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THE,
WORKS
J>F,
WILLIAM CHILLINGWORTH, M. A.
IN THREE VOLUMES. p
VOL. I.
Rex arbitratur, renitn absolute necessariarum ad salutem non magnum esse numerum. Quare existimat ejus majestas, nuUam ad ineundam concordiam breviorem viam fore, quam si diligenter separentur necessaria a non necessariis, et ut in necessariis conveniat, omnia opera insumatur : in non necessariis libertati Christianse locus detur. Simpliciter neces- saria Rex appellat, quse vel expresse verbum Dei prsecipit credenda faciendave, vel ex verbo
Dei necessaria consequentia vetus ecclesia elicuit. Si ad decidendas hodiernas contro-
versias hsec distinctio adhiberetur, et jus divinum a positive seu ecclesiastico candide separaretur ; non videtur de iis quae sunt absolute necessaria, inter pios et moderatos viros, longa aut acris contentio futura. Nam et pauca ilia sunt, ut modo dicebamus, et fere ex eequo omnibus probantur, qui se Christianos dici postulant. Atque istam distinctionem Sereniss. Rex tanti putat esse niomenti ad minuendas controversias, quae hodie Ecclesiam Dei tantopere exercent, ut omnium pacis studiosorum judicet officium esse, diligentissime hanc explicare, docere, urgere.
Isaac. Casaubon. in Epist. ad Card. Perron. Regis Jacobi nomine scripta.
OXFORD,
AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS.
MDCCCXXXVIII.
,A
■'^
TO THE MOST HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE,
CHARLES,
BY THE GRACE OF GOD,
KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, AND IRELAND, DEFENDER OF THE FAITH, &c.
May it please your Most Excellent Majesty,
JL PRESENT, with all humility, to your most sacred iiands, a defence of that cause, which is and ought to be infinitely dearer to you, than all the world ; not doubting but upon this dedication I shall be censured for a double boldness, both for undertaking so great a work, so far beyond my weak abilities ; and again, for presenting it to such a patron, whose judgment I ought to fear more than any adversary. But for the first, it is a satisfaction to myself, and may be to others, that I was not drawn to it out of any vain opinion of myself, (whose personal defects are the only thing which I presume to know,) but un- dertook it in obedience to him who said, Tu converses confirma JratreSy not to St. Peter only, but to all men : being en- couraged also to it by the goodness of the cause, which is able to make a weak man strong. To the belief hereof I was not led partially, or by chance, as many are, by the prejudice and prepossession of their country, education, and such like induce- ments ; which if they lead to truth in one place, perhaps lead to error in a hundred ; but having with the greatest equality and indifferency, made inquiry and search into the grounds on both sides, I was willing to impart to others that satisfaction which was given to myself. For my inscribing to it your Ma- jesty's sacred name, I should labour much in my excuse of it from high presumption, had it not some appearance of title to
a2
iv THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
your Majesty's patronage and protection, as being a defence of that book, which by special order from your Majesty was written some years since, chiefly for the general good, but per- adventure not without some aim at the recovery of one of your meanest subjects from a dangerous deviation ; and so due unto your Majesty, as the fruit of your own high humihty and most royal charity. Besides, it is in a manner nothing else but a pursuance of, and a superstruction upon that blessed doctrine, wherewith I have adorned and armed the frontispiece of my book, which was so earnestly recommended by your royal father of happy memory, to all the lovers of truth and peace ; that is, to all that were like himself, as the only hopeful means of healing the breaches of Christendom, whereof the enemy of souls makes such pestilent advantage. The lustre of this bless- ed doctrine I have here endeavoured to uncloud and unveil, and to free it from those mists and fumes which have been raised to obscure it, by one of that order ^, which envenoms even poison itself, and makes the Roman religion much more malignant and turbulent than otherwise it would be: whose very rule and doctrine obliges them to make all men, as much as lies in them, subjects unto kings, and servants unto Christ, no further than it shall please the pope. So that whether your Majesty be considered, either as a pious son towards your royal father king James, or as a tender-hearted and compas- sionate son towards your distressed mother the catholic church, or as a king of your subjects, or as a servant unto Christ, this work (to which I can give no other commendation, but that it was intended to do you service in all these capacities) may pretend, not unreasonably, to your gracious acceptance. Lastly, being a defence of that whole church and religion you profess, it could not be so proper to any patron as to the great defender of it ; which style your Majesty hath ever so exactly made good, both in securing it from all dangers, and in vindi- cating it (by the well-ordering and rectifying this church)
a by that order — Oxf.
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY. v
from all the foul aspersions both of domestic and foreign enemies, of which they can have no ground, but ^their own want of judgment or want of charity. But it is an argument of a despairing and lost cause, to support itself with these im- petuous outcries and clamours, the faint refuges of those that want better arguments ; like that stoic in Lucian, that cried o) Kardpare ! O damned villain ! when he could say nothing else. Neither is it credible the wiser sort of them should be- lieve this their own horrid assertion, that a God of goodness should damn to eternal torments those that love Him and love truth, for errors which they fall into through human frailty ! But this they must say, otherwise their only great argument from their damning us, and our not being so peremptory in damning them, because we hope unaffected ignorance may ex- cuse them, would be lost : and therefore they are engaged to act on this tragical part, to fright the simple and ignorant, as we do little children, by telling them that bites, which we would not have them meddle with. And truly that herein they do but act a part, and know themselves to do so, and deal with us here, as they do with the king of Spain at Rome, whom they accurse and excommunicate for fashion-sake on Maundy-Thursday, for detaining part of St. Peter's patrimony, and absolve him without satisfaction on Good-Friday; me- thinks their faltering and inconstancy herein makes it very ap- parent : for though for the most part they speak nothing but thunder and lightning to us, and damn us all without mercy or exception ; yet sometimes, to serve other purposes, they can be content to speak to us in a milder strain, and tell us, as my adversary does more than once, " that they allow protestants as much charity as protestants allow them.'' Neither is this the only contradiction which I have discovered in this un- charitable work ; but have shewed that, by forgetting himself, and retracting most of the principal grounds he builds upon, he hath saved me the labour of a confutation ; which yet I
^ their own malice — Oxf, a3
vi THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.
have not in any place found any such labour or difficulty, but that it was undertakable by a man of very mean, that is, of my abilities. And the reason is, because it is truth I plead for, which is so strong an argument for itself, that it needs only light to discover it ; whereas it concerns falsehood and error to use disguise and shadowings, and all the fetches of art and so- phistry ; and therefore it stands in need of abler men to give that a colour at least vphich hath no real body to subsist by. If my endeavours in this kind may contribute any thing to this discovery, and the making plain that truth, (which my charity persuades me the most part of them disaffect, only be- cause it hath not been well represented to them,) I have the fruit of my labour and my wish, who desire to live to no other end than to do service to God's church, and your most sacred Majesty, in the quality of
Your Majesty's most faithful subject,
and most humble, and devoted servant,
W. CHILLINGWORTH,
PREFACE TO THE NINTH EDITION.
1 HE repeated complaints in public print, as well as in pri- vate conversation, of the very blameable incorrectness of most of the foregoing editions of this work, having made an exact and careful review of the whole absolutely necessary ; it is thought proper to give an account in few words, what has been done to this purpose in the edition now before the reader.
The book was first published at Oxford in the year 1638 ; and meeting with an extraordinary reception at its first appear- ance, was printed some months after at London in the same year. This second impression has received some alterations, very probably from the hand of the author, he being then alive. The third edition, which was published in 1664, seems to be the last that was printed with any degree of care; there being in it some small corrections, which appear to have been made on purpose, and are not impertinent, though there is no account given upon what authority they were made. The succeeding impressions have no alterations but what were made for the worse by the carelessness of the printers.
From the three first, therefore, this edition has been pre- pared. The edition of 1664 has been followed in the present, which has been carefully examined and compared with the other two ; and the various readings of these editions are taken notice of at the bottom of each page, with the words Oxf. or Lond. after them. As for such readers as think these minute remarks unnecessary or immaterial, they may please to ob- serve, they are so contrived, as neither to disturb the sense, nor increase the bulk or price of the book. And those who are desirous to see this work as complete and perfect as may be, may conclude, from these nice corrections, which they will see interspersed every where through the book, that the whole has been collated with all possible application, and that no pains or industry has been wanting to do justice to a work so truly valuable.
The book of Charity Maintained hy Catliolics has been also
a4
viii PREFACE TO THE NINTH EDITION.
compared with like diligence with the first edition pubUshed by Mr. Knott himself ; it being plain from the sincere and generous temper of Mr. Chillingworth, that his desire and en- deavour was, that his adversary might be used with all candour and fair deahng, and that his arguments might be set in a proper light.
And lastly, the Sermons and Additional Discourses are printed from the best editions of those pieces; the former, from that printed in 1684; the latter, from that in 1688, which was the first time these last were made public.
Upon the whole, as it has been intrusted to an experienced and careful hand to correct the sheets from the press, who has used a more than ordinary application on his part, it is hoped that, abating a very few typographical errors, which the best performances from the press are not without, the reader will here meet with what the undertaker proposed, a genuine, cor- rect, and beautiful edition of the works of Mr. Chillingworth.
It remains only to take notice of two letters, said to be writ- ten by Mr. Chillingworth, which having been bound up with many books of the last impression of this work, it may be ex- pected either that they should be added to this edition, or some reason given why they are left out. The truth is, if we look upon those letters in the most advantageous light imaginable, they appear only to be pieces which the writer never intended for the press, and perhaps would not have taken kindly that they should have been made public : since the way of exposing a man's private letters after his death, is by many thought not agreeable to the strict rules of honour, and too near skin (akin) to the ungentleman-like practice of overlooking private papers in a man's study, without the leave of the owner : besides that these letters were so far from being countenanced by any name of reputation, that they were then published by an anonymous person.
They seem to impute to our author inconstancy in religion, from which charge, when he was threatened with it by the Jesuit, he amply and honourably justified himself in the fifth section of his own preface to this book. Neither can the doubts of so impartial and honest an inquirer after truth, give greater credit to the Unitarian than to the Roman Catholic doctrine, of which latter religion it is notorious he once professed himself.
ADVERTISEMENT TO THE TENTH EDITION. ix
The annexed subscription to the XXXIX. Articles of Re- ligion of the Church of England, which is dated after one of the letters there published, (and nothing can be said to the other, which has no date at all,) added to Mr. Chillingworth's known reputation for veracity and Christian sincerity, is an abundant evidence, that upon motives of conscience only, he joined as heartily with our church in disowning the Unitarian principles, as in condemning the errors of the church of Rome.
Extract from the Register of the Church of Salisbury. " Ego Gulielmus Chillingworth, Clericus, in Artibus Ma- gister, ad cancellariatum ecclesiae cathedralis beatae Mariae, Sa- rum, una cum praebenda de Brinsworth alias Bricklesworth in comitatu Northampton, Petriburgensis dicecesews, in eadem ecclesia fundata, et eidem cancellariatui annexa, admittendus, et instituendus, omnibus hisce Articulis et singulis in eisdem contentis volens et ex animo subscribo, et consensu m meum praebeo, 20° die Julii, 1638.
" Gulielmus Chillingworth."
That is, in English, " I William Chillingworth, Clerk, M. A. to be admitted to the chancellorship of the cathedral church of Sarum^ &c. do willingly and heartily subscribe these Articles, and every thing contained in them, and do give my consent thereto.
" William Chillingworth."
ADVERTISEMENT TO THE TENTH EDITION.
IN this edition we have now first added the Life of our celebrated Author, carefully collected from the best authorities, with a history of the controversies he was engaged in, by the Rev. Mr. Birch. His letters, which have hitherto been im- properly omitted, are inserted : so that we can now assure the reader, he has a complete collection of Mr. Chillingworth's Works.
September 1, 1742.
Advertisement to the present Edition.
IN this edition a few errors which had crept into the ninth and tenth have been rectified by means of the first, which has been examined for this purpose ; and the tract entituled An Answer to some Passages in RushwortKs Dialogues^ in vol. iii. has been collated with the Author''s MS. in the Bod- leian Library, and considerably enlarged.
Dec. 7. 1837.
CONTENTS OF VOL. I.
THE Life of Mr. William Chillingworth Page xiii
The Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained : with an Answer to his pamphlet, entitled, A Direction to N. N.... i
The Author of Charity Maintained, his Preface to the Reader 4.2,
The Answer to the Preface 5^
THE FIRST PART.
Chap. I. The state of the question ; with a summary of the reasons for which, among men of different religions, one side only can be saved 93
Answer I. Shewing, that the adversary grants the former question, and proposeth a new one; and that there is no reason why, among men of different opinions and com- munions, one side only can be saved 102
Chap. II. What is that means whereby the revealed truths of God are conveyed to our understanding, and which must determine controversies in faith and religion 12,6
Answer II. Concerning the means whereby the revealed truths of God are conveyed to our understanding; and which must determine controversies in faith and reli- gion "^'^57
Chap. III. That the distinction of points fundamental and not fundamental is neither pertinent nor true in our present
xii THE CONTENTS.
controversy; and that the cathoHc visible church cannot err in either kind of the said points 281
Answer III. Wherein is maintained, that the distinction between points fundamental and not fundamental is in this present controversy good and pertinent: and that the ca- thoUc church may err in the latter kind of the said points 312
THE LIFE
OF
MR. WILLIAM CHILLINGWORTH.
Mr. William Chillingworth was son of Wil- liam Chillingworth, citizen, and afterwards mayor of Oxford, and was born in St. Martins parish in that city, in October 1602, and on the last of that month received baptism there ^. William Laud, afterwards archbishop of Canterbury, and then fellow of St. John's college, and master of arts^ was his godfather*^. He became a scholar of Trinity college under the tuition of Mr. Robert Skinner, on the 2nd of June, 1618, being then about two years standing in the university**. June the 28th, 1620, he took the degree of bachelor of arts% and March the l6th, 1623-4, that of master ^ and June the 10th, 1628, became fellow of his college^. "He was then," says Mr. Wood^ "observed to be no drudge at his study, but being a man of great parts would do much in a little time, when he settled to it." He did not confine his studies to divinity, but applied himself with great success to mathematics ; and what
a Wood, Athen. Oxon. vol. 2. e Id. Fasti Oxon. vol. i. col.
col. 40. 2nd edit. Lond. 1 7 2 1 . 215.
^ Diary of Archbishop Laud, * Id. ibid. col. 226.
published by Mr. H. Wharton, S Wood, Athen. Oxon. vol. 2.
p. I, 2. col. 40.
c Wood, ubi supra, col. 42. ^ Ibid.
^ Id. col. 40.
xiv THE LIFE OF
shews the extent of his genius, he was esteemed likewise a good poet, in which capacity he is mentioned by sir John Suckling in his Sessions of the Poets*. His inti- mate friends were sir Lucius Carey, afterwards lord viscount Falkland ; Mr. John Hales of Eton, &c. ; but more particularly Mr. Gilbert Sheldon, who succeeded Dr. Juxon in the see of Canterbury^. The study and conversation of the university scholars at that time turned chiefly upon the controversies between the church of England and that of Rome ; and the great liberty, which had been allowed the popish missionaries in the end of the reign of king James I. being continued under king Charles I. upon the account of his marriage with Henrietta, daughter to Henry IV. of France ^ there was among them a famous Jesuit, who went under the name of John Fisher, though his true name was John Perse, or Percey"^, and was very busy in making con- verts, particularly at Oxford ; and attacking Mr. Chil- lingworth upon the necessity of an infallible living judge in matters of faith, the latter forsook the com- munion of the church of England, and with an incre- dible satisfaction of mind embraced the Romish re- ligion", and soon after wrote the following letter to his friend Mr. Gilbert Sheldon » :
" Good Mr. Sheldon, " Partly mine own necessities and fears, and partly charity to some others, have drawn me out of London
i Fragmenta aurea. A collec- ™ See Bibliotheca Scriptorum
tion of all the incomparable Societatis Jesu : a Nathaniele
pieces written by sir John Suck- Sotvello ejusdem Societatis
ling, p. 7. edit. London 1646. Presbytero, p. 487, 488. edit.
k Des Maizeaux's Historical Romae 1676.
and Critical Account of the Life ^ Wood, Athen. Oxon. vol.
and Writings of William Chil- 2. col. 40,
lingworth, p. 3. edit. London o Des Maizeaux, ubi supra,
1725, in octavo. p. 7.
1 Id. ibid.
MR. WILLIAM CHILLINGWORTH. xv
into the country. One particular cause, and not the least, was the news of your sickness, which had I found it had continued with you with any danger, no danger of my own should have kept ine from you. I am very glad to hear of your recovery, but sorry that your oc- casions do draw you so suddenly to London. But, I pray, leave a direction with Charles Green where you may be spoke with, and how I may send to you ; and you shall very shortly hear further from me. Mean- while let me entreat you to consider most seriously of these two queries :
'' 1 . Whether it be not evident from scripture and Fathers and reason, from the goodness of God, and the necessity of mankind, that there must be some one church infallible in matters of faith ?
" 2. Whether there be any other society of men in the world, besides the church of Rome, that either can upon good warrant, or indeed at all, challenge to itself the privilege of infallibility in matter of faith ?
" When you have applied your most attentive con- sideration upon these questions, I do assure myself your resolution will be affirmative in the first, and ne- gative in the second. And then the conclusion will be, that you will approve and follow the way wherein I have had the happiness to enter before you ; and should think it infinitely increased, if it would please God to draw you after.
'* I rest your assured friend, &c."
Mr. Fisher, in order to secure his conquest, persuaded Mr. Chillingworth to go over to the college of the Jesuits at Doway ; and the latter was desired to set down in writing the motives or reasons which had en- gaged him to embrace the Romish religion. But Dr. William Laud, then bishop of London, hearing of this
xvi THE LIFE OF
affair, and being extremely concerned at it, wrote to him ; and Mr. Chillingworth's answer expressing a great deal of moderation, candour, and impartiality, that prelate continued to correspond with him, pressing him with several arguments against the doctrine and practice of the Romanists. This set Mr. Chillingworth upon a new inquiry, which had the desired effect. But the place where he was not being suitable to the state of a free impartial inquirer, he resolved to come back to England, and left Doway in 1631, after a short stay there P. Upon his return to England, he was received with great kindness and affection by bishop Laud, who approved of his design of retiring to Oxford, (of which that prelate was then chancellor,) in order to complete the important work in which he was engaged, a free inquiry into religion. At last, after a thorough exa- mination, the protestant principles appearing to him the most agreeable to the holy scripture and reason, he de- clared for them ; and about the year 1634 wrote a con- futation of the motives which had induced him to go over to the church of Rome. This paper is now lost. It is true, we have a paper of his on the same subject, first published in 1 687, in the Additional Discourses of Mr. Chillingworth ; but it seems to be written upon some other occasion, probably at the desire of some of his friends^'.
As in his forsaking the church of England, as well as in his return to it, he was solely influenced by a sincere love of truth, so he constantly persevered in that excellent temper of mind ; and even after his re- turn to protestantism, he made no scruple to examine the grounds of it, as appears by a letter of his to Dr.
P Id. ibid. p. 9. See likewise 227. and Wood, Athen. Oxon.
The History of the Troubles and vol. 2. col. 40. Tryal of William Laud, &c. pub- 4 Des Maizeaux, ubi supra,
lished by Mr. H. Wharton, p. p. 13 — 17.
MR. WILLIAM CHILLINGWORTH. xvii
Sheldon, ^'containing some scruples he had about leaving the church of Rome, and returning to the church of England." These scruples, which he freely declared to his friends, seem to be the occasion of a groundless report, that he had turned papist a second time, and then protestant again ^
His returning to the protestant religion making a great deal of noise, he was engaged in several disputes with those of the Romish religion, and particularly with Mr. John Lewgar, Mr. John Floyd, a Jesuit, who went under the name of Daniel, or Dan. a Jesu % and Mr. White, author of the Dialogues published under the name of Rushworth, with whom, at the de- sire of lord George Digby, afterwards earl of Bristol, he had a conference at the lodgings of sir Kenelm Digby, a late convert to the church of Rome*. But in 1635 he was engaged in a work, which gave him a far greater opportunity to confute the principles of that church, and to vindicate the protestant religion, upon the following occasion. A Jesuit, who went by the name of Edward Knott, though his true name was Matthias Wilson", had published in 1630, in octavo, a little book, called, "Charity Mistaken, with the Want whereof Ca- tholickes are unjustly charged, for affirming, as they do with Grief, that Protestancy unrepented destroys Sal- vation." This was answered by Dr. Christopher Potter, provost of Queen's college in Oxford ; and his answer came out in 1633, with this title; "Want ofCharitie justly charged on all such Romanists, as dare (without Truth or Modesty) affirme, that Protestancie destroyeth Salvation. In Answer to a late Popish Pamphlet, in-
^ Id. ibid. p. 1 8. and remark and sir Kenelm Digby, knt. con-
QF.] cerning Religion, p. 84, 85. edit.
s Id. ibid. p. 39,40. London 1651.
t Id. p. 40 — 43. and Letters ^ Bibliotheca Patrum Socie-
between the Lord George Digby, tatis Jesu, p. 1 85.
CHILLINGWORTH, VOL. I. b
xviii THE LIFE OF
tituled, Charity Mistaken, &c." The Jesuit replied in 1634 under this title; **Mercy and Truth, or Charity maintayned by Catholiques. By way of Reply upon an Answere lately framed by D. Potter to a Treatise, which had formerly proved, that Charity was Mistaken by Protestants ; with the Want whereof Catholiques are unjustly charged for affirming, that Protestancy unre- pented destroys Salvation. Divided into two Parts." Mr. Chillingworth undertaking to answer that Reply, and Mr. Knott being informed of his design, resolved to prejudice the public both against our author and his book, in a libel, entitled, "A Direction to be observed by N.N. if hee meane to proceede in answering the Booke, entitled, Mercy and Truth, or Charity maintained by Ca- tholickes, &c. printed in 1636, in 8vo. pp. 42. Permissu superiorumr In this piece he represents Mr. Chilling- worth as a Socinian ; whose answer was very near finished in the beginning of the year 1637 ; and having been examined, at archbishop Laud's request, by Dr. John Prideaux, afterwards bishop of Worcester, Dr. Richard Baylie, Vice-Chancellor of the university of Oxford, and Dr. Samuel Fell, lady Margaret's professor of divinity, it was published with their approbation in the latter end of that year, with this title; "The Re- ligion of Protestants a safe Way to Salvation : or an Answer to a Booke, intituled, Mercy and Truth, or Charity maintained by Catholiques. Which pretends to prove the contrary. By William Chillingworth, Mas- ter of Arts of the University of Oxford." This book was received with a general applause ; and, what per- haps never happened to any other controversial work of that bulk, two editions were published within less than five months. On the other hand, Mr. Knott seeing that he had not been able to deter our author from publishing his answer, tried once more to prejudice the
MR. WILLIAM CHILLINGWORTH. xix
public against it ; wherein he was seconded by some Jesuits. For in 1638, Mr. Knott published a pam- phlet, entitled, "Christianity Maintained; or, A Dis- covery of Sundry Doctrines tending to the Overthrow of the Christian Religion, contained in the Answere to a Book, intituled, Mercy and Truth ; or. Charity main- tained by Catholiques ; printed at St. Omer's, in 4to, pp. 86." In this piece ^ he promises a larger volume in answer to Mr. Chillingworth. To this pamphlet is subjoined a little piece under the title of "Motives Main- tained ; or, A Reply unto Mr. Chillingworth's Answere to his owne Motives of his Conversion to the Catholicke Religion." The next pamphlet against our author was likewise printed at StOmer's in 1638, in 4to, pp. 193, with this title ; "The Church Conquerant over Human Wit ; or. The Churches Authority demonstrated by Mr. William Chillingworth (the Proctour for wit against her) his perpetual Contradictions in his Book, intituled. The Religion of Protestants a safe Way to Salvation." The author was a Jesuit, called John Floyd, who in 1639 published likewise another piece in 4to, pp. 104, entitled, "The Totall Summe ; or. No Danger of Dam- nation unto Rom a Catholiques for any Errours in Faith; nor any Hope of Salvation for any Sectary whatsoever that doth knowingly oppose the Doctrine of the Roman Church. This is proved by the Confessions and Saying of Mr. Chillingworth his Booke." The third pamphlet which appeared against Mr. Chillingworth was printed in 1639, most probably at St. Omer's, in 4to, pp. 158, and entitled, "The Judgment of an University- Man concerning Mr. William Chillingworth his late Pamphlet, in Answere to Charity Maintayned." It was written by Mr. William Lacy, a Jesuit. To this piece is subjoined another, entitled, '' Heautomachia. Mr. Chil- w Preface, p. 1 1 . b 2
XX THE LIFE OF
lingworth against himself." pp. 46. It hath no title-page nor preface, being the sequel of the other, and printed at the same time. The style is also the same. In 1652, nine years after our author's death, Mr. Knott published a large answer to him, entitled, " Infidelity Unmasked : or. The Confutation of a Booke published by Mr. William Chillingworth, under this title. The Religion of Protestants a safe Way to Salvation ;" printed at Ghent, in 4to, pp. 949, besides the Preface and Index.
While Mr. Chillingworth was employed in the ex- cellent work above mentioned, he wrote a letter to one of his friends, who had desired to know what judg- ment might be made of Arianism from the sense of anti- quity ; it is without date ; and the cover being lost, it doth not appear to whom it was written. The original is in the library of the Royal Society, and is as follows:
" Dear Harry,
** I am very sorry it was my ill fortune not to see thee the day that I went out of Oxford, otherwise I should have thanked thee very heartily for the favour thou didst the night before, especially for Mr. Coven- try's company and discourse, whose excellent wit I do very much admire ; and had I so much interest in him as you have, I should desire him often (though I hope I need not) to remember what our Saviour says. To whom much is given, of them much shall he required,
" Mr. Taylor did much confirm my opinion of his sufficiency ; but let me tell you in your ear, methinks he wants much of the ethical part of a discourser, and slights too much many times the arguments of those he discourses with. But this is a fault he would quickly leave, if he had a friend that would discreetly tell him of it. If you or Mr. Coventry would tell him that
MR. WILLIAM CHILLINGWORTH. xxi
you heard one, that knows him, magnify him exceed- ingly for other things, but censure him for this, you might do him a very friendly office ; and my writing to you thus much gives you ground enough to say so truly. But you must not give the least suspicion that I am the man, and therefore not do it yet a good while.
" When Dr. Sheldon comes to Oxford, I will be there again, and then will be very ready to do any service in the business you imparted to me.
" I was mistaken in my directing you to Eusebius for the matter you wrote of. You shall find it in a witness much further from exception herein than Eu- sebius, even Athanasius himself, the greatest adversary of that doctrine, and Hilary, who was his second. See the first in Ep. de Synodis Arim. et Seleuc, p. 917 D. tom. 1. edit. Paris. 1627. See the second De Synodis y fol.97. In the first you shall find, that the eighty Fathers, which condemned Samosatenus, affirmed ex- pressly, that ' the Son is not of the same essence of the Father;' which is to contradict formally the coun- cil of Nice, which decreed ' the Son coessential to the Father.' In the second you shall find these words to the same purpose, Octoginta episcopi olim respuerunt TO homousioji. See also, if you please, Justin, cont. Tryph. p. 283, 356, 357; Tertull. against Praxeas, c. 9 ; Novatian, T)e Trinit. in fine^ who is joined with Tertullian ; Athanas. Ep. de Fide Dion. Alex. t. 1. p. 551 ; Basil, t. 2. p. 802, 803, edit. Paris, 1618. See St. Hierom, Apol. 2, cont. Ruffinum, t. 2. p. 329- Paris, 1579. See Petavius upon Epiph. his Panar. ad Hcer. 69, quce est Arii, p. 285 ; and consider how well he clears Lucian the martyr from Arianism, and what he there confesses of all the ancient Fathers.
" If you could understand French, I would refer
b 3
xxii THE LIFE OF
to Perron, p. 633, of his Reply to King James, where you should find these words : ' If a man should demand of an Arian, if he would submit to the judgment of the church of the ages precedent to that of Constantine and Mercian, he would make no difficulty of it, but would press himself, that the controversy might be decided by that little which remains to us of the au- thors of that time. For an Arian would find in Ire- nseus, Tertullian, and others, which remain of those ages, that the Son is the instrument of the Father; that the Father commanded the Son in the works of creation; that the Father and the Son are aliud et aliud: which things he that should now hold, now when the language of the church is more examined, would be esteemed a very Arian.'
" If you read Bellarmine touching this matter, you should find, that he is troubled exceedingly to find any tolerable glosses for the speeches of the Fathers before the council of Nice, which are against him ; and yet he conceals the strongest of them ; and to counterpoise them, cites authors that have indeed an- cient names, but such, whom he himself has stigma- tized for spurious or doubtful, in his book, De Script. Eccles.
a Were I at leisure, and had a little longer time, I could refer you to some, that acknowledge Origen's judgment to be also against them in this matter. And Fisher, in his Answer to Dr. White's Nine Ques- tions^, has a place almost parallel to that above cited out of Perron.
'* In a word, whosoever shall freely and impartially
consider of this thing, and how on the other side the
ancient Fathers' weapons against the Arians are in a
manner only places of scripture, (and those now for
^ P. io6, 107.
MR. WILLIAM CHILLINGWORTH. xxiii
the most part discarded as impertinent and uncon- cluding,) and how in the argument drawn from the authority of the ancient Fathers, they are almost al- ways defendants, and scarce ever opponents ; he shall not choose but confess, or at least be very inclinable to believe, that the doctrine of Arius is either a truth, or at least no damnable heresy.
" But the carrier stays for my letter, and I have now no more time than to add, that I am thy very true and loving friend, &c.
" See Facundus Hermianensis, lib. 10. c. 15. Re- member always the words of our Saviour, If you ivill do the will of my Father^ you shall know of the doc- trine, whether it he of God,
"If you can, send me Mr. Diggs's speech. I prithee go to Dr. Littleton, and desire him to send me all that he has of Vorstius. For in the epistles of his, which I borrowed of him, he refers me to some other books of his, which I shall have especial occasion to use ; especially his book agaist Pistorius the Jesuit."
In the year 1635, sir Thomas Coventry, lord keeper of the great seal, offering Mr. Chillingworth some preferment, he refused to accept it on account of his scruples with regard to the subscription to the Thirty- nine Articles of the Church of England^; and wrote a letter upon this subject to Dr. Sheldon. Mr. Des Mai- zeaux observes''', that he had two transcripts of it, one of which (that hath a postscript) was communicated to him by Dr. White Kennet, lord bishop of Peter- borough, to which, and to the copy of the other letter of Mr. Chillingworth, upon his going over to the Ro- mish religion, his lordship had subjoined the follow- ing memorandum : " To the copies of these two letters to Mr. Gilbert Sheldon and Dr. Sheldon, Mr. Wharton, y DesMaizeaux, iibi supra, p. 58, &c. ^ p. 86.
b 4
xxiv THE LIFE OF
who procured the transcripts, gave this attestation under his own hand : Ex autographis Uteris penes Danielem Sheldon armigerum, archiepiscopi nepotem.'^ It is dated from ^Tew, Septemb. 21, 1635, and directed ** To the right worshipful, and his much honoure^i friend Dr. Sheldon," and is as follows, with the various readings of the other transcript, communicated to Mr. Des Maizeaux, noted in the margin.
" Good Dr. Sheldon,
" I do here send you news, as unto my best friend, of a great and happy victory, which at length, with extreme difficulty, I have scarcely obtained over the only enemy that can hurt me, that is, myself.
" Sir, so it is, that though I am in debt to yourself and others of my friends above twenty pounds more than I know how to pay ; though I am in want of many conveniences ; though in great danger of falling into a chronical infirmity of my body ; though in an- other thing, which you perhaps guess at what it is, but I will not tell you, which would make me more joyful of preferment than all these, (if I could come honestly ^by it,) though money comes to me from my father's purse like blood from his veins, or from his heart ; though I am very sensible, that I have been too long already an unprofitable burden to my lord, and must not still continue so ; though my refusing preferment may perhaps (which fear, I assure you, does much afflict me) be injurious to my friends and intimate acquaintance, and prejudicial to them in the way of theirs ; though conscience of my own good 2 intention and desire suggests unto me many flattering
^ to 2 intentions and desires
a In Oxfordshire, the seat of Lucius, lord viscount Falkland.
MR. WILLIAM CHILLINGWORTH. xxv
hopes of great ^possibility of doing God and his church service, if I had that preferment which I may fairly hope for ; though I may justly fear, that by refusing those preferments which I sought for, I shall gain the reputation of weakness and levity, and incur their displeasure, whose good opinion of me, next to God's favour, and my own good opinion of myself, I do esteem and desire above all things : though all these, and many other terrihiles visii Jhrmce, have represented themselves to my imagination in the most hideous manner that may be ; yet I am at length firmly and unmovably resolved, if I can have no preferment with- out subscription, that I neither can nor will have any. " For this resolution I have but one reason against a thousand temptations to the contrary ; but it is ev /uLcya, against which if all the little reasons in the world were put in the balance, they would be lighter than vanity. In brief, this it is : as long as I keep that modest and humble assurance of God's love and favour, which I now enjoy, and wherein I hope I shall be daily more and more confirmed ; so long, in despite of all the world, I may and shall and will be happy. But if I once lose this, though all the world should conspire to make me happy, I shall and must be extremely miserable. Now this inestimable jewel, if I subscribe, (without such a declaration as will make^ the subscription no subscription,) I shall wittingly and willingly and deliberately throw away. For though I am very well persuaded of you and my other friends, who do so with a full persuasion that you may do it lawfully ; yet the case stands so with me, and I can see no remedy but for ever it will do so, that if I sub- scribe, I subscribe my own damnation. For though I do verily believe the church of England a true member •^ possibilities "^ as makes
xxvi THE LIFE OF
of the church ; that she wants nothing necessary to salvation, and holds nothing repugnant to it ; and had thought, that to think so had sufficiently qualified me for a subscription : yet now I plainly see, if I will not juggle with my conscience, and play with God Al- mighty, I must forbear.
" For to say nothing of other things, which I have so well considered, as not to be in a state to sign them, and yet not so well as to declare myself against them ; two points there are wherein I am fully resolved, and therefore care not who knows my mind. One is, that to say the fourth commandment is a law of God ap- pertaining to Christians, is false and unlawful. The other, that the damning sentences in St. Athanasius's Creed (as we are made to subscribe it) are most false, and also in a high degree presumptuous and schisma- tical. And therefore I can neither subscribe, Hhat these things are ' agreeable to the word of God,' seeing I believe they are certainly repugnant to it ; nor that the whole * Common Prayer is lawful to be used,' see- ing I believe these parts of it certainly unlawful ; nor promise, that ' I myself will use it,' seeing I never in- tend either to read these things, which ^I have now excepted against, or to say ^ Amen' to them.
" I shall not need to entreat you not to be offended with me for this my most honest, and (as I very believe) most wise resolution ; hoping rather you will do your endeavour, that I may neither be honest at so dear a rate as the loss of preferment, nor buy preferment at so much dearer a rate^ the loss of honesty.
" I think myself happy, that it pleased God, when I
was resolved to venture upon a subscription without
full assurance of the lawfulness of it, to cast in my
way two unexpected impediments to divert me from
1 to these things as agreeable 2 I now have
MR. WILLIAM CHILLINGWORTH. xxvii
accomplishing my resolution. For I profess unto you, since I entertained it, I have never enjoyed quiet day nor night, till now that I have rid myself of it again. And I plainly perceive, that if I had swallowed this pill, howsoever gilded over with glosses and reserva- tions, and wrapt up in conserves of good intentions and purposes, yet it would never have agreed nor stayed with me, but I would have cast it up again, and with it whatsoever preferment I should have gained with it as the wages of unrighteousness ; which would have been a great injury to you and to my lord keeper. Whereas now res est Integra ; and he will not lose the gift of any preferment by bestowing it on me, nor have any engagement to Mr. Andrews for me.
" But ^however this would have succeeded, in case I had then subscribed, I thank God I am now so re- solved, that I will never do that while I am living and in health, which I would not do if I were dying ; and this I am sure I would not do. I would never do any thing for preferment, which I would not do but for preferment ; and this, I am sure, I should not do. I will ^ never undervalue the happiness, which God's love brings to me with it, as to put it to the least ad- venture in the world, for the gaining of any worldly happiness. I remember very well, Qucerite primum regnum Dei, et ccstera omnia adjicientur tibi: and therefore hvhenever I make such a preposterous choice, I will give you leave to think I am out of my wits, or do not believe in God, or at least am so unreasonable as to do a thing, in hope I shall be sorry for it after- wards, and wish it undone.
"It cannot be avoided, but my lord of Canterbury must come to know this my resolution ; and, I think, the sooner the better. Let me entreat you to acquaint 1 howsoever ^ never so ^ whensoever
xxviii THE LIFE OF
him with it, (if you think it expedient,) and let me hear from you as soon as possibly you can. But when you write, I pray remember, that my foregoing prefer- ment (in this^ state wherein I am) is grief enough to me; and do not you add to it, by being angry with me for doing that which I must do, or be miserable. " I am your most loving and true servant, &c.
" So much of my defence of Dr. Potter as I have done, I intend to review and perfect before I proceed, and, if it shall be thought fit, to publish it, annexing a discourse to this effect, that if this be answered, all the rest is so ; which by the strict dependance of that which follows on that which goes before, I shall be able very easily to demonstrate.
" Direct your letters to me at my father's house in Oxford, and it will be sufficient.
" I am sorry to hear that Mr. Craven continues ill still. I fear he is in more danger than he imagines. Pray, if you can see him, send me word how he does."
Dr. Sheldon's answer to this letter of Mr. Chilling- worth has not yet been discovered ; but by a paper containing the heads or hints of another answer of his to our author, it appears that there passed several letters between them on that subject ; some for greater secresy, written in a third person. For Mr. Chilling- worth being intent upon a full inquiry into the sense of the Articles, every new examination afforded him new scruples. Dr. Sheldon's paper is as follows ^ :
" God forbid I should persuade any to do against his conscience : be it in itself good or bad, it must be a sin to lie.
1 being in this « Des Maizeaux, ubi supra, p. 103, 104.
MR. WILLIAM CHILLINGWORTH. xxix
" It was in a third person ; else I would not have told you what I did.
" I must deal plainly with you, I am much afraid it will ruin you here, and not advantage you at the last day.
" I put not the title of conscience upon an humour of contradiction.
" Accord'mg] if not against, for it is according to scripture, that the church hath power to establish ce- remony or doctrine, if occasion require, not against the scripture.
" The end of these general forms of peace, if capable of any construction, lies against the papists.
" No evangelical counsels, as the papists', such as presuppose a fulfilling of the law, and going beyond it, to satisfy and merit for us, that's according to scrip- ture. In this sense the article condemns them. Con- sider it well.
" No such offering of Christ in the scripture, where you will find it once offered for all : in that manner they did it, against whom the article was framed ; taken with all aggravating circumstances of corporal presence, as if another satisfaction for sin : the conse- quences, which may be drawn from transubstantiation, amount to little less than blasphemy.
" Works done by bare nature are not meritorious de congruo : nature of sin they must have, if sin be in them ; and so it is, for malum ex qualibet causa. Un- less a downright Pelagian, you may give it a fair and safe and true interpretation.
" Upon these reasons, I presume, did that reverend prelate Andrews and that learned Mountague subscribe, when they publicly taught evangelical counsels in their writings. W^hat you have sent to me in a third person, &c. Be not forward, nor possessed with a spirit of contradiction. Thus you may "
XXX THE LIFE OF
However at last Mr. Chillingworth surmounted his scruples ; and being promoted to the chancellorship of the church of Sarum, July the 20th, 1638, with the prebend of Brixworth in Northamptonshire annexed to it, he complied with the usual subscription.
About the same time he was appointed master of Wigstan's hospital in Leicester; "both which," says Mr. Wood ^, " and perhaps other preferments, he kept to his dying day." In 1640, he was deputed by the chapter of Salisbury for their proctor in convocation. In 1642, he was put into the roll with some others by his majesty to be created doctor of divinity ; but he came not to take that degree, nor was he diplomated ^. At the siege of Glocester, begun August the 10th, 1643, he was in the king's army before that city; and observing that they wanted materials to carry on the siege, he suggested the making of some engines after the manner of the Roman testudines cum pluteis, in order to storm the place ^\ That siege being raised by the earl of Essex, and the war continuing with great vigour on each side, the king appointed the lord Hopton general of his troops in the west, who forced Arundel castle in Sussex to surrender : but that castle was re- taken by sir William Waller, and Mr. Chillingworth among the rest made prisoner of war, who out of re- spect to my lord Hopton, " had accompanied him in that march, and being indisposed by the terrible cold- ness of the season, chose to repose himself in that gar- rison till the weather should mend*." Mr. Chilling- worth's illness increased to such a degree, that not being able to go to London with the garrison, he was
f Athen. Oxon. vol. 2. col. 42. torn. 4. p. 288, 289.
g Id. Fasti Oxon. vol. 2. col. i Clarendon, History of the
30. Rebellion, b. 8. torn. 4. p. 472,
h Rushworth, Histor. Collect. 473. [p. 457. vol. 4. Oxf. edit,
vol. 2. part 3. ad ann. 1643. 1826.]
MR. WILLIAM CHILLINGWORTH. xxxi
conveyed to Chichester ; which favour he obtained at the request of his great adversary, Mr. Francis Chey- nell, a bigoted presbyterian divine, who accidentally met him in Arundel castle, and frequently visited him at Chichester till he died. He hath given us an ac- count of our author's sickness, and his own behaviour towards him, in a book printed at London 1644, in 4to, entitled,*^ Chilli ngwoflki novissima, or the Sickness, Heresy, Death, and Burial of William Chillingworth, (in his own phrase,) Clerk of Oxford, and in the Con- ceit of his Fellow-souldiers the Queen's Arch-engineer and Grand Intelligencer ; set forth in a Letter to his eminent and learned Friends : a Relation of his Ap- prehension at Arundel ; a Discovery of his Errours in a briefe Catechisme ; and a short Oration at the Buriall of his hereticall Book. By Francis Cheynell, late Fellow of Merton Colledge. Published by Authority." Mr. Chil- lingworth died about January 30th, 1643-4, and was interred in the cathedral of Chichester.
Besides his works printed in this volume, he wrote several other pieces, not yet published, which were among the manuscripts of Mr. Henry Wharton, bought by Dr. Tenison, archbishop of Canterbury, and pre- sented to the Lambeth library ; some of which have been mentioned above. I shall give an account of them all from the catalogue of those manuscripts drawn up by Mr. Wharton himself, who observes ^, that the volume marked M. is Volumen Chartaceum in fol., containing " a collection of papers formerly be- longing to Archbishop Laud, many of them wrote with his own hand, but most of them endorsed with his hand ; together with some papers of the Archbishops
^ Catalogus MSS. Hen. Wharton, in Biblioth. Lambeth, ad vol. M.
xxxii THE LIFE OF
Sheldon and Bancroft, and many of Mr.Chillingworth." And after having set down part of the contents of that vohime, he adds, "Several papers of Mr. William Chil- lingworth," viz. :
^ 1. Mr.Peake's Five Questions proposed to Mr. Chil- ling worth about the Nature of Faith, and the Resolu- tion and Consequence of the Faith of Protestants.
2. Mr. Chillingworth's Answer to Mr. Peake's Ques- tions : first draught imperfect.
3. Mr. Chillingworth's answer to the same, being complete and perfect.
4. The beginning of a Treatise against the Scots, by Mr.Chillingworth.
5. Passages extracted out of the Declarations of the Scots, by Mr.Chillingworth.
6. Observations upon the Scottish Declaration, by Mr. Chillingworth.
7. A Treatise of the Unlawfulness of resisting the lawful Prince, although most impious, tyrannical, and idolatrous, by Mr. Chillingvvorth.
8. A Letter of Mr. Chillingworth excusing his writ- ing against the rebels ^\
9. Notes of Mr. Chillingworth concerning God's uni- versal Mercy in calling Men to Repentance.
10. A problematical Tentamen of Mr. Chillingworth against punishing Crimes with Death in Christian So- cieties " : cancelled.
11. A Letter of Mr. J. to Mr. Chillingworth, of the Imperfection of Natural Religion and Reason, without the Assistance of Revelation : wrote 1637.
1 [Copies of these papers were *" Printed in Mr. Des Mai-
made for the use of this edition ; zeaux's Life of Mr. Chilling-
but upon examination they did worth, p. 300. not appear sufficiently finished n This paragraph is razed out
to justify their being given to in the catalogue. []See vol. 3.
the public] P- 435-
MR. WILLIAM CHILLINGWORTH. xxxiii
12. A short Discourse of the Nature of Faith, by- Mr. Chillingworth.
13. A larger Discourse of the Nature of Faith, by- Mr. Chillingworth.
14. Of the Absurdity- of departing from the Church of England, for want of Succession of visible Profes- sors in all Ages, by Mr. Chillingworth.
15. A brief Answer to several Texts of Scripture alleged to prove the Church to be one, visible, univer- sal, perpetual, and infallible, by Mr. Chillingworth.
16. A Letter of Dr. Sheldon to Mr. Chillingworth, to satisfy his Scruples about subscribing".
17. Letter of Mr. Chillingworth to Dr. Sheldon, containing some Scruples about leaving the Church of Rome, and returning to the Church of England.
18. Letter of Mr. Chillingworth to Dr. Sheldon, containing his Scruples about Subscription, and the Reason of them**.
Archbishop TillotsonP styles our author incompa- rable, and the glory of Ms age and nation; and Mr. Locke recommends the reading of his Religion of Pro- testants in several of his works ; and particularly in a piece containing some Thoughts concerning Reading and Study for a Gentleman ^ wherein, after having ob- served that the art of speaking well consists chiefly in two things, viz. perspicuity and right reasoning, and proposed Dr. Tillotson as a pattern for the attainment of the art of speaking clearly, he adds ; " Besides per- spicuity, there must be also right reasoning, without which perspicuity serves but to expose the speaker.
»* This paragraph is razed out Barker, vol. 12. Sermon 6. on
in the catalogue. Hebr. xi. 6. p. 167, 168.
o This letter hath been in- q A Collection of several
serted above. Pieces of Mr. John Locke, never
P Sermons on various occa- before printed, or not extant in
sions, published by Dr. Ralph his Works, p. 234, 235.
CHILLINGWORTH, VOL. I. C
xxxiv LIFE OF MR. W. CHILLINGWORTH.
And for attaining of this I should propose the constant reading of Chillingworth, who by his example will teach both perspicuity and the way of right reasoning, better than any book that I know ; and therefore will deserve to be read upon that account over and over again ; not to say any thing of his argument."
THE PREFACE
THE
PRE FACE
TO THE AUTHOR OF
CHARITY MAINTAINED
WITH AN
ANSWER TO HIS PAMPHLET,
ENTITLED
A DIRECTION TO N.N.
Sir,
U PON the first news of the publication of your book, I used all diligence with speed to procure it ; and came with such a mind to the reading of it, as St. Austin, before he was a settled catholic, brought to his conference with Faustus the Manichee. For, as he thought that if any thing more than ordinary might be said in defence of the Manichean doctrine, Faustus was the man from whom it was to be expected, so my persuasion concerning you was. Si Pergama dextra defendi possunt, certe hac defensa videho. For I conceived, that among the champions of the Roman church the English in reason must be the best, or equal to the best, as being by most expert masters trained up purposely for this war, and perpetually practised in it. Among the English, I saw the Jesuits would yield the first place to none ; and men so wise in their generation as the Jesuits were, if they had any Achilles among them, I presumed, would make choice of him for this service. And besides, I had
CHILLINGWORTH, VOL. I. B
2 "Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained,
good assurance, that in the framing of this building, though you were the only architect, yet you wanted not the assistance of many diligent hands to bring you in choice materials towards it ; nor of many careful and watchful eyes to correct the errors of your work, if any should chance to escape you. Great reason therefore had I to expect great matters from you, and that your book should have in it the spirit and elixir of all that can be said in defence of your church and doctrine ; and to assure myself, that if my resolution not to be- lieve it were not built upon the rock of evident grounds and reasons, but only upon some sandy and deceitful appearances, now the wind and storm and floods were coming, which would undoubtedly overthrow it.
2. Neither truly were you more willing to effect such an alteration in me, than I was to have it effected. For my desire is to go the right way to eternal hap- piness. But whether this way lie on the right hand, or the left, or straight forward ; whether it be by fol- lowing a living guide, or by seeking my direction in a book, or by hearkening to the secret whisper of some private spirit, to me it is indifferent. And he that is otherwise affected, and hath not a traveller's indifference, which Epictetus requires in all that would find the truth, but much desires, in respect of his ease, or plea- sure, or profit, or advancement, or satisfaction of friends, or any human consideration, that one way should be true rather than another ; it is odds but he will take his desire that it should be so, for an assurance that it is so. But I, for my part, unless I deceive myself, was, and still am so affected, as I have made profession, not willing, I confess, to take any thing upon trust, and to believe it without asking myself why ; no, nor able to command myself (were I never so willing) to follow, like a sheep, every shepherd that should take upon
fTith an Answer to /lis Direction to A\ A\ 8
him to guide me ; or every flock that should chance to go before me : but most apt and most willing to be led by reason to any way, or from it, and always sub- mitting all other reasons to this one — God hath said so, therefore it is true. Nor yet was I so unreasonable, as to expect mathematical demonstrations from you in matters plainly incapable of them, such as are to be be- lieved, and, if we speak properly, cannot be known; such therefore I expected not. For, as he is an un- reasonable master, who requires a stronger assent to his conclusions than his arguments deserve ; so I con- ceive him a froward and undisciplined scholar, who desires stronger arguments for a conclusion than the matter will bear. But, had you represented to my understanding such reasons of your doctrine, as, being weighed in an even balance, held by an even hand, with those on the other side, would have turned the scale, and have made your religion more credible than the contrary ; certainly I should have despised the shame of one more alteration, and with both mine arms, and with all my heart, most readily have embraced it : such was my expectation from you, and such my prepara- tion, which I brought with me to the reading of your book.
S. Would you know now what the event was, what effect was wrought in me, by the perusal and considera- tion of it? To deal truly and ingenuously with you, I fell somewhat in my good opinion both of your sufficiency and sincerity, but was exceedingly confirmed in my ill opinion of the cause maintained by you. I found every where snares that might entrap, and colours that might deceive the simple ; but nothing that might persuade, and very little that might move an understanding man, and one that can discern between discourse and sophistry : in short, I was verily persuaded, that I plainly saw,
B 2
4 Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained,
and could make it appear to all dispassionate and un- prejudicate judges, that a vein of sophistry and calumny- did run clean through it from the beginning to the end. And letting some friends understand so much, I suf- fered myself to be persuaded by them, that it would not be either unproper for me, or unacceptable to God, nor perad venture altogether unserviceable to his church, nor justly offensive to you, (if you indeed were a lover of truth, and not a maintainer of a faction,) if setting aside the second part, which was in a manner wholly employed in particular disputes, repetitions, and refer- ences, and in wranglings with Dr. Potter about the sense of some supernumerary quotations, and whereon the main question no way depends ; I would make a fair and ingenuous answer to the first, wherein the sub- stance of the present controversy is confessedly con- tained ; and which if it were clearly answered, no man would desire any other answer to the second. This therefore I undertook with a full resolution to be an adversary to your errors, but a friend and servant to your person : and so much the more a friend to your person, by how much the severer and more rigid adver- sary I was to your errors.
4. In this work my conscience bears me witness, that I have, according to your advice, " proceeded always with this consideration, that I am to give a most strict account of every line and word that passeth under my pen :" and therefore have been precisely careful, for the matter of my book, to defend truth only, and only by truth : and then scrupulously fearful of scandalizing you or any man with the manner of handling it. From this rule, sure I am, I have not willingly swerved in either part of it ; and, that I might not do it igno- rantly, I have not only myself examined mine own work, (perhaps with more severity than I have done
With an Answer to his Direction to N. N, 5
yours, as conceiving it a base and unchristian thing to go about to satisfy others with what I myself am not fully satisfied,) but have also made it pass the fiery trial of the exact censures of many understanding judges, always heartily wishing that you yourself had been of the quorum. But they who did undergo this burden, as they wanted not a sufficiency to discover any heterodox doctrine, so I am sure they have been very careful to let nothing slip dissonant from truth, or from the authorized doctrine of the church of Eng- land : and therefore whatsoever causeless and ground- less jealousy any man may entertain concerning my person, yet my book, I presume, in reason and common equity, should be free from them ; wherein I hope, that little or nothing hath escaped so many eyes, which being weighed in the balance of the sanctuary will be found too light : and in this hope I am much confirmed by your strange carriage of yourself in this whole business. For though by some crooked and sinister arts you have got my answer into your hands, now a year since and upwards, as I have been assured by some that profess to know it% and those of your own party ; though you could not want every day fair op- portunities of sending to me, and acquainting me with any exceptions which you conceived might be justly taken to it, or any part of it ; (than which nothing could have been more welcome to me;) yet hitherto you have not been pleased to acquaint me with any one : nay more, though you have been at sundry times, and by several ways, entreated and solicited, nay press- ed and importuned by me, to join with me in a private discussion of the controversy between us, before the publication of my Answer, (because I was extremely un- willing to publish any thing which had not passed all
^ some that know it. O.r/'. B 3
6 Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained,
manner of trials ; as desiring, not that I, or my side, but that truth might overcome, on which side soever it was,) though I have protested to you, and set it under my hand, (which protestation by God's help I would have made good,) if you, or any other, who would un- dertake your cause, would give me a fair meeting, and choose out of your whole book any one argument whereof you was most confident, and by which you would be content the rest should be judged of, and make it appear that I had not, or could not answer it, that I would desist from the work which I had under- taken, and answer none at all : though by all the arts which possibly I could devise, I have provoked you to such a trial ; and in particular by assuring you, that if you refused it, the world should be informed of your tergiversation ; notwithstanding all this, you have perpetually and obstinately declined it ; which to my understanding is a very evident sign, that there is not any truth in your cause, nor (which is impossible there should be) strength in your arguments ; especially con- sidering what our Saviour hath told us, Every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved; hut he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may he made manifest, that they are wrought in God,
5. In the meanwhile, though you despaired of com- passing your desire this honest way, yet you have not omitted to tempt me, by base and unworthy consider- ations, to desert the cause which I had undertaken ; Jetting me understand from you, by an acquaintance common to us both, how that " in case my work should come to light, my inconstancy in religion" (so you mis- call my constancy in following that way to heaven, which for the present seems to me the most probable) " should be to my great shame painted to the life ;"
U^ith an Answer to his Direction to N, N. 7
that " my own writings should be produced against my- self; that I should be urged to answer my own motives against protestantism; and that such things should be published to the world touching my belief" (for my painter I must expect should have great skill in perspec- tive) "of the doctrine of the Trinity, the Deity of our Saviour, and all supernatural verities, as should en- danger all my benefices, present and future:" that " this warning was given me not out of fear of what I could say (for that catholics, if they might wish any ill, would beg the publication of my book, for respects obvious enough) ; but out of a mere charitable desire of my good and reputation :" and that " all this was said upon a supposition that I was answering or had a mind to an- swer Charity Maintained ; if not, no harm was done." To which courteous premonition, as I remember, I desired the gentleman who dealt between us to return this answer, or to this effect : That I believed the doctrine of the Trinity, the Deity of our Saviour, and all other supernatural verities revealed in scripture, as truly and as heartily as yourself, or any man ; and therefore herein your charity was very much mistaken ; but much more, and more uncharitably, in conceiving me a man that was to be wrought upon with these terri- biles visu Jbrmw, those carnal and base fears which you presented to me ; which were very proper motives for the Devil and his instruments to tempt poor-spirited men out of the way of conscience and honesty, but very incongruous, either for teachers of truth to make use of, or for lovers of truth (in which company I had been long agone matriculated) to hearken to with any regard. But if you were indeed desirous that I should not answer Charity Maintained, one way there was, and but one, whereby you might obtain your desire ; and that was, by letting me know when and where I might attend
B 4
8 Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained,
you ; and by a fair conference, to be written down on both sides, convincing mine understanding (who was resolved not to be a recusant if I were convicted) that any one part of it, any one argument in it, which was of moment and consequence, and whereon the cause depends, was indeed unanswerable. This was the ef- fect of my answer, which I am well assured was de- livered : but reply from you I received none but this, that you would have no conference with me but in print : and soon after finding me of proof against all these batteries, and thereby, I fear, very much enraged, you took up the resolution of the furious goddess in the poet, madded with the unsuccessfulness of her malice, Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo !
6. For certainly, those indign contumelies, that mass of portentous and execrable calumnies, wherewith in your pamphlet of Directions to N. N. you have loaded not only my person in particular, but all the learned and moderate divines of the church of England, and all protestants in general, nay, all wise men of all religions but your own, could not proceed from any other foun- tain.
7. To begin with the last : you stick not, in the be- ginning of your first chapter, to fasten the imputation of atheism and irreligion upon all wise and gallant men that are not of your own religion. In which uncharit- able and unchristian judgment, void of all colour or shadow of probability, I know yet by experience, that very many of the bigots of your faction are par- takers with you. God forbid I should think the like of you ! yet if I should say, that in your religion there want not some temptations unto, and some principles of irreligion and atheism, I am sure I could make my as- sertion much more probable than you have done or can make this horrible imputation.
With an Answer to his Direction to N. N, 9
8. For to pass by, first, that which experience justi- fies, that where and when your religion hath most ab- solutely commanded, there and then atheism hath most abounded. To say nothing, secondly, of your notorious and confessed forging of so many false miracles, and so many lying legends, which is not unlikely to make suspicious men to question the truth of all ; nor to ob- ject to you, thirdly, the abundance of your weak and silly ceremonies, and ridiculous observances in your religion ; which, in all probability, cannot but beget secret contempt and scorn of it in wise and considering men ; and consequently atheism and impiety, if they have this persuasion settled in them, (which is too rife among you, and which you account a piece of wisdom and gallantry,) that if they be not of your religion, they were as good be of none at all : nor to trouble you, fourthly, with this, that a great part of your doctrine, especially in the points contested, makes apparently for the temporal ends of the teachers of it ; which yet, I fear, is a great scandal to many heaux esprits among you : only I should desire you to consider attentively, when you conclude so often from the differences of pro- testants, that they have no certainty of any part of their religion, no not of those points wherein they agree ; whether you do not that which so magisterially you direct me not to do, that is, proceed " a destructive way, and object arguments against your adversaries, which tend to the overthrow of all religion ?" And whether, as you argue thus, " Protestants differ in many things, therefore they have no certainty of any thing ;" so an atheist or sceptic may not conclude as well. Christians and the professors of all religions differ in many things, therefore they have no certainty in any thing. Again, I should desire you to tell me ingenu- ously, whether it be not too probable, that your por-
10 Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained,
tentous doctrine of transubstantiation, joined with your forementioned persuasion of " No Papists, no Chris- tians," hath brought a great many others, as well as himself, to Averroes his resolution, Quandoquidem Christiani adorant quod cornedunt, sit anima mea cum philosophis f Whether your requiring men, upon only probable and prudential motives, to yield a most certain assent unto things in human reason impossible ; and telling them, as you do too often, that they were as good not believe at all, as believe with any lower* de- gree of faith, be not a likely way to make considering men scorn your religion, (and consequently all, if they know no other,) as requiring things contradictory, and impossible to be performed ? Lastly, whether your pre- tence, that there is no good ground to believe scripture, but your church's infallibility, joined with your pre- tending no ground for this but some texts of scripture, be not a fair way to make them that understand them- selves believe neither church nor scripture ?
9. Your calumnies against protestants in general are set down in these words, chap. ii. §. 2. " The very doc- trine of protestants, if it be followed closely, and with coherence to itself, must of necessity induce Socinianism. This I say confidently ; and evidently prove, by in- stancing in one error, which may well be termed the capital and mother heresy, from which all other must follow at ease ; I mean their heresy in affirming that the perpetual visible church of Christ, descended by a never-interrupted succession from our Saviour to this day, is not infallible in all that it proposeth to be be- lieved as revealed truths. For if the infallibility of such a public authority be once impeached, what re- mains, but that every man is given over to his own wit and discourse ? And talk not here of holy scripture : for if the true church may err, in defining what scrip-
With an Ansiver to his Direction to N, N. 11
tures be canonical, or in delivering the sense and mean- ing thereof; we are still devolved, either upon the pri- vate spirit, (a foolery now exploded out of England, which finally leaving every man to his own conceits ends in Socinianism,) or else upon natural wit and judg- ment, for examining and determining what scriptures contain true or false doctrine, and, in that respect, ought to be received or rejected. And, indeed, take away the authority of God's church, no man can be assured that any one book, or parcel of scripture, was written by Divine inspiration ; or that all the contents are infal- libly true ; which are the direct errors of Socinians. If it were but for this reason alone, no man, who re- gards the eternal salvation of his soul, would live or die in protestancy, from which so vast absurdities as these of the Socinians must inevitably follow. And it ought to be an unspeakable comfort to all us catholics, while we consider, that none can deny the infallible authority of our church, but jointly he must be left to his own wit and ways ; must abandon all infused faith and true religion, if he do but understand himself aright." In all which discourse, the only true word you speak is, " This I say confidently :" as for "proving evidently," that I believe you reserved for some other opportunity : for the present, I am sure you have been very sparing of it.
10. You say, indeed, confidently enough, that "the de- nial of the church's infallibility is the mother heresy, from which all other must follow at ease :" which is so far from being a necessary truth, as you make it, that it is indeed a manifest falsehood. Neither is it possible for the wit of man, by any good, or so much as probable consequence, from the denial of the church's infallibility, to deduce any one of the ancient heresies, or any one error of the Socinians, which are the heresies here en-
12 Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained,
treated of. For who would not laugh at him that should argue thus : Neither the church of Rome nor any other church is infallible ; ergo, the doctrine of Arius, Pelagius, Eutyches, Nestorius, Photinus, Mani- chaeus, was true doctrine ? On the other side it may be truly said, and justified by very good and effectual rea- son, that he that affirms with you the pope's infalli- bility, puts himself into his hands and power, to be led by him, at his ease and pleasure, into all heresy, and even to hell itself ; and cannot with reason say, (so long as he is constant to his grounds,) Domine, cur ita facts ? but must believe white to be black, and black to be white ; virtue to be vice, and vice to be virtue ; nay, (which is an horrible, but a most certain truth,) Christ to be antichrist, and antichrist to be Christ, if it be possible for the pope to say so : which, I say, and will maintain, however you daub and disguise it, is in- deed to make men apostatize from Christ to his pre- tended vicar, but real enemy. For that name, and no better, (if we may speak truth without offence,) I presume he deserves, who under pretence of interpreting the law of Christ (which authority, without any word of ex- press warrant, he has taken upon himself) doth in many parts evacuate and dissolve it: so dethroning Christ from his dominion over men's consciences, and instead of Christ, setting up himself; inasmuch as he that requires that his interpretations of any law should be obeyed as true and genuine, seem they to men's un- derstandings never so dissonant and discordant from it, (as the bishop of Rome does,) requires indeed that his interpretations should be the laws ; and he that is firmly prepared in mind to believe and receive all such interpretations without judging of them, and though to his private judgment they seem unreasonable, is in- deed congruously disposed to hold adultery a venial
with an Ansiver to his Direction to N, N. 13
sin, and fornication no sin, whensoever the pope and his adherents shall so declare. And whatsoever he may plead yet either wittingly or ignorantly, he makes the law and the lawmaker both stales, and obeys only the interpreter. As if I should pretend that I should submit to the laws of the king of England, but should indeed resolve to obey them in that sense which the king of France should put upon them, whatsoever it were ; I presume every understanding man would say, that I did indeed obey the king of France, and not the king of England. If I should pretend to believe the Bible, but that I would understand it according to the sense which the chief mufti should put upon it ; who would not say that I were a Christian in pretence only, but indeed a Mahumetan ?
11. Nor will it be to purpose for you to pretend that the precepts of Christ are so plain, that it cannot be feared that any pope should ever go about to dissolve them, and pretend to be a Christian : for not to say, that you now pretend the contrary ; to wit, " that the law of Christ is obscure even in things necessary to be believed and done ;" and by saying so, have made a fair way for any foul interpretation of any part of it : cer- tainly, that which the church of Rome hath already done in this kind is an evident argument, that (if once she had this power unquestioned, and made expedite and ready for use, by being contracted to the pope) she may do what she pleaseth with it. Who that had lived in the primitive church would not have thought it as utterly improbable, that ever they should have brought in the worship of images, and picturing of God, as now it is that they should legitimate fornica- tion ? Why may we not think, they may in time take away the whole communion from the laity, as well as they have taken away half of it? Why may we not
14
Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained,
think, that any text and any sense may not be accorded as well as the whole fourteenth chapter of the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians is reconciled to the Latin service ? How is it possible any thing should be plainer forbidden than the worship of angels in the Epistle to the Colossians ? than the teaching for doc- trines men's commands in the Gospel of St. Mark ? And therefore seeing we see these things done, which hardly any man would have believed that had not seen them, why should we not fear, that this unlimited power may not be used hereafter with as little mo- deration, seeing devices have been invented how men may worship images without idolatry, and kill in- nocent men, under pretence of heresy, without mur- der? Who knows not, that some tricks may not be hereafter devised, by which lying with other men's wives shall be no adultery, taking away other men's goods no theft ? I conclude therefore, that if Solomon himself were here, and were to determine the dif- ference, which is more likely to be mother of all heresy, the denial of the church's, or the affirming of the pope's infallibility, that he would certainly say, T'his is the mother, give her the child.
12. You say again confidently, that " if this infalli- bility be once impeached, every man is given over to his own wit and discourse:" which, if you mean dis- course not guiding itself by scripture, but only by prin- ciples of nature, or perhaps by prejudices and popular errors, and drawing consequences not by rule, but chance, is by no means true : if you mean by discourse, right reason grounded on Divine revelation, and com- mon notions written by God in the hearts of all men, and deducing, according to the never-failing rules of logic, consequent deductions from them ; if this be it which you mean by discourse, it is very meet and rea-
With an Answer to his Direction to N. N. 15
sonable and necessary, that men, as in all their actions, so especially in that of greatest importance, the choice of their way to happiness, should be left unto it ; and he that follows this in all his opinions and actions, and does not only seem to do so, follows always God ; whereas he that followeth a company of men, may oft- times follow a company of beasts : and in saying this, I say no more than St. John to all Christians in these words ; Dearly beloved, believe not every spirit ; but try the spirits, whether they be of God, or no. And the rule he gives them to make this trial by, is, to con- sider whether they confess Jesus to be the Christ; that is, the guide of their faith, and Lord of their ac- tions ; not, whether they acknowledge the pope to be his vicar : I say no more than St. Paul, in exhorting all Christians to try all things, and holdfast that which is good : than St. Peter, in commanding all Christians to be ready to give a reason of the hope that is i?i them : than our Saviour himself, in forewarning all his follow- ers, that if they blindly follow blind guides, both lead- ers and followers should fall into the ditch : and again, in saying even to the people, Yea, and why of yourselves judge ye not what is right f And though by passion, or precipitation, or prejudice, by want of reason, or not using what they have, men may be, and are oftentimes, led into error and mischief; yet, that they cannot be misguided by discourse, truly so called, such as I have described, you yourself have given them security. For what is discourse, but draw- ing conclusions out of premises by good consequence ? Now, the principles which we have settled, to wit, the scriptures, are on all sides agreed to be infallibly true. And you have told us in the fourth chapter of this pamphlet, that " from truth no man can, by good con- sequence, infer falsehood :" therefore, by discourse no
16 Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained,
man can possibly be led to error ; but if he err in his conclusions, he must of necessity either err in his prin- ciples (which here cannot have place) or commit some error in his discourse ; that is indeed, not discourse, but seem to do so.
13. You say, thirdly, with sufficient confidence, " that if the true church may err in defining what scriptures be canonical, or in the delivering the sense thereof, then we must follow either the private spirit, or else natural wit and judgment ; and by them exa- mine what scriptures contain true or false doctrine, and in that respect ought to be received or rejected." All which is apparently untrue ; neither can any proof of it be pretended. For though the present church may possibly err in her judgment touching this matter, yet have we other directions in it besides the private spirit and the examination of the contents ; (which latter way may conclude the negative very strongly, to wit, that such or such a book cannot come from God, because it contains irreconcilable contradictions ; but the affirm- ative it cannot conclude, because the contents^of a book may be all true, and yet the book not written by Divine inspiration ;) other direction therefore I say we have besides either of these three, and that is the testimony of the primitive Christians.
14. You say, fourthly, with convenient boldness, that " this infallible authority of your church being de- nied, no man can be assured that any parcel of scrip- ture was written by Divine inspiration : " which is an untruth, for which no proof is pretended ; and besides, void of modesty, and full of impiety : the first, because the experience of innumerable Christians is against it, who are sufficiently assured, that the scripture is di- vinely inspired, and yet deny the infallible authority of your church or any other : the second, because if I can-
With an Aiiswer to his Direction to N, N. 1 7
not have ground to be assured of the Divine authority of scripture, unless I first believe your church infallible, then I can have no ground at all to believe it ; because there is no ground, nor can any be pretended, why I should believe your church infallible, unless I first be- lieve the scripture Divine.
15. Fifthly and lastly, you say, vrith confidence in abundance, that " none can deny the infallible authority of your church, but he must abandon all infused faith and true religion, if he do but under- stand himself:" vi^hich is to say, agreeable to what you had said before, and what out of the abundance of your heart you speak very often, " that all Christians besides you are open fools or concealed atheists." All this you say with notable confidence ; (as the manner of sophisters is to place their confidence of prevailing in their confident manner of speaking;) but then for the evidence you promised to maintain this confidence, that is quite vanished and become in- visible.
16. Had I a mind to recriminate now, and to charge papists (as you do protestants) that they lead men to Socinianism, I could certainly make a much fairer show of evidence than you have done : for I would not tell you. You deny the infallibility of the church of England; ergo, you lead to Socinianism ; which yet is altogether as good an argument as this — Protestants deny the in- fallibility of the Roman church ; ergo, they induce So- cinianism : nor would I resume my former argument, and urge you, that by holding the pope's infallibility you submit yourself to that capital and mother he- resy, by advantage whereof he may lead you at ease to believe virtue vice, and vice virtue ; to believe Anti- christianity Christianism, and Christianity Antichrist- ianism : he may lead you to Socinianism, to Turcism,
CHILLINGWORTH, VOL. I. C
18 Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained ,
nay, to the Devil himself, if he have a mind to it : but I would shew you, that divers ways the doctors of your church do the principal and proper work of the Socinians for them, undermining the doctrine of the Trinity, by denying it to be supported by those pillars of the faith which alone are fit and able to support it — I mean scripture, and the consent of the ancient doc- tors.
17. For scripture, your men deny very plainly and frequently that this doctrine can be proved by it. See, if you please, this plainly taught, and urged very earn- estly, by cardinal Hosius, de Author. Sac. 1. 3. p. 53 ; by Gordonius Huntlaeus, tom. 1. Controv. 1. de Verbo Dei, c. 19; by Gretserus and Tannerus, in Colloquio Ratisbon ; and also by Vega, Possevin, Wickus, and others.
18. And then for the consent of the ancients : that that also delivers it not, by whom are we taught but by papists only? Who is it that makes known to all the world that Eusebius, that great searcher and de- vourer of the Christian libraries, was an Arian ? Is it not your great Achilles, cardinal Perron, in his third book and second chapter of his reply to king James ? Who is it that informs us that Origen (who never was questioned for any error in this matter in or near his time) " denied the divinity of the Son and the Holy Ghost ?" Is it not the same great cardinal, in his book of the Eucharist against M. du Plessis, 1. 2. c. 7 ? Who is it that pretends that " Irenaeus hath said those things which he that should now hold would be es- teemed an Arian ?" Is it not the same person, in his re- ply to king James, in the fifth chapter of his fourth observation ? And doth he not in the same place peach Tertullian also, and in a manner give him away to the Arians; and pronounce generally of the Fathers before
JVith an Ansiver to Ids Direction to N. N. 19
the council of Nice, that Arians would gladly be tried by them ? And are not your fellow Jesuits also, even the prime men of your order, prevaricators in this point as well as others? Doth not your friend Mr. Fisher or Mr. Floyd, in his book of the Nine Questions pro- posed to him by king James, speak dangerously to the same purpose, in his discourse of the resolution of faith, towards the end ? giving us to understand, " that the new reformed Arians bring very many testimonies of the ancient Fathers, to prove that in this point they did contradict themselves, and were contrary one to an- other ; which places whosoever shall read will clearly see that to common people they are unanswerable; yea, that common people are not capable of the answers that learned men yield unto such obscure passages." And hath not your great antiquary Petavius, in his notes upon Epiphanius, in Haer. 69, been very liberal to the adversaries of the doctrine of the Trinity, and in a man- ner given them for patrons and advocates, first Justin Martyr, and then almost all the Fathers before the council of Nice ; whose speeches, he says, touching this point, cum orthodoxcefidel regula minime conse?itiunt? Hereunto I might add, that the Dominicans and Jesuits between them in another matter of great importance, viz. God's prescience of future contingents, give the Socini- ans the premises out of which their conclusion doth un- avoidably follow : for the Dominicans maintain, on the one side, that " God can foresee nothing but what he de- crees ;" the Jesuits, on the other side, that " he doth not decree all things :" and from hence the Socinians con- clude (as it is obvious for them to do) that " he doth not foresee all things." Lastly, I might adjoin this, that you agree with one consent, and settle for a rule un- questionable, that no part of religion can be repugnant to reason ; whereunto you in particular subscribe un-
c 2
20 Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained,
awares in saying, " from truth no man can by good con- sequence infer falsehood ;" which is to say, in effect, that reason can never lead any man to error. And after you have done so, you proclaim to all the world, (as you in this pamphlet do very frequently,) that " if men fol- low their reason and discourse," they will (if they un- derstand themselves) be led to Socinianism. And thus you see with what probable matter I might furnish out and justify my accusation, if I should charge you with leading men to Socinianism ; yet do I not conceive that I have ground enough for this odious imputation. And much less should you have charged protestants with it, whom you confess to abhor and detest it, and who fight against it, not with the broken reeds and out of the paper fortresses of an imaginary infallibility, which were only to make sport for their adversaries, but with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God; of which we may say most truly, what David said of Go- liath's sword, offered him by Ahimelech, non est sicut iste, " there is none comparable to it."
19. Thus protestants in general, I hope, are suffi- ciently vindicated from your calumny. I proceed now to do the same service for the divines of England; whom you question first in point of learning and suf- ficiency, and then in point of conscience and honesty, as prevaricating in the religion which they profess, and inclining to popery. Their learning, you say, consists only in " some superficial talent of preaching, languages, and elocution, and not in any deep knowledge of phi- losophy, especially of metaphysics ; and much less of that most solid, profitable, subtle, and ( O rem ridiculam^ Cato, etjocosam !) succinct method of school-divinity:" wherein you have discovered in yourself the true ge- nius and spirit of detraction. For taking advantage from that wherein eiwy itself cannot deny but they are
With mi Answer to his Direction to ]V. N, 21
very eminent, and which requires great sufficiency of substantial learning, you disparage them as insufficient in all things else : as if, forsooth, because they dispute not eternally — utrum chimera homhinans in vacuo, possit comedere secundas intentiones — whether a mil- lion of angels may not sit upon a needle's point — because they fill not their brains with notions that signify nothing, to the utter extermination of all reason and common sense, and spend not an age in weaving and unweaving subtle cobwebs, fitter to catch flies than souls, therefore they have no deep knowledge in the acroamatical part of learning. But I have too much honoured the poorness of this detraction to take notice of it.
20. The other part of your accusation strikes deeper, and is more considerable : and that tells us, that "pro- testantism waxetli weary of itself ; that the professors of it, they especially of greatest worth, learning, and authority, love temper and moderation ; and are at this time more unresolved where to fasten, than at the in- fancy of their church ;" that ** their churches begin to look with a new face ; their walls to speak a new lan- guage ; their doctrine to be altered in many things, for which their progenitors forsook the then visible church of Christ : for example — the pope not antichrist : prayer for the dead : limhus patrum : pictures : that the church hath authority in determining controversies of faith, and to interpret scripture : about free will, pre- destination, universal grace :" that " all our works are not sins : merit of good works : inherent justice : faith alone doth not justify ; charity to be preferred be- fore knowledge : traditions : commandments possible to be kept:" that "their Thirty-nine Articles are pa- tient, nay ambitious, of some sense wherein they may seem catholic :" that " to allege the necessity of wife
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22 Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained,
and children in these days, is but a weak plea for a married minister to compass a benefice :" that " Cal- vinism is at length accounted heresy, and little less than treason :" that " men in talk and writing use will- ingly the once fearful names of priests and altars:" that " they are now put in mind, that for exposition of scripture they are by canon bound to follow the Fathers; which if they do with sincerity, it is easy to tell what doom will pass against protestants, seeing, by the con- fession of protestants, the Fathers are on the papists' side, which the answerer to some so clearly demon- strated that they remained convinced :" in fine, as the Samaritans saw in the disciples' countenances that they meant to go to Jerusalem, so you pretend it is even legible in the foreheads of these men that they are/ even going, nay, making haste to Rome ; which scur- rilous libel, void of all truth, discretion, and honesty, what effect it may have wrought, what credit it may have gained with credulous papists, (who dream what they desire, and believe their own dreams,) or with ill- affected, jealous, and weak protestants, I cannot tell : but one thing I dare boldly say, that you yourself did never believe it. ^
21. For did you indeed conceive, or had any probable hope, that such men as you describe, men of worth, of learning, and authority too, were friends and favourers of your religion, and inclinable to your party ; can any man imagine that you would proclaim it, and bid the world take heed of them ? Sic notus Ulysses ? Do we know the Jesuits no better than so ? What, are they turned prevaricators against their own faction ? Are they likely men to betray and expose their own agents and instruments, and to awaken the eyes of jealousy, and to raise the clamour of the people against them ? Certainly, your zeal to the see of Rome, testified by
With an Answer to his Direction to iV. N, 23
your fourth vow of special obedience to the pope, pro- per to your order, and your cunning carriage of all affairs for the greater advantage and advancement of that see, are clear demonstrations that if you had tliought thus, you would never have said so. The truth is, they that can run to extremes in opposition against you; they that pull down your infallibility, and set up their own ; they that declaim against your tyranny, and exercise it themselves over others, are the adversaries that give you greatest advantage, and such as you love to deal with : whereas upon men of temper and moderation, such as will oppose nothing because you maintain it, but will draw as near to you, that they may draw you to them, as the truth will suffer them ; such as require of Christians to believe only in Christ, and will damn no man nor doctrine without express and certain warrant from God's word ; upon such as these you know not how to fasten : but if you chance to have conference with any such, (which yet, as much as possibly you can, you avoid and decline,) you are very speedily put to silence, and see the indefensible weakness of your cause laid open to all men. And this, I verily believe, is the true reason that you thus rave and rage against them ; as foreseeing your time of pre- vailing, or even of subsisting, would be short, if other adversaries gave you no more advantage than they do.
22. In which persuasion also I am much confirmed by consideration of the silliness and poorness of those suggestions, and partly of the apparent vanity and false- hood of them, which you offer in justification of this wicked calumny. For what, if our devotion towards God out of a desire that he should be worshipped as in spirit and in truth in the first place, so also in the heauty of holiness ? — what if out of fear that too much
c 4
24 Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained,
simplicity and nakedness in the public service of God, may beget in the ordinary sort of men a dull and stupid irreverence ; and out of hope, that the outvrard state and glory of it, being vrell-disposed, and vrisely moder- ated, may ingender, quicken, increase, and nourish the inward reverence, respect, and devotion, w^hich is due unto God's sovereign majesty and power? — what if out of a persuasion and desire that papists may be won over to us the sooner, by the removing of this scandal out of their way ; and out of an holy jealousy, that the weaker sort of protestants might be the easier seduced to them by the magnificence and pomp of their church- service, in case it were not removed ? — I say, what if out of these considerations the governors of our church, more of late than formerly, have set themselves to adorn and beautify the places where God's honour dwells, and to make them as ^ heaven-like as they can with earthly ornaments ? Is this a sign that they are warping to- wards popery ? Is this devotion in the church of Eng- land an argument that she is coming over to the church of Rome ? Sir Edwin Sands, I presume, every man will grant, had no inclination that way ; yet he, forty years since, highly commended this part of devotion in pa- pists, and makes no scruple of proposing it to the imi- tation of protestants ; little thinking that they who would follow his counsel, and endeavour to take away this disparagement of protestants, and this glorying of papists, should have been censured for it, as making way and inclining to popery. His *^ words to this pur- pose are excellent words ; and because they shew plainly that what is now practised was approved by zealous protestants so long ago, I will here set them down.
23. " This one thing I cannot but highly commend in that sort and order : they spare nothing which either b lieavenly Oocf. ^ Survey of Religion, iJiit.
With an Answer to his Direction to N. N. 25
cost can perform in enriching, or skill in adorning, the temple of God ; or to set out his service with the greatest pomp and magnificence that can be devised. And al- though for the most part much baseness and childish- ness is predominant in the masters and contrivers of their ceremonies, yet this outvrard state and glory, be- ing well disposed, doth ingender, quicken, increase, and nourish the inward reverence, respect, and devotion, which is due unto sovereign majesty and power. And although I am not ignorant that many men well reputed have embraced the thrifty opinion of that disciple, who thought all to be wasted that was bestowed upon Christ in that sort, and that it were much better be- stowed upon the poor ; (yet with an eye perhaps that themselves would be his quarter-almoners ;) notwith- standing, I must confess, it will never sink into my heart, that in proportion of reason, the allowance for furnishing out of the service of God should be measured by the scant and strict rule of mere necessity ; (a pro- portion so low, that nature to other most bountiful, in matter of necessity hath not failed, no not the most ig- noble creatures of the world ;) and that for ourselves, no measure of heaping, but the most we can get ; no rule of expense, but to the utmost pomp we list : or that God himself had so enriched the lower parts of the world with such wonderful varieties of beauty and glory, that they might serve only to the pampering of mortal man in his pride ; and that in the service of the high Creator, Lord, and Giver, (the outward glory of whose higher palace may appear by the very lamps that we see so far off burning gloriously in it,) only the simpler, baser, cheaper, less noble, less beautiful, less glorious things should be employed ; especially seeing, as in princes' courts, so in the service of God also, this outward state and glory, being well disposed, doth (as I
26 Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained^
have said) ingender, quicken, increase, and nourish the inward reverence, respect, and devotion, which is due to so sovereign majesty and power ; which those whom the use thereof cannot persuade into, would easily, by the want of it, be brought to confess. For which cause I crave leave to be excused by them herein, if in zeal to the common Lord of all, I choose rather to commend the virtue of an enemy, than to flatter the vice and im- becility of a friend." And so much for this matter.
24. Again ; what if the names oi priests and altars, so frequent in the ancient Fathers, though not now in the popish sense, be now resumed and more commonly used in England than of late times they were ; that so the colourable argument of their conformity, which is but nominal with the ancient church, and our incon- formity, which the governors of the church would not have so much as nominal, may be taken away from them ; and the church of England may be put in a state, in this regard more justifiable against the Roman than formerly it was, being hereby enabled to say to papists, (whensoever these names are objected,) We also use the names oi priests and altars, and yet believe nei- ther the corporal presence nor any proper and propi- tiatory sacrifice ?
25. What if protestants be now put in mind, that for exposition of scripture they are bound by a canon to follow the ancient Fathers ; which whosoever doth with sincerity, it is utterly impossible he should be a papist ? And it is most falsely said by you, that you know, that to some protestants I clearly demonstrated, or ever so much as undertook, or went about to demon- strate the contrary. What if the centurists be cen- sured somewhat roundly by a protestant divine, for affirming that " the keeping of the Lord's day was a thing indifferent for two hundred years ?" Is there in
With an Answer to Ins Directio7i to N. N. m
all this, or any part of it, any kind of proof of this scandalous calumny? Certainly, if you can make no better arguments than these, and have so little judg- ment as to think these any, you have great reason to decline conferences, and signior Con to prohibit you from wanting books any more.
26. As for the points of doctrine, vrherein you pre- tend that these divines begin of late to falter, and to comply vi^ith the church of Rome ; vipon a due ex- amination of particulars, it will presently appear, first, that part of them alvrays have been, and now are, held constantly one way by them : as, the au- thority of the church in determining controversies of faith, though not the infallibility of it ; that there is inherent justice, though so imperfect that it cannot justify ; that there are traditions, though none neces- sary ; that charity is to be preferred before know- ledge ; that good works are not properly meritorious ; and, lastly, that faith alone justifies, though that faith justifies not which is alone. And secondly, for the re- mainder, that they every one of them have been an- ciently, without breach of charity, disputed among pro- testants : such, for example, were the questions about the pope's being the antichrist ; the lawfulness of some kind of prayers for the dead ; the estate of the fathers' souls before Christ's ascension ; freewill ; pre- destination ; universal grace ; the possibility of keeping God's commandments ; the use of pictures in the church : wherein that there hath been anciently diver- sity of opinion amongst protestants, it is justified to my hand by a witness with you beyond exception, even your great friend Mr. Brerely, " whose care, exactness, and fidelity" (you say in your preface) " is so extraordi- nary great." Consult him therefore, tract 3. sect. 7. of his Apology, and in the 9, 10, 11, 14, 24, 26, 27, 37.
28 Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained,
subdivisions of that section, you shall see, as in a mirror, yourself proved an egregious calumniator, for charging protestants with innovation, and inclining to popery, under pretence, forsooth, that their doctrine be- gins of late to be altered in these points. Whereas Mr. Brerely will inform you, they have been anciently, and even from the beginning of the reformation, con- troverted amongst them, though perhaps the stream and current of their doctors run one way, and only some brook or rivulet of them the others.
27. And thus my friends, I suppose, are clearly vin- dicated from your scandals and calumnies. It remains now, in the last place, I bring myself fairly off from your foul aspersions, that so my person may not be (as indeed howsoever it should not be) any disadvantage or dispar- agement to the cause, nor any scandal to weak Christians.
28. Your injuries then to me (no way deserved by me, but by differing in opinion from you, wherein yet you surely differ from me as much as I from you) are especially three : for, first, upon hearsay, and refusing to give me opportunity of begetting in you a better un- derstanding of me, you charge me with a great number of false and impious doctrines, which I will not name in particular, because I will not assist you so far in the spreading of my own undeserved defamation — but whosoever teaches or holds them, let kirn he anathema ! The sum of them all, cast up by yourself in your first chapter, is this ; " Nothing ought or can be certainly believed, farther than it may be proved by evidence of natural reason ;" (where, I conceive, natural reason is opposed to supernatural revelation ;) — and whosoever holds so, let him be anathema I And moreover, to clear myself once for all from all imputations of this nature, which charge me injuriously with denial of supernatu- ral verities, I profess sincerely that I believe all those
IVith an Answer to his Direction to N. N, ^9
books of scripture which the church of England ac- counts canonical to be the infallible word of God : I believe all things evidently contained in them ; all things evidently, or even probably deducible from them: I acknowledge all that to be heresy, which by the act of parliament primo of queen Elizabeth is declared to be so, and only to be so : and though in such points which may be held diversely of divers men salva Jidei compage, I would not take any man's liberty from him, and humbly beseech all men that they would not take mine from me ; yet thus much I can say, (which I hope will satisfy any man of reason,) that whatsoever hath been held necessary to salvation, either by the catholic church of all ages, or by the consent of Fathers, mea- sured by Vincentius Lyrinensis's rule, or is held ne- cessary, either by the catholic church of this age, or by the consent of protestants, or even by the church of England, that, against the Socinians, and all others whatsoever, I do verily believe and embrace.
29. Another great and manifest injury you have done me, in charging me to have forsaken your religion, be- cause it conduced not to my temporal ends, and suited not with my desires and designs ; which certainly is an horrible crime, and whereof if you could convince me by just and strong presumptions, I should then ac- knowledge myself to deserve that opinion which you would fain induce your credents unto, that I changed not your religion for any other, but for none at all. But of this great fault my conscience acquits me, and God, who only knows the hearts of all men, knows that I am innocent : neither doubt I, but all they who know me, and amongst them many persons of place and quality, will say they have reason in this matter to be my compurgators. And for you, though you are very affirmative in your accusation, yet you neither do
30 Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained,
nor can produce any proof or presumption for it ; but forgetting yourself, (as it is God's will ofttirnes that slanderers should do,) have let fall some passages, which being well weighed, will make considering men apt to believe that you did not believe yourself. For how is it possible you should believe that I deserted your reli- gion for ends, and against the light of my conscience, out of a desire of preferment ; and yet, out of scruple of conscience, should refuse (which also you impute to me) to subscribe the Thirty-nine Articles, that is, refuse to enter at the only common door which here in Eng- land leads to preferment ? Again, how incredible is it that you should believe that I forsook the profession of your religion, as not suiting with my desires and de- signs, which yet reconciles the enjoying of the plea- sures and profits of sin here, with the hope of happiness hereafter, and proposes as great hope of temporal ad- vancements to the capable servants of it, as any, nay more than any religion in the world ; and, instead of this, should choose Socinianism, a doctrine, which how- soever erroneous in explicating the mysteries of religion, and allowing greater liberty of oj^inion in speculative matters, than any other company of Christians doth, or they should do ; yet certainly, which you, I am sure, will pretend and maintain to explicate the laws of Christ with more rigour, and less indulgence and con- descendence to the desires of flesh and blood than your doctrine doth : and besides, such a doctrine, by which no man in his right mind can hope for any honour or preferment, either in this church or state, or any other: all which clearly demonstrates that this foul and false aspersion, which you have cast upon me, proceeds from no other fountain but a heart abounding with gall and bitterness of uncharitableness, and even blinded with malice towards me ; or else from a perverse zeal
With an Answer to his Direction to N, N. 31
to your superstition, which secretly suggests this persua- sion to you : — that for the catholic cause nothing is un- lawful, but that you may make use of such indirect and crooked arts as these to blast my reputation, and to pos- sess men's minds with disaffection to my person ; lest otherwise, peradventure, they might with some indiffer- ence hear reason from me. God, I hope, which bringeth light out of darkness, will turn your counsels to fool- ishness, and give all good men grace to perceive how weak and ruinous that religion must be, which needs supportance from such tricks and devices : so I call them, because they deserve no better name. For what are all these personal matters, which hitherto you spoke of, to the business in hand ? If it could be proved that cardinal Bellarmine was indeed a Jew, or that cardinal Perron was an atheist ; yet I presume you would not accept of this for an answer to all their writings in de- fence of your religion. Let then my actions, intentions, and opinions be what they will, yet I hope truth is nevertheless truth, nor reason ever the less reason, be- cause I speak it. And therefore the Christian reader, knowing that his salvation or damnation depends upon his impartial and sincere judgment of these things, will guard himself,! hope, from these impostures, and regard not the person, but the cause and the reasons of it; not who speaks, but what is spoken ; which is all the fa- vour I desire of him, as knowing that I am desirous not to persuade him, unless it be truth whereunto I persuade him.
30. The third and last part of my accusation was, that I answer out of "principles which protestants them- selves will profess to detest ;" which indeed were to the purpose, if it could be justified. But besides that it is confuted by my whole book, and made ridiculous by the approbations premised unto it ; it is very easy for
32 Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained,
rae out of your own mouth and words to prove it a most injurious calumny. For what one conclusion is there in the whole fabric of my discourse that is not naturally deducible out of this one principle, that " all things necessary to salvation are evidently contained in scripture ?" or what one conclusion almost of import- ance is there in your book which is not by this one clearly confutable ?
31. *^ Grant this, and it will presently follow, in op- position to your first conclusion, and the argument of your first chapter, that amongst men of different opin- ions, touching the obscure and controverted questions of religion, such as may with probability be disputed on both sides, (and such are the disputes of protestants,) good men and lovers of truth on all sides may be saved ; because all necessary things being supposed evident concerning them, with men so qualified, there will be no difference : there being no more certain sign that a point is not evident, than that honest and under- standing and indifferent men, and such as give them- selves liberty of judgment after a mature consideration of the matter, differ about it.
32. Grant this, and it will appear, secondly, that the means whereby the revealed truths of God are conveyed to our understanding, and which are to determine all controversies in faith necessary to be determined, may be, for any thing you have said to the contrary, not a church, but the scripture ; which contradicts the doc- trine of your second chapter.
33. Grant this, and the distinction of points funda- mental and not fundamental will appear very good and pertinent. For those truths will be fundamental
*^ This, in the Oxford edition, is not a new paragraph, but a part of section 30, so that all the following numbers are here altered of course.
With an ylnswer to his Direction to N, N, 33
which are evidently delivered in scripture, and com- manded to be preached to all men ; those not funda- mental, which are obscure. And nothing will hinder but that the catholic church may err in the latter kind of the said points ; because truths not necessary to the salvation, cannot be necessary to the being of a church ; and because it is not absolutely necessary that God should assist his church any farther than to bring her to salvation, neither will there be any necessity at all of any infallible guide, either to consign unwritten tra- ditions, or to declare the obscurities of the faith : not for the former end, because this principle being granted true, nothing unwritten can be necessary to be con- signed : nor for the latter, because nothing that is ob- scure can be necessary to be understood, or not mis- taken. And so the discourse of your whole third chapter will presently vanish.
34. Fourthly. For the creeds containing the funda- mentals of simple belief, though I see not how it may be deduced from this principle ; yet the granting of this plainly renders the whole dispute touching the creed unnecessary. For if all necessary things, of all sorts, whether of simple belief or practice, be confessed to be clearly contained in scripture ; what imports it, whether those of one sort be contained in the creed ?
35. Fifthly. Let this be granted, and the immediate corollary, in opposition to your fifth chapter, will be and must be, that not protestants for rejecting, but the church of Rome for imposing upon the faith of Christians doctrines unwritten and unnecessary, and for disturbing the church's peace, and dividing unity for such matters, is in a high degree presumptuous and schismatical.
36. Grant this, sixthly, and it will follow unavoid- ably, that protestants cannot possibly be heretics, seeing
CHILLINGWORTH, VOL. I. D
34 Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained,
they believe all things evidently contained in scripture, vi^hich are supposed to be all that is necessary to be believed : and so your sixth chapter is clearly con- futed.
37. Grant this, lastly, and it vrill be undoubtedly consequent, in contradiction of your seventh chapter, that no man can shew more charity to himself than by continuing a protestant ; seeing protestants are sup- posed to believe, and therefore may accordingly prac- tise, at least by their religion are not hindered from practising and performing, all things necessary to sal- vation.
38. So that the position of this one principle is the direct overthrow of your whole book ; and therefore I needed not, nor indeed have I made use of any other. Now this principle, which is not only the corner stone, or chief pillar, but even the basis, and the adequate foundation of my answer, and which, while it stands firm and unmovable, cannot but be the supporter of my book, and the certain ruin of yours, is so far from being, according to your pretence, detested by all pro- testants, that all protestants whatsoever, as you may see in their harmony of confessions, unanimously pro- fess and maintain it. And you yourself, (chap. vi. §. 30.) plainly confess as much, in saying, " The whole edifice of the faith of protestants is settled on these two principles : these particular books are ca- nonical scripture; and the sense and meaning of them is plain and evident, at least in all points neces- sary to salvation."
39. And thus your venom against me is in a man- ner spent, saving only that there remains two little impertinencies, whereby you would disable me from being a fit advocate for the cause of protestants. The first, because I refuse to subscribe the Articles of the
PFith an Answer to his Direction to N. N. 35
church of England ; the second, because I have set down in writing, Motives which sometime induced me to forsake protestantism, and hitherto have not an- swered them.
40. By the former of which objections, it should seem, that either you conceive the Thirty-nine Articles the common doctrine of all protestants ; and if they be, why have you so often upbraided them with their many and great differences ? or else, that it is the pe- culiar defence of the church of England, and not the common cause of all protestants, which is here under- taken by me ; which are certainly very gross mistakes. And yet why he who makes scruple of subscribing the truth of one or two propositions, may not yet be fit enough to maintain, that those who do subscribe them are in a savable condition, I do not understand. Now though I hold not the doctrine of all protestants abso- lutely true, (which with reason cannot be required of me, while they hold contradictions,) yet I hold it free from all impiety, and from all error destructive of sal- vation, or in itself damnable : and this I think in reason may sufficiently qualify me for a maintainer of this as- sertion, that protestancy destroys not salvation. For the church of England, I am persuaded, that the con- stant doctrine of it is so pure and orthodox, that who- soever believes it, and lives according to it, undoubtedly he shall be saved ; and that there is no error in it which may necessitate or warrant any man to disturb the peace or renounce the communion of it. This, in my opinion, is all intended by subscription ; and thus much, if you conceive me not ready to subscribe, your charity, I assure you, is much mistaken.
41. Your other objection against me is yet more im- pertinent and frivolous than the former ; unless perhaps it be a just exception against a physician, that himself
D 2
36 Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained,
was sometimes in, and recovered himself from, that disease which he undertakes to cure ; or against a guide in a way, that at first, before he had experience himself, mistook it, and afterwards found his error and amended it. That noble writer, Michael de Montaigne, was surely of a far different mind ; for he will hardly allow any physician competent, but only for such dis- eases as himself had passed through : and a far greater than Montaigne, even he that said, Tu conversus con- firmafr aires, gives us sufficiently to understand, that they which have themselves been in such a state as to need conversion, are not thereby made incapable of, but rather engaged and obliged unto, and qualified for, this charitable function.
42. Neither am I guilty of that strange and prepos- terous zeal (as you esteem it) which you impute to me ; for having been so long careless, in removing this scan- dal against protestants, and answering my own Motives, and yet now shewing such fervour in writing against others. For neither are they other motives, but the very same, for the most part, with those that abused me, against which, this book which I now publish is in a manner wholly employed : and besides, though you Jesuits take upon you to have such large and uni- versal intelligence of all state-affairs and matters of importance ; yet I hope such a contemptible matter as an answer of mine to a little piece of paper, may very probably have been written and escaped your observation. The truth is, I made an answer to them three years since and better, which perhaps might have been published, but for two reasons : one, because the Motives were never public until you made them so; the other, because I was loath to proclaim to all the world so much weakness as I shewed in suffering my- self to be abused by such silly sophisms : all which
With an Answer to his Direction to N, N. B7
proceed upon mistakes and false suppositions, which unadvisedly I took for granted ; as when I have set down the motives in order by subsequent answers to them, I shall quickly demonstrate, and so make an end. 43. The motives then were these :
1. " Because perpetual visible profession, which could never be wanting to the religion of Christ, or any part of it, is apparently wanting to protestant religion^ so far as concerns the points in contestation.
2. " Because Luther and his followers, separating from the church of Rome, separated also from all churches, pure or impure, true or false, then being in the world ; upon which ground I conclude, that either God's promises did fail of performance, if there were then no church in the world which held all things necessary, and nothing repugnant to salvation ; or else, that Luther and his sectaries, separating from all churches then in the world, and so from the true, if there were any true, were damnable schismatics.
3. " Because, if any credit may be given to as creditable records as any are extant, the doctrine of catholics hath been frequently confirmed ; and the opposite doctrine of protestants confounded with supei- natural and Divine miracles.
4. " Because many points of protestant doctrine are the damned opinions of heretics, condemned by the primitive church.
5. " Because the prophecies of the Old Testament, touching the conversion of kings and nations to the true religion of Christ, have been accomplished in and by the catholic Roman religion, and the professors of it ; and not by protestant religion, and the professors of it.
6. " Because the doctrine of the church of Rome is conformable, and the doctrine of protestants contrary to the doctrine of the Fathers of the primitive church,
d3
38 Preface to the Author of Chanty Maivitainedy
even by the confession of protestants themselves ; I mean, those Fathers who lived within the compass of the first 600 years ; to whom protestants themselves do very frequently and very confidently appeal.
7. " Because the first pretended reformers had nei- ther extraordinary commission from God, nor ordinary mission from the church, to preach protestant doctrine.
8. "Because Luther, to preach against the mass, (which contains the most material points now in con- troversy,) was persuaded by reasons suggested to him by the Devil himself, disputing with him. So himself professeth, in his book de Missa Privata ; that all men might take heed of following him, who professeth him- self to follow the Devil.
9. " Because the protestant cause is now, and hath been from the beginning, maintained with gross falsifi- cations and calumnies ; whereof their prime contro- versy-writers are notoriously and in high degree guilty.
10. " Because by denying all human authority, either of pope or council or church, to determine controver- sies of faith, they have abolished all possible means of suppressing heresy, or restoring unity to the church."
These are the motives. Now my answers to them follow briefly and in order.
44. To the first. God hath neither decreed nor fore- told, that his true doctrine should de facto be always visibly professed, without any mixture of falsehood.
To the second. God hath neither decreed nor fore- told, that there shall be always a visible company of men free from all error in itself damnable. Neither is it always of necessity schismatical to separate from the external communion of a church, though wanting no- thing necessary : for if this church, supposed to want nothing necessary, require me to profess against my
With an Answer to his Direction to N. N, 39
conscience that I believe some error, though never so small and innocent, which I do not believe, and will not allow me her communion but upon this condition ; in this case the churcli for requiring this condition is schismatical, and not I for separating from the church.
To the third. If any credit may be given to records, far more creditable than these, the doctrine of protes- tants, that is, the Bible, hath been confirmed, and the doctrine of papists, which is in many points plainly op- posite to it, confounded, with supernatural and Divine miracles, which, for number and glory outshine popish pretended miracles, as much as the sun doth an ignis fatuus ; those, I mean, which were wrought by our Saviour Christ and his apostles. Now this book, by the confession of all sides, confirmed by innumerable mira- cles, foretells me plainly that in after-ages great signs and wonders shall be wrought in confirmation of false doc- trine ; and that I am not to believe any doctrine, which seems to my understanding repugnant to the first, though an angel from heaven should teach it ; which were certainly as great a miracle as any that was ever wrought in attestation of any part of the doctrine of the church of Rome. But, that true doctrine should in all ages have the testimony of miracles, that I am no where taught ; so that I have more reason to sus- pect, and be afraid of pretended miracles, as signs of false doctrine, than much to regard them as certain arguments of the truth. Besides, setting aside the Bible, and the tradition of it, there is as good story for miracles wrought by those who lived and died in opposition to the doctrine of the Roman church, (as by S. Cyprian, Colmannus, Columbanus, Aidanus, and others,) as there is for those that are pretended to be wrought by the members of that church. Lastly, it
D 4
40 Preface to the Author of Charity Maintained^
seems to me no strange thing, that God in his justice should permit some true miracles to be wrought to delude them, who have forged so many, as apparently the professors of the Roman doctrine have, to abuse the world.
To the fourth. All those were not heretics ^ which, by Philastrius, Epiphanius, or St. Austin were put in the catalogue of heretics.
To the fifth. Kings and nations have been and may be converted by men of contrary religions.
To the sixth. The doctrine of papists is confessed by papists contrary to the Fathers in many points.
To the seventh. The pastors of a church cannot but have authority from it to preach against the abuses of it, whether in doctrine or practice, if there be any in it : neither can any Christian want an ordinary com- mission from God to do a necessary work of charity after a peaceable manner, when there is nobody else that can or will do it. In extraordinary cases, extra- ordinary courses are not to be disallowed. If some Christian layman should come into a country of infidels, and had ability to persuade them to Christianity, who would say he might not use it for want of commission ?
To the eighth. Luther's conference with the Devil might be, for aught I know, nothing but a melancholy dream. If it were real, the Devil might persuade Luther from the mass, hoping by doing so to keep him constant to it ; or that others would make his dissuasion from it an argument for it, (as we see papists do,) and be afraid of following Luther, as confessing himself to have been persuaded by the Devil.
To the ninth. Iliacos intra muros peccatur et extra,
e See this acknowledged by Bellar. de Script. Eccles. in Phi- lastrio ; by Petavius Animad. in Epiph. de inscript. operis ; by St. Austin Lib. de Hajr. 80.
With an Anstver to his Direction to N. N, 41
Papists are more guilty of this fault than protestants. Even this very author in this very pamphlet hath not so many leaves as falsifications and calumnies.
To the tenth. Let all men believe the scripture, and that only, and endeavour to believe it in the true sense, and require no more of others, and they shall find this not only a better, but the only means to suppress heresy and restore unity. For he that believes the scripture sincerely, and endeavours to believe it in the true sense, cannot possibly be an heretic. And if no more than this were required of any man to make him capable of the church's communion, then all men so qualified, though they vrere different in opinion, yet, notwithstanding any such difference, must be of neces- sity one in communion.
THE AUTHOR OF
CHARITY MAINTAINED,
HIS PREFACE TO THE READER.
" vorlVE me leave (good reader) to inform thee, by way of preface, of three points : the first concerns D. Potter's Answer to Charity Mistaken. The second relates to this Reply of mine. And the third contains some premonitions or prescriptions, in case D. Potter, or any in his behalf, think fit to rejoin.
2. "For the first point, concerning D. Potter's Answer, I say in general, reserving particulars to their proper places, that in his whole book he hath not so much as once truly and really fallen upon the point in question ; which was, whether both catholics and protestants can be saved in their several professions ? and therefore Charity Mistaken judiciously pressing those particulars, wherein the difficulty doth precisely consist, proves in general that there is but one true church ; that all Christians are obliged to hearken to her ; that she must be ever visible and infallible ; that to separate one's self from her communion is schism ; and to dissent from her doctrine is heresy, though it be in points never so few, or never so small in their own nature ; and, therefore, that the distinction of points fundamental and not fundamental is wholly vain, as it is applied by protestants. These (I say) and some other general grounds. Charity Mistaken handles ; and out of them doth clearly evince, that any the least difference in faith cannot stand with salvation on both sides. And
The Author of Charity Maintained. 43
therefore, since it is apparent that catholics and pro- testants disagree in very many points of faith, they both cannot hope to be saved without repentance ; and, consequently, as we hold that protestancy unrepented destroys salvation, so must they also believe that we cannot be saved, if they judge their own religion to be true, and ours to be false. And whosoever disguiseth this truth is an enemy to souls, which he deceives with ungrounded false hope of salvation in different faiths and religions. And this Charity Mistaken performed exactly, according to that which appears to have been his design, which was not to descend to particular disputes, as D. Potter affectedly does ; namely, whether or no the Roman church be the only church of Christ; and much less whether general councils be infallible : whether the pope may err in his decrees common to the whole church : whether he be above a general council : whether all points of faith be contained in scripture : whether faith be resolved into the authority of the church, as into its last formal object and motive : and least of all did he discourse of images, communion under both kinds, public service in an unknown tongue, seven sacraments, sacrifice of the mass, indulgences, and index expurgatorius. All which and divers other articles D. Potter (as I said) draws by violence into his book : and he might as well have brought in Pope Joan, or antichrist, or the Jews who are permitted to live in Rome ; which are common themes for men that want better matter, as D. Potter was forced to fetch in the aforesaid controversies, that so he might dazzle the eyes, and distract the mind of the reader, and hinder him from perceiving that in his whole Answer he uttereth nothing to the purpose and point in question ; •which if he had followed closely, I dare well say he might have dispatched his whole book in two or three
44 The Author of Charity Maintained^
sheets of paper. But the truth is, he was loath to affirm plainly^ that generally both catholics and protestants may be saved. And yet seeing it to be most evident, that protestants cannot pretend to have any true church before Luther, except the Roman, and such as agreed with her ; and, consequently, that they cannot hope for salvation if they deny it to us ; he thought best to avoid this difficulty by confusion of language, and to fill up his book with points which make nothing to the purpose : wherein he is less excusable, because he must grant that those very particulars, to which he di- gresseth, are not fundamental errors, though it should be granted that they be errors, which indeed are catholic verities: for since they be not fundamental, nor destructive of salvation, what imports it whether we hold them or no, forasmuch as concerns our possi- bility to be saved ?
3. " In one thing only he will perhaps seem to have touched the point in question ; to wit, in his distinction of points fundamental and not fundamental; because some may think that a difference in points which are not fundamental breaks not the unity of faith, and hinders not the hope of salvation in persons so dis- agreeing. And yet, in this very distinction, he never speaks to the purpose indeed, but only says, that there are some points so fundamental, as that all are obliged to know and believe them explicitly ; but never tells us whether there be any other points of faith which a man may deny or disbelieve, though they be suffici- ently presented to his understanding as truths revealed or testified by Almighty God ; which was the only thing in question. For if it be damnable, as certainly it is, to deny or disbelieve any one truth witnessed by Almighty God, though the thing be not in itself of any great consequence or moment ; and since, of two dis-
His Preface to the Reader. 45
agreeing in matters of faith, one must necessarily deny some such truth ; it clearly follows, that amongst men of different faiths or religions, one only can be saved, though their difference consist of divers, or but even one point, which is not in its own nature fundamental, as I declare at large in divers places of my first part. So that it is clear D. Potter, even in this his last refuge and distinction, never comes to the point in question : to say nothing, that he himself doth quite overthrow it, and plainly contradict his whole design, as I shew in the third chapter of my first part.
4. " And as for D. Potter's manner of handling those very points, which are utterly beside the purpose, it consists only in bringing vulgar mean objections, which have been answered a thousand times ; yea, and some of them are clearly answered even in Charity Mistaken ; but he takes no knowledge at all of any such answers, and much less does he apply himself to confute them. He allegeth also authors with so great corruption and fraud, as I would not have believed, if I had not found it by clear and frequent experience. In his second edition, he has indeed left out one or two gross corrup- tions, amongst many others no less notorious ; having, as it seems, been warned by some friends, that they could not stand with his credit : but even in this his second edition he retracts them not at all, nor declares that he was mistaken in the first; and so his reader of the first edition shall ever be deceived by him, though withal he read the second. For preventing of which
♦inconvenience, I have thought it necessary to take notice of them, and discover them in my Reply.
5. "And for conclusion of this point I will only say, that D. Potter might have well spared his pains, if he had ingenuously acknowledged where the whole substance, yea, and sometimes the very words and
46 The Author of Charity Maintained,
phrases of his book, may be found in far briefer manner, namely, in a sermon of D. Usher's, preached before our late sovereign lord king James, the 20th of June, 1624, at Wansted ; containing A Declaration of the Universality of the Church of Christ, and the Unity of Faith professed therein : vrhich sermon having been roundly and vrittily confuted by a catholic divine, under the name of Paulus Veridicus, within the compass of about four sheets of paper, D. Potter's Answer to Charity Mistaken was in effect confuted before it appeared. And this may suffice for a general censure of his Answer to Charity Mistaken.
6. " For the second, touching my Reply : if you wonder at the bulk thereof, compared either with Charity Mistaken, or D. Potter's Answer ; I desire you to consider well of w^hat now I am about to say, and then I hope you will see that I was cast upon a mere necessity of not being so short as otherwise might peradventure be desired. Charity Mistaken is short, I grant, and yet very full and large, for as much as concerned his design, which you see was not to treat of particular controversies in religion, no not so much as to debate whether or no the Roman church be the only true church of Christ, which indeed would have required a large volume, as I have understood there was one then coming forth, if it had not been prevented by the treatise of Charity Mistaken, which seemed to make the other intended work a little less seasonable at that time. But Charity Mistaken proves only in general out of some universal principles, well backed and made good by choice and solid authorities, that of two dis- agreeing in points of faith, one only without repentance can be saved ; which aim exacted no great bulk. And as for D. Potter's Answer, even that also is not so short as it may seem. For if his marginal notes, printed in
His Preface to the Reader. 47
a small letter, were transferred into the text, the book would appear to be of some bulk : though indeed it might have been very short, if he had kept himself to the point treated by Charity Mistaken, as shall be declared anon. But, contrarily, because the question debated betwixt Charity Mistaken and D. Potter, is a point of the highest consequence that can be imagined; and, in regard that there is not a more pernicious heresy, or rather indeed ground of atheism, than a persuasion that men of different religions may be saved, if other- wise, forsooth, they lead a kind of civil and moral life : I conceive that my chief endeavour was not to be employed in answering D. Potter ; but that it was necessary to handle the question itself somewhat at large, and not only to prove in general that both pro- testants and catholics cannot be saved ; but to shew also, that salvation cannot be hoped for out of the catholic Roman church ; and yet withal, not to omit to answer all the particulars of D. Potter's book, which may any ways import. To this end I thought it fit to divide my Reply into two parts : in the former whereof, the main question is handled by a continued discourse, without stepping aside to confute the particulars of D. Potter's Answer ; though yet so, as that even in this first part I omit not to answer such passages of his, as I find directly in my way, and naturally belong to the points whereof I treat : and, in the second part, I answer D. Potter's treatise, section by section, as they lie in order. I here therefore entreat the reader, that if he heartily desire satisfaction in this so important question, he do not content himself with that which I say to D. Potter in my second part, but that he take the first before him, either all, or at least so much as may serve most to his purpose of being satisfied in those doubts which press him most. For which purpose, I
48 The Author of Charity Maintained,
have caused a table of the chapters of the first part, together with their titles and arguments, to be prefixed before vaj Reply.
7. " This was then a chief reason why I could not be very short : but yet there wanted not also divers other causes of the same effect. For there are so several kinds of protestants, through the difference of tenets which they hold, as that if a man convince but one kind of them, the rest will conceive themselves to be as truly unsatisfied, and even unspoken to, as if nothing had been said therein at all. As for example : some hold a necessity of a perpetual visible church, and some hold no such necessity. Some of them hold it necessary to be able to prove it distinct from ours ; and others, that their business is dispatched, when they have proved ours to have been always visible ; for then they will conceive that theirs hath been so : and the like may be truly said of very many other particulars. Besides, it is D. Potter's fashion (wherein as he is very far from being the first, so I pray God he prove the last of that humour) to touch in a word many trivial old objections, which, if they be not all answered, it will and must serve the turn, to make the ignorant sort of men believe and brag, as if some main unanswerable matter had been subtilly and purposely omitted : and every body knows, that some objection may be very plausibly made in few words, the clear and solid answer whereof will require more leaves of paper than one. And, in particular, D. Potter doth couch his corruption of authors within the compass of so few lines, and with so great confusedness and fraud, that it requires much time, pains, and paper, to open them so distinctly, as that they may appear to every man's eye. It was also necessary to shew what D. Potter omits in Charity Mistaken, and the importance of what is omitted ; and
His Preface to the Reader. 49
sometimes to set down the very words themselves that are omitted : all which could not but add to the quantity of my Reply. And as for the quality thereof, I desire thee, good reader, to believe, that whereas nothing is more necessary than books for answering of books ; yet I was so ill furnished in this kind, that I was forced to omit the examination of divers authors cited by D. Potter, merely upon necessity ; though I did very well perceive, by most apparent circumstances, that I must probably have been sure enough to find them plainly misalleged, and much wronged : and for the few which are examined, there hath not wanted some difficulty to do it. For the times are not for all men alike ; and D. Potter hath much advantage therein. But truth is truth, and will ever be able to justify itself in the midst of all difficulties which may occur. As for me, when I allege protestant writers, as well domestical as foreign, I willingly and thankfully ac- knowledge myself obliged for divers of them to the author of the book entitled. The Protestant's Apology for the Roman Church, who calls himself John Brerely; whose care, exactness, and fidelity, is so extraordinary great, as that he doth not only cite the books, but the editions also, with the place and time of their printing, yea, and often the very page and line where the words are to be had. And if you happen not to find what he cites, yet suspend your judgment till you have read the corrections placed at the end of his book ; though it be also true, that, after all diligence and faithfulness on his behalf, it was not in his power to amend all the faults of the prints : in which prints we have difficulty enough for many evident reasons, which must needs occur to any prudent man.
8. " And forasmuch as concerns the manner of my Reply, I have procured to do it without all bitterness
CHILLINGWORTH, VOL. I. E
50 The Author of Charity Maintained,
or gall of invective vrords, both for as much as may im- port either protestants in general, or D. Potter's person in particular ; unless, for example, he will call it bitter- ness for me to term a gross impertinency a sleight, or a corruption, by those very names, without which I do not know how to express the things : and yet therein I can truly affirm, that I have studied how to deliver them in the most moderate way, to the end I might give as little offence as possibly I could, without be- traying the cause. And if any unfit phrase may per- ad venture have escaped my pen, (as I hope none hath,) it was beside and against my intention ; though I must needs profess, that D. Potter gives so many and so just occasions of being round with him, as that per- haps some will judge me to have been rather remiss than moderate. But since in the very title of my Re- ply I profess to maintain charity, I conceive the excess will be more excusable amongst all kinds of men, if it fall to be in mildness, than if it had appeared in too much zeal. And if D. Potter have a mind to charge me with ignorance, or any thing of that nature, I can and will ease him of that labour, by acknowledging in myself as many and more personal defects than he can heap upon me. Truth only, and sincerity, I so much value and profess, as that he shall never be able to prove the contrary in any one least passage or particle against me.
9. " In the third and last place, I have thought fit to express myself thus : — If D. Potter or any other re- solve to answer my Reply, I desire that he will ob- serve some things which may tend to his own reputa- tion, the saving of my unnecessary pains, and especially to the greater advantage of truth. I wish then that he would be careful to consider wherein the point of every difficulty consists, and not impertinently to shoot
His Preface to the Reader. 51
at rovers, and affectedly mistake one thing for another. As for example, to what purpose (for as much as concerns the question between D. Potter and Charity Mistaken) doth he so often and seriously labour to prove, that faith is not resolved into the authority of the church, as into the formal object and motive thereof? or that all points of faith are contained in scripture? or that the church cannot make new articles of faith ? or that the church of Rome, as it signifies that particular church or diocese, is not all one with the universal church? or that the pope as a private doctor may err ? With many other such points as will easily ap- pear in their proper places. It will also be neces- sary for him not to put certain doctrines upon us, from which he knows we disclaim as much as him- self.
10. "I must, in like manner, entreat him not to re- cite my reasons and discourses by halves, but to set them down faithfully and entirely, for as much as in very deed concerns the whole substance of the thing in question ; because the want sometime of one word may chance to make void or lessen the force of the whole argument. And I am the more solicitous about giving this particular caveat, because I find how ill he hath complied with the promise which he made in his Preface to the Reader, not to omit without answer any one thing of moment in all the discourse of Charity Mistaken. Neither will this course be a cause that his rejoinder grow too large, but it will be occasion of brevity to him, and free me also from the pains of set- ting down all the words which he omits, and himself of demonstrating that what he omitted was not mate- rial. Nay, I will assure him, that if he keep himself to the point of every difficulty, and not weary the rea- der, and overcharge his margent with unnecessary quo-
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52 The Author of Charity Maintained,
tations of authors in Greek and Latin, and sometime also in Italian and French, together with proverbs, sentences of poets, and such grammatical stuff, nor affect to cite a multitude of our catholic school divines to no purpose at all ; his book will not exceed a com- petent size, nor will any man in reason be offended with that length which is regulated by necessity. Again, before he come to set down his answer, or pro- pose his arguments, let him consider very well what may be replied, and whether his own objections may not be retorted against himself, as the reader will per- ceive to have happened often to his disadvantage in my Reply against him. But especially I expect, and truth itself exacts at his hand, that he speak clearly and dis- tinctly, and not seek to walk in darkness, so to delude and deceive his reader, now saying, and then denying, and always speaking with such ambiguity, as that his greatest care may seem to consist in a certain art to find a shift, as his occasions might chance either now or hereafter to require, and as he might fall out to be urged by diversity of several arguments. And to the end it may appear that I deal plainly, as I would have him also do, I desire that he declare himself concerning these points.
11. " First. Whether our Saviour Christ have not always had, and be not ever to have, a visible true church on earth ? And whether the contrary doctrine be not a damnable heresy ?
12. '' Secondly. What visible church there was be- fore Luther, disagreeing from the Roman church, and agreeing with the pretended church of protestants ?
13. " Thirdly. Since he will be forced to grant, that there can be assigned no visible true church of Christ, distinct from the church of Rome, and such churches as agreed with her when Luther first appeared ; whether
His Preface to the Reader. 53
it doth not follow, that she hath not erred fundamen- tally ; because every such error destroys the nature and being of the church, and so our Saviour Christ should have had no visible church on earth.
14. " Fourthly. If the Roman church did not fall into any fundamental error, let him tell us how it can be damnable to live in her communion, or to maintain errors, which are known and confessed not to be funda- mental or damnable.
15. " Fifthly. If her errors were not damnable, nor did exclude salvation, how can they be excused from schism who forsook her communion upon pretence of errors which were not damnable ?
16. " Sixthly. If D. Potter have a mind to say that her errors are damnable or fundamental, let him do us so much charity, as to tell us in particular what those fundamental errors be. But he must still remember, (and myself must be excused for repeating it,) that if he say the Roman church erred fundamentally, he will not be able to shew that Christ our Lord had any visible church on earth when Luther appeared : and let him tell us how protestants had, or can have, any church which was universal, and extended herself to all ages, if once he grant that the Roman church ceased to be the true church of Christ ; and, consequently, how they can hope for salvation if they deny it to us.
17. ** Seventhly. Whether any one error maintained against any one truth, though never so small in itself, yet sufficiently propounded as testified or revealed by Almighty God, do not destroy the nature and unity of faith, or at least is not a grievous offence excluding salvation ?
18. " Eighthly. If this be so, how can Lutherans, Calvinists, Zuinglians, and all the rest of disagreeing
54 The Author of Charity Maintained,
protestants, hope for salvation, since it is manifest that some of them must needs err against some such truth as is testified by Almighty God, either fundamental, or at least not fundamental ?
19. " Ninthly. We constantly urge and require to have a particular catalogue of such points as he calls fundamental ; a catalogue, I say, in particular, and not only some general definition or description, wherein protestants may perhaps agree, though we see that they differ when they come to assign what points in particular be fundamental ; and yet upon such a parti- cular catalogue much depends : as for example, in par- ticular, whether or no a man doth not err in some points fundamental or necessary to salvation? and whether or no Lutherans, Calvinists, and the rest, do disagree in fundamentals ? which if they do, the same heaven cannot receive them all.
20. " Tenthly and lastly. I desire that in answer- ing to these points he would let us know distinctly what is the doctrine of the protestant English church concerning them, and what he utters only as his own private opinion.
^1, " These are the questions which for the pre- sent I find it fit and necessary for me to ask of D. Pot- ter, or any other who will defend his cause or impugn ours. And it will be in vain to speak vainly, and to tell me that a fool may ask more questions in an hour than a wise man can answer in a year ; with such idle proverbs as that : for I ask but such questions as for which he gives occasion in his book, and where he de- clares not himself but after so ambiguous and confused a manner, as that truth itself can scarce tell how to convince him so, but that with ignorant and ill-judging men he will seem to have somewhat left to say for himself, though papists (as he calls them) and puritans
His Preface to the Reader. 55
should press him contrary ways at the same time : and these questions concern things also of high importance, as whereupon the knowledge of God's church, and true religion, and consequently salvation of the soul depends. And now, because he shall not tax me with being like those men in the gospel, whom our blessed Lord and Saviour charged with laying heavy burdens upon other men's shoulders, who yet would not touch them with their finger ; I oblige myself to answer, upon any demand of his, both to all these questions, if he find that I have not done it already, and to any other, con- cerning matter of faith, that he shall ask. And I will tell him very plainly what is catholic doctrine and what is not, that is, what is defined or what is not de- fined, and rests but in discussion among divines.
22. " And it will be here expected that he perform these things as a man who professeth learning should do ; not flying from questions which concern things as they are considered in their own nature, to accidental or rare circumstances of ignorance, incapacity, want of means to be instructed, erroneous conscience, and the like ; which being very various and different, cannot be well comprehended under any general rule. But in delivering general doctrines, we must consider things as they be ex natura rei, or per se loquendo, (as divines speak,) that is, according to their natures, if all circum- stances concur proportionable thereunto. As for ex- ample, some may for a time have invincible ignorance even of some fundamental article of faith, through want of capacity, instruction, or the like ; and so not offend either in such ignorance or error ; and yet we must absolutely say, that error in any one fundamental point is damnable ; because so it is, if we consider things in themselves abstracting from accidental circumstances in particular persons : as contrarily if some man judge
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56 The Author of Chanty Maintained^
some act of virtue or some indifferent action to be a sin, in him it is a sin indeed, by reason of his erro- neous conscience ; and yet we ought not to say abso- lutely that virtuous or indifferent actions are sins ; and in all sciences we must distinguish the general rules from their particular exceptions. And therefore w^hen, for example, he answers to our demand, whether he hold that catholics may be saved, or whether their pretended errors be fundamental and damnable ? he is not to change the state of the question, and have re- course to ignorance, and the like ; but to answer con- cerning the errors being considered what they are apt to be in themselves, and as they are neither increased nor diminished by accidental circumstances.
23. " And the like I say of all the other points, to which I once again desire an answer without any of these or the like ambiguous terms, in some sort, in some sense, in some degree, which may be explicated afterward, as strictly or largely as may best serve his turn ; but let him tell us roundly and particularly in what sort, in what sense, in what degree he understands those and the like obscure mincing phrases. If he proceed solidly after this manner, and not by way of mere words, more like a preacher to a vulgar auditory than like a learned man with a pen in his hand, thy patience shall be less abused, and truth will also receive more right. And since we have already laid the grounds of the question, much may be said hereafter in few words, if (as I said) he keep close to the real point of every difficulty, witTi- out wandering into impertinent disputes, or multiplying vulgar and threadbare objections and arguments, or la- bouring to prove what no man denies, or making a vain ostentation by citing a number of schoolmen, which every puny brought up in schools is able to do ; and if he cite his authors with such sincerity, as no time
His Preface to the Header. 57
need be spent in opening his corruptions ; and, finally, if he set himself at work with this consideration, that we are to give a most strict account to a most just and impartial Judge, of every period, line, and word that passeth under our pen. For if at the latter day we shall be arraigned for every idle word which is spoken, so much more will that be done for every idle word which is written, as the deliberation wherewith it pass- eth makes a man guilty of more malice ; and as the importance of the matter which is treated of in books concerning true faith and religion, without which no soul can be saved, makes a man's errors more mate- rial than they would be if the question were but of toys."
THE
ANSWER TO THE PREP^ACE
Ad §. 1 and 2. If beginnings be oniinous, (as they say they are,) D. Potter hath cause to look for great store of uningenuous dealing from you ; the very first words you speak of him, viz. that he hath not so much as once truly and really fallen upon the point in ques- tion, being a most vmjust and immodest imputation.
2. For, first. The point in question vi^as not that which you pretend. Whether both papists and protest- ants can be saved in their several professions ? but. Whether you may without uncharitableness affirm, that protestancy unrepented destroys salvation ? And that this is the very question is most apparent and unquestionable, both from the title of Charity Mistaken, and from the arguments of the three first chapters of it, and from the title of your own Reply. And therefore if D. Potter had joined issue with his adver- sary only thus far, and, not meddling at all with pa- pists, but leaving them to stand or fall to their own Master, had proved protestants living and dying so ca- pable of salvation, I cannot see how it could justly be charged upon him, that he had not once truly and really fallen upon the point in question. Neither may it be said, that your question here and mine are in ef- fect the same, seeing it is very possible that the true answer to the one might have been affirmative, and to the other negative. For there is no incongruity, but it may be true, that you and we cannot both be saved ;
Answer to the Preface of the Author, 4*c. 59
and yet as true, that without uncharitableness you cannot pronounce us damned. For, all ungrounded and unwarrantable sentencing men to damnation is ei- ther in a propriety of speech uncharitable, or else (which for my purpose is all one) it is that which protestants mean, when they say, papists for damning them are uncharitable. And, therefore, though the author of C. M. had proved as strongly as he hath done weakly, that one heaven could not receive protestants and pa- pists both ; yet certainly, it was very hastily and un- warrantably, and therefore uncharitably concluded, that protestants were the part that was to be excluded . As, though Jews and Christians cannot both be saved, yet a Jew cannot justly, and therefore not charitably, pro- nounce a Christian damned.
.S. But then, secondly, to shew your dealing with him very injurious ; I say, he doth speak to this very ques- tion very largely and very effectually ; as by confront- ing his work and Charity M. together will presently appear. Charity M. proves, you say in general, that " there is but one church." D. Potter tells him his labour is lost in proving the unity of the catholic church, whereof there is no doubt or controversy : and herein, I hope, you will grant he answers right and to the purpose. C. M. proves, you say, secondly, that " all Christians are obliged to hearken to the church." D. Potter answers, " It is true : yet not absolutely in all things, but only when she commands those things which God doth not countermand." And this also, I hope, is to his purpose, though not to yours. C. M. proves, you say, thirdly, that " the church must be ever visible and infallible." For her visibility, D. Potter denies it not ; and as for her infallibility, he grants it in fundamentals, but not in superstructures. C. M. proves, you say, fourthly, that " to separate one's self from the
60 Answer to the Preface of
church's communion is schism." D. Potter grants it, with this exception, unless there be necessary cause to do so ; unless the conditions of her communion be ap- parently unlawful. C. M. proves, you say, lastly, that " to dissent from her doctrine is heresy, though it be in points never so few and never so small ; and there- fore, that the distinction of points fundamental and un- fundamental, as it is applied by protestants, is wholly vain." This D. Potter denies ; shews the reasons brought for it weak and unconcluding ; proves the con- trary, by reasons unanswerable : and therefore, that the distinction of points into fundamental and not fundamental, as it is applied by protestants, is very good. Upon these grounds, you say, C. M. clearly evinces, that " any least difference in faith cannot stand with salvation ; and therefore seeing catholics and protest- ants disagree in very many points of faith, they both cannot hope to be saved without repentance ;" you must mean, without an explicit and particular repentance, and dereliction of their errors ; for so CM. hath de- clared himself, (p. 14.) where he hath these words : " We may safely say, that a man who lives in protest- ancy, and is so far from repenting it, as that he will not so much as acknowledge it to be a sin, though he be sufficiently informed thereof," &c. From whence it is evident, that in his judgment there can be no re- pentance of an error without acknowledging it to be a sin. And to this D. Potter justly opposes; that " both sides, by the confession of both sides, agree in more points than are simply and indispensably neces- sary to salvation, and differ only in such as are not pre- cisely necessary : that it is very possible a man may die in error, and yet die with repentance, as for all his sins of ignorance, so, in that number, for the errors in which he dies ; with a repentance though not explicit and
The Author of Charity Maintained, 61
particular, which is not simply required, yet implicit and general, which is sufficient : so that he cannot but hope, considering the goodness of God, that the truths retained on both sides, especially those of the neces- sity of repentance from dead works and faith in Jesus Christ, if they be put in practice, may be an anti- dote against the errors held on either side ; to such he means, and says, as being diligent in seeking truth, and desirous to find it, yet miss of it through human frailty, and die in error." If you will but attentively consider and compare the undertaking of C. M. and D. Potter's performance in all these points, I hope you will be so ingenuous as to acknowledge, that you have injured him much, in imputing tergiversation to him, and pretending, that through his whole book he hath not once truly and really fallen upon the point in ques- tion. Neither may you or CM. conclude him from hence (as covertly you do) an enemy to souls, by de- ceiving them with ungrounded false hopes of salvation ; seeing the hope of salvation cannot be ungrounded, which requires and supposes belief and practice of all things absolutely necessary unto salvation, and repent- ance of those sins and errors which we fall into by human frailty : nor a friend to indifferency in religion, seeing he gives them only hope of pardon of errors who are desirous, and, according to the proportion of their opportunities and abilities, industrious to find the truth; or at least truly repentant that they have not been so. Which doctrine is very fit to excite men to a constant and impartial search of truth, and very far from teach- ing them that it is indifferent what religion they are of; and, without all controversy, very honourable to the goodness of God, with which how it can consist, not to be satisfied with his servants' true endeavours to know his will, and do it, without full and exact per-
6^ Answer to the Preface of
formance, I leave it to you and all good men to judge.
4. As little justice methinks you shew, in quarrelling with him for descending to the particular disputes here mentioned by you. For to say nothing, that many of these questions are immediately and directly pertinent to the business in hand, as the 1, % 3, 5, 6, and all of them fall in of themselves into the stream of his discourse, and are not drawn in by him, and besides are touched for the most part rather than handled ; to say nothing of all this, you know right well, if he conclude you erroneous in any one of all these, be it but in the communion in one kind, or the language of your service, the infallibility of your church is evidently overthrown : and this being done, I hope there will be " no such necessity of hearkening to her in all things : it will be very possible to separate from her communion in some things, without schism ; and from her doctrine, so far as it is erroneous, without heresy : then all that she proposes will not be, eo ipso, fundamental, because she proposes it ;" and ^o presently all Charity Mistaken will vanish into smoke and clouds and nothing.
5. You say he was loath to affirm plainly, that ge- nerally both catholics and protestants may be saved : which yet is manifest he doth affirm plainly of pro- testants throughout his book ; and of erring papists, that " have sincerely sought the truth, and failed of it, and die with a general repentance" (p. 77, 78). And yet you deceive yourself if you conceive he had any other necessity to do so, but only that he thought it true. For we may and do pretend, that before Luther there were many true churches beside the Roman, which agreed not with her : in particular, the Greek church. So that what you say is evidently true, is in-
The Authw of Chanty Maintained. 63
deed evidently false. Besides, if he had any necessity to make use of you in this matter, he needed not for this end to say, that now in your church salvation may be had, but only, that before Luther's time it might be ; then vrhen your means of knovi^ing the truth w^ere not so great, and when your ignorance might be more in- vincible, and therefore more excusable. So that you may see, if you please, it is not for ends, but for the love of truth, that we are thus charitable to you.
6. Neither is it material that these particulars he speaks against are not fundamental errors ; for though they be not destructive of salvation, yet the conviction of them may be, and is, destructive enough of his ad- versaries' assertion ; and if you be the man I take you for, you will not deny they are so. For certainly no consequence can be more palpable than this ; The church of Rome doth err in this or that, therefore it is not infallible. And this perhaps you perceived your- self, and therefore demanded not. Since they be not fun- damental, what imports it whether we hold them or no, simply : but, for as much as concerns our possibility to be saved. As if we were not bound by the love of God and the love of truth to be zealous in the defence of all truths that are any way profitable, though not simply necessary to salvation ! or, as if any good man could satisfy his conscience without being so affected and re- solved ! our Saviour himself having assured us, that he that shall break one of his least commandments, (some whereof you pretend are concerning venial sins, and consequently the keeping of them not necessary to salvation,) and shall so teach men, shall he called the least in the kingdom of heaven^,
7. But then it imports very much, though not for the possibility that you may be saved, yet for the pro-
^ Matt. V. 19.
64 j4nswer to the Preface of
bability that you will be so: because the holding of these errors, though it did not merit, might yet occasion damnation : as the doctrine of indulgences may take away the fear of purgatory, and the doctrine of purga- tory the fear of hell ; as you well know it does too frequently. So that though a godly man might be saved with these errors, yet by means of them many are made vicious, and so damned. By them, I say, though not for them. No godly layman, who is verily persuaded that there is neither impiety nor superstition in the use of your Latin service shall be damned, I hope, for being present at it; yet the want of that devo- tion which the frequent hearing the offices understood might happily beget in them, the want of that instruc- tion and edification which it might afford them, may very probably hinder the salvation of many which might otherwise have been saved. Besides, though the mat- ter of an error may be only something profitable, not necessary, yet the neglect of it may be a damnable sin ; as, not to regard venial sins is in the doctrine of your schools mortal. Lastly, as venial sins, you say, dispose men to mortal; so the erring from some profitable, though lesser truth, may dispose a man to error in greater matters : as for example, the belief of the pope's infallibility is, I hope, not unpardonably damn- able to every one that holds it ; yet if it be a falsehood, (as most certainly it is,) it puts a man into a very con- gruous disposition to believe Antichrist, if he should chance to get into that see.
8. Ad §. 3. In his distinctions of points funda- mental and not fundamental, he may seem, you say, to have touched the point, but does not so indeed : because, though he says there are some points so fundamental as that all are obliged to believe them explicitly, yet he tells you not whether a man may disbelieve any
The Author of Charity Maintained. 65
other points of faith, which are sufficiently presented to his understanding, as truths revealed by Almighty God." Touching which matter of sufficient proposal, I beseech you to come out of the clouds, and tell us roundly and plainly, what you mean by " points of faith sufficiently propounded to a man's understanding, as truths revealed by God." Perhaps you mean such as the person to whom they are proposed understands sufficiently to be truths revealed by God. But how then can he possibly choose but believe them ? or how is it not an apparent contradiction, that a man should disbelieve what himself understands to be a truth, or any Christian what he understands or but believes to be testified by God? D. Potter might well think it superfluous to tell you this is damnable ; because indeed it is impossible. And yet one may very well think, by your saying, as you do hereafter, that " the impiety of heresy consists in calling God's truth in question," that this should be your meaning. Or do you esteem all those things sufficiently presented to his understanding as Divine truths, which by you, or any other man, or any company of men whatsoever, are declared to him to be so ? I hope you will not say so ; for this were to oblige a man to believe all the churches, and all the men in the world, whensoever they pretend to propose Divine revelations. D. Potter, I assure you from him, would never have told you this neither. Or do you mean by " sufficiently propounded as Divine truths," all that your church propounds for such ? That you may not neither ; for the question between us is this : Whether your church's proposition be a sufficient proposition ? And therefore to suppose this, is to sup- pose the question, which you know in reasoning is always a fault. Or, lastly, do you mean (for I know not else what possibly you can mean) by " sufficiently
CHILLINGWORTH, VOL. I. F
66 Answer to the Preface of
presented to his understanding, as revealed by God," that which, all things considered, is so proposed to him, that he might, and should, and would believe it to be true and revealed by God, were it not for some volun- tary and avoidable fault of his own, that interposeth it- self between his understanding and the truth presented to it ? This is the best construction that I can make of your words ; and if you speak of truths thus proposed and rejected, let it be as damnable as you please to deny or disbelieve them. But then I cannot but be amazed to hear you say, that D. Potter never tells you whether there be any other points of faith besides those which we are bound to believe explicitly, which a man may deny or disbelieve, though they be sufficiently presented to his understanding as truths revealed or testified by Almighty God ; seeing the light itself is not more clear than D. Potter's declaration of himself for the negative in this question, p. 245 — 250 of his book : where he treats at large of this very argument, beginning his discourse thus : "It seems fundamental to the faith, and for the salvation of every member of the church, that he acknowledge and believe all such points of faith, as whereof he may be convinced that they belong to the doctrine of Jesus Christ." To this conviction he requires three things : " clear revelation, sufficient pro- position, and capacity and understanding in the hearer. For want of clear revelation, he frees the church before Christ and the disciples of Christ from any damnable error, though they believed not those things which he that should now deny were no Christian. To sufficient proposition he requires two things : 1. That the points be perspicuously laid open in themselves. 2. So for- cibly, as may serve to remove reasonable doubts to the contrary, and satisfy a teachable mind concerning it, against the principles in which he hath been bred to
The Author of Charity Mai7itahied. 67
the contrary. This proposition," he says, " is not limited to the pope or church, but extended to all means what- soever, by which a man may be convinced in conscience that the matter proposed is Divine revelation ; which he professes to be done sufficiently, not only when his conscience doth expressly bear witness to the truth ; but when it would do so, if it were not choked and blinded by some unruly and unmortified lust in the will: the difference being not great between him that is wil- fully blind, and him that knowingly gainsayeth the truth. The third thing he requires is capacity and ability to apprehend the proposal, and the reasons of it : the want whereof excuseth fools and madmen, &c. But where there is no such impediment, and the will of God is sufficiently propounded, there," saith he, "he that opposeth is convinced of error ; and he who is thus convinced is an heretic ; and heresy is a work of the flesh which excludeth from salvation" [he means without repentance]. " And hence it followeth, that it is fundamental to a Christian's faith, and necessary for his salvation, that he believe all revealed truths of God, whereof he may be convinced that they are from God." This is the conclusion of D. Potter's discourse; many passages whereof you take notice of in your subsequent disputations, and make your advantage of them. And therefore I cannot but say again, that it amazeth me to hear you say that he declines this question, and never tells you " whether or no there be any other points of faith, which, being sufficiently propounded as Divine revelations, may be denied and disbelieved." He tells you plainly there are none such ; and therefore you cannot say that he tells you not whether there be any such. Again, it is almost as strange to me, why you should say, this was the only thing in question, " whether a man may deny or dis-
F 2
68 Answer to the Preface of
believe any point of faith, sufficiently presented to his understanding as a truth revealed by God." For to say that any thing is a thing in question, methinks, at the first hearing of the vrords, imports, that it is by some affirmed, and denied by others. Novr you affirm, I grant, but vrhat protestant ever denied, that it was a sin to give God the lie ? vrhich is the first and most obvious sense of these vrords. Or vrhich of them ever doubted, that to disbelieve is then a fault, v^^hen the matter is so proposed to a man, that he might and should, and vrere it not for his own fault, would believe it ? Certainly, he that questions either of these, justly deserves to have his wits called in question. Produce any one protestant that ever did so, and I will give you leave to say it is the only thing in question. But then I must tell you, that your ensuing argument — viz. To deny a truth witnessed by God is damnable ; but of two that disagree, one must of necessity deny some such truth, therefore one only can be saved — is built upon a ground clean different from this postulate. For though it be always a fault to deny what either I do know or should know to be testified by God ; yet that which by a cleanly conveyance you put in the place hereof, to deny a truth witnessed by God simply^ without the circumstance of being known or sufficiently proposed, is so far from being certainly damnable, that it may be many times done without any the least fault at all. As if God should testify something to a man in the Indies, I that had no assurance of this testification should not be obliged to believe it. For in such cases the rule of the law hath place. Idem est non esse et non apparere ; not to be at all, and not to appear to me, is to me all one. If I had not come and spoken unto you, (saith our Saviour,) you had had 710 sin,
10. As little necessity is there for that which follows :
The Author of Chanty Maintained, 69
that " of two disagreeing in a matter of faith, one must deny some such truth ;" whether by such you un- derstand "testified at all by God," or, "testified or suffi- ciently propounded." For it is very possible, the matter in controversy may be such a thing where God hath not at all declared himself, or not so fully and clearly as to oblige all men to hold one way, and yet be so overvalued by the parties in variance as to be esteemed a matter of faith, and one of those things of which our Saviour says. He that believeth not shall he damned. Who sees not that it is possible two churches may excommunicate and damn each other for keeping Christmas ten days sooner or later, as well as Victor excommunicated the churches of Asia for differing from him about Easter-day? and yet I believe you will confess, that God had not then declared himself about Easter, nor hath now about Christmas, An- ciently some good catholic bishops excommunicated and damned others for holding there were antipodes ; and in this question I would fain know on which side was the sufficient proposal. The contra-remonstrants differ from the remonstrants about the point of predetermi- nation as a matter of faith ; I would know in this thing also which way God hath declared himself, whether for predetermination or against it. Stephen, bishop of Rome, held it as a matter of faith and apo- stolic tradition, that heretics gave true baptism ; others there were, and they as good catholics as he, that held that this was neither matter of faith nor matter of truth. Justin Martyr and Irenaeus held the doctrine of the millenaries as a matter of faith : and though Justin Martyr deny it, yet you, I hope, will affirm, that some good Christians held the contrary. St. Au- gustin, I am sure, held the communicating of infants as much apostolic tradition as the baptizing of them :
F 3
70 Ansiver to the Preface of
whether the bishop and the church of Rome of his time held so too, or held otherwise, I desire you to determine. But sure I am the church of Rome at this present holds, the contrary. The same St. Austin held it no matter of faith, that the bishops of Rome were judges of appeals from all parts of the church catholic, no not in major causes and major persons : whether the bishop or church of Rome did then hold the contrary, do you resolve me ; but now I am resolved that they do so. In all these differences, the point in question is esteemed and proposed by one side at least as a matter of faith, and by the other rejected as not so : and either this is to disagree in matters of faith, or you will have no means to shew that we do disagree. Now then, to shew you how weak and sandy the foun- dation is, on which the whole fabric both of your book and church depends, answer me briefly to this dilemma: either in these oppositions, one of the opposite parts erred damnably, and denied God's truth sufficiently propounded, or they did not. If they did, then they which do deny God's truth sufficiently propounded, may go to heaven ; and then you are rash and un- charitable in excluding us, though we were guilty of this fault. If not, then there is no such necessity, that of two disagreeing about a matter of faith, one should deny God's truth sufficiently propounded : and so the major and minor of your argument are proved false. Yet, though they were as true as gospel, and as evident as mathematical principles, the conclusion (so imperti- nent is it to the premises) might still be false. For that which naturally issues from these propositions is not — therefore one only can be saved : but — therefore one of them does something that is damnable. But with what logic or what charity you can infer either as the immediate production of the former premises,
The Author of Charity Maintamed. 71
or as a corollary from this conclusion — therefore one only can be saved — I do not understand ; unless you will pretend that this consequence is good — Such a one doth something damnable, therefore he shall certainly be damned : which whether it be not to overthrow the article of our faith, which promises remission of sins upon repentance, and consequently to ruin the gospel of Christ, I leave it to the pope and the cardinals to deter- mine. For if against this it be alleged, that no man can repent of the sin wherein he dies ; this much I have already stopped, by shewing, that if it be a sin of ignorance, this is no way incongruous.
11. Ad §. 4. You proceed in sleighting and disgracing your adversary, pretending his objections are mean and vulgar, and such as have been answered a thousand times. But if your cause were good, these arts would be needless. For though some of his objections have been often shifted, by men ^ that make a profession of devising shifts and evasions to save themselves and their religion from the pressure of truth, by men that are resolved they will say something, though they can say nothing to purpose ; yet I doubt not to make it appear, that neither by others have they been truly and really satisfied, and that the best answer you give them is to call them mean and vulgar objections.
12. Ad J. 5. " But his pains might have been spared: for the substance of his discourse is in a sermon of Dr. Usher's, and confuted four years ago by Paulus
f I mean the divines of Doway; whose profession we have in your Belgic Expurgatorius, p. 12. in censura Bertrami, in these words : " Seeing in other ancient catholics we tolerate, extenuate, and excuse very many errors, and devising some shift often deny them, and put upon them a convenient sense when they are objected to us in disputations and conflicts with our adversaries ; we see no reason why Bertram may not deserve the same equity."
F 4
7^ Answer to the Preface of
Veridicus." It seems then, the substance of your Reply is in Paulus Veridicus, and so your pains also might well have been spared. But had there been no neces- sity to help and piece out your confuting his arguments with disgracing his person, (which yet you cannot do,) you would have considered, that to them who compare Dr. Potter's book and the archbishop's sermon, this aspersion will presently appear a poor detraction, not to be answered but scorned. To say nothing, that in D. Potter, being to answer a book by express command from royal authority, to leave any thing material unsaid, because it had been said before, especially being spoken at large, and without any relation to the discourse which he was to answer, had been a ridiculous vanity and fond prevarication.
13. Ad §. 6. In your sixth parag. I let all pass saving only this : " that a persuasion that men of different re- ligions" (you must mean, or else you speak not to the point. Christians of divers opinions and communions) "may be saved, is a most pernicious heresy, and even a ground of atheism." What strange extractions chemis- try can make^ I know not ; but sure I am^ he that by reason would infer this conclusion — that there is no God, from this ground — that God will save men in different religions, must have a higher strain in logic than you or I have hitherto made show of. In my apprehension, the other part of the contradiction — that there is a God, should much rather follow from it. And whether contradictions will flow from the same fountain, let the learned judge. Perhaps you will say, you intended not to deliver here a positive and measured truth, and which you expected to be called to account for ; but only a high and tragical expression of your just detestation of the wicked doctrine against which you write : if you mean so, I let it pass ; only I am
The Author of Chanty Maintained, 73
to advertise the less wary reader, that passionate ex- pressions and vehement asseverations are no arguments, unless it be of the vreakness of the cause that is defended by them, or the man that defends it. And to remember you of what Boethius says of some such things as these — Nubila mens est, hcBC ubi regnant. For my part, I am not now in a passion ; neither will I speak one word which I think I cannot justify to the full : and I say, and will maintain, that to say that Christians of dif- ferent opinions and communions (such, I mean, who hold all those things that are simply necessary to salvation) may not obtain pardon for the errors wherein they die ignorantly by a general repentance, is so far from being a ground of atheism, that to say the contrary is to cross in diameter a main article of our creed, and to overthrow the gospel of Christ.
14. §. 7 and 8. To the two next parag. I have but two words to say. The one is, that I know no pro- testants that hold it necessary to be able to prove a perpetual visible church distinct from yours. Some perhaps undertake to do so, as a matter of courtesy ; but I believe you will be much to seek for any one that holds it necessary. For though you say that Christ hath promised there shall be a perpetual visible church, yet you yourselves do not pretend that he hath pro- mised there shall be histories and records always extant of the professors of it in all ages ; nor that he hath any where enjoined us to read those histories, that we may be able to shew them.
15. The other is, that Brerely's great exactness, which you magnify so and amplify, is no very certain demonstration of his fidelity. A romance may be told with as much variety of circumstances as a true story.
16. Ad \, 9 and 10. Your desires that I would in this
74 Answer to the Preface of
rejoinder, avoid impertinences — not impose doctrines upon you which you disclaim — set down the substance of your reasons faithfully and entirely — not weary the reader with unnecessary quotations — object nothing to you which I can answer myself, or which may be re- turned upon myself — and, lastly, (which you repeat again in the end of your preface,) speak as clearly and distinctly and univocally as possibly I can — are all very reasonable, and shall be by me most punctually and fully satisfied. Only I have reason to complain, that you give us rules only, and not good example in keep- ing them. For in some of these things I shall have frequent occasion to shew, that Medice, cura teipsum, may very justly be said unto you ; especially for objecting what might very easily have been answered by you, and may be very justly returned upon you.
17. To your ensuing demands, though some of them be very captious and ensnaring, yet I will give you as clear and plain and ingenuous answers as possibly I can.
18. Ad §.11. To the first, then, about the perpetuity of the visible church, my answer is — that I believe our Saviour, ever since his ascension, hath had in some place or other a visible true church on earth ; I mean a company of men that professed at least so much truth as was absolutely necessary for their salvation. And I believe, that there will be somewhere or other such a church to the world's end. But the contrary doctrine I do at no hand believe to be a damnable heresy.
19. Ad ^. 12. To the second, What visible church there was before Luther disagreeing from the Roman ? I answer, that before Luther there were many visible churches in many things disagreeing from the Roman ; but not that the whole catholic church disagreed from
The Author of Charity Maintained, 75
her, because she herself was a part of the whole, though much corrupted. And to undertake to name a catho- lic church disagreeing from her, is to make her no part of it, which we do not, nor need not pretend. And for men agreeing with protestants in all points, we will then produce them, when you shall either prove it necessary to be done — which you know we absolutely deny — or when you shall produce a perpetual succession of professors, which in all points have agreed with you, and disagreed from you in nothing. But this my pro- mise, to deal plainly with you, I conceive and so intended it to be very like his, who undertook to drink up the sea, upon condition that he to whom the promise was made should first stop the rivers from running in. For this unreasonable request which you make to us is to yourselves so impossible, that in the next age after the apostles you will never be able to name a man whom you can prove to have agreed with you in all things, nay, (if you speak of such whose works are extant, and unquestioned,) whom we cannot prove to have disagreed from you in many things. Which I am so certain of, that I will venture my credit and my life upon it.
20. Ad §. 13. To the third. Whether, seeing there cannot be assigned any visible true church distinct from the Roman, it follows not that she erred not fundamen- tally ? I say, in our sense of the wordi fundamental, it does follow. For if it be true that there was tlien no church distinct from the Roman, then it must be either because there was no church at all, which we deny ; or because the Roman church was the whole church, which we also deny ; or because she was a part of the whole, which we grant. And if she were a true part of the church, then she retained those truths which were simply necessary to salvation, and held no errors
76 Answer to the Preface of
which were inevitably and unpardonably destructive of it. For this is precisely necessary to constitute any man or any church a member of the church catholic. In our sense therefore of the vfOixA fundamental^ I hope she erred not fundamentally, but in your sense of the word I fear she did ; that is, she held something to be Divine revelation which was not, something not to be which was.
21. Ad §. 14. To the fourth, How it could be damnable to maintain her errors, if they were not fun- damental? I answer, 1. Though it were not damnable, yet if it were a fault, it was not to be done. For a venial sin with you is not damnable ; yet you say it is not to be committed for the procuring any good : Non est faciendum malum vel minimum, ut eveniat honum vel maximum. It is damnable to maintain an error against conscience, though the error in itself, and to him that believes it, be not damnable. Nay, the profession not only of an error, but even of a truth, if not believed, when you think on it again, I believe you will confess to be a mortal sin ; unless you will say hypocrisy and simulation in religion is not so. 2. Though we say the errors of the Roman church were not destructive of salvation, but pardonable even to them that died in them, upon a general repentance ; yet we deny not but in themselves they were damnable. Nay, the very saying they were pardonable implies they need pardon, and therefore in themselves were damnable; damnable meritoriously, though not effect- ually. As a poison may be deadly in itself, and yet not kill him that together with the poison takes an antidote ; or as felony may deserve death, and yet not bring it on him that obtains the king's pardon.
22. Ad §. 15. To the fifth, How can they be excused from schism who forsook her communion upon pretence
The Author of Charity Maintained, 77
of errors which were not damnable ? I answer, all that we forsake in you is only the belief and practice and profession of your errors. Hereupon you cast us out of your communion ; and then, with a strange and con- tradictious and ridiculous hypocrisy, complain that we forsake it. As if a man should thrust his friend out of doors, and then be offended at his departure. But for us not to forsake the belief of your errors, having discovered them to be errors, was impossible ; and therefore to do so could not be damnable, believing them to be errors. Not to forsake the practice and profession of them, had been damnable hypocrisy ; supposing that (which you vainly run away with, and take for granted) those errors in themselves were not damnable. Now to do so, and, as matters now stand, not to forsake your communion, is apparently contra- dictious ; seeing the condition of your communion is, that we must profess to believe all your doctrines, not only not to be damnable errors, (which will not content you,) but also to be certain and necessary and revealed truths. So that to demand why we forsook your communion upon pretence of errors which are not damnable, is in effect to demand why we forsook it upon our forsaking it ? For to pretend that there are errors in your church, though not damnable, is ipso facto to forsake your communion, and to do that which both in your account, and, as you think, in God's account, puts him that does so out of your communion. So that either you must free your church from requiring the belief of any error whatsoever, damnable and not damnable, or, whether you will or no, you must free us from schism : for schism there cannot be in leaving your communion, unless we were obliged to continue in it. Man cannot be obliged by man, but to what either formally or virtually he is obliged by God ; for,
78 Answer to the Preface of
all just power is from God. God, the eternal truth, neither can nor will oblige us to believe any the least and the most innocent falsehood to be a Divine truth, that is, to err ; nor to profess a known error, which is to lie. So that if you require the belief of any error among the conditions of your communion, our obligation to communicate with you ceaseth, and so the imputa- tion of schism to us vanisheth into nothing ; but lies heavy vipon you for making our separation from you just and necessary, by requiring unnecessary and un- lawful conditions of your communion. Hereafter, therefore, I entreat you, let not your demand be, how could we forsake your communion without schism, seeing you erred not damnably ? but, how could we do so without schism, seeing you erred not at all : which if either you do prove, or we cannot disprove it, we will (I at least will for my part) return to your com- munion, or subscribe myself schismatic. In the mean time, /mevcojULev cocTrep ear/Jiev.
2S, Yet notwithstanding all your errors, we do not renounce your communion totally and absolutely, but only leave communicating with you in the practice and profession of your errors. The trial whereof will be to propose some form of worshipping God, taken wholly out of scripture ; and herein if we refuse to join with you, then, and not till then, may you justly say we have utterly and absolutely abandoned your communion.
24. Ad §.16. Your sixth demand I have already satisfied in my answers to the second and the fourth, and in my reply ad §. 2, toward the end. And though you say your repeating must be excused, yet I dare not be so confident, and therefore forbear it.
25. Ad §. 17. To the seventh. Whether error against any one truth sufficiently propounded as testified by
The Author of Charity Maintained. 79
God, destroy not the nature and unity of faith, or at least is not a grievous offence, excluding salvation ? I answer, if you suppose, as you seem to do, the pro- position so sufficient, that the party to whom it is made is convinced that it is from God, so that the denial of it involves also with it the denial of God's veracity, any such error destroys both faith and salvation. But if the proposal be only so sufficient, not that the party to whom it is made is convinced, but only that he should, and but for his own fault would have been conv inced of the Divine verity of the doctrine proposed ; the crime then is not so great ; for the belief of God's veracity may still consist with such an error. Yet a fault I confess it is, and (without repentance) damnable, if, all circumstances considered, the proposal be sufficient. But then I must tell you, that the proposal of the pre- sent Roman church is only pretended to be sufficient for this purpose, but is not so ; especially all the rays of the Divinity, which they pretend to shine so con- spicuously in her proposals, being so darkened and even extinguished with a cloud of contradiction, from scrip- ture, reason, and the ancient church.
26. Ad J. 18. To the eighth. How of disagreeing protestants, both parts may hope for salvation, seeing some of them must needs err against some truth testi- fied by God ? I answer, the most disagreeing protest- ants that are, yet thus far agree ; 1. That those books of Scripture which were never doubted of in the church are the undoubted word of God, and a perfect rule of faith. 2. That the sense of them, which God intended, whatsoever it is, is certainly true ; so that they believe implicitly even those very truths against which they err ; and why an implicit faith in Christ and his word should not suffice as well as an implicit faith in your church, I have desired to be resolved by many of your
80 Answer to