A VINDICATION OF THE Antapologist AGAINST THE DEFENCE OF THE Dean of St. Paul's APOLOGY LONDON Printed for Richard Bentley in Russel-Street in Covent-Garden 1695. A VINDICATION OF THE Antapologist AGAINST THE Defence of the Dean of St. Paul's APOLOGY 'T IS not my design to take the Defender's whole Book in pieces and answer every Clause of it there is no occasion for that a great deal of it signifies nothing and is not worth any Man's notice But I would know with what ingenuity conscience or forehead a Man can vent such base reproaches contemptuous fleering scoffs and misrepresentations against a Person of so much worth Does he think to come off by asserting He cannot expose a Man without mentioning his Name when 't is generally known who is intended Def. p. 14 First for the Ant. being a Socinian which is the Defender's continued Charge through the whole he says Def. p. 4. He does not pretend to know his inward intention all he has to do with is his Book And yet there is not one Clause in it that proves this nay there are several passages to the contrary as Ant. p. 45. I from my heart receive every tittle of the Revealed Christian Religion particularly as to those two Magnalia the Trinity and Incarnation and again Ant. p. 5. to make the sum of my Sentiments plainer the holy Scripture states the Trinity under the notion of three bearing witness in Heaven and adds he has much more to say for that exagitated Text than to allow it wanting in any Copies on any other reason but their imperfection What could be said more Now this the Def. would not see Def. p. 8. This third Section he does not know well what to make of but says in the first place he the Ant. would have none but Scripture-terms made use of in stating this Doctrine but this whether it were the Invention of old Hereticks or new ones hath been shewn to be in our case foolish and unreasonable I wish he had told us where he has shewn this I cannot find it The Ant. p. 21 22. quotes St. Athanasius and St. Ambrose as complaining of unscriptural words But the Def. is not at leisure to turn them over Def. p. 22. A Man at this rate will never be confuted if at one time he will not see things and at another will not examine them and when they pinch him will not know what to make of them Methinks he can tend to pass a strange Complement on Scripture God left it as a Rule of Faith to the end of the World And why should not the terms there serve our Times What signifies it to say Hereticks may still take them in their own sense Def. p. 23. So they may your Unscriptural words No doubt but those Hereticks who can pervert all Scripture-terms may also those others which we do contrive But what made him overlook what is really in the beginning of the third Section and bring in something at a distance He had no mind to see the Ant. appear no Socinian he was resolved to call him so He forgot the Jus Belli in Controversies the obligation to Truth Justice and common Ingenuity there But farther the Ant. being asked p. 44 45. Whether he does believe the Doctrine of the Trinity to be defensible or no he answers I do as delivered in Scripture but not upon his viz. Dr. Sh. Novel Definitions and Hypotheses So p. 46. the Doctrine of the Trinity is a Fundamental if duly stated and this he with Reverence acknowledges and believes as Scripture states it And p. 48. says the denial of the Trinity duly stated is Heresie And Socinianism he calls Heresie p. 50. Now with what face can a Man pretend to answer this Book overlook all this and brand the Author still for a Socinian Def. p. 11. and yet profess that he has nothing else to judge him by but the Book I am loath to say what he deserves The case was this the very learned and peaceable Ant. met with a dangerous Explication of the Trinity by Dr. Sh. and seeing the ill Consequences likely to attend the Church in wrangling about these matters at this time a day he desired both parties would let this Conversie alone till fit time and place p. 3. And that it might rest for this Juncture as 't was above thirteen hundred years ago determined by two General Councils P. 33. Def. p. 2. He did not desire us tamely and silently to give up a Fundamental Article of Christian Faith Neither disswade from Writing only in defence of the Doctrine of the Trinity Nor does he beseech one to be silent Def. p. 3. and let the others Write Talk Rail Argue c. Def. p. 5. he would not for Peace give up Truth nor would betray Christian Faith under the pretence of Peace and Moderation Def. p. 7. This truly may be matter of Melancholy consideration to all good Men notwithstanding his Scoffs that a Man should give himself so strange a liberty of thinking and speaking These are false imputations and malicious insinuations still charged even contrary to our Author's accounts as we find Ant. p. 9. If the old way of speaking had been kept to the suit for peace had been let alone And what can be more disingenuous I do wonder even to astonishment that our Defender should pretend to Write Controversie and be no more true in his Charges or just in his Consequences The business is the Doctrine of the Trinity as Dr. Sh. has stated it is not a Fundamental of the Christian Faith his mutual consciousness will not guard him from the inference of three Gods since the Unity of Accord not of Nature and Substance is all that will follow from thence and this a true enquiry into the importance of the words without any farther trouble will make appear But he may not like this because the Doctor would have the word Substance thrown away as the cause of all the Errors Men are apt to fall into about the Mystery of the Trinity And yet 't is in our Articles Athanasian and Nicene Creeds and in the Doxology at the Communion on Trinity-Sunday And pray who abuses the Church now If the Ant. had said as much as the Apology does in this he must have been banged about as an enemy to the Church that he went to expose the Creeds the Communion Service and the Church of England And truly he had reason enough according to his notion to be afraid of the word Substance a little Logick will teach him that three distinct Infinite Spirits are three distinct Infinite Substances and he may tremble at what necessary consequence will quickly be found out His Notion is but poorly I may say not at all justified by a later pretended Defence though he spits Socinian Seconds in the Animadverter's face Pag. 32. there is a great deal of obscure stuff to no purpose But the Defender advocates for the
Dean that though he gives such an Explication of the Trinity Def. p. 6. as he believes to be true he does not lay down his Hypothesis as necessary to be expresly believed by all but the vain boasting in the Apology p. 85. will answer this viz. that he has given such a notion of the Trinity as is agreeable to the phrase and expression of Scripture such as solves all the difficulties of it Let the Reader judge Def. p. 12. Whether the Reasons of the Ant. which the Defender mentions hold good though he will not allow them They are these If the Socinians be not the only persons Heterodox in the Points of the Trinity and if these are not the only Points in which they are Heterodox then it follows not says Ant. that he that desired the Controversie of the Trinity to be forborn at present did desire that no body would write against the Socinians though his suit was chiefly to the Dean and Dr. Wallis I cannot imagin why he takes pains to prove that every Christian or Divine must write Def. p. 13. for that is according to the Discourse there when the Catholick Faith is assaulted or else he must be deemed a Neuter or not Orthodox then there must be a thousand Scriblers against one Heretical Pamphlet What if there be no need of my Defence I may stand by very innocently and comfort my self in seeing the Hereticks beaten by others when there is no occasion for me to help The Ant. Explication of that Text p. 23. Def. p. 23. does not overthrow the Personality of the Holy Ghost because if this did not there are other Texts to prove it and nothing is said to be in this against it He does not say his is the Sense of the Text but puts this to prove that different Interpretations may be put on one Text and a general Sense may be sometimes well enough and still he allows this Text may not without Probability be interpreted of the Essential Spirit of God So that 't was foolishly and wickedly spiteful to say Def. p. 23. as Def. does that this Example is not very much for his the Ant. Reputation because it can serve no other End but to overthrow the Personality of the Holy Ghost Why must every thing necessarily be a Man's Design which may be so when as well it may not be so But why more particularly must this be his End here when 't is brought to another Purpose and another Design is mentioned and nothing of that which our Adversary's malevolent Inclination makes him fancy And yet this Man does very solemnly tell us at first Def. p. 4. He does not pretend to know his inward Intentions and therefore whatever he shall say in his Reflections let him not pretend that he does it to calumniate him since all he has to do with is his Book what shall we think when there is plainly Protestatio contra factum He goes on with his False Charge Def. p 42. That he the Ant. does plainly enough insinuate that it was not Reason or Scripture but Humane Force which carried it and determined the Point in the Council of Nice when there 's no such thing in the whole Book and yet according to his usual Custom talking at Rovers I am sure without the Book he pretends to Answer he gives us another Cast of his Civility that 't was written with a Design which he is very good at understanding to expose the Nicene Faith and Council the Doctrine of the Trinity and the Church of England And if we look back we shall find him say the Ant. speaks a great many fine things in behalf of the Council of Nice not worth repeating Def. p. 40. Let 's see then what these things are I have says the Ant. a true and profound Veneration for that Council and esteem it only Second to that of the Apostles in Act. 15. Who can think otherwise of it that considers the number of the Fathers therein or otherwise that reflects on the Quality of many of them the Number Three Hundred and Eighteen their Quality divers of them such who had even at that time bid fair for Martyrdom Confessors of the First Rank that bore in their Body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Marks of Christ had some of them their Hands cut off had been seared and tormented with Fire and otherwise suffered for the Faith of Jesus some had the Apostolick Gifts of Miracles and one Raised the Dead Ant. p. 36. Were not these things worth repeating A very remarkable thing he means not fit for him to mention because then the Ant. proves himself no Socinian and that does not serve the Def.'s turn But pray What makes the Def. so averse to the Ant.'s Proposal Def. p. 39. of calling in a Concurring Power to end the Controversie Is it for the same Reason that some Clients will not submit to a Reference because they love wrangling and going to Law Or is he afraid of a Convocation This he would have not reasonable nor practicable Why so The King can and will I hope call one if asked when a growing Heresie infests the Church they can come together and they will act in such a case and he that thinks otherwise abuses the Constitution or the Persons in it But the Def. tells you This is not a fair Proposal Def. p. 39. for the Hereticks must be first gratified the Forms of Worship and the Doctrine of the Trinity thrown out of the Liturgy when the Ant. says no such thing He makes what he pleases and fathers it on this honest absent Person When he cannot tell what to Answer he then mentions something odious and runs a great way after his own Shadow with open Mouth And this he does not only here but in many other places of his Defence Let the Reader compare the Books As we may see again he cites the Ant. p. 52. saying That no Practice be imposed upon any contrary to their Consciences Def. p. 57 The Meaning of which he takes to be That no Expressions should be allowed in the Liturgy which any one professes are against his Conscience nor any Rite or Ceremony required which all are not satisfied in and so we must part with Episcopacy and all Order and Decency c. He calls him Brave Protestant Reconciler And says 'T is admirable Arguing for a Church of England-Man who has read Fathers and School-men Pray let 's see how the Defender has here used him take all his Words In such Mysterious Points which we cannot understand or clear our selves in we shall be permitted to suspend our Judgment and not be required to declare any further Assent and Consent to the Churches Determinations than that we will not contradict or teach contrary thereto withal that in the mean time no Practice be imposed upon any contrary to their Conscience But I would have it noted here that I neither in my
Paper did nor do I now expose this Temper as a Mean to qualifie Men for Church-Preferments but only for Communion Ant. p. 51 52. God deliver us from the Tongues and Pens of false and wicked Misrepresenters 'T is not disingenuous to know the true Meaning and lay open the just Consequences of any Saying but 't is abusive to put a false Construction on Words to mutilate a Sentence to make it look worse than it is I agree with the Defender that there are Men of perverse Minds and weak Heads I am sure some are blinded with Spite Def. p. 36. and infatuated by Prejudice As to our Authors Latitude of Faith and negative Belief and as to the Title of Melancholy Stander-by which the Defender makes himself with Dulness enough so often merry with let him but take the Account given in the Antapology with a Candid Mind and a Christian Temper and I believe they will shift well enough for themselves however he may find reason to be a little more serious in his Behaviour about such matters We meet with a mighty Bustle made about p. 31. Def. p. 30 31 32 33 c. of Ant. a great deal is spent upon the Words of it And yet upon a most strict and impartial Examination I profess I do not find any Occasion given for this Heap of ill Sayings they are not expresly nor by Consequence to be found there They are these That the Fundamental Articles of Christian Faith are revealed in such ambiguous Terms Def. p. 31. that we cannot understand the true Sense of them or at least few can That God meant no Senfe but intended that every Man should believe them in what Sense he pleased That he charges all the Heresies and Infidelity in the World on God Almighty by his Latitude of Faith by the different Degrees and Measures of Faith which God gives c. That the Church must not require an open Profession of the true Faith That nothing will uphold his Cause Def. p. 32. but such an Indifferency as will not allow the Church to concern her self what Men believe nor her Members to defend the true Faith Lusts and Prejudices hinder me from discerning the clear Evidence of the Truth Def. p. 32. and so long I cannot believe and therefore I hope I shall be excused Nor is there any Reason for these Questions to be put Does the Church desire no Man to believe the Creeds and Doctrine of the Trinity Def. p. 33. Is it to no purpose to teach Men the Truth Or to require them to profess their Minds sincerely And to these let me add that whether there be not some Christian Truths Def. p. 27. which ought to be expresly believed by all Christians My designed Brevity will not allow me to transcribe the whole I refer the Reader to the Book and I am very well satisfied he will wonder at the Defender's bold Strokes 'T is easie to abuse by Questions or to make Sayings against another but I challenge him to prove that these things necessarily follow from any Words there When all is done we do subscribe in a large Sense that must be admited to save the Charity of our Church from denouncing Damnation against the Greek Church for want of the Word Filiog He is not the best Friend to the Establishment who takes the Sentence so strictly as to damn every body that believes not every Word in the Athanasian Creed It is certainly enough to believe the Substance of our Christian Faith touching the Trinity and the Incarnation of the Son of God I take that to be believing faithfully Dr. Falkner owns That the Athanasian Creed gives some Explications which are not so necessary to be understood and believed Lib. Ecc. p. 146. And Dr. Stillingfleet now Bishop of Worcester in his Vindication of his Answer to the King's Papers pleads in behalf of the Eastern Churches p. 23. in these Words Is it not a very hard Case these should be excluded the Catholick Church and consequently from Salvation for not rightly understanding the Subtilties of the Distinction betwixt Nature and Person c. And our Articles were never designed as Declarations of Truths necessary to be believed only in one Sense but as Articles of Peace which no Subscriber should Oppose or Preach against But I find our two Authors can by no means agree in their Politicks Ant. is for Alterations and an Union of Protestants if it can be compassed by reasonable Methods And doubtless he thinks his Way most likely rebus sic stantibus to preserve the Church The Defender has another sort of Hopes and Belief Def. p. 63. I confess sincerely I am not a fit Judge of such matters I shall therefore leave it to God's Providence and the Wisdom of my Superiours praying heartily that God will vouchsafe to continue our Liturgy in Use Honour and Veneration The Ant. is against Scholastick Terms in our Prayers He names Forbesius's Exceptions and he would have some one answer them more satisfactorily than he can contrive to do Now our Defender had done well if he had here inserted an Answer to these his Undertaking required it but he did not think fit to meddle but only tells you fleeringly Def. p. 21. He hopes there are some others in the Church that can Answer so as he would have it Answered Can he do nothing but call Names and infer bad Consequences But as long as the Ant. asserts in the midst of all this that the things excepted against may be used without Sin p. 21. we know what may be done without Sin must be done when Authority commands he does not give any Allowance to an Opposite Separation This all together would have been construed well enough by a Man not given to Bitterness Wrath and Disputing But however make the worst of it 't will not amount to the Defender's Charge or near it viz. That this Writing is directly against the received Doctrine of the Trinity and Established Worship Def. p. 21 22. that the Ant. is a perfect Adversary to the Church The Def. Def. p. 62. charges the Ant. for giving up the Convocation but he will not follow him here he says for good Reasons Def. p. 18. I suppose the same as when he says He has more Wit than to follow him through his Reading and the School-men An ingenuous Excuse I can assure you he is not a Man to be followed by every Body as he has come very near the Character given of the Nicene Fathers excepting their miraculous Gifts so I can say it without Vanity or Flattery his Reading and Learning is more than common and ordinary though the Def. says many little things of him which provoked me to this One Reason he names the Ant. Def. p. 62. is on the securer side Our Champion is like to make a brave Defender of our Faith and our Church's Authority who will not scratch his Hands when his