The Ancient Doctrine of the Church of England, Part 1 · Response to the opponents preface – Response to body of book
AN ANSWER TO HIS PREFACE to the Reader.
Good Chriſtian Reader,
FIrſt thou ſhalt obſerve, that the author of the Spectacles chiefe aime is either by ſhifts and cavils to outface the truth, or by Sophiſtrie and bitter words to darken it: one while hee cries downe my booke, and ſlights it in ſuch a ſcornefull manner, as if it were not worth the anſwering;Pag. 20…. another while hee complaines that there is no place in the whole booke, which is not either falſly or impertinently alledged: one while hee proclaimes, that my endevours are poore indeed, and farre ſhort of what is requiſite in writing bookes; another while he profeſſeth, It hath ſomewhat in it which may draw away an honeſt-minded man, and that his Catholique friend was ſtumbled at it. Now what is the reaſon of theſe impertinent excurſions and contradictions? It was the obſervation of ancient Maxentius: Heretiques when they finde themſelves not able to yeeld a reaſon of their wilfulneſſe, then they fall into plaine railing. And certainly ſuch is the bitterneſſe of this Author, that were I perſwaded Pythagoras tranſmigration of ſoules into other mens bodies, had beene true; I ſhould beleeve that the ſoule of Rabſhekah had beene tranſported into his body: for otherwiſe if he had but a graine of charitie, hee would never ſpurne a blinde man (for ſo he termes me) when Chriſtian charitie teaches him another leſſon. If he were well verſed in Antiquities, hee would never have cited ſo many places of ancient Fathers falſly and impertinently in one page, and yet condemne others of ignorance (and falſification) in the Fathers. If hee were well read in the Booke of Wiſdome (I meane, in the ſacred Scriptures) he would never have replyed with ſuch ſcorne and diſdaine; for without doubt the Apoſtle ſpake to Mr. Lloyd the Romaniſt, as well as to the reſt of the Romans: Rom. 11.3.Not to thinke of himſelfe more highly than he ought to thinke, but ſoberly, according as God hath dealt to everie man the meaſure of faith.
Hee that accuſeth another man of ignorance, of lying, of malice, of execrable perjurie, and the like, had need be a man himſelfe without all exception; yet if wee may beleeve the Doctors of his owne Church, he is guiltie of theſe and much more: witneſſe the Sorbonicall cenſure at Paris, wherein Hallier and Aurelius accuſe him of lying, Aurelius in libri ſui titulo. Hallier in Admonit. ad Lect. p. 8, 9.of ignorance, of hereſie, of profane ſcurrilitie, of blaſphemie and impietie, of furious, filthy, and devilliſh railing, of unſufferable arrogancie, and the like: and as touching his bitter accuſations, it ſeemes it is his accuſtomed manner of writing, witneſſe his Spongia written againſt the Sorboniſts, Aurelius in Vindiciis. p. 385.under the title of Hermannus Laemilius, otherwiſe diſcovered to be John Floyd: I ſay he hath drencht his ſponge in that gall of bitterneſſe (ſuch charitie and unitie is there amongſt themſelves) that I may truly ſay of him, as the Spartans ſometimes ſaid of the Theban Oratour; If he think as he writes, his ignorance is deſperate; if otherwiſe, his conſcience is ſeared.
To give you a taſte of the manner of his writing: when I cite authorities that are pregnant, and beyond his juſt exception, hee ſpares my perſon, and condemnes the Authors themſelves, and complaines they are branded with the note of hereſie and ſingularitie: when as in truth they are branded onelyonly by their Inquiſitors, for ſpeaking againſt the errors of their Trent Doctrine, being otherwiſe, knowne members of the Roman Church.
When I cite an Author of our owne, as namely, B. Uſher, for tranſlating Aelfricks Homily out of the Saxon tongue, one while hee cries out, Uſhers corruptions are laid open to the world: another while he tels mee, I tooke the words from Uſher, becauſe I underſtood not Latine, or perhaps becauſe I would be loth not to follow any errours or corruptions that come in my way: and thus hee ſpends about ten pages, ſometimes inveying againſt our reverend and renowned Biſhop, ſometimes againſt mee, for falſe tranſlating Aelfrick out of Latine, when as the Latine cited by B. Uſher in the margent,See B. Uſhers anſwer to the Jeſuites challenge, chap. of the Reall preſence. which hee takes to be Aelfricks, is the Latine of Bertram, and not Aelfricks, whoſe was tranſlated out of the Saxon tongue, and not out of the Latine.
Againe, when I cite an Author of his ſide, as namely, Petrus Crinitus, for taking down of Images in Churches, he ſtretches his throat, & makes this hideous exclamation:Pag. 303. For your authorities of the Common Law, there are ſo many foule faults committed by you, that I know not where to begin: then hee taxeth me with leaving out two principall words (Humi & ſolo) whereas the Author, which I cite, hath no ſuch words: I render the place truly as I finde it, I put not to him, I take not from him, I alter not one letter of his words or meaning, and yet he cries out, the faults are ſo many, that I know not where to begin.
Againe, when I cite ten or twelve Authors for our Communion in both kindes, for our prayer in a knowne tongue, and the like: for moſt of them he ſends me to Bellarmine for an anſwer, & for the reſt (ſaith he) Ile queſtion you. Then he complaines of falſifications, when as in fine, the Exception is againſt the tranſlation of ſome poore word (This) for (That): and when he is deſtitute of any colour of anſwer, his laſt refuge is this, The book is prohibited.
As touching my Engliſhing of Latine Authors, I confeſſe I have not tranſlated whole ſentences ad literam; for I intended not a volume, but a manuell: yet I ever faithfully render the true ſenſe and meaning of the Author. Well, what exception could he take to this?Pag. 52. One while hee confeſſeth I ſet downe the Latine truly, but I doe not tranſlate it literally: another while hee cries out: It will not ſerve your turne, Pag. 224.to ſay you place it in the Engliſh as you place it in the Latine, for intranſlation the ſenſe is chiefly to be regarded.
Laſtly,Pag. 459. hee proteſteth for himſelfe, that hee hath declined no Author, either moderne or ancient; when as it will appeare, he ſends many of them to Bellarmine for an anſwer; others he rejects, as condemned by the Index Expurgatorius; others hee declines, as unworthy of his anſwer, by ſlighting them, or otherwiſe paſſeth by them, as children uſe to doe; when they cannot read, they thinke it beſt to skip over.
To ſay nothing of his Elenchs, his Sophiſmes, his Sophiſtry, his Fallacies, which are many, I will trace him in his ſteps (God willing) laying aſide all bitterneſſe and railing accuſations. In the meane time I will ſay with the Prophet David: Plead thou my cauſe, Pſal. 35.1.oh Lord, with them that ſtrive with me: for the flouds are riſen, the flouds lift up their voyce, Pſal. 93.4, 5.the flouds lift up their waves, the waves of the ſea are mightie, and rage horribly; but yet the Lord that dwelleth on high is mightier.