A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

But now upon a confidence that you have shifted your hands of a necessity to re-enforce this Assertion, which you find, it may be, in your self an incompetency for, you reflect back upon some former passages in the Animadversions, wherein the general Objections that you lay against Protestancy, are observed to be the same for substance that long ago were by Celsus objected unto Christianity: And say; So likewise in the very beginning of this your second Chapter you spend four leaves, in a parallel betwixt me and the Pagan Celsus, where of there is not any member of it true. Doth Fiat Lux say, you lay the cause of all the troubles, disorders, tumults, wars within the Nations of Europe upon Protestants? doth he charge the Protestants that by their ⟨p. 95⟩schisms and seditions, they make a way for other revolts? doth he gather a Rhapsody of insignificant words? doth he insist upon their divisions? doth he manage the Arguments of the jews against Christ, &c? so doth Celsus who is confuted by Origen. Where does Fiat Lux, where does, does he, does he, any such thing? Are you not ashamed to talk at this rate. I give a hint indeed of the Divisions that be amongst us, and the frequent argumentations that are made to embroil and puzzle one another; with our much evil and little appearance of any good in order unto unity and peace, which is the end of my discourse. But must I therefore be Celsus? Did Celsus any such thing to such an end? It is the end that moralizeth and specifies the action. To diminish Christianity by upbraiding our frailties is paganish: to exhort to unity, by representing the inconvenience of faction, is a Christian and pious work When honest Protestants in the Pulpit speak ten times more full and vehemently against the divisions, wars, and contentions that be amongst us, than ever came into my thoughts, must they therefore every one of them be a Celsus, a Pagan Celsus? What stuff is this? But it is not only my defamation you aim at; your own glory comes in the rear. If I be Celsus, the Pagan Celsus; you then, forsooth, must be Origen that wrote against him, honest Origen; that is the thing. Pray Sir, it is but a word, let me advise you by the way, that you do not forget your self in your heat, and give your Wife occasion to fall out with you. However you may, yet will not your Wife like it perhaps so well, that her Husband should be Origen.

But now upon a confidence that you have shifted your hands of a necessity to re-inforce this Assertion, which you find, it may be, in your self an incompetency for, you reflect back upon some former passages in the Animadversions, wherein the generall Objections that you lay against Protestancy, are observed to be the same for substance that long ago were by Celsus objected unto Christianity: And say; So likewise in the very beginning of this your second Chapter you spend four leaves, in a parallel betwixt mee and the Pagan Celsus, where of there is not any member of it true. Doth Fiat Lux say, you lay the cause of all the troubles, disorders, tumults, warres within the Nations of Europe upon Protestants? doth he charge the Protestants that by their