A Treatise of Justifying Righteousness, Letter · Section 9
§. IX. Pag. 16. But you say, [Let any discerning Reader compare the 48 §. of this Preface with the Words in pag. 5. of your Appeal to the Light, and 'tis likely he will concur with me, in that Melancholy Phantasm, or Fear: For 'tis worth the noting, how in that dark Appeal where you distinguish of Popish Points, i. e. some-where the Difference is reconcileable, others in effect but in words; we have no Direction upon which Rank we must bestow Justification, nothing of it at all from you, Name or Thing: But why, next to the All-seeing God, you should know best your self].
Answ. Alas, Sir, that God should be in such a manner mentioned! I answered this same Case at large in my Confession, Apologie, Dispute of Justification, &c. Twenty years ago, or near; I have at large Opened it in a Folio (Cathol. Theol.) which you saw, yea, in the very part which you take Notice of; and now you publish it [worth the Noting, that I did not also in one sheet of Paper, Printed the other day against a Calumnie of some Sectarian Hearers, who gave me no Occasion for such a work. Had it not been a Vanity of me, Should I in that sheet again have repeated, how I and the Papists differ about Justification? Were you bound to have read it in that sheet, any more than in many former Volumns? It's no matter for me; But I seriously beseech you, be hereafter more sober and just, than to deal with your Brethren, the Church and Truth, in such a manner as this! But by this Talk I suspect, that you will accuse me more for opening no more of the Difference in this Book. But, 1. It is enough for to open my own Meaning, and I am not obliged to open other Mens: And my own I have opened by so many Repetitions, in so many Books, as nothing but such Mens Importunity and obstructed Minds, could have Ex…used. 2. The Papists minds sure, may be better known by their own Writings, than by mine: The Council of Trent, telleth it you: What need I recite it? 3. I tell you again, as I did in my Confession, that I had rather all the Papists in the World agreed with us, than disagreed: I like a Doctrine the better, and not the worse, because all the Christian World consenteth to it. I am not ambitious to have a Religion to my self, which a Papist doth not own. Where they differ, I am sorry for it: And it pleaseth me better, to find in any Point that we are agreed, than that we differ. Neither you, nor any such as you, by crying [O Popish! Antichristian!] shall tempt me to do by the Papists, as the Dominicans, and Jansenists, and some Oratorians, do by the Calvinists: I will not with Alvarez, Arnoldus, Gibieuf, &c. make the World believe, that my Adversaries are much further from me than they are, for fear of being censured by Faction, to be one of them. If I would have been of a Church-Faction, and sold my Soul to please a Party, I would have begun before now, and taken a bigger Price for it, than you can offer me if you would.
Pag, 17. You say, [Pile one Distinction or Evasion on another, as long as you please; as many several Faiths, and Works, and Justifications, as you can name, all this will never make two Poles meet].
Answ. And do you cry out for War in the Darkness of Confusion, as long as you will, you shall never tempt me by it to renounce my Baptism, and List my self under the grand Enemy of Love and Concord, nor to Preach up Hatred and Divis…n for nothing, as in the Name of Christ. If you will handle such Controversies, without Distinguishing of Faiths, Works, and Justifications, I will never perswade any Friend of mine to be your Pupil, or Disciple. Then Simon Magus's faith, and the Devils faith, and Peters faith must all pass for the same, and justifie accordingly. Then indeed, Believing in God the Father, and the Holy Ghost, yea, and Christ, as our Teacher, King and Judg, &c. must pass for the Works by which no Man is Justified! If Distinction be unsound, detect the Error of it: If not, it is no Honour to a disputing Doctor to reproach it.