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
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
the wynd a fancy an opinion alterable with euery change of imagination nay with euery alteration of affection So what is Anathema to day Cell lib. ◠c. 5. in the worse sense an imprecation or execration may be to morrow Anathema in the better sense that is a consecration what to day is a curse way be a blessing to morrow Nor is it easy to conceaue in whether sense he takes Anathema by way of cursing or blessing For I vehemently suspect he neuer meant to curse the fauourer's of those opinions to whom I doubt not but he wishes as to himselfe yea and whose deferts towards himself haue gain'd no small interest title to his well wishings wherfore what he sayth He who holds so let him be Anathema may in the Socinian intendment be no more but this he who hold's so long may he liue Yet for a more expesse discharging himself from all imputations of this nature namely of such as charge him with deniall of supernaturall Verities what sayth he marry He belieues all those book 's of Scripture which the Church of England account's Canonicall Pref. to be the infallible word of God Answ You see the Resolution of his Fayth into the Authority of the Church of England Where you may note that he sayth not that he belieues it infallibly or that those bookes are infallibly the word of God but that they are the infallible word of God where that infallible is a meere fallacious Pleonasme a redundant and superfluous accession to the word of God Whence it followeth only that he belieues this with a fallible Fayth and therefore no diuine Fayth which he doth consequently to his principles for holding the motiue of his beliefe that is the authority of the Church of England as of all other Churches to be but fallible and capable of errour his beliefe can haue no greater assurance then that motiue hath But then it followeth that he hath no infallible assurance of these Bookes that they are the word of God Ergo he hath no assurance that the contents of these Bookes are supernaturall Verities or Verities at all Ergo with this may stand his deniall of supernaturall Verities And that you may Vnderstand that he belieues the aforesaid Verities with a Socinian fayth only he ioyneth in one and the same tenure of beliefe things euidently contayned in those Canonicall Bookes with things probably deducible from the same Whence thus I argue If he belieues as his words expresse things euidently contained in those Bookes with no more assurance then he belieues things euen probably deducible thence then he belieues neither with assurance of diuine fayth Ergo he belieues them not as supernaturall Verities to the beliefe of which humane fayth can neuer ascend as being out of the reach and extent of all such Fayth therefore as yet and by this profession he hath not cleared himselfe from the imputation of Socinianisme and Infidelity An Act of Parlament the motiue of his beliefe His fallacious refuge SECT XXXVIII Pref. FVrthermore I acknowledge all that to be Heresy which by the Act of Parliament primo Elizabethae is declared to be so Answ With this acknowledgment may well consist the deniall of all supernaturall verities according to my former deduction And this is surely a strong presumption that he belieues an act of Parlament with no greater assurance then the decrees of a Generall Councell yea and that he belieues the Parlament rather then a Generall Councell shews that such his beliefe is grounded vpon his affection not his iudgment for no poyse of iudiciall motiues can preponderate or sway him rather towards a Parlament Wherefore since none of these motiues or authorities yield him assurance that such contents of Canonicall Bookes are supernaturall verities it followeth no way out of his beliefe of these that he belieues any supernaturall verity as such Ergo notwithstanding this profession he is a Socinian still Which though it be so yet I will not do him wrong nor say he hath effected nothing by this his syncere profession and acknowledgment But what hath he done Forsooth he hath cuningly put himself vnder the wing's of the State he hath retired himself into the sanctuary of Protestancy by this meanes he hath ingaged them in his quarrell whose religion he professeth so that whatsoeuer inconuenience as irreligion nullity of diuine fayth lastly Socinianisme it self shall be deduced as consequent out of his disclaiming the authority of the Cath. Church and acknowledging a Parlamentary religion and authority in determining Canonicall Scripture declaring Heresies must fall first vpon the English Protestants and must be answered by them Thus while he endeauours to bring himself off fairely from those foule aspersiōs he draw's them on whom he pretends to vindicate and thus he brings about his owne ends and couertly aduanceth his owne designe which is to ruine all Religion His fallacious Hypocrisy SECT XXXIX WHat he talkes of retaining liberty in points which may be diuersly held satuâ fides compage the iuncture or structure of fayth remaining safe is a ridiculous Hypocrisy in him who endeauours by his doctrine and principles to demolish the very foundation of Christian Fayth which is the infallibility of diuine Reuelation I meane the infallibility of that authority which declares it to be such and consequently that vnquestionable certainty vpon which Christian Fayth relyeth being taken away not to leaue one stone vpon another in this earthly or militant Hierusalem in the building of Fayth And can you haue further patience to heare any more of his Sophistique Hypocrisy For he know's that all Christiās would spit defiance in his face should he not seeme to speak somewhat like a Christian Pref. Yet thus much I can say quoth he which I hope will satisfy any man of reason that whatsoeuer hath beene held necessary to saluation either by the Catholique Church of all ages or by the consent of Fathers measured by Vincentius Litinensis his rules or is held necessarie either by the Catholique Church of this age or by the consent of Protestants c. That against the Socinians and all others I do verily belicue and imbrace Answ Can any man belieue he writes what he thinkes if he vnderstand what he writes For who doubts but the Catholique Church of all ages hath held the beliefe of an infallible Church as a point of Christian Fayth For how could the Catholique Church gathered togeather in Generall Councels anathematize and condemne whosoeuer refused to subscribe to her decrees in points of fayth had not the same Church supposed her self to haue infallible authority for all such decisions and decrees Therefore he who belieues what the Catholique Church holds necessary to be belieued belieues this Now obserue in these very words by the Catholique Church of this age or by the consent of Protestants how he makes the Protestants a member of his diuision a part from the Catholiques Wherein also he preuaricates egregiously
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
then haue fallen flat into Atheisme therefore their falling thence immediatly into Atheisme is an argument of that former discourse which I haue supposed probably to haue passed in their secret discussions or this or none true Adde vnto this that in that Nation where our Religion hath and doth most absolutely commaund those wise and Gallant spirits were best acquainted with the doctrine taught in it Whervpon blinded with pride or passion or wicked life being not able to discerne the colour of truth by the light of the sunne they despaired to discerne it by candle-light And it is I confesse an experience grounded vpon great reason both of nature and manners Waight's which fall from higher places force their descent through middle obstacles more strongly and therefore fall lowest None but a Iudas called to the eminency of Apostle-ship could haue plunged himselfe into such a depth of desperate treason as to betway to death the Author of life whom when I consider how soone he fell from the spirit of his vocation to be a calumniator fratrum a Diuell as our Sauiour himselfe call's him I am induc'd to thinke he became an Apostle for no other purpose but to know our Sauiour and his doctrine and then betray him And verily I could easily belieue that of the number of those who professe Christianity more turne Atheists of those who haue beene Catholiques then of those who neuer knew Catholique religion as those who haue been bâ—rne and bred in Lutheranisme Caluinisme or the like because from so low a place they do not easily fall so farre Qui iacet in terrâ non habet vnde cadat Who lyes on the ground he fall's no lower vnles perhaps they haue taken these in their way from the Catholique for if they haue so twenty to one vnles they be some duller spirits they stay not there howsoeuer they make shew of such profession but after some short space of entertainment they goe on their iourney from thence to Adiaphorisme in religion where hauing spent some tyme in good fellowship with all professors vntill they haue consumed that litle remnant stocke of Christian or whatsoeuer else beliefe of a God they steale away after a while from thence too keeping on directly in that roade vntill they arriue to the very next Inne and the very last adioyning to the Ferry vpon the bank-side of Death and Damnation commonly called stylo veteri Atheisme now of later yeares the new Academy or Socinianisme By this the Aduocate may see what he hath gained to his Cause by this obiected Calumny Forsooth that reuolt from Catholique religion renders it selfe at last into Atheisme or Socinianisme where such reuolters I make no doubt would be glad to meete him for there men say this indifferent Trauailer dwells though they say again he hath shift of habitations and his iudgment often changeth lodging but that 's his ordinary and more constant rendeuous Calumnies against Miracles SECT VI. THe next Calumny and second in number of the Pretermissions strikes at Heauen and expect that he will haue a fling at God himselfe afore he hath done by mouing iealousy and suspicion of all miracles and histories and records of Saints whiles he would make men belieue the Catholique Church approueth forging of Miracles and lying Legends so he writes which is indeed a notorious Calumny and had he not made so much hast in running back from the Catholique as though he had come thither only to fetch fire of faction he might haue acquainted himselfe better with the practise of the holy Church in this very point of Miracles and relations concerning Saints He might haue admired their exactnes of scrutiny and all the way 's of industry to find out the truth and to reiect whatsoeuer hath the face or least shew of counterfait or vnsound Knowing well that neither truth can be of any durable consistency with falshood they expell one another euen naturally as light and darkenes but besides this Non tali auxilio nec defensoribus istis Roma caret the Catholique Church needs no such subsidies the pillar of truth craues no support of lyes and forgeries She hath in her Archiues records and euidences of this kind so authentique so authorized so testified that blindnes it selfe by no other Exorcisme but that of manifest truth hath beene compelled to see them and confesse them No otherwise then those Ministers of Pharao digitus Dei hic est But giue them leaue to question Saints and miracles who questionles had neuer yet any no not when the tyme most required them to countenance their extraordinary mission when they ran out of the Church to reforme it or as to cry fire fire when they carried it in their bosomes Calumny against holy Ceremonies SECT VII THe third passe or figuratiue omission in these word 's Not to obiect to you thirdly is a spurn'or kick as he goes by Pref. at the weake and silly Ceremonies and ridiculous obseruances so he of the Catholique Church Ans Indeed if they were only Ceremonies without the substance whereunto they relate they were surely silly Ceremonies but if euery least Ceremony include a mystery greater then hath euer entred into his little weake state or vnderstanding who is then ridiculous but he who laugh's at what he know's not yea euen therefore because he knowes it not Yet had the man but stayd to haue learned his Catechisme among vs he might haue knowne the vse and meaning of our Ceremonies now hauing come into the Church as Cato came vnto the Theater only to go out againe what meruaile if he returne a ridiculous censurer of what he only saw and vnderstood not Such post-hast were hardly tolerable in a Spie much lesse in one who comes to see and censure Of whom if I should aske what in particular were sylly and ridiculous in those ceremonies or whether the Church hath not authority to prescribe Ceremonies if the Church of England allow of ceremonies no whit more substantiall then the Roman to say no more will he be strong inough thinke you to find out a disparity Or will he rebell against all I belieue by these and many other the like passages of his booke the Chayres who haue subscribed it litle obserued how lowd an All-arme is sounded to mutinies and seditions and rebellions against all Church-gouernment But now alas euen this may seeme a thing ridiculous indeed in vs who reprehend his laughing and deriding the waiting Gentle-women or maides of Honour who geeres the Queene hir selfe For did he allow of any such thing as Religion Queene of vertues he would not grudge hir due attendance and obseruance of holy Ceremonies nor would he I thinke be so vnmannerly as to find fault with such as please the Queene Calumny against Ecclesiasticall Persons SECT VIII A Fourth Calumny with which he will not trouble vs is Pref. A great part of your doctrine specially in the points contested makes apparently for the temporall ends of the
the Synagogue This is therefore a terrible hearing to Protestancy a Church Terribilis vt castrorum acies ordinata terrible as an army in battaile-array Now for Primitiue Christians they imply no such order no such coordination or subordination as of a body and therefore as so many scattered sheep they might wholy dye in their owne ashes not Phenix-like suruiue in their posterity which to affirme of a Church of Christ his establish't Common-wealth or kingdom purchas 't by right of Conquest with the inestimable price of his blood is not only Hereticall but most impious and prophane since neither the Synagogue and Law of Moyses became euacuate or abrogate viâ corruptiuâ by a corruptiue desition but past into a Church Euangelicall Law via perfectiuâ as Christ was the perficient not the corruptiue end of the Law Non veni legem soluere sed adimplere c. I came not to dissolue but to fulfill the Law c. Some other fallacious Euasions in answere to the same position of his Aduersary SECT XXVII IN the very next Paragraph I meete with another Fallacy which I haue also touch't before Pref. You say with conuenient boldnes that this infallible authority of your Church being denyed no man can be assured that any parcell of Scripture was written by diuine inspiration which is an Vntruth for which no proofe is pretended and besides voyd of modesty full of impiety Answ And I pray you obserue his notorious method his Censure is for the most part the preface to his Answere when he hath first struck his Aduersary on the head or wounded his reputation with some calumny or contumely then he wil dispute the matter not only cooly but very coldly as you shall see In the meane tyme since he is so liberall of contumelious and reproachfull language if we spare him it is mere gratuite grace no merit of his not so much as of congruity nay it may seeme much more congruous to shew the man his error where he may see it better then in himselfe For I belieue it will appeare to any vnderstanding man euen by the Genius of his stile that he hath drunke more liberally of Narcissus Well then of Aristotles as neere as it springs Whence I do not see but his President way be my Apology and very Charity will require that some sprinkling of salt be employed vpon his so great insulsity Now marke the Fallacy His aduersary sayth Take away the authority of Gods Church no man can be assured c. For Gods Church this Atturney changeth your Church as though his aduersary preassumed what is in question with Protestants Which he purposely doth not but only sheweth the necessity of a Visible Church and infallible authority shereof The fallacy of this change hath this intent to make his aduersary more odious for his preassuming antedating as also that he may impugne him more easily where he contends not which he doth almost euery where neuer strikes where his Aduersary wards So he seldome or neuer argues or answeres to the matter in hand But why now is this an vntruth void of modesty Because sayth he the experience of innumerable Christians is against it who are sufficiently assured that the Scripture is diuinely inspired and yet deny the infallibility of your Church or any other Answ What Euen of Gods Church For this is the authority this the Church which his aduersary namely and only asserteth And where is the immodesty Is it immodesty in a Catholique to proue the infallibility of the Church of God his Prime principle of Religion and that by an argument which this no Church can no otherwise answere but by rayling at it as with his Lucians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O execrable For who are those innumerable Christians Are they not the aduersaries of the Roman Church and only they And is it immodesty in a Roman Catholique to defend and proue the contrary to that which the Aduersaries of that Church would proue and do teach whereby to ouerthrow that Church and with that all Christianity But to shew him the weaknes of his argument I forme the like Innumerable Christians are sufficiently assured that no man can be assured of any parcell of holy Scripture otherwise then by the authority of the Church of God Ergo M. Ch. who denies them this assurance is voyd of all modesty And now againe why full of impiety Pref. Because sayth he if I cannot haue ground to be assured of the diuine authority of Scripture vnlesse I first belieue your Church infallible then I can haue no ground at all to belieue it Answ I expected he would say then I will be a Socinian But still you see him in his Fallacy Your Church for Gods Church And why then hath he no ground at all vpon that supposall Pref. Because there is no ground nor can any be pretended why I should belieue your Church infallible vnlesse I first belieue the Scripture diuine Answ Still Your Church Sure we shall neuer bring him back to Gods Church againe Now quite contrary I say there is no sufficient ground to omit pretences and permit them to his Hyperbolicall style why men should belieue the Scriptures diuine vnles first they belieue an infallible Church of God For to reuolue to the first birth and parentage of holy Scriptures whence haue we them who told vs they were diuine haue we not the new Testament to instance in this part from the Euangelists and Apostles And were not they the Church of God and hath any other told vs they are diuine and of diuine authority but they primarily and their posterity after them Can any man expect a more certaine testimony concerning his owne or any other mans birth then from the mother who brought him forth into the world Was not the holy Scripture cōceaued of the holy Ghost as it were in the wombe of the Church Yea those soules and spirits of Prophets Euangelists Apostles in which those Scriptures were conceaued euen formally as diuine together with the truth contained in them were they not before those Scriptures were brought to light And could any but they or vpon their credit belieue those Scriptures were of diuine yssue conceaued I say in those spirits diuinely inspired and illuminated yea and from them flowing as from a vitall principle actually and actiuely inflowing into those conceptions togeather with the holy spirit of truth Whence also it followeth euidently that those diuine truth's cannot be the formall conceptions of any soule or vnderstanding not endued and eleuated by this spirit of truth with which spirit since no man can assure himselfe to be endued yet euery Christian ought to belieue as certaine that the Church of God is indued therefore euery Christian ought to receaue those diuine truths contained in Scriptures togeather with the Scriptures themselues from the Church of God whose lawfull issue and ofspring they are Neither can this in reason seeme to a Christian any whit
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
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
doubt but very many of either Vniuersity haue these talents in great eminency and no meruaile if we consider either so many and choyee wits as in so great a multitude of Pretenders or those excellent meanes wherewith they are endowed for all kind of good litterature Wherein I dare presume to say they are incomparable with any other Vniuersity of Europe and only comparable between themselues as one eye with another in the same face without disparagement to either Which Excellency would be in these kinds far more apparent and testified to the world that neither Enuy nor Truth might deny it especially in those yearly confluences of hearers and witnesses summond by the celebrity of report as it were to the Olympique Games and spectacles of learned Arts so that it might be said of them as someâ— me it was of ancient Rome Famam Rome tuae non pudet historiae if the care and industry of the Electors were rather to grace those publique Exercises by the Excellency of the men then the men by those Exercises As for their talent in preaching let them before they boast be sure whether Enuy do meddle with it at least forraine Enuy if domestique do and then shew vs their commission for preaching Quomodo pradicabunt nisi mittautur how shall they preach vnles they be sent Sicut scriptum est quam specâ—osi pedes c. how faire are the feet of those who preach those good tydings who preach peace signifâ—ing by this sequele and connexion that the speciosity neatnes or cleanes of feet that is of affections requisite in such a Preacher must proceed from the grace and spirit of that diuine mission and commission The quite contrary of which effects hath beene manifestly seene and obserued and notoriously knowne to the world in the preaching of a Luther of a Caluin and the like their preaching was without mission therefore were their feet so foule as the impressions of their foot-steps extant vpon record do clearely testify Therefore also the ayme and scope of their preaching was not peace but mutiny and rebellion and defection from their Mother-Church and from spirituall obedience from Samuel to Saul in whose abiection and excussion of whose anthority they withall abiected and shook off God himself and in Saul and with Saul fâ—ll to Idolatry For he who shaketh of that obedience which God hath establish't in his Church enthroneth another God that is the power or the creature vpon which he transferreth his obedience which he oweth to God which is Idolatry Vpon which breach and defection followed forthwith that deluge of all mischiefe and inundation of Vices ouerflowing those nations wherein Religion had beene in greatest florish Loe the effect of their mission-Iesse preaching Vpon these groundes the examine must goe whether it were or no detraction to say their learning consists in a superficiall talent of preaching or whether he might not haue denyed it to be preaching at all according to the ordinary acceptation of the word as by Christian vse it is consecrated and dedicated to signify Euangelicall Annunciation or the Embassy of God to men vnles perhaps in attributing a superficiall talent of preaching he implicitely meant to deny the substance as indeed that kind of preaching can haue nothing else but superficiality being deuoid of the substance which is diuine truth and spirit It were therefore to be wish'd rather then disliked by this Adâ—ocate or his Clyent 's that they were enuied 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pindar Pyth. â—d 1. and not pittied that so goodly a superficies so much exteriour grace of wit should want the body and interiour worth and substance of diuine truth wherein to subsist Well Syr after all this brauery and presumed excellency of preaching c. if this proue a true imputation of insufficiency in those Deuines when they are pressed by Socinian Arguments who are therefore either caught themselues by their illaqueations or giue occasion to the Socinians of their greater obfirmation or to others to be drawne into the same infidelity If this I say be truth yea and a knowne and testified truth and so neither Calumny nor detraction how will he excuse that insufficiency or at the least deny it to be a great cause of the propagating of that contagion Or lastly which be pretends to doe vindicate his Maintainers from this aspersion Heare how substantially he doth it Pref. As if forsooth because they dispute not eternally Vtrum Chymaera bombinans in vacuo possit comedere secundas intentiones or Whether a million of Angels may not sit vpon a needles point because they fill not their braines with notions that signify nothing to the vtter extermination of all reason and common sense and spend not an age in weauing and vnweaning subtile webb's fitter to catch flies then soules therefore they haue no deepe knowledge in the Acroamaticall part of learning Answ This is his answere Whence you may suspect that Brasmus was his last Acrâ—ama from whom he eame to write this with his pen full of salt and sarcasme to cast vpon the faces of all Schoole-deuines and you may note as in passing by how euen heere as euery where what he blame's in his Aduersary he out-doe's it himself and by this very passage of many you may obserue how familiar he is with the Genius of Detraction which comes from him so easily that I durst almost excuse him and say he takes no notice of it Vsque adeo à teneris assuescere magnum est as some Orpheus play's and sing's by the rules of art which he reflect's not on As for this question of a Chymaera it is no doubt wholy Chymerique and whether it may haue beene the subiect of some Quadragesimall coursing I cannot tell I haue knowne as mad a question canuas't there in my day's as concerning a Pridian and a Postridian which some Diuinity-chaire may yet remember And yet me think 's I could propose this question to be maintained by some witty Inceptor or Commencer affirmatiuely thus Virum Chimaera bombiâ—ans in vacuo debeat comedere secundas intentiones Affirme Then for the more luculent and fraudlesse processe in this graue probleme I would first cleare the termes from ambiguity I would vnderstand by Chymaera a Socinian and him that you might be able to look vpon the monster with lesse fright and horror mask't or vizar'd in Protestantisme then bombinans in vacuâ— that is busy in disputing to no purpose nor with hope or intent to determine any truth or bombinans in vacuâ— buzzing his imposture in some idle and vacant eare or againe bombinans in vacuâ— buzzing and disputing against all principles of Diuinity and Philosophy that there is vacuum in nature that God is not euery where or that it is not certaine whether be be any where And then whether this Chymaera ought to feed only vpon second Intentions whether he ought in conformity to his Principles to be content with such Commons or whether he ought to take commons
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
condemned Heretiques endeauoured not sufficiently by all other meanes within the compasse of their abilities Pope Councell and Church excepted to find out the true sense of the Scripture or to belieue it in the true sense Remot For he that belieues the Scripture syncerely and endeauours to belieue it in the true sense cannot possibly be an Heretique Promot Who shall now be able to iudge or condemne any Heretique After what manner shall he frame his inditement Who shall be able to conuince a sincere Professour him or her who professeth sufficiently his endeauour to belieue Scripture in the true sense by his most daily versing and conuersing with it his most punctuall citation of Booke Chapter and Verse who will hardly exchange an ordinary salutation but in the Scripture-phrase who I say shall be able to conuince his want of endeauour to belieue the Scripture in the true sense especially being required to belieue that only and no man liuing nor nothing else who can condemne him for an Heretique whatsoeuer he belieue or belieue not Tell me Aduocate is this the way whereby to meet in that one Rendeuous Ephes 4. of which S. Paul Denes occuramus omnes in vnitatem fidei these as many seuerall beliefes as seuerall or diuerse or contrary vnderstandings of the Scriptures these so many wayes some on the left some on the right hand some forward some quite backward besides a thousand subdiuisious of so many seuerall wayes of doctrines and interpretations Where fall they into one way Yes you poynt me out the very place where after many wyndings and Meanders they fall as riuers into one Sea that is the Scripture endeauoured to be belieued in the true sense But good Syr Scripture in all those senses is not Scripture is not the word of God nether doth any mans endeauour to belieue it in the true sense make it the word of God as it is vnderstood in a false But it is the word of God you will say perhaps to them who conceaue it so But so might Baal and Astaroth and Ieroboams Calues be Gods to those who belieued they were so there is no Idolatry at all And certainely as well no Idolatry as no Heresy and heresy it selfe is a spirituall Idolatry So euery falshood as belieued to be reueald by God and warranted by holy Scripture is an I doll of the Vnderstanding and an I doll as such is nothing S. Paul hath no reall subsistence is a meere fancy or Chymera What an vnity then of faith will this be consisting of so many diuisioÌ„s what a strange harmony composed of so many iarring discord's may not a man dreame as good a Faith and as good an vnity of religion as this is Cuius velut agri somnia vana Finguntur species ut nec pes nec caput rui Reddatur forma Furthermore it is manifest that such an vnity of fayth cannot stand with trne Vnity of Charity For euen naturally affections of the will follow in proportion of sympathy the iudgments dict a mens of the Vnderstanding So dissention of iudgments hath euer beene and is and will be the seed and parent of inter-warring and hostile affections as betweene the Lutherans and Caluinists Moreouer Charity is candida and rubicunda of a light and fiery constitution Ignem veni mittere in mundum and sent it was in fiery Tongues Now Candor and Heat are so natur'd and tempered according to physiology and experience it selfe that they seuer and disiect and dissolue Heterogenious copulations which darke cold amasseth togeather So diuine Charity where it groweth from the root of vnited faith dissolueth not onely contradictory doctrines in points of Faith with which it cannot consist on both sides and that by an instantaneous mutation as the sun-shine dispels darknes in a moment but more and more as it increaseth attoneth differences of lesse consequence as interposed cloudes impeaching greater heat and radiancy of Charity Remot And if no more then this were required of a man to make him capable of the Churches Communion then all men so qualified though they were different in opinion yet notwithstanding any such difference must be of necessity one in Communion Prom. Loe you the Man who I foresaw would do meruailes and is not this a compelle intrare strangely interpreted A great busines hath beene made in requiry after lost-sheep such as had strayed from the flock of Christ such as our Forefathers haue alwayes supposed Heretiques to be so much a do so much wearines in labouring their reduction so frequent and earnest prayer and pealing heauen with sighes and groanes of a Christian zeale and Charity so much fasting and voluntary maceration directed to that end so many hazardous expeditions aduentures in this spirituall quest of such as haue attempted their recouery to the very losse of their bloud and liues Now all this is proclaimed folly and lost labour our Forefathers silly Babes and sonnes of Ignorance compared with a late borne Doctour dropt out of the skies God know's how to fetch back those lost sheep though neuer so far stragling a sunder neuer so opposite and oppugnant and euen whether they will or no to make them of necessity of one Communion and one Church Nay wheresoeuer they be neuer so far from the fold yet they must be within it of necessity he hath found a meanes to incircle them with an Ocean with an Amphitrite of Scripture yea to ingird them with the very strings of a Geneua-Bible Nor will he fetch in those aboue ground only he will rake Hell to find them out and bring them into his Churches Communion euen maugre Hell and maugre themselues were it not only to be out of Hell for the tyme. For what saist thou Arius Hadst thou not Scriptures for for thy opinion Yes and did'st thou not endeauour to belieue them in the true sense Yes Come thou art a good Christian thou must be one in our Communion thou hast beene iniured furto sublatus es è terrâ Hebraeorum Gen. 4. hic innocent in lacum missus es the Papists eiected thee by a preuailing faction and now hither they haue sent thee to be the Diuels Prisoner And thou Donatus thou could'st not abide the Pope no more then I. What saist thou didst thou belieue the Scriptures Yes and didst thou not endeauour to belieue them in the true sense Yes And had'st thou not Scripture for thy doctrine Yes very good Scripture Iudica mihi c. vbi pascas vbi cubes in meridie by this Scripture and by the eleuation of the Pole and the meridian line I belieued the Church could not but be in Africk and if in Africk then surely in parte Douati I promise you a very good Christian you haue both Scripture and right reason grounded vpon Scripture and your deduction is according to the neuer-failing-rules of Logique at least you thought so did you not Yes M. Aduocate And that thought or iudgement of yours was neuer coÌ„uinc't with any argument which in your iudgment was vnanswerable No I was neuer so silenc't but I had something to say So you remained still vnconuinc't To my dying day Syr. Good Syr neither do I go about to conuince you you are as good a Christian as I am for ought I know Let me alone with the Papists I le presume to re-enter and re-enrole you in Communion of Christians let them do what they can you shal be postliminie restitutus I le breake a hole in the Church wall bring you in that way if the worst come to the worst and if the Papists will be vnreasonably obstinate you shall be one of our New Academy and geere all Religions Pardon me M. Aduocate if I seeme to personate you in this Dialogue if I make bold to entertaine you in the behalf of those anciently styled Heretiques your Charity as widely extending I suppose as your faith hath created in me a iust Presumption that you will reiect no Clyent so qualified as your selfe haue described Within the limit's and precincts of which description I verily thinke there neuer was so very a Terrae filius so very a Giant of so ignoble and obscure extraction no man euer so out-law'd or bandited out of all Christian Communion of all those fore-damned Heretiques but he could make it appeare that he had liued and dyed and consequently a Diocesian of your Church But euen these are too narrow marches for your Charity it will extend it selfe yet further Turkes Iewes Infidels and Heathens too so they belieue a God as shall appeare hereafter all which no doubt you will oblige vnto you no lesse then him or those who gaue you thanks for shewing them a way to heauen without Faith THvs farre I haue play'd the Promooter if any man will take this occasion to call me so but then let him remember that I am his Promooter whom we may suppose to haue beene the first Moouer in these Motiues which as all moouing Verities may truely say in ipso viuimus mouemur sumus Act. 17. Then let him who list call me Gods Promooter Iglory in this name I professe it nor will I be ashamed of my Profession Thus euen the Apostles as they were his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his cooperators or coadiutors so they were Gods Promooters Nâ—me autem vestrum patiatur quasi homicida 1. Pet. 4. aut fur aut maleficus aut alienorum explorator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I thinke we may interprete it an Informer Let no man suffer himselfe deseruedly to be called such a Promooter si autem vt Christianus non crubescat if as a Christian Promooter let him heare it without blushing For this is our confort as dayly as the crime 2. Cor. 6. vt Seductores Veraces This by way of Preuention FINIS Gentle Reader THE faults which haue escaped in printing by reason of the vncorrected copy and imploying of strangers not skillfull in our language I hope are not very many nor yet such as may not easily be corrected by thy iudicious Reading