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 ...

§. 22.

Schism

therefore, in its lowest qualification, considered only as disobedience to lawful Ecclesiastical Authority, being, even in the judgment of learned Protestants, a most horrible Sin, a tearing in pieces the Mystical Body of Christ: There are one or two special Aggravations which extreamly heighten the heinousness of it in Pro∣testants, (I mean those Reformers abroad, and antiently in Scotland, Calvinists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Anabaptists, &c.) They were once Members of the Roman-Catholic-Church, which they then esteemed to be that Church, which they believed in the Creed. It hapned that their Prime Patriarchs, Luther, Calvin, Zwinglius, &c. ha∣ving conceived some discontent either against the Governors, or some prevailing party in that Church which obstructed their profits, or a∣gainst the Laws of it, which restrained their lusts after Women, grew angry, and began to quarrel with the Church her self, and to study to disgrace her, for which purpose the readiest way was to find fault with her Doctrines: Then Pride and revenge inspiring them, against

these they made objections, yet not so oft against the Churche's own Doctrines as the Tenents of particular Catholick Writers, and most oft they directed their most bitter Invectives against personal mis∣carriages, for all which the Church must be answerable: And after all this publishing Liberty from Laws which restrained Concupiscence, they quickly found Favorites and Followers: thus Sects were first composed. But if there had been in any of them either Humility or Love of Peace, in case they had been perswaded there had been Er∣rors in the Church her self, to which they could not subscribe, they would not thereupon separate themselves from Her, but submit pa∣tiently to her Censures, which she should lay upon them. If her Cen∣sures were just, they would have no reason to complain; If unjust, God would reward them for their Patience and love of Peace.