of this Doctrine not willing to defame the Teachers of such infamous Tenents until farther occasion make it necessary to shew how opposite they be to the Law of God and the Doctrine of Christ This kind of defence is a great discredit to their cause Truth needeth not such weapons to be drawn for it David saith Psa 16.2 That God needeth not our goods Deus meus es quoniam bonorum meorum non eges And if he needs not our goods surely he needs not our evil Who useth these means sheweth clearly it is not for God he acts for God refuseth all such ways Job 13.7 Will you speak wickedly for God saith holy Job and talk deceitfully for him Certainly none of his true Followers will do so It is not the way Christ and his Apostles did shew us to propagate their Doctrine Several Persons that pretended to desire my safety were employed to forewarn me I should not speak in prejudice of the Party I forsook in terms which might seem a threatning if I did not take that advice If they require that I should not raise or blazon the faults of particular persons or Societies I am my self totally inclined and fully resolved to observe that rule But if they expect that I should not justifie my departure from the Romish Communion by declaring the exceptions I took against their erroneous â—enents which I could not with approbation of my conscience embrace it is a cruel unjust demand and as much as to say I ought not to defend Iruth and my Credit according to the Law of God and Nature but permit them to strike at both without reply to which I cannot consent And whereas I understand there are malicious glosses made upon my Declaration falsifying the words of it to build cavils upon others substituted by themselves For discovery of that imposture and manifestation of Truth a true Copy of the said Declaration as delivered it in the Church of St John at Cashell is hereto annexed the following Discourse being a fulleâ— explication of what is there said in general And that malice may confide less in its contrivances thinking they will not be discovered and confuted I will let it have here a view of its own weakness declaring one of its attempts by way of the foresaid Declaration Among other tryals made of my constancy in my resolution taken was a Letter written to me in the moneth of June last wherein was advertised that in my Declaration I acknowledged that some years past I did intend and resolve to forsake the Romish Communion and adhere to the Church of England Contrary to which resolution were extant Writings of mine in those times approving and defending the Roman Church I desire the indifferent Reader to peruse carefully the Declaration and see whether in it he finds mention of a Resolution made some years ago of forsaking the Roman Church and he shall onely find that some years ago I doubted of the truth of some Articles of that Church but no word of a Resolution made of separating from it as truly I never made it until the first day of last May and no man living is able to say with truth that he saw any expression of mine by word or writing concerning such a Resolution until that day So this Foundation of that gloss being thus evidently falsified all the breed of that great pregnaney comes to be that writings of mine are extant wherewith in times past I defended the Roman Church A singular discovery as if my name were not to be seen enrolled several years in the Registry or publick Books of the Vniversity of Salamanca for Professour of Controversies in one of the Colledges Members of that Vniverfity and my Auditors being composed of Spanish French and Irish my Dictates may not be in many hands both in this Countrey and abroad as if I were not one of the most srequent and earnest Disputers in favour of the Romish Church since I came to this Land This being generally known and my self canfessing it with repentance of my unfortunate errour therein what purchase do they pretend to make with this acute discovery of one I may probably assure them that the unpassionate will judge them unworthy of credit in matters less clear when they pretend to blind my self and all the Countrey making us believe that in my Declaration extant in so many hands as here published I did acknowledge that some years past I did intend and resolve to desert the Roman and adhere to the Protestant Church whereas therein is onely said that some years ago I doubted of the truth of some Romish Articles but delayed to give assent against them And any good judgment may see that to doubt of the truth of some Articles may be far enough from concluding upon the untruth of them and even this later may be yet farther from a resolution upon a total breach and separation from a Church Herein we see passion blinded for not to be sensible of shame in telling palpable untruths weakness is no less discovered in pretending to discredit me with telling I did in former years approve and defend the Roman Church With this note St. Paul may be branded for being zealous one time of the Synagogue and opposing the Gospel They should remember that I live now in a Congregation allowed to read Scripture and not ignorant of the gracious Word of God delivered by the Prophet Ezekiel Ezek 22.22 If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all my statutes and do that which is lawful right he shall surely live he shall not dye All his transgressions that he hath committed they shall not be mentioned unto him If the godly people with whom I converse make any mention of my former errours it is to rejoyce at my conversion from them As there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God Luke 15.10 over one sinner that repenteth To this shot by way of menace waâ— adjoyned another from the same hand pointing at my intention For they do not think it a robbery to make themselves equal to God in searching hearts and discerning intentions They object to me that if my intention was to be certified of truth as I do profess I should have consulted my doubts with some of my Brethren about me To which I answer First that I could not judge any of my Brethren living about me more fit to resolve me upon these points than Suarez Bellarmine Becanus Stapleton and others the most learned Defenders of the Roman Church with whom I was always very much conversant I would not judge any of them mentioned so vain as to pretend he could give me more satisfaction than the Writings of those great Doctors could afford Secondly I say that to try their skill I related very often to the best understanders about me my several encounters with Learned Protestants their Objections and my Answers And I never yet met
with any that would tell me I did not answer right or that I needed a supply from him to do it My Learned Opposers were wont to say that a man so long time exercised in School debates could hardly want an Answer to Arguments but that they suspected I was not my self satisfied and their suspicion there in was not erroneous I could continue farther giving answer to others but to the serious Proposals of my own judgment in the presence of God in favour of his truth I could not resist and to them I yielded I say Thirdly that many days before my Declaration for the Protestant Church I signified by Letter and Message to such as I thought fit to divulg it of the Romish Clergy and Nobility that although I was forced to come under the protection of the most Reverend Lord Archbishop of Cashell to avoid the popular fury raised against me yet I would not declare against Communion with the Roman Church while any hopes appeared of being satisfied in the Exceptions I took against the present practice of that Church and being they had among them my Writing containing the said Exceptions which in substance are those contained in the ensuing Discourse so long time as may suffice to have Copies of it I desired any that would pretend to resolve me upon those Exceptions should appear and that I would give a willing and unpassionate hearing to his reasons But none appeared for that purpose nor signified to have a mind to do it Neither indeed had I reason to hope that any of them could give me satisfaction having so long time and very carefully studied upon the reasons given by the most Learned Defenders of their cause and found no satisfaction in them and the rather that when my Paper came to their hands containing the exceptions I took against the Romish tenents but without any mention of separation in stead of a charitable conference with my self they stirred the people to fury against me saying I was already made Minister and to preach at the Protestant Church at Cashell the Sunday following which being a fiction of their own I told it was so in a Noblemans house where I had notice of that report without any promise made much less an Oath that I should never become a Protestant which was one of the very false impostures framed against me without fear of God or shame to be found in untruths For certainly I neither said that nor had any Question made to me that would occasion saying it But those stories so enraged the people that from worthy persons who tendered my safety I had notice given me of menaces made to destroy me or convey me where I should not appear speaking against the Romish party As to the former truly I could hardly believe that Christians Countreymen and Kinsmen whom I served and never offended and from whom I had many shews of love and honour should intend to destroy me for following the dictates of my conscience nor that passion should so blind them that being under a Government dissatisfied of their Tenents they should not be contented with the gracious toleration given to them but must insult with violence and malice upon such as following the light of their conscience do embrace the Religion established by the Law and Government which God has put over us As I heartily wish and tender their welfare I earnestly desire they may avoid this foul kind of proceeding withdraw their silly Rythmers Scoulds and Forgers of Calumnies and employ their good wits in examining soberly and seriously for the Glory of God manifestation of Truth and edification of the people the Points I handle in this Discourse and shewing wherein my Arguments against their Tenents are defective or what Arguments they repute of most strength for them and that with Authority of undoubted Canonical Scripture clear reasons grounded upon it or practice uniform of the Primitive Church Not by Hyperbolical expressions of some one or more of Ancient Authours Rhetorical Flourishes and Tropical Applications of Scriptures drawing them from their direct genuine meaning to others different by the help of some Figure At which rate of disputing the Alcoran of Mahomet and the Talmud of the Jews may be defended as plausibly as the Council of Trent The God of Peace and his Son Jesus who bequeathed it for inheritance to his Disciples make us appear to be of them living in peace and charity together in this Life that so we may joyn to praise him in Life everlasting Amen Mr. ANDREW SALL 's Declaration made in the Church of St. John in the City of Cashell the Fourth Sunday after Easter May the Seventeenth present the most Reverend THOMAS Lord Archbishop of Cashell and the Right Reverend HUGH Lord Bishop of Waterford VVHEREAS I Andrew Sall have been born and bred in the Communion of the Roman Catholick Church followed a Religious Life and compleated my Courses of Philosophy and Divinity in Colledges of the Order of JESUS in Spain and was imployed in teaching of the said Faculties many years I acknowledge that since by occasion of this Function I applyed my self to a structer enquiry and examining of matters and by frequent reading of the Holy Scriptures Fathers Councils and Histories of the Church my knowledge was farthered and my judgment ripened I began to doubt of the truth of several Articles introduced by the Vse and Authority of the Roman Church repugnant to human reason and not warranted by Divine Writ as Transubstantiation Indulgences Purgatory Worship of Images c. yet smothered my scruples while I was in Spain partly fearing the severity of that Countrey against Opposers of their Tenents partly amused with a supposition that the Church and Pope of Rome were infallible in their Decrees touching Faith and so may stand with security to their declarations But having arrived to this Countrey disputed often and closely of Religion with several Persons eminent in Learning and Integrity but principally with the most Reverend Father in God and mine truly in Christ his Grace Thomas Lord Archbishop of Cashell present who mindful of the duty of a good Pastor did procure to bring into his Fold this straying sheep with an unspeakable constancy and indefatigable charity suffering for six years of continual battery my obstinate resistance till at last by means of his solid doctrine and of the example of his pious and upright Life to the glory of God be I permitted to say thus much here the Lord was pleased to give me a more clear sight of the errours I was in yet a full assent I delayed to give partly fearing that the weakness I felt might be of my capacity rather than of the cause I maintained partly frighted with the confusions and dangers I conceived might wait upon my deserting of the Romish Communion and so betook my self to a must diligent study of the case leaving no stone unmoved to quiet the trouble of my conscience reading with indifferent eyes the
not disdain to follow that I proposed of the blessed Virgin Mary If you hear the voice of God by what mouth or means soever it comes harden not your hearts examine and try in God's Name whether it be really his voice and will and finding it is so fear not to declare for Christ before the World lest he may refuse to own you before his Heavenly Father To persons thus disposed and to such onely I desire my words or writing to be addressed deeming it labour lost to speak or write to any that is resolved obstinately to lye where his Lot was to fall be it right or wrong That there should be any so careless of their greatest concern is an object of pity but of wonder that their judicious Instructors should teach them to think and do accordingly perswading them it is a mortal sin to admit of any doubt in their belief that they must neither hear nor read any Arguments against it or if they happen to do it must be with resolution not to yield or consent to them be they never so demonstrative or evident which is really to devest men of rationality and make Religion a matter of chance not of council or free election and so undeserving praise or reward They allow to others whom they would gain to their party the use of their reason and liberty to hear and examine Arguments proposed to them otherwise why should they go about to convert them How then come their own Flock to be excepted from the use of this priviledge allowed to the rest of humane kind They wonder that I by so many years learning and teaching Philosophy and Divinity in several famous Colledges of Spain should not find out until now on which side the truth of Catholick Religion did stand Which is to wonder that I could judge better of a debate after hearing both parties than when I was hearing onely one side to wonder that by ten years of more study I should learn more Which will appear yet a more unreasonable wonder if you consider what St. Luke relates of Jesus Christ the Son of God though of infinite wisedom Lu. 2 40. that as man he seemed to grow more wise by age And shall we disdain to grow more wise with more time and with more light sent from God They object to me that I am the first of my Family that became Protestant And so was St. Paul the first of his that became Christian. If I am now in the right as I am fully satisfied that I am I heartily wish that my Kinsmen according to the flesh would follow my example in examining the Truth and adhering to it They tell me I was unkind and hard-hearted in forsaking my Friends and Kindred in discomforting and offending many Noble Families at home and abroad from whom I have received singular demonstrations of Love and Honour None is more sensible of the hardship of that case than my self To dye effectively in defence of Truth never appeared to me so harsh as to be alienated from my Friends and to see their love turned to hatred but all that though heavy I thought more tolerable than God's anger which I was to draw upon me by working against my conscience They say I lost my wits and well may they say it if for humane respects I did take this resolution but if for superiour motives of pleasing God and securing Eternal Happiness upon sufficient ground I might expect they should rather take it for the greatest shew of wisedom I could give The tryal will be to examine the reasons I give for my resolution in the ensuing Discourse by publick writing that indifferent persons may judge which of us speaketh more sense That I heartily desire to see provided it be in a modest and serious way with plain and solid reasons grounded upon the Word of God as becomes Christians and Learned men to speak and will be fit for clearing the Truth Shewing wherein my reasons against their Tenents examined in this Discourse are deficientâ— or what other reasons they have for them of more strength and expect my Answer to them To such Replyes I will listen willingly and answer seriously with resolution to honour and acknowledge Truth wheresoever I see it If they think I am in an errour and pretend to win me out of it this is the way and not by promises menaces or calumnies with all I was assaulted To them that came with promises I gave all shews of perfect indignation To the menaces I answered with Susanna Dan. 3.22 It is better for me to fall into your hands and not to do it than to sin in the sight of the Lord. The calumnies are so rude and apparently false that I need not wish more harm to their Forgers than that they should be known Such is to say that after resolving to embrace the Communion of the Church of England I went about to my Friends in the County of Tipperary and collected a great sum of Money to go over Seas and then came with it this other way The untruth of this base obloquy I made evident after diligent enquiry as is well known to the most Reverend the Lord Archbishop of Cashell and to several other Persons of Quality I being so averse to such proceeding that I passed by the Houses of my chief Friends and Kinsmen in that County without taking leave from them fearing they would offer me any Money for my Voyage then intended for England as I have declared to some and onely entred in very few Houses where I had some concerns to dispose of and where by good luck no Money was given or offered to me Of the like condition is the report spread here in Dublin that at making my Declaration in the Church of St. John at Cashell before the most Reverend the Lord Archbishop of that City and the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop of Waterford and a very great Congregation I was struck dumb and could not speak a word And that after going in the street I fell dead suddenly It were both tedious and rediculous to mention all the Fables they coyn daily forging things certainly so far from my thoughts and contrary to my inclination as to put my hand in the fire I could not but expect this kind of proceeding from them knowing how much their Writers of greatest repute do encourage them to it saying it is lawful for a Priest or Resigious man to kill any that would offer to divulge grave faults of himself or of his Religion And which to me seemeth no less cruel That it is not a grievous sin to raise false Testimonies against him that would blemish one's honour to bereave him of credit If they allow this kind of defence for the honour of every particular what may expect they will suggest to destroy or defame one they su spect may diminâ—sh with his opposition the credit of their whole Religion I abstain at present from quoting the Authours