171 ftition and Impiety be no more, and let true Religion triumph in their stead.

XXXVIII. When Octavius had thus gone thro' all the Objections of Cacilius, we stood filent for a while, and astonish'd at his Anfwer; as for me, (fays Minucius) I was perfectly loft in admiration, at what he had fo excellently prov❜d, and fet off by Reason, Example and Authority, (things much easier con ceiv'd than exprefs'd) and to fee how he bad beat out the Enemy from their strong Holds, and turn'd the very Philofophers against 'em, whom they took for their Guard, and demon Atrated the Truth, not only to be cafily intelligible, but évidently on his fide.

XXXIX. While therefore I was mufing upon these things in filence, Cacilius cou'd contain no longer, but broke out into thefe Expreffions: I not only congratulate my Octavius, but my felf exceedingly, nor do I expect the determination of our Arbitrator, we are both Conquerors, and fo that I can't forbear Ufurping, and putting in for the chief Share in the Victory; for as Octavius triumphs over me, fo I triumph over Error. And therefore upon fumming up the Evidence I thus pronounce; I fubmit my self entirely to God, I acknowledge his Providence, and do publickly declare the Chriftian Religion, which from henceforward I call my own, to be the only true Religion. However, there are fome things yet behind I want to be inftructed in, not fuch as in any wife make against the Chriftian Truth, but fuch only as I judge neceffary for a farther

proficiency

proficiency in it, but it growing towards Night, I fhall ftay 'till to Morrow for a fuller and more convenient Difquifition about this whole Matter.

XL. As for my part, said I, I must come in alfo for no little fhare of Joy in this Victory; for I find my felf under exceeding Transports for all our Sakes; that my Octavius is confeffedly come off Victor, and fo hath excus'd me from the Odium of pronouncing Sentence where my Friends are concern'd. Nor can I ever fufficiently commend him for his excellent Difcourse; the Testimony of a Man, and one Man only, is a poor thing; he has his exceeding recompence from God, who infpir'd him with the Language, and help'd him to the Victory. After this, we all departed in triumph; Caci lius full of Joy, that he was a Believer; and Octavius no lefs Joyful, that he had made him fo; and I as well pleas'd as either, that my Friend Cacilius was Converted, and my Friend Q&avins the Converter,

A

A

PRELIMINARY DISCOURSE

TO THE

COMMONITORY

OF

Vincentius Lirinenfis,

Concerning the

RULE of FAITH

In DEFENCE of the

Primitive Fathers.

T

IS a rifing Maxim, I know, and a great ease to Flesh and Blood it is, to let every thing go as it will, and every one believe and do as he lift, but 'tis an unprimitive Maxim, and may in due time unchurch Us, as it did Asia: For whoever holds it, will never burn for the Faith, but follow it afar off, and fit down and warm him. felf with the Crucifiers, to fee the End. The Fundamentals of Chriftianity are now as freely que

Ition'd

173

ftion'd as the Hay and Stubble, and the moft difputable Doctrines built upon them. Nay, as if a New Faith was to be deliver'd to the Saints, we are growing fick of the Old, and nothing will go down at prefent but Rarities in Religion. We challenge the fame Liberty and Property in the Election of our Creed as in the Choice of our Government; and God himself must no more Rule over us in the one, than the other: But according to Vincentius, There is no concerning Truth which is not Ancient; and what is truly New, is certainly Falfe. The letting licentious Books pafs uncenfur'd, is like letting Children fay what they please: It may delight at firft, but foon comes to break our Hearts. From the Beginning it was not fo. Old Eli was a good Man but a bad Governour; and as fuch, punifh'd too for our Ad

monition.

There is no Pretext whatever has been more ferviceable to the Church of Rome, than a feeming Reverence for the Fathers; nor can we more effectually befriend it, than by vilifying their Authority: For though, in truth, the Papifts pay as little deference to the Ancients as fome who call themselves Proteftants, yet are they much wifer than to own it. Because, after all that the moft inquifitive and cu rious Malice can fay against them, good Chriftians will be mighty apt to fufpect thofe who rail at the Integrity of Apoftolick Men and Martyrs, and the Learned find much reason to blefs God for their A. bilities: For who have fo nobly defended the Church of England againft all her Adverfaries, and made fuch lafting Provifion for their own Memories, as the Jewel's, Pearfon's, Stilling fleet's, Beveridge's, Bull's, and fuch others, who ftudied the Scriptures under the direction of the Fathers? And that there cannot be a greater Reflection caft on any Church, than to fay, It is moft unlike the Primitive, we need no other Proof than the labour'd Attempts of each Party to prove their Conformity to it.

And therefore when the very Profeffors of Geneva are wiping off the Scales from their Eyes, and receiving Sight, and rifing up in the Vindication of Primitive Doctrine and Primitive Government; for fuch as ftile themselves Presbyters of the Church of England, to be making merry with the Nakedness of the Fathers, and with those who chufe rather to cover it; and in defpight of our venerable Reformers and the Canons of their own Church, to pride themfelves in their Contempt of Antiquity, is extremely ill-tim'd, to fay no worfe of it; and it is their Blindness that makes 'em Bold. As for fuch Divines as Trade only in Balade and Banter, and in riming good Senfe and good Manners out of Countenance, they, methinks, of all Men living might fpare their Satyr upon the Country Clergy, for following the Primitive Chriftians in the unprofitable Notion of the divine Right of Government, who dare to be Poor, and refide upon their Cures, and be true to their Truft; and if they have not the Wit, however have the Grace, not to write as if they were ordain'd only to make a Jeft of every thing that is Sacred. But 'tis poffible fuch Men may be out in their Politicks as well as their Divinity, and at last write themselves out of Reputation, and not into Preferment. For if that way of fooling be the way to Preferment, then what wou'd have depos'd a Pref byter in the beft Times will dignify him now. But God be praised, the Country Clergy have fome Lay Friends yet, as well as thofe of their own Order, who think 'em Objects not of Ridicule, but Pity, who love our Nation, and have inrich'd us with Libraries to affwage the pain of Contempt and Poverty by an Application to Books, and to enable us to ferve God and his People better: For which be their Memories ever precious among us, and wherefoever in thefe Parishes the Gofpel fhall be preached, there let this alfo, that thefe Men have done, be told for a Memorial of them till the Refurrection of the Juft, when

he