the markes wherby the true Christian Catholique Church is knowne which to be found in the Church of Rome only shall be shewed in the seauenth Chapter though I cannot but presume the thing is to euery considering man euident inough Wherefore Catholiques and all true Christians do not choose their Church or Religion by their owne naturall reason and witt but Tradition notorious and euident of it selfe Perpetuall Vniuersall Vniforme shewes them the Church and with her and in her that Religion which was for them chosen ordayned deliuered by the wisedome of Christ Iesus brought by him from the bosome of his heauenly Father You see then that in granting Tradition to be the ground of all Christian beliefe you haue graÌ„ted as much as we can desire and howsoeuer you be pleased to terme vs vnconsidering men yet we haue considered the sequels of your assertions perchance more deeply then you haue done your selfe That the assent to Gods VVord of Christian sauing Faith is not meere human morall and probable but Diuine infallible and certainly vnerring CHAP. II. THE contrary errour cozen german to the refuted in the former Chapter consequent therupon is often inculcated by you in your booke That an infallible faith (a) Cap. 6. n. 6. is not necessary vnto saluation nor for our walking vnto happinesse through a world of oppositions backt by the strength of flesh and blood A weake probable and credible assurance that there is an Heauen sufficeth though (b) Cap. 1. n. 8. versus finem vndiscernable from the beleefe we giue to other human hystories It is inough men belieue the Gospell and mysteries of faith (c) Cap. 6. n. 5. l. 28. as much as Cesars Commentaries or the history of Salust That men are not bound nor is it possible they should belieue (d) Preface n. 8. in fine thinges impossible in human reason (e) Cap. 6. n. 7. in fine That we should belieue the truth of any thing the truth whereof cannot be made euident with euidence proportionable to the degree of faith required of vs this for any man to be bouÌ„d to is vniust because to do it is impossible As sure as God is good he will not require impossibilities of vs but (f) Cap. 6. n 7. circa medium infallible certainty of a thing which though it be in it selfe yet is not made to appeare to vs to be infallible certaine is an impossibility These and the like nullifidian Pardoxes you often vtter and endeauour to proue which are plausible and applauded by those S. Peter termeth vnlearned and vnstable heads Varro who now passe vnder the name of Gallant wits whose life we may feare is sutable to the leuity and vanity of their Faith Nam quae venustas hic adest Gallantibus Quae casta vestis These doctrines I say be welcome to such as groane vnder the (g) Nam vera Religio omnino sine graui Authoritatis imperâ—o intri rectè nuilo pacto potest August de vtil Cred. Cap. 9. yoke of humble obedience to Gods word vnder Christian duty of belieuing things inuisible the reuealed manner whereof is incomprehensible to humane vnderstanding who because they find difficulty to do it will not endeauour by Gods grace to rayse their erring and wandring thoughts and stay them by firme and fixed faith on high and heauenly obiects For as (h) Ser. 2. de Asconsione S. Leo saith it is the vigour only of generous mindes to belieue without doubt what comes not within sight and there to rest with our heart whither we cannot reach with our eye And because you accuse Catholiques that they require men to yield vpon only probable prudentiall (i) Pag. 79. n. 70. Vpon prudentiall motiues fallible and vncertaine grounds motiues (i) Pag. 79. n. 70. Vpon prudentiall motiues fallible and vncertaine grounds most certaine assent to thinges impossible in human reason that the falshood of this slaunder may be made apparent I must briefly declare our Catholique doctrine together proue it which shall be of this your errour The first Conuiction 2. TO the constitution of an assent absolutely infallible fiue thinges concurre all which by the consent of Catholique Deuines are most certaine and infallible in the assent of Christian faith 1. The Obiect with is doctrine reuealed of God 2. The motiue and reason of belieuing which is the Authority of God reuealing whose veracity is altogether infallible 3. Because we belieue Reuelations not made immediatly to our selues but to the blessed Apostles it is necessary there be a Proponent of Gods word that is a Witnesse worthy of all credit an Authority whereon we may securely rely that those Christian doctrines were deliuered and preached by the Apostles as Diuine Reuelations This Proponent and Witnesse is the present Catholique Church deliuering what she receaued by full vniuersall tradition from her Ancestours or which is the same in effect vniuersall Tradition Now we hold tradition to be altogether as infallible as Scripture and that it ought to be receaued with the same reuerence with the same submissiue deuotion of pious beliefe as Scripture as you acknowledge that we do chap. 2. n. 1. 3. Fourthly that an assent be infallible it is necessary that the thing belieued be represented and proposed to the Vnderstanding of the belieuer in such manner as he may know the same to be infallible and that in belieuing it he cannot possibly erre For the manner of belieuing if it be not knowne to the belieuer to be infallible though it be infallible in it selfe will not make him sure and infallible This condition is found in the assent of Christian fayth for the things to be belieued are represented as cleer by noted and marked with diuine and supernaturall proofes that is confirmed with innumerable manifest miracles which the belieuers haue seen with their eyes or else know them by the report of whole worlds of those that beheld them by report so full constant brim as it is equiualent to the euidence of sense These Diuine proofes and markes euidently shew that the things marked with them are vnder the speciall care of God and of his infinite goodnesse that he cannot but prouide that the pious belieuer be not deceaued about them 4. Hereby is concluded that the Christian manner of apprehending the mysteries of faith is infallible more sure and certaine then any manner of naturall representation and apprehension of things can possibly be Naturall knowledge is eyther Physicall whereby we apprehend things as true because represented as such by the euidence of sense or Metaphysicall whereby we apprehend things as true by the light of vnderstanding which cleerly beholds the necessary connexion the thing apprehended hath with truth As in this proposition Euery whole thing is greater then any single part thereof our vnderstanding by the notion of the single wordes presently without discourse sees and belieues the truth of the speach Neyther of these
probable and but morally certaine against arguments which seeme demonstratiue and metaphysically certaine and it is a condition very dangerous for men to liue vnder such hard or impossible lawes But God doth not require of vs thinges vnreasonable his yoke is sweet his burthen light Ergo he hath prouided motiues which propose matters of fayth as vndoubtedly and absolutely certaine The fifth Conuiction 16. YOu set downe the principle wheron you rely in teaching the absolute fallibility of Christian fayth Pag. Second edition pag 314. lin 27. 329. lin 27. Had you made the matter of fayth either naturally or supernaturally euident it might haue been a fittly attempered and duely proportioned obiect for an absolute certainty naturall or supernaturall But requiring as you do an infallible certainty of a thing which though it is in it selfe yet is not made to appeare to vs to be infallibly certayne to my vnderstanding you speake impossibilities And truly for one of your Religion to do so is but a good Decorum For the matter of your Religion being so full of contradictions a contradictious fayth may very well become a contradictious Religion Your fayth then let it be a free necessitated certaine vncertaine euident obscure prudent and foolish naturall and supernaturall vnnaturall assent Thus you with a Demosthenian thunder of eloquence discharge your bolts vpon our Church without taking any pitty of a poore company of onely blind men though some drops of Xantippes rayne come mingled therwith 17. But your misery is a poore memory wordes be no sooner out of your pen then out of your mind Forin other places you approue this very contradictious doctrine which here you so fluently declame against For though you say Pag. 330. lin 14. That God cannot infuse a degree of certainty into our vnderstanding beyond the degree of the euidence he giueth vs of the obiect yet cap. 6. num 7. lin 9. 2. Edit pag. 315. lin 5. you say to the contrary Well may we assent to a thing vnknowne obscure and vneuident c. Could any wordes be inuented more directly repugnant to what you said before that assent and euidence must correspond to ech other in degree a probable assent must haue an obiect of euident probability a certaine assent an obiect of euident certainty Now you say absolutely we may well that is not only possibly but also easily assent to a thinge vnknowne obscure vneuident How doth this agree with what you say Cap. 6. n. 7. in fine It is impossible I shold belieue the truth of any thinge the truth whereof cannot be made euident to me with euidence proportionable to the degree of fayth required of me How contrary is this to what you say Cap. 2. n. 154. lin 6. Gods spirit if he please may worke more a certainty of adherence beyond the certainty of euidence But neither God doth nor may require of vs c. And cap 1. n. 9. lin 43. The spirit of God being implored by deuout and humble prayer and sincere obedience may and will by degrees aduance his seruants higher and giue them a certainty of adherence beyond the certainty of euidence Thus you most directly against what you said before that infallible certainty of a thinge not euidently certaine is impossible that if God infuse certainty into the assent of fayth he must infuse also euidence into the obiect and so make the obiect of fayth as visible and euident as the assent of fayth is certaine Which is now the contradictious Religion 18. And where you say that God doth not require of men more then they can do by themselues 2. Edit pag. 315. lin 13. and that the contrary were you say pag. 350. lin 15. as vnreasonable as to bind a man to goe ten miles an houre on an horse that will goe only fiue is impious as disanulling all precepts of diuine and supernaturall actions For why may not God require of a man that is able of himselfe to goe only fiue miles an houre that he goe tenne moued by his hand binding him not to resist but to concurre with that his speciall mouing aboue the strength of natural forces And what Christian dares deny this to be required of all Christians to wit that they come vnto (a) come vnto me all Mat. 11.28 Christ and belieue in him which yet is the worke of (b) This is the worke of God that you belieue God an act which the vnderstanding doth not exercise but by the speciall motion and (c) Except my Father draw him attraction of Diuine grace The sixt Conuiction 19. YOu affirmed in the prealleadged place of the former Conuiction that our Catholike sayth is contradictious free necessitated certain vncertain euident obscure prudent foolish naturall supernaturall vnnaturall assent A declamation backt with no proofe childish fluent Rhetoricke Claudite iam riuos pueri I will make the same good vpon your selfe and proue you do attribute in direct termes these contradictious conditions to your witty witlesse fayth First you make it free necessitated That your fayth is free you say c. 6. n. 7. lin 16. 2. Edit cap. 6. n. 7. lin 16. It is necessary to fayth that the obiects of it the points which we belieue be not so euidently certayn as to necessitate our vnderstanding to assent That it is necessitated enforced by euident reasons you suppose cap. 1. n. 9. lin 15. God requires of all 2. Edit cap. 1. n. 9. lin 2â— that their fayth should be proportionable to the motiues enforcing to it Behold reasons enforce that is necessitate you to assent and so make it a free necessitated assent Secondly euident obscure Euident because you say cap. 6. n. 7. in fine That I should belieue the truth of any thing the truth whereof cannot be made euident to me is impossible Obscure because you say Cap. 6. n. 7. lin 10. Well may we assent to a thing vnknowne obscure vneuident Thirdly certain vncertaine most certaine and infallible cap. 3. n. 86. lin 12. Vse the meanes 2. Edit cap. 3. n. â—6 lin 12. and pray for Gods assistance and as sure as God is true you shall be lead into all necessary truth Heer you professe that Christian Religion is the true necessary way to saluation and that you are hereof as sure as you are sure that God is true Now I hope you are and I am sure you professe to be d most vndoubtedly sure that God is true Ergo 2. Edit cap. 2. n. â— you are most vndoubtedly sure that Christian Religion is the true necessary way to heauen For how can you assure others of that whereof you are not sure your selfe And if this be so then contrary to the ground of your impious errour you here professe certainty of adherence beyond certainty of euidence You say you are as certaine as God is true of Christian sauing truth and yet I thinke you will not say that the truth of Christian Religion is
cause to admire your ignorance in Latin yea want of iudgment in playing Monus at her Translation For euery man of wit and common sense must of necessity perceaue that S. Irenaeus could not meane corporall resorting to Rome without being ridiculous For though we should grant that conuenire may signifie to resort yet it is cleere that it doth not signify barely to resort but to resort or come to a place together to meet there in one assembly Now it is ridiculous to thinke that S. Irenaeus would haue all Churchs and all the faythfull on euery side to be bound not only to come to Rome but also to come thither all at the same time at once It is therefore manifest that S. Irenaeus doth attribute powerfull principality to the Roman Church Bishop ouer all Christian Churches by reason wherof all other are bound and obliged in duty to come together with the Church of Rome not by corporal repayre to the Citty but by consent of mind to the Roman Fayth But this more powerfull Principality this Iudicial Authority and Headship the Roman Bishop could not haue by gift of men as you confesse Ergo he had it by diuine appointment as the successour of S. Peter in whom by the voyce and word of our Lord it was instituted So that Protesters by opposing the Church of Rome and S. Peters successour oppose the ground and pillar of all Christian truth and so are Heretiques The sixt Conuiction 27. THE visible Church is the Iudge of Controuersies and therefore infallible in all her Proposals so that to oppose her is as much as to oppose God himselfe and consequently whosoeuer opposeth against the Doctrine of the visible Church is an Hereticke This argument is proposed by the maintayner of Charity c. 6. n. 15. to which you answere cap. 6. n. 13. First you deny the Church to be Iudge of Controuersies How say you can she be the Iudge of them if she cannot decide them and how can she decide them if it be a question whether she be Iudge of them That which is questioned it selfe cannot with any sense be pretended to be fit to decide Controuersies Secondly you say If she were iudge it wold not follow that she were infallible for we haue many Iudge in our Courts of Iudicature yet none infallible Thus you How could you possibly be so obliuious as not once to imagine that both these answeres are direct Contradictions of what you before affirmed Cap. 2. n. 162. you say The Church hath authority of determining Controuersies of fayth according to plaine and euident Scripture and vniuersall Tradition and to excommunicate the man that should persist in errour against her determinations Now if she be not Iudge if her authority be questioned how can she do this Secondly she being Iudge of Controuersies that she must be infallible though Iudges in the Courts of Ciuill Iudicature be not such you affirme cap. 2. n. 17. We are to obey the sentence of the ciuill Iudge and not resist it but not alwayes to belieue it iust but in matters of Religion such a Iudge is required whome we should be bound to belieue to haue iudged right so that in ciuill Controuersies euery honest and vnderstanding man is fit to be a Iudge but in Religion none but he that is infallible Thus you whose words cōtaine an vnanswerable demonstration against your selfe that the Church being Iudge to determine Controuersies of fayth must of necessity be infallible 28. Thirdly you say That though she were a Iudge infallible yet to oppose her declaration would not be to oppose God except the opposer know that she doth infallibly propose the word of God I answere that to oppose the Propenent of fayth (a) Cap. 2 n. 26. That which is either euident of it selfe and seen by its owne light or reduced vnto setled vpon the principle that is so which is euidently credible of it selfe or euidently reduced to such an euident credible Principle is Heresy a vertuall opposing of God and his Reuelation For the Proponēt being a witnesse worthy of all credit the disbelieuer of this proposition must of necessity assent except he be mislead by Passiō against the truth reueal'd or by pride against the proposer therof as I shewed in the preface to the argumēts of this chapter The seauenth Conuiction 29. THE Church gathered togeather in Generall Councels or a Generall Councell of Christian Bishops haue Power to propose define with infallibility the Cōttouersies of Religion bind all Christians vnder paine of heresy to belieue their definitions But Protesters oppose Generall Councels such definitions of fayth which they know and confesse to haue beene enacted by them contending that such Christian Assemblies representing the whole Christian Church are fallible and haue beene many times false as is notorious Ergo they contradict the infallible Proponent of Christian Fayth preferring their owne priuate fancyes and so are guilty of Hereticall obstinacy and pride The maior Proposition of this argument is euident and vndeniable by the perpetuall Tradition and practise of all former Christian ages euen of the Primitiue times For though then they could not meet together all in one place yet they did assemble generally in different places determine the Controuersies of Religion against Heresies that did arise In proofe hereof the testimony of Tertullian is cleere and direct mentioning generall Councels gathered by command no doubt of the Roman Bishop De iciunijs cap. 13. Aguntur praecepta per Graecias illas certis in locis Concilia ex vniuersis Ecclesiis perquae altiord quaeque in commune tractantur ipsa representatio totius nominis Christiani magna veneratione celebratur Behold the notorious Antiquity of the Catholique Tradition about the venerable Authority of General Councells to determine the highest matters of Religion as being the representatiue Church or representations of the whole Christian Name Wherfore Protesters who contemne this Tradition euidently certaine or credible of it selfe and oppose Generall Councels cannot be excused from damnable Hereticall pride 30. But Tradition though neuer so perpetuall and primitiue full and vniuersall will not grow in your garden except the same be watered from your Well with whome nothing is well but what is your owne Thus you write c. 2. n. 85. lin 6. This we know that none is fit to pronounce for all the world a Iudiciall definitiue obliging sentence in Controuersies of Religion but onely such a Man or such a Society of men as is authorized thereto by God And besides we are able to demonstrate that it hath not beene the pleasure of God to giue to any Man or Society of men any such authority The truth of the first part of this saying will establish the authority of Generall Councels from God when the falshood of the second shall be confuted by D. Potter yea by your owne contradiction thereof D. Potter writeth pag. 165. We say that such Generall Councels as
are lawfully called and proceed orderly are great and awfull representations of the Church that they are the highest Tribunals the Church hath on earth that their Authority is immediatly deriued and delegated from Christ that no Christian is exempted from their censures and iurisdiction that their decrees bind all persons to externall obedience and may not be questioned but vpon euident reason Behold D. Potter cryes We Protestants say that Generall Councels are authorized of God to pronounce a Iudiciall definitiue sentence obliging all persons and you cry the contrary We say and are able to demonstrate that God hath not giuen any such authority to any Society Councell or Congregation of men How do you not feare least by thus contradicting your Potter Isa c. 45. you incurre the curse of the Prophet Vaequi contradicis fictori tuo testa de Samijs terrae Woe vnto thee that darest contradict thy Potter though thou art but (a) Samosatenian a Samian Pot-sheard 31. But I can easely make you friends with the Doctour shewing that else where you contradict your selfe and agree with him that Councels are authorized of God to pronounce a definitiue obliging sentence c. 4. n. 18. in fine I willingly confesse that the iudgement of a Councell though not infallible is yet so farre directiue and obliging that without apparent reason to the Contrary it may be sinne to reiect it at least not to affoard it outward submission for publique peace-sake Hence I thus argue Christian Councels haue power to pronounce a Iudiciall definitiue obliging sentence as you confesse and from that obligation you except no Christian and consequently they can bind all persons of the Church at the least to outward submission and externall obedience for peace-sake But none are fit to pronounce such a sentence but such a Congregation or Society of men as are by God authorized thereto as you also affirme Ergo a Christian Councell or Conuocation of Bishops is authorized of God to pronounce a Iudiciall definitiue sentence obliging the whole Christian world 32. And whereas you say with D. Potter that such Councels be not infallible and so may be questioned or reiected vpon euident reasons and that they do bind vs to externall obedience for peace sake but not to an inward assent that their Decrees are true you contradict what you write pag. 59. n. 17. In Ciuill Controuersies we are bound to obey the sentence of the Iudge or not be resist it but not alwayes to belieue it iust But in matters of Religion such a Iudge is required whom we should be obliged to belieue to haue iudged right So that in ciuill Cōtrouersies euery honest vnderstanding man is fit to be a Iudge but in Religion none but he that is infallible Now seing you say cap. 2. n. 22. That in matters of Religion the office of Iudge may be giuen to none but whome God hath designed for it a Generall Councell which hath the office of iudge to pronounce a Iudiciall obliging sentence in matters of Religion must of necessity be infallible and bind Christians not onely to outward submission but also to belieue that it hath iudged right and according to the word of God Except you will say that God doth assigne and authorize such Iudges as are not sit for the office nor such as the state of Religion doth require Besides to say that Generall Councels haue authority immediatly from Christ to bind all persons to externall obedience and yet that such Councels be fallible and false many times what is it but to say that Christ hath appoynted such Authority gouernement in his Church by the force wherof men are bound to dissemble and play the Hypocrites in matters of Religion For example Generall Councels haue defined That Communion in one kind is lawfull command all Christians to approue and practize it You are persuaded in conscience that this is vnlawfull a sacrilegious mayming of the Sacrament and yet by your doctrine That Councels bind at the least to outward submission and externall obedience you are bound outwardly to practise it and to make a shew as if you did iudge the same lawfull It is therefore euident truth the contrary impious that Generall Councels appoynted of Christ as the highest externall Tribunals the Church hath on earth and which bind all persons to externall obedience are infallible And if they be infallible then they who moued with conceyte of their priuate skill in Scripture which they pretend to haue gotten by the excellency of their wit discourse or by singular illumination from God reiect their iudgment and openly Potest that they may erre and haue erred are proued damnable Heretiques The eight Conuiction 33. PRotesters are Heretiques because they condemne and contemne that Church vpon whose authority they haue belieued Christ and Christian Religion For they haue receaued Christ and the grounds of Christianity by the preaching (a) Cap. 2. n. 101. and vpon the Authority of some Church as you say cap. 3. n. 33. lin 10. Now the Authority of this Church ought to be to them to firme and infallible as their Christianity so as they should rather not belieue in Christ then belieue any thing against them by whome they belieued Christ This you teach pag. 90 lin 2. Why should I not most diligently inquire what Christ commanded of them the Church of England before all others by whose Authority I was moued to belieue that Christ commanded any good thing Can you F. or K. or whosoeuer you are better declare to me what he sayd whom I would not haue thought to haue beene or to bee if the beliefe thereof had beene recommended to me by you c Surely if they were not at all and could not teach me any thing I would more easely persuade my selfe that I were not to belieue in Christ then that I should learne any thing concerning him from any other then them by whome I belieued him This is your discourse full of impieties because what S. Augustine sayth of the whole Christian Catholique Church you apply to the Protestant Church of England It is false that any true Christian belieues in Christ by resting on the Authority of the Church of England nor doth this Church if it make Christians propose her selfe but the Holy Catholique Church for the irrefragable witnesse of Christ It is impious that you would neuer haue belieued Christ nor Christianity if the beliefe thereof had beene recommended to you by vs that is by preachers of the Roman Church and Holy monkes sent you for that office from Rome It is Antichristian to professe that you would more easely not belieue in Christ then learne any thing concerning him from any other then them the Church of England by whom you belieued him so that if the Church of England should fall away from Christ into Infidelity you professe aforehand that you will fall away and become an Infidell with her 34. Hence it is cleere that the
Church solidly and iudiciously for it 8. This is the style still held by the Almighty to vanquish and ouerthrow the Enemyes of his Church by sending the (p) Isa 19 14. spirit of giddines vpon them A victory which may seeme not vnlike that which Gedeon (q) Iudic 7. got against the Madianites who lay like a multitude of locusts wasting and destroying the land of Israel Three hundred souldiers by Gods appointement hauing empty pitchers in their hands and in ech of the pitchers a light hidden breaking the pitchers one against the other the Madianites were confounded with the suddain noise and light so as they fell to (r) Jmmisit Dominus gladium in omnibus castri mu ua se caed tru â—abant quarell with ech other and mutually destroy themselues The Conceytes of this man may be termed a multitude of locusts which wast and consume the whole land of Israel all the grounds and principles of Christian fayth In his Booke there be Pages those aparted which coÌ„teyne the Text of Charity mantayned about three huÌ„dred which empty of proofe for his owne Religion haue hidden in them the light of Catholike Truth These Pages being in this Reply by violent encounter of his direct Contradictions beaten and broken the one against the other sound out by the noyse of the cracke the emptinesse of his vayne Religion and togeather shew forth the cleeâ—e light of Catholike doctrin Hence his wasting and destructiue Principles come to fight togeather and destroy ech other and so leaue the holy Church and the Gedeon therof conquerant ouer humane Wit 9. Charity also hath set me on this Course of answering by the discouery of his Contradictions as iudging the same more efficacious then any other for the reclayming of him and the like Wanderers who are lead into contempt of the Churches Authority by the ouer-valuing of their owne wits When he shall find himselfe and others see him lost in a labyrinth of inexplicable perplexities enclosed on euery side with the contrarieties of his owne sayings they will happily reflect how weake blynd miserable humane Reason is and vnfit to be the guide of Christians in their walking by fayth towards eternall life For this cause haue I stiled this Treatise The Church conquerant ouer humane Wit to signify that he needs not be more ashamed of being conquered by the Church then of being of the number of men My drift is not to insult ouer him fallen so low into folly but to condescend to help him vp againe by confessing my selfe subiect to the like imbecillity of wit My mind is not to blast or blemish the good opinion that some may haue conceaued of his sharpe vnderstanding nor do I charge him with any want of common IudgmeÌ„t besides that which is caused throgh want of speciall Grace It was want of Grace that he vndertooke the vngracious Attempt of opposing the whole Church of God no want of Wit not to haue performed what no wit can effect No man will haue better successe that shall go about so bad an enterprize 10. Giuing thankes vnto God I may confesse that Catholike Education hath instilled into my soule such reuerence towards the whole Church of Christ as I know not what way I should go about to oppose her Iudgment that were there no other way to saluation then that which this man teacheth and runneth of relying on my owne wit and discourse against the whole Church Generall Councells Consent of Fathers I should verily thinke saluation for me impossible Neuerthelesse should I be tempted and such a phrensy of Pride take hold of my soule I belieue I should fall into the like Contradictions against my selfe as now I admire how this man being of so good a wit could possibly fall into What he telleth vs out of Gusman de Alfarache (t) Pag. 12 n. 50. that the Hospitall of fooles is of a large extent I do verily admit to be most true And therfore being as all men are sick subiect to ignoraÌ„ce about diuine matters should refuse to be vnder the CVRE of the Catholike Church I am persuaded I should be no sooner out of the Hospitall of Sancto Spirito at Rome then in Goosmans Hospitall in the number of those who as S. Paul (u) Dicentes se sapientes stulti facti sunt Rom. 1.21 sayth Presuming themselues to be wise prooue to be fooles by contradictions against themselues 11. King Alexander by selfe flattery and the flattery of others thought himselfe to be the Sonne of Iupiter but wounded in battaile he became docible and apt to learne the lesson which bloud running about his eares told and taught him that he was mortall But M. Chillingworth being entred into the lists of single Combat with the Maintayner of Charity though he be beaten wounded disgraced at euery bout forced to contradict himselfe to say and vnsay to recall his words to deny his grantes yet high conceyte of his owne worth makes him so insensible of these his wounds as he doth boast and bragge that in answering the Maintayners Arguments he hath not byn any way perplexed I therfore in this Confutation open againe the woundes which selfe-Ignorance had closed vp from his sight that by these ouertures that holesome lesson of Christian Humility may find entrance into his head and heart That no wit of man is a fit match to encounter with the whole Catholike Church 12. Wherein if I put him to some payne he will I hope remember that it is (x) Meliora sunt vulnera diligentis quam frandulenta osculae odientis Prou. 27.6 better to be recalled to life out of a sound by the blowes of a friend then to be betrayed and stifled vnto death by the kisses of a foe He hath drunke ouer much of the sweet milke of selfe pleasing Conceyte which by flattery of some other may be increased in him that he seemes lulled into a dead sleep as (y) Iud. 4. Sisara was I can do him no greater charity then to pinch him with his own Contradictions so hard and hould him so fast that he may in the depth of his soule feele the smart of his folly and awake to repent before (z) Soporem morti consocians defecit mortuns est Iahel or rather Hell strike the nayle of obdurate obstinacy into his head and so ioyne his sleep with death his death with euerlasting damnation 13. Togeather with the discouery of Contradictions I still lay open demonstrate in them and by them the Infallible Authority of the Church assisted not to erre by Gods infinite wisdome that if pinched by his Contradictions he awake and open his eyes he may presently behould the beauty and glory of this vnspotted spouse of the lambe the Virgin-Mother of Christians and so be moued to lay downe his (a) Gregor in cap 39. Iob. Jn sinum virginis omni feritate deposita caput depouit 2. Cor. 10.5 In captinitatem redigentes omnem
intellectum in obsequium Christi head and the Vnicornes horne of his singular Wit in the lappe of her Communion choosing to be rather taken captiue by voluntary subiection to her Truth then shewed a thrall of errour in the chaines of insoluble Contradictions against himselfe 14. In citing his testimonies I haue been exact punctual euen to a line and to set downe formally fully and largely his wordes and whole discourses more perhaps then some may thinke necessary or fitting but I had rather be found faulty for excesse in sincerity then for defect Yea the wordes that were vpon some occasion cited before I haue when in other occasiōs I make vse of the same repeated them againe at large for the Readers greater ease not to bind him to seeke for them in the place of the former citation I haue quoted not the Pages but the Chapter Number line of the number that so the quotations may be common both to the first second Edition which agree in Chapters Numbers and lines but not in Pages Yet sometimes when the numbers are long I haue quoted the page and the line of the first Edition in the text of the second in the margin The Chapters of the booke be these following 1. That Christian fayth is not resolued finally into natural wit and Reason but into the Authority of the Church 2. That Christian fayth is absolutely certaine and infallible 3. That the current of Christian Tradition is incorrupt both in the fountaine and in the streame 4. That the Scripture is not the only Rule 5. That the Church is infallible in all her Proposalls of fayth 6. That all Protesters against the Church of Rome are Schismatiques 7. That they are also Heretiques An Aduertisement to the Reader THis Treatise Good Reader was to the last word and syllable thereof finished reuiewed and ready for the Print longe since euen in April of this yeere 1638. so that it might haue been printed and published and haue come to thy sight in the last Trinity Tearme but for the tempests and stormes of warre which infested vltra-marine Countries neere vnto England and were no where more boisterous then ouer that place where this Treatise should haue been pressed into the light For this thundering noise of Mars frighted workemen and droue them away into other calmer coastes and afterward brought sharpe and longe sickenesse both on the Printer and Authour which hath been the cause it commeth so late vnto publique view I hope this remissnes and tardity will be recompenced and satisfyed by ensuing speed and diligence in deliuering vnto the world other Treatises which haue been also longe since ready for the Print against this cunning and close Vnderminer of Christian Religion whiles he pretendes to be an opposer but of the Catholique Roman The Church conquerant ouer Humane Wit That true Christian fayth is not finally resolued by naturall Wit and Reason but by the Churches Authority CHAP. I. CHRISTIAN resolution about belieuing the mysteries of our fayth Cap. 1 n 8. as you also note standes vpon two Principles The one Whatsoeuer God reueales for true is true or which is the same The word of God is certaine truth The other The articles of our fayth are reuealed of God About the truth of the first Principle we are fully and abundantly resolued by the Authority of God Reuealing who can neither be deceiued himselfe nor deceiue vs. The question is by what meanes may Christians be sure that the articles of their Religion are the word of God Catholiques make their last resolution into the word of God vnwritten deliuered by vniuersall Tradition euidently credible for it selfe or which is all one into the authority of the Church deliuering what by the full consent of Christian Catholique Ancestors she hath receiued frō the Apostles Protestants resolue to rest finally on Scripture which as they pretend by the cleere beames of its owne light sheweth it selfe and the sense they make thereof to be Diuine supernaturall Truth and consequently the word of God You agreeing nether with the one nor the other both reiect resolution by the inward euident certainty of Scripture as a fond conceypt and also banish the infallible authority of the present Church as an intolerable vsurpation so finally you come to rest vpon the iudgment and choyce of naturall Reason pretending that euery man and woman in the choyce of their Religion must at last follow their owne best wit vnderstanding and discourse In which conceit you are not constant you contradict it often yea you are so vncertaine and vnsetled in all your discourses as you say nothing in one place which you do not in some other place vtterly deny The discouery of this your perpetuail iarring and fighting with your selfe is the marke this Treatise aymeth at wherby it will appeare whether you had reason to write as you do in the conclusion of your worke Though the musick I haue made be dull and flat and euen downe right plainesong yet your curious and Criticall cares shall discouer no discord in it Mare c. 7. I hope together with this discourse the fingar of our Sauiour will enter into the deafe cares of your soule opē them to discerne the perpetuall iarring of your voyce with it selfe and also make you see that it will be alwayes so except you giue ouer singing the canticle of our Lord in the high strayne of quauering and wauering diuision from the Church according to the crochets of your owne conceyt and fall to the plaine Gregorian Ecclesiasticall tune humbling your Treble-wit to sing the base in the lowest note of subiection to the Holy Catholique Church The first Conuiction 2. THis Conuiction is groūded on this contradicting your selfe that cap. 2. n. 3. in fine you say The Scripture is the sole iudge of controuersies that is the sole rule to iudge them by those onely excepted wherein the Scripture is the subiect of the question which cannot be determined but by naturall reason the only principle besides Scripture which is common to Christians To the contrary cap. 2. n. 153. you write Vniuersall tradition is the Rule to iudge all controuersies by Preface n. 13. to the Directours assertion That if the true Church may erre in defining Canonicall Scripture then we must receiue Scripture either by the priuate spirit or by naturall wit and iudgment or by preexamination of the doctrine contayned therein you answer Though the present Church may possibly erre in her iudgment touching this matter yet haue we other directions besides either of these three and that is the testimony of the Primitiue Christians Thus you consider what sweet harmony and concent there is betwixt these two sayings Controuersies wherin Scripture it selfe is the subiect of the question cannot be determined but by naturall reason the only principle besides Scripture cōmon to Christians The controuersy which Scripture is canonicall wherin Scripture it selfe is the subiect of the question may
meant by the holy Catholique Church the Churches authority concurrs to the begetting of faith in them together with the illumination of Gods spirit making them to apprehend more deepely and diuinely of the thing then otherwise naturally they could by sole Church proposition You hauing made it necessary vnto saluation that men do not blindely follow blind guides but that by their owne wit and reason euery one choose and frame to himselfe his Religion being his owne caruer iudge hauing I say layd this ground you should in consequence haue maintayned that such as ignorantly and blindely follow a blind Church fall into the ditch and are damned But now making it the word of God that the blind following the blind must needes perish and yet labouring to saue some blind followers of the blind your selfe are fallen into blasphemy by following your owne blind discourse which still through want of light stumbles at euery step contradicting is selfe The fourth Conuiction 17. YOv contradict your selfe againe about simple and ignorant Christians whome you terme Fooles In one place you teach they caÌ„ hardely be saued in another that they cannot erre from the way of Saluation vnlesse they will The first you affirme pag. 96. lin 12. For my part I am certain God hath ginen vs reason to discerne between truth and falshood and he that makes not this vse of it but belieues thinges he knowes not why I say it is by chance and not by choyce that he belieues the truth and I cannot but feare that God will not accept of the sacrifice of Fooles Thus you The second in plain and direct contradiction of this you deliuer (p) Second edit pag. 212. lin 5. pag. 221. lin 17 saying of your safe Way to Saluation This is a way so plaine as fooles except they will cannot erre from it Now by Fooles in matters of Religion you vnderstand such as want strength of vnderstanding and wit to iudge by themselues and to discerne truth from falshood in mattets of Religion and controuersies moued by Heretiques against the Church How then it is true that Fooles cannot misse of the way of Saluation except they will if such only be saued to whome God hath giuen such reason and vnderstanding that of themselues they be able to discerne truth from falshood in matters of fayth controuerted betwixt Heretiques and the Church If God will not accept of the sacrifice of Fooles that is their deuout obedience vnto the doctrine which they belieue to be his vpon the word of his Church without knowing any other why your word that Fooles cannot erre from Saluation vnlesse they will is so farre from being true as the contrary is true they cannot be saued though they would neuer so fayne 18. Your two sayings are cleerely and mainely opposite the one to the other the first being false and the second true For it is against experience and modesty to say as you do that God hath giuen vs that is all Christians reason to discerne truth from falshood in the controuersies of Religion No man huing can do this by the reason giuen him of God without relying for his assurance on the authority of Gods Church Yea your selfe though you much presume of the goodnes of your vnderstanding and excellency of your wit haue not reason inough for this which I conuince by what you write Cap. 3. n. 19. lin 19. Where there is a seeming conflict of Scripture with Scripture reason with reason Authority with Authority how it can consist with manifest reuealing of the truth I do not well vnderstand What is I do not well vnderstand but as if you had said God hath not giuen me vnderstanding and reason to discerne assuredly Christian truth from Hereticall falshood in the controuersies about Christian Religion where Scripture reason authority are seemingly alleaged on both sides as in the controuersies betwixt the Roman Church and your Biblists and Gospellers namely Arians and Socinians they are And if you haue not sufficient vnderstanding and reason to diseerne truth from falshood about the fundamentall article of Christianity the Godhead of Christ how hath God giuen all Christians reason to frame an assured iudgment of discretion about this and all other fundamental points debated betwixt any kind of your Protestants and vs 19. The other part then of your contradiction is true that Fooles cannot erre from the way of Saluation except they will because God will without doubt accept of the sacrifice of their humble deuotion firmely to belieue what they haue receaued from the Church as his Word For you say c. 5. n. 64. lin 20. God requires no more of any man to his Saluation but his true endeauour to be saued But Fooles that is such as want strength of vnderstanding to discerne Truth from Falshood in the Controuersies about Religion the best they can do to belieue aright and be saued is to rest on the word tradition of the Church without asking her Why she teacheth this or that Doctrine For what can they do better You will say let them search the Scriptures and looke into the writings of the primitiue Fathers First being ignorant men and of meane capacity they cannot do it and when they haue done it how can they be the wiser seing x you say nothing is proued true because written in a booke but only by Tradition which is credible for it selfe And to what purpose to goe from the Church and her tradition for a short time and then presently to come to it againe For euen as the Doue departing from the Arke of Noe not finding where to settle her foote in such a deluge of waters returned instantly to the Arke so mans reasoÌ„ leauing the Churches Authority to find by Scripture which is the true Religion in the vast deluge of contrary wauing Doctrines will meete with nothing wher on he may firme his beleefe and so will be forced for rest and assurance to fly backe to the Arke of Gods Church 20. Adde that the truth of your second assertion that the way of Saluation in the Law of Grace is so plain that (a) Esay c. 35. v. 8. Via sancta vocabitur hac erit directa via ita vâ— stuâ—ti noÌ„ errent per eam fooles cannot erre from it was foretold by the prophet Esay and he giueth the reason thereof because they should haue a visible Teacher or (b) Esay c. 30. v. 20 Erunt ocult tui videntes preceptorem tunm anres tua andient voceÌ„ post tergum monentis Haec est via ambulate 〈◊〉 ca. Maister should heare his voyce behind them saying This is the way walke therein From this truth I conclude that euery man and woman is not to resolue for his beleefe by his owne reason but by the voyce of the Church Because in the way of Wit and Discourse according to the rules of (p) c. n. 8.2 Logick Fooles may erre against their will as not being able of
representations is so certaine infallible that it implies contradiction that men should be deceaued by it eyther by some extraordinary working of God to men vnknowne or through the infinity of the thing apprehended which men cānot comprehend For example men see the Chymnies of a Towne smoake thence they conclude with Physicall certitude that there is fire in those Chymnies wherein they may be mistaken seing God may haue raysed that smoake without any fire We are better assured by the light of vnderstanding about vniuersall principles which appeare manifestly true by the very notion of the single wordes yet not so vniuersally sure but we may be deceaued by them about infinite and incomprehensible thinges That Principle I before named Euery whole thing is greater then any single part thereof we are not sure thereof in infinite whole thinges yea many learned men do maintaine that in an infinite multitude the whole multitude is not greater then a single part thereof That knowne rule and principle of all discourse The thinges with be one and the same with a third thing are one and the same betweene themselues Fayth assures vs that the same fayles in the diuine Nature which being infinite and incomprehensible may be and is identified with three diuine Persons really distinct Nor is this to destroy all certitude of naturall knowledge but only to make the same finite and limited within the compasse of its weake reach and capacity infinitly inferiour to diuine wisdome and altogether subordinate to his most infallible word 5. Now deception cannot possibly happen in our belieuing of doctrines represented to our vnderstanding cleerly marked with euident miracles and other supernaturall notes shewing they are reuealed of God For God working by his power aboue nature to mooue men to belieue such Diuine and miraculous doctrine cannot also worke aboue nature what may be the cause of our deception therein for then he should be contrary to himselfe with is altogether impossible Nor can there be feare danger or possibility that in this beliefe we may be deceaued through weaknesse of iudgment caused by the finite capacity of humane wit because in this beliefe the light of natur all reason is not our guide but the word of God discouering high mysteries and hidden secrets conforme to his infinite and vndeceiuable vnderstanding Hence a late learned Writer our Countryman sayth excellently to this purpose (a) P. Thomas Baconus Southellus in sua Regula viua seu Analysi fidei Dispat 3. cap. 6. n. 122. Haec motiua conuincunt necessarió metaphysice quod si vlla vera sit in mundo Religio c. ea alia esse non possit quám baec nostra his motiuis insignita That the motiues of Christian Catholique credibility are most certaine and infallible in themselues and do most manifestly and euen with metaphysicall euidence conuince our Christian Catholique Religion to be the true way of saluation as certainly as that there is any true religion in the world or any diuine prouidence about the saluation of mankind Who can desire greater certitude and euidence then this 6. The fifth thing is firme adherence to the doctrine proposed so that the belieuer cannot at all or else very hardly be driuen from his persuasion of the truth thereof This adherence in Christian Catholiques is so firme that they are ready not only to giue their life in testimony thereof but also will deny their owne senses their reason and all naturall euidence rather then admit any doubt of doctrine in this manner represented to them as Gods infallible word 7. If any obiect that the assent of Christian fayth is often shaken with doubts sometimes ouerthrowne wheras the assent of naturall knowledge stands constant and vnmooued without danger of falling I answere this is true but the reason hereof is not because the assent of naturall knowledge is more certain and firme of it selfe but because Christian fayth is more exposed to the blasts of temptation An Oake on the top of an high mountayne is shaken with wind and storme and many times beaten to the ground wheras a tender sprig growing low out of the wind is not subiect to this danger yet no man will say that the sprig is more firme and deeply rooted in the ground then the Oake Christian fayth standeth on high hauing for matter and subiect high inuisible and incomprehensible mysteries which though they are by the belieuer sufficiently seene to be reuealed of God yet not seene at all by naturall reason to be true in themselues yea still in themselues they remaine darke obscure difficill and seemingly impossible in humane reason Hence though fayth be firmely grounded and deeply rooted on the authority of God reuealing Christian doctrines yet stronge apprehensions of the seeming impossibility thereof like violent blasts cause the same sometimes to shake wauer with inuoluntary doubts whereas the assent of naturall knowledge is neuer or seldome tempted to doubt because there is no seeming impossibility in such truth By this explication of our Catholique Resolution of fayth it is manifest you haue done vs wronge in saying that we require That men build a most certaine assent on fallible vncertaine and only probable groundes The second Conuiction 8. YOur ground to make the assent of Christian fayth fallible and only probable is because it is an assent to a conclusion deduced from two premises whereof the one is fallible and only probable Cap. 1. n. 8. lin 28. Our fayth is an assent to this conclusion The doctrine of Christianity is true which being deduced from the former Thesis All which God reuealed for true is true which is metaphysically certaine and the former Hypothesis All the articles of our fayth are reuealed of God whereof we can haue but morall certainty we cannot possibly by naturall meanes be more certaine of it then of the weaker of the Premises for the conclusion still followes the worser part if there is any worse and must be negatiue particular contingent or but morally certaine if any of the propositions from whence it is deriued be so Neither can we be certaine of it in the highest degree vnlesse we be thus certaine of all the principles whereon it is grounded As a man cannot stand or goe strongly if either of his legs be weake or as a building cannot be stable if any one of the necessary pillers be infirme and instable Thus you And then to shew this Hypothesis All the articles of our fayth that is all the doctrines of the Christian Creed and Scripture be reuealed of God to be only morally certaine you bring this reason because it is proued only by tradition vniuersall only by the testimonie of the ancient Churches an argument only probable Cap. 6. n. 40. The ioint tradition of all Apostolique Churches with one mouth and with one voice teaching the same doctrine was vrged by the Fathers not as a demonstration but only as an argument very probable Cap. 6. n. 8.
Tradition of Christian doctrine from age to age from Father to sonne cannot be a fit ground but of morall assurance Cap. 3. n. 44. lin 55. Who can warrant vs that the vniuersall Traditions of the Church were all Apostolicall Thus you 9. This is your discourse to proue your Paradoxe that the assent of Christian fayth is fallible and only morally certaine But the foundation wheron you build your maine Principle Vniuersall Tradition is not infallible you your selfe ouer throw and establish the contrary ground that tradition vnwritten is as infallible as Scripture Cap. 4 n. 13. lin 19. Vniuersall and neuer-fayling Tradition giueth this testimony both to the Creed and Scripture that they both by the workes of God were sealed and testified to be the word of God Behold the Hypothesis that the articles of Christian Religion that is of the Christian Creed and Scripture are reuealed of God standes vpon a pillar firme and neuer failing If you say morally certaine and neuer failing not absolutely I reply obiecting vnto you another place where you expressely suppose your certainty of the Scripture to be absolute to wit of those bookes of which there was neuer doubt made Pag. 69. We do not professe our selues so absolutely and vndoubtedly certaine neither do we vrge others to be so of those bookes with haue been doubted as of those that neuer haue How cleerly and in expresse termes do you professe that your certainty of the Scriptures that were neuer questioned is not only probable and morall but absolute certainty vndoubted And how can it be otherwise seeing Tradition by liuely voyce conueyeth vnto vs what the Apostles deliuered about the Canon of the Scripture to wit which bookes were to be held as the word of God For no man can doubt but the Apostles deliuered what they had by diuine reuelation from Christ Iesns and the holy Ghost consequently that these bookes be the word of God is a diuine reuelation vnwritten as certaine as if it were written For as D. Field (b) D. Field of the Church l. 4. c. 20. pag. 238. sayth It is not the writing that giueth thinges their authority but the worth and credit of him that deliuereth though by word and liuely voice only 10. Perhaps you will tell me as you do Charity maintayn'd vpon another occasion cap. 2. n. 86. If D. Field were infallible and these wordes had not slipt vnaduisedly frō him this had been the best argument in your Booke Well then I must I see bring an Authour infallible in proofe that Tradition is equall in certainty vnto Scripture one so aduised as all Catholiques compared to his wisdome be but a company of blind vnconsidering men What if I find this Doctrine in your booke proued euen by the same argument D. Field vseth because being written giues not Authority to God's word then I hope you will say without any if that this is the best argument in my booke But where is this passage to be found Perchance if you were to find it your selfe you would be to seeke more to seeke if you goe about to reconcile your contradictions In which case you who vaunt your selfe for the witty Oedipus in soluing the Sophismes and Knots of Charity maintayned will perhaps be at a stop and be forced to say with Oedipus being to solue his owne riddle Ego ille victae spolia qui Sphyngis tuli Haerebo * Scripti fati tardus interpres mei 11. The place is Pag. 153. n. 45. where you speake thus to your Aduersary No lesse say you is S. Chrysostome for the infallible Traditions of the Church But you were to proue the Church infallible not in Traditions which we willingly grant if they be vniuersall as the Traditiō of the vndoubted bookes of Scripture is to be AS INFALLIBLE AS THE SCRIPTVRE is For neither doth being written make the word of God more infallible or being vnwritten make it lesse infallible In these words you affirme that Traditions vniuersall namely and principally that Tradition that the vndoubted bookes of the Scripture be the word of God are as infallible as Scripture You proue it because Neyther doth being written make the word of God more infallible or being vnwritten make it lesse infallible In which proofe you suppose that as Scripture is the written word of God so Tradition is the word of God vnwritten and therefore equall in certainty and infallibility to Scripture 12. Now the ground of your errour being by your contradiction thereof and by your confession yea by your demonstration of the contrary truth ouerthrowne I proue the assent of Christian fayth to be absolutely certaine in this manner Christian faith is an assent to this conclusion The doctrine of Christianity is true This conclusion is deduced from this Thesis Whatsoeuer God reueales for true is true and this Hypothesis The Christian Creed and Scripture be the word of God So that if both these propositions be absolutely certaine then the assent to the conclusion is infallible and absolutely certaine Now that both these Premises or Propositions be absolutely certaine I proue The Thesis Whatsoeuer God reueales is truth you grant to be absolutely and metaphysically certaine But the Hypothesis The Christian Creed and Scripture is diuine reuelation and the word of God is also absolutely certaine First because it is as you grant an vniuersall Traditiō as infallible as Scripture But Scripture is absolutely and metaphysically certaine truth because it is doctrine reuealed of God Secondly whatsoeuer God reueales whether it be deliuered in writing or by liuely voyce only is absolutely and metaphysically certaine But the Tradition That the Creed and Scripture is the word of God is diuine reuelation which the Apostles deliuered by liuely voyce sealing and confirming the truth thereof with workes of God as you confesse Ergo the Tradition that the Christian Creed and Scripture is of God is absolutely certaine and infallible Finally you say cap. 1. n. 8. in sine 2. edition cap. 2. n. 8. infine If a message be brought me from a man of absolute credit by a messenger that is not so my confidence of the truth of the relation cannot but be rebated and lessened by my diffidence in the relatour This you I subsume But the message of the Gospell is brought to me and to euery Christian from a man of absolute credit Christ Iesus the Eternall Sonne of God in whome are all the treasures of Diuine wisedome by a messenger of absolute credit to wit by the Church deliuering vniuersall Tradition which is as you confesse as infallible as Scripture Therefore our faith of the Creed and Scripture is not rebated or lessened by being deliuered by the perpetuall visible Church of Christ but is as infallible as if we had had the message immediatly from the mouth of our Lord and Sauiour 13. Iadde Tradition vniuersall is not only as infallible as Scripture but also more certaine in respect of vs. This I ground
vpon what you write Cap. 6. n. 59. We must be surer of the proofe then of the thing proued thereby otherwise it it no proofe that is the certainty of the proofe must be better knowne and more euident to vs then the thing proued But cap. 2. n. 8. you say the Scripture cannot be proued to be the word of God and a perfect rule of faith but onely by Tradition which is credible for it selfe Ergo the certainty of Tradition is surer that is better knowne and more euident to vs then the Scripture Yea further Tradition is a Rocke of our beliefe a principle so euident that it needes no further proofe This I proue by this argument grounded vpon your sayings That which is credible for it selfe and fit to be rested on must be so euident that it need no further euidence This you suppose Cap. 2. n. 45. lin 8. where you say I will neuer cease multiplying demaunds vpon demaunds vntill you settle me vpon a Rocke I meane giue me such an answere whose truth is so euident that it needs no further euidence But Cap. 2. n. 25 lin 5. you say The credibility of vniuersall Tradition is a thing credible of it selfe and therfore fit to be rested on Ergo the Authority of Tradition vniuersall or of the Catholique Church is a Rocke a rule a reason of belieuing so euident and credible of it selfe as it needes no further euidence The third Conuiction 14. VVE haue conuinced your errour by the ouerthrow of the ground thereof Now I proue the absolute infallibility of Christiā faith by the proper cause shewing why it is so and must of necessity be so grounding my proofes on truthes so cleere as they are by you granted Cap. 6. n. 9. lin 2. you say If we were required to belieue with certainty I meane a morall certainty thinges no way represented as infallible and certaine I meane morally an vnreasonable obedience were required of vs. And so likewise were it were we required to belieue as absolutely certaine that which is no way represented to vs as absolutely certaine Thus you Now I subsume But the Articles of our faith are represented vnto you as absolutely infallible not only as morally but as metaphysically and mathematically certaine in themselues This I proue by what you write Cap. 6. n. 3. lin 6. I do heartily acknowledge and belieue the articles of our faith be in themselues Truthes as certaine as the very common principles of Geometry and Metaphysickes But that there is required of vs a knowledge of them an adherence to them as certaine as that of sense or science that such a certainty is required of vs vnder paine of damnation this I haue shewed to be an errour c. Thus you Here you professe that you do heartily belieue the articles of our faith to be in themselues truths altogether infallible euen metaphysically certaine But you could not belieue them heartily as absolutely certaine Truth were they no wayes represented to your vnderstanding as absolutely metaphysically certaine What more cleere then this For how can you apprehend that truth by firme hearty faith which you do not apprehend at all Or how can you apprehend that truth at all with is no wayes represented to your vnderstanding Ergo the mysteries of Christian Religion are by the reasons and motiues of Christian Tradition represented to your vnderstanding as truthes most certaine and infallible in themselues How then are you not bound to belieue them as Truth absolutely and metaphysically certaine in themselues with an hearty adherence to them as certaine as that of sense and science The mysteries of Christian faith being represented to you as morally certaine you are bound as our confesse vnder paine of damnation to belieue them with morall assurance Ergo if they be represented to your vnderstanding as truth absolutely certaine you are bound to belieue them with absolute certainty equall to the certainty of mathematicall and metaphysicall science But they are so represented to your vnderstanding and you heartily apprehend them as absolutely infallible in themselues The fourth Conuiction 15. I conuince the absolute infallibility of Christian fayth by what you write Cap. 4. n. 11. lin 20. Which of vs euer taught that it was not damnable eyther to deny or to so much as doubt of the truth of any thing whereof we either know or belieue that God hath reuealed it Thus you I do not know of what sect you are and so I not say which of you but I cā say that you of what Sect soeuer you be haue taught that it is not damnable for men not to doubt of that doctrine which they belieue to be reuealed for you accuse Catholiques as blind as peruerse enemies of truth and of many the like crimes and in proofe thereof you say Cap. 6. n. 72. lin 15. My owne experience assures me that in this imputation I do you no iniury but it is very apparent to all men by your ranking doubting of any part of your doctrine among mortall sinnes Here you reprehend our doctrine that to doubt deliberately of the doctrine we belieue to be reuealed of God is a mortall sinne that is damnable for I hope your owne experience assures you that we belieue our Catholique doctrine and euery part thereof to be the word of God written or vnwritten With what reason and congruence then can you reprehend vs for holding that it is a mortall sinne to doubt of any part of our Religion which we hold to be the word of God Especially seeing you say Cap. 2. n. 122. lin 12. That if you be persuaded by the Deuil though falsely that it is diuine reuelation you are bound not to disbelieue it vnder paine of formall heresy But to our purpose we will take of your contradictions that part which is manifest truth that it is damnable to doubt of the truth of any doctrine we belieue to be reuealed of God and then I dispute thus There can be no more certaine nor stronger adherence to any doctrine then that which is so firme and vndoubted as the belieuer esteemeth it damnable and an heynous crime so much as to doubt thereof But this adherence to Christian doctrine you require as necessary damning all those that admit any voluntary doubt of the verity thereof Ergo an adherence to Christian doctrine most certayne equall to that men giue to the principles of Metaphysicke is required of Christians vnder paine of damnation yea stronger adherence seing a Christian is ready and ought to be ready to deny the principles of Metaphysicke rather then doubt of Christian doctrine proposed to him as Gods word by perpetuall Christian Tradition Finally it is vnreasonable that men should be bound vnder paine of damnation neuer to doubt of that doctrine which is not so much as represented vnto them as vndoubtedly and absolutely certaine It is a burthen intollerable to maintayne a thing without any staggering and doubting which is proposed only as
as euident to your vnderstanding as it is euident that God is true Your fayth then in this place is most infallible but in other places it standes vpon weake leggs vpon Tradition which is fallible vpon (e) Cap. 2. n 154 Highly credible but not infallible motiues onely probable motiues Fourthly Prudent foolish Foolish because you say cap. 6. n. 10. many of yours belieue a right which are not wise And cap. 6. n. 74. in fine The imprudent fayth of Protestants may proceed from Diuine motion Is not this to say your Faith is prudent foolish Prudent because they that follow it goe to heauen and follow therein the spirit of wisedome Foolish because you say they be not wise their belieuing is iustly (f) Cap. 6. n. 9. in fine condemned of leuity and rashnesse (g) Cap. 2. n. 49. lin 35. a foolish and imprudent action Fiftly your assent is naturall vnnaturall Naturall because (h) Preface n 12. resolued by Logicke finally determined (i) Cap. 2 n. 3 in fine by natural reason Vnnatural because it cā against nature against the prime rule of natural reason discourse stand with the contradictory assent at the same tyme (l) Pag. 215. lin 4. 2. Edition pag. 206. lin 6. your fayth I say of this truth Christ is the eternall sonne of God with your beliefe of this Socinian Heresy Christ is not the eternall sonne of God Is not your fayth then naturall unnaturall noble base Catholicke hereticall reasonable vnreasonable all at once Finally vndernaturall supernaturall which is proued by what you write Cap. 6. n. 62. Reason will conuince any man vnlesse he be of a peruerse mind that the Scripture is the word of God and then no reason can be greater then this God sayes so therefore it is true From these words I gather first that your faith of the Scripture is vndernatural and inferiour in certainty to naturall reason for you say by naturall reason the same is conuincingly proued to be the word of God but in the same Cap. 6. n. 60. you say we must be surer of the proof then of the thing proued by it Ergo your fayths certainty of Scripture is vnder naturall reason and not so sure and infallible as your reason And yet it is also supernaturall certainty because you say no reason can be greater then this God sayes so therefore it is true And preface n. 2. pag. 2. lin 14. I submit all other reasons to this one God sayes so therefore it is true Now that one reasou to which all other naturall reasons yield and submit themselues must needs be supernaturall and superiour in certaynty to all naturall reason so that I haue proued by your owne playne expresse words that your Religion of Wit is contradictious free enforced euident obscure certayne vncertayne prudent foolish naturall vnnaturall vndernatural supernaturall wherby one may see your assertion that Christian faith is not certayne and infallible but onely highly credible what a mayne and mighty contradiction the same is and what a world of grosse absurdityes and repugnances are inuolued therein The seauenth Conuiction 20. CAP. 2. n. 154. lin 8. you giue this reason why the assent of Christiā fayth is not certayne and infallible and why God cannot require it of Christians because say you No man can giue and so cannot be required to giue a greater assent to the conclusion then the premises deserue And Cap. 6. nu 7. ante finem Nothing is more repugnant then that a man shold be required to giue most certayne credit vnto that which cannot be made appeare most certaine credible But c. 5. n. 8. to the contrary you write Of this that we are to belieue Christian Religion we are may be made infallibly certaine And c. 6. n. 9. Arguments so credible that though they cannot make vs see what we belieue yet they euidently connince that in true wisedome and prudence the articles of it deserue credit and ought to be accepted as things reuealed of God Thus you And are you so dull as not to see how frō these your two sayings ioyned together in discourse vild blasphemy may be concluded The mysteries of Christian Religion cannot you say by the motiues of credibility be made certayne or fit to be credited with infallible fayth But the mysteries of Christian Religion can be made credible and fit to becredited as things reuealed of God Ergo things credible as reuealed of God are not credible with infallible faith And consequētly to things reuealed of God a most certayne and infallible assent is not due Is not this to deny the infinit verity and veracity of God and his word Hence grounding vpon the contradictory I dispute in this manner What we may must belieue as the word of God that we may and must belieue with a most certayne and infallible assent for nothing can be more certayne and so nothing can more deserue to be vndoubtedly credited then the word of God But we are as you say infallibly certayne and arguments euidently conuince that we may and must belieue the articles of our fayth as the Word of God or as things reuealed of God Ergo we may and we are bound by Christian duty to adhere to the articles of our Fayth with a most certayne and infallible assent The eight Conuiction 21. IN your Preface n. 2. you say I am most apt and most willing to be lead by reason alwayes submitting al other reasons to this one God sayes it Ergo it is so This saying doth imply of necessity that the adherence of fayth vnto Gods word is more certaine then that of sense or any knowledge grounded on reason Because if all other reasons must yeld submit to this one reason Gods saies it therefore it is so then this reason I see this with my eyes Ergo it is so must yeeld to this God sayes it is not so Ergo it is not so But if the assent due to the word of God were not more certayn and infallible then that of sense the conclusion from the euidence of sense were not to yield to the conclusion from the certainty of Gods word Ergo by your owne profession you are conuinced to be false in saying the adherence by fayth to the word of God is not more certayne then that of sense or else you cogge and dissemble to hide your infidelity when you say I submit all other reasons to this one God said so Ergo it is so 22. Hence I further inferre that Christians ought you are bound to belieue the mysteries reueased in Scripture though they seeme implicatory and impossible to your human reason which you deny Pag. 215. 2. Edit pag. 206. lin 18. lin 16. For if all other reasons must yield to this one God sayes so therfore it is so then also this reason The mysteries of the Trinity of Hypostaticall vnion of two natures in Christ of the Real Presence seeme manifestly
impossible to my reason therfore they are impossible ought to yield to this reason God sayth these mysteries are possible and certainly true Ergo they are possible and certainly true You wil say that though this consequence be most certaine this is the word of God Ergo it is most true yet you cannot be so certaine that this is the word of God as you are of that which you see with your eyes But this is refuted by what you say that the Scripture is proued by Tradition which is as certaine and infallible as Scripture and euidently true and credible of it selfe Ergo your beliefe of Scripture that it is the word of God is also resolued into this one reason vnto which all others must submit and yield themselues humbly subiect God sayth that these bookes are his word and infallible truth Ergo it is so these bookes are his word infallible truth so that Christian resolution of fayth euen by your own confession resteth finally vpon a reason vnto which all human reason and vnderstanding ought to submit and captiuate it selfe You see how by your contradicting your self your errours are ouer thrown and true Christianity established The ninth Conuiction 23. Lond. Edition pag. 340. lin 14. PAg. 357. lin 3. cap. 6. n. 28. thus you write I certaeinly know that I do belieue the Ghospel of Christ as it is deliuered in the vndoubted bookes of canonicall Scripture as verily as that it is now day that I see the light that I am now writing and I belieue it vpon this motiue because I conceaue it sufficiently abundantly superabundantly proued to be diuine Reuelation And yet in this I do not depend vpon any succession of men that haue alwayes belieued it without any mixture of Errour Nay I am fully persuaded that there hath been no such succession and yet do not find ANY WEAKENESSE in my fayth but am so fully assured of the truth of it that though an Angel from heauen should gayn-say it or any part of it I persuade my selfe I should not be moued Thus you many wayes establishing the absolute certainty of Christian fayth and in direct termes contradicting what elswhere you most earnestly affirme 24. First you ouerthrow what you els where (m) Pag. 325. n. 3. say that the certainty of fayth is not equal to that of sense for now you say that you certainly know and that you are fully assured that you belieue the truth of the Ghospell as verily as that now it is day as that you see the light as that when you writ this you were writing which is most assured certainty of sense For you say you are fully assured that without depending on succession you belieue not that which you thinke to be the truth of the Gospell for euery Heretique doth so but the true Gospell consequently you are as sure that what you belieue is the true Gospell as you are sure that it is light which you see at noon-day as you are sure you write when you write And so you professe that the certainty of your fayth is equal to the greatest certainty which can be had by sense If you say you speake this not of ordinary Christian fayth which is rational grounded on reasons but of special fayth which you haue from God infused into your vnderstanding in reward of your holy life I answer this cannot be so because you speake expressely of your fayth which standes v. pon the proofes of Christianity and the motiues of credibility and of that assent which you conceaue because proued vnto you abundantly by the said reasons which is ordinary Christian fayth and so you say in this place that any man may belieue the foresayd truths vpon the foresayd motiues 24. Secondly here you affirme that Christian Religion or the Ghospel is proued to be diuine Reuelation sufficiently abundantly superabundantly to beare the weight of a most certayn and fully assured fayth wherein there is not ANY WEAKENESSE By which you ouerthrow what you say elswhere (n) Pag. 36. that Christian fayth stands vpon two legs vpon two pillars the one that whatsoeuer God reueales is true which is most strong firme immoueable the second that the Ghospel is reuealed of God which pillar you say is weake infirme and instable (o) Pag. 112. â— 154. moralty certayne but not able to beare the weight of an absolute certaine infallible essent free from all weakenesse 25. Thirdly you say that fayth built vpon the forsaid motiues is so firme and so strong so assured as you should not as you thinke be moued though an Angel from heauen should gain-say it which doth manifestly contradict and destroy what you so often contend that the assent built vpon the motiues of credibility cannot be absolutly certaine no not though it were infused into the vnderstanding from God What you say of your self you should not be moued from the fayth of the Ghospel though an Angel from heauen should gain-say it how stubborne and pertinacious in errour you may be against the light of your conscience I do not know but if your fayth of the Ghospell be not certaine and infallible if it be but a very probable seeming or a moral certainty in this case that you could stand against an Angel from heauen prudently and according to the right dictamen of conscience this I will belieue if you can make me belieue that a Shilling-worth is as much as an Angell-worth Otherwise what greater folly then for a meere mortall man of so weake memory and miserable discourse as he cannot write three pages together in good sense without contradicting himself to preferre his priuate seeming his human fallible certainty his moral probabilities that this is Gods word before the word of an Angell and all the arguments he can bring against it 26. I conclude with this demonstration for the infallibility of our Christian fayth God commandeth all Christians and requires of them vnder payne of damnation to stand constant in the beliefe of the Ghospell euen against an Angell from heauen that should Euangelize to the contrary as you suppose truly this being the very doctrine of S. Paul Gal. 1.8 But except God did infuse into the heart of euery true belieuing Christian a most certaine vndoubted infallible assent and adherence to the Ghospel this command were vniust vnreasonable and such a precept as no man prudently might obserue For it cannot be wisdome to oppose the testimony of men and seeming probabilities of reason against the word of an Angel against Angelicall reasons and discourse Ergo God doth infuse and bindeth all Christians to admit a most certaine and infallible assent of the truth of the Ghospel and of Christian Religion That Christian Religion and Tradition is pure and incorrupt both in the fountayne and streame CHAP. III. WHAT may haue been your personal intention in penning and publishing of this worke the searcher of hearts knoweth best The end wherunto your course driueth the
marke wherat it aymeth the worke it laboureth with all might and mayne to bring to passe is the total ouerthrowe of Christianity In the first Chapter I haue shewed that you resolue Christian Religion into naturall reason wherby you destroy the Diuinity therof In the second that you make the same to stand vpon principles and motiues credible but fallible wherby you vndermine the absolute certainty therof In this third Chapter I am to shew you ouerthrow the truth therof and make the same stayned with ignorance and errour not only in the whole current of Tradition from the Apostles but also in the fountayne therof the holy Ghospel and in our Sauiour and Lord Christ Iesus the Authour The first Conuiction 1. YOv thrust a mortall stabbe into the heart of Christian Religion through S. Augustine his side whiles you charge his speach with palpable falshood which is the expresse word of Christ S. Austine say you ca 6. n. 14. in fine as he was in the right in thinking that the Church was extended further then Africk so was he in the wrong if he thought that of necessity it alwayes must be so but most Palpably Mistaken in conceauing that it was then spread ouer the whole earth and knowne to all nations which if passion did not trouble you and make you forget how lately almost halfe of the world was discouered and in what state it was then found you would very easily see and confesse Thus you Vnto whome I say what the same S. Augustine sayd to Maximinus an Arian that is almost the same though not altogether so bad as a Sociniam Aduersu◠Maximinum lib. 2. c. 2. O quam de proximo te corrigeres si timeres credere quod times dicere O how soone would you reclayme your selfe did you feare to belieue in heart what you feare to say in words For although you dare not openly professe with the Samosatenians yet you dare belieue that Christ Iesus is a meere man that he was ignorant that there were any such people as Americans in the world and so out of ignorance vttered a palpable falshood when he said Luc. 24.47 that his Apostles should preach pennance in his name vnto all Nations that they should be witnesses vnto him not only in Ierusalem Iewry Samaria but also vnto thee vt most of the world Hereby he induced the Euangelists to mistake Mar. vlt. and falsely say that the Apostles going preached Euery Where our Lord working with them and confirming the word by signes that followed And S. Paul Rom. 〈◊〉 18. that the Apostolicall Preaching was spread into all Lands and their words vnto the endes of the world If I say S. Augustins saying that the Church was spread ouer all Nations in his dayes be a palpable falshood because it was not then in America then the prophesyes of our Lord that his Apostles should spread his name and plant Christianity in all Nations as also the testimony of the Ghospell that this was performed by the Apostles were also manifest mistakes and if the Ghospell be mistaken in one poynt through ignorance in the Author thereof we can be certayne of nothing 2. For if one confesse that our Sauiour was true God and knew all things and that there were Americans at that tyme he must say that eyther our Lord willlingly spake an vntruth in saying the Apostles should preach to all nations so by admitting on lye to be in one saying of the Ghospell he destroyeth the certainty of all or he must say that the Apostles preached to the Americans and made them Christians and if they were Christians in the dayes of the Apostles how can you tell they were not also in the dayes of S. Austine or finally he must confesse the truth that this speach of the Ghospell that the Church was euery where and in all nations was a most certayne and infallible truth euen when the Americans were not Christians nor had heard of Christ But this you deny and call it a palpable falshood so cleere as euery man not blinded with passiō doth now perceaue the falshood thereof Ergo you deny the Ghospell which you grant to be the word of God and consequently you are a formall Hereticke c. 2. n. 122. you do a thing not only impious but also impossible that any Christian should do as you say cap 4. n. 4. lin 19. a supposition impossible cap. 3. n. 35. lin 21. you do a thing you professe against saying you would not be moued from the truth of the Ghospell or any part of it euen by the preaching of an Angell from heauen So that your last refuge must be ro confesse that to call S. Austins speach which is the expresse word of Christ a palpable falshood you were persuaded not by an Angell from Heauen but by the spirit of errour which makes you hate subiection to the one vniuersall visible Church The second Conuiction 3. YOw do not vndermine but openly digge vp the Foundations of Christianity by teaching that the Apostles through ignorance ouersight or partiality erred in matters of Religion which they were bound to know Erred I say and the whole Church with them euen after the cōming of the holy Ghost for thus you write c. 3. n. 31. That the Apostles themselues euen after the sending of the holy Ghost were through inaduertence or preiudice continued for a tyme in an errour it is as I haue already noted vnansverably euident from the story of the Actes of the Apostles Thus you you auouch the same cap. 3. n 21. But in direct contradiction of this you say cap. 3. n. 74. lin 14. about the perpetuall infallibility of the Apostles according to that promise of our Lord that he would send them the holy Ghost the spirit of truth which should teach them all truth and stay with them for euer It signifyes say you not eternally without end of tyme but PERPETVALLY without interruption during the time of their liues So that the force and fense of the words is that they should neuer want the Spirits assistance in the performance of their function If the holy Ghost leading them into all truth did after his comming perpetually without interruption during the time of their liues stay with them alwayes assisting them teaching them all truth how can it be true that euen after the sending of the holy Ghost they were lead into errour and continued therein for as TIME through inaduertence or preiudice An errour so playne and manifest against the word of God and which they could not fall into without they were stupide seing the very guift of speaking the tongues of all nations which they receaued togeather with the holy Ghost still continued with them Were they so dull and heauy-hearted euen after they had receaued the holy Ghost as not to understand that by the guift of Tongues they were declared and made preachers of Christ vnto all nations vnder the cope of heauen
fayth This may be made manifest by examples as by this What the Scripture sayth Asonne of thirty yeares was Dauid when he began to reigne and he reigned fourty yeares I easily belieue in the plaine sense because there is no incredibility therin But whē the Scripture sayth a sonne of one yeare was Saul when he began to reigne and he reigned two yeares the incredibility of the sense the Scripture in other places assuring me that whē he began to reigne he was higher by head shoulders then any man in Israel makes me presently stagger and to seeke for some stronger pillar then the euidence of the text in my priuate seeming and finding none my reason is presently ouercome and wone to forsake the seeming euidence of the the text The same no doubt would happen in other texts of Scripture about the B. Trinity Incarnation and other mysteries of fayth My fayth I say would giue backe had I no stronger rule and reason of belieuing them then the euidence of the text in my priuate Iudgement But whē I perceaue the euidence of the text in my priuate Iudgment to be vpheld and confirmed by the Iudgement of the Catholique Church which did euer vnderstand belieue such texts in that incredible and incomprehensible sense then am I fully confirmed and Christianly resolued to belieue those high senses though neuer so impossible to the seeming of my reason because tradition or traditine Interpretation as you speake that is the perpetuall doctrine and beleefe of Christians in all former ages is able to ouercome all incredulity which the incredibility of the thing may represent vnto reasō For it is as you are forced to confesse the rule to iudge all controuersies by Cap. 2. n. 25. ca. 3. n. 45. being Gods infallible word euidently credible of it selfe and so a fit rule whereon Christian fayth may rely for what witnesse can be more illustrious and knowne and of more eminent credit then the Church founded by Christ Iesus and his Apostles bathed with the blood of innumerable Martyrs adorned by the glorious liues and miracles of millions of holy men 22. I confesse the Protestants opinion that the doctrine of Scripture is to them euident that they see the truth thereof as cleerely as they do the light of the sunne to be absurd fond ridiculous as you tear me it But also I must acknowledge that they speake consequently other wise they could not say their fayth doth finally rest on the Scripture nor pretend the Scripture to be their onely rule And you who reiect this Protestants conceit of the intrinsecall light of Scripture do not onely harbour Infidelity in your heart but also professe it openly in words pag. 330. lin 28. I deny not 2. Edit n. 318. lin 24. but I am bound to belieue the truth of many texts of Scripture the sense whereof is to me obscure and the truth of many articles of fayth the manner whereof is obscure and to humane vnderstanding incomprehensible But then it is to be obserued that not the sense of such texts nor the MANNER of such things is that which I am bound to belieue but the truth of them for that I should belieue the truth of any thing the truth whereof cannot be made euident to me with an euidence proportionable to the fayth required of me this I say for any man to be bound to is vniust and vnreasonable because to do it is impossible Thus you professe that you neither do nor can belieue the incomprehensible mysteries of Christian Religion For when the manner is the very substance of the mystery then the very substance is incomprehensible For example in the B. Trinity that Three Father Sonne and Holy Ghost be One the mystery is not that these three names signifie one thing as Sabellians and Socinians vnderstand it but that in the vnity of the Godhead there be three Persons distinct of one substance But you professe not to belieue the manner of these mysteries because it is incomprehensible Ergo you do not belieue the substance of the mysterie the substance thereof being a manner of being incomprehensible Moreouer he is no faythfull Christian who belieues not the articles of Christianity according to the Christian manner and sense But the Christian manner of belieuing them is according as they are incomprehensible to humane vnderstanding and seeme to prophane Wit and Gentilisme follies and absurdities as S. Paul doth declare 1. Cor. 1. 23. Ergo you are no Christian who openly shew your selfe a shamed to belieue any MANNER of things reuealed by Christ vpon his word that is incomprehensible except he make it euident to your vnderstanding and then if you belieue him he shall be much beholding vnto you for belieuing him so farre as you see he speakes truth and no further that is so farre as you will trust any liar whatsoeuer The summe of all is that seeing you reiect the Puritanical conceipt that Scripture is knowne to be the word of God by its owne light as a foolerie for so really it is you must either deny the Scripture to be the only rule or else continue to professe vnbeliefe of Christianity and of all manner of incomprehensible mysteries The seauenth Conuiction 23. YOur Aduersary often vrgeth you to set downe an exact Catalogue of fundamentalls or necessary truths without the particular and distinct beliefe of which you contend that it implyes contradiction that any man be saued You hauing vsed many tergiuersations to diuert the mind of the Reader at last confesse (a) 2. Edit pag. 22. lin 13. 2. Edition Pag. 129. lin 15. Pag. 23 lin 8. That it is an intricate peece of buisinesse of extreme great difficultie and of extreme little necessitie almost impossible And pag. 134. lin 28. This variety of circumstances makes it impossible to set downe an exact Catalogue of Fundamentalls And (b) 2. Edition cap. 4. n. 19. pag. 193. l. 10. Cap. 4. n. ◠pag. 201. lin 23. A Catalogue of Fundamentalls because to some more is fundamentall to others lesse to others none at all had been impossible By this confession you ouerthrowe your Principle that Scripture is the only rule wherein all necessary things are euidently conteyned For fundamentall points being the essentiall parts of the Ghospell Doctrines intrinsecall to the couenant betwixt God and man Cap. 4. 〈◊〉 4. lin 29. not only cleerely reuealed and so certaine truths but also commanded vnder payne of damnation to be distinctly knowne and belieued of all and so necessary truths I demand whether these diuine fundamentall and essentiall lawes about the distinct knowing and belieuing of these points in particular be cleerely deliuered in Scripture or not If not Ergo there be some diuine Lawes necessary vnto saluation without the obseruance of which it implyes contradiction any man should be saued Cap. 6. in fine not cleerely deliuered in Scripture If they be cleerely deliuered then points fundamentall be cleerely discernable from
Christian a wilfull obstinate opposer of diuine Reuelations sufficiently proposed to him how can any man possibly be an Hereticke 3. Some may say if he see the doctrine to be contayned in Scripture and yet disbelieue it then is he an Hereticke I answere then he is not an heretique but a Heathen openly and formally an Infidell For you say (a) Sec. edition cap. 4. n. 4 post medium Pag. 194. lin 14. To disbelieue any doctrine which one knowes to be reuealed in Scripture is for a Christian not only impious but also impossible D. Field of the Church l. 5. c. 5. 4. Some may also pretend that an Hereticke is one that erreth about some truth which doth directly and essentially concerne matter of Saluation though he ioyne not obstinacy to his errour But this is manifestly false An Hereticke is one hatefull horrible and detestable but a man that erreth in matters of saluation ignorantly for want of sufficient instruction and proposition is commiserable and to be pittied not to be abhorred He that being in the darke seeth not the meate that is neere him and so starueth for want of food cannot be said to be a blind man or a wilfull staruer of himselfe so the Christian who doth erre about some essentiall points of Saluation the necessary food of the soule so perisheth because the light of credibility doth not shine vpon it in respect of him cannot be said to be an Hereticke or an Infidell but only in this respect an vnhappy wretch though this case among Christians can hardly happen Finally an Hereticke is one that erreth through inward indisposition to belieue but the man that doth disbelieue a truth only because he is not sufficiently in structed may want no good disposition and readines of mind to belieue Ergo he cannot be an Hereticke 5. Now this mayne and last principle for resolution of the Controuersy which be diuine Reuelations is the Christian Catholique Church deliuering perpetuall Traditions from the Apostles or which is all one as you confesse (a) Cap. 2.155 Vniuersall Tradition is the rule to iudge all controuersies by (b) Cap. 2 n. 28. being a thing credible of it selfe and therefore fit to be rested on Other principles and rules though they be not euident of themselues yet are good stayes of our fayth because euidently (c) Cap. 2. n. 8. That Scripture cannot be proued to be a perfect rule by its owne saying so but only by Tradition which is a thing credible of it selfe conioyned with this principle of Tradition credible of it selfe against all which your Protestants or Protesters directly oppose and so erre fundamentally and are Heretickes as these Arguments conuince The first Conuiction 6. FIrst I prooue them to be Heretickes against their owne last Principle and rule their rocke pillar and ground the Scripture euident of it selfe and known to be the word of God by its owne glorious beames rayes Though somtimes you reiect this Principle as not onely false but also (a) Cap. 6. n. 55. Cap. 2. n. 47. fond ridiculous vnworthy to be the conceyt of any wise man yet to keepe your good purpose of contradicting your selfe in euery thing you approue it also c. 4. n. 53. lin 25. where to the question What assurance is there that the Scripture is the word of God you answere The doctrine it selfe is very fit and worthy to be thought to come from God nec vox hominem sonat What is this but to make the Scripture credible and worthy of credit for it selfe seeing the credibility or worthines of credit Scripture hath from its owne doctrine stile language it hath of it selfe But howsoeuer Scripture be not the last stay of your beliefe in the question Whether it be the word of God yet in respect of your Fayth of the sense of Scripture you make Scripture the last Principle yea the onely rule thereof cleere manifest euident of it selfe This supposed I subsume but Protestants disbelieue doctrines proposed cleerly and plainly by Scripture through preiudices and passions instilled into them by education Cap. 3. n. 19. lin 18. Second Edit pa. 21. lin 4. as you confesse pag. 137. lin 6. and there be millions of them that are betrayed into errour not by ignorance but by the sinfull and damnable passions of their will pag. 21. lin 40. Ergo Protestants erre fundamentally and are prooued Heretickes by their owne fundamentall rule and last Principle of fayth for if they be not Heretickes who contradict a doctrine which is propoposed vnto them by cleere plaine and euident texts of Scripture it is not possible there should be any Hereticke by their grounds 7. This is confirmed because the same Protestants belieue truths proposed vnto them by texts not so cleer and euident as those are the true sense whereof they disbelieue Ergo the cause why they do not belieue other more plainly and cleerely proposed Truths is not want of credibility in the proposition nor of faculty in their vnderstandings but want of disposition to belieue in their wils This you confesse saying Pag. 137. lin 6. That truths reuealed in Scripture plainly inough in the mselues be not plainly reuealed to such and such men into whome passions and preiudices against such truths haue beene by education instilled Now to disbelieue truths proposed sufficiently and inough by plaine texts of Scripture that is in your way with the vttermost light and euidence of credibility any Christian proposition can possibly haue not to belieue I say truths so proposed through passion and preiudice is the formall crime of Hereticall obstinacy wilfull blindnes 8. Hence we may further conclude that disagreeing Protestants are Heretiques to ech other and their dissensions Hereticall on the one side or on both As to say of one he wants light to see the sunne shining at noone day is to say he is starke blind To say of one he wants wit to appehend the truthes that are euident of themselues is to say he is a foole so to say of one that he wants disposition to belieue Christian doctrine proposed by cleare and manifest Scripture is to say he is an Infidell and voyd of Fayth if doctrine proposed by cleere texts of Scripture be hoc ipso proposed to Christian belieuers sufficiently and inough as Protesters teach and must teach else no doctrine can be in their Religion proposed sufficiently and inough What you so often (a) Pag. 336. n. 19. and else where a hundred times obiect that then the Dominicans should be Heretiques vnto Iesuites because in the opinion of Iesuites their opinion is cleerely repugnant to Scripture is friuolous and vaine For to Iesuits and Dominicans the sole euidence of the text of Scripture is not sufficient proposition because many plaine texts are not to be vnderstood in the plaine and litterall sense but that the proposition of Scripture be sufficient the euidence of the text must be backt and strengthned by the Tradition
you vndertooke to answer Charity mantayned For it appeareth by your vntaught base manner of answering that your end was only by petulant abusing the modesty of the Authour to obscure as much as you might the cleere truth of that excellent Worke. So you doe here forging an Enthimeme he neuer thought on making a conclusion which he did not intend to proue in this place and yet would you turne your wit the right way and vse it to that end for which God bestowed the same on you you would easily find a proposition which doth tye the Antecedent and Consequent euen of this by you so scorned Enthymene with an vnsoluble knot 33. But to my purpose you grant with S. Austin that whatsoeuer the whole Church holds and deliuers not as a thing ordayned by Councels but as alwaies kept is most righty beliened to be an Apâ—stolical Tradition so that the testimony of the present Church in deliuering traditions is credible and most worthy to be belicued for it selfe without other proofe and (p) Edit pag 113. n. 163. li. 26. pag. 119. n. 12. you say S. Austen sayes that Christ hath recommended the Church to vs for a credible Witnesse of ancient Tradition not for an infallible Definer of all emergent CoÌ„trouersies which supposed I would know how with this truth that can consist which you write (q) 2. Edit p. 61. lin 1. Pag. 63. lin 30. The truth is that neither the Scripture nor the present Church hath any thing to do in this matter for the question which be Canonical bookes cannot be decided but only by the testimony of the ancient Church How hath the present Church nothing to do in deciding the question which be canonical bookes if her testimony be infallible in this matter if herein she do the part of a credible witnesse Haue you any glue or sodder or cement or chayne or threed to tye these your two sayings togeather Or rather haue you any chaine to kepe them asunder that they come not to fight and mutually to murther ech other Also what you say (r) 2. Edit pag. 147. lin 1. Paeg. 152. lin 44. Who can warrant vs that the vniuersall Traditions of the Church were all Apostolical c. who can secure vs that human inuentions might not in a short time gayne reputation of Apostolique how doth this agree with what you say in the next lines after Cap. 3. n. 45. That the Church in her vniuersall Traditions is as infallible as Scripture Do not you also affirme That Tradition vniuersal is the rule to iudge all Controuersies by credible for it selfe fit to be rested on how can this be true if we can haue no warrant no security but that the vniuersal Traditions of the Church may be false and forged not deliuered by the Apostles but à quocunque traditore inuentions of men and if there be no warrant but that vniuersal Traditions may be false what warrant is there that you haue the true vncorupt text of Scripture not depraued by the secret creeping in of damnable errours Do not you say Pag. 55. n. 8. that these bookes cannot be proued Canonicall but only by Tradition and cap. 2. n. 114. It is vpon the authority of vniuersall Tradition that we would haue men to belieue Scripture If then vniuersal Tradition be fallible if there be no warrant no security of the certainty therof how are you secure that you haue the true text of the true Canonical bookes of Scripture But of this more in the next Chapter 34. By what hath bene said your so often repeated yea perpetuall and only argument of the circle is shewed to be friuolous and you running about therin haue made your head so dizzy as you forget your selfe For in arguing you alwayes presume without any proofe that the infallibility of the present Church deliuering Traditions or which is all one that the credibility of the vniuersal Tradition of the Church is not euident of it selfe A supposition which you neuer would haue presumed had not that bene out of your mind which you often affirme and confirme that the authority of vniuersal Tradition is euidently credible of it selfe and fit to be rested on No lesse vnproued yea more worthy to be reprou'd is your other b presumption that we do not so much as pretend that there are certaine euident notes to know the true Church and discerne it from all others nor that it is euident of it selfe that those notes agree only to our Church all men will wonder how you could be so ignorant or not being ignorant how you would be so bold For who doth not know we teach that the Church is knowne by visible markes euen euident to sense as succession Vniuersality and Vnity and that these markes do shine manifestly and conspicuosly only in the Roman Christianity Which truth is a necessary sequele of your doctrine That tradition vniuersal is the rule to iudge all Controuersies by fit to be rested on and euidently credible for it selfe Behold the deduction therof 35. That Church only is the true christian Church which hath vniuersall Tradition of Doctrines euidently credible for it selfe This is cleare because if Tradition credible of it selfe be the rule to iudge all Controuersies by and the only meanes to know which be Canonicall Scriptures then the Church which wants Tradition credible of it selfe wants the fundamentall Principle and ground of all Christianity and so cannot be the true christian Church But that Church only hath Tradition of doctrines credible of it selfe whose Tradition of Doctrines is euidently perpetuall by succession from the Apostles euidently vniuersall by diffusion ouer the world euidently one and the same in the mouth of all the reporters therof For Tradition which is not perpetuall from the Apostles but hath a knowne after-beginning wants credibility that it is Christian Tradition which is not vniuersall and notorious to the whole world but clancular and in a corner wants credibility that it is from the Apostles and the sound of their vniuersall preaching Tradition which is not one and the same but dissonant in the mouth of diuers reporters wants credibility that it is from truth and not a deuise of human fiction or of deceiued discourse from Scripture Ergo the Church whose Tradition is euidently credible of it selfe must be euidently perpetuall by succession from the Apostles Vniuersall by the notorious preaching of her Tradition diffused ouer the world One and the same and vniforme in all her Professours so that they all agree in the beleefe of all doctrine deliuered vnto them by the full consent of Tradition For they who of Traditions deliuered by full consent choose some and reiect others are Choosers that is Heretiques Nor can such Choosers choose but there will be amoÌ„gst theÌ„ variety of choyce and consequently dissension wherby they will appeare a company voyd of all authority and credit to testify what is the true Christian Tradition from the Apostles These be