View of Some Exceptions Made by a Romanist, Title page – To the reader
A view of ſome EXCEPTIONS Which have been made BY A ROMANIST TO The LD Viſcount FALKLAND'S DISCOURSE Of the INFALLIBILITY of the CHƲRCH of ROME. Submitted to the Cenſure of all ſober Chriſtians. Together with The Diſcourſe it ſelf of Infallibility prefixt to it.
The ſecond Edition newly corrected.
LONDON. Printed by J. G. for R. Royſton at the Angel in Ivie-lane. M.DC.L.
To the READER.
THE Length and quality of this inſuing trouble will ſeem to have been given the Reader ſomewhat impertinently, if a brief account be not firſt rendred of the occaſion thereof.
The ſad effects of the preſent differences, and diviſions of this broken Kingdome, having made peace, and unity, and infallibility, ſuch pretious deſireable things, that if there were but one wiſh offered to each man among us, it would certainly, with a full conſent, be laid out on this one treaſure, the ſetting up ſome Catholick Umpire, or Daies-man, ſome viſible, infallible Definer of Controverſies; the Pretenders to that Infallibility, having the luck to be alone in that pretenſion, have been lookt on with ſome reverence, and (by thoſe who knew nothing of their grounds, or arguments) acknowledged to ſpeake, if not true, yet ſeaſonably; and having ſo great an advantage upon their Auditors (their inclinations, and their wiſhes to finde themſelves overcome, going along with every argument that ſhould be brought them) and ſo a faire probable entrance, by that inlet of their affections, to their minds, they began to redouble their induſtry, and their hopes, and inſtead of the many particulars of the Romiſh doctrine, which they were wont to offer proofe for in the retaile, now to ſet all their ſtrength upon this one in groſſe, and by the compendiouſneſſe of that courſe to expect a more eaſie reception, then formerly they had met with; the very gaines, and conveniences, that attend this doctrine of theirs, if it were true, being to fleſh and blood (which all men have not the skill of putting off) mighty Topicks of probability that it is ſo.
To diſcover the danger of this ſweet potion, or rather, to ſhew how farre it is from being what it it pretends, and ſo to exchange the ſpecious for the ſound, the made-diſh for the ſubſtantiall food (allowing the Univerſall Church the authority of an irrefragable teſtimony, and the preſent age of the Romiſh Church, as much of our beliefe, as it hath of conformity with the univerſall of all ages) but not a priviledge of not being able to ſay falſe whatſoever it ſaith, and ſo to ſet us in the ſafer though longer way, thereby to whet our induſtry in the chaſe of truth, in ſtead of aſſuring our ſelves that we cannot erre (which is not a vertue, but an excellency, not a grace to be crown'd, but a great part of the crowne it ſelfe, reſerv'd for another world, a felicity, but not a duty) this Diſcourſe of the Lord Viſcount Falkland's was long ſince deſigned; as alſo to remove the great ſcandals, and obſtacles, which have obſtructed all way of hope to that univerſall aime of all true Chriſtians, that foreign, Catholick harmony which Iamblicus talkes of in the ſpheares above, but would found better in this vault (this arch to beare up thoſe ſpheares) the Church below, the Univerſall peace of Chriſtendome; for to this nothing is more unreconcileably contrary than pretenſions to Infallibility in any part of it; all ſuch making it unlawfull either for themſelves to mend, or others to be endured, ſhutting out all poſſibility either of compliance, or charity, or reformation in their owne, or mercy to other mens errours. What was thus by his Lordſhip deſigned in all juſtice, was by an intire lover of peace and truth publiſhed in all charity, to reſiſt and check a threatning tempeſt, which riſing from out preſent evils, was apt (if it did not begin) to ſhake ſome. The Printing of this Tract preſently provoked an Aſſertor of that Infallibility, to take upon him the anſwering of it, and to complaine that an Anſwer which had been by the ſame hand given it formerly, was not permitted to attend it into publick. This then being a ſecond Care, was probably to have arrived to a higher degree of perfection, and indeed among the Favourers of that pe…ſwaſion, was cried up for ſo ſatisfactory a piece, that it was delivered to a Member of the Church of England, as unanſwerable. From him it came to thoſe hands, which returned it to the Authour with this enſuing Rejoynder, withall intimating, that ſince in his, he ſeemed to wiſh the ſame freedome of the Preſſe, which his Lordſhip had found, both the Anſwer and the Reply ſhould be recommended thither, if he pleaſed.
After he had detained the Reply ſome weeks, he was pleaſed to returne it with a proteſtation, That he neither intended, nor would permit his to become publicke, pretending (that I may give you his owne words) his Treatiſe to have been no finiſh'd worke, but onelyonly a firſt draught, or inchoation, ventured abroad, to explore the judgements op one of two intelligent Adverſaries, that ſo the Authour by his ſecond (he might have ſaid third) thoughts, might be better able to underſtand, what was to be altered in it, what added or what taken a way, either as ſuperfluous, or offenſive, and till that act was done, and withall till an approbation and licenſe given by thoſe, to whom it belonged, neither the worke, nor any line of it, is to be acknowledged or vouched by the Authour. And ſo both were returned with ſome few alterations and additions in his Anſwer, and marginall Notes on the Reply, and one ſheet at the end of them, containing a new Scheme of probation, of the pretended Infallibility, and a preloquium to it, wherein the paſſage juſt now mentioned, is interminis recited.
This the Replicant (to avoid all appearance of ſeverity) was content to accept for ſad earneſt, and therefore freely expreſt his willigneſſe to give the Authour leave to provide a new Anſwer to his Lordſhips-Treatiſe, which he might be willing to owne in publicke, which when he ſhould doe, promiſe was made to prepare a ſpeedy Anſwer thereunto, and on thoſe termes to be content to lay aſide the former.
That this ſhould be done, was affirmed on one part, and on the other expected ſome months with patience, till at length the Anſwerers pleaſure was made knowne, that that reſolution was put off, and that in ſtead of ſo meane a combat either with his Lordſhip, or this Replicant, he was pleaſed now to deſigne a full diſcourſe on that Subject, without taking notice of either, any farther, than he ſhould thinke fit to take in his way any thing by them objected againſt his poſition, and that this ſhould be printed beyond the Seas.
When this will be performed I cannot tell. OnelyOnly this is now diſcerned (ſomewhat contrary to expectation) that what hath been diſclaimed by him, is extolled by others, and the weakneſſe of the Replicant ſufficiently deſpiſed; Wherein though he hath not much temptation to thinke himſelf injured, being ready to acknowledge the emptyneſſe of theſe Papers (and more then ſo, to render a reaſon of it, viz: the fate which they were under, by a neceſſity of attending this Apologiſt foreign, which yeilded them occaſion of little variety, unleſſe they would extravagate.) Yet could he not reſiſt the Reaſons which charged it on him as a duty, thus confidently to importune the Reader with the view of the whole matter, as farre as it hath paſt between them; ſetting downe that Anſwer to, and this Vindication of his Lordſhips Arguments by Chapters, and then (not doe him the leaſt injuſtice) adding in the end of all, the Anſwerers marginall Replyes, and that concluding Sheet (that even now was mentioned) with a Rejoynder to that alſo.
By all this, endeavouring to lay grounds, for all men to judge, how little truth there is in that ſo Epidemicall perſwaſion, that there is no middle, betwixt aſſerting an Infallible Judge, and the falling headlong into all the Schiſmes, and Haereſies of this preſent age.
My Conſcience aſſuring me, that the grounds on which the eſtabliſh'd Church of England is founded, are of ſo rare an excellent mixture, that as none but intelligent truely Chriſtian minds can ſufficiently value the compoſition, ſo there is no other in Europe, ſo likely to preſerve Peace and Unity, if what prudent Lawes had ſo long agoe deſigned, they now were able to uphold; For want of which and which onelyonly it is, that at preſent the whole Fabricke lyes polluted in confuſion and in blood, and hopes not for any binding up of wounds, for reſtauration of any thing, that lookes like Chriſtian, till the faith of the reformed Engliſh have the happineſſe to be weighed prudently, and the military Sword being timely ſheathed, the Power and Lawes of Peace be returned into thoſe hands, which are ordained by GOD the Defenders of it.
H. H.