversary pag. 31. in which all that he sayes is the mentioning new Sects and Fanaticisms he could allow one hundred and twenty Pages in a senceless and execrable recrimination not considering or rather perhaps too much considering and intending that such a recrimination should reflect with great disparagement on the English Protestant Church In whose Calendar severall of those Saints to this day possess a place Truly in all reason his Attempt by his Socinian Principles of depriving the Governours of that Church of all Anthority granted by her Princes and Parliaments ought to haue suffised him without traducing her as a Canonizer of Fanaticks What excuse he can make for this I cannot imagine unless perhaps his tenderly scrupulous conscience dictates to him that the Scottish Covenant requires all this and more from the obligation whereof the Bishops cannot it seems and his Brethren Presbiters will not absolue him If so his zeale methinks should incite him yet further and particularly to make use of the power and high esteem he has by his late Book gotten in his Vniversity of Cambridge to become a Godfather in rebaptizing and giving a New Name to an ancient and famous Colledge there which at present has two Names both of them extremely inconvenient and prejudiciall to the Design of his beloued Book being called not only S. Benets but likewise Corpus Christi-Colledge For as long as these names continue neither will S. Benedict pass there for a Fanatick nor the Reall presence be esteemed aground of a worse then Pagan Idolatry But I believe he will scarce be able with all his Rhetorick to obtain from them such a compliance or even perswade his own Parishioners to renounce Heaven except S. Gregory S. Benedict S. Francis c. be excluded thence A Second Request is that since to his great credit order has been taken by his friends more solicitous for him then their own Church to render his Book unanswerable he would hasten his zealous Huguenot Brethren of the Savoy iust such Defenders of the Church of England as himself to enlarge his conquests through France also by sending abroad their French Translation of his formidable Book the Rationall Account There will be no need to fear any officious Searchers nor the least obstruction to their dispersing their ware in France for there Catholicks are so confidently secure of the invincible Truth of their Religion that the King himself not only permits but invites yea and expressly commands the subtillest of the Huguenot Ministers to write and publish freely whatsoever they are able to say in defence of themselves or against Catholick Doctrines Now it is manifest that the Doctours friends the zealous Searchers and murderers of all Answers to his Book do not believe that he has any confidence at all either in the truth or honesty of his cause And iust reason they have since it is a cause evidently destructive both to the English Church and state as hath been demonstrated And if themselves had any regard at all either to their Church or the Civill state and peace of the kingdom all betrayed by him they would see and acknowledge that their vigilance would have been much better employed in preventing the birth of so deformed and pernicious a monster My third Request is indeed J fear too reasonable to expect it should be granted by an Adversary of the Doctors temper It is this His design beeing to deterr all English-men from Communion with the Catholick Church from a consideration of dangerous Doctrines and Practises in it he is requested that hereafter he would not abuse the world by fathering on the Church Exotick opinions of particular Schoolmen and by representing the Churches Doctrines lamely falsely and dishonestly His enormous faultiness in this regard in mitation of Doctor Taylor committed in his last Book through every one of the Points mentioned by him may be visible to all heedfull Readers and irrefragable Proofes hereâ—fare in a readiness to be produced if his busy friends the Searchers could be perswaded to rest in their beds in the night time He cannot complain of any difficulty to find out all necessary Doctrines in which Catholicks universally agree as we may for Proteflant Doctrines The Councill of Trent alone will sufficiently furnish him Or if he think fitt to have recourse to the interpretations of its Decisions in all reason and conscience he ought to content himself with such as seem to him most moderate and rationall Christian charity and love of Peace requiring this from him But I fear his unconformity hereto must be pardoned For his principall vocation now being to be a Controvertist to which it seems he is by Superiours engaged and to which employment Preaching Sacraments and all must yield it will be impossible for him to write volumes of Controversy his way if he be confined to matters only which are pertinent or to arguments which are Logically concluding For how could he then delight profanc Readers with ridiculous stories or give scope to his own more profane Fancy in descanting irreligiously on the actions of Saints or fill up many sheets with nasty occurrents raked out of dunghills and charging them on the Church which abhorrs them more then himself How could he I say thus play the Controvertist if he were to assault the Church only in her necessary Doctrines and Discipline exhibited in her Councills I must therefore I fear prepare my self with patience to receive a Refusall to Requests though in my opinion very reasonable and which I here sett down because J believe they will be esteemed such by ingenuous and judicious Readers who surely will not judge the cause of Catholicks prejudiced by the Doctors confutation of a Church no where extant in rerum naturâ except in his own disordered Fancy Lastly he is desired to consider that Almighty God commands us to loue Peace and Truth Zach. 8. 19. both these For Peace alone without Truth is a conspiracy in Errour and an imprudent zeale for Truth may be more pernicious then Errour Both these therefore ought to be loved together And to Hate both Peace and Truth seems a depravation scarce consistent with Human nature or any Rationall Agent besides the Devill himself Since therefore the Doctor by demolishing all Tribunalls in Gods Church which might peaceably end Controversies has endeavoured as much as in him lyes to banish Peace eternally from among Christians it is iustly to be expected from him that being now become by Profession a Controvertist he should give some better testimony to the world that he is at least a Seeker and Promoter of Truth and that his Design in writing Preaching and Disputing is to conquer the iudgments of Dissenters to a belief of that which himself pretends to be Truth But can any reasonable man imagine that he had so much as a desire to convert Catholicks who alone seem to be esteemed by him Dissenters by such a Book as his last is which they cannot read without trembling at the blasphemies of it and without a horrible aversion from one who would make their Church and Faith odious for Doctrines and Practises which the said Church is so far from owning that she condemns them and would moreover persuade them to forsake an established Communion without being informed whither to betake themselves These proceedings are so unreasonnable that it seems manifest he had not so much as a thought of convincing their iudgments so that he will have small reason to wonder that not one single person can be found whom he looks on as an enemy who has given him occasion to erect a Trophey yea moreover though perhaps he will not believe it that a considerable number have against his will had their eyes opened by him to see the desperate state of that cause which seems to seek its last refuge in the Protection of such an Advocat A strange fate certainly this is of a Book so boasted of and to which such conquests have been promised Therefore any sober Reader who shall heedfully reflect on the Doctor 's abilities will hardly be perswaded to believe that he intended his last should be a Book of Controversy but rather an Engin raised by him to work during the space of a few months some considerable mischief against the persons of innocent Catholicks at a season as he thought proper for his purpose when he conceived thereby the whole Kingdom might happily be incensed against them Which holy design if he could effect it would afterward be indifferent to him whether his Book were confuted or not However our hope is that Dominus iudicabit pauperes populi bumiliabit Calumniatorem FINIS Nullos esse Deos in ane coelum Affirmat Selius probatque quod se Factum duÌ„ negat haec videt BeatuÌ„ Martial l. 4. Epigr 21. Pag. 262. Psal. 118. Mem. 2. Cor. 12. v. 2. 3. 4. P. 334. P. 336 P. 336. P. 337. P. 244. Suar. in 3. S Th q 27. Anâ—on Summ. p. 1. tit 8. c. Baron ad A. D. 604. P. 248. P. 235. Irenic P. 392. P. 346. P. 349. P. 350. 13. Principle 15 Principle I. Que. Ansvv. II. Qu. Ansvv. III Qu. Ansvv. IV. Qu. Ansvv. V. Qu. Ansvv. Irenic Eph. iv 4. 5. vers 5. Gesner in Re Bellar. Def. Schlusscâ—b P. 443. Ration Accou p 54. Aug. de Bapt. cont Donat. l. 4. c. 16. P. 180. Conc. Triden Sess. XIV cap. 3. P. 183. P. 181. P. z12 Conc. Tâ—id Ses. XIV c. 8. August lib. 50 hom Hom. 41. Conc. Tâ—id Seâ— VII de Sacram Can. 8. P. 206. Gal. 4. P. 183. Aug. Hom. 50. capvlt P. 681. Luk xvi 9. Lib. de curâ pâ—â— moâ—tuis cap. 4. P. 183. Conc. Tâ—id Ses. xxv Decâ—et de Indulg Ibid. P. 516. P. 188. P. 174. Cor. 14 1. Cor. 14. Vers. 5. 9. 13. 27 28. P. â—15 P. 174. Philast Preface pag. 6. Ibid. p. 22.