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THE PREFACE.

THE smalness of this Treatise would hardly justifie the solemnity of a Pre∣face, but that it might be thought too great a rudeness to press without some Ceremony upon a Book, which both the Merit and Character of the Author, and the Qua∣lity of those Approbations he has prefix'd to it, may justly seem to have fenced from all vulgar attempts, as Sacred and inviolable. It may perhaps be some satis∣faction to the Reader too to know, how it is come to pass that a Meer Exposition of the Doctrine of the Church of Rome, pretending to contain nothing but what they have always professed, and in their Council of Trent plainly declared to be their Doctrine; should have become so considerable, as not only to be ap∣proved by many Persons of the greatest Eminency in that Church, but even to be recommended by the whole body of the Clergy of France in their Assembly 1682; * and whereever it has come, done so many Miracles, as not only common report speaks, but even the Adver∣tisement it self prefixed to it, takes care to tell us that it has.

Page  ii The first design of Monsieur de Meaux's Book was either to satisfie or to seduce the late Mareschal de Turenne. How far it contributed thereunto I am not able to say; but am willing to believe that the change that honourable Person made of his Religion, was up∣on some better grounds than the bare Exposition of a few Articles of the Roman Faith; and that the Author supplied either in his personal Conferences with him, or by some other Papers to us unknown, what was wanting to the first draught which we have seen of this.

The Manuscript Copy which then appeared, and for about four Years together passed up and down in private hands with great applause, wanted all those Chapters of the Eucharist, Tradition, The Autho∣rity of the Church and Pope, which now make up the most considerable part of it; and in the other points which it handled, seemed so loosly and favourably to propose the Opinions of the Church of Rome, that not only many undesigning Persons of that Communion were offended at it, but the Protestants who saw it, general∣ly believed that Monsieur de Meaux durst not pub∣lickly own, what in his Exposition he privately pre∣tended to be their Doctrine.

And the Event shew'd that they were not altogether mistaken. For in the beginning of the Year 1671 the Exposition being with great care, and after the consi∣deration of many years reduced into the form in which we now see it; and to secure all, fortified with the Approbation of the Archbishop of Reims and nine other Bishops, who profess that

it was sent to the Press. The impression being finish'd and just ready to come abroad; the Author, who desired to appear with all the Advantage to himself and his Cause that was possible, sent it to some of the Doctors of the Sorbonne for their Approbation to be joyn'd to that of the Bishops, that so no Authority, or∣dinary or extraordinary might be wanting to assert the Doctrine contained in it, to be so far from the suspi∣tion the Protestants had conceived of it, that it was truly and without disguise Catholick, Apostolick, and Roman.

But to the great surprise of Monsieur de Meaux, and those who had so much cry'd up his Treatise before, the Doctors of the Sorbonne to whom it was com∣municated, instead of the Approbation that was expected, confirmed what the Protestants had said of it; and, as became their faculty, marked several of the most con∣siderable parts of it, wherein the Exposition by the too great desire of palliating, had absolutely perverted the Doctrine of their Church.

To prevent the open Scandal which such a Censure might have caused, with great Industry, and all the Se∣crecy possible, the whole Edition was suppressed, and the several places which the Doctors had marked changed; and the Copy so speedily sent back to the Press again, that in the end of the same year another much altered was publickly exposed, as the first Impression that had at all been made of it.

Yet this could not be so privately carry'd, but that it soon came to a publick knowledge; insomuch that one of the first Answers that was made to it, charged Mon∣sieur de Meaux with this change. I do not hear that he has ever yet thought fit to deny the Relation, ei∣ther Page  iv in the Advertisement prefixed to the later Edi∣tions of his Book, wherein yet he replies to some other passages of the same Treatise, or in any other Vindi∣cation; Whether it be that such an imputation was not considerable enough to be taken notice of, or that it was too true to be deny'd, let the Reader judge. But certainly it appears to us not only to give a clear account of the Design and Genius of the whole Book; but to be a plain demonstration, how improbable soever Monsieur de Meaux would represent it,

And since a Copy of that very Book so marked, as has been said, by the Doctors of the Sorbonne is fallen into my hands, I shall gratifie the * Readers curiosity with a particular View of some of the Changes that have been made, that so he may judge whether of the Two were the Cause of those great advances, which the Author in that first Edition had thought fit to make towards us.

It might perhaps appear a very pardonable curiosi∣ty in us, after the knowledge we have had of the first miscarriage of this Book at the Sorbonne, to enquire how it comes to pass, that among so many other Approbations as have with great In∣dustry been procured to the later Editions of it, we do not yet see any subscription of theirs to it, even now. Monsieur de Meaux could not certainly be ig∣norant of what weight the Censure of that Learned Faculty is with us; and that such an Approbation might not only have been more easily obtained, but would also more effectually have wiped away the blot cast upon his Book by their former refusal, than all the Letters Page  v and Complements that could come from the other side the Mountains, and which France it self hath taught us, in maters more considerable than this, not to have too high a Value for: Nor can we suppose any thing else, than that the fear of a further Correction kept it from being any more submitted to their Cen∣sure; and that the Author would rather pass without the Honour of their Approbation, than run the haz∣zard of a second Refusal.

But for this, because we cannot speak any thing cer∣tain, we will not pursue our Conjectures. Certain it is that whatever the judgment of the Sorbonne would now have been of it, many of the Church of Rome were still dissatisfied with it. * And how improbable soever Monsieur de Meaux would have us think that one of his Answerers affirms, that a Papist should have written against him; Yet not only the confessed sincerity of Monsieur Conrart who often declared that he had seen it, but the undoubted integrity of some others by whom I have been assured that they had it, in their hands, obliges me to joyn in the assertion, that Mon∣sieur M—,one of the Roman Communion had finish'd an Answer to it, before any of the Protestants were published, however upon some certain Considerations it was thought fit to suppress it.

It will perhaps be looked upon, that this confirma∣tion of that Manuscript Answer deserves as little as∣sent, as Monsieur de Meaux has thought fit to give to Monsieur de la B—'s first Assertion of it. And there∣fore to shew that it is not impossible, nor indeed very im∣probable, that Papists should write one against another; and that the Method of the Exposition, how plausible soever to deceive Protestants, has nevertheless of∣fended the sincere and Undesigning of the other Commu∣nion; Page  vi I will beg leave to produce two or three undeny∣able Witnesses upon some of the first and chiefest Points of it; and which though not written purpose∣ly against it, yet I am perswaded, Monsieur de Meaux himself will be so just as to confess, that he cannot be altogether unconcerned in them.

For his first Point, The Invocation of Saints; The great moderation of the Exposition tells us on∣ly,

Now what Monsieur de Meaux here says in ge∣neral concerning the Invocation of Saints, another Tract Printed about the same time at Cologne, and intituled Salutary Advertisements of the Blessed Virgin, to her indiscreet Adorers; particularly ap∣plied to that Service, which with so much superstiti∣on * is paid in the Church of Rome to the Mother of Christ.

The Book is every where full of Expressions of Ho∣nour and Respect for her; and only speaks against that Worship which Monsieur de Meaux here de∣clares in the name of the Council of Trent to be none of theirs. It was sent abroad into the World with all the Advantage imaginable: It had the Ap∣probation of the Bishop of Mysia, Suffragan to the Archbishop of Cologne; of the Vicar General of Page  vii the place; of the Censure of Gant; of the Canons and Divines of Malines; of the University of Lou∣vain; and Lastly of Monsieur the Bishop of Tour∣nay, who recommended it as a Treatise

Yet notwithstanding all this Applause, if we en∣quire what success this Book had with others, Father Crasset the Jesuit, who wrote purposely against it, * his Book Printed at Paris 1679, Licensed by the Provincial, approved by the three Fathers of the So∣ciety appointed to examine it, and Lastly, authorized by the King's Permission, tells us, †

I shall not need to say how far the Fathers Zeal carries him in the Answer it self: It is evident that what Monsieur de Meaux tells us, is only Use∣ful, the Jesuit declares to be

This is I presume some∣what more than what Monsieur de Meaux expounds to us; and I shall leave it to any one to judge whe∣ther this Father who has shew'd himself so zealous against the Author of the Blessed Virgins Salutary Advertisements, could have been very well pleased with Monsieur de Meaux's Exposition.

The next Point which the Exposition advances, is concerning The Worship of Images, Monsieur de Meaux in the Edition suppressed, affirmed,

Concerning which the Reader may please to ob∣serve, that Cardinal Capisucchi one of the Approvers of Monsieur de Meaux's Exposition, has lately set forth a Volume of Controversies at Rome, with all the most solemn Permissions and Approbations that can be desired, in which he formally contradicts the Do∣ctrine of the same Exposition in this Point; and concludes,

Monsieur de Meaux may please to consider whether this be not sufficiently contrary to the Doctrine Expound∣ed by Him; and how we are to reconcile the Contro∣versies of the Cardinal Capisucchi, with the Letter and Approbation of the * Master of the Sacred Palace. In the mean time I will beg leave to add one instance more, that is nigher home, and I think still at this time depending; and which the particular interest Monsieur de Meaux has more ways than one had in it, will I sup∣pose undoubtedly satisfie him, that notwithstanding the Assembly of the Clergy have recommended so much both his Book and his Method, all nevertheless at this day are not very well satisfied, even in France it self, either with the one or other.

But I do not hear that he has yet had any other Effect of all his supplicati∣ons, and the interest of those Honourable persons in his behalf, than that they still draw more and severer menaces from his Judges, and threats either of perpe∣tual Imprisonment, or even death it self for his Offence.

After this clear conviction I may reasonably hope it will appear no improbable matter to Monsieur de Meaux himself, either that one Papist should have written against his Book, or that many others should have expressed themselves to be of a mind very different from the principles and opinions of it. Had it pleased him to have gratified the World with the sight of Car∣dinal Buillon's and Monsieur l'Abbé de Dangeau's letters to Cardinal Bona and Cardinal Chigi, as well as of their answers to them, they would perhaps have shewn, that not only the Protestants pretended such oppositions of his own party to his Book, but that Monsieur de Meaux himself was not altogether unsensi∣ble of it.

No sooner was the first Impression of the Expositi∣on * which was permitted to pass abroad, finish'd, but presently a Copy was dispatch'd to Rome, with Letters and recommendations to prepare the way for its reception in that Court; and provide against those faults which * some it seems accused it of, if the Contradictors which Page  xii opposed it at home, should think fit to pursue it thither.

It is not to be supposed that either the dignity of the Cardinal who sent the Book, or of him to whom it was address'd, would have permitted them in such a man∣ner to take notice of the faults and the Contradictors which their Letters speak of, had they not been both things, and Persons worthy their consideration. But much less would Monsieur l'Abbé de Dangeau have used his interest with Cardinal Chigi to gain the * favour of the Master of the Sacred Palace, and of the Congregation del Indice, if any one had or should speak against it, had there been no cause to apprehend that any one would attempt either.

What other particular persons were employ'd upon the like Offices, is a secret too close for us to be able to pe∣netrate. Only the Advertisement it self gives us cause to believe that great interest was made even by the French Ambassador himself to his Holiness about it; and that * the few Letters we see set out with so much Industry both in the Originals and their Translation, and the long History of them in the Advertisement, were the effects of a labour and interest, great as the long term of eight years that were spent in the procuring of them.

The second Answer to Monsieur de Meaux has so fully examined every one of these Approbations, and so plainly shew'd how small account is to be made of them, that we do not find that in four years that it has been publish'd, any one has undertaken to reply to it. I will therefore only add in general a remark or two that may serve to inform those of our own Country who are unacquainted with such intrigues, what Page  xiii the Method of the Approbations of the Church of Rome is, and how little stress is to be laid upon them.

It is a long time since it has been resolved by many of their Casuists, that it is lawful to disguise the sentiments of their Religion, not only in private Confe∣rences, but in the very Pulpit it self, when there is a suffici∣ent reason for the doing of it. But I cannot tell whe∣ther it be yet so generally known that it is lawful for them to set their hands to and approve those Books whose Prin∣ciples and Doctrine they dislike, by an Art peculiar to themselves, and which Protestants, who are used to sincere dealing, will find it a little difficult to be∣lieve.

The instance of Cardinal Capisucchi before men∣tioned is an undeniable proof of this for Italy; Who about the same time that he sent his Letter and Ap∣probation to Monsieur de Meaux of his Exposition, wrote, as we have seen, directly contrary to the Doctrine of it, and had his Book approved with no less solemnity at Rome, than Monsieur de Meaux can pretend his to have been. And for France, a Person very justly esteemed both for his great Quality and his own worth, Monsieur the Procureur General of the Parliament of Paris, having clearly revealed the mystery of it, I shall beg leave to represent it to the World, under the advan∣tage of so great and unquestionable an Authority.

Father Thomassin about twenty years since print∣ed a Book which he called Notae in Concilia; the design whereof was to set up the Authority of the Pope above all Councils, which he renders in a manner useless to the decision of Ecclesiastical mat∣ters. The Copies of this Book were all seized, and lock'd up in a Chamber of the Fathers Oratorians at Paris. Page  xiv Ten or twelve years after, with some changes to fill up the Leaves that had been censured, and the Approbation of the Doctors of the Sorbonne, he again attempted to have it publish'd. But Monsieur the Procureur Ge∣neral opposed it, and told him that but in consideration of Father Harlay, his near Relation, who interposed for him, he would have had his Book burnt by the hand of the common Hangman.

The Father justified himself that his Book con∣tained no other Principles than what were found in Cardinal Bellarmine's Controversies, which had been printed with authority, and were permitted to be e∣very day publickly sold in France. The Procureur General replyed,

And indeed the late change of the Jesuits in their Approbations plainly shews, that it is permitted to those of the Church of Rome to write and approve not so much according to their own Opinions, as to the Prin∣ciples and Genius of the Country in which they live. For which reason the Fathers of the Society do no longer now, as formerly they were wont, take out their Licence from the General of their Order, but from their re∣spective Provincials; who accommodate themselves to the current Doctrine of the place in which the Book is pub∣lish'd; without which it would be almost impossible for them to write in France, but they should be subject to the danger of a censure at Rome.

Page  xv After this general account of the Nature of the Ap∣probations of the Church of Rome, I shall spare both my self and Reader the trouble of examining the several Letters before the Exposition, though other∣wise they lie open to many exceptions; only concern∣ing his Holiness s Brief, which Monsieur de Meaux so much triumphs in, it may not be amiss to observe, that the last Pope, in whose time the Exposition came first to Rome with great Recommendation, yet never gave any Approbation to it; and that the present Pope did it

to which such an Approbation would be likely to add a new force. So plain is the intrigue and design of this, that were the Popes Briefs otherwise of as great con∣sideration, as the Papists themselves shew them to be of little value, yet this could not be regarded by us, as any other than a meer Artifice to deceive us, not a sincere, much less authoritative Approbation ei∣ther of the Nature or Principles of Monsieur de Meaux's Book.

But whatever the Opinion either of the Pope or Papists has been of this Exposition, certain it is the Protestants have openly enough declared their thoughts concerning it; and the Exposition according Page  xvi to the fate of all other great and extraordinary things, * has found enough on this side to oppose it.

It was but a very little time after the first Edi∣tion of it, that Monsieur Noguier and another Au∣thor well known, yet whose name I spare, because he has not thought fit himself to discover it, wrote against it; and with so much success, that the Papists them∣selves confest, 'That it was an ill Cause defended ex∣tremely well.

Monsieur de Turenne not long before that last Campagne in which he lost his Life, made great boasts of a Reply that was speedily to be publish'd to them; but after the long expectation of above eight Years, only an Advertisement was prefix'd to a new Edition of the Book, which neither touches at all the greatest part of the Exceptions that had been made against it, nor gives any satisfaction to those it do's take no∣tice of.

It has been the constant method of Monsieur de Meaux, having once written, to leave his Tracts to the World, and take no care to defend them against those assaults, that seem with success enough to have been sometimes made upon them. We should think the great Employments, in which he has had the Honour to be engaged, might have been the cause of this, did not he who takes no care to defend his old Books, find still time enough to write new. Perhaps he looks upon his pieces to be of a Spirit and Force sufficient to despise whatever attempts can be made upon them; but sure he cannot be ignorant, that Protestants make another and far different Conclusion, and look upon those O∣pinions to be certainly indefensible, which so able and eminent an Author is content so openly, and, if I may be permitted to add it, so shamefully to forsake.

Page  xvii What other Answers besides those I have now men∣tioned have been made to it, I cannot undertake to say; Two others only that I know of have been pub∣lish'd; the Author of the latter of which Monsieur de Brueys having in a very little time after his writing left his Religion, might have made a new instance of Monsieur de Meaux's Conquests, did not his inabili∣ty to answer his own arguments against the Exposition, give us cause to believe, that some other Motives than those of that Book induced him so lightly to forsake a Cause, which he had so soundly and generously de∣fended.

And now after so many Answers yet unreplied to, if any one desires to know what the design of the pre∣sent undertaking is, they may please to understand, that having by a long Converse among the Pa∣pists of our own and other Countries perceived that either by the ignorance or malice of their Instructors, they have generally very false and imperfect Notions of our Opinions in the matters in Controversie between us, I have suffered my self to be perswaded to pursue the Method of Monsieur de Meaux's Exposition as to the Doctrine of the Church of England; and op∣pose sincerely to what he pretends is the Opinion of the Roman Church, that form of Faith that is open∣ly profess'd and taught without any disguise or dis∣simulation among us.

I was not unwilling to take the Method of Monsieur de Meaux for my direction, as well upon the account of the great Reputation both of the Book and of the Author, as because it is now some years that it has pass'd in our Language without any answer that I know of made to it. Besides, that the late new Impression made Page  xviii of it, with all the advantages of the Advertisement and Approbations, which the later French Editions have added to it, seemed naturally to require some such Consideration.

I do not pretend by any thing of this to treat Monsieur de Meaux as an Enemy, but rather as both his great Learning, and that Character which I have ever learnt very highly to reverence, oblige me, to follow him as my Guide. To render an account to him and to the World what our differen∣ces are, and point out in passing some of those reasons that are the most usually given amongst us, wherefore we cannot totally assent to what he pro∣poses.

I am perswaded the whole is done with that Cha∣rity and Moderation, that there is nothing in it that can justly offend the most zealous Enemy of our Church. If I knew of any thing in it that without dissem∣bling the Truth might have been omitted, I sincerely profess I would most willingly have done it, being de∣sirous to please all, that so, if it be the will of God, I may by any means gain some.

For this cause chiefly have I forborn to set my name to it, lest perhaps any prejudice against my Person, might chance to injure the Excellence of the Cause which I maintain.

This effect at least, if no other, I would willingly hope such a Treatise may have upon those of our Coun∣try that have been taught to believe very different∣ly concerning us; That they would please no longer to form such horrible Ideas of our Profession as they have heretofore been wont to do; at least till it can be shewn that I have either palliated or prevaricated the Page  xix Doctrine of the Church of England in this Expo∣sition. Which I am yet so assured I have not done, that I here intirely submit both my self and it to her Censure; of whose Communion I esteem it my greatest Happiness that I am, and for whose preser∣vation and Enlargement I shall never cease, as I ought, to pray.