derogatory from the maiesty of the diuine word to be conceaued in the spirit of man no more then it was from the Maiesty of the Sonne of God to be conceaued in the wombe of the B. Virgin Mary and that as there the Eternall Word was inuested with humane flesh so heere in these spirits of men as in the wombe of the Church the Word of God sowne by the holy Ghost should be inuested with humane notion and brought forth to light of the world in the guise of humane speach and voyce In which sense we may interprete that testimony of the holy Baptist Ego vox clamantis I am the voyce of the cryer as his voyce was the inuesture of that Word of the holy Ghost crying in the desert by which it was conueyed to the eares of mortall men so is the voyce and declaration of the Church the meanes by which the Word of God and all Truth contained in it is conueyed to our soules and vnderstandings And as that cry of the Holy Ghost was first conceaued in the spirit of the Baptist then vttered by his voyce to the world so these Scriptures were first conceaued in the Church those Apostolicall spirits in which they were first imprinted and inuested if I may so speak by the operation and Energy of that fire which appeared in tongues afterwards vttered vpon due occasions in words and writings As therefore those of that tyme heard the voyce of that cryer in the desart from the mouth of the Baptist so all Christians heare and must heare the word of God and diuine truth by the mouth of the Church Well then what this man so confidently auerreth that there is no ground yea that no ground can be pretended why we should hold Gods Church for so he must say if he say any thing against what his Aduersary sayes infallible vnles we first belieue the Scripture diuine I as confidently deny And for as much as respects priority or antecedency of beliefe since the Scripture as I haue said is no other word but what the Church hath and daily doth vtter vnto vs whether historicall or dogmaticall or howsoeuer first conceaued in the vnderstanding and spirit of the Church it followeth that as we haue receaued it vpon her credit telling and teaching vs that it is diuine so we must à Priori belieue the Church as infallible witnes or reporter before we can belieue the infallibility of Scripture which she reporteth it followeth also that we must belieue the Church interpreting the Scripture for it is incredible that any other man should better vnderstand what I speake according as I haue conceaued or what I meane by the words I speake then I my selfe the speaker who only intend to vtter my conceipt It followeth yet further that although there were no Scripture and these Christian Verities had descended to vs only by Tradition and by the testimony of former ages transmitting them successiuely from Christ to this present age we should be bound to belieue the Church that is that continued succession of men belieuing those Christian Verities vnles we will say there was no obligation vpon men to belieue in God and to worship him according to that beliefe before the tyme of Moyses before the Scriptures were For was not Circumcision obligatory before Moyses and was not the posterity of Abraham obliged to belieue and practise that tradition as of diuine authority of which our Sauiour sayth Moyses dedit rebis Circumcisionem non quia ex Moyse est sed ex Patribus He will say You proue the Church infallible by Scriptures your Scriptures must be first belieued infallible I answer we proue this out of Scriptures against such as professe to belieue Scriptures not the Church as out of their owne principles it followeth not thence that we first belieue the Scripturs diuine or infallible For though in methode of confuting such Aduersaries we begin with the Scriptures yet in the methode of belieuing we begin from the Church vpon whose credit we belieue the Scriptures to be diuine and according to this method commencing from the Church Christian fayth was first propagated among nations and imbraced by Heathens Nor will it be to the purpose to reply that Heathens were induced to belieue by reason of miracles This I say is not to the purpose how the Church gained this credit but hence it is inferred that in regard of Christian Beliefe the Church had the Precedency before Scriptures that is the Church was belieued before the Scriptures were belieued Wherefore to conclude this point if it be impiety not to belieue Scriptures as no doubt it is yet it is an impiety no way deducible from this doctrine that the beliefe of an infallible Church is precedent to the beliefe of Scriptures But it is not hard to conceaue by the very carriage of the busines as he handles it what he driues at in all this discourse which is indeed to euacuate all authority both of Church and Scriptures and vpon the ruines of both to build the Godles Socinianisme Therefore all inferences which may seeme any way to perplexe Christian doctrine or force it into straits are his aduantages It was the prudent industry of the Roman Consull to prouoke Catiline whose secret practises and designes vpon the Common-Wealth he had vnderstood into open warre and rebeilion for he supposed no Cittizen would then appeare in his defence or make the oppression of a Tyrant his quarrell As no man would approue the fyering of the house wherein himselfe were or wracking the shippe wherein he sayled himselfe I suppose likewise if this pretended Champion for Protestancy were once discouered and strip't to the naked truth of what he is indeed that is as I haue said a very Socinian Mole vnderworking euen Protestancy it selfe and all Religion no Protestant who hath any zeale of the Religion he professeth would euer be seene in his patronage nor willingly I thinke in his company nor would he vouchsafe the ordinary greeting or salutation as good-morrow Ep. 2. Joan. to him who acknowledgeth neither day nor morning of Christian religion or God saue you to him who doubts whether there be any such thing as God Saluation nor would they thinke him fit to conuerse among Christians who hath disputed himselfe out of all termes of Christian commerce and conuersation His Calumny concerning Protestants reputed Atheists c. by Catholiques SECT XXVIII Pref. YOu say fifthly and lastly sayth this Aduocate with confidence in abundance that none can deny the infallible authority of your Church but he must abandone all infused fayth and true religion if he de but vnderstand himselfe Answ This Aduocate himselfe is no small part of proof of the truth of this Hypothetique who since he hath relaps't from this doctrine of infallible authority of the Church hath withall disclaimed all infused fayth as his Aduersary hath charged him vpon information more then credible wherin that is in abandoning both I confesse
God and soone after deny it But if the Aduocate will goe back vpon euery such occasion of encounter he will shew no more wit then his horse that being in the way from the Vniuersity would needs be so curteous as to returne back with euery horse he met And I verily thinke as small an occasion and as weake a motiue will draw this man back to Socinianisme as the horse to his manger although perhaps the manger may haue beene the strongest motiue to both retrogressions and though perchance againe the Socinian horse knew better whither he returned and did it with a stronger resolution then his rider howsoeuer he might passe for a sufficient Hieroglyphique of a Socinian who is ready to turne in his way of opinion euery day with whomesoeuer obuious who shall giue him a reason of change stronger in apparence then the former that guided his iourney Againe if he will still float and swimme in Socinianisme vntill all differences of schooles be attoned he may for ought I know dye as he liues and well may he deserue to swimme after death too sowed vp into a lether-sacke and so cast into the sea to be depriued of all the elements at once I need not tell him for what crime that punishment was decreed But if he will not belieue there is any such thing as diuine Predestination vntill it be on all sides agreed whether it be ex praeuisis meritis or no or that there are any diuinely Elct vntill he can be certified why Iacob rather then Esau if he will buy no pots vntil the Potter yield him a coÌ„umcing reason why he made some pottes for baser seruices other for more honorable vses nay if it will not satisfy him to say there was vse for both kinds but will further vrge but why of this clay of this very peece of clay a pot of base seruice since he know's by his owne experience the Potter could haue made it a pot of Honour for so the Poët sayth Argillâ quiduis imitaberis vdâ soft day will take any forme It I say he will stand stiffe vpon these termes of dispute he will neuer fasten vpon any opinion of Diuinity nor buy any pots nor had that pot beene so stiffe when it was clay could the Potter euer haue made it a pot of any seruice whatsoeuer The truth is Christian Religion was neuer brought into the world by coursing and such Coursers vnlesse they change their course are too clamorous and quarelsome to expect admittance into the schoole of peace S. Paul will tell them in playne termes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. if any man seeme ambitious of Victory in contention of dispute we haue no such custome he may do well to matriculate himselfe in the new Academy among those Pyrrhonian Sceptiques whose life and religion is nothing else but dispute Of whom S. Paul may seeme to speake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they befor and foole their soules away in disputes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth S. Chrysostome there in the darkenes of discourse and naturall reasons as they are called by S. Leo Terrenarum caligo rationum mists of human reasons which is notwithstanding light and the only light with Socinians Against whom the Propher Esay pronounceth a curse Quiponunt tenebras lucem lucem tâ—nebras who impose the name of darknes vpon light and call light darknes as they who esteeme naturall reason light and the doctrine of fayth darknes Vaequi sapientes estis in oculis vestris Woe to you who are wife in your owne eyes that is the eyes of naturall reason who aspire to the knowledge of supernaturall â—uth by the light of nature therefore euery Socinian is a foolish Icarus ceratis ope Dedalâ—a Nititur pennis vitree daturus Nomina Ponto His Fallacious application of this his Aduersaries Position From truth no falshood in true consequence SECT XXXII Pref. I Might lastly adioyne sayth he that you fettle for a rule vnquestionable that no part of Religion can be repugnant to reason that from truth no man can by good consequence inferre falshood which is to say in effect that reason can neuer lead any man to error Answ This is in effect and really a false glosse but rather indeed it is in effect to say that reason can neuer lead any man to error from a truth by good consequence which is all one as to say no false Conclusion can flow by true consequence from true premises as such which his Aduersary said not vnawares as this Aduocate would haue you thinke but aduisedly and knowingly and which the very walles of their Logique Schooles proclaime Pref. And after you haue done you proclaime to all the world that if men follow their reason and discourse they will if they vnderstand themselues be led to Socinianisme Answ This is indeed nodum in scirpo to seeke a knot in a bulrush as though what his Aduersary sayth were any preuarication against the former principle from truth no falshood by good consequence But this Aduocate cannot touch a line of his Aduersaries discourse but he must sophisticate it one way or other His Aduersary sayth indeed that no man can deny the infallible authority of the Church but he must be left to his owne wit and way 's must abandon all infused fayth if be vnderstand himselfe aright Is this the same as to say that if men follow their reason and discourse they will be led into Socinianisme or rather that if they follow reason hauing reiected the authority of the Church which is to follow reason where reason cannot guide or where reason is blind they will at length be led away from all true religion thenceforward to Socinianisme or whither he list The ground of which discourse may be this or the like Naturall reason as such apprehendeth not supernaturall truth because such truth is aboue reason though not repugnaÌ„t to reason yea rather euery truth is reasonable and conforme to reason truly conceauing For which cause Christian Doctrine is called by S. Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rationall milke and according to true Metaphysicke all truth hath consistence within the spheare of a reasonable Vnderstanding therefore no truth can be repugnant to reason yet as the Moone though otherwise light by the illumination which it hath from the Sunne by which we see by night yet if it be opposed to the Sunne or interposed betweene the sunne and our eyes becomes both dark it selfe and endarkneth the sunne to vs so Reason standing in opposition to Fayth and that diuine light of day whence it receaues that little night-light which it hath is both it self in darknes and depriues our soules of the light of fayth Whence it comes to passe that Reason thus endarkned taketh Falshood for Truth or from a materiall Truth diuine reuelation misconceaued and so not Truth inferreth an vntruth euen by good consequence Hence now from misconceauing Reason or Reason opposing supernaturall Truth springeth a mutuall
granting to the Roman Church that attribute of Catholique which hath euer distinguish't the Church of God from all Hereticall Societies Separatist's and giuing to his Protestant the particular name of Separation which hath euer bene held a speciall character of Heresy Now it is euident that the Catholique Church of this age as distinguish 't from Protestants holds this point as a point of fayth and necessary to saluation That the Church of God is endued with infallible authority for determining questions or doctrines of Fayth◠which very point he constantly denyes Therefore it is false that he belieues if he belieue as he writes whatsoeuer the Catholique Church of all ages or the Catholique Church of this age holdeth necessary to be belieued His Purgation concerning temporall respects as Motiues to his change of Religion SECT XL. Pref. ANother great and manifest iniury you haue done me in charging me to haue for saken your Religion because it conduced not to my temporall ends c. Whereof if you could conuince me by iust strong presumptions I should then acknowledge my selfe to deserue that opinion c. that I changed not your Religion for any other but for none at all Answ His Aduersary seemes to charge him that hauing forsaken the Catholique he finally plunged himselfe into Socinianisme now this Aduocate confesseth in these words that Socinianisme is no religion which notwithstanding in the very same page he ranketh in the number of Christian professions For now he grants that if he can be conuinced to haue changed the Catholique for Socinianisme he hath chāged it for no religion at all It is true that this his chāge for Socinianisme can be proued no otherwise but by his owne words and actions which if they haue vpon seuerall occasions before many witnesses proclamed his iudgment concerning points of Christian Religion to harmonize with the doctrines and principles of knowne and profest Socinians surely these are presumptions strong inough at least as strong as can be expected in question of iudgment and opinions of men But now to the substance of the charge he saith nothing onely he attemps to disproue the motiues that is to proue those temporall ends to haue beene no motiues of his change which yet is more then he doth or can do Therfore in behalfe of those presumed ends and in confirmation of that presumption thus I argue only supposing first that he was in his wits when he made the change that it was voluntary and then secondly that no man in his wits and voluntarily maketh any change but for some end or ends then thus Whosoeuer may out of his owne words and demeanours be conuinced to haue changed religion for no religion may be conuinced to haue changed for temporall ends But M. Ch. may be conuinced out of his owne words c. to haue changed religion for no religion Ergo for temporall ends That Catholique religion is Religion or a Religion himselfe grantes That Socinianisme is no Religion he often seemes to grant and howsoeuer it is easily proued That he changed the Catholique for Socinianisme his owne words and actions and written doctrines testify euidently inough Now that no man changeth religion for no religion but for temporall ends is I thinke vndeniable For can any man be imagined to abandone all religion for an euerlasting end What to be the talke perhaps of posterity supposed neuer to end As he who is said to haue burn't Dianas Temple at Ephesus to be diffamed throughout the world and after ages for his villany and irreligion But let vs ponder his reasons by which he refutes this presumption of temporall end 's Pref. How is it possible that I should haue deserted your religion for end 's and our of desire of preferment since I refused which also you impute vnto me to subscribe the 39. Articles that is refused to enter at the Common doore which heere in England lead's to preferment Answ This is easily answerd by saying Some there are who enter Joh. 10. and not by the common doore no nor by the doore Againe those temporall ends might be many other besides Ecclesiastique preferments from enioying which this refusall of subscription could not exclude him But yet againe sayth he bow incredible is it that you should belieue that I forsook your religion as not suting with my desires and designes Pref. which yet reconciles the enioying of the pleasures and profits of sinne here with the hope of happines hereafter Answ This is manifestly false that Catholique Religion reconcileth the enioying of sinfull pleasures or profits of this life with hope of eternall happines but rather professeth and protesteth with S. Paul Neque fornicarij c. 1. Cor. 6. neither Fornicators nor I dolaters nor aduouterers nor the effeminate c. shall possesse the kingdom of God Yea further the Catholique Church denounceth Anathema against all such as Luther Caluin and the rest who reconcile Iustification with deadly sinne either by non-imputation or soli-fayth c. therefore of the Church it may be truly said Non enim qui operantur iniquitatem in vijs eius ambulauerunt for they who worke iniquity haue not walk'◠in her ways of doctrine Catholique doctrine denying all possibility of consistency to mortall sinne with sanctifying grace precludes all such sinne from hope of enioying eternall happines therefore he whose hopes ayme at any such reconciliation hath made a choyce better suting with his desires by changing the Catholique for Protestancy Pref. But the profession of Catholique Religion proposeth as great hopes of great temporal aduancements to the capable seruants of it as any nay more then any religion in the world Answ But what then if it proposed no such hopes to him If in so great a multitude of capable seruants and those of ancient and tryed seruice and fidelity who for that cause might very well expect to be preferred before him a late Proselyte nor sufficiently tried what I say if by reason of this interposall of so many iust pretenders aduancement from that profession stood aloofe to him and proposed to his hopes at a vast distance with litle probability of approach in any short space which proposition so qualified could be but a weak attractiue to a spirit ambitious that way And then what if he saw a shorter way to such aduancement proposed to him at home and extended towards him euen ouer the seas by a full and able hand Valer Flaccus as when Glory appeared from the transmarine shore to that Grecian Prince Iason with a laurell in her hand was it then incredible that if the motiues to his change were temporall ends he would lay hands on the most likely meanes and most conducing to those ends If he will giue vs leaue to belieue he had such ends since we cannot choose but belieue it sure he will giue vs leaue to thinke he was no foole Both which supposed the presumption of his Aduersary is iust and strong
THE IVDGMENT OF AN VNIVERSITY-MAN CONCERNING M. VVilliam Chillingvvorth his late Pamphlet in Ansvvere to Charity Maintayned ¶ Imprinted with Licence Anno M.DC.XXXIX TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL my Noble Friend N.H. SYR I must euer acknowledge my selfe obliged in term's of Friendship to satisfy your so reasonable demaund which is only to shew you my opinion concerning a late borne Treatise The Religion of Protestantss a safe way c. For your owne part you professe you are satisfied already for the matter it self that nothing solid or substantiall can come forth for the defence of so bad or offence of so good a cause but the world you say cries it vp and you would gladly see it disabused Indeed as concerning the vulgar acceptance I vnderstand no lesse and withall I remember how the Father or grand-Father of this was the popular applause and acclamation for a while those vpcryes comming often to my eares I said as often I confesse O saclum insipiens infacetum Grieuing togeather with some litle indignation that of true iudgment in writings of this nature there appeared so great penury and barrennes in this Land though I was not ignorant that very many were to be found of either Vniuersity whose more solid erudition and vnderstanding decry'd it as fast though not so lowd But before you haue my censure of the worke it selfe I shall acquaint you with the common voyce if perchance you haue not hard it concerning certaine circumstances of the Worke the why's and wherefor's the motiues to these enterprizings and aduocating for other men first of all concerning his ioint-printing and coedition of his Aduersary with his owne worke some said it was square and faire dealing other 's that it was a prodigious coniunction no losse then the Hippocentaure others that this committing himselfe with his Aduersary in the same volume would cause an odious comparison disaduantagious to the Author Sic interpositus vitio contaminat vncto Vrbica Lingonicus Tyrianthina Bardocucullus Sic Aretinae violant Chrystallina testae Sic niger in ripis errat cùm fortè Caeystri Inter Laedeos ridetur coruus olores Sic vbi multisonâ feruet sacer Athide lucus Improba Cecrâ—pias offendit pica querelas Vindice nil opus est aut charactire malignâ— Stat contra cuius tua sit mihi pagina clamat Which superlatiue difference they obserued as I conceaue rather in the spirit of writing then in the wording And namely they obserue that his personall reproaches his style of contumely compared with the ciuil and mild composure of his aduersary his iocularie and geering humor with the others graue and serious menage his fraudulent and sophisticall syllogizing with his plaine regular discourse his lurking and scotizing and affecting obscurity his ouercasting with mist's of subtile interpretations his aduersaries plaine wordes seeking or making the Knot where it is not parallel'd with the others opennes and endeauour to giue day to truth lastly his immethodicall structure and digesture of the whole worke confronted with the others perspicuity and light of order will appeare in this neerenes and vicinity much more contemptible then if they stood aloof and at distance in seuerall impressions Yet others say againe that euen in this he was wise and prouident in his generation yea that surely some higher power directed his designe as the Goddesse of wisedome is said to haue carried the arrow drawne at the brest of Menelaus vpon his belt so of no force to wound as was intended but yet inough to occasion continuance of the War and the ensuing victory of the Grecians that by these two prouisions diuine and humane of God M. Ch. if this commission be not yet more odious then the former many things are effected commodious to all sides To his aduersary whose worke by this opportunity is euery man's money and in euery mans hand 's Cum Priuilegio hath his protection from his aduersarie and out of a strange mistaking Charity is permitted to fight vnder his Shield like a little Teucer vnder his cozen Aiax buckler shooting not only at the common enemy but euen at Aiax himselfe out of a like confidence perhap's that hauing combatted himselfe and hauing beene too hard for himselfe so often he is vnconquerable by any other Nec quisquam Aiacem poterit superare nisi Aiax Commodious to the reader who hath the ioint-impression at an easier rate both of price and pain 's hath now no more to do but turne the leafe and if he please sing a new song yet with this odd's I confesse that while he read's or hardly read's the Catholique volume miserably contracted like another Homer into a nut-shel he beholds the Protestants Atturney like a new Edgar vnder saile gloriously swelling in displayed Characters Vt populus tumido gaudeat Antimacho Gainfull lastly to himselfe who by this co-impression becomes more vendible and makes a more swift returne of the commodity his friends buy him more greedily out of an appetite and curiosity to see the man committed face to face with his aduersarie how manfully he bestir's himselfe The friends of his aduersarie perhap's conuinc'd with the euidence of his discourse and deductions will be couetous to see what can be said to these how such arguments will be cleared how the Aduocate will vnty the Gordian Knot like an Aristotle or like an Alexander All men I thinke after so large and low'd promises of an vtter confutation will be desirous to vnderstand Quid dignum tanto ferat hic promissor hiatu Thus all sides a man would thinke will be pleased and he the author of this co-impression most of all who hauing beene at great charges and hauing his money out vpon the worke would gladly no doubt see it backe againe together with the fruite of his expectation And to say sooth who sow's but he would reape who plant's a vineyard but he would eat the fruit therof I haue met with some other Censurers who in my iudgment proceed too far this way taking the boldnes to penetrate those adita those very conclaues of men's intentions And whereas there are to be considered two ends in euery artificiall worke the one intrinsique the other extrinsique the former the end of the Art the later of the Artist this being so sacred that he might iustly interdict all ingresse to any mortal man might paint two snakes at the entrance with this Epigraphe Sacer hic locus extra c. Yet to such an Hyperbole of presumption are men arriued in this age that enter they will like any Purseuant into the very in-roomes and bowels of the most secret counsail's and designes of other men But while by glossing his intention they will seeme forsooth to excuse him in my opinion they do but geere him who as though they had heard what he spake in his hart take vpon them to personate him in his owne words What I do in this writing for Protestant's I do it not out
changes Victa racemifero Lyncas dedit India Baccho E quibus vt memorant quicquid vesica remittit Vertitur in lapides congelat aēre tacto I pray good after so much rocking and reeling he be not rock't a sleep become as deafe as a rocke nor by any wynd or storme of diuine threats or floods of reasons and persuasions any whit more moueable towards Religion Quà m si dura silex aut stet Marpesia cautes So that now to question his constancy of resolution in this kind were to question the constancy of the Moone which changeth so constantly euery moneth Notwithstanding I would haue you to take notice of the constancy of his discourse and how easily he falles of from his rocke within three lynes I know he may do so and yet be constant and true inough to his new Academiques for hauing immediatly before professed his rocky resolution vpon euident reasons not to belieue the Roman Doctrine he adioynes forthwith Pref. Neither truly were you more willing to effect such an alteration in me then I was to haue it effected Answ How standes this rocke of resolution vpon euident groundes not to belieue that is not to be altered with willingnes yea so much willingnes to be altered especially that euidence supposed by him to be such as no wynd c. no force of reason or persuasion could ouerthrow Vnles in saying his Aduersary was not more willing to effect such an alteration then himselfe to haue it effected he thought perhaps that his aduersary had no will at all to effect any such alteration as of one so often altered already that to alter him againe would not quit the cost conceauing that after another alteration he would be still more easy to be altered then euer to be setled who goes about to settle the wynd or fasten it to any one corner of the world or any thing else gouerned by the wyndes windmils or weather rocks or the like Pref. Yet because he makes shew of some desire to goe the right way to eternall happines though whether this way lye on the right hand or the left or straight forward to him it is indifferent Answ I will tell him my opinion which is that his way lyes neither on the left hand nor the right nor straight forward no nor backward though this last was not well omitted by him in his distribution as lying nearest to the right way but rather indeed straight downward as if you would settle a wether-cock in one constant positure the readiest way wil be to take it downe and place it on the ground This was the way S. Paul was put into though his alteration by the way is no Apology for this Atturneyes so often iterated reiterated alterations he changed with the change of the whole world Ecce ego noua facio omnia in Christo neque praputium neque circumcisio est aliquid sed nona creatura and t' was his fault he changed no sooner nor was it yet indeed a change For who will say he is changed who conuertes with him who is neuer changed in quo non est mutatio nec vicissitudinis adumbratio But this way Act. 9. I say was downeward Cadens in terram audiuit vocem c. Falling flat vpon the proued lying now eauen with himselfe that is with dust earth and nothing there he hard the voyce of his direction which eauenesse of place and center of truth he euer after kept both in life and doctrine qui existimat se aliquid esse cum nihil sit ipse se seducit he who thinks he is something being indeed nothing he beguiles himselfe At what tyme also he became blind that he might see For he was rather indeed shew'n then made blind he regained his sight by the imposition of handes of Ananias without further dispute who if he would haue disputed with him he could haue done it and remained blind still with a resolution built vpon a rocke of more euident groundes then any M. Aduocate hath to build vpon He would if he had beene of his humor haue questioned the credit of all those visions as being perhaps he would say illusions or at the least not infallibly true and then what could flow from those Principles more strong and infallible then the Principles themselues And suppose they were of infallible authority well then he was to persequute no more or if he were to be a Christian too yet why was Baptisme necessary why Circumcision not sufficient why such a Christian as Peter or Iohn See would he say how many Syllogismes you are short of the Conclusion you would infer Thus might he haue vanish't away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his disputes and haue proued rather a Vessel of Contention then Election And yet after all might haue returned with this or the like glory that he was now more confirmed in his beliefe of Iudaisme then euer or with somwhat like to this Ego exprobraui agminibus Israël hodie date mihi virum vt ineat mecum singulare certamen I haue braued the hostes of Israël this day challenging the best man among then to single combat of dispute with me I haue heard of some such Braues of the new Academy who had little cause of any such glory and who haue found their match more then once but they are so wise as to make their Aduersaries silence or secrecy their aduantage And yet I verily thinke you need not goe far to match this Goliath this Pythagorique Transmigration do but match him with himselfe if he fight not with himselfe yea if be not to hard for himselfe almost in euery page in some oftner then once or twice I dare be bound to answere the forfait As euen namely in this place hauing boasted his resolution built vpon a rock not to belieue the Roman Doctrine very soone after he professeth he retaines a Trauailer's indifference which way of religion to take of so many way 's as are now in the world When will this indifferent Trauailer come to his iourneys end who is not yet resolued of his way nor know's yet whether he be in it or no Yea and if he proue true to his principles will alwayes be thus indifferent So that if he haue gone twenty miles to day on the left hand of truth he wil goe to morrow as many on the right if he meete with a more apparent or howsoeuer more preuailing reason which may be nothing else perhaps but a better friend or some greater commodity or the like The third day you shall haue him gone as far a third way the fourth a fourth way and so forth and a thousand to one after many yeares you shall find him very litle aduanced in his way Inue Academiâ vmbriferâ nitidoue Lyceo In some Colledge-groue or Cloyster there you shall haue my indifferent Trauailer disputing of Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But where is now that inuincible Resolution Was it only a
premises of the Apostles feare and hiding themselues propter metum Iudeorum for feare of the Iewes Well then the Aduocate I will not say is deceaued but would deceaue for not all that fly the light hate the light Fallacy Light Equiuocall nay rather many flye the light because they hate darkenes For I hope it is not yet out of our memory or the memory of our Fathers that many by committing themselues to light haue beene committed to darkenes But howsoeuer is this to flye the light or triall of light to deny you personall meeting I would gladly know who more offer 's himselfe to light he who appeares in presence of fourty or twenty perhaps in some priuate Chamber or he who cometh forth vpon the stage of the world For I would aske the man what is it he pretend's by this prouoking to personall appearance Would he dispute with his aduersaries body his face his eys his forehead Grant that this Atturney hath the harder forehead hath nor his aduersary reason to eschew the encounter Or would he commit with with wit learning with learning c. If so he caÌ„not but know that the silent language of one Pen is lowder and further hard then the clamorous dispute of twenty Coursers and he who prefers a writing before a speaking iudge should me think 's in good coherence choose to be iudged rather by his pen then by his tongue For though the Apostles tongue he grantes were as good a rule as Scripture yet he who is no Apostle at least of the last twelue nor hath receaued their spirit though a clouen tongue must by vertue of his Principles and doth acknowledge Scripture a better iudge then speach If he loue the light indeed he should more loue the greater light If in confidence of his cause he desire to manifest his doctrine he doth best in making choice of such a light as wherin he may appeare not onely to a few but to many nor to the present in place alone but to the absent too nor onely to the present but to future ages For though he can speake low'd for a need yet he will scant be heard ouer the Thames disputing in Holbâ—rne nor in Westminster though in the vacancy but the voice of his Pen may be hard as far the Sequana and Poâ— and Rhenus and Tiber and Betiâ— Et Tagus Ganges forsan Antipodes And truly if he presume himselfe an equall match for so great vndertakings what shold he do els but manifest himselfe to the world and disabuse it Exalta in fortitudine vocem tuam tu qui euangelizas Sion you who euangelize Reformation to the Church of God exalt your voyce by the strength of your Pen the voyce of your tongue will proue too weake were it the voyce of ten Stentors If verily he affect notice and manifestation of a truth so presumed why will he choose to print those his waighty disputes rather in the aire then in written monuments if he please of brasse yea to out-liue the life of brasse or marble The truth is he wrongs his discretion by seeming to thinke otherwise and so shall he who belieues he doth nor his loue of light could not choose but be ambitious of this greater light yet howsoeuer he shews the folly of his fallacy in twyting his Aduersaries hate or feare of light who hath chosen to encounter him in the greatest light euen in the eye of the world The Application of this sentence of our Sauiour Qui malè agit c. to the Socinians SECT II. THE Atheist or the Embryo of Atheist the new Academy hateth the light indeed and therefore dixit insipient in corde suo c. he hath said it in the silence and secrecy of his owne hart where no body heares what he saith but they who are one heart with him They lurke in silence and obscurity although they walke at midday in open view in the market place yet still they fly the light they whisper in corners they will not speake plainly what they thinke what they belieue they sculke in Allegories and false pretences casting euer and anon cloudes of doubtfull questions ouer the most cleare and orthodox and receaued Doctrines Then they steale vpon you in the darknes vntill by little and little they leaue you no light of any positiue truth no fayth no grace no supernaturall blisse no Sunne aboue the Moone no God aboue the God of nature and reason confined within the necessity of the one and the short and narrow marches of the other Yet all this while this implicite or disguised Atheist holdes faire intelligence with our Protestant salutes him curteously takes him familiarly by the beard as though he would kisse him meane while with a flash of his sword through his side powre's out all his entralles of fayth and charity The poore Sonne of Abigail obserued not the sword hanging in a false sheath of counterfaite Religion whence it could easily slip out no more is this poysoned dagger of Socinians obserued hidden in the sheath of Protestancy or pretended ioyning with them against the Roman wherewith while he fleeâ—es in the face of Protestancy he giues it the deadly stabbe euen through the sides of Papacy These are indeed those Lucifugae those fly-lights those rationall Batts that sana ratio that sober mystery of iniquity negotium perambulans in tenebris the busines that walk's in darknes in tenebris in regione mâ—rtis in the misty and darkesome coast of sin and heresy These not daring to appeare vnto the world in the light of print in their owne guise of doctrine principles least so vgly Monsters should affright euen heresy it selfe in couert of his wing and in his nest hatch forth those griping Harpies Socinian problems that rauish religion out of the world defile and pollute all that 's pure and holy in Christian Fayth with their doctrine of Naturality sauouâ—ing of nothing but flesh and bloud c. Tristius haud illis monstrum nec sauior vlla Pestis ira Deum stygys sese extulit vndis Virginei volucrum vultus foedisâ—ima ventris Proluuies vncaue manus c. Would God would open the eyes of these our Countrymen especially our Vniuersities the two ey 's of this kingdome who vnwittingly and vnwillingly as I verily presume are made the stalking-horses to this Godlesse Academy this Progeny of viper's this issue of Heresy but which comming to light will kill that too and extinguish that litle remnant sparke of whatsoeuer beliefe or acknowledgment of a Christ of a Sauiour of mankind quaerunt extinguere scintillam meam quae relicta est vt non supersit viro meo nomen reliquiae super terram seeke to abolish and raze out of all notice and memory the very name of Christ Christianity So may the holy Church complaine of this Gigantique race in behalfe of his spouse who died to redeeme mankind whom these men seeke to murder againe in his seed
Will he reprehend the seeking of the kingdom of God for this or the forsaking temporall estates to follow Christ in a higher way of perfection because the gaine and returne is a hundred fold in this life and therefore makes for the temporall ends of such men And are these our beaux Esprits Are these the learned new Academy that cannot make this distinction between making and being made or are they rather indeed en bon François in plaine English dull and earthly Spirits and which least they would heare not Wit 's but silly Fellows Who if they could once resolue vpon a God or any such not only omnipotent but free agent who could do and giue what he pleased should rather betake themselues with Salomon who had I thinke as good a naturall wit as the best of the new Academy and shew'd a much better in making such a choyce and in the acknowledgment of his owne weakenes and want betake themselues I say to their prayers that they might receaue the spirit of Wisedom from heauen without which spirit no meruaile if they haue no palate of heauen nor as being indeed meerely Animals any rellish of spirituall things But neither indeed do they belieue there is any such thing as holy spirit Et quem non inuenit vsquam Esse putat nusquam Concerning different opinions among Catholiques the Aduocates Fallacy and Calumny SECT X. AFter all these Rhetoricall pretermissions of temptations into so he writes and principles of Irreligion and Atheisme in Catholique doctrine as considerations which he wil seeme to esteeme of lesse moment thereby to prepare your expectation to some more weighty Only I should desire you sayth he to consider attentiuely when you conclude so often from the differences of Protestants Pref. that they haue no certainty of any part of their religion c. Whether you do not that which so magisteri ally you direct me not to do that is proceed a destructiue way c. Ans Now this Pretermissiō is no figure but a fraud Fallacy for his aduersary directs him not to proceed a meere destructiue way Now this restrictiue particle meere fraudulently left out is no figure but a fallacie of pretermission and makes indeed a kind of Non-sense in his Aduersary where there is a good and plaine sense For whosoeuer will throw downe the doctrine of another must proceed a destructiue way but he who doth nothing else but throw downe and builds nothing as he who doth nothing but ouerthrow doctrines of religion holdeth nothing prositiue in religion at least in coherence of his doctrine he proceeds a meere destructiue way and a meere Antimachus he is an Ismael sonne of Agar secundum carnem genitus a child of the flesh and therefore as euery Socinian doth persequutes the free-borne child the yssue of the Spirit but what sayth the Scripture Eijce ancillam filium eius non enim erit haeres filius ancillaecum filio liberae cast forth the handmaid and her sonne for the sonne of the hand-maid shall not coherit which the sonne of the free-woman Indeed one house could not hold them Why because Ismael was terrae homo a fierce condition'd man manus eius contra omnes manus omniam contra eum his hands against all men and all mens hands against him which is in effect to say he proceeded a meere destructiue way And I pray you is not a Socinian such an Ismael whose hands are vp against all Professors of Christianity since his reasons principles tend as his Aduersary chargeth him to the ouerthrow of all Christian Profession no lesse then of Catholique religion And doth he not deserue that all Christian hands should be employed about his eares with vnanimous consent to extinguish such a Giant But doth the sonne of Sarai proceed a meere destructiue way he dares not say it as bold as he is therefore he onely sayes he proceeds a destructiue way wherein he doth well and as euery confutant must do otherwise he doth nothing Pref. But his aduersaries Arguments so he retorts obiected against the Protestant tend to the ouerthrow of all religion because sayth he as you argue Protestants differ in many things therefore they haue no certainty of religion so an Atheist or a Sceptique may conclude as well Christians and the Professors of all religions differ in many things therefore they haue no certainty of any thing Ans I know well these are the ordinary Socinian Topickes which this man hath by hart whence they are wont to argue themselues out of all religion And it is a very Socinian and Atheisticall argument indeed that is a foolish one as foolish as this Euery man is a man therefore no man is a Christian For though euery man be a man and therefore subrect to errour some more some lesse some in one thing some in another whence difference of opinions ariseth and vncertainty is concluded yet some men are Christians and as such in matters defined to be of faith not differing nor vncertaine They should deduce thus if they would conclude to the purpose they intend Christians in points of fayth defined by their Church to be such the definition of which Church they hold as their rule of fayth disagree among themselues therfore they haue no certainty in points of religion then the solution is ready I deny that such Christians who rely on that autority of the Church defining as all Catholique Christians do disagree in any poynt of religion so defined therefore this inference of vncertainty from the differences of doctrines in poynts of fayth fals heauy vpon the backs of all Sectaries nor can be shaken off but toucheth not the Catholique Whence they should conclude if they were indeed wise and gallant either the Catholique or none Not as they are wont there is difference of opinions and doctrines among Professors of Christianity betweene Lutherans and Caluinists c. and the Catholique from them all therefore there is no certainty therefore no religion at all and therefore lastly I will be an Atheist or Socinian Whereas if these Sceptiques would be feriously sceptique indeed that is serious inquisitors of truth and not make it their whole life and busines euer to seeke neuer to find like those sylly and sinfull women of whome S. Paul semper discentes numquam ad scientiam veritatis peruenientes always learning and neuer arriuing to the knowledge of truth nay if they did not set downe for their last arrest despaire of euer knowing with those foolists Sceptiques and Pyrhonians lastly if they could be persuaded that they heare what they heare or see what they see certainely they might see discerne a vast disparity betweene these two kinds of differences the differences of Sectaries among themselues in most substantiall points of faith and those of Catholiques discepting and discussing difficulties occurring as yet vndecreed and vndetermined by authority as children of truth neuer ceasing to inquire after it
the Minotaure Semibouemque virum semiuirumque bouem that Amphibion that riddle in Religion and shew him to the world he is a copious Argument indeed a wide field wherin a man may sooner loose him then find any right way out But his Calumnies and Sophismes are my taske and these yet which way soeuer he takes and in all his digressions and bypath's he is not vnmindfull to sow most plentifully as euen in this barren place where he new-molds his Aduersaries reasons into a Syllogisme as it pleaseth himselfe such as he can most easily play vpon and such I dare say as neuer came into his Aduersaries dreame nor is indeed any probably deduction from his discourse Pref. Who would not laugh at him sayth he that should argue thus Neither the Church of Rome nor any other Church is infallible Ergo the doctrine of Arrius Pelagius Eutyches Manichaeus was true doctrine Answ Thus he laugh's at his owne iest and it is indeed ridiculous and ridiculously patcht ' vp out of his Aduersaries words where he sayth that from the formentioned capital Heresy all other heresies follow at ease But thus indeed he might haue collected had it pleased him to be serious in amatter of such consequence rather then to make it his disport The perpetually Visible Church of Christ according to Protestants is not infallible Ergo for ought they know or can conuince the doctrine of Pelagius Manichaus c. is true doctrine and this will proue indeed a solid and stronge Enthimeme whence a manifest absurdity euen in the doctrine of Protestants is concluded out of this their maine principle that the Church of God may â—rre in proposing things vntrue to be belieued as diuinely reuealed and then further if this absurdity fall directly and in true consequence from that principle it must necessarily follow according to the very elements of Logicke that the principle it selfe is absurd and vntrue For by that receaued Axiome Nothing giueth what it hath not though it may happen that some Premises or Principles may inflow some lesse absurdity into the Conclusion then is contained in their proper notion and efficiency because the absurdities hidden in the vertue or force of some principle are not discerned in their whole latitude by euery vnderstanding as being not able to penetrate and sound the Principle yet a greater absurdity they can neuer in flow be the vnderstanding neuer so comprehending it followeth then that this maine principle of Protestancy is as absurd and vntrue as this Consequent is or perhaps much more and this inference offering it selfe most readily and euidently inough resulting in his Aduersaries discourse from that principle this Aduocate is so far from impugning it that he seemes to take no notice of it but shapes his aduersaries ArgumeÌ„t in his own fancy such as he can deale with all combats an imaginary Foe Proque viro nebulam or like an Aiax in his rauing fit wreak's his fury vpon a silly sheep insteed of an Vlysses Now in this mood while he hath hay in his hornes he is an vnfortunate man who comes neere him he lays about him like a Hercules furens spares not his owne Mother if she come in his way because no body comes he fall's most desperately vpon his owne Chimeraâ—es as Fornication to be legitimated hereafter by the Church not improbable and the whole Communion to be taken away from the Laity Ah tender and compassionate Soule how he zeal's for his brethren And where was this pittifull zeale or zealous pitty when togeather with Transubstantiation and reall Presence the whole Communion was taken away not only from the Laity but from the Clergy too no more remayning in that Sacrament then what you may call for at home Now truly this is a ridiculous Calumny not worthy inough to come from a ioynd-stoole much lesse from a diuinity Chaire to complaine of taking the drinke away from the Laity when themselues haue left neither meate nor drinke neither for Priest nor Laity Howsoeuer the Catholique Church giues the cuppe too no lesse then the Protestant for either in the Protestant cuppe there is something else then wyne or nothing else If nothing but wyne this is also giuen to our Catholique Laity when they communicate iâ— somewhat else what else the reall Presence and Transubstantiation once denyed Some ingredient perhaps of a strong imagination working with this or the like spell crede quod habes habes And how can any man tell that our Laity cannot imagine as strongly as they can Or if they cannot t' is but a fancy difference and if but a vaine and idle fancy what haue they gotten more then the Catholique A matter of nothing to coole their wyne withall His Calumny concerning VVorship of Angells Traditions Latin seruice c. SECT XVI AFter this he strikes at the worship of Angels to be reuenged perhaps of the striking Angell that slew the first-borne in Aegypt then at Traditions and teaching mens commaund's for doctrines Latin-seruice Images c. Verily I can hardly belieue that M. Ch. had a stomack strong inough to digest these many and many tymes sodden Crambes inough to kill fourty maisters Occidit miseros crambe repetitae magistros and I could easily suspect some other had a great hand in the cookery and ingested a great part of these ingredients And is all our expectation come to this after his ingenuous acknowledgment when tyme was that Charity maintayned could not be defeated by any forces of Protestancy nor by any of those accustomary attempts and practises and that notwithstanding he had a way and had found where and wherewith he could inuade them strongly and beat them from their former hold's which was to say in effect Dicam infigne recens adhuc Indictum ore alio Now after all this to come forth in a thredbare sute patcht ' vp with old shred's of a number of stale Arguments and Obiections Vilia vendentem tunicato scruta popello such as in his first Protestancy he would not haue stoopt ' to take vp Well then I see any disgrace is credible inough in him who hath throwne away his Target and see I pray you what the famine and penury of a staru'd cause may do Iob. Quae prius nolebat tangere anima mea nunc prae angustiâ cibi mei sunt what heretofore my soule loathed now for very need is become my food The truth is he was resolued vpon other prouision when he made this quarrell his enterprize nor was he ignorant of these hard exigents and these narrow passages whereunto the Protestant cause hath beene and is daily driuen by the Catholique therefore he had determined with himselfe to draw him forth into the wide Champian and spacious plaines of Socinianisme Now being cros't in his course sic visum Superis so the Gods would haue it he is fallen into the ordinary beaten way of his Anti-Catholique Ancestry and which I assure my selfe not long since he hartily disdain'd
now he can vouchsafe to gleane after them And howsoeuer since Non-Conformity is now become out of all way of profit and preserment to say as they say and thinke with himselfe Pref. therefore to vse his words seeing we see these things done by him which hardly any man who knew him could belieue he would do what wonder if he goe forward still like to himselfe with as little modesty and moderation as hitherto For now he can call Catholique Honour and Reuerence towards the Images of our Sauiour or his Saints Idolatry and the legall proceeding of Catholique Countries against Heresies by them adiudged capitall crimes Murder and forgets in what coast of the world he writeth this and whose hart he wounds through the sides of Catholiques and how pretence of Heresy and pretence of Treason is laid by him to the charge of so many lawes and statutes lately prouided in such cases which remaine in force of vnrepealed decrees And may not this man write any thing so he write against Catholiques But can any man belieue that M. Ch. his first defection from Protestancy was so blind and headlong that he considered not whither he went Or that he knew not the Catholique doctrine concerning the vse of Pictures a Question so commonly vext and ventilated among Protestants Or is he the only Animal that in all spontaneous commigrations foreknow's only the whence but not the whither Or was he so wicked and irreligious that he would make choise of Idolatry Or conceaued he so meanely of the Profession for which he is now become so desperate a Whiffler that in his iudgement he plac't it behind Idolatry Or is lastly the Catholique vse of pictures become Idolatrous since he recoil'd secondly to Protestancy And with his reuolt from it is the Catholique doctrine reuolted from it selfe And may we not then iustly feare a generall Apostasy in the course of nature if M. Ch. should chance to turne once more Xanthe retro propera versaque recurrite lymphae His Calumny That Catholiques execution of Heretiques is Murder discussed and retorted SECT XVII Pref. DEuises haue beene inuented by Catholiques how men may worship Images without Idolatry kill innocent men vnder pretence of Heresy without murder Answ This point was not to be sleightly passed ouer contayning a notorious and fallacious Calumny wherein also if you obserue well you shall espy the Socinian mole working vnderneath Do but commaund your eyes a little patience If Heresy be only the pretended cause what is the latent true Cause which is pretexed or veiled vnder the name of Heresy What is that causa precatarchica that chiefly prineipally though couertly mouing cause if this be the euident and apparent cause only As when in the age of our Fathers some lost their liues vnder pretence of Treason it was easy to assigne the true cause practise or profession of ancient Religion made treagon by new Lawes Let him likewise declare vnto the world the true cause or causes pretens't and cloak't with the crime of Heresy in the procedures of Catholikes in those their capitall sentences and executions vpon Heretiques other then their willfull obstinacy in maintaining hereticall opinions I suppose now that Heresy is punishable by death euen in the opinion and practise of chiefest Protestants Caluin Beza Bellarm. de laicis l. 3. c. 22 and others being also the knowne and receaued doctrine of Fathers and Councels grounded vpon expresse testimonies of holy Scriptures And this a man would thinke to be the opinion of this Aduocate for euen in that he termes the killing of innocent men vnder pretence of Heresy Murder he should seeme to intimate that death executed vpon Heresy not the pretended but the true and primely mouing cause is not Murder nor killing of innocent men As he who calleth Death for Treason only pretended Murder supposeth that Treason it selfe truly so named is iustly punishable by Death will he then say that those opinions were not indeed Heresies but falsely supposed such or only made criminall vnder the name of Heresy and as such or insteed of such punished by death Which being neuer yet proued but rather the contrary conuinc't by all the Arguments and profes wherby any opinion can be conuinc't hereticall is in no wise now to be assumed And yet further if those opinions haue beene fore-iudged or fore-damned for Heresies Catholique posterity hauing those precedents according to those sentencing alike the very same Heresies cannot surely with any probability be said to haue proceeded to capitall condemnation of such opinions only vnder pretence of Heresy And if notwithstanding all those precedents of Antiquity authorities of Fathers Councels c. defining such opinions to be Hereticall what in after ages hath beene done according to those precedent Decrees and Definitions may be yet traduc't to a coulorable proceeding against such doctrines vnder pretence of heresy why may not likewise in the ciuill Gouernment of all Christian Common-wealths throughout the world capitall proceedings against many crimes in this present age according to Precedents Lawes of former tymes be brought back into dispute and Iudges of Assises condemned for their pronouncing capitall sentence against such delinquents and such and such demeanors vnder pretence of capitall Crimes being indeed would these men say no crimes at all or not iustly punish't with death And surely I belieue it will be hard for any Christian in consonancy to Christian doctrine to thinke that laycke and secular Precedents and Statutes may not with as litle scruple be recalled into question as Ecclesiastique Decrees or to giue a reason why the authority of a Nationall Synod Senate of Parlament should be more inuiolable then the authority of an Occumenicall Councell especially if we consider and belieue that this later authority both in regard of matter forme the things decreed and the manner of decreeing is of a nearer approach and accesse to diuine Law 's and Ordinances then the former If then Sentences and Iudgments conformable to Senatory or Parlamentory Statutes must not be esteemed colours and pretences only much more the sentences and executions of the Church in conformity to Ecclesiasticall orders and Constitutions cannot but absurdly be presumed to be only pretensions veilings and maskings of some hidden mistery of malice or pollicy For when the true cause is both apparent and of it selfe sufficient to authorize the proceeding of the Magistrate what need of masking and cloaking causes when whatsoeuer hidden or concealed cause is lesse valid and a lesse sufficient warrant for such proceedings then those publicke and noterious Decrees and Lawes prouided in such cases His Fallacy discouered his supposall of no Heresy according to Socinianisme SECT XVIII NOtwithstāding all this he hath yet an euasion though a very secret and close one somewhat like to the escapes of those amorously pursued riuers which Poet's fable vnder the ground whence we simple men while we thinke to follow him in open view and aboue ground
then other Churches are no then the Church of Rome Yet let them haue made of him what they can or what they list a Vessell of Honour or Contumely since by their all-sufficient Canon of Scripture they are vnquestionable for what they do or make of such matter yet I assure my selfe he will neuer be able to make good this comparison or parity vntill he make it euident when and how that notorious change entred into the Roman Church whence the Church of England receaued Christian Religion how and when I say the Roman Church Apostated from her selfe For vntill then we shall neuer cease to extoll in comparison her first birth and entrance first sowne and planted by Apostolicall euangelizing then watred with the blood of two principall Apostles as is extant vpon record of irrefragable testimony then the entrance of the same Religion from thence propagated into other nations togeather with the entrers and founders of the same all men of knowne and eminent sanctity to extoll I say these entrances of the Roman Religion in comparison with the infamous ingredientes of defection from that Church into some of the same Nations achieued by men or monsters rather of most celebrated infamy and stigmatized Worders Had the Church of Rome needed reformation were these likely or probable instruments a Friar with his dis-nun'd and de-uirginated Concubine Or a second branded and inusted Institutor Or that third Poet of his owne bi-sexe and heterogenious Loues Felicia tempora quae ves Moribus opponunt habeat iam Roma pudorem Happy tymes that haue such reformers now Rome hath cause to blush Most certainly the wisedom of God neuer made choyce of such Apostles who sayth Qui mihiministrat me sequatur he that doth my seruice let him follow me All morall and Christian Vertues especially contempt of the world and of all interest respect of flesh and blood vsher'd and accompanied the entrance of the Roman Catholique Religion wheresoeuer it entred Many well knowne and notorious vices paued the way to nouell Heresies and entred with them yea grew from the very root 's and principles of them Which very Paralell and one point of comparison whosoeuer shall haue duely considered and seriously waighed let him in gods Name dispute parities of the Church of England with the Roman Church The rest which followeth in this 16. Paragraph concerning the Popes infallibility is nothing else but rauing language the ouerflowing exuberance of his pregnant passion To which it is full inough to answer in this place That the Pope neuer hath nor euer shall define vice to be Vertue or the contrary nor oblige men to belieue Antichristianity Christianisme or Christianity Antichristian nor lead men by any such doctrine into Socinianisme into Turcisme yea these are the mans word 's vnto the diuell himselfe if he haue a mind to it Yet I confesse giue him his due this was no ill order'd consecution from Socinianisme to Turcisme from Turcisme to the Diuell though perhaps the progresse might haue beene better gisted thus From Turcisme to Socinianisme from Socinianisme to the Diuell at the very middle doore of which three I heare this Aduocate dwell's if any chance to enquire of him Domui paries communis vtrinque deuided from either with a common wall so that his mutuall intelligence with both is both facile and credible His concealed Arguments for Socinianisme SECT XXX ALthough this Atturney of Protestants would seeme to deserue of them his fee yet he will not faile to aduance his owne cause or his most owne Socinianisme which is I doubt his finis cui his most intended affaire Wherefore as he laboureth in behalf of Protestants to weaken yea to abolish all infallibility of the Church of Christ so he endeauours out of the doctrines of some Catholiques to vnnerue the testimony of Scriptures vpon the authority of which the whole fabrick of Protestancy is pretended to rely For who seeth not what aduantage he with his Socinian Academy will draw from hence As thus Doctrines of Christian fayth according to Protestants cannot be proued by the Authority of the Church for that authority with them is errant Againe some of them in the opinion of Papists cannot be sufficiently proued by Scriptures as that maine point of their fayth and hope the mistery of the Trinity therfore if we harken to both or belieue both since whether rather to belieue we know not it can no way be proued Whence with a Diagorus the surnamed Atheos or a Protagorus concerning any such thing as Trinity and soone after as Deity they will returne a Non liquet it is not certaine For me who haue enterprized the discouery of his Fallacies together with some hidden driftes and mines alone it shall not be necessary or requisite to pursue his seuerall testimonies of Catholique Writers they will do it no doubt at the least so far forth as they shall deeme it needfull who vndertake the answere of this great Pamphlet though I verily thinke it will proue magis operosum quà m operae pretium the haruest will neuer render the seed in so barren a field And I do not know but a man may suspect he had a mind to entertaine his Aduersary hastning after him in examining his witnesses were it but to slow his pursuite like as Medea scattered her brothers bones in her flight from her Father to retard their speed who eagerly pursued her while they stayd to gather them vp Yet was she neuer sure so peeuish a shrew as to quarrell with them for not gathering them vp cleane as this Aduocate doth in behalfe of his Clients scattered bones which notwithstanding I certainly thinke his aduersary either hath done or would haue gathered to a bone if he had thought them indeed his bones and not rather some other watry or aery substance Only after a more short and generall way I answere as concerning those Scriptures out of which as he sayth some of our Writers deny that the Trinity can be conuinc't ad hominem thus M. Ch. himselfe hath denyed in the hearing of sufficient witnesses that this point of Christian beliefe can be proued out of Scripture and said that it can lesse be so proued then the Catholique doctrine of Transubstantiation which he with his Agonotheâ—'s the Protestants constantly deny possible to be proued by Scriptures Whence thus I argue M. Ch. sayth the B. Trinity cannot be proued by Scripture he the same denieth that any point can be held as of diuine fayth but what is proued out of Scripture therefore he denieth that the Trinity is to be belieued as of diuine fayth Ergo he belieues not the B. Trinity as a Christian therefore he is none So by his owne doctrine he leades himselfe to Turcisme or Socinianisme or to the diuell himselfe if he haue a mynd to it Moreouer I answere those Catholique Writers no doubt from those lesse expresse and conuincing authorities of holy Scriptures lesse I say conuincing of themselues abstracting from
falshood spring originally either from the frailty and ignorance of man or from the malice of the Diuell whose worke all Heresy and Falshood is To dissolue which worke of the Diuell the consubstantiall Word of the Eternall Father became man that man in him might become victorious ouer all falshood and Heresy which is the doctrine of flesh bloud the schoole and Iesson of the world which makes a party against Christian Religion Pref. Againe What if saith he the names of Priests and Altars so frequent in ancient Fathers though not in the now Popish sense be now resumed Answ I would fayne know when he will be so good as to shew vs the different sense of these names in the vse of ancient Fathers from the now Popish sense Neuer But at the least by this nominall Conformity the Church of England is put in a state by this regard more iustifiable against Bapists then before being hereby enabled to say to Papists whensoeuer these names are obiected we also vse the names of Priest and Altars and yet belieue neither the corporall presence Pref. nor any proper or propitiatory Sacrifice Answ But to omit that the ancient Fathers most frequently mention a Proper sacrifice too yea and a reall and corporall presence of Christ his body and blood in that sacrifice of the Altar wherin the Priest is sacrificant that all these things names are equally frequented by the vse of ancient Fathers it were well to consider whither this euasion will lead vs to wit into the very Hell of Sonanianisme Will you proue the Fathers belieued the Trinity Why Because there is frequent mention in them of three Persons Father Sonne and the Holy Ghost We Socinians also vse these names and yet we belieue not the Trinity in the now Popish sense nay they might apply this euasion to whatsoeuer mystery of fayth now generally belieued by Christians and of frequent mention in the holy Fathers Pref. Lastly sayth he what if Protestants be now put in mynd that for exposition of Scriptures they are bound by a Canon to follow the ancient Fathers which whosoeuer doth with sincerity it is vtterly impossible he should be a Papist Answ There spake a Iewell Behold the Phenix newly hatcht in his ashes already flush now this was well flowne surely he was resolu'd to strike home And an Hyperbole flyes from him with as great facility as an euen Truth but I know his shift that the Fathers had some priuate opinions which the Church hath antiquated and Catholiques now hold not orthodox therfore they who follow them will this Aduocate say cannot be Papists But this consequence is not worth a rush for those Fathers neuer held those opinions in opposition against the Church but were alway's ready to follow what the Church would determine in those points of doctrine as then vndefined like as they most readily imbraced all her doctrines already defined By which two Catholique properties their actuall conspiring in things defined and preparation to conspire in things to be defined they were truly Papists and whosoeuer follow 's those Fathers in this it is vtterly impossible he should not be a Papist The rest ensuing in his vindication of English Deuines is partly nothingelse but animosity of deniall and offering as it were to course sense with reason to proue by reason that the eyes of men see not what they see or see what they see not partly meere impertinences nothing to disprooue that change and alteration which his Aduersary describes but neither censures nor reprehends at all as this Sophist would make men belieue which done then after his solemne manner of conclusion he triumph's sicut exaltant victores captâ predâ quando diuidunt spolia as victor's are wont to exult hauing gotten some booty when they deuide the spoyles For euen so he deuides his presumed victory amongst his friends giuing euery man his share Pref. And thus my friends I suppose are clearely vindicated from your scandal's and Calumnies Answ No doubt as clearely as those were truly Calumnies and scandal's which were either none or they were his and of his owne making as I suppose I haue clearely proued His Answere to some personall Imputations SECT XXXVII Pref. IT remaineth now that in the last place I bring my selfe fairely off from your foule aspersions Answ Thus the Aduocate now his owne Clyent But by his leaue if this method can stand with the order of Charity which they say begins at home sure it doth not with the order of good Rhetorique according to which order he should first haue remoued his personall preiudices that he might be heard more fauourably in the behalfe of his Clyents or friends God himselfe may seeme to haue prescribed this order Peccatori autem dixit Deus Psalm 49. quare tu enarras Iustitias meas God said to the Sinner why dost thou preach my righteousnes God himselfe would not be iustified by a sinner Which very words of the holy King when that great Origen after his lapse moued by some intreaty of friends to say something out of the Chaire had chanc't to fall vpon them at the first ouerture of the booke are reported by some to haue drawne teares from his repentant silence insteed of speach of explicatiō By this rule then he should not in the last but rather in the first place haue iustified himselfe that so all rubbs of exception against his owne Person being taken away his iustification of other men might haue found a smoother way to the acceptāce of indifferent iudgments But I can as easily pardon his fayling in the rules of Rhetorique as of Logick of which he makes so loud profession and which he hath taken for his Cynosure in Religion in place of the Church of God yet if he affoard vs but truth in any method or order whatsoeuer for my part I can be satisfied Let vs now behold how he wipes off those foule aspersions They are only a number of false and impious doctrines petty charges which he saith he will not name in particular in that professeth his owne discretion and prouidence not to assist his Aduersary in spreading of his owne vndeserued defamation And yet for all that some man would thinke so many and mighty imputations should deserue an Apology Now in one word and that a word which no Socinian cares for he answers all Pref. Whosoeuer teaches or holds them let him be Anathema Againe The summe of all those charges cast vp by your self is this Nothing ought or can be certainely belieued further then it may be proued by euidence of naturall reason whosoeuer hold's so let him be Anathema Answ You haue his Laconique Answer to all Now Syr if the man be yet a Socinian as the presumption that he is is very graue and grounded what hath he said in saying let him be Anathema What waight hath this imprecation in the Socinian schoole Truly as much as a feather blowne to and fro by
vnderstanding men comparing this Admonition with the profession and function of the Admonisher will interprete it a duety or a necessary Charity They I say who shall consider that the prudence of Almighty God ouer his Church hath for all tymes deputed certaine men to the charge and office of Gardian of Watch of Sentinell according to that of the Prophet Jsa 62 Super mures tues Hierusalem constitui custodes c. Vpon thy wals Hierusalem I haue placed watchmen will not only hold them worthy pardon but prayse too who discharge this office faythfully which followeth in that place Totâ die nocte non tacebunt c. Day nor night they shall not be silent And if men of that charge and prefecture be worthily honoured with the appellation of Angels to them most fitly may be applyed what the other Prophet sayth Angelis suis Deus mandauit de te c. God hath charged his angels to guard thee c. Yea were the Incumbent of such a Ministery neuer so meane of quality yet the obligation fals vpon him with his function to signify the approach of the thiefe or enemy Ezech. 33. and they who shall heare this sound of signification are likewise bound to take notice and stand vpon their Guard And yet if there be any who shall hold either their owne or other the like watchments silence or conniuency in these occasions of impendent dangers their greater prudence or discretion yet euen this their prudhominy or caution may be so much the more exensable if their stilnes be supplied by the barking of others And for this cause they will I thinke at the least excuse if not cherish such who by discharging them vndertake the whole burden of Enuy and perill vpon themselues But to such a minister who hath apostated and reapostated from Religion take which you will who hath delegated any such authority Vnles he will take it for his warrant which is written in the Canticles Posuerunt me custodem in vineis Cant. â— Vineam meam non custodiui they haue appointed me a keeper in the vineyards my owne Vineyard I haue not kept surely almighty God gaue him no such keeping And howsoeuer he think's the preiudice of his Person so often false and faultring in Religion should in equity be no disparagement to his doctrine or disaduantage to his Plea yet it is certainly so great and iust a preiudice that it dischargeth all men from giuing eare or credit to his reasons whatsoeuer they be and whatsoeuer he argues to the contrary in this place might as well Apologize for the Diuel who no doubt could vrge as strong and pressing Reasons against any profession of Religion as this Adnocate hath either learn't or can learne of him and yet I suppose no man is bound with indifference to heare Reason from the Diuell no although he preach Ghospell Yea I dare presume to say had Christ himself beene preiudged in the opinions of indifferent and vnderstanding men by the like presumptions so strongly and clearely made good against him the not acceptance of the Iewes had beene at the least excusable Which he himselfe not obscurely fignified by his appeale to themselues Quis ex vobis arguet me de peccate Who of you can charge me with any sinne as supposing that a sufficient warrant of their recusancy if they could iustly charge him with any sinne much more if they could haue charged him with so grieuous a crime as Infidelity or Socinianisme For who can belioue him who is presumed not to belieue himself For be his reasons neuer so strong yet he will be supposed able to answere them since he belieues not the doctrine built vpon those reasons No. Syr it cannot it must not be otherwise this preiudice must in reason staue off all beliefe vntill it be remoued And if either Bellarmine could haue beene proued a Iew or Peron an Atheist as easily as credibly as this Minister-Aduocate who by these base adiections seeltes to fly-blow their worthily memories with suspition can be proued a Socinian Calumny which is implicitely both Iew and Atheist their works and writings would haue as litle credit and authority as themselues fayth and religion Wherefore the Christian Reader that the streame of this Ministers discourse turned another way may serue to good vse Vt cursum mutaâ—it iniquum fragibus amnis Doctus iter melies knowing that his Saluation depends vpon his impartiall and fyncere iudgment of these things now to harken to Orthodoxe and seriously Christian Doctors rather then to Renegado's and Tâ—aitorâ— to all states of Religion and to bend a more inclinable eare to Vertue then to Vice is no partiality at all will guard himself I hope from such impostors and will regard the person also not only his reasons and who it is speaks to him not only what he speakes knowing that if the Diuell vtter some truthes euen in those truthes he conceales a false and diuellish meaning and after that he hath gained credit by the attractiue splendor of some true doctrines he will hope to be belieued euen when he lyes and so howsoeuer appearing first in the inuesture of light and truth he will proue an Angell of darknes and Imposture It hath beene the vsuall Practise of all hereticall writers to embellish their discourses with as many verities as they could possibly inculcate without apparent contradiction or repugnancy Euen this deuise begot not a little esteeme to the Answerer of Charity mistaken he had employed his care to make his work popular and taking by the intermedling of many Catholique truth's this was it which so much commended it to the vulgar Reader whose capacity could not sound the incoherence and inconsistency of those truth 's with the fashood's which he principally intended to bring into credit by consorting thom with those therefore when he heard his worke so popularly applauded he might haue said with great truth and modesty as she who hearing her self highly praysed for the hayre she wore said Nescis quam pro melaudat nunc iste Sicambram The rest which followeth in this Prefatory Answere to the Direction and immediatly precedeth his Conclusion is a briefe recollection as it seemes of what is scattered in his ensuing Volume trust vp together with a number of points fastned all to one chiefe point and maine head of Doctrine which is indeed a most false Principle in the sense he pretendeth That all things necessary to Saluation are euidently contained in Scriptures Whence it will follow that the beliefe of the B. Trinity is not necessary to Saluation as which in this Aduocates opinion as I haue noted heretofore is not euidently reuealed in the Scriptures And yet grant this principle true it will follow that the authority determining Controuersies of fayth cannot be the Scripture but the Church for it is notorious that some Her eticall doctrines haue beene grounded vpon some ineuident passages of Scripture and those vented as doctrines of
to himselfe a glorious Church hauing neither spot nor wrinkle nor any such thing And is all this come at length to a de iure not de facto to a what should be only not a what is And is this that state of beauty no lesse permanent then spotles wherein tyme which withers and wrinkles all the beauty of fields ' and flowers ' aruit foenum cecidit flos should cause no fading or impayring because 1. Pet. 1. Verbum Domini manet in aeternum that word of truth is euerlasting which as the forme and soule of beauty in this glorious spouse should neuer abandon her Now doth Christ Iesus thus sanctify his Spouse or no hath he purchast her this permanent Beauty or no If no then is he frustrate of his designe which was to espouse vnto himselfe a Church which should de facto indeed not deiure of duty only be euer Holy for though it be placed in the particular choice of euery single man to be holy or no thus and in such sort that no man is or shall be holy or vertuous of force or against his wil or not freely yet it is not in the particular choice or power of any particular man or men no nor in the malice of Hell it selfe to effect that Christ Iesus shall not haue a holy Church on earth euen to the worlds end For this was the intent of his precious death bloud-shed vt sanctificaret that he might de facto fanctify his Spouse that he might acquire vnto her a perpetuity of beauty not a duty only to preserue it And this intent can neuer be frustrate and yet it should be if the spouse of Christ should only of duty alwayes be holy but were not so indeed Or tell me is she spotlesse who should haue no spot's but hath them Is that a faire face which should be so and is not hath she no wrinkles who should haue none Rem But God hath neither decreed nor foretold that his true doctrine should de facto be alway's visibly profess't without any mixture of falshood Prom. What because he hath not foretold it to you who haue lost your eares of hearing or haue stop't them with humane reason or dwell too neere the Catadupa and the noise of waters or conuerse with bleating or bellowing cattle in fine haue your attention taken vp in the traffick care and tumult of earthly commodities that you cannot heare the musick of the Sphear's or the harmony of heauenly Truth And haue all men forfaited their eares since you haue beene deafe on the left eare or forgotten what you haue heard heretofore with the right But to other men it hath beene told and foretold in all the languages of the world they haue heard it foretold in those words of Esay Esay 35. Eterit ibi semita via via Sanctorum vocabitur hae erit vobisvia directa c. and this shall be a direct or straight way so that fooles shall not mistake it But Socinians are no simple fooles they may mistake it Now if this way be humane reason humanum est errare nothing human as such is exempt from error If the Scripture be this way the wisest may erre in interpreting it and then it is no way or at least not the way of Saints nor the true and straight way when a false interpretation hath distorted it But the doctrine of the Church is that Via Sanctorum the way of Saints wherein the spirit of truth residing according to promise interprets holy Scriptures which then becoms a way and a straight way wherin a Foole shall not erre 1. Cor. 3. Ibid. a Foole I say who hath made himself a foole that he may be made wise by Christian wisedom which is folly to the world and to Socinianisme as the wisedom of the world and Socinian Reason is madnes and folly to God and Christian Religion Againe they haue heard foretold in those words of our Sauiour Math. 28. 16. Ecce ego vobiscum sum c. and those other Et portae tuferi non praualebunt aduersus eam the power of hell shall not preuaile against it the preseruation of the Church of God from error of doctrine from all falshood of heresy They vnderstand it decreed by God Ephes and foretold by S. Paul Et ipse dedit quosdam Apostoles alios prophet as c. ad consummationem sanctorum in opus ministerij which worke of ministery necessarily supposeth visibility of the Ministers and ministred in adificationem corporis Christi for the edifying or building vp the body of Christ which is his Church the members whereof being to accede throughout all ages to this mysticall body by the Visible ministery of those Visible ministers Prelates Teachers and Gouernours inferre a necessity of true doctrine visibly taught or to be taught them by those their Prelates without which truth of doctrine they could not be the regenerate issue of the spirit of Truth They haue likewise heard the Church of God called by S. Paul 1. Tim. 1. Domus Deiviui columna firmamâ—ntum Veritatis the house of the liuing God the pillar and proppe of truth Of the house of God it is said Domum tuam decet sanctitudo Domine Psalm 92. in longitudinem dierum sanctitude becomes thy house O Lord for euer which fanctitude consistes in the rectitude of the vnderstanding and will of man rectified by truth of doctrine both in fayth and manners Ibid. And this is sure that visible house wherin S. Timothy was to be wary and to know how to conuerse for the edification and example of others who should be eye-witnesses and eare-witnesses of his doings and sayings This Church is also the pillar and proppe of Truth which proppe or pillar surely shall stand while truth hath need of a proppe which shall be in order to mankind while man is mortall obnoxious to errour and lapse in question of diuine truth To this pillar of Truth Isa 59. Johan 14.16 Johan 16.13 the spirit of God is by speciall Couenant tied to the worlds end or is himself this pillar of Truth and that spirit of truth which shall teach the Church and by the Church omnem veritatem all truth that is all necessary truth which necessary truth certainly excludes all falshood in doctrine of fayth and manners which are the points in contestation between the Catholicks and Protestants All this and much more the Fathers and Doctors of the Catholique Church haue heard and belieued as foretold and decreed by God concerning the Visible profession of true doctrine in the Church of Christ without any mixture of falshood and the continuance of such Visible Profession de facto not de iure only Nor if you can glosse these Scriptures to anothersense shall they cease for that to tell vs this truth to whom the Catholique Church doth so interpret them and who as sonnes of obedience haue learned to turne the
indeed a waighty inducement to belieue that to be the true Church foresignified by the spirit of God wherein those signes wherewith God hath fore-marked and predesigned the true Church are euident to be seen then contrariwise if those signes and markes of the true Church are not to be found in the Protestant this ought in reason to induce a man to belieue that the Protestant is not the true Church For where the connexion betweene the signe and the thing signed is indiuisible there the inference is good proceeding from the destruction of the signe to the destruction or deniall of the thing signed or signified As to say heere is not the indiuisible signe Ergo heere is not the thing signed This I say supposing such infallible Connexion which in this case ought to be supposed such deuine prediction and the veracity of God being presupposed which tyeth the signe and the thing signed togeather by an inuiolable and indissoluble knot I say further that it is false that Nations haue been conuerted to the true Religion of Christ by men of contrary Religions which thus I demonstrate Those contrary Religions or Professions of Religion though they might be both or all false yet both or all could not be true as the Roman Orator sayth well pronouncing vniuersally of dissenting opinions Now of the true Religion conuerting men to the true there is no question but of the contrary or repugnant to the true Thus I argue Either the Professors of a false Religion taught and preacht ' according to their false principles or doctrine and then by those they neuer conuerted any to the true Religion or else they taught true principles and true doctrine of Christian fayth If so then if by those true Principles c. they conuerted men to Christian fayth though themselues were not true Christians yet they conuerted as agreeing and consenting with the true Religion not as opposers or as men of a contrary Religion As if a heathen should baptize by applying the matter and forme of baptisme with intention to do what Christians are wont to do by the like application then not Heathenisme but Christian Religion baptizeth by a Heathen Nor can this Argument be retorted by the Protestant for it will easily be made to appeare that Catholiques haue conuerted Nations to and by those doctrines wherein they dissent from protestants whereas neither Protestants nor any other oppugners of the Catholique will euer be found to haue conuerted Nations by preaching the doctrine wherein they disagree from the Catholique but moreouer as for the Protestants they neuer conuerted any neither by their disagreeing nor agreeing doctrines Nay euen this confirmes if at any tyme it so fall out the truth and efficacy of Christian Religion and the accomplishment of those prophetique Predictions when euen the alien or opposer of true Religion who can achieue no one Conuersion to Christianity by his owne repugnant doctrine can and doth effect it by vertue of Christian Truth which I say this supposed that any such Precedent may be cited out of antiquity of some Conuersion to Christian Religion wrought by an alien Professour though the entire Conuersion of a nation by any such separate instrument I belieue hath no Precedent in ancient memory For the reasons which I haue touched heretofore and in a word according to the ordinary and connatuâ—all course of diuine proceedings in such affaires Non hos elegiâ— Dâ—minus See the Examples commonly alleaged answered also in Authours God is not went to make choyce of such men to be his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Paul and after him S. Denis speakes his cooperators or coâ—diâ—tors in the reduction of soules This is too great an honour to be coserred vpon an alion or enemy of Religion So then your fifth Motiue stands yet fast and irremoued by you like to some pillar which raised in the Church by some Architect stands there fix't and firme euen when the workman is gone farre away yea now perhaps dead and rotten or as while many a weary person leaning vpon that pillar findeth case and rest the drunken Artist receaues no ease at all from it but reeles stagger's in the wide field vntil he fall dead drunke vpon the ground or into some ditch c. Iust so M. Aduocate Hac à te non multâ—m abludit imago this is no bad picture of your selfe VI. Motiue Because the Doctrine of the Church of Rome is conformable and the doctrine of Protestants contrary to the doctrine of the Fathers of the Primitiue Church euen by the confession of the Protestants themselues I meane those Fathers who liued within the compasse of the first 600. yeares to whom Protestants themselues do very frequently and very confidently appeale VI. Remotiue The Doctrine of Papists is confess'd by Papists contrary to the Fathers in many points VI. Promotiue Nether will this Motiue be remoued with so weake a push which thus I confirme It is vntrue that any learned Papist confesseth that the doctrine of faith of moderne Papists is contrary to the doctrine of the Fathers in any point of faith theÌ„ defined by the Church If from some they differ in some point now defined then not defined this is no formall contrariety in points of faith that is as they are points of fayth obligatory to belief which they are not before they be defined by the Church which being the sole infallible interpreter of diuine reuelation by propounding any point of doctrine as diuinely reuealed makes it now formally the obiect of necessary beliefe which was before only materially such But neither againe in regard of such differences is this contrariety of some opinions betweene the moderne Papists and some of the ancient Fathers any formall opposition For since they so held those disserent doctrines then vndefined as being ready to let them go when the Church should define the contrary euen in vertue of this readines or preparation of mynd they held implicitely and in a sort equiualently the very same which we now hold after the definition of the holy Church But the Protestants Appeale to those Fathers of the first 600. yeares is a very brag and imposture of a Iewell not worth one barley corne Campian Neque hoc sibi suisque vulnus inflictum Laurentius Humfredas tacuit For since in this vno tertio in this middle terme of submitting all our iudgmeÌ„ts doctrines to the authority decision of the Catholike Church we ioyne with the Fathers both of those 600. all succeeding yeares eueÌ„ to this present age we caÌ„not but meet in the coÌ„clusion of whatsoeuer doctrine of faith As contrariwise for want of this concurrence in one third or middle terme all hopes of Protestants or any Sectary whatsoeuer euer to ioyne with those Orthodoxe Fathers is spes Hypocritarum a vaine presumption rather then any solid hope as of such who couet to make some shew of agreement with those Peeres of Christian Religion thereby to procure