A LETTER TO A PERSON of HONOUR: WRITTEN By Mr. THOMAS WHITE, In Vindication of Himself and his Doctrine.  
MDCLIX.   

TO THE READER.  
THough I confess our Nation is easily affected with the modes of France, yet by no means would I have thee mistake this Paper for an English PROVINCIAL LETTER, such keen-edged tools may possibly hereafter come in fashion even among us too, and for my part I never shall blame the sharpness of the knife, if the branch it cuts off be fruitless and the season fit. But here I would have thee expect a milder, yet manly proceeding. A person who knows himself clearly innocent, whom his Friends and acquaintance know highly deserving, whom all the world knows eminently learned; a person whose writings every unenvious Reader admires, and every judicious approver incomparably esteems, finding himself, by glad experience in the perusal of his works, grow still more solidly and understandingly virtuous: This person, most injuriously accused (and as yet no more than accused) after a long patience, comes now abroad, seriously to demand a proof of their Charge. If they convince, he promises satisfaction; if not, he expects it from them. A long while they have railed against him, and every day their clamours still grow louder, especially, since his removal to a farther distance hath left them free to their own full cry. At last the noise has waked again this little child of his, that else might have still slept quietly in its private closet. It had indeed before been particularly shown to divers of of the opposers, modestly inviting their courage to encounter it; but its unhappiness is, that none as yet appears to justify their calumny, and yet they still go on to calumniate. It therefore now resolves to come forth in public, and earnestly conjure every one into this justice, that they neither raise themselves any ungrounded scandal, nor give regard to such as shall be raised by others, till this so just, so necessary, a Challenge be fairly and rationally answered; desiring them in the mean while to rest securely on this safe Dilemma: Either his Adversaries can maintain their accusation, and then they are uncharitable not to do't; or they cannot, and then they are uncharitable to accuse. From both which, that thou Mayst be free, is the endeavour of this paper▪ and  
Thy faithful Servant T. K.   

HONOURED SIR,  
WHilst my Adversaries were content to whisper up and down their grave, but empty, censures of me, amongst confiding, and credulously zealous devotes (their proper Auditory) or, at most, amongst unlearned men, whose busy commerce, though it direct them now and then to a large and indulgent Casuist, yet doth it afford them little leisure to consult with true Divinity; I contented myself likewise to leave them to the applause of such admirers, looking upon it as lost time to prepare any Apology. But their confidence being now raised to that height as to presume to pour their Calumnies into your ears whom God hath blessed with a judgement singularly capable to discern truth, and an authority fit to bear sway amongst prudent persons; I can no longer decline the task, but humbly offer what I conceive may suffice to justify me in your candid thoughts. If this short discourse serve to dispel the mist which hath lately been cast before your eyes, I shall rejoice for both our sakes; if otherwise, for my own; hoping your charity will make me see my failings, and acknowledge them:  
In the first place, my Doctrine is accused of heresy, nor is my person more favourably treated; but we have heard of old, that it were impossible in the world to be innocent, if it were all one to be accused and to be guilty; That nature hath furnished us with an ear for the defendant, as well as plaintiff. This Justice than I beg of such as are competent judges in so great a cause; for, in truth, it belongeth to the supremest courts of theology to censure dogmatical Tenets; which office notwithstanding, nowadays, the most ignorant amongst us are the most ready to usurp.  
To this Calumny than I answer, That if any Doctrine of mine be found to contradict any authority constantly acknowledged for infallible in the Catholic Church, I am ready to disown, and renounce it; If this profession render not a man Catholic, or Orthodox, I should be glad to learn what doth. To speak more plainly, if we regard the testimonies of Holy Scriptures, or consent of Fathers, unless I abound therewith more than my opposers; if perusing the decrees of counsels, and Popes, we find therein any thing expressly repugnant to what I have taught; Lastly, if, in any one point, I have thwarted the universal Practice of the Church, let me be esteemed to have lost the cause. But withal let me beg this favour, that where the clear Text condemns me not, the gloss of private Expositors may not pronounce me guilty. I know no reason why any Divine should forfeit the right his degree and quality gives him of interpretation, because others of the same Profession dissent from him.  
Secondly, The Practice of the Church is urged against me, and that with louder noise, and greater confidence of victory. But let them reflect, how many such Eclesiastical Practices have been laid aside, and obliterated. Who now a day's administers the Eucharist in Baptism to Infants? What is become of the three immersions? Where shall we see those so much anciently reverenced solemnities during the whole Octaves of Easter and Pentecost? Is the sacred Host now received into our hands? Is it brought home; or carried about us in our travails? Are both the kinds or species given to the Laity in public Festivities? Of all the Penitential Canons what else remains but a faint shadow? Prayer for the Saints departed is long since laid aside. The decrees of the Apostolical Synod concerning blood and suffocated meats are nowhere observed. What alterations may we not find in the election of Prelates, and Ecclesiastical Courts? Finally, in our Fasts and Vigils? Did they throughly weigh all this, they would not so violently presume, and confidently proclaim the practice of the Church to be an argument of Faith: They would perceive that these practices are mutable, and consequently can yield no firm foundation of Doctrine.  
But what is this to my particular case, who oppose, or control no one modern Ecclesiastical practice; for we are not to think whatever is generally done by all Christians must therefore immediately become an ecclesiastical custom, no more than we are to conclude that an opinion, or truth, assented to by all individual catholics must needs become an Article of their Faith; For so the earth's standing still, and even Columbus his discovery of the new world might claim a place in their Creed. Such customs then alone are to be styled Ecclesiastical as are grounded on Ecclesiastical constitutions, on the Canon laws, on the Rituals, or Ceremonials used by the whole Church, not on the Zeal, or fervour of the multitude: But of any of these we hear no mention. The very name of practice imports custom and prescription, and custom has the force of a law. But none that I know of, forgets himself so far as to affirm that the Practice, whose denial he obtrudes on me, induceth a necessity upon any one of putting it in execution. To conclude, they asperse not only me, but the Church herself, which professeth these concessions to be privileges, that is, grants contrary to the general Rule or custom. Our supreme Pastors call them Graces, or Indulgences which my opposers either proclaim for customs, and practices, or else speak nothing to the purpose. Thus whilst they seek to calumniate me, they unawares attaque the Church, esteeming nothing so sacred as the satisfaction of their precipitate passions.  
Thirdly, Those, who are not altogether so fierce against me, will have my Doctrine not indeed Heretical, but yet nearly allied to heresy: I conjure these men to tell me what it is to be near to heresy, and not to blast my reputation with specious, but insignificant censures. For, Truths and falsehoods are indivisible, and not, like quantity, more or less approaching. Yea the sublimest Truths (if not all) are on each side closely confined with falsities. The mystery of the Sacred Trinity hath; on this, the precipice of the Tritheit, on that, of the Sabellian heresy: you no sooner step out of the Orthodox limits of the Incarnation, but you are plunged in the profane blasphemies of Eutiches or Nestorius; Besides if to be of Faith signifies to be revealed, to be almost of Faith will signify to be almost revealed, and to be near heresy will import the contrary truth to have narrowly escaped Revelation, which for my part let him understand that can, I shall clear myself when I comprehend their accusation.  
A fourth engine, wherewith they labour to possess and prejudice weak capacities, is, that Philosophical controversies admit what latitude of liberty you please, but Theological ones not so. I cannot sufficiently admire their forgetfulness: Was there ever Divine whose very Profession engaged him not in disputes of Divinity? Is there an university in the world wherein such questions are not treated? What else do schoolmen propose to themselves but the discussing, and clearing against Infidels and heretics, the mysteries of our Faith by Principles of Nature, and Philosophy, and the illustrating that obscurity which overshadows them, by the light and conformity of Reason, to the unspeakable comfort of the Faithful? How then comes that to be unlawful for me which in all others is not only allowed, but highly commended?  
It were well (say they) provided you contained yourself within the bounds of opinions generally received, and presumed not to transgress the dictates of more ancient schoolmen. I am at a loss again, do they conceive the Dictates of their so much magnified Masters in Divinity infallible? If they are not, for as much as yet appears, error may happen to be on both sides, since though truth can be but one, the mistakes of such as seek it may be manifold. But according to this Principle, though both sides go astray, yet must no charitable hand hang out a lantern to enlighten so noble a portion of the Church as is the School. Surely Molina had other thoughts when he gloried in the first discovery of Scientia media, or God's conditional foresight of our actions, boasting that St. Augustin, and all the rest of the ancient Fathers were ignorant thereof; which bold fancy of his, how eagerly it hath been since embraced (notwithstanding the brand of heresy stigmatised thereon by the Fathers of St. Dominick) the yet fresh, and uncomposed tumults of the School suffer us not to forget.  
But they will have us at least to confess, that where ever the whole Authority of the School is engaged in any one Opinion, it must of necessity be true and beyond all opposition. The same discourse returns again upon them. That Authority is either fallible, or infallible; if fallible, then cannot any multitude of Patrons whatsoever secure it from lyableness to error, and it will appear impiety to deny the Church a means of clearing her sight therein? If it be pretended infallible, I ask whence are we assured thereof? If by any other authority than their own; let us beg the favour to see it produced; if by their own only, we shall then submit when they shall have extricated themselves out of the maze, or circle, in which they dance. But, to proceed; by what means can we imagine this 〈◊〉 multitude on a sudden immured with the prerogative of 〈◊〉 certitude? Philosophers, besides that of Faith, acknowledge no other than such as springs from Demonstration; of which kind it hath not been my fortune to encounter any; when they offer at it, I shall most willingly listen. It is a received Maxim, that a doctor's Authority reaches no further than the force of the reason he brings, can carry it. If this be verified of each particular, how come they to deserve more collectively? Look upon their own assertions, do they not define that the judgement of three grave Divines in any opinion begets a probability? Yet if I have any reason left me, three compared to many thousands nothing prejudice the universality of the contrary part; Nay, many of them have thought and maintained that the judgement even of one, who hath throughly looked into a difficult point, may be sufficient to establish a probability against the opposite multitude. What then have I or any other offended, if, after mature inspection, we have preferred the substance of reason before the shadow of popularity? add to this, the very boast of universal consent of Doctors is altogether vain; who hath examined the hundreth part of them? who can dive into the sentiments of such as have not written, whose number notwithstanding and authority is far greater than theirs who covet to appear in print? So that, if you scan the expression, under the notion of all Doctors, you will find to be understood a few only, who bear sway in the Universities; a handful, God knows, out of a plentiful Harvest.  
They rest not yet satisfied, but accuse me at least of Indiscretion, that, in a kingdom averse, and separated from the Communion of the Cath. Church, I have printed a book or two, from which they conceive heretics may take occasion to reproach us with intestine dissensions in Religion. Though I am not one who challenge the reputation of Prudent, or go about to clear myself wholly from all lyableness to the opposite imbecility; yet in in this place I see no ground for their crimination: do they not daily hear the Heterodox party exprobrating the wars which in Catholic Countries are waged upon the subject of Efficacious Grace, and jansenism? whatsoever falls once under the press, it little imports whether it first see light here, or in any adjacent Catholic Country: Take for proofs the French Provincial Letters; not only vulgarly known, but rendered also into our vulgar tongue; and truly if I mistake not, the publishing such truths is more expedient here then in any part of the world; nothing being more importantly conducible to the reduction of our separatists, than the discarding superfluous controversies, and contesting with them only necessary Doctrines; without engaging for the uncertain and wavering opinions of Doctors as for the Faith delivered us by Christ and his Apostles. We find by experience, that great Wits, which overrule the weaker capacities, if an assent be crudely required from them upon the account of sole Authority and command; without reason, either for the truth of the thing itself, or at least for the necessity of believing it, they reject it with scorn, and conceive thence an extreme aversion: To these the milk of reason, that is, the conformity of Faith with inferior Sciences, must, as much as is possible, be prepared; which task hath hitherto been the aim of all my endeavours. We may observe every day that disputes undertaken without these grounds, are doubtful; and either depend upon the acuteness, and dexterity of the manager, or perhaps on pure chance; and most commonly conclude in wordish and endless perplexities. All which I would not have so understood as though I confessed my writings had found no acceptance or approbation in Catholic Countries, for even thence I have received not a few congratulations. In fine, what needs there more to justify my printing here, then barely to say, I must perforce do it where I live and find supplies sufficient for such expenses as are necessary.  
They have a quarrel likewise with the time of my writing, in affirming, that, in this unhappy conjuncture when we are already perplexed with several dissensions, new ones ought, by no means, to be set on foot. I should take this reprehension in very good part, if they went about to compose those other disorders; but from the time that an attempt was made in Wisbich Castle to usurp authority over the Clergy, they have never ceased to contrive and practise against the known rights of our Church, nor can any sight how quicksoever foresee the end of those commotions: so that these truths were now, or never to be advanced.  
When all these arguments are spent in vain, at last, they cry out, that all heretics took the very same method I do, in propagating their pestilent errors; but they do not particularize in what precisely this method consists, and how far it differs from the practice of Catholic Divines; whence 'tis most impertinent to conclude that what both catholics, and heretics indifferently do, should be ill because heretics do it. But besides, in my case, it is absolutely false. What heretic ever before he began to innovate, put forth a body, or course of Philosophy and Divinity, thereby to circumscribe himself within certaind limits, and at once to declare his sense concerning all points of Faith? This is a quite different method from that of heretics; they go not thus to work, but fasten first upon some particular Article, and thence, by degrees, are driven, by the inevitable necessity of a bad cause, to maintained that with the violation of others. Besides, heretics craftily pick out what the unlearned and ignorant are apt to applaud, they pursue the easiest things, making conventicles their Schools, women and Laymen their Judges, which Character whether it be more appliable to my adversaries, or me, let those judge who are best acquainted with our proceedings.  
Thus much, Honoured Sir, I could not but take the liberty to say in my own behalf: Nature, and Equity requiring, that every one be presumed good, till he be proved otherwise. Let my opposers then either demonstrate this my apology insufficient, or from henceforth cease to vent their calumnies amongst men of so great prudence and Authority.  
FINIS.