Both I suppose are not guilty The Iudge speaks once and no more but these two at discord agree not Their vnreasonable proceeding declared by one Instance about the main point which â— the true meaning of his Sentence may not Both return home as wise as they came and contend till Dooms Day vnless some other Iudge break 's off the quarrel and sayes plainly Thou art the Traitour 22 This is our very case either we or Protestants betray This Discourse driuen home and applyed to these two dissenting Parties Gods truths The one or other Party Contradict's the first Verity and boldly auerres he Speak's what he never Spake We appeal to Holy Scripture and would haue our Debates decided by that Oracle Two or three Passages He that hear's you hears me The Church is the Pillar and ground of Truth He that hears not the Church let him be as à Heathen c. literally taken denote the guilty Party But our Sectaries tell vs we mistake the Scriptures meaning They Sectaries cast themselues into in extricable difficulties vary from vs in the main Point concerning the very Sense of our Iudges Sentence Is it not therefore euident that they must either recurre to some other Tribunal for à final decision or Secondly ingenuously Confesse they are the men who will not haue the traiterous Party discouered Or lastly acknowledge Controuersies can haue no End and that God has not left any means on earth whereby the notorious Deprauers of his reuealed Truths may be known One only Instance will giue more light to what I haue sayd 23. We and Sectaries appeal to Christs sacred words This is my Body We vnderstand them literally and strongly plead our cause what different senses are made of Christs own words alleging for vs not only the Authority of the western and eastern Churches but if need were of the Lutherans also They reiect all yea Say we grosly mistake the sense of Christ's words and therefore hold vs the Traitours that commit grosse Idolatry in the sight of God and Angels Consider good Reader are not such Aduersaries obliged to plead their Cause before How the Catholick plead's this Iudge of Scripture by à Church as vniversal by witnesses as Faithful by an Authority as great as we produce against them or to confesse ingeniously This Controuersy cannot be decided They may 'T is true Oppose the Caluinists to Lutherans but to Sectaries allege nothing for their Sense denote à Church either Latin or Greek that maintained their Opinion of the Eucharist Shall neuer be made so much as meanly Probable O yes the Primitiue Church taught as they teach Contra. It s vtterly vntrue as is largely proued in the first Discourse Again that 's à thlng yet in Controuersy and therefore far from being à manifest sentence against vs yet their Clamours against our Idolatry are manifest and as iniurious as manifest 24. These and yet far more forceable Arguments proposed by Catholick Authors against Protestancy our Aduersaries call Flies Small Grains gnawing of Rats c. We wholly Contrary hold them conuincing and the cause we defend most iust Here both Parties Stick in the hight of their heats Stiffe in their wayes without yeilding to one another Is it not therefore full time and reasonable think A Iudge distinct from Scripture proued absolutly necessary ye to appeal to some Iudge distinct from Scriptureâ— by whose just Sentence it may appear whether we old Papists or our young Nouellists are the guilty men that impiously oppose God's truths 25. You se whilst the sense of Scripture and Fathers is not agreed on we are aduanced no further but only to quarrel as if Contention is not the last end of writing Controuersies Contention were the final end of writing Controuersies Or as if an eternal Debate were desired and after that to haue nothing decided For this sole Reason A Iudge is absolutely necessary though our Aduersaries will hear of none hauing an horrour to admit of any Churches Iudgement whereby the cause now in debate may be happily ended Yet if we follow the Rule of Catholicks appeal to one Iudge Reason what can be more Satisfactory then to appeal to Church Authority in this weighty matter We Catholicks stand to the Sentence of our own euidenced vniuersal Church She is our Protestants are forced to appeal to another of equal Authority or their Cause is lost Iudge Are not Sectaries therefore obliged if their Arguments against vs be thought solid and their cause good to appeal to the Iudgement of some other Church as euidenced by Miracles and as vniuersal as ours is which once taught as they teach and publickly decryed our supposed Errours 26. What we now propose seem's reasonable because Protestants most certainly aâ— they defend Protestanism will not pretend to publish à Doctrin with à strict obligation laid on their They cannot pretend to teaâ—h à Doctrin which no ancient Church euer taught Partizans to acquiese in it which no Orthodox Church euer taught or if any Church euer taught so This must be as clearly euidenced as it is euident that the Roman Catholick Church taught Popery seuen or eight Ages since Here in à word is the true trial of their whole Cause Denote Point out or name an Orthodox Church which owned this Protestancy fiue or six Centuries since Controuersies are ended But if it be as it is most impossible to name such à Church The Abetters of Protestancy Sectaries proue themselues heretiques only follow the strain and Method of all Condemned Hereticks and proue themselues by their own procedure Heretiques That is They plead against Catholick Doctrin by false Calumnies weak Cauils lame coniectures vnsensed Scriptures and Calumnies their only Defensâ— abused Fathers without any Church Authority to rely on And thus all your ancient Heretiques haue Proceeded 27. Wherefore to conclude I Say in à word Protestancy Protestancy proued an Improbable Religion as Protestancy is à most improbable Religion or to speak more plainly no Religion at all The ground of my Assertion will be best laid forth in these few words No ancient vniuersal Church no Orthodox Christians in any part of the world euer taught Protestancy Ergo its improbable Nay more no Heretical Society The ground of our Assertion of men euer taught that whole Doctrin Therefore it is an vnpatronized Nouelty reiected by the Vniuersal Christian world whether Orthodox or others And Hence it is that whateuer Protestants can Say in behalfe of their own Tenets or Contrary to Catholick Doctrin comes to no more but to improbable and vnproued Suppositions Obserue I beseech you 28. They tell vs the Roman Catholick Church once true deserted Improbable Suppositions the only Proofs of Sectaries the Ancient Faith we vrge them to proue the Assertion and with good reason because neither ancient Church nor any sound Christian euer said so before themselues And what Answer haue we The
and both as you see stand opposite to Mr Stilling weak plea drawn from Sense and Reason 6. I might yet cite S. Chrisostome In. 1. Cor hom 24. Other Authorities Chrisostom Pachasius Damascan who saith The kingly body in heauen is set before vs on earth We touch it and do not only touch it but eate it This body the barbarous Magi after à long iourney adored with fear and trembling Thou add's the Saint See'st him not now in the manger but on the Altar not held in à womans arms but by à Priest present c. Therefore in his Oration of S. Perhilg he explain's himself further Truly this table supplies the place of the manger for here also is our Lords body laid Paschasius à latin author who liued about the year 800. is so express for the real Presence à nd Transubstantiation in his book De Corp. Sanguine Dm'i that the Centurist's Cent. 9. C. 4. Col. 215. Praetorius de Sacramen Pag 288. and other Sectaries charge him with the Doctrin of Transubstantiation and oral eating of Christs body No less plain and express is S. Iohn Damascen lib. 4. Ortho. Fid. whose discours on this subiect though long is most significant As bread saith he naturally meat and wine and water by drink are changed into the body and blood of him that eates and drink 's So this bread proposed the wine and water also by the inuocation and comming of the Holy Ghost are in à miraculous manner conuerted into Christs body and blood neither are they two but one and the same Our Lord himself hath said This is not à sign of my body but my body This is not à sign of my blood but my blood Hence Praetorius now cited P. 288. reiects the Doctrin and call's this miraculous Transubstantiation held by S. Iohn Damascen slight and fabulous sodo other Sectaries with him also 7. There are yet more ancient authorities most pressing to our purpose were it not Actum agere to say again what has been so often The Testimony of S. Ignatius Martyr clear noted First the Testimony of S. Ignatius Martyr who liued with our Sauiour and was Scholler to S. Iohn seem's to me vnanswerable Epist ad Smirnen not far from the beginning They saith he that is certain Sacramentarians admit not Eucharists and oblations because they do not Confess the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Sauiour Iesus Christ which flesh suffered for our sins and his Father graciously raised from the dead So Theoderet 12. ages since Tom. 4. Dialogo 3. reads And Iaac Vossius who followes the Florentine Copy differs little or rather nothing at all None can reasonably call the Epistle into doubt which Vossius places before the other Epistles and the sense as you see is most clear 8. The second authority as pregnant is taken out of S. Iustin Martyr in his Apology for Christians vsually called the 2. S. Iustin's also most significant Apology Paris print 1615. Towards the end at those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For we take not this Eucharist as common bread and common drink but as Iesus Christ our Sauiour by the word of God was made flesh and haed for our saluation flesh and blood so also after the same manner we are taught that the food which by the prayer of the word is by him consecrated with thanksgiuing of which food our flesh and blood are by transmutation nourished is the flesh and blood of that Iesus Christ which was Incarnate And for proof hereof he allegeth Christs own words This is my body This is my blood Thus S. Iustin speak's who liued not long after the Apostles about the year 150. and nothing can be more express in behalf of Catholick Doctrin I know some Sectaries Cauil at the expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by transmutation The sectaries Cauil answered and think Iustin held the Eucharist to be food for the body but his sense is clear for he saith only That the same food which nourishes our bodies by real transmutation is made after consecration the very body of Christ and therefore Gaspar Laurentius à learned Caluinist in his Orthodoxus Consensus Pag 368. translates Iustins S. Iustin's true sense words out of the Greek thus Sumimus autem hunc panem hunc potum non vt Communem sed eo modo quo edocti sumus Iesum Christum seruatorem nostrum habuisse pro salute nostra carnem sanguinem sic etiam cibum illum ex quo nostra Caro sanguis aluntur post benedictionem ipsius esse carnem sanguinem Domini That is in plain English The bread or food which naturally nourishes our bodies is by vertue of Consecration made the sacred body of our Incarnate Sauiour Conformable hereunto Gelenius also quoted in the Annotations vpon S. Irenaeus aduersus Haereses lib. 4. C. 24. n. 26. renders S. Iustins words Sic per verbum precationis gratiarum actionis sacratam ab ipso alimoniam quae mutata nutrit nostras carnes sanguinem Illius Incarnati Iesu carnem sanguinem esse didicimus The Interpreter also I follow significantly renders the same sense Alimoniam vnde c. The food from whence from which or where with we are nourished this very aliment is by Consecration made the body of our Incarnate Iesus Well but admit that Iustine call's the Eucharist nourishment to our bodies How some Fathers call the Eucharist Nourishment to the body he makes it not therefore Corporal food but Spiritual which nourishes them to à ioyful resurrection or to immortality and thus the other Fathers chiefly S. Irenaeus now cited c. 24. versus finem speakes Quomodo saith he rursus dicunt c How do these Hereticks plead again that our flesh shall come to corruption and not take life from the body and blood of our Lord where with it is nourished Again Sic corpora nostra c. and thus our bodies receiuing the Eucharist are not corruptible hauing hope of à ioyful resurrection But enough of these authorities Whoeuer desires more may peruse Cardinal Perron in his 2. book of the Holy Eucharist Out of what is said already I argue 9. Either the now quoted Fathers and the Church also haue most impiously betrayed Christs cause in deliuering false Doctrin contrary to sense and reason or worthily defended à Christian verity Grant this second we haue our intent But if Sectaries say these Fathers cheated the world into à false belief and impiously erred in their expressions Ponder first what à frontles impudence accompanies the reply Next make this true inference It is impossible that such à supposed vniuersal errour should euer be rased out of A Conuincing Argument the minds of men by the force of any thing which has the likelyhood of à receiued Principle For what proofs or vndoubted Principles can possibly outweigh the express words of Scripture our Tradition the sentiment of the Church and the iudgement
your Glosses To point at his Church and Councils which taught Protestancy to an Orthodox Church The world was neuer without one Say therefore in Gods name where or when was such an Orthodox Christian Society in Being that positiuely taught no Transubstantiation No sacrifice of the Mass No inuocation of Saints c Where or when were your Councils which positiuely defined these Doctrins c You may Answer and truely You haue indeed neither Church nor Councils Nor Tradition Express for these your Negatiues Very right Therefore I wrong you not in saying your whole Cause subsist's vpon Coniectures cauils And Glosses Because now you cast your selues into an Impossibility of pleading by any better Principles than meer guesses are Thus much supposed Say I beseech you What auail's it if when an Authority is plain for Popery that you can by à nimble gloss darken it Or if obscure You haue A Fiat lux at hand and can charm it into so much Clarity as may suffice to dazle the eyes of à vulgar Reader What Satisfaction haue I here or what gain you by this Proceeding when you know we haue more witnesses ready to attest yea to dye for our Catholick Verities than you haue hairs on your head or Glosses in your book What gain you to your cause could you missinterpret all the Fathers that euer wrote when you without the warrant of any Orthodox Society haue yet à whole learned Church Her Councils and Tradition against you And all the store of Ammunition left you to attaque this great Oracle of Truth is very small no more God knowes but à without them no satisfaction is giuen flash of lightning borrowed from the Ignis fatuus of your far-fetcht Glosses Gloss on Cauil on coniecture on to the worlds end As long as no known or Owned Principle distinct from Glosses and coniectures Support's them You only beat the aire or to vse à pretty late phrase amongst you lapwing-like Pew most when furthest from the nest I mean you are most fierce to end Controuersies when you are furthest off from Principles which only can end them 8. Thus then you should proceed had not God and Truth silenced you I E. S. B. D. declare to you honest Papists That in the Sixth or seauenth age after Christ His true Orthodox Church positiuely taught no Transubstantiation Such à Council either in former or later Ages expresly defined so Then and before also Church Tradition was vniuersally for my Doctrin And thus much I can make good to the learnedest Romanist among you Wonder not Therefore when you quote your Iustins your Cyprians your Chrisostoms seemingly contrary to my Church Doctrin That I interpret all I am forced to doe so or against conscience must desert my old Mother Church Her Councils How Sectaries ought to plead and Tradition likewise From which You haue too licentiously swerued to side with your Iustins and I know not who els Could the Sectary plead after this manner His Glosses would haue force But he neuer meddles with the First main Business That is neuer ground 's his Doctrin vpon any thing like à satisfactory Principle But as if He minded to tire Ones patience run's on headlong with Glosses When he has no Principled Doctrin to Gloss for Iust as if One should tell his neighbour Sir you lye And this I auerr to your face Though I want where withall to proue my Saying true In all these Controuersies Sectaries are so pertly vnciuil as to giue the Lie to à whole Church And what supports the Boldnes Haue they any other Church more Orthodox Councils more learned Tradition more vniuersal to proue we lye than our Church our Tradition And Councils are which say we speak truth Nothing at all like them We here challenge them to speak to the cause and controuersies are ended What then remain's to plead with Plain Scripture Not à word Fathers plain Not one O yes Tertullian is drawn in to help at à dead lift so is Theoderet And one or two more Very true But he is à glossed Tertullian à glossed Theoderet c. Separate then these Glosses from the Fathers genuin Doctrin giue them the Sectary to manage you see him in open field compleatly armed ready to encounter Church Councils Tradition And all the other Principles of the Catholick world Are not Glosses think Glosses strangely powerful with Sectaries ye strong and prodigiously powerful which haue not only force to plead against à whole Church But more ouer to implead her of palpable errour This Church is supposed to haue changed Her ancient Doctrin And Sectaries will reform it not by recurring to any other more Orthodox Society of Christians But by meer guesses and Glosses That is The Fallible Glosses and gueses of men confessedly fallible must reform à Church which hold's Her selfe infallible And proues it also 9. Thus it is Christian Reader I speak plainly And can defend my Assertion Besides meer begging the Question in all Disputes besides Cauils And weak coniectures The Sectary hath no more left him to oppose our Catholick Tenets but meer vnprincipled Glosses I neither word it nor wrong Protestants in saying thus much Peruse if you please their writings chiefly Mr Stillingfleets Account you will find when the Churches Infallibility or Transubstantiation c. Happen to be handled That Glosses laid on the Authorities vsually quoted for Catholick Doctrin euer take vp the most room And which is worse yea pitiful in à Rational Defender of Protestancy You shall neuer find through this whole Book waue Cauils coniectures and Glosses one sound Principle laid plainly forth nor so much as hinted at in behalf of any Protestant Article What think ye Shall Yet Most weak and feeble Christians who would fain haue à Church to liue in see the old House of God pulled down by vnhandy Glossers before They haue à better built vp And well setled on good Foundations Pulled down What say I Alas our Glossers haue not strengh to vntile it much less force to demolish that long slanding Fortress Yet Glosses chiefly And t' is à sad thought for the Sectary support his vndefensible Schism made in the desperate quarrel against that Church which gaue his Ancestors Baptism These only there is no more must plead in behalf of his inhuman and barbarous Reformation These finally must answer before an Impartial Iudge at that great day of Doom for all his merciless cruelty practised vpon the deceased and some yet liuing Catholicks Sad thoughts I say they are to goe to bed with to rise with to banquet with which like Ghosts will haunt him to his dying day And lay Torment at his restles hart in his greatest iollities And more in the houre of death 10. After all you see the Conclusion and an end put to Controuersies The Conclusion against Sectaries If no Orthodox Church vphold's this Protestancy or any article of it which is euident No Councils nor Tradition can support
à little how we proceed 2. I proue my Catholick Doctrin by the Publick Authority of an euidenced Church That 's my Principle And our Aduersaries to Oppose me come armed with two or three maim'd The Sectaries opposition against the Church is null And why dark Sentences of the Holy Fathers and think this enough to cast Popery out of the world No such Matter my good Countrymen There is yet much more to do before you speak probably You explode Transubstantiation Purgatory Inuocation of Saints We Ask whether you euer had à Church as Euidenced as Ancient as vniuersal as Commissioned to teach as ours which publickly maintained your Tenets and censured The Roman Catholick Doctrin Show vs such à Church vpon solid Principles the work is done you giue weight For weight Euidence for Euidence and may Speak boldly Nay I say more you may well triumph For vpon the Supposition we are vanquished But Fail to do this and fail you must you are silenced yea impossibilitated to write more Controuersies Se more of this Subiect aboue Disc 1. C. 19. 3. A second inference The Atheist and Protestant plead alike That is As the one Argues against God iust so the other doth against Christ's Church All know the more ancient Atheists offer'd not positiuely to Demonstrate the Non-existence of God for there is no Principle to ground that Sensless Assertion vpon But chiefly excepted against the Proofs The Atheists way of arguing parall'd with that of Sectaries drawn from the visible works in Nature and thought these so weak to Euince à Deity that there might well be none Thus our Sectaries proceed For stark shame they dare not deny à Church of Christ Yet their whole labour is so to obscure Her Euidence that no man can possibly find out the Oracle by Signes Miracles Conuersions and Antiquity Therefore as the Atheist in effect denies God or at least stand's doubtfull of his Being So the Sectary to parallel him because He denies the Churches glorious Euidence cannot but remaine doubtful whether there be any such Oracle or no. Again as the Atheist bewrayes his folly in giuing the Lie to the vniuersal Iudgement of mankind when he Saies the works of Nature proue not à Deity So the Sectary run's the same Carreer betrayes his folly and giues the Lie to the whole Christian world when he saies the Manifest works of Grace visible in the Catholick Church conuince Her not to be God's Oracle 4. A third inference The sole Euidence of the Roman Catholick Church visible by Her Marks so clearly conuinces and carries on the whole Catholick Cause without exception A Church clearly euidenced cannot be excepted against So utterly vanquishes the Protestants Plea of Errours entring into this great moral Body that it is highly improbable yea à flat Calumny to impeach Her of any Here is my reason Meer doubts or crasy Topicks can not reuerse Euidence But the Churches Antiquity Her vast extent Her Progress Her Miracles Her Conuersions and the other like Signes are â—x sensatis sensibly and vndeniably euident Therefore all impleading Her of Errour is more than improbable vnless She has erred in shewing such Marks as haue made the world Christian Now further If this Euidence stand's firm Her Doctrin is made euidently Credible by it that is so worthy of Acceptance by diuine Faith That Reason after so much Light seen is obliged vnder pain of damnation to yeild Assent to the Doctrin For as none can prudently belieue before this Euidence be attained Qui cito credit levis est corde Eccles 19. 44. One too quick in belieuing is not wise So none after t' is had can without damnable sin Disbelieue 5. Hence I Argue The Doctrin of the Primitiue Church was made euidently credible to reason That is worthy of all Acceptation in the three or four first Centuries or was not The Primitiue euidence of Credibility If not none could then belieue with diuine Faith For the Euidence of credibility necessarily preceed's Faith And as Faith in it self is strong most certain and victorious ouer Incredulity Iohn 1. 5. 4. This is the victory which ouercom's the world our Faith So this preuious Euidence answerably brings Reason to so firm à State of belieuing certainly that nothing Proposable can Eclipse that clear and manifest light 6. Contrarywise if those Primitiue Christians had the Euidence we speak of and were thereby obliged to belieue We Catholicks Is yet manifest in the Roman Catholick Church are Most secure for the very same Euidence still continues to this Age in the Roman Catholick Church Miracles go on Conuersions of Nations go on the Succession of Pastors goes on The fulfilling of Prophesies goes on Sanctity of life in Thousands and Thousands is manifest to our eyes and senses Euery day the Church growes older and which is enough to conuince the most obdurate Heretick the louely vnion the vnanimous Consent of so many Nations though different in tongues in manners in Education conspiring and openly Professing one and the same faith hath not only gained our Church à publick Reputation the whole world ouer but moreouer proues this great Truth That she and none but she is Gods Sacred Oracle 7. If then and here lies the force of my Inference it had been à flat calumny and more than vastly improbable to haue taxed the Apostolical Primitiue Church of Ertour after so great The force of the Inference Euidence laid forth to Reason in Her Marks and Signs it is no less sinful in the Protestant now no less vngodly at this day to accuse the present Church of corrupted Dectrin whilst She frees her self from the Calumny by giuing in the very same Euidence of Credibility For here is my irrefragable Principle The like full euidence of motiues lead's reason to draw Thence à most firm and certain Faith Destroy this Euidence in any that proues Himself to be Gods Oracle you must deny it to Christ our Lord when he preached To the Primitiue Church also and finally to the Modern Catholick Church Do so All Faith perishes Grant it to both the Ancient Church and this now in being All pleading against our Catholick Doctrin is meer Vanity 8. The Sectary may reply Though the Euidence we insist on hath some weight Yet it followes not that all the Doctrin An Obiection Proposed our Church teaches is made euidently Credible For he can iustly except against the Doctrin relying vpon other solid Grounds and most approued Principles Scripture for example the Authority of holy Fathers the Records of Antiquity the Form of the Primitiue Church are his Principle and by these he hopes to proue our Churches Doctrin False which done the Euidence we build vpon signifies nothing 9. I am very willing to solue this Obiection the Answer I hope will show vpon what vnsteedy foundations Protestancy stand's To proceed with all clarity This is Questionable whether we or Protestants teach the Doctrin of Iesus Christ
Endles 26. The Determination of à Council erring say our Aduersaries is to stand in force and to haue external Obedience at least yeilded to The Sectaries Doctrin breed's Confusion it till euidence of Scripture or à Demonstation to the Contrary make the Errour appear and vntil therevpon another Council of equal Authority reuerse the Errour Here is their Position which breed's nothing but Confusion among Christians and licenseth euery vnquiet Spirit interiourly at least to Censure Church Doctrin as abominable if He iudges it Erroneous or Contrary to Christ's Verities I say Interiourly And T' is hard to Silence and oblige men to external Obedience if this full Perswasion remain's And necessarily brings in Diuision stedfast in their minds Gods truths are Ouerthrown by an Erring Church or à misled Council There is no law humane or Diuine wich can bind to Hypocrisy But to iudge one thing Euidently fals and to Profess it as true is pain Hypocrisy To auoide therefore this Sin all are in points of faith not to Speak Contrary to Truth or hostility will of Necessity follow Between the Profession of priuate men and their interiour Iudgements which cannot but foment Rebellion in the Church whilst People generally liue in such à Perswasion that God's Truths are wronged 27. But here is not my greatest Exception Please to mark those other words Till Euidence of Scripture or à Demonstration makes the Errour appear Or another Council reuerses the Errour of the Former And say I beseech you to whom must this Euidence of Scripture appear To whom must the Councils Errour be Demonstrable What to Priuate men and these It can not be said to whom the supposed Errours of Fallible If so the Contest will be whether these Priuate Erring men or the Supposed Erring Council has the greater Euidence of Scripture Or on which Side the Demonstration against the Errour lies I say if the Church and Councils be fallible There neither is nor can be any thing like Euidence or à Demonstration in either of the Contenders Therefore an Councils must appear endles Dispute vpon meer Vncertainties must ensue vnless Mr. Stillingfleet laies the Errour vpon whom he pleases and makes Himself Vmpire in the cause You will say he supposes the Councils Errours euidently known Pitiful To whom I bescech you must they be known It s impossible to return an Answer Again if Suppositions may once pass for Proofs I 'll goe the Contrary way and either Suppose all Councils infallible or maintain this Truth Errours cannot be euidently known And why should not my Supposition be as good as his What then remain's but that we bring these Suppositions to the Test and Examin which is better And here the Dispute begins again in behalf of what is Supposed which can neuer be ended without an infallible Iudge 28. It may be replyed These Aduersaries proue not Councils fallible vpon any bare Supposition but only Say thus much If they were Fallible the Peace of the Church may yet be Preserued Contra 1. Peace is infinitly better vpheld were Councils as they truly are owned Infallible For so euery one would Acquiese in their Decrees as the Christian world has done hitherto Contra 2. The Churches Peace is torn in pieces Sedition Sedition reign 's if Councils be fallible necessarily reign 's Debates are endles if Councils be fallible To proue this 29. Call once more to mind the Assertion Viz. The Determination of an erring Council is to stand in force vntil there vpon an other Council of equal Authority Reuerse the Errour Obserue I beseech you Both these Councils are Supposed fallible and of equal Authority The Second therefore cannot reuerse the One Proof of the Assertion Errour of the First being as weak as fallible and of no more Authority than That first was Or if thus by Turns one may Annull the Decrees of the other A third may be conuened which recall's the Decrees of both and à Fourth which Cashieres all the precedent Definitions And so in Infinitum without Stop or Stint Hence arise endles Quarrels not only between Council and Council For euery one will Stand for its own Right But also among Christians Who seing the Discord are thrown into à remediles Perplexity and can neuer know what to Belieue or whom to Obey You will see clearly what I would expres by one or two Instances The Nicene Council Defined Further declared by an Instance the Consubstantiality of the Son to his Eternal Father So much is vndoubted Imagin now that an other like Assembly as fallible as the Nicene for that with Sectaries was fallible and of equal Authority had Defined the quite Contrary Doctrin And let this be also supposed for in Protestant Principles iâ— is Supposable that this Second corrected the Errour of the First What tumults think ye what an endles Rebellion would haue ensued there vpon in Christendom had the One Council thus clashed with the other No man in Prudence could haue Belieued or Obeyed either because both are Supposed fallible and of equal Authority 30. There is yet one Instance more Suitable to à Sectarian Humour Imagin only another Council Conuened as Learned Another Instance Shewing as General and as fallible as Protestants Suppose the Council of Trent to haue been And that this reuerses all the Doctrin contained in the Tridentine Offenfiue to our Nouellists Would not this destroy the Vnity of the present Church Would Ths horrid Inconuenience of Iarring Councils not some Side with the first some with the second or rather would not All vpon the Supposition scorn and contemn the Authority of both Church and Councils The like Inconuenience followes were the Catholick Church as large as some Sectaries make it or embraced all called Christians If in that case Two Councils representing the whole Moral Body should meet and the later Tear in pieces the Decrees of the former Would not Dissentions Grow as high and as odious vpon these Voting and Vnuoting Councils as they are now in England whilst Prelatiks Preach One kind of Doctrin and Fanaticks another quite contrary And is it Possible Do all Eyes se the Horrour of this contrary Preaching in One Island and are they shut vpon à greater more Terrible were it true That two of the highest Tribunals in the Church could stand in open Hostility and the One band against the other Thus much of Dissentions and Tumults necessary Appendants to iarring Representatiues 31. But all is not yet Satisfyed Our Aduersaries Say There can be no cause of Tumults in the Church if an Errour be euidently Discouered For euery One ought to thank God not to grumble when they se themselues freed from so great Sectaries â—â— destroy their own Principles à Mischief On the other side if the Errour be not Euident All are to submit to the Councils vntil à Publick Declaration makes the contrary truth manifest And thus the Peace of Christendom seem's well secured Answ And
wayes either by disordering euery wheel in it à part or by breaking the Spring The fairest Palace ever was is ruine'd if either you separate euery stone from stone or if you vndermine the fundation and blow vp the whole Fabrick though many of the stones strongly Cimented cling yet together The first way of answering by piece-meal is tedious and obscure and as things are with vs by reason of the difficulty in Printing and transmitting Bookes into England almost impossible The other is clear and easy both are satisfactory to euery rational man and I hold the second most necessary For in all our Discourses there must be some firm Principles laid wherevnto we reduce and from whence wè draw what we Assert which seueral wayes of discoursing Compose the two different Methods Analytical and Synthetical obserucd by Philosophers and Divines Neither is the Foundation more necessary to à house or the weight to a clock then Principles are to a Discourse which then is good when the grounds stand firm and the Deductions of the particular Conclusion from them clear But if either the Principles be false and alien or the Deductions not Coherent the whole Discourse fall's to nothing Apply what is here sayd to your Account or rather to the Religion it Asserts and you have all I would Say Your Account Sr was writ to vindicate Protestancy and must stand vpon the same Principles with that Nouelty therefore whatever shak's and ruin's the Principles of Protestancy necessarily shak's and ruin's the Principles of your Account But your Supposed Principles or Grounds of Protestancy are broken yea demonstrated no Grounds at all in the Book intitl'd Protestancy without Principles where they arc proued either false or no Principles peculiar to your Religion as it is distinct from the Doctrin of other Societies called Non-Protestants And consequently when true they haue no Connexion with Protestancy nor can lead in any conclusion for you And where they are false their falsity is laid before your eyes and an vtter subuersion of your Cause and Account with it because neither can stand when your supposed Principles are destroyed or rather found never to have had Being And thus your Book is solidly Answered If you desire to se more ruin yet fallen vpon you read this Treatise and be pleased to reflect vpon these three things in your Account The length of it The Obiections against Catholick Religion and finally your Principles for Protestancy We find two of them but misse the third The length mighty tedious and too often without substance wearies à Reader God help him say I that vndergoes the druggery to turn ouer all the vneuen stuff which lies heap't vp there Your Obiections vsually borrowed from Mr Chillingworth and some other Protestant Writers are for the most part common and such as haue been answered ouer and ouer Where you think them peculiar to your selfe as they lay in my way I haue reioyned and if some be omitted that 's only to Say euery stone in your Fabrick is not touched or medled with But for as much as concerns your Principles in behalfe of Protestancy I Assert Confidently you haue none and vpon this ground I say once more your Account is answered Goe on therefore and vilify the works published against you as you please call them Wool sacks Rats or Flies add more opprobrious language to gain you credit among your simple and too credulous Vulgar with Intelligent Readers you preuail nothing who well perceiue it Matters not to your Intent if those VVool sacks receiue and break the force of your greatest shot against our Church if the Rats gnaw the best ligaments woven in your Account if but one of these flies enter your throat and bereaue you of breath some report of à great man stifled by à Fly And truly it seem's by your deep silence or not answering since these Books came forth that some of the greater sort haue halfe chok'd you But enough To say more after this strain were to rallie like you and to offend the learned world which requires substance in these serious matters without contempt flowting and empty words Had you Sr gone the right way to work you should either haue kept in your disdainful language or taken Protestancy without Principles in hand Shewing where the Author mistook your Principles Or whether his exceptions were blamable because he thought them either Common and not belonging to you that is wholly alien from your cause wholly impertinent to Maintain Protestancy This proceeding had been Satisfactory but difficult and aboue your force Therefore you wisely waued it knowing well it was easier to giâ—e sharp words and snarle at your Aduersaries than to come neer and bite with pinching Arguments My proceeding with you Sr is quite contrary I slight nor your person but say plainly where your great mistake lies in handling Controuersies You run head-long into the deep Mysteries of Faith by the ill conduct of your weak or not well sighted reason and after à few stagg ring thoughts spent in weighing and musing vpon the difficulties which appear to you in the Mysteries you will needs tell vs what 's true what 's false and therefore boldly take and reiect as you like best It is à perplexed way Sr which will neuer make you either Good Christian good Diuine or so much as à mean Proficient in Christ's School In following it you are just like one as I tell you in the Treatise that takes wholsome Pills into his Mouth chewes them find's them bitter and spitt's all out Hence it is you spit at the Doctrins of Transubstantiation of Purgatory c. because forsooth they are distastful to sense and shallow reason And truly Sr it is wonderful that you haue not long since by this procedure cast off the Doctrin of the sacred Trinity For most certainly might sense and weak reason plead the Cause here far greater difficulties would occur against that sublime Mystery then euer Protestants yet proposed against our other Catholick Tenents In a word Sr if you desire satisfaction in matters of Religion busy not your head with the examination of the Diuine Mysteries Considered in themselues they are aboue your reach but contrarywise consider well how and by what means they are made Credible to reason which is done as S. Austin cited afterward tell 's you by first finding out that clear marked and signalized Church whereby God speaks This Oracle once discouered and the Discouery grounded vpon Euidence is easy Hear and Believe Her She is wiser then you and never think to shake so strong à Fortress by devising pcrty Arguments against Her Doctrin no sooner seen then solued because forsooth you cannot Comprehend it But it is high time to end and I shall do so with one word more of good aduice Fooles they say may sometimes give à wise man Counsel Sr if you intend to write any more Consider for your own sake what you write weigh things well in your
it is 3. When the world lay as it were in à dead sleep of sin and ignorance thoughtlesse God knowes of casting so much as à thought towards Heauen or of louing any good but what sense and corrupted nature liked of A new Doctrin sad to sense and mighty difficult to reason was heard of Blessed are the poor in spirit Humility scarse heard of before was then cryed vp for à great virtue wrongs were to be forgiuen lawes obeyed iustice obserued c. But was sensuallity only thus Crossed in its propensions No. A load of high Misteries besides was laid on Reason also which seemed to rack and torture it God one in essence and three distinct persons God an Infant born of à virgin A Lord Iesus true God and man after à wearisome life Scourged by impious hands and finally Crucified such with much more was the strange Doctrin of Christianity How euer and here is the Miracle or prodigious work it got ground spread it self far and neer and though contrary to sensuallity and aboue Reason yet millions of souls so firmly belieued it though austere and hard that innumerable haue dyed for it Now if this be not à wonder or à prodigious work aboue the force of nature we may well conclude with S. Austin lib. 22. de Ciuit. c. 5. This to be the greatest Miracle of all that God conuerted the world without Miracles 4. The. 2. consideration yet encreaseth the wonder of this admirable work We know great effects require proportionable causes of like strength and virtue A weak child lift's not vp à weighty burden nor can à mean handful of naked men defeat à puisant Army Ponder well the Propagation of Christs Gospel and the Conuersions of Nations to Christian Faith visible to our eyes the work is without dispute great noble and glorious But say by what cause by what instruments or Ministers did God effect it Did he send Angels from Heauen to preach a Trinity à Crucified Sauiour c. or force Christians to à belief of those Mysteries by strength of arms No. Rex noster Pacificus Our Diuine Iesus is the God of peace Non in Commotione Dominus No tumultuous spirit brought in his Doctrin Caluins tragical proceedings in the late begotten Heresy was not heard of when Christ our Lord and his Disciples preached the Gospel Some perhaps will say that Gods great intention when he first laid the foundation of Religion was to destroy Idolatry and to establish à Ty what instruments the Gospel was dilated new law against Iudaism and therfore proceeded as the world vsually doth in weighty matters He surely made choise of most expert Aduocates of the wisest Philosophers of the profoundest Iudges and most eloquent Orators on earth and by these pleaded for Christianity 'T is an errour all was contrary Our euer glorius God did his own work by twelue poor Fishermen ignoble ignorant friendlesse and destitute of all that the world makes account of yea and he shewed this power more by these weak Instruments and their successors in after ages than he did before whilst he liued with them to manifest that the work was his Principally and theirs instrumentally This Doctrin is so fully deliuered by the great Apostle of the Gentils that we need not S. Chrisostoms Eloquent Discours on the subiect in his sermon Christ is God To illustrate it further though that also merits à serious reflection I will destroy saith S. Paul 1. Cor. 1. 19. The wisdom of the wise and reiect the prudence of the prudent c. Hath not God made the wisdom of the world foolish for because in the wisdom of God the world did not by wisdom know God it pleased God by the foolishnes of Preaching to saue them that belieue c. For that which is foolish to God is wiser then men and that which is the infirm of God is stronger then men See your vocation Bretheren that not many wise according to the flesh not many mighty not many noble but the foolish things of the world God hath chosen that he may confound the wise and the weak things of the world that he may confound the strong and the base things of the world and the contemptible God hath chosen and those things which are not that he might destroie those things which are that no flesh may glory in his sight Which is to say humane power had no hand in this glorious work and therfore it is as manifestly aboue the force of nature as if Christ Iesus had sent 12. little Children to conuert the world for 't is no lesse à miracle to see so great à work done by 12. poor fishermen then by 12. young Children 5. 3. Consider the number and quality of souls gained to our Christian belief and ask whether they were à few only or of so flexible à temper as to credit any thing vpon hearsay You will answer they were not few Witnesse the conuersion of whole nations and if we Consider nature no lesse obstinate than numerous Incredulum illud genus humanum saith Arnobius lib. 1. Contra Gentes Mankind most stubborn and incredulous contrary to its former liberty and education submitted to the yoke of Christ which truth The number gained in numerable as this Author obserues were it not as euident as day light would haue been thought impossible Perhaps you 'l say though many they were yet simple and ignorant and therfore easily wrought on No. A Learned Dyonisius à Clemens Romanus and innumerable other great capacities called on came in to the Church such choise ones God cooperating with his weak instruments were drawn out of errour and darknesse to the light of the Gospel Now if you ask in the last place by what means these conuersions were made The Gospel answers Mark 16. 17. By signes and manifest wonders from Heauen Going into the world preach the Gospel to all creatures c. and them who belieue these signes shall follow In my name they shall cast out Diuels speak with tongues as the Apostles did in the feast of Pentecost They went forth saith the Text preached euery where our Lord working with them and confirming the word with signes which followed Signes therfore and Miracles works of Diuine virtue without violent hands or humane industry cast down Idols outed Iudaism and induced Aliens from Christ to belieue his sacred Gospel These Arguments as I now said so forceably euidence à power aboue nature in the establishing of Christianity that if we had no other Proofs for the Existence of God these alone without dispute Conuince most sufficiently the being of à Numen aboue vs who has demonstrated his prouidence in laying the foundation of Christian Religion so firmly CHAP. IV. VVhether Christian Religion since its first Propagation hath not been in like manner preserued pure and further spread by Diuine Prouidence aboue the power of Nature 1. I Answer Affirmitiuely and say that the Augmentation or further growth of Christian
Answ what need of this when Protestants say there is no great difference between vs in Fundamentals But suppose this done which yet cannot be done whilst Sectaries remain in their wonted Labyrinth concerning Fundamentals what light haue we from these Fathers to try controuersies now in Agitation when they grant that Popery is made vp of the Fathers Errours The final sentence is past the iust Censure already giuen The Fathers were as we are now plain Papists I easily grant all 4. Shall I yet say more concerning the trial of Protestants Opinions or the supposed errours of Catholicks by Fathers and tell you Sectaries haue no Gusto to it at all And because it mainly import's first to discouer their want of Euidence and next their fallacious proceeding in this particular I will briefly do both and remit all here noted to the prudent Censure of euery Iudicious Reader Thus it is There is not one controuersy now Protestants neuer offer to plead by à General Consent of Fathers disputed in which our Protestants do so much as offer to plead by à General Consent of Fathers and Mr Stillingf likes not to be fob'd off with Two or three Testimonies Read their writings of the Real presence of Prayers for the Dead Inuocation of Saints of à Sacrifice vpon the Altar of the infallibility of the Church and tell me after you haue perused all How many Fathers you find clear and express for Protestancy A sight of four or fiue would help much But hereof there is no danger for you haue not one clear and expres I say more not one so much as probable against the Infallibility of the Roman Catholick Church Against praying for the Dead c. And therefore wonder not that Mr Stilling Part. 3. C. 6. P. 641. where he treat's of Purgatory talk's much of the Fathers Fancies and Imaginations And of an itching Curiosity some haue to know more concerning the future state of souls than God has reuealed But after all produceth not one Testimony either clear or probable against our Catholick Doctrin 5. Do you desire to see more of this want in behalf of Protestancy And how little there is to countenance the Nouelty Turn again to Mr Stillinf Part. 2. C. 1. P. 293. Where you find à Title threatning ruin to vs all The Roman Church not the Catholick Church Say I beseech you who would not haue expected after such à clap of Thunder à whole Torrent of Fathers to haue followed for his purpose But in lieu of these Imptij words giuen in lieue of â—athers what haue we Marry He tell 's vs First His Bishop makes à great deal of difference between The Church And A Church and some difference also between à True Church and à right Church next he fall's foul on his Aduersary for his not well considering what the Primate had said Lastly to pass by à few ieers he speak's much of the Vniuersal spreading of the Churches Doctrin and Vnity thereof which is due to the Roman Catholick Church only But after his long Discourse and the rapping Title with it you haue neither sentence nor syllable of any Father which so much as meanly insinuates That that ancient Moral body as it comprehend's all Christians vnited in one Belief is not the only True and Orthodox Church in the world Yet herâ— had been à most fit place to haue pleaded by plain express Authorities I mean such as directly proue the Roman not to be the Catholick Church Belieue it were there any such in the Fathers Volumes Mr Stilling to make his margents glorious would haue brought them to light with à witness But of this main point he is vtterly silent because he had nothing to say And therefore wisely Slip's aside to other By-Matters and leaues his Title to shift for it self 6. Hence you may well conclude that our Sectaries are driuen into strange Straits when we vrge them to proue their Protestancy Of the straites sectaries are Cast into We first call them to plain Scripture for à Final decision in this particular but wanting where with all they fit vs right with à return of Antiscriptural glosses We press them again to name any orthodox Church which fiue or Six ages since professed their Nouelties Not à word is Answered We make Inquiry after Councils held by Protestants before Luther for the Protestant Religion Silence deep Silence not one is found Mention only Oral Tradition they storm at you because they know Protestancy has none We appeal to the authority of the most ancient Fathers you see how we are serued with words and empty Titles Nothing is or can be alleged clear Nothing expres Nothing probable Finally to leaue them without all excuse We call them again to an account and Ask whether they will haue their cause tryed and iudged by their own Doctors Luther Caluin Zuinglius and the like No satisfaction is found here Luther condemn's Caluin more violently than the Prelatick Party in England doth the Quakers and Send 's the Associates Protestants irreconciably Contradict Protestants of Caluin to Hell for denying the Real presence of Christs body in the Sacrament And Caluin is as fierce against Luther in this particular And thus all Sectaries haue opposed one another from the very beginning of this woful Reformation Some plead for our Catholick Doctrin Others are contrary as you may read at large almost in euery Page of the Protestants Apology We therefore know not what these Nouellists would or can belieue whilst these endles differences about Belief thus turn their heads and make them to belieue iust nothing but what euery fancy pleaseth What à Religion haue we here View well it 's exteriour you haue only Horrour and confusion to look on Altars pulled down Cloisters demolished Bious places prophaned Stately Churches turned into sluttish barns by à barbarous Reformation Enter into the Interiour or cast à serious thought on that which should essentially constitute Religion you find this Protestancy à meer new Nothing as Scripture Neither Interiour nor exteriour valuable in protestancy lesse as Churchles without Tradition without the consent of Fathers or any Christian Principle to vphold it yea and this vtterly ruin's all without any Agreement in Doctrin amongst themselues May we not Therefore iustly deplore the sad condition of Thousands now within our once most Catholick England to see à Thing which stand's on no Principles but fancy most earnestly stood for by men of excellent natural parts and these English too whose Progenitors the world knowes it fully as wise as They were all Roman Catholicks But what will ye Good Reuenues A merry life à hansom wife and Self Interest will haue it so And thus much of the want of clear Authorities in behalf of Protestants 7. We are now to speak à word of their fallacious or rather open iniurious Proceeding with the Fathers And to make good what I am about to Say you may please to reflect vpon the
be indisputably euident That the vote or voice of à whole moral body I mean of à Vniuersal Church far and neer extended A further proof of our Assertion carries with it greater Moral certainty For all this while we touch not vpon Infallibility than à small and slender Part can haue were such à part found so inuincibly ignorant as to contradict the whole All I would say is No more can à few particular members Though Angels for knowledge contest with the contrary iudgement of our ample Church Than three votes in Parlament with the Contrary iudgement of à whole Kingdom No more can the Authority of particular men equalize much less surmount in weight and worth the Sentiment of à whole Moral body than à hand For example surpass in bigness the whole man As the one exceed's in quantity and Extension so the other doth in weight and Intenfion 7. Hence you see first How poorly Sectaries play at small Game when hauing no ancient Church of their own to recurr to They are fain to run for refuge to à Few Fathers professed members of our Church And here like people picking Salads gather vp some small fragments which now they clip now mangle now peruert now Gloss now dress after their new fashion And at last serue all The new mode of Sectaries arguing fairly vp in the larger Margents of their little English Books With these they flourish and vapour as if forsooth à small parcel were able to contrast with the far greater Moral body or à few stolen gleaning were all true they say sufficient to Vnuote what euer this Oracle of Truth hath defined contrary Leaue of I besecch you Gentlemen this Trifling giue vs weight for weight measure for measure Please to plead by sound Principles or you lose the cause Doge not with vs we deal nobly with you 8. Wee giue you plain and express Scripture The Church is à Pillar and ground of Truth She is founded vpon à Rock c. And you Scriptureless men return vs your fancied Glosses We quote innumerable Fathers most significant for our Catholick Positions And you fob vs off with obscurities with Criticisms and such simple stuff We appeal to Tradition you haue none We And this mainly import's show you à Church à Visible and à most glorious Church which time out of mind Belieued as we belieue And would gladly know where your Orthodox Church was The Sectaries Pleading impertinent which four Centuries since approued or published your Nouelties And you like men losing your way go wandring about till at last you fall vpon Theoderet's Dialogues And with one single Passage ill espied and worse applyed hope to vndoe the whole Catholick cause It is not one nor ten Theoderets though they speak far more clearly than is done That can preiudice our Doctrin whilst you haue neither Church nor Councils for yours These Principles we demand of you but you haue them not Therefore you are cast into an impossibility of writing Controuersies hereafter For the few Shreds of Fathers vnluckily cut out by you are too slight to obscure the greater Lights of our Christianity of our Church of our Councils of our Tradition and innumerable Fathers Belieue it had the Fathers you Quote so much Strength as you imagin others would haue read them before your eyes were open better Iudgements would haue weighed what force they had before your Luthers and Caluins were in Being But That wiser world now gone to Eternity waued such Cauils And knew well That what à Titius or à Caâ—us saies may be right And may be wrong But what the Church of Christ Defines and teaches cannot but be sound and Orthodox if God speak's Truth Here is the Principle whereon Christians securely relied in past Ages before our later Sectaries troubled the world 9. You see 2. in what à pitifull case Sectaries are when no more is alleged against our Catholick Doctrin And rest assured They haue no more but à few scattered Authorities now taken Doubtful Authorities of no weight at all from one now from another ancient Father Therefore I discourse thus The Authority is either expresly plain against vs which I neuer yet saw in any Doctrinal Contest between the Catholick and Protestant or Contrariwise doubtful and ambiguous If doubtful it decides nothing nor can the Protestant though He Vow 's it Clear make it soe whilst the learned Catholick auouches the Contrary Hitherto both of them stand vpon Opinions and end nothing Neither can the one or other yet absolutly Say by virtue of such à Passage only Your Doctrin is False And mine is True For à Principle rationally apprehended dubious determin's none to an absolute true iudgement one way or other Let vs therefore suppose contrary to Truth That the Sectary produceth à Father indubitably clear against Catholick Doctrin Thanks be to God These great lights of the Church are not so scarce with vs But that we are able to confront that one Authority with the plain Testimonies of other Fathers far more numerous And thus much I here engage to do may it please Sectaries to come to à iust Tryal and fully examin with me this one point of Transubstantiation now hinted at And if after the Contest we do not only match our Aduersary but quite outvie him with many more Testimonies fully as clear and clearer We may then rationally ask what 's one clear Authority worth I say yet more Though we falsly suppose these particular contrary Authorities to lie euen or equal on both Sides I mean as pregnant for the Sectary as for the Catholick yet I neither lose my cause nor he gain 's his Because neither of vs can absolutly say vpon what if authorities were equal on both sides Moral certainty which Doctrin is à Christian Truth And which not For in this conflict of Authorities Supposed equal both iudgements are left in suspence The one saith I quote clear Authorities for my Tenet The other answers Hee doth so too And Therefore hitherto stand so equally poised That neither may cry Victory Neither can yet pretend to so much Moral certainty as excludes All reasonable doubting because both Parties must doubt whilst the Authorities of the one abate the force of the other What then followes from the Fathers Testimonies were they thus equally diuided That is if as many clearly stood for the Negatiue of no Transubstantiation And iust as many clearly for the Contrary Positiue I Answer This followes That we and Sectaries must of necessity will we know Truth either appeal to à third certain concluding Principle or stand doubtfully opining as is often done in what followes vpon arguing out of doubtful Principles schools without à final Decision For to Belieue any thing certainly as Catholicks belieue if that Principle be excluded or to know any thing yet morally certain as Sectaries pretend to know is vtterly impossible Because à Principle purely probable is euidently too weak either to Support
any firm Belief or to ground so much Moral certainty of à Christian Truth as excludes à possibility of doubting 10. You will Ask what then is there which may raise these two Aduersaries from that low degree of meer Opining to à higher degree of certainty I shall fully Answer the Question in the next Discourse Here I say in à word No Principle can do this But one only which the Sectary want's And the Catholick has to rely on which is the Tradition the Voice and open declared Iudgement of Christs Catholick Church here on earth This faithful Oracle raises vs from the supposed State of our guessing Probably to the highest degree of not only Moral but also of Infallible certainty Though now we press not that against our Aduersaries The Sectary Therefore who disdain's to learn of this Oracle what Christian Truths are shall neuer come to his Moral certainty though the Supposition already made of Authorities equal stood in vigour Iudge then I beseech you How desperate his Cause is now How remote from all such certainty De facto whether he impugn's our Doctrin or plead's for his own opinions when he hath nothing to rely on but only à few dark and dubious Passages of some ancient Fathers 11. I say dubious Passages for in Truth if so much they are no more And Therefore though we haue hitherto supposed Authorities euenly laid on both sides To Show that nothing What the Sectary can Plead help 's the Sectary out of his labyrinth yet now I must tell the Story as t' is All he has in this world to plead comes only to à few misinterpreted Authorities And with such poor Gleanings Churchless man as He is he thinks to Out-braue à whole Church To decry Tradition to vnsense the Fathers to rob vs of our right And finally to throw vs out of the Possession of those ancient Christian Truths which both we and our Ancestors haue professed age after age without Alteration What think ye Haue à few rack't and tortured Sentences Add to them as many Cauils as many Criticisms as you please force enough to do such wonders Can these gleanings misinterpreted as you haue seen better inform vs of the ancient Primitiue Truths than the General voice or vniuersal consent of à whole Church now in being It is improbable Grant therefore which I do On what Principle the Catholick Stand's not That we know not too well the sense of one Theoderet or of à Tertullian c. The Catholick cleares his Doctrin And drawes it from surer Principles viz. From the voice and open declared Iudgement of his Church And most deseruedly look's on the Sectaries attempt as highly improbable who will needs know what Doctrin we are to hold now or was anciently held amongst Christians by à Fathers Testimony when the very sense is supposed doubtful And lies in obscurity That is He will know more than can be known He will force light out of darkness And deriâ—â— the moral certainty of his Doctrin from meer doubtful Principles which is impossible And thus these men proceed in all other Controuersies though Conscious that à whole ample Church decries their Doctrin as false And the open abuse of Fathers also O saith the Sectary I little regard what the Church decries Ansâ— And much less do I regard what you cry against it When the whole strength of your Clamours vltimatly resolued comes to no more but to fancied Glosses laid vpon ambiguous Authorities What in God's name would you be at What can you pretend The Church opposed to Sectaries Clamours or intend Shall clamours Think ye and your few clouded Testimonies force me to leaue my ancient Faith when I euidently know That the Church I liue in call's louder on me and more rationally command's me to Belieue as I doe This audible known voice of Christ's Church dull's your clamours infinitly Outweigh's your Glosses your guesses And the doubtful Sentiment of any priuate Father 12. The Sectary may reply I haue now supposed without Proof the Fathers abused by him whereas if the Supposition hold's it s only doubtful whether it be so or no. Answ Thus much is only supposed doubtful That neither of vs can learn by words precisely obscure what Doctrin to embrace or what to reiect Before à surer Oracle speak's and decide the Controuersy Catholicks say this Oracle is the Church The Protestant who has no Church to recurr to stand's trifling with his obscure Passages hoping at last to make something of nothing to hammer out of dark sentences the Clear Moral certainty of his new Doctrin Though contrary to the whole Church And thus He abuseth both Fathers and reason also Because as I said iust now A doubtful Principle yeilds not so much certainty If He say 3. His quoted Authorities are sufficiently clear to ground the Moral certainty of his Doctrin against the Church it is à desperate improbable Speech For Moral certainty which should pass as an vncontradicted truth most euidently loseth that force when à whole Church manifestly contradict's it But hereof enough is Said in the other Treatise Disc 1. C. 6. n. 3. 13. You will ask perhaps What is to be done if we meet with à Father so clear and express against Church-Doctrin that he cannot possibly be brought to à Catholick sense I Answer A doubt proposed and solued Suppose thus much which I think was neuer yet heard of in any Contest betwixt the Protestant and Catholick I 'le absolutly deny the Authority and adhere to Church-Doctrin For as the whole body is greater than à part so the iudgement of à whole Church is the stronger Principle here and ought in reason to regulate and bear sway before the sentiment of any priuate man who by weaknes or inaduertancy may slip aside into Errour I say through weaknes or incogitancy for if he obstinately oppose the Church He is no Father in that But an Heretick 14. Whoeuer reflects well on what is noted already will see I hope How neer we are to an End of disputes with Protestants if the Contest arise from the Authority of Fathers Here is the Ground of what I am to Say All the Authorities which can What Authorities can be quoted be quoted in Points now Controuerted are either plain or esteemed plain for Catholick Doctrin both by the learned of our Church and Sectaries also As is amply proued aboue Or Contrariwise are at most supposed doubtful I Assert it boldly the Sectary has not one plain Testimony for him in this debated Matter of Transubstantiation And if one or two were granted plain that 's nothing to contrast with à whole Church and innumerable other Fathers 15. Hence I Discourse In case Authorities be Clear for Catholick Doctrin the Sectary opposes vs improbably if he seek to establish his Nouelties vpon à Principle which plainly teaches what we teach And quite ruin's his contrary Opinions If the Authority be doubtful I haue said enough already
assumed Corps as haue been seen in many Miraculously restored to life Be it how you will We are sure God can doe yea and hath done great Miracles when therefore all imaginable Circumstances forceably induce vs to belieue that they are his own glorious works it is I hope more wisdom to Ascribe them to an Omnipotent Power than to Father them vpon Diuels 3. Some who plainly see it s à degree of madness to doubt of so much humane faith as Testifies of Miracles wrought in the Roman Catholick Church grant many haue been done But then Obiect 2. God did them to manifest that Christ is the true Messias or to work à Belief in vs of so much Doctrin only as is Common to all Christians but not to confirm our Popish Errours of Praying to Saints Purgatory c. Contra. This Argument also impugn's our Sauiours great Miracles which were not wrought one may say to confirm all the Doctrin he taught but à Part or parcel of it only Contra. 2. If Miracles Mark out à Doctrin common to all or confirm so much truth And no more It seem's strange that Arians Pelagians and Protestants work not Miracles as frequently as the Church doth For these men own à Doctrin common to all Christians yet show none of these wonders Contra. 3. There is not one Miracles truly alleged for euery Doctrin the Church teaches Doctrin taught by our Church and held erroneous by Sectaries which is not Sealed Signed and Attested by euident Miracles We haue innumerable for Christs Real and substantial Presence in the Eucharist As many for the Inuocation of Saints as also for the Honour due to holy Reliques Innumerable proue that third place of Purgatory c. All these may good Authors deserue Credit are vpon vndoubted Record And what iust Exception haue Sectaries against so great Authority I 'le tell you Their own incredulous Humour Here is all Whereas could they speak to the cause they should giue vs weight for weight and Oppose what we Allege in behalf of Miracles vpon grounded Principles That is they Should euince positiuely that our Authors are meer Cheats and fain Stories when we read of Miracles wrought in confirmation of praying to Saints the Real Presence And this in all law of Disputation they are obliged to do vpon solid Proofs indeed distinct from their own Incredulity or à meer Saying Such Records are false But do what ye will Sectaries can neuer be driuen to dispute vpon Principles 4. A third Obiection S. Austin Lib. de Vnit Ecclesiae Saith We therefore say not we belieue because so many wonders are done all the world ouer in holy places for what euer we find in this kind Ideo sunt approbanda quia in Ecclesiâ Catholicâ fiunt are to be approued S. Austin alleged against Miracles Speak's nothing for Sectaries because they are wrought in the Catholick Church Hitherto the obiection is of no force For the Saint only Saies No new Miracles ought to gain certain credit But such only as are wrought in the Church or such as confirm Her Doctrin or finally haue the Churches Approbation Now because he disputes against the Donatists and supposeth the Church known vpon other grounds expressed in Scripture Her Vnity Chiefly and vniuersal extent ouer the world before these latter Miracles were heard of Let us Saith S. Austin waue this Plea of Miracles you Donatists allege yours and I mine and Argue by Scripture only and see what Church Scripture commend's antecedently known before these latter Miracles came to our knowledge Which is to say though the after Particular Miracles added to others formerly done may much strengthen our Faith yet absolutly How the Saint pleaded against the Donatists Speaking Faith depend's not of them Because the Church we belieue in is sufficiently manifested by Her Vnity Perpâ—tuity and Vniuersallity expressed in Scripture Haec sunt causae nostrae documenta hac firmamenta Here in sies all we haue to Say Whilst we contest with you Donatists that own Scripture with vs yet Cauil at our Miracles Who euer read's this one Chapter exactly And drawes any other sense from the whole Context than what is now briefly hinted at will much oblige me may he please to discouer it 5. One yet may Obiect S. Austin Saith more and it seem's much against vs. Non ideo ipsa manifestatur Catholica quia haec in ea fiunt The Catholick Church is not vpon that Account manifested to you Donatists because these Miracles are wrought in it I Answer 1. The words vnderstood as Sectaries interpret Euert as wholly the Miracles of our Sauiour who said If you will not belieue me belieue my Works 2. The Sectaries sense impugn's also the express Doctrin of S. Austin de Vtilit Credendi C. â—7 Where He Asserts that Hereticks are condemned by the Maiesty of Miracles Besides Their sense is nothing to the purpose because in this very Passage He speak's of latter Miracles known to S. Ambrose at Millan And Saith Hee will no more insist on These than permit the Donatists to talk of their False-visions For the Church is sufficiently manifested without them vpon à Surer Principle the Holy Scripture which the Donatists admitted and therefore Why Heâ— waued the proof of Miracles with the Donatists whilst They pretended to Miracles as well as S. Austin did Hee prudently waued that Discours and Argued by Scripture only leauing Miracles to their own worth and weight I Say to their ovvn vveight which is gathered from this great Doctors Discourse 6. Our Lord Iesus saith he arose from the dead and manifested Himself to his Disciples and offered his sacred body to be touched by their hands yet least that might be thought à fallacy he iudged it meet to confirm his Resurrection more Principally by the Testimony of the law the Prophets and Psalms showing All things were now accomplished â—n him Whence I inferr as the touching his Sacred body was Proof enough though not the chiefest of his Resurrection when Scripture was at hand to make that most manifest So Miracles also The true Reason giuen wrought in the Church manifest that Oracle but not Principally to the Donatists who ought to haue belieued more firmly the Churches Doctrin vpon that one potent Proof of the Apostle 1. Tim 3. 15. The Pillar and ground of Truth than for all the latter wonders done in the Church Yet these haue à mighty force and are stronge Inducements so far as Motiues can reach but not the chief and Principal cause of any mans Belief or Assent Read then S. Austin's words thus The Church is not made manifest by her latter Miracles to à Donatist who Cauils at such wonders but Principally by Scripture which he admit's and will like Protestants be tryed by You haue the Saints full Sense and à great Truth with it whereof there can be no doubt at all when Lib. Contra Epist Fundamentâ— C. 4. 5. He Demonstrat's the Church by Her Miracles
à man vnskilful in Musick that hearing one Note alone which seem's harsh slights all without more Adoe whereas he should listen to the whole Harmony before he iudges In like manner we often proceed with God by à Half-pondering Diuine Mysteries Contrariwife reflex Reason labours not to Conquer difficulties by it self or any half consideration but prudently waues that way and has recourse to à surer Principle wherof more presently Thus much premised 3. A second Proposition The fallacy of Atheists in their Arguments against Prouidence chiefly arises from this That the direct Iudgement of weak reason runs headlong into Mysteries The fallacy of Atheists Discouer ed considered only by halfs or in themselues without attending to the Solution most easily attained by à Iudgement which is reflex and Prudent For example The Atheist denies Prouidence because iust men suffer and the impious Preuail against the iust and hence inferr's negligence in God Here is one harsh vntuneable Note to his eare but reflect's not First That that which he calls Nature is as negligent and much worse left alone without God He reflect's not 2. That if God were supposed to Râ—le the world there would yet be fools enow to sind fault and think some thing amiss in the Gouerment He reflects not 3. That if God be an intellectual Being infinitly wise his thoughts are as far aboue our thoughts as the Heauens aboue earth And therefore aduentures desperatly to reiect Prouidence which his shallow head neither doth nor can Vnderstand Finally He neuer reflect's that to deny all diuine Foresight cast's Reason into more Mazes than to grant it For deny it we must say That this admirable and well ordered work of nature Gouern's it self The Sun Moon and Starrs moue themselues We must say That the vast and swift circulation What they are forced to grant against Reason of these Celestial Bodies depend on no Superiour cause vnless we faine many vnknown inuisible Gods or Genii Eternal of themselues And say These run about with the Heauens and regulate that admirable Motion But to Assert this without Proof offer 's more violence to our intellectual Faculties than to own one powerful Being essentially wise and therefore Vigilant ouer all Hee Gouern's In à word you see here this great Fabrick of Nature some rightly compare it to à Clock or Watch and find in it nothing like confusion but contrarywise à louely Order à Harmony most gracious beseeming God Yets say the foolish of the world we ate to diuorce it from his sacred Prouidence That is the Clock can moue the wheeles can turn about without à Superiour hand that winds all vp and orders all And why I beseech you Mark the reason of such as haue no Reason Free Causes men I mean indued with Liberty abuse liberty oppress the iust raise tumults breed confusion and Scramble who can get the greatest heap of dust together Ergo saith the half ey'd Atheist respiciens ad pauca there is no care had of vs which is to say Men comply not with their Duty but abuse their own Free will Therefore God is blameable because he either makes them not meer Animals Brutish or forces not Virtue vpon them against their wills It s an Errour 4. Thus much then concern's God To indue rational Creatures The abuse of liberty redound's not to God with Liberty to command the right vse of it but not to be responsable or held neglectiue if They abuse it No this touches them for T' is their own work that doe Euil Let then the Euil remain where it is Prouidence can forgiue but not forget And seriously consider the louely Harmony the recreatiue Order visible in the works of Nature here is Gods own admirable Oëconomy doe only thus much and reason so euidently discouer's à depth of Wisdom in these works that it cannot but exclaim with the wise man Sap. 14. 3. Tua ô Pater prouidentia gubernat Your Prouidence ô Father gouerns all This done cast your thoughts again as much as you will vpon the Monsters in nature which man freely beget's and freely bring 's forth What followes I beseech you but rhus much only That God after so many menacings so much Terrour laid before vs if we transgress leaues liberty to its own free choise and will seuerely punish the Offenders But that Spurious Progeny of euil Works he own 's not Therefore no Argument can haue force against Prouidence Liberty is lest to act without â—â—mpulsion vpon this account That liberty is permitted to act as liberty requires without Compulsion Were God forgetful or negligent would he not or could he not punish sin now or hereafter Atheists might vapour more boldly But hereof there is no danger for nature it self leaues this deep impression in all let who will Gouern it that one supreme Regent hates Iniquity and that as he often doth visibly in this life So he will more rigidly take Reuenge in the future Mihi vindicta Ego retribuam Rom. 12. 19. And this consideration alone of both present most clear and future Punishments so blunt's and dead 's the Atheists Plea that their best Arguments fall to nothing and are indeed resolued into pure Non-sense This consideration alone that God will reward the vniust sufferings of the Virtuous is comfort enough for them and euery rational prudent Creature 5. We are next to dispatch the main business with these Aduersaries who desire to haue as strong Proofs in behalf of Prouidence as they allege against it I will therefore for the better Satisfaction of all produce three most conuincing Arguments One is The Deity we all Adore is not inexorable but as clear and manifest Experience teaches and most known History in One clear proof of Prouidence all Ages relates hear's often the Prayers of iust men in time of Tribulation releasing them from sudden danger when no humane Power can help in the Exigency Innumerable after earnest Prayer and hands lifted vp to Heauen haue found speedy Assistance some in the peril of Shipwrak escaped others thrown to hungry lions haue been lest vntouched others cast into rhe fire not so much as scorched volumes might be writ of such particulars Therefore there is à Supreme Numen that has care of vs the Sun Moon and Starrs hear not nor can lend ayde in such pressing Necessities And to recurr to no man knowes what invisible Spirits is as we now said less intelligible and far more difficult than to own one powerful Being of Himself that both can and doth relieue at his good Pleasure 6. 2. The knowledge of future things Sublime and aboue the reach of all Creatures Argues à Power Omniscient and Omnipotent The reason is The Prenotion of what 's to come not yet limited to any Being in it selfe nor as yet determinately existing necessarily arises from an Infinite Knowledge and efficacy of light which extends it Selfe to what euer can be The knowledge of future things proues
that Euery one may perceiue the Aduersary I treat with clearly refuted THE FIRST CHAPTER Some chiefe Contents in this Discourse briefly declared Mr Stillingfleets weak attempts against the Churches infallibility and the Resolution of Faith The Catholick way of resoluing Faith the very same with that of the Primitiue Christians Of the mistakes which run through Mr Stillingfleets whole Discourse 1. IN the following Chapters we first remoue such difficulties as may seem to obstruct the Clearest Resolution What this third Disceurse Contain's And all along discouer Mr Stillingfleets Errorus viz. Chiefly those most apparent in his 5. Chapter 2. We examin what Influence the Motiues of Credibility haue ouer Faith 3. Necessary Principles are premised much auailing to Conceiue the true Analysis 4. We Shew wherein the Main Difficulty lies in this Resolution Omitted by Mr Stillingfleet and solue it 5. The whole Progress of Faith is Explained in order to its last Resolution 6. The true Analysis is giuen in two Propositions Here we also treat of the Euidence of Credibility and solue the Sectaries Obiections 7. This question is proposed VVhether the Churches Testimony may be Called the Formal Obiect of Faith 8. We Ask what is meant by this word Reason And enquire how far true Reason Conduces to end Controuersies 9. Protestancy is proued à most vnreasonable Religion 2. Mr Stillingfleet Part 1. C. 5. P. 109. offer 's at much it is to discouer strange ill Consequences yea grand Absurdities Our Aduersaries bold aduenture if Faith be resolued by the Churches Infallibility and seem's some what ouer-heated in carrying on the cause against his Adversary Let any man saith he iudge whether this be not the most compendious way to ouerthrow the belief of Christianity There is hardly any thing more really destructiue to Christianity or that has à greater tendency to Atheism than the Modern pretence to Infallibility The vnreasonablenes of it is so great that I know not whether I may abstain from calling it ridiculous And much more to this Sense 3. It seems by what I read in Mr Stillingfleet T. C. whose Book I had not then seen said that Catholicks in this present What his Aduersary asserted State resolue their Faith after the very same manner as the Israëlits anciently and the Primitiue Christians resolued Theirs If he said that he Spake à Truth not only defensible but so Sound and Irrefragable that Mr Stillingfleet to vse his own pretty Phrase like one vnder an Ephialtes Shall tumble groan tosse this way and that and yet not rid himself of the vexation 4. The Doctrin I find plainly deliuered and the Instances of the ancient Israelits and the Primitiue Christians so well made vse of for the Catholick Resolution by our learned Countryman Thomas Baâ—on Southwell Analysis Fidei Disp 4. and 5. That here I must needs insert some Part of it because it much auailes to Conceiue the easiest way of resoluing Faith And well penetrated so vtterly defeates what Mr Stillingfleet has that Is Sound Doctrin much more is not requisite to make void his forceles Obiections 5. F. Southwel therefore Analysis Fidei now cited c 〈…〉 n. 18. Speak's much to this sense Had one asked à 〈◊〉 Belieuer in Moses his time after the 〈…〉 uch was written Why belieue you that God is iust wiâ—e faithful in his Promises Or if you will haue one particular why Adam sinned How the Israelits questioned about faith in Paradise He would haue answered Scripture Saith sâ— But if again demanded How know you that Scripture is God's Diuine word Would he think ye haue Answered I se that by the very light and Sparkling of the Letter It is impossible as shall be proued afterward Thus therefore He would haue replyed Moses our great Prophet Affirm's it or rather God speaking by the mouth of Moses laies that Verity open to vs And vpon that ground I belieue it So we read Deuteâ— 1. 3. Moses spake to the Children of Israel all which God had commanded him to say to them Now if thirdly Questioned How Wâ—uld â—aue answered Proue you that Moyses was à true Prophet or God's Oracle He could not haue satisfied by alledging Scripture without à Vicious Circle but would haue Said This truth is immediatly and most euidently Credible by it Selfe for the Wisdom Sanctity and Power of working Miracles manifest to all eyes proue to Reason that Moses is à great Prophet 5. In like manner Catholicks proceed in their Resolution of Faith Demanded why we belieue the Mystery of the Incarnation it is Answered Scripture Assert's it Ask again why we belieue the Diuinity of that Book called Scripture It is replyed The Church ascertain's of That But how do we know that the Church herein deliuer's Truth It is Answered if we Speak of knowledge preuious to Faith Those admirable Signes of Diuinity mentioned aboue and manifest in this one Oracle Viz. The Sanctity of life the Contempt of the world Catholicks in this present State return the very same Answer the c 〈…〉 ed Austerity of Pennance the height of Contemplation apparent in thousands and thousands And aboue all the glorious Miracles most illustrious in this one Society of Christians proue it an Oracle so euidently credible That we cannot if prudent and manifest Reason guides vs but as firmly belieue what euer this Oracle teaches as the Israelits belieued Moses and the Prophets One only Differenâ—â— aduantagious for vs. Here is only the difference And the Aduantage is ours that in Lieu of Moses we haue an ample Church Inumerable multitudes in place of one Seruant of God The incomparable greater light I mean the Pillar and Ground of truth the Catholick Church diffused the whole world ouer 6. Answerable to this Doctrin the primitiue Christians resolued their Faith after the Canon of Scripture was written Ask therefore why these first conuerted People whether Iewes or Gentils belieued Christ to be the true Messias the Son of God and Sauiour of the world They might haue Answered We read this and much more in Holy Scripture But how know you that these Scriptures are not suppositious or fained as some Gospels haue been We belieue this Say They The Primitiue Christians way of resoluing Faith vpon the vndoubted Testimony of those blessed men the Apostles who both taught vs and wrote that holy Book Yet more How know you that those Apostles were not Cheats for there haue been false Prophets and Apostles but men Authorized by Almighty God to teach and write his holy Verities Had they replyed We proue this by Scripture it self the Circle would haue been ineuitable For to Say Scripture is Gods word because the Apostles Assert it and to Say the Apostles were infallible Oracles of Truth because Scripture affirm's that is to Proue Idem per Idem And implies à most vicious Circulation 7. Their Answer then must haue been for there is no other The manifest Miracles wrought by the Apostles Their
the truth is manifest The Heathens so notoriously transgressed the Law of nature that few and very No Motiues sound in any other Religion but the Catholick few obserued it During Moses Law the Church was but little yet the Peoples sins were great And if we compare the Learning Wisdom and Piety of the Iewes with the eminent Knowledge Virtue and Piety of those who profess the Catholick faith there is no Parallel Mention modern Sectaries diuorced from Christ and his Church what are they Men of yesterday truely Lawless in à word à very small disioynted company Their Critical learning appeares in their Writings and the virtue they haue is best known by their works Nothing hitherto of God's Language I mean no rational Motiues illustrate this Religion 10. Thus you se First How à Seeker after truth may by prudent Industry learn that the Doctrin contained in Scripture is Gods own Sacred and Diuine word But. 2. To be Assured hereof an Infallible Oracle euidenced by Supernatural Signes The last assurance giuen is to attest the Verity for so Prouidence has ordered That God's own most sublime and Diuine languaâ—e mâ—st be conueyed to vs by another more plain and easy The Motiues which illustrate the Church are this plain exteriour Language Induced by them we hear the Church speak And vpon her Testimony belieue that other sacred Language of God deliuered in Holy Writ 11. A. 4. Principle The Resolution of Faith is then exactly made when all the Causes or conditions wherevpon it depend's what the Resolution of Faith implies and when exactly made are plainly laid forth vntil we fall vpon the very last Cause or Motiue of our assent giuen to the Diuine Reuelation Briefly The final Cause of belieuing is that in this our short Exile we liue virtuously as Faith requires and after enioy eternal Happines The material Cause or Subiect of Faith is Man's vnderstanding The intrinsick Formal cause is no other but Faith it selfe which as truely makes à soul bâ—lieuing as vision receiued in the â—etina of the Eye denominat's it seing Thus far there is no great dispute nor much can be questioned concerning the resolution of the very Formal Act of Faith as distinguished from the Obiectiue which is made by à reflex Contemplation vpon it as it tend's in to all those causes and Conditions whereon that act depend's The only difficulty therefore remaining concern's the Formal extrinsecal Motiue which all Say is Gods Diuine Reuelation 12. Now one Question may be From whence haue we Catholicks greater assurance of our Doctrin or why Say we That that stand's firm vpon the Diuine Testimony and reiect the Arians and Protestants Doctrin as à Nouelty or not built vpon the same foundation whilst all of vs pretend to Scripture The Arians say Christ is not the highest God We assert the contrary Protestants teach the Church is fallible We the contrary In rhis Opposition of Iudgements who An easy difficulty can certainly Define what God has spoken To this and it is the least of difficulties we Answer God who cannot deceiue has giuen so many Diuine and manifest Signes in behalfe of the reuealed Doctrin which the Church teaches that none can Question the Truth vnless he will either Solued vpon this Principle That God cannot cheat the world say An infinite Wisdom cannot declare his own Interiour mind by clear exteriour Signs Or which is worse That he has established an Oracle and set it forth with strange Supernatural wonders only to make à fair Appearance though the final End be to cheat all that belieue it 13. Now here is the only Question Whether these Arians or Protestants haue any better euidenced Oracle by more or equal Signs and miracles which teaches their Tenets then the Roman Catholick Church is that Teaches ours Could such an Oracle be euidenced They might talk of the Assurance of their particular Doctrins but till this be shown which will neuer be silence must proue the best Answer CHAP. VIII The main Difficulty in the Resolution of Faith Proposed VVhat Connexion the Motiue haue with the Diuine Reuelation Of their weight and efficacy God's own Language not imitable by his Enemies Faith transcend's the certainty of all Motiues The main Disficulty solued Of our great Security in Belieuing God Though we haue not Euidence of the Diuine Testimony 1. THe real Difficulty in this matter which Mr Stillingfleet hitt's not on is so common to all Christians The Difficulty common to all that Sectaries are as much yea more obliged to solue it then the Catholicks Thus I propose it The last Resolution of faith is made into this Obiectiue Truth God has reâ—ealed the Incarnation the like is of any other Diuine Mystery None knowes Euidently the Mystery of the Trininity in it Selfe but the Reuelation appear's and must appear Obscure to him that belieues For T' is neither its own Selfe-Euidence nor can be euidently applied by any other Medium especially if the Motiues of credibility haue not infallible connexion with the Diuine Testimony Thus much supposed which none The ground of the difficulty can deny it followes that the intellectual Faculty when the Reuelation is obscurely proposed stand's as it were houering and cannot for as much as yet appear's be more inclined to assent infalliblâ— then to dissent 2. If you Say â—â—e Will after à full Sight of the Reuelations credibility can dâ—â—ermine the vnderstanding to assent suâ—er Omnia or Infallibly t' is Answered This seem's impossible First because the Motiues whereby the Obiect is made credible can settle in vs no other iudgement but This. God's Testimony and the thing attested by it are most prudently thought to exist or appear so highly credible that it is the greatest folly not to belieue But this Iudgement you se neither reaches to the Verity of the Reuelation in it selfe nor to the matter reuealed therefore Faith cannot as yet be elicited 3. Again The will cannot moue the vnderstanding to assent The will Seem's to help nothing in this particular to an obiect Sub ratione veri infallibilis vnder the Notion of an infallible Truth vnless manifest reason first conuinces the intellectual Power that it Exists and is infallible But all the reasons preceding Faith bring with them no such Conuiction for all are here supposed fallible Therefore if the vnderstanding yeild's an infallible Assent to that which is not rationally conuinced to be infallible it proceed's temerariously and doth more then it can do for it goes beyond the limits of Prudence saying This is infallibly so though it has no reason to iudge it infallible The force of what is now said will best appear in this Syllogism A Truth though really à truth Proposed The whole difficulty proposed in one Syllogism or represented as obscure cannot moue the vnderstanding to an infallible Assent but the Diuine Reuelation is proposed and represented as an obscure truth Ergo it cannot moue the