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A64560 An apology for the Church of England in point of separation from it by ... William Lord Bishop of St. Davids. Thomas, William, 1613-1689. 1679 (1679) Wing T975; ESTC R33829 87,104 244

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Imprimatur Junii 24. 1678. Geo. Thorp R mo in Christo P. D. D. Guliel Archi-Episc Cant. à Sacris Domesticis AN APOLOGY FOR THE Church OF ENGLAND In Point of Separation From it By the Reverend Father in God William Lord Bishop of St. Davids LONDON Printed for William Leach at the Crown in Cornhil near the Stocks Market 1679. TO THE READER The design of this address is to recite the occasion of the writing and of the publishing of this Tract Hic Rhodus hic saltus As for the rise of the Composure of it Having had a conference and therein an amicable dispute with a profest Pastor of a separate Church in the time of the Protectors Usurpation he shortly after sent to me a large letter fraught with arguments for vindicating his separation from the Church of England I determined for some months to wave any reply to it being not the enquiry of a disciple or sceptick for satisfaction but rather the challenge in effect of an adversary for victory for triumph I persisted in the same resolution till I was advertised that my silence was interpreted conviction in judgment and that the letter whilst unanswered was concluded unanswerable Though I could have tacitly brooked a contempt a contumely as to my self yet my duty prompted me to assert the cause the honour of my Mother the Church of England especially in the distress the umbrage of her persecution being no Persian Votary to adore the rising to revile the setting Sun I have in this Apology entirely avoyded not only virulency of passion but also acrimony of style recollecting the grave candid animadversion of Mr. Hooker There will come a time when three words uttered with charity and meekness will receive a more blessed reward than three thousand volumes written with disdainfull sharpness of mitt As for the printing of this Tract it had still layd dormant in obscurity had I not been lately informed that the Original conveigh'd out of my study above twenty years since without my knowledge was imperfectly copyed thereby disadvantagiously disperst in many hands and that if I would not recommend a true copy to the press a false would be obtruded without my correction or approbation I alleged my incapacity of compliance being destitute not only of my first draught but indeed of any other To remove this obstruction the same transcript which was delivered to my Antagonist was retrieved and produced to me which is now exposed to the view of a censorious world without any alteration One reason that after much reluctancy sways me to a publication is the charitable sentiment of several judicious persons that this Apology may by the divine blessing conduce to reclaim some who have unwarily separated from the Church of England at least to fix others to prevent an unwarrantable recess which I primarily aim at within my own Episcopal charge that those precious souls I am accountable for be not like clouds whifled about with every gust of wind with every novel fancy as if their compass for Religion had as many points to vary as the Mariners for navigation I wish my dissenting Brethren would pensively consider what advantages they exhibit to our Romish adversaries who glory in the infamy of our divisions though fomented by themselves in varieries of disguises accounting our brands their ornaments our rents their Union As Themistius did recriminate return the Pagan objection of Sects among the Primitive Christians to the Philosophers divided bandied against each other so may I retort the same papal Argument against the Protestants to the modern Romanists whose jarring parties are not more linkt cemented than ours but their enmities animosities more concealed smothered as to vulgar notice How confidently do they spread their plumes whilst some Separatists no less unadvisedly than invalidly attempt to justify their separation from the Church of England by the separation of the Church of England from that of Rome Par impar In sum They are not bottomed on the same solid important grounds They are not empower'd by the same or equal legal Authority the one withdrawn from a foreign indirect unlawfull usurpation the other from a genuine direct lawfull jurisdiction They have not been managed by the same sedate prudent regular methods and expedients as I have assayed to demonstrate in this Tract The one hath an amiable aspect by the unsullied colours and lineaments of a Reformation the attractive beauty of truth and holiness The other hath an uncomely feature disfigured with the scars the gashes of schism I acknowledge I received a speedy rejoynder to my Apology from my Antagonist the answering whereof I deliberately declined for three reasons 1. Because the rejoynder was not compleat nor distinct to my Apology as this was to his letter Onely some passages reflected on wherein the material exceptions were discust before 2. The rejoynder started new debates like Hydra's heads with reiterated sharp invectives against enormities of practice in Ecclesiastical Courts which probably sifted might prove unweighed aspersions no less readily credited than reported Accusations are no evidences of Crimes Barely to be impeacht makes no man a delinquent However I espoused no such quarrels I neither was nor am an Advocate for the defailances or corruptions of any members or professors but for the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England which upon mature examination my conscience hath constantly dictated to me to be the best constituted reformed Church in the world most untainted unbyassed for principles of Piety and Loyalty the pillars of Church and State of exactest correspondence with Christs signal precept Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesars and unto God the things which are Gods Matth. 22. 21. Of nearest resemblance to primitive purity so reputed by disinteressed persons by eminently learned accomplisht foreiners Isaak Casaubon Hugo Grotius and many others Whereas I scanned the arguments of my Antagonist which himself framed to Syllogisms by the rules of Logick the most proper test having manifested their defects and blemishes in form and matter having reduced them to several sorts of Elenchs of fallacyes the better to unmask such specious pretences He hath offered no other defence for himself nor confutation of me but only this concise Evasion that he will not meddle with my fallacies Whereby I apprehended my self disengaged as to further contest which at this rate would prove fruitless and endless ERRATA PAge 7. Line 11. read wines p. ib. in the Margent r. infinitam p. 9. l. 16 r. no. p. 11. l. 24. r. renew p. 25. r. Damus veniam p. 32. l. ● dele the p. 32. l. 16. r. imagination p. 63. l. 21. r. initiation p. 72. in the margent r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 82. l. 7. dele of ib. l. 9. r. 12 p. 103. l. 5. r. initiate p. 108. in the marg r. refers p. 113. in the marg r. Scult p. 119. l. 18. r. offerers p. 120. l. 18. r. Cherem p. 131. in the matg r. ludatur p. 156.