Exomologesis, or, A faithfull narration of the occaision and motives of the conversion unto Catholick unity of Hugh-Paulin de Cressy, lately Deane of Laghlin &c. in Ireland and Prebend of Windsore in England now a second time printed with additions and explications by the same author who now calls himself B. Serenus Cressy, religious priest of the holy order of S. Benedict in the convent of S. Gregory in Doway.

CHAP. XXXIX.

An answer to Mr. Chillingworth's se∣venth and eighth grounds.

1. TO the seventh ground, viz. That a cer∣tain infallible Faith is not required, since reason, which is the only agent, is falli∣ble, and the grounds not evidently certain, such a probability will serve the turn, as can produce in a mar obedience, &c. For answer hereto, I desire Protestants to consider. 1. Whe∣ther at the first planting of Christianity proba∣ble grounds of belief had been sufficient? if not, as most certainly not, how come they to be sufficient now? If it be replied, that we must either be content with probable grounds, or none; I answer there is no such necessity; be∣cause for all the substantiall points of Christia∣nity we have universall Tradition, and that with all advantages for assurance imaginable: insomuch, as if all men would call him mad, that should deny that there was such a man as King William the Conqueror of England, which is yet attested only or principally by a Nationall Tradition there, that man would deserve a title worse then the former, that could doubt of the universall testimony of the Catholique Church all the world over, that such Traditions have come to them from their an∣cestors, &c. 2. I desire them to consider, what course they will take to convert the now Jewes, and Turks or Heathens to Christianity, if they shall once tell them, that they can give them no

better then probable motives of our Religion? For they will doubtlesse reply, that they will never quit their own Religion, in which they and their ancestors have been bred, and of the truth of which they likewise have (at least in their own opinion) a probable Tradition, for a new one not assured. 3. To consider the ex∣ample of the antient Jewes: For if those very persons, who were eye-witnesses of the miracu∣lous delivery of the Law, and by consequence were most assured of the divinity of it, yet not∣withstanding would not quit temporal pleasures and allurements for the future rewards therein promised; is it likely, that the Christians of these times will upon confessedly only probable grounds and promises, and those not to be ex∣pected till after death, renounce assured and present delights, and embrace assured and pre∣sent miseries, mortifications, and abnegati∣ons?

2. To the eighth and last ground, viz. That since all Christians agree in necessary doctrines, which are expresse, they ought not to deny Com∣munion the one to the other, for other doctrines contained obscurely in Scripture; and that that is the only effectuall means of reducing and preserving unity among Christians. I an∣swer, that it is apparently contrary to experi∣ence what is here said; For neither do all Chri∣stians agree in all necessary doctrines: nor in all which themselves esteem necessary: neither will they allow Communion to men differing in points by their own Confession nor esteem∣ed so much as substantiall. Yea let England witnesse, if our Presbyterian Calvinists do not

think many thousand Hecatombs of Christian bloud, a fit sacrifice to prepare a tyrannicall in∣troduction of a few circumstantiall novelties: Therefore to say men ought, and it were well if they would do otherwise; and in the mean time destroy all Ecclesiasticall authority to con∣strain them to what they ought to do, is to de∣stroy all Christian Communion, indeed all man∣ner of policy and society: For upon the same grounds we may as reasonably contend for an universall Anarchy, since all men ought by the law of reason and nature to live in justice, tem∣perance, and peace; and therefore let lawes be annulled, and Judges deposed. But God (whose imprudence is wiser then the wisdome of men) seeing our figmentum, our naturall perverse∣nesse, hath appointed Civill Governours to o∣verawe Delinquents with the whip, and with the sword; and Ecclesiasticall Magistrates likewise, into whose hands he ha's likewise put a spirituall scourge and sword too, to correct or cut off putrified or mortified members: the whole foundation of which Policy and order would be undermined by such an allowance gi∣ven to all sorts of Christians to become judges and interpreters for themselves in matters of Religion, upon a groundless and never-yet-ac∣complished hope, that they will all agree to use this power with meeknesse and cha∣rity.

3. Besides, let all the world judge of the extreme partiality of English Protestants, they say that no man ought to refuse Commu∣nion for differences in points in themselves not necessary or fundamentall; and they acknow∣ledge

that Catholiques agree with them in all points fundamentall; and yet they not only refuse to communicate with them, but call their Communion damnable and Idololatri∣call: Yea moreover seek to justifie the executi∣on of the most bloudy lawes against Catholike Priests performing their duties, that ever any Christian Nation heard of.

4. Mr. Chillingworth indeed maintains this their partiality of refusing Communion with Catholiques upon this ground, because no man can be allowed by the Councell of Trent to en∣te•• into Catholique Communion that believes not all doctrines of faith therein defined to be of universall Tradition, many of which they disbelieving ought not, or if they would, cannot be received into Communion. Hereto I an∣swer. 1. That the Bull of Pius the fourth requires subscription to the Councell only from Priests, &c. 2. Can any antient Church be named that ha's not alwaies done the same? 3. Do not the Lutherans, Calvinists, yea the Church of England, both before and since the writing of his book the same? 4. Does not the omission of requiring an uniform profession of Faith, evidently destroy all Ecclesiasticall authority, and leave every one in a liberty (hi∣therto unheard of in Gods Church) of think∣ing, and believing, and judging, and saying, and doing what he himself pleases? 5. The unappealable authority of a Generall Coun∣cell being once destroyed, would not Babel it self, and the seventy languages of it (as some reckon them) be order and unity it self in com∣parison with a Christian Church so confused

and mangled, wherein not seventy, but seventy thousand languages might be allowed? For as for this phantasticall Utopian way of Unity here first devised and proposed to the world by Mr. Chillingworth, let even the most ignorant of his judges give sentence; whether as long as men have passions, and as long as there is pride in their hearts, and tentations in the world, it be not utterly impossible to be com∣passed? and if upon an impossible supposition it were effected, whether such a kind of unity would deserve the name of unity, and not ra∣ther of an universall stupidity and Lethar∣gie?