their party to utmost danger Now in my Answer to this unknown Author I think I have not I am sure I intended not to give just offence to him or any other English Protestant 66. Yet this is the only Treatise against which a most Noble Friend besides a general reprehension instanced in a special passage which he thought fit to be sharply censured and this passage was my naming it The late Church of England Now surely Sir none who know me can judge me so utterly void of Humanity or Reason as to think that I meant this expression in a sense of insulting or of contentment in seeing a Church of which all the Friends I then had were members as I then verily thought destroyed by cruel Sectaries the little finger of whose Governours would be heavier to poor Catholicks than the loins of the former State 67. I must therefore acknowledge that at the time of writing that short Treatise I did and who almost did not despair of ever seeing a restauration of the Church of England to its former splendour though many were not out of all hope considering an impossibility of a constant union among those Sects that his Majesty might happily return I well remember that in France attending a certain Noble Person of very high Condition and special trust near his Majesty I once in discoursing ask'd him this Question Whether he thâ—ught not that it was in his power to have hindred the restoring of the English Hierarchy to which after considering a while he answered He thought it was â— Whereto I replied Alas my Lord how dare you adventure yâ—ur soul for all eternity in a Church which your self could have destroyed Thereupon he entred into a Discourse touching the nature of a Church of which he concluded I had a wrong Notion 68. But as for his first Answer I believe there was scarce any one who then doubted but that a small power would be of force enough to hinder the reviving of the Church of England yea most men thought that even his Majesty with all his interest and endeavours could not have been able to have effected it considering that all Sects though in other regards disunited yet unanimously conspired to the destruction of Episcopacy Therefore it argued more than heroical magnanimity and zeal also in his Majesties attempting and executing such a design from which such an incredible number of then not quite-unarmed Opponents could not deter him though also thereby he obstructed the flowing into his Exchequer whole Rivers of rich spoils belonging to the Clergy And truly in both these râ—gards it ought to be acknowledged by all English Protestants that the said Noble Person being then the most inward Counsellor to his Majesty shewed himself of proof both against fearâ— and avarice since no doubt a considerable advantage might have fallen to his share likewise in those spoils These things therefore considered I humbly conceive that the forementioned phrase The late Church of England spoken at such a time did not merit an extraordinary Censure considering also that as a particular Church and of such a peculiar fabrick it cannot appropriate to it self an Indefectibility or challenge share in the Promise of Christ that the gates of Hell shall nâ—t prevail against it 69. The next Book was the Answer to Dr. Pierce his Sermon In which I never heard any thing challenged as disrespectful to the English Clergy excepting one line for which my worthy Friend Dr. Earles then Dean of Westminster gave me a friendly chiding though to say the truth it was in his Wifes quarrel who was much offended with it and I confess with some reason And besides this there was one passage in it at which I my self have been much displeased which is the very first leaf in the Book To which also doubtless I had regard when in conversing with the Protestant Expostulator before-mentioned I complained of injuries done me being absent in the printng of my Books For having left the said Answer with a friend in London who undertook the care of the Impression certain Friends of his thinking I had begun the Answer too abruptly they willing to be in aliâ—no libro ingeniosi framed an entrance into the Book full of taunting and contempt against the Author of the Sermon And having sent me enclosed in a Letter the first sheet I was moved with such indignation and shame at the reading of it that I protested unless that entrance were taken away I would in a printed paper publickly disavow the work For besides my natural abhorring of uncivil language especially in Controversies about Religion I judged that a Writer did himself wrong who first having contemned and undervalued a Book yet thought it necessary to be seriously answered Upon my resentment of this injury done me the Authors of that Preface abolished the first leaf but wanting matter to fill up the void space they qualified much the former uncivil language leaving it as it now appears I took the greater care not to give too much offence no the learned Preacher because I had been informed by some of his inward Friends that it was with great unwillingness and out of necessary obedience to one who had right to command him that in a time when a persecution was renewed against Catholicks he took such a subject for his Sermon at Court. And indeed his unwillingness to pursue such a quarrel gives testimony hereto though it is well known that he is not inferiour to Dr. Stillingfleet either in learning language or any abilities to manage a Controversie to the best advantage And I assure youâ— Sir it is a great comfort and satisfaction to poor Catholicks that since they must be persecuted their Persecutors have not been any English Protestants of the ancient stamp but a new adopted race who it seems cannot forget that Catholicks have declared themselves Enemies to the Masters under whom our new Convertists have been bred 70. One Book yet remains and but one which I am concern'd at least to excuse iâ— not to justifiâ— to be free from this crime of reproaching or reviling the English Church For I suppose my Sâ—ncta Sophia and likewise my Reflections on the two Oaths are out of all suspicion at least of this fault That Book is a short Answer to a short Pamphlet published by Mr. Edward Bagshaw a too well known troublesome Sectary in which he undertook to give a deaths-blow to the Infallibity of the Catholick Church But the weapons used by him were so blunt and the arm which wielded them so weak that the stroke was not at all felt The only Motive therefore inducing me to publish an Answer to so unskilful a Controvertist was to discover his ignorant mistaking of the Point controverted and especially his malice against Catholicks which therefore deserved to be apprehended by us because to the disgrace of the Church of England he writes in a stiâ—e as if he would make the world believe that he had a
seen how far the Catholick Clergies Iurisdiction reaches and how little jealousie it gives to other great Kings exceedingly tender of their Royal Authority And in case I were condemned I should say within my self The Iudge who has according to the Laws condemned me for a supposed Crime called of late Treason in England and no where else in the World being forced to pronounce the sentence of Death against me upon the verdict of a dozen silly ignorant Mechanicks or Peasants yet I verily believe he knows or might know very well that the same sentence was as justly that is very unjustly pronounced by Nero Domitian Dioclecian c. Roman Emperours against the Apostles and their Successours S. Ignatius S. Policarp S. Cyprian c. For all these and hundreds more such assumed and exercised a far greater Spiritual Iurisdiction in their judgment doubtless without any wrong to Princes For they administred Sacraments congregated Churches prâ—ached and converted yea empower'd others to preach and convert thousands to a Religion expresly contrary to and by many Sanguinary Laws condemned in all the Countries where they travelled yet â—e esteems them glorious Martyrs and me an infamous Traytor Deo gratias ¶ 5. Reviling Reproaches of the Church and Clergy of England objected against me 53. ANother heavy Charge against me often repeated with great Indignation by you Noble Sir is as you term it My defying the Laws of the Kingdâ—m traducing the Government treating the Bishopsâ— and the Reverend Clergy and the Christian Religion that is estâ—blished there by Law and all the Profâ—ssors of it with those scoffs and derision and contempt as if they weâ—e Turks and Pagans c. Further by pretending to prâ—ve that the very nature and essence of the English Church it self and its Religion is pure putid Fanaticism In a word I am accused of a constant reviling and malice towards the Church in which I received my Baptism Now the guilt of this crime you extend to all the Books published by me The least faulty in your opinion was my first stiled Exomologesis but that also in a second Edition was enlarged you say with additions â—specially of reproaches against the Church of England and virulent Expressions against the Clergy of that Church 54. Sir I should despair of being able to make any tolerable Apology for my self against this heinous imputation but that I hope you will think it just that I should divide my Plea which regards my last Book against Doctor Stillingfleet from all the rest Now an account of the necessity of making such a Separation and the reasonableness of it I will not long defer 55. First then touching my Exomologesis take whether Impression of it you please excepting one most highly honoured Friend whose Name I must take leave to conceal you are the only person who has condemned me for my acrimony in it yet without selecting any detâ—rminate guilty passage in it I had many other Friends of the Protestant Clergy whose friendship and kindness to me never received the least abatement upon that account on the contrary they comparing my stile with that of several other Catholick Controvertists expressed their satisfaction in my moderation I will only name two very knowing and in a singular manner intimate Friendsâ— the first is Doctor Earles lately Lord Bishop of Salisbury all the tender effects of whose friendshipâ— I may add of his bounty also I enjoyed till God took him away a person certainly of the sweetest most obliging nature that lived in our Aâ—e 56. The second whom I may securely name bâ—cause he is also dead for out of due respect to some worthy Prelates alive I must â—â—me them only in my Prayers is Doctor Hammond To whom I being at Paris caused my Exomologesis as soon as printed to be sent and presented He in a short kind Letter gave me thanks and without the least exception against the stile gave this judgment of it That an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that was his expression did privily run through the whole contexture of the Book He did not further interpret wherein that fallacy confâ—ted But added We are Friends and I do not purpose to be your Antagonist Alas how happy had we been if Catholick Religion since it must be opposed had been combated only by such Antagonists as he was Indâ—ed it would cause not only wonder but indignation in any ingenuous man to see such a person as Doctor Hammond treated with scorn contempt and virulence 57. One clause more there was in Doctor Hammond's Letter which I judge expedient to add partly in gratitude to his memory and also upon occasion of your telling the world that it was not devotion but necessity and a want of subsistence which drove me first out of the Church of England and then into a Monastery He at the end of his Letter kindly invited me into England assuring me I should be provided of a convenient place to dwell in and a sufficient subsistence to live comfortably and withal that not any one should molest me about my Religion and Conscience I had reason to believe that this invitation was an effect of a cordial friendship and I was also informed that he was well enabled to make good his promise as having the disposal of great Charities and being the most zealous Promoter of Alms-giving that lived in England since the Change of Religion Yet rendring such thanks as gratitude required of me I told him that I could not accept of so very kind an offer being engaged almost by vow to leave all pretensions to the world and to embrace poverty for my portion Now besides such a Friend as this I had many more several near His Majesty among whom one especially there was of the highest rank to whom formerly upon the Rebellion in Ireland I being destitute of a present subsistence must acknowledge all gratitude due for by his care alone I was provided of a condition both honourable and comfortable So that if I had lost all other Friends I had reason to assure my self he would have freely contributed rather than extremity of want should have forced me to quit the world Moreover at the same time I received great Testimonies of favour from Her late Gracious Majesty the Queen-Mother of happy memory an indifferent Recommendation from whom to the Court of France could not fail to have procured me a convenient subsistence But truly I never sollicited her or any other for such Liberality True it is that meerly of her own accord she was pleased at my leaving Paris to assign me an hundred Crowns to furnish me in my journey towards a Monastery But this by the way 58. Whereas Sir you affirm that in the second Edition of my Exâ—mologesis there are many Additions especially of reproaches against the Church of England c. And moreover that to a person expostulating with me Why I left out the Protestation of Obedience and a Discourse touching
has been not to have been Only as to the determining the precise year I dare not engage my credit upon an ill memory 87. Now Sir by what Logick do you from this Narration infer that I aspersed my Lord Falkland with the Character of a Socinian since he is not so much as â—â—med in the second Narrative whâ—râ— the word Socinian is found Truly I proâ—â—â—â— on my Conscience I was so far from that that I had not a thought of imputing Socinianism to Mr. Chillingworth himself neitâ—â—r had I any just ground from what I there related 88. For Mr. Chillingworth having been disheartened by D'aile from appealing to the Holy Fathers of the Church and being too ingenuous or rather out of fear of God not daring to pretend to Divine Ilâ—uminations against his Conscience and which he could not justifie gladly made use of the grounds which he found first in a Socinian's Book who in stead of a private Divine Spirit substituted common Reason as the only proper Iudge of the sence of Scripture And upon these grounds prâ—cisely has he proceeded through his whole Book But Sir is this sufficient to make poor Mr. Chillingworth pass for a very Socinian Doâ—s the making private Reâ—son â—udge of the true sence of Scripture inâ—â—râ— that neither Christ nor the Holy Ghâ—â—t are God that the pains of Hell are not eternal thaâ— separated Souls have no being or at least no perception c. God â—orbid for tâ—en how many innocent persons would be guilty of Blasphemies unawares to themselves Then not only Mr. Chillingworth but Dr. Stillingfleet and besides them God knows how many more in London and in the Vniversities of England would be Socinians 89. But as touching my Lord Falkland I was so far from entertaining a suspicion and much more from propagating that suspicion to others that I believe there are in England scarce three persons besides my self that are so enabled to give a Demonstration of the contrary which was a solemn protestation made by himself to the greatest Prelate of England of his aversion from those blasphemous â—loâ—â—sies which had been most unjustly by I know not whom laid to his charge It could not possibly therefore be that my having found crâ—dit with two or three pâ—rsons of the Church of England should have induced them to asperse his Lordship with so foul a stain But upon whose credit soever they framed such a scandal so nice a Lover of Veracity and Sincerity that most excellent Lord was that his serious renouncing of such an imputation ought to be esteemed by all Persons of Honour or Honesty a more than sufficient eviction of his innocence And now though I could not without much inward trouble read my self published a Calumniator of the Noblest Friend and Benefactor that ever I enjoyed yet having an inward witness of mine own innocence and an assurance also that no proofs could be made to appear suffâ—cient to justifie such an imputation I took no small pleasure in seeing your most generous Zeal in vindicating his Honour 90. I beseech you therefore Honoured Sir let me no longer remain in your thoughts as a Detractor of that Nâ—ble Lord who I perceive was in a particular manner dear to â—â—ur self also and whose Memory ought to bâ— pretious to every one who has any estâ—em of Vertue Heroical Fidelity to His Master and King incomparable Learning and all admirable Endowments I assure you I was so far from the least intention to blâ—â— his Memory that I should judge my self justly liable to be condemned as defective in the Dutiâ—s of Friendship and Respâ—ct to so Noble a Friend if in case God had ever placed me in a condition capable of doing any considerable good to others I had contented my self with expressing my affâ—ction to him by a few elegant Phrases and windy Elogies having means and opportunity to raise his Family out of that narrow condition in which that most Noble Lord who had been no skilful Projector of profit to himsâ—lf had left it 91. But having been incapable of this I yet thank God that the poor and contemptible condition in which I am doâ—s not hinder me from being in a capacity of shewing my Gratitude in a way I hope for more advantageous to that admirable Person himself than by â—â—â—ry Commendations For though you Sir condemn as uncharitable that Position oâ— Catholicks That no Salvation is tâ— be had out of the Communion of the Catholick Church Yet since all Catholicks grant that this is not necessarily to be understood of an Actual External Communion but that many Christians of vertuous devout Lives and having had a constant preparation of mind to prefer Truth whensoever effectually discovered to them before all Temporal Advantages they dying in this disposition though not externally joined to the Church will be esteemed by our merciful Lord as true Members of his Mystical Body the Church And since it is most certain that all the Alms Prayers and Sacrifices offer'd to God by and in the Vniversal Church are intended by her to be beneficial to all Souls departed as far as they are capable and according as God shall apply them And lastly since I am assur'd that my Lord Falkland lâ—â—ding a vertuous Life despised all worâ—â—ly things in comparison of necessary Divine Truth â— and iâ— being apparent by his Discourse of Infallibility that he had framed a judgment touching the Catholick Church out of certain Catholick Writers who â—epresented it too disadvantageously to him and not with such Qualifications as the Church her self has done Upon these Considerations who can forbid me to desire and even hope that his Soul though not by name recommended may receive benefit and comfort when at the Altar and elsewhere all Catholicks join in praying thus Omnium fidelium defunctorum animae per misericordiam Dei requiesâ—ant in Pace Amen ¶ 8. Concerning King Hâ—nry the Eighth 92. ANother Crime â— it seems of no ordinary heinousness was my stiling King Henry the Eighth a Tyrant for with this I am charged once and again You cannot Sir I am sure believe that I used that word in the same notion 〈…〉 do whâ—n â—hey call Crâ—mwel a Tyrant which imports a Merciless Vsurper Truly I meant no more thereby than what generally Protestant Historiographers and others write of him that he was an unjust and Merciless King I am sure Sir Walâ—er â—aâ—leigh in the Preface to his 〈…〉 Henry was Father of his own most Grâ—cious anâ— Munificent Mistress yet is bold to say That if all the Pictures and Paâ—terns of a Merciless Prince were 〈◊〉 in the World they might all again be 〈…〉 the life out of that King's Sâ—ory 〈…〉 of my â—eâ—â—ioning King Henry 〈…〉 epistle to the English Car 〈…〉 was his cruâ—l dealing 〈…〉 retired devout Predecâ—â—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 whom he caused to be executed as Traytors meerly because they durâ—t not simply upon his will without any previous instruction debate or consultation with his Clergy