he had been commissionated by my Lords the Bishops to defend the substantial Doctrine of the Church of England after so cruel a manner and to justifie that her discession from the Roman Church was of absolute necessity by reason of the manifold horrible Idolatries taught and practised in her which I am confident will never be averred by Protestants 16. For what the judgment of the Church of England is in this matter we may irrefragably collect from the Censures Synodically given by her in all those points of Roman Doctrine on which the Doctor grounds his charge of Idolatry against Catholicks to wit The worship of God by Images The formal Invocation of Saints and the Adoration forsooth of Bread in the Eucharist 17. Now as touching the two first of these pretended grounds I beseech you Sir to consider how the Church of England in her establisht Doctrine has express'd her sense in the 22. Article These are the words The Romish Doctrine concerning Purgatory Pardons Worshiping and Adoration as well of Images as of Relicks and also Invocation of Saints is a fond thing vainly invented and grounded on no warranty of Scrâ—pture but rather repugnant to the Word of God 18. And this observation your self has as becomâ—s an unpassionate English Protâ—stant made where speaking of Purgatory you ingenuously profess That if you thought your Prayers or any thing else you could do could be helpful to the souls of your friends or your enemies you would pour them out with all your heart and should not fear any reprehension from the Church of England which hath declared no judgment in the point except it be comprehended in the Article of Purgatory and then the censure is no more then that it is a fond thing which in that case you would be content to undergo This you declare and upon the same grounds since in the same Article no worse a Title and Character is given to other Romish Doctrines as Pardons Worshiping of Images and Relicks and also Invocation of Saints Therefore certainly you cannot approve the Doctors attributing Idolatry to such Doctrines or Practices 19. In the next place be pleased to observe what the Church of England declares touching that which Dr. Stillingflâ—et for an odious purpose terms The Adoration of Bread in the Eucharist in her 28th Article Transubstantiation or the change of the substance of Bread and Wine in the Supper of the Lord cannot be proved by holy writ but is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture overthroweth the nature of a Sacrament and hath given occasiâ—n to many superstitions The Body of Christ is given taken and eaten in the Supper only after an heavenly and spiritual manner And the means whereby the Body of â—hrist is received and eaten in the Supper is Faith The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance reserved car ried about lifted up or worshipped 20. You here see honoured Sir the Censure far unlike the Doctors which the Church of England has given of the Dâ—ctrines of the Roman Church touching the Holy Eucharist which Censure you likewise as before will not think fit to exceedâ— she terms them respectively fond vainly invented such as cannot be proved by Scripture but are rather repugnant to the same She doth not so much as stile any of them Superstitious but only giving occasion to many Superstitions Thus far and no farther does she condemn them and I suppose so many grave learned and wise Prelates as joyned in the compiling these Articles and many more who afterwards in several Synods reviewed and without any considerable change confirmed them were as quick sighted to discover faults and as able to proportionate a Censure of them as Dr. Stillingfleet who with all his skill is but a Neophyte in the English Church Therefore it is evident that it was not by the Church of England's warranty and also that it was not the dictamen of calm reason but an uncharitable passion against his neighbours and brethren who never had offended him that incited him so cruelly to expose them to the publick hatred and to the utmost effects of that hatred 21. Perhaps he will say that he is warranted to charge the Roman Catholick Church with Idolatry by the example of several other grave and learned Protestants members of the English Church though I believe he will scarce grant that any before him has prosecuted that charge with such a killing Rhetorick or in a time so seasonable for mischief 22. All this indeed he may truly say And among his Patterns he may if he please reckon some more than Members even Fathers Teachers and Governours of the English Church I mean Bishops and Archbishops who have done the like or in some respect worse for some of them not content to accuse the Catholick Church of Idolatry have written volumes to make the simple believe that the Chief Vniversal Pastor of the Catholick Church is God bless us the very Antichrist 23. This he may say But withal the most sober learned and judicious of the Church of England will tell him that the uncharitable Calvinistical spirit by which those Bishops and Archbishops were agitated did so bâ—ind them that they did not see or perhaps did not care what ruine they brought on their own Order Character and Chuâ—ch by such their intemperate writing and prâ—aching which to Catholicks seemed only noysome words but to the Church of England proved swords piercing into its very bowel For if the Roman Church both taught and practised horrible Idolatry and if the Pope were indeed Antichrist then the Hierarchy of England is ipso facto â— null or worse then the late rebellious Parliament had just reason to destroy them root and branch as persons who pretended a Mission and exercised a jurisdiction publickly acknowledged by themselves to have been received from abominable Idolaters yea even from Antichrist himself And certain it is that those few Presbyterian Bishops and Doctors gave both courage and weapons to the busie factious then call'd Puritan party to wound the Church of England more mortally than without such helps they possibly could have done 24. Methinks therefore honoured Sir my resentment of Dr. Stillingfleet's manner of proceeding in this point was not so criminal that it should so highly incense you as to excite you to a vindication of his honour with so much trouble to your self and so much danger to us since I can withal truly protest tht although you are pleased to stile me a Reviler of the Cburch of England it was a regard to her that hâ—d some influence on me to sharpen my stile And this the rather you may believe because as an English Catholick it concerns us both as to our quiet and safety to lie at the mercy of a Church orderly established and which acknowledges so merciful a King for Head rather than to be exposed to the fury of Calvinism 25. Moreover Dr. Stillingfleet has seemed not to content himself by
aggravating in an unusual manner the atrocity of Roman Doctrines to render us fit objects of popular rage and cruelty But by the fecundity of his invention is the first and only Author who has represented the universal Body of Catholicks as a crowd of crack-brain'd Fanatiâ—ks composed of seduceâ—s and seduced a â—icked Clergy abusing the foolish credulous Laity by ridiculous Lâ—gâ—â—â—s â—â—lse Miracles lying Visions and Revelations By this means Catholicks being represented both as impious Idolaters and either cheating Impostors or silly sheep may seem worthy to be treated as our Saviour was between Pilate and Herod 26. It is worthy your consideration to observe on what occasion or provocation the Doctor entred into this new way of combating the Catholick Church His Adversary chanced unhappily though innocently to let drop out of his pen one line or two which has undone us all This he did after he had declared how King Henry the Eighth having in anger to the Pope given free licence to all his Subjects to read the Bible in English but very shortly after finding how strangely Sects thereupon multiplied in his Kingdom judged it necessary by a pubâ—ick Law to recal that leave Thereupon he added these words Whether the judgment of King Henry ought not to have been followed in after times let the dire effects of so many new Sects and Fanaticisms as have risen in England from the reading of the Scripture bear witness 27. This is all he says Permit me therefore honourable Sir with all due respect to say that it is a great mistake where you say That the first occasion was given the Doctor by charging the Church of England with Fanaticism For his Adversary does not lay any imputation to the Church of England He does not pretend that English Protestants have received any the least tincture of Fanaticism from the contagion of any Sects lately risen in England But the very naming of Fanaticism and England in the same line was provocation enough for the Doctor who seems with an impatient longing to have watched for such an advantageous opportunity to empty his voluminous store of Collections heaped not only out of some foolish obscure Legends for which Cathâ—licks who scorn them as much as himself must yet be derided but likewise out of Histories written by 〈◊〉 Saints and Fathers of God's Church â—cknowledged as such by the whole Church of God both Eastâ—rn and Western for now â—â—ve a thousand â—â—ars in which if his wiâ— serves him to dâ—sâ—race a Miracle or Revelatiâ—â— by â—escanting ironicaâ—ly on some circumstance in the Narration he thinks it sufficient to make the Author pass for a Fanatiâ—k and the whole Church also for not forbidding all her Children to esteem it credible 28. But Sir I beseech you to consider that in case Dr. Stiâ—lingfleet by jesting at a Miracle or saying I do not how credibly soever averred believe it could perswade us also to be of his opinion that for example what S. Gregory wâ—ites concerning S. Benedictâ— upon the credit of four Witnesses were not fit to be believed little prejudice will arrive to the Catholick Cause or advantage to yours till the Doctor can rationally assure men that all is false whatsoever all other holy Fathers and particularly S. Augustin testifies concerning a world of Miracles many of which he had seen with his own eyes and others he had received by the Testimony oâ— many Witnesses living in the place where such Miracles were done evidently prove that the Veneration which Catholicks allow to the Relicks of Saints is acceptable to God The like may be said of other Relatitions made by S. Gregory and delivered upon his own knowledgeâ— or lastly what three or four Religious and learned Abbots write concerning S. Bernard personally known to them A certain Heretick named Henry having infected a great part of the Southern parts of France Zeal for the integrity of the Catholick Faith obliged S. Bernard to travel thither for applying a remedy to which Journey Alberick Bishop of Ostia the Pope's Legate also solicited him He was received there as an Angel of God and the concourse of people to see him and demand his Benediction was so excessively great that he could scarce pass through the High-ways He preached and confuted the Heresies at Tholouse and in several other Cities Particularly in a place called Sarlâ—t After he had preached there were offered to him a certain number of loaves of Bread to the end that according to his custom he might bless 〈◊〉 Thereupon he lifting up his hand and making the Sign of the Cross blessed them and withal said to the People You shall hereby peâ—â—eive that we preach the Truth to youâ— and that Hereticks seduce you if the Sick among you eating the Bread which I have blessed immediately recâ—ver health This proposition of the holy Abbot struck fear into the mind of Godfrey Bishop of Chartres there present who therâ—upon said They shall indeed receive health but vpon condition they eat the Bread with a firm Faith No said S. Bernard having a perfect confidence in God I do not say so but I say absolutely whâ—soever shall eat shall be restored to health that by this Miracle they may know assuredly that we have preached the word of God according to truth And in effect such a world of Sick Persons were perfectly cured that the fame of it being spread abroad through the Province such an insupportable concourse of people assembled every where to see the holy man that to avoid the danger of being stifled he was forced in his return to divert secretly out of the knowâ— ways Now this story having been written by a Venerable Abbot when the memory of the action was fresh in mens minds if it was a forgery ought to be esteemed the most impudently ridiculous thâ—t ever was since the innumerable pretended witnesses of it the Cities in which he preached the Bishop of â—bâ—rtres said to be present c. would certainly have confounded the Author Yet we do not find the least contradiction ever to have been made against it I have made choice of this particular Miracle because it produced many thoughts and scruples in Mr. Chillingworth's mind and mine own also Though probably the Dâ—ctor will despise the consequence of it especially when Saint Bernard himself shall inform him that the particular Heresies of the foresaid Henry were a contemning the Churches Prayers and Sacrifices for the Dead Invocation of Saints Excommunications of Bishops Pilgrimages of Devotion Observation of the Churches Feasts Consecration of Chrism and Holy Oyls and generally all the Ceremonies and Customs of the Church 29. I beseech you Sir therefore be not angry with well meaning Catholicks if sometimes they bewail their Country miserably disunited by a swarm of Sects which you also call Fanatical without the least thought of disparaging thereby the Church of England or however do not express your anger by comparing S. Benedict S. Gregory or S. Teresa c.
with such a Brood as if any Christian could be perswaded that these had been the stains of the Catholick Church Pardon my boldnâ—ss Sir â— I beseech you if I say and it is truly without diminishing my cordial respect that I say it seems to me that a Person of Honour is injurious to himself in seeking to disparage the reputation which for so many ages those eminent Saints who even by their birth were Persons of Honour too have had among all Christians Indeed if Catholicks had built their Faith upon their Doctrines Actions Visions oâ— Miracles their Adversaries might have reason to enquire into the authentickness of them But it grieves my heart to see Dr. Stillingfleet not only imitated by you but out done in his unbeseeming comical stile He only exercised his wit in descanting on the Miracles related concerning S. Benedict But you Sir spare neither S. Benedict's Person Actions Rule nor Children You believe him indeed to have been a devout person in a dark time according to his Talent of understanding which you suppose was very weak But â—ithal that 〈◊〉 may have been deluded by the effects oâ— a distemperd fancy as many well meaning men hâ—â—e been And having found an exception against one passage in his Rule where he says That an Abbot sustains the Person of Christ as having received his Sirnâ—me mentionâ—d bâ— S. Paul namely Abba Pater Hence you pâ—â—asantly conclude that S. Benedict thereby proves that our Saviour was an Abbot up in â—arth And withal from thence you think fiâ— to add Is the reading of this Rule now like 〈◊〉 advance the honour of S. Benedict Or is it possible for any man that doth read it to believe the poor man how good soever his meaning might be qualified to give Rules which can improve knowledge and Devotion Which Rules whoever reads will himself be more in danger to be stirred tâ— another passion than Choler that is scorn and laughter 30. First as to your Objection which perhaps you rather intended for a jest I will answer in good earnest that I cannot imagine how you could possibly argue the least defect incongruity or want of prudence in that passage extracted by you out of S. Benedict's Rule I am assur'd you will not deny but that all lawful Superiours are God's Substitutes for there is no such Power but from God I suppose likewise that the Vniversal Church can constitute lawful Superiours and from the Church do Abbots derive their Authority Being therefore lawful Superiours and this also in order to the direction of souls the most proper Title that can be given them is that of Father which is Appellatio pietatis potestatis A name importing both a tender Care and a just Authority So is God and Châ—ist a Father both in heaven and in earth that is in the Greek or Latin tongue Pater in the Hebrew Ab â— and in the Syriack spoken by our Saviour Abba which word therefore the Holy Ghost has thought good should remain in Scripture unchanged in all Languages as several others Amen Hosanna Alleluia c. Was it not thâ—n an exceedingly useful and necessary admonition which S. Benedict gave to Religious Suâ—â—riours that they from their Title of Abba given them by God the Supreme Abba should govern as Fathers and not tyrannize as Lords Good Kings likewise are Abba's so called by God with regard to the Church and so stiled oft by their Subjects Patres Patriae 31. It seems Sir this second Chapter of S. Benedict's Rule did so disgust you that you had not the patience to proceed further Give me therefore leave against this or any other Objections that can be made to set in an opposite Scale the Characters given by a sufficient number of persons considerable for their condition and judgment who had read it through and well consider'd it and let indifferent Readers judge on whether side the greater weight lies In the first place it is worthy to be considered that wheresoever in the Canons of Synods presently after S. Benedict's time and for several ages after the word Regula Rule is found standing alone it is always understood of S. Benedict's Rule In the next place omitting the Testimonies of very many Saints and learned persons who being Benedictins may be esteemed partial as S. Peter Damian S. Bernard c. of such I will only produce S. Gregory whose Character of this Rule is That it is above all others excellent for the Discretion of it and clearness in the expression Moreover the same glorious Pope in a Synod at Rome confirm'd it the tenour of which Conâ—â—rmatiâ—n extant in the Monastery of Suâ—lac is this I Gregory Prelate of the Holy Roman Church have written the Life of Blessed S. Benedict I have also read the Rule which the Saint wrote with his own hand I commended and confirmed it in a Holy Synod I commanded likewise through several parts of Italy and wheresoever the I aâ—in tongue is spoken that whâ—soever shall come to the grace of Câ—nversâ—oâ— shâ—uld mâ—st diligently observe it even to the end of the world I have also confirmed twelve Monasteries fâ—unded by the same Saint And moreover the same holy Father stiâ—es S. Benedict a most excellent Mâ—ster of the mâ—st strict life and a learned Disciple of God the Supreme Verity 32. In the next place several Synâ—ds of Bishops have highly commended the same Rule and strictâ—y enjoyned the observation of it as the Synod â—f Raâ—isbon of Duzy c. The expression of this latter Synod I perceive will little please you where it says S. Benedict blessed both by Grace and Name being inspired by the Hâ—ly Ghost hath in his Rule deliver'd documents consonant to the Holy Scriptures and to the Sermons of the Holy Fathers To these I will only add one Clergy-man more Bonizo Bishâ—p of Sutrium and a blessâ—d Martyr who stiles S. Benedict the Apostle of Monks who shone like the morning Star 33. But perhaps now the Testimonies of Lay persons if considerable for their wisdom and quality that is if Persâ—ns of Honour and Auâ—hority will find with you Honoured Sir more esteem And in thâ— first place I must recal a passage taken notice of by you For it was not indeed a great and wise King who made choice of S. Bâ—nedict ' s Rule by which to manage his Kingdom but it was at least a great and wise Duke even Câ—smo de Medicis Great Duâ—e of Tuscany who being asked by a friend why he had almost always S. Benedict's Rule in his hand answered It was because frâ—m the prudent prescriptions â—f tâ—at holy Father he collected Instructions very proper for the government of his people committed to his charge The same Great Duke also instituted an Order of Knights under the same Rule Besides this Great Duke not only a Great King but a greater Potentate an Emperour will be ready to testifie their Veneration of S. Benedict
is to oblige even Ecclesiastical persons to perform their Duties yea even Bishops also to govern Christ â—s flock according to the Orders prescribed them and all their Subjects to live in all Christian Piety and Virtue We sincerely acknowledge all this and that in executing this they are God's Substitutes But we dare not acknowledge them to be the Successors of Christ's Apostles We receive Christian Doctrines and the Orthodox sence of Scripture not from Princes but from such Pastors and Teachers only as God has appointed by a Lineal Succession to continue in his Church to the end of the World for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ that we be not children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the slight of men c. These divinely authorized Teachers and Pastors by the assistance of God's Spirit promised to them do preserve the Church one Body consisting of several distinct Members united in the same Catholick and Apostolick Faith and Charity which Faith is unalterable both as to the Foundation and Superstructure We do not understand your State-Religion We never till now heard of such a Position as this That all Churches in case they preserve entire only the Fundamental Articles of the Creed though the Supreme Power respectively in them took liberty to change any other Doctrines were sufficiently Orthodox And I confess when I had read such a Discourse in your Animadversions touching a State-Religion I then exceedingly wondred at the Approbation 107. But Sir does this concern only Roman Catholicks in England Are they the only persons obnoxious to a suspicion of Disloyalty and to all the most horrible punishments threatned in our Laws against Traytors because they dare not profess the State-Religion You seem to be perfectly acquainted with the State of France and you are well satisfied with the Profession of Fidelity made by the Hugonots But have they any reverence for the State-Religion there Do not they freely justifie their own Religion against it even that Religion the Profession whereof they extorted by shedding the blood of many Myriads of their Kings faithful Subjects Yet notwithstanding all this they are now in your opinion very faithful Subjects too and no man thinks of obliging them to the State Religion Doubtless also you know England better than France How many thousand Dissenters are there from the State Religion besides Roman Catholicks yet the terrible Laws are made only against Roman Catholicks From Roman Catholicks only care is taken of exacting Oaths both of Fidelity and Supremacy as being esteemed the only dangerous Subjects in the Kingdom and this for the Treasonable Actions or scarce one score of persons abhorred by all the rest For the discovery and prevention of such personal Treasons Thanksgivings must solemnly every year be paid to God and Devotion at such times is expressed by renewing malice against innocent persons Whereas a delivery of the whole Kingdom and Church from almost an Vniversal Rebellion designing the extinction of Monarchy and Prelacy both yea and executing the Murder of the lawful Sovereign is not esteemed a motive for a publick Engagement to pay thanks to God or to preserve in mens minds a memory of his wonderful Blessing to the Nation neither it seems is there at all a necessity of requiring from any a Retraction of the Principles of Rebellion or a promise that it shall never be renewed Noble Sir I beseech you not to interpret this to be spoken out of a malignant envy against any or a desire that others should share in our sufferings Perhaps there is a necessity considering the Constitution of the present Age that some party should remain for ever in a state of suffering And this being so it is certainly agreeable to Prudence that those should suffer whose Religion teaches them to suffer and who have been so long enured thereto who most certainly will meekly suffer without resisting and who do sincerely profess that according to their perswasion it is absolutely unlawful to defend their Religion persecuted by Sovereign Magistrates by any other way but suffering Notwithstanding it is probable that these Statesmen may find small cause to boast who have thought fit to continue the last Ages policy when for the gaining of a present advantage or preventing an inconsiderable incommodity it was judged expedient to have always in a readiness this mean of giving contentment to the Vulgar by complying with their clamours Christianâ—s ad Leâ—nes For they might have done well to have some apprehensions least those Lions after they had devoured their destined prey might perhaps next with more security and a fiâ—rcer appetite turn upon their Masters 108. It is now at length time to say something to your Principal Proposal in which I am most nearly concern'd which is your wish that English Catholicks ' would give an evidence and security of and for their Fidelity to His Majesty c. that so they may shew themselves as good Subject's as those of France who by occasion of a seditious Book have you say Sir in a Declaration of the Sorbon concerning the King's Independency thus certified their resolution in the year 1663. Quâ—d Subdâ—ri fidem c. That Subâ—ects do so entirely owe Faith and Obedience to their most Christian King that upon no pretext whatsoever they can be dispenced therefrom For this you commend the French But as for English Catholicks they in your judgment do depend on the Pope so entirely that they have a Religion quite different from that which is professed and established in any other Cathâ—lick Country in Europe 109. Honoured Sir it cannot indeed be denied but that English Catholicks I mean Ecclesiasticks have a peculiar dependance on the See of Rome more than Catholicks generally have in other Countries For without in Authority thence derived they cannot come into England to sacrifice their lives for the Spiritual assistance which Charity requires from them to their Brethren here But Sir it such a dependance be a crime to whom 〈◊〉 to be imputed It is câ—rtain they themselves would much rather live under such Orâ—inary Superiours as govern in all Catholick Countries But this will not be allowed them to their great griâ—f It cannot therefore be help'd but they must either râ—nounce Châ—istian Charity and suffer their poor Country-men to starve for want of Spiritual Nourishment or apply themselves to 〈◊〉 who alone as the case now stands can give them a Mission and Authority to die for Faith and Charity 110. But Sir I cannot conceive how such a special dependance as this should move you to think that we are of a Religion quite different from that of other Catholicks abroad For whatsoever Iurisdiction our Priests do exercise it is the very same which in case there were any Catholick Bishops in England would have been conferred by them No other Commission have they no particular engagement to