A Vindication of the Sincerity of the Protestant Religion, Title page – Part
A VINDICATION OF THE SINCERITY OF THE Proteſtant Religion In the Point of Obedience to SOVEREIGNES.
Oppoſed To the Doctrine of Rebellion, authoriſed and practiſed by the Pope and the Jeſuites.
In Anſwer to a Jeſuitical Libel, Entituled PHILANAX ANGLICƲS
By PETER DU MOULIN, D. D. Canon of Chriſt-Church Canterbury, one of His Majeſties Chaplains.
LONDON, Printed by I. Redmayne, for John Crook, at the Ship in St Pauls Church-yard. 1664.
Imprimatur
Ex Aedib. Lambeth. Nov. 19. 1663. Geo. Stradling, S. T. P. Rever. in Chriſto Pat. Dom. Gilb. Archiep. Cant. à Sacr. Domeſt.
To the Moſt Reverend Father in God, GILBERT, Lord Archbiſhop of Canterbury his GRACE, Primate of all England and Metropolitan, my moſt Honoured Dioceſan and Viſitor.
My LORD,
AN Adverſary of the Truth, and therefore Yours, hath lately offered to your Grace the ſame abuſe as the Roman Souldiers did to the Lord Jeſus. For as they arrayed him in Royal Scarlet, bowed the Knee before him, and ſaid to him, Hail King of the Jews; but at the ſame time ſpit upon him, and ſmote him on the head: This enemy, who is alſo a Roman Souldier, clotheth your Grace with high praiſes, and makes a profound obeyſance to your Place and Merits in an Epiſtle Dedicatory; But by the ſame Epiſtle he puts under your Graces Protection a charge of Rebellion againſt our Catholick Orthodox Church, and an Apologie for the Doctrine of the Jeſuites. This is ſtroaking and ſtriking together. No blame is ſo diſgraceful as ſuch praiſes. So did the Devil call Chriſt the Son of the living God, to diſgrace him by his Teſtimony, and make him to be taken for one of his Confederates. The man never appearing to own his work, ſeems to acknowledge, that neither his perſon nor his work deſerveth the notice of the world. Yet I thought it neceſſary to let the world know what a cheat is put upon the Readers by this childe of darkneſs, who being altogether unknown to your Grace (as your ſelf were pleaſed to expreſs unto me) beareth himſelf for your ancient Acquaintance, and claims your Patronage, while he diſgraceth your Perſon, and revileth your Doctrine. Neither doth the Libel, being but an ignorant ſcolding, deſerve an anſwer; but that the man recompenceth his ſhallow learning with his ſuperlative malice, making uſe of this conjuncture, when the minds of loyal ſubjects are exulcerated by their late and long ſufferings by rebellious Zelots under pretence of Religion, to make the ſufferers to fall out with Religion it ſelf.
Theſe are the depths of Satan, who knows perfectly how to ſteer the ſpirits by the Rudder of their moſt ſenſible Intereſſes, and at this time labours to drown the too remiſs ſenſe of holy Belief, in the quick reſentments of perſonal oppreſſion. Bleſſed be God that he is come ſhort of his aim in this attempt; and that this Libeller by his Impoſture hath only ſtirred the juſt indignation of good Chriſtians, in whom the intereſs of Gods truth and glory takes place before all perſonal concernments. Himſelf might have bin an example of that juſt ſeverity which he commends in your Grace, if he had been as bold to Preſent the Book, as audacious to Dedicate it to ſo great a Patron. I cannot but have recourſe unto the ſame Patron which he hath choſen for his untruths, to protect the confutation of them: Knowing, that the Vindication of the Truth, is in its right place, being put under your Graces protection; in whoſe ſhadow the Church rejoyceth, as of the gracious Patron of Piety and Vertue, the Incourager of Goodneſs, the Maintainer of the Orthodox Faith; and in that reſpect, the right Arm of the great Defender of the ſame. That your Government may be bleſſed unto the Church, and Proſperous and Honourable unto your Self, is the fervent prayer
My LORD, Of Your GRACES Most dutiful and humblest Servant, PETER DU MOULIN
To the Roman Catholicks of His Majeſties Dominions.
My Lords and Gentlemen,
THe Adverſary againſt whom I appear having laid a Charge of Rebellion againſt a ſort of Proteſtants in his Title page, hath in his Book brought the generality of Proteſtants under that Indictment. I will not imitate his unſincerity, by laying that charge proper to the Court of Rome, and the Jeſuites, upon all the Roman Catholicks, knowing the Loyalty of many of them, with whoſe acquaintance I am honoured, and making uſe in this Treatiſe of the Teſtimony of great Perſons, and whole Courts and Societies of the Roman profeſſion, againſt the precepts of Diſloyalty enjoyned by the Roman Court, and acted by the Jeſuites. For to theſe only I profeſs that my preſent oppoſition is limitted. Only I will be here your humble Suitor, That ſince the Pope is called by Cardinal Bellarmine, The aEpiſt. ad Blackwell▪Head of the Faith, and bPraefat. ad lib. de ſummo Pontiſice.The Fundamental Stone of Sion, you be pleaſed to conſider ſeriouſly, how taking the Popes ſenſe and authority for the foundation of your Faith in this point, can conſiſt with that Honour and Loyalty which you harbour in your generous Breaſts: And how you that venture your lives ſo freely for the Defence of your King, can acknowledge the power which the Pope aſſumeth of diſpoſing of the Crowns and Lives of Kings, and abſolving you from the duty of your Allegience when he thinks good. Certainly, when you have weighed this in the Ballance of Conſcience and ſound Judgement, you ſhall finde your ſelves hedged in within this Dilemma, Either to ceaſe to be good ſubjects, or to acknowledge that the Pope can erre, even when he ſpeaks and makes Decrees from his Chair. Of which Truth if you be once perſwaded, your way is open to know more Truth. That our faith may be ſetled upon that Truth which makes us free, we muſt call upon theJoh. 8. 32. aſſiſtance of the God of Truth, and prepare for it a meek, docible, and unprejudiced ſpirit; which are qualities altogether remote from the furious and contumelious Adverſary whom I take in hand in this Treatiſe. Yet ſince they are not opprobrious terms, but clear proofs that are moſt offenſive to the accuſed, I cannot deny that I have been more offenſive to him, then he to the Proteſtants. God govern his Catholick Church with the Spirit of Truth and Peace, and convert with his bleſſings thoſe that curſe us. So prayeth
My Lords and Gentlemen, Your moſt humble ſervant in the Lord Ieſus. our Common Saviour, Peter Du Moulin.