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
which yet does not hinder but that Iudges are reputed fitt and proper to end Law suits 4. That neither the Pope nor the Councill of Trent have decided the fore mentioned Controversies we are to ascribe either to the inconsiderablenes of them or to the want of Sufficient clearness of Scripture or Tradition for either party or to a just and prudent care of preventing Schisms in the Church by such Determinations wherein so considerable parties in the Church are divided in opinion 5. Whereas the Doctour says that the Points in Controversy among Catholicks being many of them the same agitated among Protestants are Points of Faith he is manifestly mistaken For there are among Catholicks no Points controverted but such Doctrins where the sense of Scriptures being variously expounded by the two Parties the Church as yet hath determined nothing which sense of them is de Fide though the Parties themselves would each of them have their own to be so not determined I say so clearly as that both sides are agreed that such is the Churches Decision As for Protestants what Doctrins are esteemed Points of Faith and what School Disputes I think no Oedipus can resolue Doctour Stillingfleet elsewhere saith down right That the Church of England holds no Points to be Articles of her Faith but those wherein the Church of Rome also agrees with her and holds the same to be such His words are There is a great deale of difference between the owning of some Propositions in order to Peace and the believing of them as necessary Articles of Faith The Church of England makes no Articles of Faith but such as have testimony and approbation of the whole Christian world of all ages and are acknowledged to be such by Rome it self and in other things she requires Subscription to them not as Articles of Faith but as inferiour Truths which she expects Submission to in order to her Peace and Tranquillity Thus the Doctour But here I cannot well understand why he saith her Subiects Subscribe them as inferiour Truths and yet maintains the Church of England to require no Subscription to her Articles as Truths for that surely is a requiring of assent to them but a Subscription of non-contradiction or non-opposition of them which consists with the parties holding them Errours Now methinks this the Church of England believing nothing as of Faith but what the Popes and the Roman Churches Faith also secures to them to be so should sound somewhat harsh in the ears of many of his Disciples Again it necessarily follows that the Church of Rome notwithstanding its Idolatry Fanaticism c. yet failes in no necessary Point of Faith 6. Lastly that which makes Disputes among Christians about Dostrinall Points pernicious is not the heynousnes of the Errours themselves on either Party but the refusall to submitt to the Churches Authority when condemning them from whence Schisms are inevitable and such Refusers then truly stiled Hereticks No man will deny but that the Errour of the Photinians or Socinians called anciently Homuncionists for affirming Christ to be meer man is a most grievous Errour incomparably exceeding any among Catholicks Yet if one living in the Commuâ—ion of Gods Church should hold this most pernicious Errour not knowing that the Church had condemned it and being ready to renounce it assoon as he knew this S. Augustin professes he durst not call such a man an Heretick How the Doctour would call such an one I know not But this I will iustify that according to the Doctours Principles he ought to pass for as good and as well grounded a Protestant as himself and therefore especially Orthodox for not submitting his judgment to the Church §. 7. The Doctrin of Pennance Vindicated from the Doctours mistakes 115. NOw notwithstanding what hath hitherto been said I do nothing doubt but those popular Readers for whom only I conceive the Doctour wrote his Book will still resolutely judge every line of it unanswerable The like they will say concerning the other Points of accusation charged by him on the Roman Church as 1. many obstructions of a Holy Life 2. Endless Divisions How happy are we will they think who have escaped out of such a Babel were Frantick Subiects are governed by more Frantick Superiours where mens ears are deafned with endless quarrels and where Lawes are made against Piety In the former regards Papists may deserve our pitty or contempt but in the last our hatred For what cruelty is not too Mercyfull against the Professours of a Religion which teaches so many Doctrins hindring a good life necessary to Salvation that it is scarce possible any of them should be an honest man The Doctour has told them that these wicked men make the Sacrament of Pennance ioynd with Contrition that is as he interprets a remoâ—se of mind for sin sufficient for Salvation But his Adversary in effect bids him with Contrition to ioyne Confession and Absolution He is contented but he will needs have one condition more added which is forsaking of sin which they of the Church of the Rome not requiring notwithstanding all their Confessions and Absolutions a thousand times repeated they destroy the necessity of a good life 116. Here if the Doctour were asked Does the Catholick Church held the Doctrin here by him reproved He could not say she did because then the express Decision of the Councill of Trent disproves him Where three parts of the Sacrament of Pennance are declared Contrition Confession and Satisfaction Now in two of these the forsaking of sin are contained For Contrition implies a sorrow for sin proceeding from a love of God victorious over sin and consequently a detestation of sin And Satisfaction signifies yet more viz A holy revenge taken by the Penitent upon himself for offending God by denying to himself even Lawfull pleasures because unlawfull ones have tempted him to sin which is a great deale more then Protestants require 117. A disposition one may say inferiour to this required by the Councill served Davids turne who says I said I will confess my sins unto the Lord and thou forgivest the iniquity of my sin I cannot now believe the Doctour will acknowledge that a Sinner repentant of his sins out of a love of God Victorious over the Devill the world and the flesh and weho tstifies that sorrow and that Love by submitting to severe Pennances and Mortifications willing also to declare to his own Confusion his most secret sins with a serious purpose of amendment will thereby be put in a state of pardâ—n and Salvation Especially having received from Gods Authorised Ministers Absolution from his sins Absolution I say pronounced by Commission and Iurisdiction from Christ himself and not such an aery Phantosme of an Absolution as the Doctour interprets to be the applying the Promises of pardon in Scripture to the particular case of dying persons for this saith he is that we mean by Absolution and which say I the Silliest
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
For though his Book proves in effect exceeding harmless to the common Cause of Catholicks and though all the Weapons made use of by him against the Catholick Faith really want both edges and points of Sufficient sharpnes and strength to make an entrance into the Rock on which our Saviour has built his Church yet they pierce into the very bowells of the Persons fortunes and condition of English Catholicks whose destruction he seems to design And on the other side though the same weapons do draw out the very heart-blood of the English Church yet he pretends all the way and seems to be acknowledged by them a Champion of its cause and not to intend the least harm to the Prelats and Subiects of it Cicero was wont to say that he thought any one Roman Augur could not without Smiling look upon another Augur considering what large preferments and honours they enioyed by befooling the whole Roman Common-weale with their ridiculous fopperies The like smile of secret intelligence passes between the Doctor and his ancient Brethren For a great pleasure it must needs be to them to see him in his new dress in his Surplice and Scarlet-Hood so Canonically defending out of the Pulpitt the Church of England or brandishing his Sword against her Adversaries in printed Volumes but so defending it as not to do the least harm to the old cause Not one word falls from his tongue or pen to give his now Prelats warning of their danger from Presbyterians Independents Latitudinarians and other Sects though all these conspiring against them had held their Necks so many years of late under their feet But nothing can be more ridiculous to those Sectaries nor truly more deserving detestation from all loyall Subiects then to see the same Sectaries quondam friend Doctour Stillingfleet zealously pretending a care of the Safety of his Majesty and the State against the seditious writings and practises of ill-principled Subiects and at the same time as if he thought the world by vertue of the Act of Oblivion had quite forgott the last twenty years troubles naming none but Catholicks as such ill-principled Subiects who yet alone among all Dissenters from the English Church had all of them unanimously adhered to his Majesty and for his Majesties sake had defended also the said Church against the Doctor and his Brethren in evill the Sectaries The plain truth is the Doctors collusion and prevarication in his Book seems to me so visible and so insupportable that it is a shame that hitherto not one true Prelaticall Protestant has appeared as a Defender of the English Church and State against him but on the contrary even some English Prelats themselves have congratulated and boasted of his supposed succesfull endeavours against the Catholick Church though ruinous only to themselves Indeed it was the Doctors Master-piece by his Drollery to putt Protestants into a fitt of laughing that being in so good an humour they might drink down the Poyson he presented them This Poyson it seems does not yet sensibly work with them and therefore they neglect to provide Antidots Well all J can say is Viderint ipsi But they may also do well to consider that to this hour they have not from this Defender of the Church of England seen one line which was not more to the advantage of their Enemies the Sectaries then of their own Church So that abating severall hundred pounds of yearly preferments he still is what he was before his Majesties return He was pleased to stile some late Catholick Writers by the name of Ratts for not answering line by line his great Volume He must give me leave to make use of his Metaphor another way applying it to himself It is a common Observation among Mariners that when they see a Ship suddenly freed from Ratts formerly abounding there they conclude that there are some leaks in it unobserved by any but the Ratts themselves which threaten its sudden sinking Now let any one judge wherther the Doctour by publishing his Principles has not stolln out of the Church of England yet with a Latitudinarian conscience holding fast his Preferments and does not this argue that the Ratt foresees or shrewdly suspects some danger to the Ship and therefore provides for his own safety by returning to the same Sects which uncessantly plott against it and it is to be feared against the Civill State too It is a sad thing therefore that not one Protestant will open his eyes and give warning of the dangerous proceedings of their Champion Now whether that task and duty deserted by them has not been efficaciously enough undertaken and performed by the Authour of the following Treatise J leave to all indifferent Iudges to determine They are also hereby entreated to impute the delay of this Answer to the true cause above mentioned or indeed to any thing rather then to the least guilty apprehension which Catholicks may have of encountring such an Adversary as the Doctour is supposed to be by persons who are perswaded that an insolent confidence must needs be accompanied with Reason and Truth And for such persons so qualified no doubt it was that the Doctor wrote his Book not to instruct them but to imprint his own enormous passions in their minds Whereas Readers of but ordinary capacity and prudence will easily perceive that it was a consciousness of his own inability to cast any prejudice on the received Doctrins and Discipline of the Catholick Church her-self that forced him to indulge to his fancy and invention to expose to contempt and hatred of unwary Readers the Opinions and Practises of a few particular persons among Catholicks not alwayes faithfully related by him and most of them already censured by Superiours But that which has gained to him the most of his applauding Readers is his acting the Theologicall Zani after a fashion altogether new and unexpected whilst he most ridiculously imputes Fanaticism to the Catholick Church of which never any Heretick before him suspected her capable My last request to the Reader is that seeing this Treatise written in a stile so unpractised hitherto by mee and indeed so contrary to mine own inclination he will interpret it aright and believe that J judged my self obliged to neglect complements of Civility to such an Adversary If he had written like one that sought out Truth J should have condemned my self if any phrases of bitterness had escaped my pen. But in answering such a mass of Buffonry mixed with rancour and malice the Wise man has taught me my Duty Proverb xxv 5. OF FANATICISM §. 1. The Authours Motive of Writing this Treatise Doctour Stillingfleets three Heads of Accusation against the Catholick Church c. 1. THe Authour of this following Treatise may with confidence profess that it was not from a resentment of severall contemptuous Aspersions cast on him by Doctour Stillingfleet in his lately published Book that he was induced to write this Answer For who would not glory in suffring 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
Teachers does it not necessarily follow that all Sectaries are equally iustifiable since it is impossible without looking into their thoughts to evince against them that they have not enquired soberly What monstrous opinions now may not hereby be justified and what possibility of confuting them now if among such opinions this be one That it is the necessary Duty of a Christian Subiect to contribute all that is in his Power even goods and life it self to sett up the true Religion that is his own Sect and this against all Power whatsoever civill or Ecclesiasticall which shall seek to oppress it what will the Doctour standing to his own Principles say hereto if he had a mind to oppose it Now that such an Opinion may possibly spring up and the Assertours of it may pretend that it is grounded on evident Scripture the Doctour himself will not deny since I am sure he remembers and has reason to do so that this was the Architectonicall Principle common to all Sects in the like Rebellion this was thundred out in Pulpits of this all Pamphlets were full the Bible and nothing but the Bible was all their warrant the Bible was the Ensign carried up aloft before their Troops as if the King Bishops and all their party had been professed Enemies to the Bible or had grounded their Religion upon the Alcoran whereas indeed all these Sects had turned Christs Doctrine into that bloody law of Mahomet Yet notwithstanding all this the Doctour zealously and furiously against the Papists still contends for putting the Bible into all mens hands and assures them that they are the only Legall Iudges of the sense of it in Necessaries upon condition they will only say that they are Sober Enquirers into it 57. This seems to me to be an evident consequence of the Doctours Principle a Principle never acknowledged in Gods Church for above fourteen hundren years by any one Orthodox Christian or by any unless by some whom the Doctour himself will call Hereticks If the Doctour think I doe not speak truth lett him search and lett him employ his freinds to search into Libraries let them consult all the ancient Fathers of the Church and all Councills and when they have done and seen themselves deserted by all Antiquity and Vertually condemnd and Anathematized by all Councills which pretend to have right to teach and to oblige Christians to yeeld their assent will it not follow that his Religion hath a most pittifully unstable and sandy Foundation But to return from this digression to an argument more gratefull to the Doctour the Fanaticism by him imputed to the Catholick Church with regard to the Prayer of Contemplation 58. Whereas M. Cressy in his Sancta Sophia among severall things by which Liberty of Spirit may be hindered reckons this for one The doing actions meerly for edification the Doctour in scorn adjoyns hereto these words A most excellent and Apostolicall Doctrine These words shew that the Doctour likes not that saying but I cannot imagin what reason he had for it Our Saviour indeed requires that our light should shine before men that they seeing our good works might being edified glorifie our heavenly Father But this concerns only such good works as our Duty obliges vs to doe in Publick But as for other duties such as is Prayer and Fasting he bids us retire into our closets to practise them there without an eye to the Edifiing others and condemns the Pharisees for doing them that they may be seen of men In like manner those who are called to an Internall life and Solitude for them to quitt their proper Exercises to goe abroad on purpose to do actions good in themselves for no other end but Meerly to give a good example for the Edification of others was there iustly esteemed a prejudice to the liberty of Spirit necessary for their state 59. But moreover I would ask the Doctour whether being at Church in a publick Duty and not having any Devotion himself at present he would esteem it a commendable action to pretend to much fervour by lifting vp his eyes or beating his breast and this meerly and only to the end that others seeing him might be edifyed himself being nothing the better for such grimaces or would he give an Alms before people meerly for their edification and not out of a Motive of Charity inherent in himself Truly if he should doe all this in such a manner I should be none of his admirers And much lesse do I or I think any good Christian admire him for his Book so full af all manner of Vnchristian affections which surely he cannot pretend to be written meerly for edification and for which I hope his Judgement is not soe perverted as to expect a reward from God who litle esteems witt without Charity or rather witt shewed for the destruction of Charity and Truth also 60. After this the Doctour out of the same Book mentioning the Supernaturall Favours which innumerable Catholick Writers both ancient and Modern do testify to have been communicated by Almighty God to his servants after a constant exercise of Internall Prayer and Mortification the Doctour I say would have his Reader think that his deriding of these is a sufficient confutation And I may more justly think that a sober Reader will Judge that the only mentioning of a proceeding so contrary to all rules of reasoning is a sufficient Reply 61. What hath been hitherto sayd is even too much touching the defence of a Book of Prayer published by M. Cressy in which the Church of England is so litle concerned and which was compiled for the use of good devout humble Soules and not at all for persons of the Doctours temper Those eminently learned and Pious Fathers and particularly R. F. Leander a S. Martino who with great care perused the severall Spirituall Treatises written by R. F. Baker and gave their Approbations of them were persons in all regards for their profound universall Learning far exalted above the censures of Malignant Pedants and the devout soules to whose practise they recomended those pious Instructions have reaped such fruits from them such effectuall helps far their advancement in the Divine Love and Spirituall Perfection that the bouffoneries of such a Doctour will only produce this effect upon them to give God daily thanks that they have escaped from a Church in which blasphemous Invectives against Gods Saints and the Science of Saints are not only permitted but applauded and rewarded 62. None can justly wonder that a soule so manifestly voyd of Divine Love should want both light and tast in such things Daamantem sentit quod dicimus saith S. Augustin But does the Doctour hope that because he understands not and therefore proudly contemns Misticall Theology and the Exercises of an Internall life the Catholick Church and Governours of it will abate their esteem of that Blessing which manifestly proves that Gods Holy Spirit does not communicate his most sublime and
Book truly I cannot determine Only this I may say That if Prelaticall Protestants do allow him for their Champion and approve the Grounds of his Religion it is one of the most Signall Victories that in any Age has been gained by a single Doctour over a whole Church the Governours whereof will be forced to acknowledge that they have no Authority to teach truth or condemn Errours that all the people formerly under them are becom Prophets and that all their Articles Constitutions and Ordonances have been compâ—seâ— and enioyned by an usurped Authority of which they are not willing to be despoyled and perhaps after the example of a late Scottish Bishop to do Pennance for their fault of being Bishops But certainly my Lords the Bishops will hardly with all the Doctours eloquence be perswaded to this compliance with him Regard both to the Kings and Kingdoms safety and their own Character will not permit them to yeeld to an Anarchy first in the Church and presently after in the Kingdom 97. Notwithstanding it cannot be denyed but the Doctour may expect more then ordinary indulgence from them since during their late calamities he did not joyn in the clamour for destroying them He was no Root and branch enemy but on the contrary generously undertook their defence and with great boldness told his then Maisters that though Episcopall goverment and Ordinations as likewise Deans and Chapters which anciently were the Bishops Counsell were not necessary nor perhaps convenient as matters then stood yet neither was their utter destruction they might if the State pleased be retained without sin upon condition that for their Maintenance the ravenous beasts then in power would be content to vomit up three or four hundred thousand pounds of yearly â—ents But my best course is to leave the Doctour to plead his own cause much better then I can doe And I assure him I would not have touched this String nor calld to mind these things passed were it not that hitherto he has made no retractation of any thing written by him and also if his Principles newly published should prevayle in mens minds they would be more destructive to both Kingly and Church goverment then all the Writings of Presbyters and Independents c. 98. But perhaps after all the said Principles though pernicious to Superiours may at least produce Vnity and peace among the people For a man would think if every sober enquirer and who thinks not himself such anone may be allowed to chuse a sence of Scripture for himself what can he desire more Every one then surely will be quiett and contented But I must tell him Quid verbo audio cum facta videam If indeed men could be content to enioy their Faith to themselves and not think themselves obliged to propagate it if they could with patience see their Doctrins confuted their actions derided and their designs opposed peace perhaps might be hoped for ad Graecas Calendas 99. Yet I confess that according to the Welsh Proverb The Gospell and a Stone will drive away a dogg the Doctours Principles and a severe Civill government ioynd together that is a charitable indulgence to tender consciences with a watchfull care to prevent quarrells and eager disputes about Religion may produce that peace which has hitherto never been seen in England since the Reformation and mens minds being enured to tast the pleasure of such a peace may probably in a short time becom as zealous against quarrelling as they are now for it 100. But there is another sort of Peace and Vnity more fitt to be the argument of Writings composed by Ecclesiasticall persons that is Vnity of Faith and Doctrin And this Vnity was intended certainly by Christ when he left his Church established under Spirituall governours to continue in an orderly Succession till the worlds end and was Signifyed by S. Paul saying There is one Body and one Spirit one Lord one Faith and one Baptism c. who also declares that this one Body and one Faith is preserved by Apostles and other Governours instituted by Christ in his Church To the end that Gods people may not be tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrin c. This Unity also is proposed and professed by us in the Creed I believe one holy Catholick and Apostolick Church Now this Vnity the Doctour seeing utterly chaced out of his Churches principled by him earnestly endeavours to prove it a stranger to the Catholick Church also and would seem to intimate that if it be possible to be attained it must be by his Principles And the truth is if men might enioy their consciences and would be induced to abstain from quarrelling persecuting and hating one another Truth in the end would probably prevaile were there not one hindrance more I feare insuperable which is that Truth or true Religion has no other passions and Carnall affections to combat withall besides quarrelsomnes It requires a bending and even breaking of the Will to the Obedience of Lawfull Superiours it requires yet further a captivating even of the Vnderstanding to the Obedience of Faith taught them by the same Superiours It requires also a free discovery of the most secret and most difficult to be acknowledged crimes in order to painfull Satisfactions to be undertaken for their expiation and for obtaining Absolution and pardon of them It requires from many a totall renouncing of all carnall Lusts and all Externall remedies of quenching them These and many other severe exactions are required by true Religion and only by itâ— and therefore no wonder if Sects dispensing in these things prevaile so much against it Yet Gods grace is omnipotent and can work greater and more difficult effects in the hearts of his servants when he is pleased to exert it 101. It is truly an Attempt worthy so heroicall a Champion to pretend to bring proofs from which saith he it appears that the Church of Rome can have no advantage in point of Vnity above his Protestant Churches which is in effect to demonstrate that one Article of our Faith ceases to be true 102. Let this be examined and first let us enquire what helps for Unity I mean Unity of Faith and Doctrin Protestants have and then compare them with those of Catholicks First for the Doctour himself who as yet must pass for the common Advocate of Protestants till he be disavowed surely he will not pretend to contribute the least advantage to such Unity unles he hopes to perswade any one That a licence given to every Christian to chuse his own Faith out of Scripture be a probable way to make all agree in the same Faith which Licence he gives and justifying it is the principall Design of all his Principles Is not this all one as to say Let every man in England think and doe what he pleases and by this means all will agree to be Good Obedient Subiects to the King Yet the Scripture argues
Devotions in their Natiue Tongues which are for the most part taken out of the Publick Liturgy and moreouer has commanded all Pastours to interpret to the people in the administring of Sacraments especially the most Holy Eucharist whatsoever they are capable of vnderstanding by which means there is scarce a Rustick so ignorant but well vnderstands what the Priest does through the whole course of the Masse 149. Matters standing thus the Church esteems it more prudent and more conducing also to edification in generall that all Catholick Churches should serve God vniformly in a language which cannot be corrupted especially such provisions being made for the peoples good then to haue the Service of God exposed to Corruptions and continuall Changes But if the Doctour think himself wiser then the whole Western and most Eastern Churches much ioy may he take in his great humility 150. But after all how can the people say Amen will the Doctour say from S. Paul I answer S. Paul in that place Speaks not of the Common Divine Service which was celebrated then in a language well vnderstood and at Corinth doubtles in the Greek tongue but of these Spirituall Hymns and Praises of God extraordinary that were delivered by some in a tongue vnknown And all that can be deduced from it and applied to the Publick Divine servcie is this that either this be performed in a known Tongue or when the Church hath reasonable Motives which she not we must judge of not to change the formerly vsed language of it so much as is necessary for the common people to vnderstand and say Amen to be interpreted as the Apostle saith there ouer and over again Now such Prayers Collects Psalms Hymns Litanies c. as are thought necessary for the common people are interpreted by the Churches order and they have them ready in their Primers Manuels c. Euen all the parts also of the Service of the Masse necessary to be known by them 151. Jt is certain that it is not out of a desire that the people should be ignorāt that the Church thinks not meet to change the language of her Liturgy And I would to God that were the only hindrance of reuniting England to her once beloued Mother for then the breach would not last long §. 12. Of the Churches denying the Reading of the Bible indifferently to all 152. BUt the last and greatest Hindrance of piety and which is wonderfull of Vnity likewise in the Doctours opinion is the Roman Church her denying the reading of Scripture to all persons promiscuously without exception This fault the Doctour will neuer forgiue Her And the truth is if euer there should be a restraint of such liberty in England all the Principles of his Religion would vtterly goe to wrack For how then should euery Sober Enquirer into Scripture frame a Religion to himself How much would the number of Sects be diminished which is great pitty Then Pastours and Teachers would perswade the people that it is their duty to believe and obey them and not to be their own Directours which is intolerable Therefore in so great a concern the Doctours zeale in this Point aboue others may well be forgiuen him 153. How much would the Doctour be beholden to that freindly man who could furnish him with but one line out of any Ancient Ecclesiasticall Writer Father or Councill to iustify the Fundamentall Principle of his and as he pretends of all Protestants Religion viz. That euery sober enquirer may be a Iudge infallible of the sense of Scripture in all Points necessary to Saluation But I can assure him such a freind is not to be found Nay I believe he would thank that man who could shew any Ancient Heretick an Authour of that enormous Doctrin for as he cannot but know that he embraces seuerall Points condemned by the Ancient Church in Hereticks he would no doubt with ioy adopt this Point so beneficiall and necessary to the fabrick of his Protestant Churches 154. To descend to our Modern times Though Luther Calvin Zuinglius c. those disturbers of the world to gain the affections of the Common rabble were very earnest to put the Bible into their hands yet does the Doctour think that they would patiently haue suffred any of their followers to chuse any other Religion out of it but what they as Prophets sent from God had taught them Nay would the Doctour take it well of his own Parishioners if they should doe so Yet he is angry with Catholicks because we rather trust the Churches iudgment then our own a strange quarrell certainly But it is a folly to think that any of the Common sort of people seek into the Bible to find their Religion there not one in ten thousand among us but for his whole Faith relyes vpon the credit and supposed honesty of some zealous Lecturer or reputed learned Doctour Now J would fain know of Doctour Stillingfleet with what conscience he can suffer a whole Congregation of well meaning men who can rely vpon nothing but authority to prefer his authority before that of the whole Church For nothing can be more contrary to the Rules of Common reason in them and for their sinning against Reason he must be answerable to God How does one of the Doctours Parishioners find his whole Religion in Scripture Thus The Doctour will bid him read the last verse of the 6. chap. to the Romans or he will read the words to him The Gift of God is eternall life Here says he the Papists are plainly confuted who say that God rewards our good works with Heaven He will tell him again that the Papists hold that our Lords body is in the Sacrament How shall they be confuted Christ indeed says This is my Body What then this must be vnderstood as if he had sayd This is the figure of my Body Then plain Scripture interpreted by the Doctour is against them Again Look out the first Chapter to Titus you will find that those who are called Elders or Presbiters in the fifth verse are called Bishops in the Seaventh Here our Antichristian Prelats are plainly confuted who exalt themselues aboue Elders c. 155. But one Point there is of main importance to these who will find all things in Scripture which is A Proof that these Books which they are taught to call Scripture are the same which were Anciently written by men inspired by God That they have not been corrupted and that they are rightly interpreted None of all these things they can find in Scripture what remedy therfore for this None in the world but the Doctours own authority He will tell them perhaps that the Vniversall Tradition of all Ages which is of it self credible testifies this and therefore they ought to belieue it But if they should reply and tell the Doctour that for all necessary Points of belief they were according to his Principles to be Iudges for themselues but of that which they call
himself obliged in conscience by breaking all Rules of Piety and humanity to do all manner of despight to his Catholick fellow-Subiects he would hereafter at least please to abstain from reviling and blaspheming Gods Saints or traducing the most Divine exercises of contemplative soules more perfectly practised only in Heauen Jt argued certainly a heart brimm full of the Gall of bitternes that to oppose only one single line of his Adversary pag. 31. in which all that he sayes is the mentioning new Sects and Fanaticisms he could allow one hundred and twenty Pages in a senceless and execrable recrimination not considering or rather perhaps too much considering and intending that such a recrimination should reflect with great disparagement on the English Protestant Church In whose Calendar severall of those Saints to this day possess a place Truly in all reason his Attempt by his Socinian Principles of depriving the Governours of that Church of all Anthority granted by her Princes and Parliaments ought to haue suffised him without traducing her as a Canonizer of Fanaticks What excuse he can make for this I cannot imagine unless perhaps his tenderly scrupulous conscience dictates to him that the Scottish Covenant requires all this and more from the obligation whereof the Bishops cannot it seems and his Brethren Presbiters will not absolue him If so his zeale methinks should incite him yet further and particularly to make use of the power and high esteem he has by his late Book gotten in his Vniversity of Cambridge to become a Godfather in rebaptizing and giving a New Name to an ancient and famous Colledge there which at present has two Names both of them extremely inconvenient and prejudiciall to the Design of his beloued Book being called not only S. Benets but likewise Corpus Christi-Colledge For as long as these names continue neither will S. Benedict pass there for a Fanatick nor the Reall presence be esteemed aground of a worse then Pagan Idolatry But I believe he will scarce be able with all his Rhetorick to obtain from them such a compliance or even perswade his own Parishioners to renounce Heaven except S. Gregory S. Benedict S. Francis c. be excluded thence A Second Request is that since to his great credit order has been taken by his friends more solicitous for him then their own Church to render his Book unanswerable he would hasten his zealous Huguenot Brethren of the Savoy iust such Defenders of the Church of England as himself to enlarge his conquests through France also by sending abroad their French Translation of his formidable Book the Rationall Account There will be no need to fear any officious Searchers nor the least obstruction to their dispersing their ware in France for there Catholicks are so confidently secure of the invincible Truth of their Religion that the King himself not only permits but invites yea and expressly commands the subtillest of the Huguenot Ministers to write and publish freely whatsoever they are able to say in defence of themselves or against Catholick Doctrines Now it is manifest that the Doctours friends the zealous Searchers and murderers of all Answers to his Book do not believe that he has any confidence at all either in the truth or honesty of his cause And iust reason they have since it is a cause evidently destructive both to the English Church and state as hath been demonstrated And if themselves had any regard at all either to their Church or the Civill state and peace of the kingdom all betrayed by him they would see and acknowledge that their vigilance would have been much better employed in preventing the birth of so deformed and pernicious a monster My third Request is indeed J fear too reasonable to expect it should be granted by an Adversary of the Doctors temper It is this His design beeing to deterr all English-men from Communion with the Catholick Church from a consideration of dangerous Doctrines and Practises in it he is requested that hereafter he would not abuse the world by fathering on the Church Exotick opinions of particular Schoolmen and by representing the Churches Doctrines lamely falsely and dishonestly His enormous faultiness in this regard in mitation of Doctor Taylor committed in his last Book through every one of the Points mentioned by him may be visible to all heedfull Readers and irrefragable Proofes hereâ—fare in a readiness to be produced if his busy friends the Searchers could be perswaded to rest in their beds in the night time He cannot complain of any difficulty to find out all necessary Doctrines in which Catholicks universally agree as we may for Proteflant Doctrines The Councill of Trent alone will sufficiently furnish him Or if he think fitt to have recourse to the interpretations of its Decisions in all reason and conscience he ought to content himself with such as seem to him most moderate and rationall Christian charity and love of Peace requiring this from him But I fear his unconformity hereto must be pardoned For his principall vocation now being to be a Controvertist to which it seems he is by Superiours engaged and to which employment Preaching Sacraments and all must yield it will be impossible for him to write volumes of Controversy his way if he be confined to matters only which are pertinent or to arguments which are Logically concluding For how could he then delight profanc Readers with ridiculous stories or give scope to his own more profane Fancy in descanting irreligiously on the actions of Saints or fill up many sheets with nasty occurrents raked out of dunghills and charging them on the Church which abhorrs them more then himself How could he I say thus play the Controvertist if he were to assault the Church only in her necessary Doctrines and Discipline exhibited in her Councills I must therefore I fear prepare my self with patience to receive a Refusall to Requests though in my opinion very reasonable and which I here sett down because J believe they will be esteemed such by ingenuous and judicious Readers who surely will not judge the cause of Catholicks prejudiced by the Doctors confutation of a Church no where extant in rerum naturâ except in his own disordered Fancy Lastly he is desired to consider that Almighty God commands us to loue Peace and Truth Zach. 8. 19. both these For Peace alone without Truth is a conspiracy in Errour and an imprudent zeale for Truth may be more pernicious then Errour Both these therefore ought to be loved together And to Hate both Peace and Truth seems a depravation scarce consistent with Human nature or any Rationall Agent besides the Devill himself Since therefore the Doctor by demolishing all Tribunalls in Gods Church which might peaceably end Controversies has endeavoured as much as in him lyes to banish Peace eternally from among Christians it is iustly to be expected from him that being now become by Profession a Controvertist he should give some better testimony to the world that he is at least a Seeker and Promoter of Truth and that his Design in writing Preaching and Disputing is to conquer the iudgments of Dissenters to a belief of that which himself pretends to be Truth But can any reasonable man imagine that he had so much as a desire to convert Catholicks who alone seem to be esteemed by him Dissenters by such a Book as his last is which they cannot read without trembling at the blasphemies of it and without a horrible aversion from one who would make their Church and Faith odious for Doctrines and Practises which the said Church is so far from owning that she condemns them and would moreover persuade them to forsake an established Communion without being informed whither to betake themselves These proceedings are so unreasonnable that it seems manifest he had not so much as a thought of convincing their iudgments so that he will have small reason to wonder that not one single person can be found whom he looks on as an enemy who has given him occasion to erect a Trophey yea moreover though perhaps he will not believe it that a considerable number have against his will had their eyes opened by him to see the desperate state of that cause which seems to seek its last refuge in the Protection of such an Advocat A strange fate certainly this is of a Book so boasted of and to which such conquests have been promised Therefore any sober Reader who shall heedfully reflect on the Doctor 's abilities will hardly be perswaded to believe that he intended his last should be a Book of Controversy but rather an Engin raised by him to work during the space of a few months some considerable mischief against the persons of innocent Catholicks at a season as he thought proper for his purpose when he conceived thereby the whole Kingdom might happily be incensed against them Which holy design if he could effect it would afterward be indifferent to him whether his Book were confuted or not However our hope is that Dominus iudicabit pauperes populi bumiliabit Calumniatorem FINIS Nullos esse Deos in ane coelum Affirmat Selius probatque quod se Factum duÌ„ negat haec videt BeatuÌ„ Martial l. 4. Epigr 21. Pag. 262. Psal. 118. Mem. 2. Cor. 12. v. 2. 3. 4. P. 334. P. 336 P. 336. P. 337. P. 244. Suar. in 3. S Th q 27. Anâ—on Summ. p. 1. tit 8. c. Baron ad A. D. 604. P. 248. P. 235. Irenic P. 392. P. 346. P. 349. P. 350. 13. Principle 15 Principle I. Que. Ansvv. II. Qu. Ansvv. III Qu. Ansvv. IV. Qu. Ansvv. V. Qu. Ansvv. Irenic Eph. iv 4. 5. vers 5. Gesner in Re Bellar. Def. Schlusscâ—b P. 443. Ration Accou p 54. Aug. de Bapt. cont Donat. l. 4. c. 16. P. 180. Conc. Triden Sess. XIV cap. 3. P. 183. P. 181. P. z12 Conc. Tâ—id Ses. XIV c. 8. August lib. 50 hom Hom. 41. Conc. Tâ—id Seâ— VII de Sacram Can. 8. P. 206. Gal. 4. P. 183. Aug. Hom. 50. capvlt P. 681. Luk xvi 9. Lib. de curâ pâ—â— moâ—tuis cap. 4. P. 183. Conc. Tâ—id Ses. xxv Decâ—et de Indulg Ibid. P. 516. P. 188. P. 174. Cor. 14 1. Cor. 14. Vers. 5. 9. 13. 27 28. P. â—15 P. 174. Philast Preface pag. 6. Ibid. p. 22.