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. III.

English Protestants unwilling to Justifie this Position: and Why.

Mr. Chillingworths late booke against the Catholique Church: and the Cha∣racter given of it.

1. THis Position of Scripture being the only Rule of Faith, though it be the main foundation upon which all Heretiques and Schis∣matiques•• almost that are and ever were doe rely, and therefore in all likelyhood, since so many millions of people of all Sects and in all ages have been concern'd to study and make it good, should in reason be best upheld: Yet to my ap∣prehension of all other controversies, this is the most weakly grounded, and guiltily main∣tained.

2. The experience I have of the particular disposition of English Protestanats (properly so called) and the happinesse I have enjoyed in the acquaintance and friendship with very

many the most considerable persons for Lear∣ning, Prudence, and Piety in that Church, gives mee warrant to say this of them, that there is no point of Controversy that they are more unwilling to touch upon then this of Scriptures being the onely Rule, and no visible Judge to interpret it, I meane, as to the positive maintaining thereof (for as concer∣ning the disputing against the infallibility of the Church, there is none more ready to make Objections then they.) One reason hereof may be, because the English Church, out of gratitude to the Ancient Church and Fathers, which have hitherto maintained their Ecclesiasticall Go∣vernment against the Calvinists, till they came to dispute with fire and sword, professeth therfore greater reverence to antiquity and Tradition then any other Sect whatsoever; And therefore her children are unwilling to renounce or oppose that great army of Saints & Martyrs of the Pri∣mitive times, who unanimously acknowledge that besides Scriptures they had received from their Ancestors Traditionary Doctrines and Ritts, and these so universally spread through all Churches Easterne and Westerne, no man being able to name any particular fallible Au∣thour of them, that they were as firmely assured that they proceeded from the Apostles, as that the books of Scripture proceeded from the same Authours. Yea, for many of these Traditions greater proofe might be made of their authen∣tique and Divine Originall, then of most books of Scripture, in as much as they were from the beginning universally apparent in the Practise of the Church, visibly shining in their Publique

liturgies, for example,

Prayer for the Dead, and by consequence, Purgatory, that is, a State of deceased Christians capable of being bettered and eased by the Charity and Devotions of the living, Sacrifice of the Masse, and Offer∣ing it for the Quick and Dead, Adoration of Christ really present there, Baptisme of In∣fants, Non-rebaptization of Heretiques, Observation of Ecclesiasticall Feastes, Lent∣fasts, &c. Invocation of Saints, Vene∣ration of Reliques, Images, &c. Practise of Crossing themselves, Rites in admi∣nistring Sacraments, &c.

Whereas the bookes of the New Testament, especially the Epistles and Apocalypse, being written upon emergent occasions, and for the present neede of particular Persons and Churches, were a great while before they could be generally dispersed, and great caution and circumspecti∣on used before they would be admitted into the Cannon: and being all, except some few that have perished, received there, it was impos∣sible to prevent infinite corruptions in the wri∣ting, since every one had leave to transcribe thē.

3. A second reason why English Protestants (I speake knowingly at least of my selfe and not a few others) dispence the more easily with them∣selves for examining the sufficiency of this Rule of Faith is, because there being but two ways i∣maginable of assigning such a Rule, that is, either expresse Scripture alone, or that joyn'd with Ec∣clesiasticall Tradition, which is to be received up∣on the authority, or (as the Schooles call it) the in∣fallibility of the Church; and Protestants being per∣swaded that they can unanswerably confute this

fallibility, they take it for granted that the for∣mer is the only Rule, and therefore surcease from undergoing the paines of diligent enquiry how firmely their foundation is layd, and what course to take for the answering of those inex∣tricable inconveniences which follow upon that ground, for feare, lest if both these foundations should come to shrinke, Christianity it selfe would become questionable, and a way made for direct Atheisme. Hereupon it is that gene∣rally their writers have proceeded the destru∣ctive way, willingly undertaking to contradict the Churches infallibility; and it is not with∣out extreame violence that they can be brought to maintaine their owne grounds; Which when the earnestnesse of Catholiques extorts from them, though they must conclude, for only Scripture, and No-judge, yet either shame or remorse makes them deferre somewhat to the ancient Churches authority, as it were excusing themselves that they dare not suffer themselves to be directed by her; For if by her as a visible Church, then by all Churches succeeding her to these our times.

4. In these latter times since that great un∣fortunate Champion against the Churches infalli∣bility, Mr. Chillingworth published his booke in defence of Doctour Potter, this guilt of English Protestants ha's beene farre more conspicuous. His objections against the Church, that is, his destructive grounds are avowed and boasted of as unanswerable in a manner by all: but his positive grounds, that is, the making onely Scripture, and that to be interpreted by every single mans reason, to be the Rule of Faith,

this is at least waved, if not renounced by many: But most unjustly: since there is no conceivable meanes how to finde out a third in∣telligible way of grounding beliefe and deter∣mining controversies besides divine revelation proposed and interpreted authoritatively by the Church, or meere Scripture without any obli∣gatory interpretation, as shall be demonstrated hereafter. Hence the generall Character given of himselfe and his booke is,

That he has had better luck in pulling down buildings, than raising new ones, and that he has ma∣naged his sword much more dexterously than his buckler.

And yet as if there were no need either of house or buckler, or as if Prote∣stants did thinke themselves secure from wea∣ther and danger, if Catholiques were expulsed and wounded, No man appeares with any de∣signe to provide himselfe of any safer way of defence, then that which Mr. Chillingworth hath afforded. Yea Mr. Chillingworth himselfe (his friends know the reason of it) ••utterly refused to answer those unconquerable confutations of his positive grounds, and those fearefull consequen∣ces charged upon them: being satisfied, or at least making a countenance before those that knew him not inwardly, that he was satisfied of the firmenesse of his Rule of Faith, as long as an exact particular answer to all his ob∣jections against the Churches infallibility was not published.

Those who have had a particular acquaintance with that extraordinary sublime wit and judge∣ment, will, or at least, can, witnesse with me that thus much as I have said in a seeming cen∣sure

of him is true. Considering the long and inward friendship, and the many obligations I had to him, I had absteined from this, but that the cause in hand obliged me thereto; and but that his book alone had the principall influence upon me to shut up my entrance into Catho∣lique unity: I shall therefore have frequent occasion hereafter in this Narration to weigh both his proofes and objections, at least such of them as were most powerfull with me: yet re∣solving to be extreamely tender of his reputati∣on: But to returne to the Story of my selfe.