all the Country where I then sojournd know that when others fled I remaind and appeared publickly divers Months after that I went and surrendred my self to a Justice of Peace and Deputy Lieutenant of the County on purpose to answer any thing that might be alledged against me and he assured me he heard of nothing I was charg'd withall that I never was so much as a Convicted no not a Presented Recusant and that afterwards being fully satisfied as to the Traiterous Principles and Practices of the Church of Rome I immediately but not without Licence first obtained from the Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privy Council came up to London and re-united my self to the Church of England from which I had been unwarily seduced and there to give a general satisfaction I published the Book of the Several weighty Considerations c. Having thus dispatch'd the two main Exceptions that have been made against me I shall make quick work with the other trifling cavills that have been proposed to blast my Reputation That the Dean of St. Paul's composed the Weighty Considerations for me as it is very silly and senseless in the Objectors so it is but too great an Honour for my self But those who have any brains are better acquainted with the genius and unimitable Style of that Great Mans Writings than to think that he could stoop to so mean a Production That if I please I can answer the Book my self is a complement I thank them for But I desire them to ease me of the trouble for I profess in good earnest it is past my skill And for their Incouragement I do here solemnly declare That if they can convict me of one Single falshood wittingly asserted or one Authority forged Nay if they will but satisfie me in this One Point that Sedition and Treason I mean the Deposing of Princes and Absolving Subjects from their Allegeance is not the Doctrine of their Church as well as of Particular Doctors and Societies and hath not been their Constant Practice when ever it lay in their Power I will as my Lord Bishop of Lincoln speaks in his late Book renounce all that I have written and become one of the worst sort of Chistians a Roman Catholick Or if this will not content them I will burn my own Book and I question not but they will have the same Charity for me as they have for all others they are pleased to call Hereticks had they but the opportunity of Queen Maries Days to throw me into the fire after it That I had a Benefice of 200 a year confer'd upon me and that upon my forsaking them I immediately married are such notorious untruths that all who know me know those Rumours to be false As to the former I wish they could make their Objection good But I bless Good I remain as contented with those mean Circumstances I have lain under since I departed from them as they at present seem to be transported with the flattering Prospect of a Golden Age to succeed as to their Interests For I am sure many of them talk as bigg as if they intended to carry all before them But I hope the never Slumbring Keeper of our Israel and the watchful eye of our Magistrates will procure that as of late they counted their Chickens before they were hatchd so now they may reckon without their Host A Person of Honour of the Romish perswasion was pleased to intimate to an Honoured Friend of mine that I had wrong'd the R. F. Francis à S. Clara by asserting his Vindication of the equivocating Jesuite who was taken not far off my habitation about 6 years since Of which Passage I give an account in my Preface to the formentiond Book My obligations to that Reverend Father now as I hear deceased are of such a Nature that I would sooner cut off my own right hand than falsly asperse his Memory But though Socrates and Plato are both my friends yet there is one much dearer to me than my self and that is Truth And therefore for clearing my innocence as to that Point I shall only refer the Reader to the matter of fact set down in the abovesaid Preface and which is known to be true by a Great Many in that Town and County where it happend subjoyning that Reverend Fathers Letter to me upon that occasion I have the Letter still by me and it hath been shewn to divers Persons of Quality and so leave it to the Reader to give up his Verdict to bring me in Guilty or not Guilty of Injuring my Friend Father S. Clare usually went by the Name of Mr. Hunt as all know that knew him And this I mention to prevent any mistake that might happen by change of Name The Letter Good Mr. Sheppey I Received yours touching your Neighbours forswearing himself I have been very ill and it 's frequent which may excuse my not writing which indeed I do very seldome I informed my self of the whole Passage from my Neighbours i.e. the Provincial and others of the Jesuits who would be sure to make the best of so foul an action of one of their own Members who had express Letters of the Truth He was before the Mayor and Sheriff being asked if he were Married he answered Yes and this was taken for Answer Onely he promised to come whensoever they demanded it The Sheriff since wrote to him not to appear though called This is the substance wherein he is Nothing reprehensible and he now follows his Course as before except that only Town Excuse me for not being more large my head is not good Pray for your old Servant Fr. Hunt Jan. 16. 1675. But there is a Letter of mine own written to a Gentlewoman soon after I had published my Several weighty Considerations with which my Enemies make a great noise as if while I renounced the Romish Religion my self I perswaded others to continue in it I am sorry I did not keep a Copy of that Letter by me and I wish with all my heart they would produce the Letter it self that it might appear to the world with how great Disingenuity they have treated me upon that Occasion The business was only this having for some years been more than ordinarily concern'd in the spiritual affairs of an Antient infirm Gentlewoman of whose death I expected to hear every moment and knowing withal how much she relyed upon my directions and that she would be reduced to great perplexity upon the report of my proceedings I thought it my Duty both in respect of my former obligations to her and the care I had particularly taken of her not to let her be wholly neglected at that Conjuncture Whereupon I wrote to her to acquaint her with what I had done and that being design'd for a place not far from her I intended upon my coming down into the Country to wait upon her and give her those directions I judg'd most proper and suitable to one in her
Condition Advising her in the mean while not to trouble her self with scruples and Controversies but bonâ fide to follow such Instructions as I had formerly left with her till I might be so happy as personally to wait on her and discourse her both about what I had done my self and what course I woud wish her to take And to yield her some satisfactory Consolation in the Interim I told her out of an excess of my Charity to that Party that if it should please God to take her away before I could confer with her yet I was so well acquainted with her Vertuous Life and Conversation and her sincere pious Intention of serving God to the best of her knowledge and Ability that I doubted not she might dye in a safe condition as well knowing that God of his infinite mercy might deal favourably with one in her circumstances and not let her be prejudiced in her Eternal Concerns for some Notional Errours deeply radicated by a long uninterrupted habit of many years If this were a mistake in me it was meerly a Transport of that Charity I have for all that profess Christianity But because I was soon inform'd how basely and unworthily this Letter was divulged and wrested to a wrong Sence by some at whose hands I have deserved better and civiller dealings I never made her any Visit nor ever had I nor will I entertain the least Correspondence with any of that Faction otherwise than in a common Civility which also for the future I shall avoid so far forth as good Manners and Necessity will permit And I take God to witness I was so far from perswading that Person to remain in Popery strictly so called that it was my design had I seen her truly and fully to have represented to her several of the gross abuses of that Church and so by degrees have reduced her from what I conceived most dangerous in the Popish Communion And had my Adversaries dealt candidly they would rather have taken notice of those many Pathetical Disswasives I sent to divers of them against Popery than to lay such a stress upon a Charitable Expression That I hoped well of a Vertuous Gentlewoman who might chance to dy in the Communion of that Church But there can be no surer evidence of a baffled sinking cause than thus to catch hold of every Straw that comes in their way Either the Papists believe me still to be a Papist or they do not If they do certainly it is very ungraciously done of them to vilifie and calumniate one whom they still believe to be their trusty confident Friend and to endeavour the ruine of his good name whom they would impose upon the World either as already being or willing to become a Member of their Church If they do not believe it themselves the more shame for them subtilly and malicioussly to insinuate to others what they themselves give no credit to I assure you gentlemen this is neither a holy Cheat nor a pious Fraud Were a disowning the Orders derived from the Church of Rome either necessary or convenient I should not be wanting to give that last proof of the sincerity of my Conversion But finding no solid ground or precedent for such a novelty neither in Dr. M. Luther Archbishop Cranmer no nor Mr. Calvin himself who never renewed their Orders but only relinquished the Errors and Superstitions of Rome I shall acquiesce and I think I have most if not all Protestant Divines on my side in that known Maxime Quod sieri non debuit factum valet And now to put a period to this Apology I know not how more fitly to conclude it than by making this solemn protestation before God Angels and Men That notwithstanding all that evil minded men have suggested to the contrary I am as real and loyal a Protestant as the Objecters themselves are inveterate Papists and I look upon that term of indignation wherewith they continually mention me of a fallen Priest to be less infamous by far than what suits with many of themselves whom I know to be Renegado Protestants In a word as I was sincere in my re-union so am I daily more and more confirmed in my adhesion to that Church wherein I was made a Christian and which upon an impartial Survey I judge to be the best copy of the true Apostolical Primitive Church in the World I mean the Church of England as by Law now established and therein I finally purpose by Gods grace to live and dye and if the All-wise Providence should think it fit to reduce me even to the last exigencies of begging my Bread yet neither the sollicitations of one nor the unkiudness of the other shall ever prevail with me to alter this resolution And I humbly request the Prayers of all good Protestants That God would enable me to reform the errours of my practice as I have done those of my Opinion and that I may never more scandalize that holy profession I here make And thus having publickly vindicated both my Innocency and sincerity against the usual cavils that are made against both I think it high time to ease both my Reader and my self THOMAS SHEPPEY FINIS A CATALOGUE of some BOOKS Printed for Henry Mortlock at the Phoenix in St Paul's Church-Yard THE Antiquities of Nottinghamshire extracted out of Records Original Evidences Lieger Books other Manuscripts and Authentick Authorities Beautified with Maps Prospects and Portraictures By Robert Thoroton Doctor of Physick Folio A Rational Account of the grounds of Protestant Religion being a Vindication of the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury's Relation of a Conference c. from the pretended Answer of T. C. Wherein the true Grounds of Faith are cleared and the false discovered the Church of England justified from the imputation of Schism and the most important particular controversies between us and those of the Church of Rome throughly examined The second Edition corrected By Edward Stillingfleet D. D. Dean of St. Pauls Folio A Discourse concerning the Idolatry practised in the Church of Rome and the hazzard of Salvation in the Communion of it in answer to some papers of a revolted Protestant with a particular account of the Fanaticism and Divisions of that Church Octavo An Answer to several late Treatises occasioned by a Book entituled A Discourse concerning the Idolatry practised in the Church of Rome and the hazzard of Salvation in the Communion of it The first Part. Octavo A second Discourse in vindication of the Protestant grounds of Faith against the pretence of infallibility in the Roman Church in Answer to the Guide in Controversies by R. H. Protestancy without Principles and Reason and Religion or the certain Rule of Faith by E. W. with a particular enquiry into the Miracles of the Roman Church Octavo An Answer to Mr. Cressy's Epistle Apologetical to a person of Honour touching his Vindication of Dr. Stillingfleet Octavo A Defence of the Discourse concerning the Idolatry practised in the Church of Rome in Answer to a Book intituled Catholicks no Idolaters Octavo Several Conferences between a Romish Priest a Fanatick Chaplain and a Divine of the Church of England being a full Answer to the late Dialogue of T.G. Octavo Of the nature of Superstition A Sermon Preached at St. Dunstans West March 31. 1682. All written by Edward Stillingfleet D. D. Dean of St. Pauls and Chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle fitly stiles them those Intermedlers with others Affairs those Peepers and Pryers into other Mens houses I will only deliver my sentiments in a very few Words concerning those Political Pragmatico's who with their unwasht hands so slovenly to speak no worse intrude into the Arcana of the Government both of Church and State Those State-Eavedroppers that with the Athenians are constantly hearkening after News and with S. Peter never thinking of themselves are still demanding And what shall this Man do And I wish it rested there No to hear and see will not serve the Turn unless they have an Oar likewise in the Publick Vessel Which if by their Merit they cannot procure they presently fall to Despising of Dominions and speaking evil of Dignities Nay as the same Apostle complains they must needs speak evil of those things which they know not Certainly there can be no greater Demonstration of the Malignant Spirit raigning and rageing in Men than thus to Blaspheme the Gods upon Earth To the serious thoughts of these Puny Politicos these Demicaster Statists I desire to recommend that notable Passage 2. Pet. 2.10 11. Where the Apostle describes their Forefathers thus They despise Government Presumptuous are they self-willed they are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities Whereas Angels which are greater in power and might bring not railing Accusations against them before the Lord. The summ of which Discourse tends to this that the Angels though by their Office they make report of the Miscarriages of Princes yet their accusation is without railing out of a Reverence to their High function and Gods Immediate Image in them And S. Jude v. 9. doth marvellously amplify this Observation assuring us that S. Michael who is the Prince in the Celestial Hierarchy of Angels when he contended with the Devil the Captain of all the Bands of Infernal Spirits durst not bring against him a Railing Accusation Because though the Devil be despoiled of all Grace yet he remains in the Principality of his Naturals and in respect to the Eminency of those the Angels forbear to reproach him Durst not the Highest Angel in Heaven revile the most wicked fiend in Hell and shall impudent Men venture to calumniate and defame the Earthly Gods themselves God Almighties immediate Vicegerents I mean the Magistrates both Ecclesiastical and Civil How far these Boutefeus by their Tongue Squibs and Pamphlet Crackers have contributed to those feuds we are now embroyl'd in I will not take upon me to determine But of this I am sure that Political Writers have made it an Observation that it is a dangerous forerunner of subversion sinisterly and irreverently to Apprehend and Interpret the actions of their Governors and that there seldome or never come any more Pleasing than those they so despise God Almighty punishing upon them the affronts offered to his Viceroy's and Substitutes Remember that Vzzah for but putting forth his hand though to save a Tottering Ark which was as it were the Palladium of the Jewish Nation yet it cost him no less than his life by an immediate stroke from Gods own hand And if we will not be content to have the Olive or the Figg or the Vine to reign a Bramble may come and devour the Cedars of Libanus I conclude this I hope not unjust Invective against State Busy bodies with the Excellent remarks of the Son of Syrach Ecclus 21.22 c. A foolish Mans foot is soon in his Neighbours house but a Man of Experience is ashamed of him A Fool will peep into the house but he that is well nurtured will stand without It is the rudeness of a Man to hearken at the door but a wise Man will be grieved at the disgrace The lips of Talkers will be telling such things as pertain not to them but the words of such as have understanding are weighed in the Ballance And now to you My Lords in a Word and but in a Word I shall humbly address what remains And to do your Own Business Your Business is of so Vast an extent that I dare not venture upon so Comprehensive an Argument Nor indeed had I time at my own choice should I be guilty of so much Indiscretion as before so many Sages and Oracles of the Law to discourse at large of the Office of a Judge This would be to act before Roscius and to read a Lecture of Military Discipline before Hannibal You are in those high Offices which render you like the Heavenly Bodies it is the observation of the Noble and Learned Verulam You have much Veneration but little Rest I shall not therefore contribute any thing to your Trouble but only leave this single Item with you and you to Gods Blessing I dare not call it an Instruction but rather with the Apostle A stirring you up by way of Remembrance It is your Business to look that others live quietly and do their own Business and none but their Own To this purpose you are intrusted with the Fasces the rods for smaller Offences and the Axe for Capital Crimes Let the rod like Jonathans be dipt in Hony and the Ax brighten'd with the oyl of Mercy Now to the King Immortal the only wise God who as he hath been our Saviour so will one day come to be our Judge together with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all Honour Glory and Obedience now and ever Amen A Short and Modest APOLOGY FOR THE AUTHOR AND BOOK OF THE Several Weighty Considerations Humbly recommended to the Serious Perusal of All but more especially to the Roman Catholicks of England 2 Cor. 6.8 By Honour and Dishonour by Evil Report and Good Report as Deceivers and yet True LONDON Printed in the Year 1682. HAving given the World a full and succinct account of my self in an Epistle to the Right Reverend and Learned Dean of S. Pauls Dr. Edward Stillingfleet by way of Preface to the Several weighty Considerations c. I judge it wholly superfluous to repeat any thing of that Nature and therefore referr the Reader to that Preface and the Book it self 1. My present Task is only to wipe off that Dirt which very unworthily and undeservedly hath been cast upon Me and my Book by such whose malice and envy leaves no stone unmoved to render their Neighbours as Odious as by the Villainous Pranks of many of their Party they have now made themselves And if some passages be brought on the stage which may any ways prejudice particular Persons and which otherwise might have lain for ever dormant They may thank themselves in rouzing up one who desired to bury himself in Obscurity Oblitusque suorum Obliviscendus illis and to have shakd hands as a fair Enemy since he could not close with them as a bosome Friend Nay even now I am forced forth I shall make it appear I do all cum moderamine inculpatae Tutelae rather to Ward my self than to Wound my Antaganist There are but