The Appeal of Injured Innocence, Letter 3
To Dr. Cornelius Burges.
SIR,
I could have wished, that in your book entituled, a Case concerning the buying of Bishops Lands, with the lawfullnesse thereof, &c. you had forborn this following expression against me.
Part. 1. pag. 7.
As that flashy jeering Author of the late published History of the Church (upon hear-say onelyonly, and out of Resolution calumniari fortiter) hath falsely reported him.
Let us go back to the occasion of these words. When Dr. Hacket, May the 11th. 1641. made a Speech, in behalfe of the Deans, and Chapters of England, for the preventing of the alienation of their Lands and revenues, you returned an Answer thereunto; and about the conclusive Result thereof, is our present contest.
Dr. Burges.
You say, you onelyonly concluded those things unalienable from the Church, which were setled upon it by Divine Right.
Fuller.
I Report, you concluded Deans and Chapters lands alienable without sin of Sacriledge, from that particular Use; yet so as that they ought still to be preserved to the Church in generall.
I confesse, I neither was, (nor might be) present in the Parliament: and therefore must take it on Hear-say. However I distinguish on hear-say which is double,
Hear-say
Common.
Credible.
I conceive mine to be of the latter and better sort. And I have no other way to defend my selfe, than by appealing to many members of the House then present, still alive, and firmly remembring that transaction.
Surely, Sir, the Parliament never brought into question, Whether things might be alienated from the Church, which by Divine Right were setled thereon. It was inconsistent with their prudence, amounting in effect to this question, Whether Gods, or their power were the highest. And, Sir, if you concluded no more than what you say, you concluded what was never controverted by any Christian.
Whereas you call me a FLASHY WRITER, God forbid that in all my Books such a flash of folly and falshood should be found, as falls from your Pen in your own praise.
Part. 1. pag. 32. lin. 30, 31.
Albeit Dr. Burges performeth more service in that Church, than any Bishop that ever sat there.
I read, Act. 10.2. of a Cornelius praised by God for his Prayers and Alms: but you are the first of the name, which, publickly in print, commendeth himselfe.
And as for the Bishops of that See;Goodwin, in Epi…. Bath. & Well. Have you forgotten William Barlow, who in the Marian dayes, exul in Germania inopem vitam, ut potuit, toleravit, Preaching a practicall Sermon of patience and contentednesse to all posterity, whilst another usurped his habitation? What shall I speak of S…il…, Montague, &c. What proportion, I pray, doth a pet…y brook bear to a large LAKE?
If I be a flashy Writer, you should have been so carefull as not to have brought fuell in your Book, which I so soon may burn to ashes.
Part. 1. pag. 20.
And that this was the high-way, wherein the Popish Clergy of England long before, (as well as since) the Conquest, constantly travelled; take one Testimony more of that famous Gildas the Elder, surnamed Sapiens: who being a Brittain Presbyter, within the sixth Century, or hundred of years, after Christ, thus chargeth the Popish Clergy of his time, who had sacked their Principles from Augustine the Monk, sent from Rome on purpose to advance the State and Pompe of the Clergy, under Colour of planting the Christian faith in England. For thus he saith, Britannia habet sacerdotes, &c. Brittain (saith he) hath Priests, but some of them very dol…s: very many Ministers, but many of them impudent ones: Clergy men, but very *The Latin word being Raptores, might (by the Doctors favour) be better Englished Plunderers.Thieves or Cheaters: Pastors, as they are termed; but, in truth Woolves, standing to slay and flay the souls of the sheep: for that they seek not the good of the people, but the Grambing of their owne bellies. They have Church houses, but they never repaire to them, unlesse for their own filthy lucre.
But know, Sir, that herein you are much mistaken in your Chronology, for
Gildas died, saith Arch-bishop, Usher in his Index-Chronolog. pag. 1144. in the year of our Lord, 570.
Augustine the Monk came not over …nto England untill the year 596. as …s notoriously known to all that open a Book.
I am therefore confident that Gildas his complaint related onelyonly to his Country-men, the Brittish Clergy without the least reflection on the Saxon, which as yet were unconverted pagans. And therefore to say, they had sucked in principles from Augustine the Monk, is an Anti-Chronism, which cannot be justified.
Respect, Sir, to your age, degree, and profession, charms my Pen into some reverence unto you; and because, I hear, abler Men are undertaking your Confutation, I add no more, but remain,
Your Loving Friend Thomas Fuller.
FINIS.