View of Some Exceptions Made by a Romanist, Part 2 · Subpart 34
To the 26 Section Chap. 16.
The Enquirer ſeemes to be troubled not a little, becauſe we will not ſay with him, that men may be ſaved in a falſe religion, or becauſe we doe not thinke our religion falſe, or any other religion true beſides our owne; and in the ſame veine Chillingworth his Commentatour runnes very fluently, and upon this ill ſounding ſtring is harping continually. Yet for all this harping, it will not be eaſily underſtood what offence againſt Charity it can be for us to judge, either that Chriſtianity alone is the ſaving religion, or that our religion is the onelyonly true Chriſtianity. For ſay we ſhould be deceived in making this judgement, yet this ſame at the moſt can be but a want in our ſelves of right underſtanding, and not any breach of charity towards others, or any matter of exclamation, as ſome frivolous men of late have made it. Wherefore, if we will ſtate the queſtion rightly, we are not to enquire whether we want charity in holding that none but Catholickes and true Chriſtians can be ſaved, or in our holding that we onelyonly are of that ſort; or againe, whether our adverſaries for their accuſing us, want not wit and charity together, or at leaſt one of them; but the queſtion betweene us ought to be, whether there be more ſaving religions then one? or whether ours be not that one? and this is the old controverſy in Bellarmine and others, and may be diſputed without any anger, or without diſguiſing, or multiplying of controverſies on ſet purpoſe, done by theſe Novelliſts, as it ſeemes, for making more buſineſſe then needed, or cauſing more diſtaſt and alienation then was before.
The Enquirer is much diſpleaſed with us for damning, as he cals it, all that are not of the Church of Rome. But for pacifying of his angry ſpirit, I demand of any for him, what ſinne he thinkes it in us to judge that all who die out of the Church of God, die in an evill ſtate; or what other, to thinke that our Catholique Church, which he diminitively cals the Church of Rome, is the only Church of God. Let him ſatisfie me in this, and I will eaſily ſatisfie him in the other. In the meane time we are not nice to declare, That there is but one ſaving Religion. That there is but one true Chriſtianity, and that one is the ſaving religion. That there is but one Catholicke Church, and that this one Church is, by the inſtitution of Chriſt, and according to the conſent of antiquity, to be governed by the See Apoſtolique, and by the Succeſſour of Saint Peter, as chiefe Paſtour and Preſident of the reſt. Now what hurt is there in all this, or what want of Chriſtian charity? It is not uncharitable to ſay that ſome offenders ſhall be damned, and if any, then why not thoſe who are truly and really Sestaries and men obſtinate, for it is like that they deſerve it as well as any. There wanted not one of this Enquirers confraternity, who fancied ſometimes to himſelfe, that all the damnation that was to fall upon the wicked, was an annihilation of them and extinction, and not a perpetuity of torments; which conceit is ſo charitable, that it exceeds the charity even of God himſelfe, and controules his revelations made to the contrary in the Holy Scripture, and condemnes them as guilty of too much rigour and ſeverity, and therefore no marvaile though we poore mortals cannot eſcape their cenſure.
But now, leſt any man ſhould thinke our doctrine to be harſh and rigorous, he may pleaſe to be inform'd, that we doe not hold every man for a Pagan and an Infidell who embraces Paganiſme, but only ſo many of them as be guilty of their errour through affected, or culpable ignorance; which defect though it be a formall ignorance of the truth, yet it is a virtuall knowledge of their errour, and an interpretative rejection of the truth, and alſo a reſiſtance to God and his divine veracity, manifeſted in his revelations; and therefore all theſe, whether Pagans os Heretiques, be hainous offenders, and foreign, that is to ſay, judged and condemned by their owne conſciences, of which doctrine it ſeemes both this Enquirer, and after him his ſecond Maſter Chillingworth, were ignorant, by their inſinuating that no man is an Heretique, or ſelfe-condemned, but onelyonly ſuch as adhere to a doctrine which he formally knowes to be erroneous, that is to ſay, onelyonly ſuch as doe that which is impoſſible to be done; which concluſion is a covert affirmation that there be no Heretiques at all, nor can be any; and ſo all is ſafe, whether ſound or no.
In like manner we doe not hold to be an Heretique, or to be out of the Catholique Church every one who embraces an hereſy, but ſuch a number of them onelyonly as doe it with an obſtinate mind, and without preparation to be reformed, or to hearken unto reaſon when it is told them. By which doctrine it appeares, that we are not ſo ſtrict as we may ſeeme, nor yet ſo large as ſome would have us. For on the one ſide, we doe not maintaine that Heretiques can be ſaved, or that hereſy is not a deadly or damnable ſinne, as ſome Socinians and other Libertines would have us thinke; And on the other ſide, we dilate the ſpaces of the Church Catholique farther then every body conceives we doe, and by that meanes comprehend within it many that in the eye of the world, ſeeme aliens unto it; ſo that our charity is not irregular in judging Heretiques to be in good ſtate, but it is rather in concluding that very many are not Heretiques really and interiourly, though outwardly they ſeeme to be. And thus you ſee we doe not cry all men downe to hell, not yet any more then we are compelled to doe by the doctrine delivered to us about that point in Holy Scripture.
After this damning and firing men in the other world, of which the Enquirer hath wrongfully accus'd us, he proceedeth to blame us for ſending Heretiques to the fire in this, and therefore ſaith that he beleives that throughout antiquity we ſhall not finde the putting to death of any (for religion) but onelyonly of ſuch as began to kill firſt.
This provocation to antiquity, howſoever the matter be, can be of no force, unleſſe antiquity did condemne that practice as unlawfull, becauſe antiquity did not all it might doe, but left divers things for poſterity to adde as it ſhould ſee expedient.
Beſides foraſmuch as concernes puniſhment of impious men and innovatours both by death and other wayes, if the Authour had lookt better into antiquity, he could not but have beleived otherwiſe, as our Authours doe ſhew at large; for it is cleare that amongst the Jewes in was the practice to puniſh impious people very ſeverely, and all ſuch as with new doctrines ſought to infect others, puniſhing according to the preſcript of Moyſes law, ſome with death, other ſome by other temporall puniſhments.
The Canon law alſo and the Imperiall decree the ſame, to all which the practice of the Church accords; and laſtly, reaſon her ſelfe, and the common rules of equity and justice doe permit, yea and preſcribe the ſame: and theſe ſuffrages are ſo powerfull and prevailing, as they ſuffice, not onelyonly for the juſtification of the Churches preſent practice, but alſo for the condemnation of high preſumption and arrogance of all who ſhould be ſo hardy as to impugne or queſtion it.
Nevertheleſſe this ſame practice of infliction of temporall puniſhments upon offenders againſt religion, is not generall without any limitation or reſtraint, as ſome may imagine it to be, as if forſooth none of a different religion from ours could be exempted from them; but contrariwiſe it admits exception in many caſes, as we are about to declare preſently.
Know therefore that whereſoever any Kingdome or Commonwealth is ſetled in a juſt and a peaceable poſſeſſion of Catholique religion, without any notable commixture of contrary profeſſions, as for example, in Italy or Spaine, at this preſent. In this caſe it is no cruelty or rigour to inflict temporall puniſhments upon all ſuch as ſhall adventure to diſturbe that ſetled peace by introducing thither any new doctrines upon pretence of whatſoever reformation; and that this may be done ſtands with ſo much reaſon as cannot be probably contradicted. Neither is this courſe of ſeverity any defence unneceſſary, foraſmuch as vitious and over-weening ſpirits are moſt efficaciouſly repreſſed and withheld from evill by feare of temporall puniſhments in this life, becauſe their chiefe aime is at temporall contentments in the ſame, being moved more with the preſent, then with thoſe other that are spirituall and to come, conſcience and religion having little influence into what they doe. In fine, they are governed more with ſence then reaſon, with ſtripes then with Philoſophy, inſomuch, that neither the ſchooles of Philoſophers, nor the Temples of God, can worke halfe ſo much with theſe wormes of the earth, as temporall tribunals can. Now though the enemy be never ſo deſpicable, is he therefore to be neglected becauſe the meaneſt Seducer may doe miſchiefe, as we finde by the effects of the Tubmen; and againe, becauſe the groſſeſt errours, if they tend to liberty, or be but new, may be perſwaded to the multitude, as, by the ſucceſſes of Mahomet, it is manifeſt; and the rather in this caſe of ours, becauſe we experience daily, that our people having been once poſſeſt, that the Religion of the See Apoſtolique, and of their own forefathers was ſuperſtition, they are eaſily perſwaded, that the farther they depart from that Religion, the more pure and reformed they ſhall be, and ſo will be forward to run blindly on, till they paſſe all the bounds of Chriſtianity, and reforme all to nothing; for with ſuch bewitched minds as theſe, every new nonſenſe will be more acceptable, and be received ſooner, then any old ſenſe, and this is the effects of thoſe raylings againſt Rome which they have heard continually out of the Pulpits now for ſo many yeers together, without any intermiſſion.
But, although this courſe of ſeverity be neceſſary for the preventing of diſturbances by innovation, yet nevertheleſſe it is not to be extended unto all that any where amongst us doe teach, or profeſſe erroneous doctrines, or Religions different from our own, but only againſt corruptors or invaders, that is to ſay, ſuch as break in by fraud or violence, and diſturbe the quiet of the Church. For, after ſuch time at the invaſion is paſt, and the invaders gone, and that they are ſucceeded by another generation, which is not guilty of making any irruption, but, with whatſoever errour they are tainted, it is contracted by the vice of education from their Parents and other ſuch inſtructors, and withall doe behave themſelves peaceably, I ſay that againſt ſuch as theſe the Church doth not proceed, nor execute the ſeverity of the Lawes in force againſt Heretiques; of this ſort be at this day, the deſcendents of firſt Proteſtants in this Kingdome, whoſe ancestors that were the invaders lived about King Edward and Queen Mary. Againſt theſe deſcendents the Church doth not preſſe the Canon Law, though againſt the former ſort it did, and had juſt cauſe given ſo to doe. Conformable to this difference between Proteſtant and Proteſtant, doe the Catholiques in France and Polonia ſuffer the Proteſtants to live with them, without moleſtation, and to enjoy the liberties and Priviledges of the Kingdome, as formerly they had done in Auſtria, Stiria and Carinthia, till ſuch time at they became ſeditious, and conspired against thoſe who gave them freedome.
But now let it be noted and borne in memory, that notwithſtanding this gentle proceedings of Catholiques towards the Proteſtants after ſo many loſſes and injuries fuffer'd from them, the ſame Proteſtants being themſelves but juniors, and living by ſufferance, fall hotly upon perſecution of Catholiques whereſoever they grow to be the ſtronger ſide, and that alſo in moſt Provinces, after a very violent, mercileſſe, and deſperate manner, ſlay, impriſon, robbe, baniſh, defame, in fine ſuffer Catholiques in no place where they are predominant, and this againſt all right and common equity. Which manner of proceeding I muſt tell the Inquirer, is much worſe and more unreaſonable then Turkiſh, for the Turkes though aliens, Barbarians and Conquerours, are ſenſible of the right the Chriſtians of their conquer'd Provinces have for the free exerciſe of their Religion, and therefore do not goe about to reſtraine them from it, but let them continue quietly in that right of theirs, and ſo they doe even to this day, to the great ſhame of Proteſtants and Puritans here in theſe Kingdomes, may it be ſpoken without offence, being, as all men ſee plainly exceeded in juſtice and civility by the Turkes. Wherefore no marvaile that our Inquirer is forced to confeſſe that Calvin is too blame in this point, and the Church of England a little, which is a little too much for, addeth he, Negare manifeſta non audeo, & excuſare immodica non poſſum. Sure this Inquirer came with very little indifferency to give his judgement here, when he ſaith, the Church of England is guilty but a little, I would know of him what is a great deale, if all that we have ſuffer'd from it be but a little. But it is well he would acknowledge thus much, for it is more then others have done, and more ingenuity appeares in him, then in them, and perhaps he would have ſaid more, if it might have beene well taken, though in confeſſing this little he inſinuates all. Doubtleſſe, no manner of proceeding can be more unworthy then for a latter generation to forget from whoſe Ioynes they came, and to become harſh and contumelious to their owne fore-fathers children, and perſecute them with all rigour, as if they were enemies and invaders, and aliens, onelyonly for their honourable continuing in that faith which their Anceſtours did leave them and commended to them as chiefe inheritance in that faith, which hitherto they which aſſaile it have never beene able by any argument to prove it falſe; nor yet on the other ſide, to evict by any unanſwerable demonſtration that their owne new faith was true. Wherefore ſince, if any have more right one then another for the exerciſe of their Religion in this Kingdome,it is we, and this right cannot be taken from us by any power under heaven, and againe were your reaſons never ſo good, yet you are not to ſchool us, or to be our Tutors, or to compell us unto change. Therefore the ſeverity that hath been uſed over us hath no warrant for it, no preſident or example, nothing wherewith to countenance it in the ſight of the World, or to juſtifie it in the ſight of God, but is every way abominable and foul, ſuch in fine as neither the Chriſtians uſed to the Pagans their predeceſſours, nor Catholiques to the deſcendents of the formoſt and invading Proteſtants, nor any civil man would offer to another.
If the Religion, ſaith the Inquirer, had alwayes remained the ſame, it would not be defended by wayes ſo contrary to thoſe by which it was propagated. But now what wayes are theſe? he means force and violence, and ſaying, To the fire with him, and To he…l with him, for theſe are the Inquirers owne expreſſions. To theſe I adde the ſlanderous and diabolicall charges of Chillingworth, who knew much of the Inquirers minde, although in all things he did not follow his direction. You profeſſe, ſaith Chillingworth, c. 2. §. 101. that it is lawfull for you to uſe violence and power whenſoever you can have it for the planting of your Doctrine, and extirpation of the contrary. Thus he, but becauſe he cites no Author for this ſo heinous an accuſation, we may juſtly ſuſpect that you your ſelves hold it lawfull for you to ſlander and calumniate for the defence of your own bad cauſe, and the overthrowing of the contrary whenſoever other means of doing it does faile you, as indeed it falls out continually. The ſame heavy charge he in foul tearmes reiterates, c. 5. §. 96. You, ſaith he, teach plainly you may propagate Religion whenſoever you have power, by depoſing of Kings, and invaſion of Kingdomes, and think when you kill the adverſaries of it you doe God good ſervice.
For clearing of us againſt this malitious charge, I call into the Court Saint Thomas of Aquine and all his with him in 2.2. q. 10. art. 8. as witneſſes ſufficient to justifie our cauſe, and ſhew our innocency, even againſt the Devill himſelfe that great calumniator of our Brethren, and to them I adde Acoſta in his booke De procuranda Indorum ſalute, and Mariana in his hiſtory of Spaine in ſundry places, and might adde many more ſufficient to confute the Adverſary, and make him hatefull to every honeſt heart. Beſides though in ſome caſes we, as other profeſſions alſo doe, make uſe of penall Lawes wherewith to keep off invaders, and yet not for any interior preſervation or defence: In like ſort we ſeek, by the help of the ſword and force of Armes to keep the Turkes out of Chriſtendome, ſhall we all be blamed for doing ſo, or ſhall it be ſaid therefore, that we defend the Chriſtian Religion by Armes and violence, and by other meanes then it was propagated at the firſt? nothing leſſe, we uſe reaſons to perſwade and plant our faith, we uſe the like to defend it againſt Infidels, Soci…ians, and all other Sects, how then is our Religion planted, propagated, or defended by violence? It is one thing to be fenced exteriorly and a farre off with Statutes of temporall ſeverity againſt invaders, which courſe is a thing expedient and avowed both by us and all, and it is another thing to defend it interiorly by the ſame meanes, that is to ſay, to juſtifie the right truth of Religion by them, and this we diſavow, neither doe we practice it any where, as it is moſt manifeſt.
The Inquirer was very provident when he deſired that, in theſe accuſations of violence, no recrimination ſhould be uſed, for he muſt needs ſee there was more matter returnable, then either could be gratefull, or they could juſtifie, yet ſince he will needs talk of killing, and caſt the blame upon our ſide, he muſt be content if we make ſome reflection upon the miſdemeanors of the Adverſary, as well as upon our own innocency. I deſire therefore, the intelligent reader to conſider, whether in this laſt age, the Catholiques have put to death more Miniſters or half ſo many, as the Proteſtants of England have done Prieſts, who it is well known they have ſlaine and butchered with great barbariſme and immanity.
But ſetting aſide theſe heavy crimes of bloud deliberately ſhed, who is it have afflicted others more in their Estates and Fortunes, they, or we? and for proof of this, we will offer fair, let them reſtore all they have taken with a ſtrong hand from us in livelyhoods, both ſpirituall and temporall in all the Provinces of Europe, and we will reſtore all we have taken from them, and in that goe no farther then this Seventeenth age which is now paſſing, be it in this Kingdome, or in thoſe about it. It is well knowne that in all thoſe Provinces, where both Religions are profeſſed and live intermingled, none be on the ſuffering hand but we, none perſecutes but they; and it is we who are the Aborigines, as I may ſo tearm us, and thereby have at much right for all indemnity as our Ancestours could divolve upon us.Maſter Pym in the Parliament Houſe. We are not inſenſible of the wrong we ſuffer daily by having it printed and pronounced in publique Aſſemblies, on purpoſe to countenance injuries, and to excite againſt us the ignorant multitude, that our religion it deſtructive of all others, and that amongst us it is a maine principle or maxime, that all other are to be invaded and deſtroyed by us, and this it affirmed confidently, though againſt all probability and experience. It cannot indeed be denyed but truth is deſtructive of falſhood by the owne power, as light is of darkneſſe, and one contrary of another, but for externall coaction or violence, we leave that to the Accuſers, and doe not owne it.
By this it is not hard to make a judgement who have been the encroachers, and who have propogated and maintained themſelves by violence, you, or we? And who are the deſtructive party and live by the ſpoiles and oppreſſion of others, let not thoſe who poſſeſſe other mens goods cry out of wrongs, or make any brags of just dealing, for neither of theſe can come well out of their mouthes.
This Enquirer confeſſeth both ſides are in fault, but we in more, and for this aſſertion of his brings in ſome light ſophiſtry, becauſe forſooth Proteſtants hold that they may erre, but we maintaine we cannot, and ſo will be ſure never to mend. That Protestants may erre is granted him, and needs no other probation then experience, whereby we finde thy have filled all this Kingdome with diſſentions, and theſe diſſentions with civill warres, ſo that by this that you have erred, we know you may. But ſo frequent poſſibility of erring doth not extenuate but aggravate your crime. For if you may erre ſo foulely, how dare you undertake to tutour others? how preſcribe Lawes? with what face Perſecute? If your rule be ſo weak as it cannot containe you all in one body, but lets you diſperſe into multitude of Sects, and fall in pieces as now you doe; why doe you not forſake it and ſeeke a better for it, or elſe have none at all; if you can finde out a ſurer, why doe you not learne wit by experience, but wallow on ſtill in the ſame mire? If this Enquirer ſpeake ſo ill for his Clients, we will not entertaine him for our Advocate. The Proteſtants ſide ſets downe for a rule of religion every ones private judgment in the interpretation of Scripture, and ſo doth Maſter Chillingworth the diſciple of Volkelius. We doe all that, yet we doe not pleaſe them; nay more, we muſt be puniſhed by them for the reſult; what is this but to bid us doe a thing, and then puniſh us for doing it? Is not this extreame perverſity? certainly if the rule they give be a ſufficient warrant for their receding from the faith of their Anceſtours, and for their breaking off from the Church, and ſtanding in defiance of her, then doubtleſſe much more may it warrant us to continue on and to keep off from any new doctrines, either of the Proteſtants, or any other Innovatours whatſoever, and ſure this is great reaſon and cannot be gainſayed.
Beſides if we were to yeild, to whom were it to be done? There is a world of diſtracted Sectaries now in this Kingdome, all ſprung from the ſame roll, or from the rule of faith which it common to you all, of which one ſort imagines there is no Papacy, and theſe were the firſt ring-leaders of all the rout; another, that there is no Epiſcopacy; a third, that there is no Clergy, but that Lay-Elders is all in all, and muſt rule the roaſt; a fourth, that there is no Church nor Church-government at all, but that the Church is like a Schoole of Philoſophers, where every man may believe and doe what he pleaſes without being accountable to another, or any obligation of conformity; and peradventure the Inquirer was one of this number together with his confederate M. Chillingworth; a fifth ſort that there is no Trinity; a ſixth that there is no Sacrament, or at leaſt none neceſſary, or effectuall. Is it not fit thinke you that theſe divided Chriſtians ſhould come and write Lawes to others, or puniſh any man for non-conformity? nothing more improbable. It is a Comedy to ſee D. Featly a Proteſtant, and Page a Puritan make Cat…logues of Heretiques, and when they have done, can finde no way whereby to exempt themſelves, nor give a reaſon why they themſelves ſhould not be of the number, as much Sectaries as any other of the Catalogue.
The Inquirer charges us that becauſe we pretend to be infallible we have leſſe reaſon to preſcribe to others; but on the contrary, me thinkes we ſhould have more, for, as he who is really infallible is fitteſt to guide and governe others, ſo he that thinkes himſelfe to be, is at leaſt in his own judgement more fit than he that does not. He addes that this pretence of infallibility makes us ſure never to mend, or as his Schollar Chillingworth ſpeaketh, makes us incorrigible. True if it were a meere pretended one, but that is not yet proved, either by him, or any, although he ſay here in this 28. Section, he undertakes to give reaſons why the Church of Rome is fallible. But, if, on the other ſide, it be a reality, and that the Inquirers reaſons are but pretended, then ſurely will not this infallibility keep us from mending, but contrariwiſe from erring or having any thing to mend, or, which is all one, from any errours to correct. And thus we ſee that our Religion is maintained by the ſelfe ſame arts that bred it, that is to ſay, not by force, or violence, but by reaſon, and revelation, and ſpirituall induſtries, contrary to the ſurmiſes of this Inquirer.