The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 17Dryden, John
General
The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 17
Dryden, John
English literature
In the mean time, let us a little examine this proposition. Our answerer
affirms, “That he cannot be a true member of the church of England, who
asserts both churches to be so far parts of the Catholic church, that
there is no necessity of going from one church to another to be saved.”
If this be true, then, to be a member of the church of England, one
must assert,—that either both churches are not parts of the Catholic,
or that they are so parts, that there is a necessity of going from one
to another. Of these two, the first is not for the honour of one of
the churches, and the second is direct nonsense. A necessity of change
consists not with their being both parts; for parts constitute one whole,
and leave not one and another, to go to or from. There is no church in
France or Italy, to which a Spanish Catholic can go, but what he left in
Spain; nor can he leave his own, by going to either of them. He may be
under other governors in the same church; but let him go wheresoever he
shall please, he cannot be of another, so long as he remains a Catholic.
In short, necessity of change makes it absolutely impossible for both
churches to be parts of the Catholic, and forces the church of England to
maintain—either that she is a part, and the Roman Catholic none, or else
that it is no matter whether she be a part or no; to which I wish they
may not, with the pretence of zeal for her honour, desire to drive her,
who have nothing better to say in their own behalf.
But though our answerer has laid one bishop flat, I warrant you he has
another in reserve; for now the bishop of Winchester (who, as I said
formerly, was not commended so much for nothing,) is brought back in
triumph from his palace of Farnham, to make a short end of the dispute.
At first he doubts, whether ever there were any such bishops who made
such answers; and then affirms, that he believes there never was _in
rerum naturâ_ such a discourse as is pretended to have been betwixt this
great person and two of the most learned bishops in England.
This is downright indeed; for our answerer, to do him justice, has
often collaterally accused the Duchess for her good invention at making
stories: but here is plain English upon the point. What pity is it, in
the mean time, that my Lord of Winton gives not so much as one single
reason, either for his doubt, or his contrary belief? So that having only
his lordship’s opinion, and her highness’s affirmation before me, I might
say, with at least as much good manners as that prelate, that I believe
as little of his pretended letter sent to the Duchess so long after her
decease, as he does of her pretended discourse with the two bishops.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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