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
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
Councill to declare un-appealably the Truth and to do iustice upon the guilty parties Thus the Catholick Church is furnished against Schisms and none of these Defensive arms will the Doctour allow to any of his Protestant Churches and yet he confidently avows that Catholicks have no advantage 109. But let us consider what argumēts an over-weening witt can alledge to prove so strange an affection for he might as well have said That Goverment and such Government as obliges the conscience has not so much force to preserve men in Vnity as Anarchy has 110. As touching his Proofs which take up above an hundred pages our answer to them must be that we may yield him in a manner all the Premises of his faulty Sillogisms and must deny the Consequence of the Conclusions he would draw from them He tells us many Tragicall Stories of miscarriages of Popes how they revolted from the Empire and upon such revolting layd the foundation of greatnes to their See How afterward challenging to themselves a Supreme Temporall Dominion over the whole world they quarrelled with Emperours and other Christian Princes from whence followed rebellions massacres and a whole Iliad of all sorts of mischiefs Well this being granted what follows Therefore says he Papall authority in Gods Church is no good mean to produce peace and order nor consequently Kingly authority in the common wealth since notwithstanding it many Kings have exercised Tyranny and could not always prevent rebellions But S. Peter and S. Paul never thought of such an argument when the most abominable Monster that ever lived governed the Roman world It was to Nero that they commanded Christians to be subiect to pay taxes to yeeld honour c. and this not only out of feare of his power but also for conscience sake It was such an argument as this as the Doctour has reason to remember that was made use of to the destruction of the best King that ever governed this Island Be it therefore granted that after a thousand years of excellent order produced in the Christian world by the government of Popes some of their Successours for about an age or two caused intolerable disorders in the Church and Empire What follows Therefore a Supreme authority in Gods Church is of no good use at all Nay more all manner of Authority is useles for if any authority then Subordination and if Subordination then of necessity a Supreme 111. From hence the Doctour descends to a way of arguing yet less reasonable then this for he tells his Reader of I know not how many Schisms yet all of them after the Church was above twelve hundred years old for before there were scarce any and of yet later disorders since S. Bernards time by reason of quarrels between Bishops and Monastick orders about Exemptions and Priviledges likewise between Regulars and Seculars the other day in England and much more such stuff which Popes either would not or rather could not compose for feare of greater disorders by endangering Schisms yet more pernicious to the Church then the former And what would he conclude from hence The very same as before for his argument in brief is this Subiects are oft times rebellious to their Superiours therefore it were better there were no Superiours at all But might he not as rationally argue that God is Governour of the world yet notwithstanding this the far greatest part of the world not in one or two but in all ages from the beginning hath been rebellious to him therefore his Government is of small benefitt 112. As touching certain truly scandalous quarrells between Bishops and some Regulars concerning Episcopacy and the Churches Government the Doctour ought to have taken notice that never any Regular pretended Episcopacy to be Antichristian as the Doctours freinds the Presbyterians Independents and other later Sects have done Neither have they declared a Government by Bishops to be in it self indifferent or that Ordination and Consecration of Bishops and Priests is a meere Ceremony and conferred as well and Legally by Lay Magistrates as by Ecclesiasticks as the Doctour himself has done The whole controversy consisting among Catholicks about restraining some part of Episcopall Iurisdiction and maintaining Priviledges granted by some Popes to certain Regulars A vast difference therefore there is between Catholicks and Protestants in Disputes touching Church Government and utterly irremediable on the Protestants side whereas wee see it ended or at least silenced among Catholicks 113. But differences of this Nature are not considerable compared to those obiected by the Doctour in the last place which are touching Matters of Doctrin and as he pretends of Faith in which regard he says that the Church of Rome can have no advantage in point of Vnity above others And further he not content with this adds That the Popes Authority being acknowledged by Catholicks the fountain of Vnity and all Catholicks not agreeing in the Popes Infallibility Whereas both Catholicks and Protestants agree in the Infallibility of Scripture which is to Protestants a more certain way of ending Controversy therefore he concludes that Protestants have a more certain and safe way of Vnity then Catholicks For that the Pope has not a sufficient power to reduce to Vnity parties dissenting in Doctrinall Points of weight such as are the Controversies between the Iesuits and Dominicans about Grace and Free Will between the Dominicans and Franciscans about the Immaculate Conception c. is he saith evident since those quarrels have to this day continued many ages and are prosecuted with great eagernes 114. In this manner argues the Doctour whereto the Answer is obvious For. 1. he trifles with and abuses an unskilfull Reader in telling him that the Scripture being acknowledged on both sides to be infallible is a more certain way of ending Controversies then the Popes determination who is not by many Catholick believed to be infallible For how can a Writing the sense whereof is controverted end a Controversy And to say that a writing is of it self a surer mean to end debates then when interpreted by a Iudge to say this and to think to be believed is to call his Readers brutish irrationall creatures and to make all Tribunalls ridiculous 2. It is not the Popes Infallibility but his Authority which ends the Controversies either by Determining the Point in Controversy so as his Determination is accepted by the Church or at least by imposing Silence among Disputants till himself in a Councill unappealeably decide it By which way of imposing Silence severall eager Disputes have been ended by Popes as this age can witness 3. Though all Catholicks do in thesi acknowledge that they are obliged at least to silence when imposed by the Pope Yet it cannot be denyed but that some have not complied with this Obligation But this is not to be imputed to want of Authority in the Pope but to the unrulines of mens passions and pride And the same fault we see in Secular Tribunalls
Tradition they know not how to iudge If any of the Doctours Parishioners should be thus troublesom then must he be angry and with a frown tell them Will ye be Papists Is it not fitter ye should believe me then like blind Papists pin your soules vpon the Authority of the present Vniversall Church This stops their mouths Now they are fully satisfied and ask pardon for presuming to doubt hauing such an Oracle to teach them that they ought to be their own Teachers Thus it is that ordinary people even boyes and girles are to be fooled and made to believe that they see all their Religion in Scripture whenas in very truth they may as well be told that they Smell it out with their noses as I once heard Sir Francis Wenman say in a discourse on a subiect like this 156. Howeuer the whole Stress of the Doctours Religion lying vpon it that euery Christian is to be a judge of the sence of Scripture hence it was necessary for his ends to contend Manibus pedibusque that none should be discouraged from reading Scripture Yet I hope he will excuse those who are not able to read 157. To make this good he employes the vtmost of his invention Subtilty and reading He who cannot find out one single short sentence in Antiquity to help to support the main Pillar of his Religion Yea moreouer he who has not alledged one probable argument of reason for strengthning that tottering Pillar except only a Negatiue one which is this That Christians haue no obligation to belieue any Church or Teacher expounding the sence of Scripture therefore they must if they will be believers believe themselues alone In this miserable exigence this same Doctour notwithstanding to proue that Christians in all times were indulged and exhorted to read the Scriptures flourishes in a Luxuriant stile with demonstrations a priori a posteriori per reductionem ad absurdum impossible which demonstrations also he backs with an army of Ancient Fathers teaching as he himself does viz. S. Clement S. Ignatius S. Policarpus Clemens Alexandrinus Tertullian Origen S. Basill S. Hierome S. Chrisostome S. Augustin c. and moreouer that this was their Doctrin is saith he acknowledged by late Catholick Diuines Espenceus and Alphonsus a Castro and one more I will add by the vnworthy Writer of this Treatise also 158. But this being granted no Catholick and J think no man in his right witts will grant that euery Porter Cobler or Landresse is capable to instruct themselues by reading the Scripture alone or if they cannot read them by hearing them read in this Point of main importance that Scriptures are Gods Scriptures or to clear the Doctrine of the Mystery of the Holy Trinity the Incarnation of our Saviour the Procession of the Holy Ghost or the Point of Iustification as determined by S. Paul and S. Iames c. I have so much confidence now in the Doctours ingenuity that he will also acknowledge thus much yea by his experience in teaching ignorant people J am assured he has found no small difficulty in making such and other like necessary Doctrins of Christianity sink into the minds of the rude people though sett down in the simplest plainest Catechisms for infants though also those Catechisms were with all his skill explained by himself 159. Now taking this for granted till he contradict it J would ask him Does he in his conscience think that the forecited Fathers when they exhorted the Christians of their times to the reading of Scriptures did not suppose that for the sence of them in things any way difficult or controverted they would submitt their judgements to the Church which had they not supposed they would haue been less liberal in putting the Scriptures into their hands For hence it is that the Bible is called by S. Ambrose liber Sacerdotalis because to be dispensed to the people according us Bishops and Priests iudged it might proue beneficiall to them and in all ambiguities to be interpreted by the same Pastours Besides this the art of Printing being then vnknown it was not every ordinary Mechanick who could purchase so costly a Manuscript as the Bible was every groom or Chamber-maid could not carry it vnder their arms to Church vnles they could spare at least two years wages to buy it and hire also a litle Asse to carry it so great was the bulk considering the largenes of Letters writen in these Ancient times The persons invited therefore by these Holy Fathers to the frequent reading of Scriptures were for the most part those of the higher rank of more ingenuous education and so Prudence and discretion and especially such as they knew to be firm to the teaching of the Church Now to such persons the Roman Church freely allows the reading of Scriptures and on the other side for such as the Doctour qualifies with the name of Protestants according to his new Mode that is Independents on any Authority the Fathers most certainly would more strictly then they are now have pro-prohibited the reading of them 160. Neither is it much to his purpose his alledging that though in the time of the first four Generall Councills the Fathers had tryall enough of the mischief of Heresies yet notwithstanding they did not on that account forbid the people to read the Scriptures For who knows not the vast difference between the ancient and our Modern Heresies Anciently the In ventours of Heresies were great learned Prelats and subtile Philosophers and the obiect of their Heresies were Sublime Mysteries of Faith examined and framed by them according to the grounds of Plato's or Aristole's Philosophy far above the reach of Vulgar capacities from whence it is that Tertullian calls the Ancient Philosophers the Patriarchs of Hereticks And moreover their applications of Texts of Scriptures for confirming such Heresies were so Speculatively nice and acroamaticall that both great sharpnes of witt and learning too were necessary to the discovering and unridling the fallacy Hence it came to pass that in those dayes the Scriptures might freely enough be read by ordinary Christians without danger especially considering their intention in reading them was not to find out a New Religion but to instruct themselves in Piety and inflame their hearts in the Divine Love 161. Thus stood matters in the Church during the times of the first four Generall Councills But our Modern Heresies are of a quite different Complexion They are conversant about matters obvious to the weakest capacities as the external administration of Sacraments the Iurisdiction of Superiours Civill and Ecclesiasticall the manner of mens Devotions the Institution of Religious Orders the Obligation of Vows the Ordonnances of the Church teaching Fasting Matrimony Celibacy Paying of Tithes c. Or if about Sublime Mysteries Men are taught to examine such Mysteries by naturall Reason and the Verdict of their outward Senses Hence it is come to pass that our late Heresiarcks have not been profound Subtle Philosophers but
this her Champion but likewise assert her Authority by Answering all the Discourses of M. Chillingworth my Lord Falkland M. Digges M. Whitby Doctour Stillingfleet and severall other Doctours and Professours in the Vniversities who all exalt their Single judgments above her Authority 168. And as for Doctour Stillingfleet there is another task to be undertaken by him which I believe will give him excercise enough For he knowing that the Socinians as well as himself do make the plain evidence of Scripture in all necessaries to all Sober enquirers a Principle of their Religion and upon this Principle building their Heresy his Study must be to beat them from this Principle which can be done no other way but either by confessing that the Doctrin of Christs Divinity is not necessary to be believed or by demonstrating to them that they do not understand the plainest Texts of Scripture not having been sober enquirers into it This will be a task becoming such an Hectorean Controvertist as the Doctour is esteemed to be considering how even among his freinds the Socinâ—ans among all Protestant Sects are acknowledged to have been very Laborious and far most exact in interpreting the most difficult Books of Scripture and this not without good Success except where their iudgment has been perverted by a resolution to defend their peculiar Hereticall Doctrins Now by this time I believe the Doctour sees what a world of work his Principles have cut out for him which he is obliged to justify not only against Catholicks who abhorr them but Socinians also who invented them as necessary for maintaining their Heresy lastly against my Lords the Bishops his Superiours as I verily believe His Principles therefore being of so very main importance being the only considerable Subiect treated of in his Book my Readers must not wonder that in so short a Treatise I have so oft put him in mind of them since a horrour of the consequences of them forced me to look on them as mihi saepe vocandum ad partes monstrum nullâ virtute redemptum a vitijs §. 13. The Conclusion vvith Advices to the Doctour 169. THus much I judged sufficient to make up an Answer to those parts of the Doctours Book which do not purposely treat of a Doctrinall Controversy for no more was required from mee indeed not quite so much it being only the Section of Fanaticism in which J was particularly concerned But the others intruded themselves J know not well how and by that means forced me also to neglect observing the order in which they lye in his Book Which being no very great fault J hope a pardon from the Doctour will without much difficulty be obtained 170. J shall also stand in need of another pardon for a fault such as it is willingly committed and not yet repented of because J beleive except himself none will esteem it a fault It is this Observing in the Doctours Book a world of Quotations out of Authours which J never saw nor intend to see containing many dismall Stories and many ridiculous passages of things done or said by severall Catholicks in former and some latter times if J had had a mind to examine and say something as in Answer to them an impossibility of finding out those Authours must have been my excuse But J have a better Excuse then that For if the Doctour would have lent mee those Books out of his Library I should have thanked him for his Civility but withall I should have refused to make use of his Offer For to what purpose would it have been to turn over a heap of Books to find out Quotations in which neither the Church nor myself were any way concerned Not concerned J say though they had been Opinions or Actions even of Popes themselves being assured that at least never any Pope how wicked soever ha's brought any Heresy into the Church It is to me all one whether all his Allegations be true or false as to any advantage he can make of them against the Catholick Church unless the Doctour will undertake to demonstrate That it is unlawfull or but considerably dangerous to be a Member of a Church where any persons doe or have lived who have been obnoxious to Errours or guilty of ill Actions 171. Yet J must acknowledge that in one regard a Book written in such a Stile as the Doctour's is may have an influence on the Whole Church and against his intention produce a good effect in it For it may be hoped that Catholicks of the present Age will seriously consider the horrible consequences of seditious licentious and otherwayes unwarrantable Doctrins and Practises of a few Catholicks in former times which have not only been pernicious to the Authours themselves but by the Scandalousness of them have exposed the Church her self how innocent soever to the detestation of such who are without For Sins when Scandalous are an Vniversall and never ceasing Plague which moved our Saviour to say Vae mundo a Scandalis Woe to the whole world because of Scandalls 172. Hoping therefore that by occasion of the Doctours Book such a Benefit may accrew to his Catholick Readers as to render them more watchfull over themselves to prevent hereafter the like Scandals J think my self obliged in requitall seriously to advise him touching the dangerous State he is now in as to his Soule in regard likewise of Scandall He would laugh at me if I should tell him that this danger proceeded from his not being a Member of the Catholick Church It is not that therefore that I now mean though Woe unto him if in the day of Iudgment he be found separated from our Lords Mysticall Body 173. Not to hold him in suspence J take leave to admonish him that since the world sees that he manifestly professes himself a Member of the English-Protestant Church established by Law his Mind must either answer to his Profession or he must be a shamefull Hyppocrit Now in case he be not an Hypocrit he is desired as a genuine English-Protestant to cast his eyes on and to examine severall of the first Constitutions of his Church there he will find an Excommunication denounced ipso facto against all such as shall in the manner there expressed openly oppose any thing contained in the Nine and-thirty Articles in the Books of Common Prayer and of Ordinations of Bishops and Priests c. Which Excommunication is there declared to remain in force till the Offender repent not of his boldness and disrespect but of his Wicked Errour which he ought to revoke 174. After he has considered this he may please to reflect on his Book called Irenicum not to mention his Sermons during the late Rebellion and so comparing together the said Constitutions ratifyed with an Excommunication and his own Book let him ask his conscience whether he has not incurred this Excommunication of the Legality and Validity whereof he being now supposed a declared Protestant cannot nor ought to