A Key for Catholics, Treatise 1 · Chapter 50
CHAP. L. Some Propoſals for a (hopeleſs) Peace.
IT is A Defenſive conflict that I have been hitherto managing; This work is put upon us by our adverſaries. But in the concluſion I will add a few words of that whith enticeth by its amiable aſpect, and which we gladly follow, without importunity or conſtraint. And were our Power but anſwerable to our Deſires, we would ſoon put an end to theſe contentions of the Church, without the hurt of any of the Diſſenters: Yea did there appear but any conſiderable Hopes of ſucceſs, I ſhould venture to be more large in Propoſals to that end: But when wiſer men, of greater intereſt can do no good, and the caſe appeareth as next to deſperate, a few words may ſuffice to ſatisfie my own conſcience, and to pleaſe my mind with the mention of a Peace, and to help ſome others to right Diſpoſitions and Deſires, though we have never ſo little expectation of ſucceſs.
And in order to what follows, I muſt firſt deſire every Reader rightly to underſtand the meaning and deſign of all that I have hitherto ſaid. It is but to be a neceſſary help to the Diſcovery of the Truth, and the confutation of the contrary errors, and the juſt defence of the doctrine of Chriſt, and of his Churches, I ſolemnly proteſt that it is none of my deſign or deſire, 1. To make any believe that the Difference is wider between us and the Papiſts then indeed it is. Nay I am ſatisfied that in many doctrinall points it is not ſo great as commonly it is taken to be by many, if not moſt, on both ſides: as in the points of certainty of Salvation, of Pardon, of Juſtification, of Works, of Faith; and in almoſt all the controverſies about Predeſtination, Redemption, Free-will, the work of Grace, &c. The Dominicans in ſence agree with the Calviniſt (as they call them) and the Jeſuites with the Lutherans and Arminians: and ſo in divers other points. The divers underſtanding of words among us, and the weakneſs and paſſions of Divines, and a baſe fear of the cenſures of a party, hath occaſioned may on both ſides to feign the differences to be much wider then indeed they are: ſo that when an Alvarez, a Bannes, a Gibieuf, have ſpoken the ſame things as the Proteſtants do, they are preſently fain to pour out abundance of unworthy ſlanders againſt the Proteſtants, for fear of being accounted Proteſtants themſelves. And to ſhew their party how much they differ from us, they muſt feign us to be monſters, and to hold that which commonly we abhor: And ſome Proteſtants are too blame alſo in ſome meaſure in this kind. This unchriſtian dealing will gripe the conſcience, when once it is awakened. Let me be rather numbred with thoſe that are ambitious to ſeem as Like to all the Churches of Chriſt, and as much to agree with them, as honeſtly and poſſibly I may, what party ſoever diſtaſte that union and agreement. And let my ſoul abhor the deſire of appearing more diſtant and diſagreeing then we are, what cenſures ſo ever I may incur. Our ſtudents would not ſo ordinarily read Aquinas, Scotus, Ariminenſts, Durandus, &c. if there were not in them abundance of precious truth which they eſteem. How neer doth Dr. Holden come to us in the fundamental point of the Reſolution of our faith? How neer come to the Scotiſts to us in ſence, about the point of Merit? and Waldenſis and others yet neerer? How neer comes Contarenus to us (and many more) in the point of Juſtification? How neer comes Cardinall Cajetan to us in the Liberty of diſſenting from the Fathers in the Expoſition of the Scriptures? and ſo doth Waldonate and many another. How neer comes Cardinal Cuſanus (lib. de Concord.) to us, even in the Eſſential point of difference, about the Original and Title that Rome hath to its ſupremacy? How neer comes Gerſon to us in the point of Venial and Mortal ſin? perhaps as neer as we are to our ſelves. How neer come the Dominicans and Janſenians to us in the points of Predeſtination, Grace and Free- will? For my own part, I ſcarce know a Proteſtant that my thoughts in theſe do more concur with, then they do with Janſenius, (that is indeed, with Auguſtine himſelf.) There are very few points of the Proteſtant doctrine, which I cannot produce ſome Papiſt or other to atteſt (and eaſily thus be even with Mr. Brerely, upon fairer terms then he deals with us.)
2. I do alſo proteſt that it is none of my deſire or deſign, to create any unjuſt Cenſures of the final ſtate of Papiſts in any Readers: nor to perſwade men that they are all damned, or that there are no honeſt godly men among them. When I read ſuch writers as Gerſon, Barbanſon, Ferus, and others, I am fully ſatisfied that there are many among them (how many God only knows) that truly fear God, and are ſanctified gracious people, with whom I hope to dwell for ever. And therefore I think it my Duty not only to forbear unjuſt Cenſures of them, but alſo to love them with that entire ſpeciall Chriſtian Love by which Chriſt would have us known to be his Diſciples; and to perſwade all others to do the like. Though ſtill I am conſtrained to ſay, that in my ſmall acquaintance with them, I find no compariſon between the Engliſh Papiſts and our Churches in point of Holineſs. I would they were much better.
3. I do alſo proteſt that it is not my deſire or deſign to make any innocent Papiſt to be accounted guilty of the faults of others which he diſowns.
4. Nor is it any of my deſire or deſign to provoke the Magiſtrate to any cruelty or injuſtice towards them; nor to lay any penalty on them, but what is truly of neceſſity for the ſafety of himſelf and the Common-wealth, and a juſt reſtraint of them from perverting others, and doing miſchief to the ſouls of men, as I ſhall open more at large anon.
5. Nor is it any of my deſire or deſign to make the generality of them unjuſtly more odious with Rulers or People, then the meaſure of their corruptions do deſerve: Or to hide any of their vertues, or deprive them of any honour which is their due. This much my conſcience witneſſeth of my intents; though I know the partial will hardly believe it, when they feel themſelves ſmart by that Contradiction which they have made neceſſary for our own defence. And this I thought neceſſary to premiſe, before I lay down the following Propoſals, that prejudice and paſſion do not turn away men eyes, or cauſe them to miſinterpret them. For it is prejudice, partiality, and faction, that hath hitherto fruſtrated all ſuch Propoſals and attempts.