I. Question: Why are you a Catholic? The answer follows. II. Question: But why are you a Protestant? An answer attempted (in vain) / written by the Reverend Father S.C. Monk of the Holy Order of St. Benedict ...

§. 16.

Truly, Sir, I do not know through what Spectacles you look upon this principle of Protestancy, which hath been indeed the constant Principle of all Ancient-Herities. But to me it appears most horribly gastly, and only fit to be acknowledged the invention of Lucifer, the foul Spirit of Pride and contention, who presents to unwary Christians once more this fruit of the Tree of the knowledg of good and evil, to be aspired to by our own endeavors, and contrary to Gods appoint∣ment.

Since therefore (as hath been said) there are but those two ways to arrive at the knowleg of Divine Mysteries contained in Scripture (yet so contained as that the Texts in which they are contained are sub∣ject to be miss-understood) viz. First, A man's own private Reason: And Secondly, Authority of Superiors by Gods appointment placed in his Church: All the Reason▪ I have enforces me to chuse this latter way, because thereby I shall avoid inconstancy, otherwise unavoi∣dable: as I am taught by St. Paul, who sayes, Eph. 4. 11, 12, &c. That therefore God placed in his Church Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers for the edification of the Body of Christ: a Succession of which is to last till we all meet in the Unity of Faith, &c. This Al∣mighty God did, says he, To the end we should not be like children, wa∣vering, and carried about with every wind of Doctrine, through the wicked∣ness of men, and cunning of such as would circumvent us with errour: the only remedy whereof, in the Apostles judgment, is, submission to Authority. To which submission also I am obliged by an express com∣mand of God [Obedite praepositis vestris, &c.] Heb. 13. 17. Obey them that are set over you, and submit your selves, for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account—And Reason thus divinely enlightned, obliging me to submit to Authority, I should renounce the same Reason utterly, if I should not prefer that Society which (by an evident Suc∣cession from the foresaid Apostles and Pastors) makes the best claim thereto; yea, which alone claims an Authority obliging the Consci∣ence, and that is the Catholics Church; the Authority whereof is evi∣dently the greatest in the world. For though all divided Sects pre∣ume to contend with her for Truth of Doctrines, challenging that to

themselves; yet there is not any one of them which dares assume to themselves that eminence of Authority which manifestly appears in her. And you may know this Catholio Church from others, because it only challengeth an universal and absolute, not conditional Obedience; and you may know the Sons of it by their professing to give to the Church∣es Authority such Obedience.