the wynd a fancy an opinion alterable with euery change of imagination nay with euery alteration of affection So what is Anathema to day Cell lib. ◠c. 5. in the worse sense an imprecation or execration may be to morrow Anathema in the better sense that is a consecration what to day is a curse way be a blessing to morrow Nor is it easy to conceaue in whether sense he takes Anathema by way of cursing or blessing For I vehemently suspect he neuer meant to curse the fauourer's of those opinions to whom I doubt not but he wishes as to himselfe yea and whose deferts towards himself haue gain'd no small interest title to his well wishings wherfore what he sayth He who holds so let him be Anathema may in the Socinian intendment be no more but this he who hold's so long may he liue Yet for a more expesse discharging himself from all imputations of this nature namely of such as charge him with deniall of supernaturall Verities what sayth he marry He belieues all those book 's of Scripture which the Church of England account's Canonicall Pref. to be the infallible word of God Answ You see the Resolution of his Fayth into the Authority of the Church of England Where you may note that he sayth not that he belieues it infallibly or that those bookes are infallibly the word of God but that they are the infallible word of God where that infallible is a meere fallacious Pleonasme a redundant and superfluous accession to the word of God Whence it followeth only that he belieues this with a fallible Fayth and therefore no diuine Fayth which he doth consequently to his principles for holding the motiue of his beliefe that is the authority of the Church of England as of all other Churches to be but fallible and capable of errour his beliefe can haue no greater assurance then that motiue hath But then it followeth that he hath no infallible assurance of these Bookes that they are the word of God Ergo he hath no assurance that the contents of these Bookes are supernaturall Verities or Verities at all Ergo with this may stand his deniall of supernaturall Verities And that you may Vnderstand that he belieues the aforesaid Verities with a Socinian fayth only he ioyneth in one and the same tenure of beliefe things euidently contayned in those Canonicall Bookes with things probably deducible from the same Whence thus I argue If he belieues as his words expresse things euidently contained in those Bookes with no more assurance then he belieues things euen probably deducible thence then he belieues neither with assurance of diuine fayth Ergo he belieues them not as supernaturall Verities to the beliefe of which humane fayth can neuer ascend as being out of the reach and extent of all such Fayth therefore as yet and by this profession he hath not cleared himselfe from the imputation of Socinianisme and Infidelity An Act of Parlament the motiue of his beliefe His fallacious refuge SECT XXXVIII Pref. FVrthermore I acknowledge all that to be Heresy which by the Act of Parliament primo Elizabethae is declared to be so Answ With this acknowledgment may well consist the deniall of all supernaturall verities according to my former deduction And this is surely a strong presumption that he belieues an act of Parlament with no greater assurance then the decrees of a Generall Councell yea and that he belieues the Parlament rather then a Generall Councell shews that such his beliefe is grounded vpon his affection not his iudgment for no poyse of iudiciall motiues can preponderate or sway him rather towards a Parlament Wherefore since none of these motiues or authorities yield him assurance that such contents of Canonicall Bookes are supernaturall verities it followeth no way out of his beliefe of these that he belieues any supernaturall verity as such Ergo notwithstanding this profession he is a Socinian still Which though it be so yet I will not do him wrong nor say he hath effected nothing by this his syncere profession and acknowledgment But what hath he done Forsooth he hath cuningly put himself vnder the wing's of the State he hath retired himself into the sanctuary of Protestancy by this meanes he hath ingaged them in his quarrell whose religion he professeth so that whatsoeuer inconuenience as irreligion nullity of diuine fayth lastly Socinianisme it self shall be deduced as consequent out of his disclaiming the authority of the Cath. Church and acknowledging a Parlamentary religion and authority in determining Canonicall Scripture declaring Heresies must fall first vpon the English Protestants and must be answered by them Thus while he endeauours to bring himself off fairely from those foule aspersiōs he draw's them on whom he pretends to vindicate and thus he brings about his owne ends and couertly aduanceth his owne designe which is to ruine all Religion His fallacious Hypocrisy SECT XXXIX WHat he talkes of retaining liberty in points which may be diuersly held satuâ fides compage the iuncture or structure of fayth remaining safe is a ridiculous Hypocrisy in him who endeauours by his doctrine and principles to demolish the very foundation of Christian Fayth which is the infallibility of diuine Reuelation I meane the infallibility of that authority which declares it to be such and consequently that vnquestionable certainty vpon which Christian Fayth relyeth being taken away not to leaue one stone vpon another in this earthly or militant Hierusalem in the building of Fayth And can you haue further patience to heare any more of his Sophistique Hypocrisy For he know's that all Christiās would spit defiance in his face should he not seeme to speak somewhat like a Christian Pref. Yet thus much I can say quoth he which I hope will satisfy any man of reason that whatsoeuer hath beene held necessary to saluation either by the Catholique Church of all ages or by the consent of Fathers measured by Vincentius Litinensis his rules or is held necessarie either by the Catholique Church of this age or by the consent of Protestants c. That against the Socinians and all others I do verily belicue and imbrace Answ Can any man belieue he writes what he thinkes if he vnderstand what he writes For who doubts but the Catholique Church of all ages hath held the beliefe of an infallible Church as a point of Christian Fayth For how could the Catholique Church gathered togeather in Generall Councels anathematize and condemne whosoeuer refused to subscribe to her decrees in points of fayth had not the same Church supposed her self to haue infallible authority for all such decisions and decrees Therefore he who belieues what the Catholique Church holds necessary to be belieued belieues this Now obserue in these very words by the Catholique Church of this age or by the consent of Protestants how he makes the Protestants a member of his diuision a part from the Catholiques Wherein also he preuaricates egregiously
Will he reprehend the seeking of the kingdom of God for this or the forsaking temporall estates to follow Christ in a higher way of perfection because the gaine and returne is a hundred fold in this life and therefore makes for the temporall ends of such men And are these our beaux Esprits Are these the learned new Academy that cannot make this distinction between making and being made or are they rather indeed en bon François in plaine English dull and earthly Spirits and which least they would heare not Wit 's but silly Fellows Who if they could once resolue vpon a God or any such not only omnipotent but free agent who could do and giue what he pleased should rather betake themselues with Salomon who had I thinke as good a naturall wit as the best of the new Academy and shew'd a much better in making such a choyce and in the acknowledgment of his owne weakenes and want betake themselues I say to their prayers that they might receaue the spirit of Wisedom from heauen without which spirit no meruaile if they haue no palate of heauen nor as being indeed meerely Animals any rellish of spirituall things But neither indeed do they belieue there is any such thing as holy spirit Et quem non inuenit vsquam Esse putat nusquam Concerning different opinions among Catholiques the Aduocates Fallacy and Calumny SECT X. AFter all these Rhetoricall pretermissions of temptations into so he writes and principles of Irreligion and Atheisme in Catholique doctrine as considerations which he wil seeme to esteeme of lesse moment thereby to prepare your expectation to some more weighty Only I should desire you sayth he to consider attentiuely when you conclude so often from the differences of Protestants Pref. that they haue no certainty of any part of their religion c. Whether you do not that which so magisteri ally you direct me not to do that is proceed a destructiue way c. Ans Now this Pretermissiō is no figure but a fraud Fallacy for his aduersary directs him not to proceed a meere destructiue way Now this restrictiue particle meere fraudulently left out is no figure but a fallacie of pretermission and makes indeed a kind of Non-sense in his Aduersary where there is a good and plaine sense For whosoeuer will throw downe the doctrine of another must proceed a destructiue way but he who doth nothing else but throw downe and builds nothing as he who doth nothing but ouerthrow doctrines of religion holdeth nothing prositiue in religion at least in coherence of his doctrine he proceeds a meere destructiue way and a meere Antimachus he is an Ismael sonne of Agar secundum carnem genitus a child of the flesh and therefore as euery Socinian doth persequutes the free-borne child the yssue of the Spirit but what sayth the Scripture Eijce ancillam filium eius non enim erit haeres filius ancillaecum filio liberae cast forth the handmaid and her sonne for the sonne of the hand-maid shall not coherit which the sonne of the free-woman Indeed one house could not hold them Why because Ismael was terrae homo a fierce condition'd man manus eius contra omnes manus omniam contra eum his hands against all men and all mens hands against him which is in effect to say he proceeded a meere destructiue way And I pray you is not a Socinian such an Ismael whose hands are vp against all Professors of Christianity since his reasons principles tend as his Aduersary chargeth him to the ouerthrow of all Christian Profession no lesse then of Catholique religion And doth he not deserue that all Christian hands should be employed about his eares with vnanimous consent to extinguish such a Giant But doth the sonne of Sarai proceed a meere destructiue way he dares not say it as bold as he is therefore he onely sayes he proceeds a destructiue way wherein he doth well and as euery confutant must do otherwise he doth nothing Pref. But his aduersaries Arguments so he retorts obiected against the Protestant tend to the ouerthrow of all religion because sayth he as you argue Protestants differ in many things therefore they haue no certainty of religion so an Atheist or a Sceptique may conclude as well Christians and the Professors of all religions differ in many things therefore they haue no certainty of any thing Ans I know well these are the ordinary Socinian Topickes which this man hath by hart whence they are wont to argue themselues out of all religion And it is a very Socinian and Atheisticall argument indeed that is a foolish one as foolish as this Euery man is a man therefore no man is a Christian For though euery man be a man and therefore subrect to errour some more some lesse some in one thing some in another whence difference of opinions ariseth and vncertainty is concluded yet some men are Christians and as such in matters defined to be of faith not differing nor vncertaine They should deduce thus if they would conclude to the purpose they intend Christians in points of fayth defined by their Church to be such the definition of which Church they hold as their rule of fayth disagree among themselues therfore they haue no certainty in points of religion then the solution is ready I deny that such Christians who rely on that autority of the Church defining as all Catholique Christians do disagree in any poynt of religion so defined therefore this inference of vncertainty from the differences of doctrines in poynts of fayth fals heauy vpon the backs of all Sectaries nor can be shaken off but toucheth not the Catholique Whence they should conclude if they were indeed wise and gallant either the Catholique or none Not as they are wont there is difference of opinions and doctrines among Professors of Christianity betweene Lutherans and Caluinists c. and the Catholique from them all therefore there is no certainty therefore no religion at all and therefore lastly I will be an Atheist or Socinian Whereas if these Sceptiques would be feriously sceptique indeed that is serious inquisitors of truth and not make it their whole life and busines euer to seeke neuer to find like those sylly and sinfull women of whome S. Paul semper discentes numquam ad scientiam veritatis peruenientes always learning and neuer arriuing to the knowledge of truth nay if they did not set downe for their last arrest despaire of euer knowing with those foolists Sceptiques and Pyrhonians lastly if they could be persuaded that they heare what they heare or see what they see certainely they might see discerne a vast disparity betweene these two kinds of differences the differences of Sectaries among themselues in most substantiall points of faith and those of Catholiques discepting and discussing difficulties occurring as yet vndecreed and vndetermined by authority as children of truth neuer ceasing to inquire after it
such fayth besides the necessity of it cannot possibly mooue any scorne to religion Pref. but is rather most fit and congruous to beget a more honourable conceipt due Veneration of diuine mysteries in faythfull soules For those other who out of an excesse of an Hyperbolicall Pride will seeme to scorne whatsoeuer stand's without their sphere or because they are not will suppose there are no Eagles we can expect no lesse from them For this indeed is that verbum crucis pereuntibus stultitia that word of the crosse folly and matter of scorne to those who perish 1. Cor. 1. ijs autem qui salui fiunt id est nobis sayth S. Paul virtus Dei but to them that are saued that is to vs it is the Power of God And he who tell 's them which this Aduocate takes so hainously that he makes it some part of his Apology for Atheisme that they were as good not belieue at all as belieue with a lower degres of fayth Pref. meaning human fayth only sayth no more but true that humane fayth can neuer aspire to the purchase of supernatur all hopes that therefore in regard of euerlasting Saluation if it grow no higher it becomes fruitles and lost labour As if a generall pardon were proclaimed for all such who should make their personall appearance in such a Court or Pallace before the king vpon such a day or within such a space of tyme a man should say it were as good stay at home as to goe to the Court only and neuer enter or appeare in presence of the king because the pardon was granted to such personall appearance made not to such a iourney made for so likewise Saluation and pardon of sinnes is proclaimed and promised to such a fayth as should enter those adita those sacraries or treasuries of diuine hopes not to such as cannot and will not enter but stand without S. Leo Serm. 7. de Nat. in the mist of humane reasons or in the smoke of worldly wisedom vnable to ascend into that presence of Maiesty And yet there forsooth will they stand by this Aduocat's aduise nor goe one foot further or higher then they can see the way in that mist and will yet I thinke contest with diuine Wisedome yea and quarrell too if he vouchsafe not to come downe a degree lower and pardon them vpon equall termes or shew them some conuincing reason why it should be necessary to clymbe vp those staires of diuine fayth or why they should not sufficiently deserue pardon by taking so much paines in comming as farre as they could vpon the plaine and eauen ground of reason and why his Maiesty should annexe vnto his pardon such impossible and contradictory conditions as to require a voluntary and certaine assent to things in humane reason impossible that many moderate and considering men who would otherwise come readily and sue forth their pardons according to his Proclamation hearing of these conditions fly backe and belieue that there is either no such pardon to be expected and that this is but some forged Proclamation or that surely it is or should be granted vpon reasonable termes and such conditions as may sute with mens abilities that conditions of this impossible and contradictory nature are likely to make considering men scorne all pardons and all religion So they with their lower degree of fayth where I leaue them disputing with God at the foot of the staires proceed For thus is followeth The Church compared with Scripture SECT XIII Pref. LAstly I should desire you to consder whether your pretence that there is no good ground to belieue Scripture but your Churches infallibility ioyned with your pretending no ground for this but some text's of Scripture be not a faire way to make them that vnderstand themselues belieue neither Church nor Scripture Answ This Cauill or Calumny we might retort as he is wont almost totidem verbis as thus Whether their pretence that there is no good ground or rule whereby to determine what is truth in doctrine of fayth but Scripture ioyned with their pretending no ground for this but some text's of Scriptures togeather with euery mans naturall reason interpreting it which is as errant a guide and diuerse as the head 's of men be not a faire way to make men that vnderstand themselues belieue neither their doctrine nor their Scripture But what is this to him who cares not how his argument reflects vpon himselfe so it wound the Catholique who will be content like another Samson or Eleazar to be crush't to death vnder the ruine of his Aduersaries Trahere cùm pereas inuat he is cōtent that the ship be shot through and through wherein he sayles with the Catholique nay this would be his glory Solus nequis occidere nobiscum potes But what if we be deceaued all this while What if he be not the man Achylles himselfe but a Patroclus in his guise and fighting in his armour while he with his Socinian Myrmidons stands aloofe out of shot or if he fight and fall with Protestancy he will reuiue and reuenge himselfe in Socinianisme What I say if all this arguing for Protestancy against the Catholique be nothing else but a cunning vndermining to blow vp both Or what if this Switzer in religion fight only for pay To day for Holland to morrow perhaps for Spaine but if the warre and seruice grow hoat he willl serue neither he wil returne home and sleepe safe in the new Academy and in a whole skin Notwithstanding because this arrow howsoeuer flying from hart or hand only for Religion or for Pay being shot against a rock not entring there may chance to glance and wound some stander by who is neither rock nor rocky it will not be amisse to fore-arme such by fore-warning them It is false then which he presumeth Gratis that we pretend no other ground for the infallibility of the Church but some texts of Scriptures nor is our doctrine so incoherent to it selfe but as before and without Scripture the Church could truly say Visum est spiritui sancto nobis it hath seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs So if no Scriptures were now the same Church guided by the same holy Ghost might truly say Visum est spiritui sancte nobis yea and this very doctrine that the same holy Ghost Spirit of truth speakes in the Church we are taught not only by this and those other texts of holy Scripture but à priori by the Church vpon whose credit and testimony we receaue this Scripture For thus I vrge Where was this Scripture where the whole Ghospell before it was written Was it not first in the Church in the soules and spirits of the Apostles and disciples of Christ wherin they were written by the fingar of the holy Ghost nay the presence of the holy Ghost sayth S. Austin was that Scripture or Scriptures written in their harts De spir
the Synagogue This is therefore a terrible hearing to Protestancy a Church Terribilis vt castrorum acies ordinata terrible as an army in battaile-array Now for Primitiue Christians they imply no such order no such coordination or subordination as of a body and therefore as so many scattered sheep they might wholy dye in their owne ashes not Phenix-like suruiue in their posterity which to affirme of a Church of Christ his establish't Common-wealth or kingdom purchas 't by right of Conquest with the inestimable price of his blood is not only Hereticall but most impious and prophane since neither the Synagogue and Law of Moyses became euacuate or abrogate viâ corruptiuâ by a corruptiue desition but past into a Church Euangelicall Law via perfectiuâ as Christ was the perficient not the corruptiue end of the Law Non veni legem soluere sed adimplere c. I came not to dissolue but to fulfill the Law c. Some other fallacious Euasions in answere to the same position of his Aduersary SECT XXVII IN the very next Paragraph I meete with another Fallacy which I haue also touch't before Pref. You say with conuenient boldnes that this infallible authority of your Church being denyed no man can be assured that any parcell of Scripture was written by diuine inspiration which is an Vntruth for which no proofe is pretended and besides voyd of modesty full of impiety Answ And I pray you obserue his notorious method his Censure is for the most part the preface to his Answere when he hath first struck his Aduersary on the head or wounded his reputation with some calumny or contumely then he wil dispute the matter not only cooly but very coldly as you shall see In the meane tyme since he is so liberall of contumelious and reproachfull language if we spare him it is mere gratuite grace no merit of his not so much as of congruity nay it may seeme much more congruous to shew the man his error where he may see it better then in himselfe For I belieue it will appeare to any vnderstanding man euen by the Genius of his stile that he hath drunke more liberally of Narcissus Well then of Aristotles as neere as it springs Whence I do not see but his President way be my Apology and very Charity will require that some sprinkling of salt be employed vpon his so great insulsity Now marke the Fallacy His aduersary sayth Take away the authority of Gods Church no man can be assured c. For Gods Church this Atturney changeth your Church as though his aduersary preassumed what is in question with Protestants Which he purposely doth not but only sheweth the necessity of a Visible Church and infallible authority shereof The fallacy of this change hath this intent to make his aduersary more odious for his preassuming antedating as also that he may impugne him more easily where he contends not which he doth almost euery where neuer strikes where his Aduersary wards So he seldome or neuer argues or answeres to the matter in hand But why now is this an vntruth void of modesty Because sayth he the experience of innumerable Christians is against it who are sufficiently assured that the Scripture is diuinely inspired and yet deny the infallibility of your Church or any other Answ What Euen of Gods Church For this is the authority this the Church which his aduersary namely and only asserteth And where is the immodesty Is it immodesty in a Catholique to proue the infallibility of the Church of God his Prime principle of Religion and that by an argument which this no Church can no otherwise answere but by rayling at it as with his Lucians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O execrable For who are those innumerable Christians Are they not the aduersaries of the Roman Church and only they And is it immodesty in a Roman Catholique to defend and proue the contrary to that which the Aduersaries of that Church would proue and do teach whereby to ouerthrow that Church and with that all Christianity But to shew him the weaknes of his argument I forme the like Innumerable Christians are sufficiently assured that no man can be assured of any parcell of holy Scripture otherwise then by the authority of the Church of God Ergo M. Ch. who denies them this assurance is voyd of all modesty And now againe why full of impiety Pref. Because sayth he if I cannot haue ground to be assured of the diuine authority of Scripture vnlesse I first belieue your Church infallible then I can haue no ground at all to belieue it Answ I expected he would say then I will be a Socinian But still you see him in his Fallacy Your Church for Gods Church And why then hath he no ground at all vpon that supposall Pref. Because there is no ground nor can any be pretended why I should belieue your Church infallible vnlesse I first belieue the Scripture diuine Answ Still Your Church Sure we shall neuer bring him back to Gods Church againe Now quite contrary I say there is no sufficient ground to omit pretences and permit them to his Hyperbolicall style why men should belieue the Scriptures diuine vnles first they belieue an infallible Church of God For to reuolue to the first birth and parentage of holy Scriptures whence haue we them who told vs they were diuine haue we not the new Testament to instance in this part from the Euangelists and Apostles And were not they the Church of God and hath any other told vs they are diuine and of diuine authority but they primarily and their posterity after them Can any man expect a more certaine testimony concerning his owne or any other mans birth then from the mother who brought him forth into the world Was not the holy Scripture cōceaued of the holy Ghost as it were in the wombe of the Church Yea those soules and spirits of Prophets Euangelists Apostles in which those Scriptures were conceaued euen formally as diuine together with the truth contained in them were they not before those Scriptures were brought to light And could any but they or vpon their credit belieue those Scriptures were of diuine yssue conceaued I say in those spirits diuinely inspired and illuminated yea and from them flowing as from a vitall principle actually and actiuely inflowing into those conceptions togeather with the holy spirit of truth Whence also it followeth euidently that those diuine truth's cannot be the formall conceptions of any soule or vnderstanding not endued and eleuated by this spirit of truth with which spirit since no man can assure himselfe to be endued yet euery Christian ought to belieue as certaine that the Church of God is indued therefore euery Christian ought to receaue those diuine truths contained in Scriptures togeather with the Scriptures themselues from the Church of God whose lawfull issue and ofspring they are Neither can this in reason seeme to a Christian any whit
derogatory from the maiesty of the diuine word to be conceaued in the spirit of man no more then it was from the Maiesty of the Sonne of God to be conceaued in the wombe of the B. Virgin Mary and that as there the Eternall Word was inuested with humane flesh so heere in these spirits of men as in the wombe of the Church the Word of God sowne by the holy Ghost should be inuested with humane notion and brought forth to light of the world in the guise of humane speach and voyce In which sense we may interprete that testimony of the holy Baptist Ego vox clamantis I am the voyce of the cryer as his voyce was the inuesture of that Word of the holy Ghost crying in the desert by which it was conueyed to the eares of mortall men so is the voyce and declaration of the Church the meanes by which the Word of God and all Truth contained in it is conueyed to our soules and vnderstandings And as that cry of the Holy Ghost was first conceaued in the spirit of the Baptist then vttered by his voyce to the world so these Scriptures were first conceaued in the Church those Apostolicall spirits in which they were first imprinted and inuested if I may so speak by the operation and Energy of that fire which appeared in tongues afterwards vttered vpon due occasions in words and writings As therefore those of that tyme heard the voyce of that cryer in the desart from the mouth of the Baptist so all Christians heare and must heare the word of God and diuine truth by the mouth of the Church Well then what this man so confidently auerreth that there is no ground yea that no ground can be pretended why we should hold Gods Church for so he must say if he say any thing against what his Aduersary sayes infallible vnles we first belieue the Scripture diuine I as confidently deny And for as much as respects priority or antecedency of beliefe since the Scripture as I haue said is no other word but what the Church hath and daily doth vtter vnto vs whether historicall or dogmaticall or howsoeuer first conceaued in the vnderstanding and spirit of the Church it followeth that as we haue receaued it vpon her credit telling and teaching vs that it is diuine so we must à Priori belieue the Church as infallible witnes or reporter before we can belieue the infallibility of Scripture which she reporteth it followeth also that we must belieue the Church interpreting the Scripture for it is incredible that any other man should better vnderstand what I speake according as I haue conceaued or what I meane by the words I speake then I my selfe the speaker who only intend to vtter my conceipt It followeth yet further that although there were no Scripture and these Christian Verities had descended to vs only by Tradition and by the testimony of former ages transmitting them successiuely from Christ to this present age we should be bound to belieue the Church that is that continued succession of men belieuing those Christian Verities vnles we will say there was no obligation vpon men to belieue in God and to worship him according to that beliefe before the tyme of Moyses before the Scriptures were For was not Circumcision obligatory before Moyses and was not the posterity of Abraham obliged to belieue and practise that tradition as of diuine authority of which our Sauiour sayth Moyses dedit rebis Circumcisionem non quia ex Moyse est sed ex Patribus He will say You proue the Church infallible by Scriptures your Scriptures must be first belieued infallible I answer we proue this out of Scriptures against such as professe to belieue Scriptures not the Church as out of their owne principles it followeth not thence that we first belieue the Scripturs diuine or infallible For though in methode of confuting such Aduersaries we begin with the Scriptures yet in the methode of belieuing we begin from the Church vpon whose credit we belieue the Scriptures to be diuine and according to this method commencing from the Church Christian fayth was first propagated among nations and imbraced by Heathens Nor will it be to the purpose to reply that Heathens were induced to belieue by reason of miracles This I say is not to the purpose how the Church gained this credit but hence it is inferred that in regard of Christian Beliefe the Church had the Precedency before Scriptures that is the Church was belieued before the Scriptures were belieued Wherefore to conclude this point if it be impiety not to belieue Scriptures as no doubt it is yet it is an impiety no way deducible from this doctrine that the beliefe of an infallible Church is precedent to the beliefe of Scriptures But it is not hard to conceaue by the very carriage of the busines as he handles it what he driues at in all this discourse which is indeed to euacuate all authority both of Church and Scriptures and vpon the ruines of both to build the Godles Socinianisme Therefore all inferences which may seeme any way to perplexe Christian doctrine or force it into straits are his aduantages It was the prudent industry of the Roman Consull to prouoke Catiline whose secret practises and designes vpon the Common-Wealth he had vnderstood into open warre and rebeilion for he supposed no Cittizen would then appeare in his defence or make the oppression of a Tyrant his quarrell As no man would approue the fyering of the house wherein himselfe were or wracking the shippe wherein he sayled himselfe I suppose likewise if this pretended Champion for Protestancy were once discouered and strip't to the naked truth of what he is indeed that is as I haue said a very Socinian Mole vnderworking euen Protestancy it selfe and all Religion no Protestant who hath any zeale of the Religion he professeth would euer be seene in his patronage nor willingly I thinke in his company nor would he vouchsafe the ordinary greeting or salutation as good-morrow Ep. 2. Joan. to him who acknowledgeth neither day nor morning of Christian religion or God saue you to him who doubts whether there be any such thing as God Saluation nor would they thinke him fit to conuerse among Christians who hath disputed himselfe out of all termes of Christian commerce and conuersation His Calumny concerning Protestants reputed Atheists c. by Catholiques SECT XXVIII Pref. YOu say fifthly and lastly sayth this Aduocate with confidence in abundance that none can deny the infallible authority of your Church but he must abandone all infused fayth and true religion if he de but vnderstand himselfe Answ This Aduocate himselfe is no small part of proof of the truth of this Hypothetique who since he hath relaps't from this doctrine of infallible authority of the Church hath withall disclaimed all infused fayth as his Aduersary hath charged him vpon information more then credible wherin that is in abandoning both I confesse
God and soone after deny it But if the Aduocate will goe back vpon euery such occasion of encounter he will shew no more wit then his horse that being in the way from the Vniuersity would needs be so curteous as to returne back with euery horse he met And I verily thinke as small an occasion and as weake a motiue will draw this man back to Socinianisme as the horse to his manger although perhaps the manger may haue beene the strongest motiue to both retrogressions and though perchance againe the Socinian horse knew better whither he returned and did it with a stronger resolution then his rider howsoeuer he might passe for a sufficient Hieroglyphique of a Socinian who is ready to turne in his way of opinion euery day with whomesoeuer obuious who shall giue him a reason of change stronger in apparence then the former that guided his iourney Againe if he will still float and swimme in Socinianisme vntill all differences of schooles be attoned he may for ought I know dye as he liues and well may he deserue to swimme after death too sowed vp into a lether-sacke and so cast into the sea to be depriued of all the elements at once I need not tell him for what crime that punishment was decreed But if he will not belieue there is any such thing as diuine Predestination vntill it be on all sides agreed whether it be ex praeuisis meritis or no or that there are any diuinely Elct vntill he can be certified why Iacob rather then Esau if he will buy no pots vntil the Potter yield him a coÌ„umcing reason why he made some pottes for baser seruices other for more honorable vses nay if it will not satisfy him to say there was vse for both kinds but will further vrge but why of this clay of this very peece of clay a pot of base seruice since he know's by his owne experience the Potter could haue made it a pot of Honour for so the Poët sayth Argillâ quiduis imitaberis vdâ soft day will take any forme It I say he will stand stiffe vpon these termes of dispute he will neuer fasten vpon any opinion of Diuinity nor buy any pots nor had that pot beene so stiffe when it was clay could the Potter euer haue made it a pot of any seruice whatsoeuer The truth is Christian Religion was neuer brought into the world by coursing and such Coursers vnlesse they change their course are too clamorous and quarelsome to expect admittance into the schoole of peace S. Paul will tell them in playne termes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. if any man seeme ambitious of Victory in contention of dispute we haue no such custome he may do well to matriculate himselfe in the new Academy among those Pyrrhonian Sceptiques whose life and religion is nothing else but dispute Of whom S. Paul may seeme to speake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they befor and foole their soules away in disputes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth S. Chrysostome there in the darkenes of discourse and naturall reasons as they are called by S. Leo Terrenarum caligo rationum mists of human reasons which is notwithstanding light and the only light with Socinians Against whom the Propher Esay pronounceth a curse Quiponunt tenebras lucem lucem tâ—nebras who impose the name of darknes vpon light and call light darknes as they who esteeme naturall reason light and the doctrine of fayth darknes Vaequi sapientes estis in oculis vestris Woe to you who are wife in your owne eyes that is the eyes of naturall reason who aspire to the knowledge of supernaturall â—uth by the light of nature therefore euery Socinian is a foolish Icarus ceratis ope Dedalâ—a Nititur pennis vitree daturus Nomina Ponto His Fallacious application of this his Aduersaries Position From truth no falshood in true consequence SECT XXXII Pref. I Might lastly adioyne sayth he that you fettle for a rule vnquestionable that no part of Religion can be repugnant to reason that from truth no man can by good consequence inferre falshood which is to say in effect that reason can neuer lead any man to error Answ This is in effect and really a false glosse but rather indeed it is in effect to say that reason can neuer lead any man to error from a truth by good consequence which is all one as to say no false Conclusion can flow by true consequence from true premises as such which his Aduersary said not vnawares as this Aduocate would haue you thinke but aduisedly and knowingly and which the very walles of their Logique Schooles proclaime Pref. And after you haue done you proclaime to all the world that if men follow their reason and discourse they will if they vnderstand themselues be led to Socinianisme Answ This is indeed nodum in scirpo to seeke a knot in a bulrush as though what his Aduersary sayth were any preuarication against the former principle from truth no falshood by good consequence But this Aduocate cannot touch a line of his Aduersaries discourse but he must sophisticate it one way or other His Aduersary sayth indeed that no man can deny the infallible authority of the Church but he must be left to his owne wit and way 's must abandon all infused fayth if be vnderstand himselfe aright Is this the same as to say that if men follow their reason and discourse they will be led into Socinianisme or rather that if they follow reason hauing reiected the authority of the Church which is to follow reason where reason cannot guide or where reason is blind they will at length be led away from all true religion thenceforward to Socinianisme or whither he list The ground of which discourse may be this or the like Naturall reason as such apprehendeth not supernaturall truth because such truth is aboue reason though not repugnaÌ„t to reason yea rather euery truth is reasonable and conforme to reason truly conceauing For which cause Christian Doctrine is called by S. Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rationall milke and according to true Metaphysicke all truth hath consistence within the spheare of a reasonable Vnderstanding therefore no truth can be repugnant to reason yet as the Moone though otherwise light by the illumination which it hath from the Sunne by which we see by night yet if it be opposed to the Sunne or interposed betweene the sunne and our eyes becomes both dark it selfe and endarkneth the sunne to vs so Reason standing in opposition to Fayth and that diuine light of day whence it receaues that little night-light which it hath is both it self in darknes and depriues our soules of the light of fayth Whence it comes to passe that Reason thus endarkned taketh Falshood for Truth or from a materiall Truth diuine reuelation misconceaued and so not Truth inferreth an vntruth euen by good consequence Hence now from misconceauing Reason or Reason opposing supernaturall Truth springeth a mutuall
himselfe reduced to greater impossible theÌ„ euer he had medled withal But now to prosequute our history of Fallaciâ—'s and Calumnies It is a Fallacy a Non-cause for a Cause where dissembling the true cause or causes which he could not but know of his Aduersaries as he call's it tergiuersation 2. Fallacy in truth Refusal to giue him as he sayth a faire but more likely a foule meeting he would impose vpon the world that the cause was his Aduersaries diffidence and distrust in the cause of religion which he defends But heare his Challenge or Protestation to this purpose Pref. Which Protestation sayth he by God's helpe I would haue made good that if you or any other that would vndertake your cause would giue me afaire meeting and choose out of your owne booke any one argument whereof you were most confident and by which you would be content therest should be iudged of and make it appeare that I had not or could not answere it that I would desist from the worke which I had vndertaken and answere none at all Answ And is not this a Goliath indeed Date mihi Virum giue me a man excepts no man And obserue withall his Rhetorique of a most Hyperbolical Confidence Choose 1 ouâ— of your 2 owne booke 3 any one 4 argument wherof you 5 were most 6 confident Soláne perpetuâ me reus carpêre iuuentâ But first Syr if confidence might carry the cause there were no dealing with this Champion Secondly it is an vnreasonable postulate that the force of all the rest should be iudged by the defence of any one Argument or much more by the ability of any one defendant neither is euery man best able to defend his owne best argument though he may liue to see the worst sufficiently defended though not after the maÌ„ner which he prescribes But suppose that one argument chosen out what shall be done next make it appeare To whom that he had not or could not answere it But when and how answer it For the time being vndetermined when can it appeare that he cannot answere it and the manner of answering not exprest how shall it be made appeare that he can answere it after no manner whatsoeuer Experto crede c. For he who know's M. Ch. will neuer belieue that he will euer be brought to such a non plus of answering that he will not be able to answere at least T' is alye or call his aduersarie Knauâ— or sweare t'â—s as he sayth challeng his aduersary to sweare the contrary c. No doubt he hath many â—hiâ—t's and sutes of answers and that none will fit who can tell But now at length what if when all this were made to appeare Marry then he would desist from the worke and answere none at all as much as if he had said if his mouth were stopt he would hold his peace O but now en crimen en causa loe the crime and cause which he expostulates with his Aduersary Pref. That hauing by all the artes he could possibly deuise being Maister I dare say of more then seauen prouoked him to such a trial accumulating threat's too that if he refused it the world should be informed of his tergiuersation notwithstanding all this he hath perpetually and obstinately declined it Ans What challenge could be deuised more picquant and irritant then this and then what greater testimony of Cowardize then not to answere such a challenge therfore he addeth very consequently Pref. Which to my vnderstanding is a very euident signe that there is not any truth in your cause nor strength in your arguments Ans Whereupon as hauing gotten the victory proued what he intended that his Aduersary conscious of a bad cause had refused the triall he triumph's out of Scripture Pref. Euery one that doth euill hateth the light neither commeth to the light least his deeds should be reproued c. Ans But doth not this Fallacy especially set off with such confidence make a goodly florish and shew of truth is it not well followed by the sophist Now to detect this Fallacy is indeed to shame it and therefore falshood is wont to hide it selfe behind some curtain of apparent Truth draw the curtaine aside and the monster appear's T' is a secret vicer or loathsome sore Quod lato balteus auro obtegit Now I dare presume there is no vulgarly vnderstanding man acquainted only with the circumstances tyme place persons diuersly affecting and qualifying these men the Aduocate and his Aduersary who cannot of himselfe imagine other most iust causes of this so guilefully traduced refusall to giue a meeting if there had ben any such offer or prouocation to trial or meeting which his aduersarie denyes and by this discouer the fallacy Nor could the aduocate himselfe out of his little experience of the condition of such men which he might haue gathered in the space of halfe a yeare or there about while he was connumeratus in nobis one of our number as S. Peter said of Iudas be ignorant of other causes As for his protesting and setting it vnder his hand he hath protested so often that no man I thinke will euer hereafter giue credit to his Protestancy As on the other side no man I doubt would belieue he were a Catholique though he would set that vnder his hand againe for which cause no man I know hath greater occasion to practise that singular vertue of selfe-content or self-repose in the testimony of his owne conscience and more truly to say secretum meum mihi my secret is myne owne for no man sure that know's him will offer to take it from him his Religion will be a mystery whatsoeuer it be yet euen by this passage you may conceaue how little need he hath of any rule but Scripture who hath so speciall a talent in interpreting and applying it to any purpose as though it were wax or clay as soft as himselfe in the hands of the Potter capable of any forme or vse Argillâ quiduis imitaberis vdâ or a sword for euery sheath an Aduocate for euery cause For by this Scripture with his comment he might teach the Iewes if need were to argue against our Sauiour that this was an euident signe there was no truth in his cause since he hid himselfe when their fore-Fathers made inquiry after him surely to dispute with him to pitch vpon one point at least they might pretend so and be angry if they were not belieued Quousque tollis animam nostram situ es Christus dic nobis palam Loe the point which they would haue pitch't vpon But when I say he would not be found though at other tymes he had beene nor giue them a faire meeting they might haue retorted and beaten his owne sword to his head a tricke which this Aduocate could haue taught them he who doth euill hateth the light c. They might likewise haue concluded the weaknes of the Christian cause by the
vnderstanding men comparing this Admonition with the profession and function of the Admonisher will interprete it a duety or a necessary Charity They I say who shall consider that the prudence of Almighty God ouer his Church hath for all tymes deputed certaine men to the charge and office of Gardian of Watch of Sentinell according to that of the Prophet Jsa 62 Super mures tues Hierusalem constitui custodes c. Vpon thy wals Hierusalem I haue placed watchmen will not only hold them worthy pardon but prayse too who discharge this office faythfully which followeth in that place Totâ die nocte non tacebunt c. Day nor night they shall not be silent And if men of that charge and prefecture be worthily honoured with the appellation of Angels to them most fitly may be applyed what the other Prophet sayth Angelis suis Deus mandauit de te c. God hath charged his angels to guard thee c. Yea were the Incumbent of such a Ministery neuer so meane of quality yet the obligation fals vpon him with his function to signify the approach of the thiefe or enemy Ezech. 33. and they who shall heare this sound of signification are likewise bound to take notice and stand vpon their Guard And yet if there be any who shall hold either their owne or other the like watchments silence or conniuency in these occasions of impendent dangers their greater prudence or discretion yet euen this their prudhominy or caution may be so much the more exensable if their stilnes be supplied by the barking of others And for this cause they will I thinke at the least excuse if not cherish such who by discharging them vndertake the whole burden of Enuy and perill vpon themselues But to such a minister who hath apostated and reapostated from Religion take which you will who hath delegated any such authority Vnles he will take it for his warrant which is written in the Canticles Posuerunt me custodem in vineis Cant. â— Vineam meam non custodiui they haue appointed me a keeper in the vineyards my owne Vineyard I haue not kept surely almighty God gaue him no such keeping And howsoeuer he think's the preiudice of his Person so often false and faultring in Religion should in equity be no disparagement to his doctrine or disaduantage to his Plea yet it is certainly so great and iust a preiudice that it dischargeth all men from giuing eare or credit to his reasons whatsoeuer they be and whatsoeuer he argues to the contrary in this place might as well Apologize for the Diuel who no doubt could vrge as strong and pressing Reasons against any profession of Religion as this Adnocate hath either learn't or can learne of him and yet I suppose no man is bound with indifference to heare Reason from the Diuell no although he preach Ghospell Yea I dare presume to say had Christ himself beene preiudged in the opinions of indifferent and vnderstanding men by the like presumptions so strongly and clearely made good against him the not acceptance of the Iewes had beene at the least excusable Which he himselfe not obscurely fignified by his appeale to themselues Quis ex vobis arguet me de peccate Who of you can charge me with any sinne as supposing that a sufficient warrant of their recusancy if they could iustly charge him with any sinne much more if they could haue charged him with so grieuous a crime as Infidelity or Socinianisme For who can belioue him who is presumed not to belieue himself For be his reasons neuer so strong yet he will be supposed able to answere them since he belieues not the doctrine built vpon those reasons No. Syr it cannot it must not be otherwise this preiudice must in reason staue off all beliefe vntill it be remoued And if either Bellarmine could haue beene proued a Iew or Peron an Atheist as easily as credibly as this Minister-Aduocate who by these base adiections seeltes to fly-blow their worthily memories with suspition can be proued a Socinian Calumny which is implicitely both Iew and Atheist their works and writings would haue as litle credit and authority as themselues fayth and religion Wherefore the Christian Reader that the streame of this Ministers discourse turned another way may serue to good vse Vt cursum mutaâ—it iniquum fragibus amnis Doctus iter melies knowing that his Saluation depends vpon his impartiall and fyncere iudgment of these things now to harken to Orthodoxe and seriously Christian Doctors rather then to Renegado's and Tâ—aitorâ— to all states of Religion and to bend a more inclinable eare to Vertue then to Vice is no partiality at all will guard himself I hope from such impostors and will regard the person also not only his reasons and who it is speaks to him not only what he speakes knowing that if the Diuell vtter some truthes euen in those truthes he conceales a false and diuellish meaning and after that he hath gained credit by the attractiue splendor of some true doctrines he will hope to be belieued euen when he lyes and so howsoeuer appearing first in the inuesture of light and truth he will proue an Angell of darknes and Imposture It hath beene the vsuall Practise of all hereticall writers to embellish their discourses with as many verities as they could possibly inculcate without apparent contradiction or repugnancy Euen this deuise begot not a little esteeme to the Answerer of Charity mistaken he had employed his care to make his work popular and taking by the intermedling of many Catholique truth's this was it which so much commended it to the vulgar Reader whose capacity could not sound the incoherence and inconsistency of those truth 's with the fashood's which he principally intended to bring into credit by consorting thom with those therefore when he heard his worke so popularly applauded he might haue said with great truth and modesty as she who hearing her self highly praysed for the hayre she wore said Nescis quam pro melaudat nunc iste Sicambram The rest which followeth in this Prefatory Answere to the Direction and immediatly precedeth his Conclusion is a briefe recollection as it seemes of what is scattered in his ensuing Volume trust vp together with a number of points fastned all to one chiefe point and maine head of Doctrine which is indeed a most false Principle in the sense he pretendeth That all things necessary to Saluation are euidently contained in Scriptures Whence it will follow that the beliefe of the B. Trinity is not necessary to Saluation as which in this Aduocates opinion as I haue noted heretofore is not euidently reuealed in the Scriptures And yet grant this principle true it will follow that the authority determining Controuersies of fayth cannot be the Scripture but the Church for it is notorious that some Her eticall doctrines haue beene grounded vpon some ineuident passages of Scripture and those vented as doctrines of