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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	faith_n	scripture_n	write_v	2,971	5	5.8263	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79473	Chillingworthi novissima. Or, The sicknesse, heresy, death and buriall of William Chillingworth. (In his own phrase) Clerk of Oxford, and in the conceit of his fellow souldiers, the Queens arch-engineer, and grand-intelligencer. Set forth in a letter to his eminent and learned friends, a relation of his apprehension at Arundell, a discovery of his errours in a briefe catechism, and a shorr [sic] oration at the buriall of his hereticall book. By Francis Cheynell, late fellow of Merton Colledge. Published by authority.	Cheynell, Francis, 1608-1665.	1644 (1644)	Wing C3810; Thomason E36_7; ESTC R13256	46,148	66

Reason in the chaire in stead of Antichrist is dead and gone publish it not in the streets of Askelon that he who did at once batter Rome and undermine England the Reforming Church of England that he might prevent a Reformation is dead lest if you publish it you puzzle all the Conclave and put them to consider whether they should mourne or triumph If any man enquire whether he hath a Tombe-stone as well as an Elegy let him know that we plundered an old Friar of his Tombe-stone and there is roome enough for an Epitaph if they please to send one from Oxford if not give us leave to say we have provided a Sepulchre and it is your fault if you doe not provide a Monument for as Laurentius Valla the master of Elegances observes a Monument is nothing else but a speaking Sepulchre Vixque Monumentum dixerim nisi literae aut alii tituli appareant quae si desint magis sepulchrum quàm monumentum erit Laur. Vall. Elegant lib. 4. cap. 75. If there be any man yet unsatisfied that this great Philosopher Mathematician Oratour and any thing but what he pretended to be a Divine hath had no more honour at his death then a plaine Tombe-stone and such a song of lamentation as was taken up for Saul let him read this following Catechisme and if he be either Papist or Protestant he will be satisfied if he be true to his owne principles A Prophane Catechisme collected out of Mr Chillingworths Works Question HOw shall I be able to prove to an Atheist that there is a God and that the Books of the Old and New Testament are the word of God Answ. When Protestants affirme against Papists that Scripture is a perfect rule of Faith their meaning is not that by Scripture all things Absolutely may be proved which are to be beléeved for it can never bée proved by Scripture to a gain sayer that there is a God or that the Book called Scripture is the word of God for as he saith a little before nothing is proved true by being said or written in a Book but only by Tradition which is a Thing credible of it selfe chap. 1. p. 55. Sect. 8. the first Edition approved at Oxford Doubtlesse the Atheists and Papists will give him hearty thanks for this answer which doth preferre Tradition which the Atheist vilifies before Scripture which the Papists vilifie he hath pleased them both The Papists will bee well pleased to see this doctrine licensed by the Protestants of the University of Oxford that Tradition is more credible then Scripture for Tradition is credible for it selfe but the Scripture when it is to be proved a perfect Rule to us is credible only by Tradition in Mr Chillingworths conceit pag. 96. and where shall we meet with this universall Tradition 2. But I finde another answer pag. 53. Tradition may be helped out by naturall Reason Controversies wherein the Scripture it selfe is the subject of the question cannot be determined saith Mr Chillingworth but by Naturall Reason the only principle beside Scripture which is common to Christians cap. 2. sect. 3. And in his marginall observations on a passage of Mr Hookers he layes downe this as a Rule Naturall Reason then built on principles common to all men is the last Resolution pag. 65. Nay Reason is in some sort Gods word see his answer to the Preface pag. 21. How then will the Atheist say is Reason credible for it selfe since Mr Chillingworth saith that Gods word is not credible for it selfe Surely these answers will never bring a man to divine faith for to rely upon Tradition is but to rely upon Humane testimony and such as the testimony is such is the faith if the testimony which is the ground of faith be humane then the faith cannot be divine Againe naturall Reason is not infallible nor is it able to judge of truths which are above Reason now it is cleare that supernaturall truths are above naturall Reason Finally faith is not grounded upon Reason but upon Authority He gives a third answer chap. 1. pag. 36. God hath confirmed the doctrine of the Scripture by miracles but then he saith we have nothing to assure us of the truth of those miracles but Tradition and therefore we are not got one steppe nearer faith or Heaven by that shift and if he flie back to Reason then consider what he saith pag. 117. God hath no where commanded men to beleeve all that Reason induceth them to beleeve Qu. But if this great point must be tried by Reason what Reason can you produce to prove the Scripture to be the word of God An. There is as good reason for it as there is to beléeve other stories or matters of Tradition He requires men to yeeld just such a kinde or degree of assent to the Gospel of Christ as they yeeld to other stories or matters of Tradition chap. 1. pag. 37. for God desires us only to beleeve the conclusion as much as the premises deserve ib. sect. 8. p. 36. And the Chronicle of England joyned with the generall tradition of our acquaintance deserves as much credit in Mr Chillingworths conceit as the Gospel of Christ for his words are these chap. 2. sect. 159. p. 116. 117. Wee have I beleeve as great reason to beleeve there was such a man as Henry the eighth King of England as the Jesus Christ suffered under Pontius Pilate The Lord rebuke that spirit of errour which moved the great men of Oxford to license this blasphemy What have I no more reason to beleeve the three persons in the holy Trinity speaking in their glorious Gospel to my heart and conscience then I have to beleeve Stowes Chronicle or the generall tradition of my owne acquaintance or some such other fallible testimony Qu. But what if I cannot be assured that any part of the Scripture is the word of God may I be saved without beleeving this weighty point An. Yes saith Mr. Chillingworth chap. 2. sect. 159. if a man should beléeve Christian Religion wholly and entirely and live according to it such a man though he should not know or not beléeve the Scripture to be a Rule of faith no nor to be the word of God my opinion is he may be saved Excellent Divinity indeed what is not this a principle of Christianity that Scripture is the word of God and rule of faith and if it be how then is it possible for a man to beleeve the Christian Religion wholly and entirely and yet not beleeve this principle Yes I may beléeve the Scripture as I doe Augustins works pag. 114. Qu. But if I am assured that some Scripture is the word of God how shall I know what books are Canonicall and what not An. By universall Tradition I must receive those books for Canonicall of whose Authority there was never any doubt or question in the Church pag. 148. I may then it seems doubt of the Epistle of James the second of Peter

out of the circumstances of the Text cannot convince me unlesse I judge of them by my Reason and for every man or woman to rely on that in the interpreting of Scripture you say is an horrible absurdity And p. 99. Reason will shew this to be the meaning yes if we may use our Reason and rely upon it Protestants use their reason but Socinians rely upon their reason And he teaches implicit faith all along his book Protestants saith he do agree with an Implicit faith in that sense of the whole Scripture which God intended whatsoever it was p 129. 130 cap. 5. sect. 3. a ready way to tempt men to beleeve very little concerning the sense of Scripture for men will be apt to say that the sense of this and the other place of Scripture is not plainly and fully revealed and Mr Chillingworth doth not require any thing to be beleeved with an explicit faith which is not plainly and undoubtedly delivered in Scripture My reason saith he is convincing and demonstrative because nothing is necessary to be beleeved but what is plainly revealed p. 92. But nothing in his judgement is plainly revealed about any point which is called in question if there be a seeming conflict of Scripture with Scripture Reason with Reason Authority with Authority in such a case he cannot well understand how it can be truly sayd that God hath manifestly revealed the truth on either side chap. 3. sect. 9. p. 136. 137. Well but admit that the appearances on my side are answerable and grant that Scripture Reason Authority are all against me because on the other side yet consider the strange power of Education and Prejudices instilled by it and what Passions I am subject to and then my errour is unavoydable and therfore excusable for though the truth is in it selfe revealed plainly enough yet to such a one as I am prepossest with contrary opinions the truth in that point is not plainly revealed read page 137. Sure the corruption of our Nature is as unavoydable as prejudices and passions and therefore he must according to his principles conclude that God who knowes whereof we are made will not enter into judgement with us for those things which all things considered were unavoydable they are his own words page 137. Nay besides education prejudices and passions inadvertence may in the fourth place excuse us if we dis-beleeve a plain Revelation Finally in the fift place multitude of buisinesse distractions hinderances will excuse us and hinder God from imputing our errours to us as sinnes In his answer to the preface p 19. I am verily perswaded that God will not impute errours to them as sinnes who use such a measure of industry in finding truth as humane prudence and ordinary discretion their abilities and opportunities their distractions and hinderances and all other things considered he will be sure to give liberty enough shall advise them unto in a matter of such consequence But certainly humane prudence and ordinary discretion will teach men to plead these excuses which he hath framed for them when any point of faith shall be pressed upon them they will say our opportunities are few our distractions and hinderances many our education meane our abilities weake our prejudices strong our passions violent our inadvertence pardonable and therefore we will content our selves with a modest humble implicite faith we beleeve the whole Scripture to be true in that sense which God intended whatsoever it was but we have not time to search or ability to judge what it was if we beleeve nothing explicitely or to disbeleeve a clear revelation that revelation though cleare in it selfe is not cleare to us our errour the corruption of our nature our prejudices contrary opinions with which we are already prepossest and all other things considered is unavoidable and therefore God will never impute it to us as a sinne Whither these Principles tend let the pretended Parliament at Oxford judge Qu. But are we not bound to heare what the Church will say to us for our direction in weighty points Ans. I must beléeve the Church in every thing she proves either by Scripture Reason or universall Tradition be it Fundamentall or bée it not Fundamentall pag 149. These disjunctives seem to imply that something fundamentall may be proved by reason or universall Tradition which cannot be proved by Scripture The Licencers may do well to declare what that Fundamentall point is or how many there are if there be more then one I may go to Heathens I need not go to the Church for any thing which Reason teaches the Philosophers can sufficiently instruct me and if what the Church teaches be finally resolved into my owne reason as he affirmes p. 96. then I do not beléeve either God or the Church but my own reason By you saith Master Chillingworth to Knot as well as by Protestants all is finally resolved into your owne reason Sect. 115. cap. 2. Sure I am then that such Protestants and Jesuites are in their high-way to pure Socinianisme and therefore it is no marvell if some Jesuites have been such Anti-Trinitarians as Master Chillingworth pleads in his owne defence Preface and Answer to the directions to N. N. Sect. 16 17 18 c. the Church hath lost the interpretation of obscure places pag. 56 and plaine places need no exposition at all Qu. But what if the Church erre Ans. Then a man may learne of that self same Church which taught him to confute the errours of that Church that is I may learne to confute the erroneous conclusions of that Church by those very rules and principles which that Church teaches Chap 3. sect. 40. p. 150. First then a private man is presumed to have more Logicke then that teaching Church Secondly the Prelates who call themselves the Church may give my brethren of the Assembly leave to confute their erroneous conclusions by some rules and principles which they themselves have delivered Thirdly a man may learne of the Church how to teach the Church Principles which lead to these harsh truths being licenced at Oxford are an argument to me that they approved this booke before they read it Qu. But how shall we doe then to finde out the true Church and the true Religion Ans. For commands to séek the Church I have not yet met with any and I beleeve saith he to Knot you if you were to shew them would be your self to seek Cap. 3. Sect. 41. p. 150. And for Religion how little paines or care we are to take about it hath been already shewed Q. But which must a man chuse first his Religion or his Church Ans. Every man is to iudge for himself with the iudgment of discretion which he calls humane prudence and ordinary discretion in the place of his Answer to the preface fore-cited p. 19. and to chase either his religion first then his Church as Master Chillingworth saith or as Knot his Church first and then his Religion pag.

was the earnest desire of that eminent Scholar whose body lyes here before you that his corps might be interred according to the Rites and customs approved in the English Liturgy and in most places of this Kingdom heretofore received but his second request in case that were denied him was that he might be buried in this City after such a manner as might be obtained in these times of unhappy difference and bloudy warres His first request is denied for many reasons of which you cannot be ignorant It is too well knowne that he was once a professed Papist and a grand seducer he perverted divers persons of consider●●●●●anke and quality and I have good cause to beleeve that his ●…e to England commonly called his Conversion was but a false and pretended Conversion And for my owne part I am fully convinced that he did not live or dye a genuine Sonne of the Church of England I retaine the usuall phrase that you may know what I meane I meane he was not of that Faith or Religion which is established by Law in England Hee hath left that phantasie which he called his Religion upon record in this subtile booke He was not ashamed to print and publish this destructive tenet That there is no necessity of Church or Scripture to make men faithfull men in the 100 page of this unhappy booke and therefore I refuse to bury him my selfe yet let his friends and followers who have attended his Herse to this Golgotha know that they are permitted out of meere humanity to bury their dead out of our sight If they please to undertake the buriall of his corps I shall undertake to bury his errours which are published in this so much admired yet unworthy booke and happy would it be for this Kingdome if this booke and all its fellowes could be so buried that they might never rise more unlesse it were for a confutation and happy would it have been for the Author if he had repented of those errours that they might never rise for his condemnation Happy thrice happy will he be if his workes doe not follow him if they doe never rise with him nor against him Get thee gone then thou cursed booke which hast seduced so many precious soules get thee gone thou corrupt rotten booke earth to earth and dust to dust get thee gone into the place of rottennesse that thou maist rot with thy Author and see corruption So much for the buriall of his errours Touching the buriall of his corps I need say no more then this It will be most proper for the men of his perswasion to commit the body of their deceased Friend Brother Master to the dust and it will be most proper for me to hearken to that counsell of my Saviour Luk. 9. 60. Let the dead bury their dead but go thou and preach the Kingdom of God And so I went from the grave to the Pulpit and preached on that Text to the Congregation Some conceive that I studied on purpose to picke out the most piercing Text in the Bible a Text which doth much reflect upon the party deceased but these men erre not knowing the Scriptures for had I used that Prayer at Master Chillingworths grave which was dictated by the Spirit upon the like occasion the fall of a great enemy of Israel Judges 5. 31. doubtlesse that Prayer would have reflected more upon the party deceased and all his surviving party So let all thine enemies perish O Lord but let them that love thee be as the Sunne when he goes forth in his strength They would have beene more displeased had I taken that Text which is applyed to no lesse a man then the sonne of Iosiah by the Prophet Ieremiah They shall not lament for him saying Ah my brother or ah sister ah Lord or ah his glory He shall be buried with the buriall of an asse drawne and cast forth beyond the gates of Ierusalem Ierem. 22. 18 19. Doubtlesse that man deserves the buriall of an Asse who beleeves his owne Reason more then the God of truth he that dares not condemne nay admires those for rationall men who would reason Christ and the holy Ghost out of their Godhead and even dispute them both out of the Trinity doth certainly deserve the buriall of an Asse Man is born like a wild asses colt as silly wild and coltish as the Colt of a wilde Asse and if he prove an old Colt and perish by his Coltish trickes wonder not at the sharpe censure of the holy Ghost You see then there are sharper Texts then this that I pitched upon for the ground of my discourse Secondly all that understand that Text Luke 9. 60. will acknowledge that the Text did reflect rather upon the living then the dead But why then was he buried at all I have told you already his followers were permitted to bury him out of meere Humanity I pleaded for his buriall from that great example recorded at length by the holy Ghost 2 Sam. 1. from the eleventh verse to the end of the chapter Saul you know was forsaken of God long before his death the spirit of the Lord the excellent gifts and common graces of the Spirit in particular the spirit of government departed from him Moreover he consulted a witch and by her the Devill at Endor and an evill spirit from the Lord took possession of him yet Saul was solemnly buried bewailed nay extolled by David for those things which were lovely in him as you may read in the place forecited 17 21 24. verses And I dare boldly say that I have beene more sorrowfull for Mr Chillingworth and mercifull to him then his friends at Oxford his sicknesse and obstinacy cost me many a prayer and many a teare I did heartily bewaile the losse of such strong parts and eminent gifts the losse of so much learning and diligence Never did I observe more acutenesse and eloquence so exactly tempered in the same person Diabolus ab illo ornari cupiebat for he had eloquence enough to set a faire varnish upon the foulest designe He was master of his learning he had all his arguments in procinctu and all his notions in numerato Howle ye firre trees for a Cedar is fallen lament ye Sophisters for the Master of sentences shall I say or fallacies is vanished wring your hands and beat your breasts yee Antichristian Engineers for your Arch-engineer is dead and all his Engines buried with him Ye daughters of Oxford weep over Chillingworth for he had a considerable and hopefull project how to clothe you and himselfe in scarlet and other delights I am distressed for thee my brother Chillingworth may his Executrix say very pleasant hast thou beene unto me thy love to me was wonderfull passing the love of father husband brother O how are the mighty fallen and the weapons nay engines of warre perished O tell it not in Gath that he who raised a battery against the Popes chaire that he might place

to imply that God is angry for them Answ to the Preface p. 19. Qu. May a man goe constantly to Masse and be saved Ans. Yes if he bée devout at it for that he meanes by a godly Lay-man if he bée strongly perswaded that there is no impiety or superstition in the use of the Latine service Answ to the Preface p. 9. sect. 7. It seems there is no fault in the Masse but that it is in Latine Qu. What profit might be gained by the Masse-book if it were in English Ans. Much devotion instruction edification salvation in the place forecited Was not this a stout Champion chosen by Canterbury on purpose not to confute but harden Papists and seduce Protestants Qu. What are the causes of errour Ans. Negligence in séeking truth unwillingnesse to find it pride obstinacy a politique desire that that Religion should be true which sutes best with my ends feare of mens ill opinion or any other worldly feare or worldly hope these seven betray men to and kéepe men in damnable errours p. 158. It is one of the most honest passages in his book Brethren let us beware of these motives Qu. What kinde of man was Knot Ans. One that went about to delude his King and Countrey with strange captions Sure Mr Chillingworth and hee were both of a make read 117. Qu. How may a King usurp an Absolute Lordship and Tyranny over any people Ans He néed not put himself to the trouble and difficulty of abrogating Lawes made to maintaine common liberty for he may frustrate their intent and compasse his own design as well if he can get the power and authority to interpret them as he pleases and to adde to them what he pleases and to have his interpretations and additions stand for lawes if he can rule his people by his Laws and his Laws by his Lawyers p. 51. cap. 2. I think our Iudges followed his directions in the point of Ship-money Qu. What weapons of warfare may be justly called carnall Ans. Massacres Treasons Persecutions and in a word all meanes either violent or fraudulent p. 52. God grant that the Irish forces which land daily doe not make us as well acquainted with this warfare in England as they are in Ireland Qu. What obedience doe we owe to the lawes and judgements of Courts Answ. Onely externall obedience not internall approbation p. 97. Qu. If I disapprove the judgement of any Court am I bound to conceale my owne judgement Ans. No I may lawfully professe my iudgement and represent my reasons to the King or Common-wealth in a Parliament as Sir Thomas Moore did without committing any fault p. 97 Why then are men so much blam'd for professing their judgement against some things which seeme to be established by Law and representing their reasons to the Parliament and why did not Master Chillingworth yeeld externall obedience to the Common-wealth of England in this Parliament for who can deny that the Common-wealth of England is assembled in this Parliament Qu. May not a Court which pretends not to be infallible be certain enough that they judge aright Answ. Yes our Iudges are not infallible in their iudgements yet are they certaine enough that they iudge aright and that they procéed according to the evidence that is given when they condemne a thiefe or a murtherer to the Gallowes p. 140. Now Reader judge Master Chillingworths workes my proceedings and this Treatise according to the evidence given and thinke an implicite faith in thine owne reason almost as bad as implicite faith in the Church or Pope of Rome I conclude all as Doctor Fern concludes his last booke The God of Power and Wisdome cast out all Counsels and defeat all Designes that are against the restoring of our Peace and the continuance of the true Reformed Religion Amen Soli Deo gloria FINIS Dr. Bayly Dr. Prideaux Dr. Fell {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Ezek. 8. 16. Ezek. 8. 17. 18. Isa. 50. ult. Isa. 8. 9 10. Vbi jus humanum naturale vel divinum arma e●pere jubet ibi juris autoritas intervenit etiamsi expressa voluntas principis non accedat Biel. 4. Sent. q. 4. Dr Ferne his 2. book p. 33. Dr Fern ib. p. 27 Dr Ferns 2. book p. 6. Book 2 p. 34. Book 2. p 28. Book 2. pag. 6. 2 Book p. 28. Ib. ubi supra 2 Book p. 16. Iudg. 9. 24. * Ac ne maledicis verborum in eos uti conviciis arguamur causam perditionis publicae ne cuiquam ignota sit non tacemus Hilar. contra Arian p. 214 Iudg. 9. 19 20 23 and 57 verses a Nec Plancus illepide cum diceretur Asinius Pollio orationes in eum parare quae p●st mortem Planci ederentur ne resp●ndere posset cum mortuis non nisi larvas luctari quo apud erud tos nihil impudentius judicatur Plin. Praefat. Hist. Natural * Scilicet esse oportet Marii reliquiat dissipari jussit acerbiore odio quàm si tam sapiens suisset quàm vehemens fuit Cicero de L●g Consulas Histor. de vita obitu Buceri Tertul. in Apolog. Synod Eliber Can. 34. 37. Vigilantius cum Synodo praedict. illam gentilium consuetudinem damnavit Prope inqu●t Vigilantius ritum gentil●um videmus sub praetextu religion●s introductum in Ecclesias Dei Sole ad●us fulgente moles cereo●um accendi Hieron. ad Vigilant cap. 2. Virgil En●id Videsis Greg. Naz. Orat. in laudem Gorgor Comment. in Iob vulgo ascripta Origeni lib. 3. Ambros. de Valent Gratiano disser●n Beati ambo si quid meae orationes valebunt nulla dies vos silenti● praeteribit nulla inhonoratos vos mea transibit oratio nulla nox non donatos aliquâ precum mearum contextione transcurret c. Ambros. de obitu Valentiniani Imperatoris Gen. 50. 7 9 and 14 verses Dr Vsher his answer to the les●ites Challenge upon the Argument of prayer for the dead {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Chrysost. Hom. 4. in epist. ad Heb.