of Spirituall courage in not daring effectually to aspire to so glorious an Attempt 68. Wee must not here forget two Notable Saints which as the Doctour confidently pretends have given him sufficient advantage so to denigrate their persons as by them to cast an aspersion on the Church These are a Holy Widow and a Virgin S. Brigit and S. Catharine of Siena Both these had Supernaturall Revelations therefore says the Doctour they were Fanaticks But moreover their Revelations touching the Conception of our Blessed Lady do contradict one the other and the Revelations of both are allowed and of one confirmed by the Church in a Councill and by consequence the Doctour with assurance pronounces the Church to be a favourer not only of Fanaticism but Errour also To this purpose the Doctour 69. Hereto I answer 1. That all Catholicks acknowledge both these to have been Saints 2. And that each of them hath been favoured with Supernaturall Revelations the publick Office of the Church testifyes Thus much is confessed but it is utterly denyed that the Church does so approve them as to forbid any one to make iust exceptions against them as wee see many Writers on both sides have done she judges they may in generall be usefull to stirr up devotion in Readers minds but she does not confirme them as infallible For how could it be known to the Pope or Councill that any Speciall Revelation made or pretended to be made to another was from God unles the person also testify them by Miracles And it is observable that when examination is made of Miracles in order to the Canonization of any Saint the testimony of women will not be received Naturally imagination is stronger in them then judgement and whatsoever is esteemed by them to be pious is easily concluded by them to be true This I say upon supposition that such Revelations were not pretended by persons interessed on both sides of the Controversy about the Immaculate Conception And particularly touching S. Catharine of Siena Suares affirms That not any who have written her life have made mention of this Revelation It will suffise therefore to set down here what two illustrious Catholick Writers have declared touching this Point The former is S. Antoninus mentioned by the Doctour If you say saith he that some Saints have had a Revelation of these things as S. Brigit it is to be observed that other Saints who have wrought Miracles as S. Catharin of Siena have had a Revelation of the contrary And since true Prophets doe sometimes think that a thing proceeds from Divine Revelation which they utter of themselves there is not inconvenience to say that such Revelations were not from God but human dreames An example hereof may be found in the Prophet Nathan speaking to David proposing to him his dessign to build a Temple to God For David though he answered him by a Spirit of Prophecy the contrary hereof after wards appeared The other is Cardinal Baronius who treating of certain Revelations of S. Brigit and S. Mathildis hath these words I doe indeed honour and Venerate as is due those two Saints but touching the Revelations had by them or rather ascribed to them I receive only those which the Church receives which we know cannot approve things so repugnant 70. I am sorry I cannot impute it to so harmles a Principle as ignorance that the Doctour speaking of two Writers who both of them rejected these pretended Revelations of both these Saints as illusions and fancies adds What becoms then of the Popes and Councills Infallibility who have approved both By which words an unwary Reader will not doubt but that an Oecumenical Councill had made a Canon with an Anathema against all those who should not acknowledge all the Revelations of S. Brigit to have been Divine and the belief of them necessary to Salvation Whenas all that was done by the Councill was upon occasion of Invectives made against those Revelations by many Catholicks to require Ioannes a Turrecremata to peruse and give his judgment of them which being favourable the Councill saith he approved them that is freely permitted them to be read as contayning nothing contrary to Faith and good Manners Notwithstanding which kind of approbation we see liberty taken and with leave enough from the Church by many Writers to decry both the one and the other and there is scarce a Catholick alive that thinks he has an obligation to believe either of them §. 4. Visions c. no grounds of believing Doctrines among Catholicks 71. THe Doctour thinks it advantageous to his cause against the Catholick Church that it should be believed that Visions Revelations c. are made by Catholicks grounds of believing Severall points of Doctrin as Purgatory Transsubstanciation and Auricular Confession Indeed if he could prove that any such Points of Doctrine have been or the Point of the Conception of our B. Lady should hereafter be declared Articles of Faith upon no surer grounds than modern Miracles or Revelations it would have been the Maister-piece of all that he has or ever shall write But this he durst not say explicitely though perhaps he is willing his Readers should understand that to have been his meaning For then almost all the Councils of Gods Church would have confuted him since they professe that the only ground of their Faith is Divine Revelation made to the Church by Christ and his Apostles and conveyed to posterity in Scripture and Tradition 72. Now this the Doctour being I am sure not able to contradict is it to be esteemed a preiudice to Catholick Faith that Almighty God to confound Hereticks and establish the belief of Catholicks should in severall succeeding ages afford particular Revelations or enable his servants to work Miracles And that he has done so we have such a Cloud of Witnesses that credit must be denyed to History in generall if none of such Witnesses must be admitted As for the Doctour the only expedient made use of by him to invalidate their testimony is to produce it in a stile of Raillery 73. As for the instituting Festivalls for example of the Conception of our Blessed Lady c. it cannot be denyed but it is a Lawfull Church-institution and might at any time on any occasion be appointed And if on some Revelation supposed Divine an occasion was given to the Pope to ordain it this can be no prejudice to it being a Glorifying of God for the Blessed Virgin the Mother of our Lord her being either preserved as some Catholicks say or at least Cleansed as others from the common pollution of Originall Sin at her Conception without any determining which of these two hapned to her and so the Festivall is equally observed by Catholicks of either Opinion The like may be said of the Feast of Corpus Christi of S. Michael the Archangëll c. by none of which the least alteration was made in the Common Faith 74.
the contrary saying That because there was no King in Israel everyone went severall ways doing what was good in his own eyes So that by the Doctours way of proceeding one would almost believe that his meaning was that our Saviour had no intention that his Church should be one and consequently that Generall Councills which took great paines to procure Vnity transgressed therein our Saviours order 103. But all Protestants are not of the Doctours mind for though they generally make Scripture not only the Rule but judge also of Faith when controverted Yet they do not so neglect Vnity but that they profess a willingnes to submit their judgments for the sence of Scripture to a Lawfull generall Councill This the Doctour cannot doe now that he has sett forth his Principles unless he will confess the foundation of his Protestant Religion to be unsound He might well enough have done it before whilst he was a Defender of Archbishop Lawd but now it appears that the Archbishops Principles and his are not the same nor probably ever were and I doe assure my self that if the Archbishop were alive none could be more ready to condemn them 104. Other Protestants therefore refuse not submission to Councells as may appear by their confident demanding them For Gesner speaking in their name thus writes We with the loudest voice we can cry out again and again and with all our power we humbly and earnestly beg of Christian Kings and Emperours that a free Christian and Lawfull Councill may be convâ—ked in which the Scripture may be permitted to be the Iudge of Controversies And our Countreyman Sutcliff confidently cryes out that Catholicks are afraid of Councills Yet all the world sees that if a Lawfull Generall Councill were called according to the order of all past lawfull Councills even those received by Protestants they must necessarily be condemned 105. This some others more wise then these loud Sollicitours for Councills saw and therefore when a Councill was ready to be called they providing for themselves would not permit any Point to be decided by Catholick Bishops alone but euery Minister yea Lay-men must have votes in them and a plurality of Suffrages was not to prevayle but an equall number on both sides must dispute and Lay Judges decide that is declared Hereticks must enioy greater Priviledges then Catholicks and instead of a Councill there must be an Assembly of wild beasts consulting to establish Unity in Gods Church which it seems was only to be procured by confusion and not by Order Therefore a certain Lutheran said well of Calvinists calling for a Lawfull Councill that they did imitate a well known Buffon calld Marcolphus who was wont to say That after all his search he could never find a fitt tree upon which he could willingly be content to be hanged Such a tree would a Legitimate Councill prove to the Doctours Principled Protestants 106. Yet there is one expedient for producing Unity which the Doctour may doe well to advise upon for if it take it will certainly have that effect even the Quakers themselves and Fifth Monarchists will not refuse to be of the Doctours Church if they be not already Nay which is more the Catholicks will come in too This is no invention of mine but was many years since suggested by one of the Doctours Protestants Robert Robertson an English Anabaptist of Amsterdam This surely well meaning man perceiving how litle success Scripture alone had to vnite Sects agreeing only in opposing Popery in the year sixteen hundred and two printed a Book in Holland in which he proposed to them all this means of Vnity viz. That they should all ioyn in a common Petition to the States to give them leave to assemble themselves in some Town or field and there each Sect severally to pray to God one after another that he would shew some evident Miracle for decision of their Controversies and declaring which among them had the Truth which he supposed vndoubtedly was not among Catholicks And to the end the Devill might not enter in and deceive them with a false Miracle the man told them he had thought of one allowed by Scripture and which he was sure the Devill could not work namely to make the Sun stand still for a certain considerable time not doubting but that God of his great Goodnes would not refuse to condescend to the Petition of such devout servants of his in a matter so iust and necessary 107. I suppose the Doctour will not deny this design if succesfull to be a most powerfull and unfaileable Mean of producing Vnity which his Principles have utterly destroyed and rendred impossible if not unlawfull And let him with all his wit and invention devise any other more probable since the Catholick Churches Authority is reiected by him and them 108. Notwithstanding all this the Doctour according to his custom and nature is confident that he has demonstrated that the Church of Rome can have no advantage in Point of Vnity above his medley Church Now to the end any impartiall Reader may be a competent Judge between us I will briefly set down the Instruments and Means of Vnity left by our Lord to his Church to 〈◊〉 end the Truth of this Article of our Faith I believe one Catholick Church may remain to the worlds end unalterable 1. Catholicks do ground their Faith on Gods revealed Will in Scripture interpreted by Tradition 2. They believe that God according to his Promise will lead and preserve his Church in all necessary Truth or in the true sense of Scripture 3. That for this purpose he foreseeing that Heresies and Schisms grounded on a false sense of Scripture would in after times come has established in his Church an unfaileable succession of Teachers of his Truth with whom he will continue till the worlds end 4. It is his Will and Command that all Christians should obey these Teachers who are to give an account of their soules 5. These Teachers constitute the Churches Hierarchy 6. The Vniversall Church is represented by these Teachers assembled in a Lawfull Generall Councill 7. Such a Councill therefore is the Supreme Tribunall of the Church from whose Decisions there must be no Appeale 8. But because the difficulties of making such Assemblies are extreamly great therefore it is necessary there should be a standing Authority with power to prevent Heresies and Schisms in the intervalls of Councills arising and disturbing the Church 9. This ordinary Authority is established in the Supreme Pastour the Bishop of Rome 10. His Iurisdiction therefore as to such an end extends it self to the whole Church and is exercised in taking care that the Ordinances of Generall Councills be not by any transgressed and also in case any Heresies arise or that any Controversies in Causis Majoribus can not be otherwise ended either to determine the Points of Catholick Truth opposed or at least to impose Silence upon disputants and Litigants till he can assemble a
at the best a few Sensuall incestuous Fryars abroad and Popular Preachers at home yea as we have lately seen even Mechanicks Souldiers or any other ignorant persons actuated by the Spirit of Pride and Licentiousness to begin a Sect fitt for the palats and complexions of Seekers after Novelties 162. Matters therefore standing thus in these later times can any rationall man be perswaded that if any of those Holy Fathers cited by the Doctour had lived among us or if such Heresies had been spred among their Disciples and pretended to have been evidently deduced from Gods Word they would have been so zealous in their Exhortations to a promiscuous reading of Scriptures But how much think we would such their zeale have been cooled in case such an Architect of Principles as the Doctour is had been in Vogue in their times For Principles they are which evidently contain the most pernicious Soule-destroying Heresy that ever assaulted Gods Church Principles which banish Peace Charity Humility and Obedience vtterly from the Church and State Principles which if through Gods judgment they should generally prevaile what think you would become of our Saviours Promise for there would not be left in the world one Church at all true or false Since where every one is acknowledged the only inventer and Iudge of his own Faith there may meet a Multitude but it is no Church none having right over another errour and truth vertue and vice being equally Iustifiable Lastly these are Principles the admirable vanity of which I think was never paralleld by any Heresiarch but a certain Rhetorius mentioned by Philastrius who taught That all Heresies were in their precepts of life innocent and in their Doctrins true Omnes Hereses rectê ambulare vera docere 163. Non sum ambitiosus in malis I may with a good conscience protest that it is only Truth and a Charitable compassion to soules miserably seduced by so Comprehensive a Heresy as is contained in the Dostours Principles which hath moved mee to fix such a brand upon them Not that I suspect that he would approve such consequences but I am confident with all his skill he cannot avoyd them 164. Now I must acquaint the Doctour that my iust indignation against these Principles is heightned from my own unhappines if not guilt in being the first who gave occasion that they should be known and received into the Church of England This I am sure neither he nor perhaps any one now alive does know and therefore I will acquaint him with the true Story concerning them 165. As I remember it was in the year 1638. that I had occasion to accompany a Noble freind in a iourney from Dublin to London When we were ready to return I went to a Booksellers shop to search out some bâ—oks to be carried back into Ireland and among others I bought Daillé du vray usage des Peres a Book at that time not at all taken notice of That Book the same night I shewd to my Noble dear Lord Lucius Lord Falkland who perusing and liking the Contents of it desired me to give it him which I willingly did About a month after my return into Ireland he sent me a most civill letter full of thanks both in his own but especially in M. Chillingworths name for that small present telling me that that litle Book had saved him a most tedious labour of reading almost twenty great Volumes 166. This Mysterious speech I easily understood For M. Chillingworth a litle before was returned out of Flanders where he had professed himself a Catholick and being sent for by Archbishop Laud was strictly examined by him touching his Religion And whether he went to Masse or Common Prayer to whom he gaue this account That he had entertained such scruples touching Catholick Religion and withall was as yet so vnsatisfyed with the grounds of the English Protestant Religion that at the present his conscience would not permitt him to goe either to Masse or to Common Prayer And therefore with his Graces leaue he was resolued to spend a year or two in a solitude and the Study of Greek and Latin Fathers fully purposing to embrace that Religion which appeared to him most consonant to what the Fathers generally taught The Archbishop much commended his design and dismissed him with his blessing and a promise also that he should enioy entire liberty to prosecute so laudable a Study Very busy in this Study I found and left him in England But it was presently after interrupted by that vnlucky Book of Daillé which perswaded him to a light esteem of the Holy Fathers vpon whose authority he would no longer rely But yet this did not bring him into the Church of England so as to think himself obliged to belieue her Doctrins and whose authority he saw was much inferiour to the other and from all subordinate but diuided English Sects he had a horrible aversion and contempt Therefore without any long demurr he fixed his mind vpon Socinian grounds which he afterwards shewed in a litle Book of one of them which was an Answer to certaine Theses Posnanienses which Theses as J remember asserted the Authority of the Catholick Church in opposition whereto the Socinian reiecting all Externall Authority layd these very grounds of his Religion That in all necessary Doctrins the Scripture was clear Therefore euery sober Enquirer might with ease find them in it without any help of a Teacher or at least any obligation to believe him Vpon these grounds M. Chillingworth dilated his Discourses with much art and gracefullness of Stile in his Book against a learned Catholick writer And the same grounds so discoursed on Doctour Stillingfleet has contracted Methodically into his Principles And both these Books though manifestly destroying all Authority in the English or any other Church haue been patiently and quietly suffred yea commended by Superiours here to their infinit dammage as is seene at this day which dammage is J belieue more sensible to them since they see no considerable prejudice to Catholicks by them for J doe not remember to haue heard of any one Established Catholick Shaken in his Faith by such grounds Though I confess they obctructed a good while my entrance into the Catholick Church 167. Now it being certain that these Princi ples came originally into England from the Socinians a Sect maintaining a Fundamentall Heresy it is of small edification and less glory to the English Church in case as the Doctour pretends his Faith and hers are built on the same Principles that she should consequently acknowledge herself forced to desert the grounds vpon which she proceeded since the Reformation as being grounds by M. Chillingworths discovery found to be Sandy and ruinous and consequently acknowledge all her Articles of belief all her Laws Constitutions Canons c. misgrounded The consideration of this besides disreputation cannot but raise great Scruples in the minds of her Disciples and Subiects till she not only disavow
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
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
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
woman in the Doctours Parish can conferr as well and validly as himself But who are these Wee who mean no more then this by Priestly Absolution I am sure not the Prelats of his Church But I must not say his Church when I mean the Church of England who all hitherto have justified this as one essentiall Character of the order of Priesthood and Episcopat unles since the New Reformation not yet ten years old they have been content that this Character should be wiped out by the Doctour and that instead of the Fathers of Gods Church Maister Calvin should be the universall authentick Teacher of their Clergy But I believe the Doctour will in vain expect this compliance from them And I am sure the now highest and worthiest of his Prelats will not be of the number of the Doctours Wee who has solidly asserted this Primitive Doctrin and to confute whom perhaps the Doctour has published so pittifull a sense of Absolution to their preiudice ingratiating himself with all other Sects enemies to all Ecclesiasticall Orders and Ordinations and making every one of them as before Iudges of the Scriptures sense so now Vsurpers of their Offices and as they hope ere long of their Revenues 118. The Church then is manifestly free from the charge here imputed to Catholicks by the Doctour and by him made use of to deterr any one from ioyning themselves to her because in her not by her Doctrins are by some taught destroying the necessity of a good life All the Doctour can say is Some reach some such Doctrins which some also refute and the whole Church disavows This being so with what conscience can the Doctour pretend danger upon this account in being members of the Catholick Church whenas in his own Protestant Churches for which he has layd grounds and Principles every Christian is allowed by himself in these Principles to chuse not only what opinions but what Articles of Faith after using a sober enquiry into the Scriptures they like best And what most horrid Doctrins he has thereby excused and defended all Christendom at this time sees with amazement and detestation 119. Surely when the Doctour wrote this passage he conceived himself quarrelling not with Catholicks who constantly assert against Protestants the necessity of good works to Salvation and their Efficacy in it upon Supposition of our Lords gracious Promise to reward them but with some of his own Protestants perhaps with himself who exclude all Merit of good works from a Christians Salvation or with his Patriarch Luther who said that good Works did more harme then good Therefore he may doe well to ask them pardon after Contrition and Confession of his fault 120. Certainly if he could bring himself to a willingnes of informing himself in true Catholick Doctrins he would find that the way to Salvation there taught is much strayter then that which is chosen by Protestants and Holines of Life far more strictly required For proof of which it were sufficient only to repeat what was even now cited out of the Councill of Trent touching the Doctrin of Pennance But a proof visible of late to all our eys are so many Apostats from the Catholick Church Apostats first from Obedience and Chastity and next from Faith For doe not they declare to all the world that Carnall Liberty and Carnall Lusts drove them first out of their Monasteries and next out of the Church As soon as they come into the aire of Protestancy a woman becoms necessary to them and Fasting insupportable and if they can ravish from Christ a Spouse consecrated to him they promise to themselves a more gainfull and honorable reception But if they will needs have Women because the woman is handsom and attractive is therefore the Pope presently turned Antichrist does our Lord cease to be present in the Sacrament is Purgatory presently extinguished doe Angells and Saints no longer deserve to be acknowledged our Protectours in a word have they forgotten what they formerly beleived and are they in a moment inspired to answer to a new Catechism full of new Articles of Faith gravely proposed to them by a Patriarch and Pandar for impure Apostats out of the Pulpitt What influence has the woman upon them to make all this change Truly the very same the Woman had from the Creation She presents an Apple to them which wonderfully delights them to look upon Especially if growing in England where they heare the fairest are to be had But if besides seeing it they get a tast of the Apple their eys are presently opened and as it were in uno radio solis they see all good and evill and nothing appears good but what the woman approves and without which they can not enjoy and maintain the Woman nor make a companion and Mistress to our noblest young Ladyes 121. But leaving these putrid Carcinomata of the Catholick Church and infamous stains to the Protestant is it not apparent that the Doctrin of Pennance and Mortification hath been rejected by Protestants not because they are hindrances of good life as the Doctour says and I dare say not one understanding person in his own Parish beleives him but for the Severity of them and contradiction to Flesh and Blood Besides this where doe we hear of Restitution of goods got by Usury and deceit among Protestants there being among them no obligation of confessing such sins and by consequence of making Satisfaction without which Absolution cannot be granted The Doctour will not allow me here to name those Schooles of Holiness and Devotion Monasteries though from the Primitive times esteemed a principall Ornament of Gods Church because he will esteem them nothing but Schooles of Fanaticism 122. But in generall most certain it is that among Catholicks the Study of ways promoting Holiness and Piety is incomparably greater but withall more painfull then among Protestants 123. But this satisfies not the Doctour who brings in Bishop Taylour using the same argument with him in his Disswasive from Popery viz the no-necessity of forsaking sins in the Catholick Church since if a man commits them again and again he knows a present remedy toties quoties it is but confessing with Sorrow or Attrition and upon Absolution he is as whole as if he had not Sinned Yea if after Sixty or eighty years together of a wicked life he shall doe this in the Article of his death this instantly passes him into a state of Salvation Yea moreover the Doctour afterwards taxes the Indulgence of the Roman Church because in her Rituall she ordains that Extreme-Vnction should be conferred on persons unable to confess as being under a delirium or wholly insensible if before it be but probable that they desired it or gave any signs of Contrition And hereby saith he if any sins have remained upon them they are taken of by vertue of this Sacred Vnction 124. As touching the too great facility allowed by some Catholick Writers in giving Absolution toties