Answer to Book by Romish Priests, Imprimatur – To the reader
Imprimatur,
Apr. 14. 1692. JO. CANT.
AN ANSWER To a BOOK, Spread abroad by the Romiſh Prieſts, INTITULED, THE Touchſtone OF THE Reformed Goſpel.
WHEREIN The True DOCTRINE of the CHURCH of ENGLAND, and many Texts of the HOLY SCRIPTURE are faithfully Explained.
By the Right Reverend Father in God, SYMON, Lord Biſhop of ELY.
LONDON: Printed for R. Chiſwell, at the Roſe and Crown in St. Paul's Church-yard. 1692.
TO THE READER.
I Muſt let the Reader underſtand, that the Book which I anſwer, firſt appeared in the latter end of the Reign of King James I. under the Name of A Gagg for the New Goſpel. When it was immediately ſo expoſed to the Scorn of all Men, by Mr. R. Mountague, (afterward Biſhop of Chicheſter, and at laſt of Norwich) that for many Years it ſculkt, and durſt not ſhow its head, till they imagined that Baffle was forgot; and then out it came again, in the Reign of King Charles II. as if it had never been ſeen before, with this New Title, The Touch-Stone of the Reformed Goſpel: And the better to diſguiſe the Cheat, they begin the Book with a New Chapter (or Section) and have quite left out that which was formerly the Laſt Chapter; tranſpoſing alſo the order of ſome of the reſt; making Amendments, as they imagine, in ſeveral places, and adding ſeveral whole Chapters. For there were but XLVII. Points, (one of which, as I ſaid, they now have wholly omitted) which they charged upon us, and undertook to confute in the Firſt Edition: But now they are improved to Two and Fifty; and ſet out as formerly, with a long Preface, of the very ſame Stamp with the Book; full, that is, of broad-fac'd Ʋntruths.
Of which it may be expected, I ſhould here give ſome account: But my Anſwer to the Book it ſelf is grown ſo much bigger than I deſigned, that it muſt be omitted. For the great Reaſon which was urged by thoſe who had power to perſuade me to undertake a New Anſwer to it, was; becauſe Biſhop Mountagu's was ſo large, that few could purchaſe it. And therefore they thought it needful there ſhould be a more Compendious Confutation of the Book, though now it be inlarged: eſpecially ſince they found it in every Pariſh of this great City, and in the very Priſons, where the Romiſh-Prieſts could meet with any entertainment.
For which Reaſon, the ſame Perſons have perſuaded me, that what I compoſed, at their deſire, in the latter end of the late Reign, ought now to be publiſhed, becauſe the Prieſts of that Church, they aſſure me, are ſtill very buſie; and make account this little Book, which I anſwer, will do their buſineſs. For they put it into the hands of all thoſe whom they hope to make their Proſelites; and deſire them to read it, as an unanſwerable Piece.
Let the Reader judge of that, when he hath ſeriouſly conſidered what I have ſaid, to diſcover both the weakneſs and the diſhoneſty of its Author: Who underſtood neither the Scriptures, nor Fathers he quotes; or hath ſo perverted them, that as it coſt me more time, ſo I have been forced to uſe more Words than I intended to employ, to repreſent his unskilful, or falſe dealing. But I hope I ſhall neither tire the Reader, nor entertain him unprofitably; but increaſe his Knowledge, by a right underſtanding of a conſiderable part of the Bible, and of the Chriſtian Doctrine. Eſpecially if he will be pleaſed to turn to the Texts of Scripture; which I have explained, but not quoted at length, for fear of ſwelling this Anſwer into too great a Bulk.
Febr. 22. 1690.