as a proposition of faith For whatsoever the Church believeth as a proposition of faith is upon this ground that Christ taught it as such unto the Church he planted himself and so left it in trust to be by it delivered over to the next age And the reason why the present Church believeth any proposition to be of faith is because the immediate preceding Church of the age before delivered it as such and so you may derive it on from age to age untill you come to the Apostles and Christ For to have any false proposition of faith admitted into the Church in any age doth suppose that all they of that age must unanimously conspire to deceive their children telling them that they were taught by their Fathers to believe as of faith some proposition which indeed was not which being impossible as it will evidently appear to any prudent person that shall reasonably ponder the matter that so many men spread throughout the whole world so different in their particular interests and ends and of such various dispositions and natures should all agree together in the forgery of any precise lye which is most impossible though any one man may be liable to be deceived or out of some indirect end may be induced to deceive others Whence I come to say that faith dependeth on these two propositions First that whatsoever God said is true Next that God I said this whatsoever it be that is delivered thus by the generall practice of the Church And the primary original natural appetence of mans soule is the love of truth which it vehemently desireth and is alwayes unquiet and ardent in the search of it upon what occasion soever and this acquisition of truth is that which the soule in every action naturally aimeth at and detesteth falshood Therefore although any particular man as Dr. Taylor may have his sense or fantasie so depraved as to take imperfect or maimed impressions of outward objects or the powers of his understanding so weak as to make a preposterous and disorderly collection out of them or his judgement so misguided by preoccupation of any affection or particular end as he may in himselfe be deceived and feed his soule with falshood in stead of truth or else that sinister respects and interests or sordid apprehensions of commodity to himselfe by the sensuall passions tyrannizing over him aâ—â—o cause him to swallow mortall baits making him employ the faculties of his understanding and the powers of his soul contrary to their natural inclination to the maintaining of a lye Yet it is impossible that all mankinde or such a vast multitude of men as contain in them all the variety of dispositions and affections incident to mans nature and that are dispersed through the world so as they can have no communion together whereby they might infect one another nor can have finister ends common all alike to them all which should invite them to conspire together to forge a falshood It is impossible I say that such a company of Saints and Doctors should so degenerate from their own nature which is to love truth as they should invent a lye and that in so important a matter as faith is they should concur to deceive the world of men that should come after them in things of such nature as their deceit must of necessity damn for all eternity both themselves and all them that shall receive that lye from them and take it upon their credit This general deâ—ection from truth in mankind is as impossible as that all one entire element or any primâ—genial nature should absolutely perish Thus I conceive I have made good the Assertion that hath begotten this discourse which is that Faith conserved and practised in the Catholick Church and delivered by perpetual Succession is most certain and most infallible But all this is not enough our disquifition must not rest here we must not content our selves in this divine affair and supernatural doctâ—ine with a certitude depending only upon natural causes The wisedome of God proportioneth out congruent means to bring on every thing to their proper end and mans obtaining beatitude being the highest end that any creature can arrive unto and altogether supernatural it requireth supernatural causes to bring us to that end and a supernaural infallibility to secure us in that journey we must therefore not only have a supernatural way to travel in which is faith but also supernatural assurance of the right way which we may with an humble confidence expect and claim at Gods divine hands God therefore hath given to his Church the continual assistance of the holy Ghost to confirm it in the true faith and to preserve it from error and to illuminate the understanding of it in right disceâ—ning the true sense of those mysteries of faith that are commited to the custody of it and to work supeâ— natural effects of true devotion and sanctity in that Church For Christs doctrine is practical and aymeth at the working of an effect which is the reduction of mankind to beatitude and that this mankinde conthreâ—â— prehendeth not only those that lived in that age when he preached but also all others that ever were since or shall be to the end of the world It is apparent that to accomplish that end it was necessary Christ should so effectually imprint his doctrine in their hearts whom he delivered it unto as it might upon all occasions and at all times infallibly expresse it self in action and in the delivery of it over from hand to hand should in vertue and strength of the first operation produce ever after like effects in all others Now unto these rational considerations let us add the promises which Christ made to his Church that the gates of Hell should not prevail against it that the true Doctrine of Christ is conserved that it can never faile but must infallibly continue until the end Thus having produced that a supernatural doctrine is necessary to bâ—ing mankind to beatitude that Christ taught this doctrine that from him the Church received it and is the Sacrary in which it is conserved that this Church planted by him in the delivery over of his Doctâ—ine cannot erre and that it is perpetual And that if any particular man should goe about to introduce new doctrine of faith noâ— formerly heard of or renew old damned erâ—ors as Dr. Taylor doth drawing the Arguments of confirmation thereof out of his own ratiotination and private discourse that were enough to convince him of falshood imposture and heâ—esie since he should theâ—eby undertake to know what were impossible for him of himselfe to attain to the knowledge oâ— for herefie I count to be an opinion repugnant to the grounds of Christian Faith obstinately maintained by any that professe the name of Christ It remaineth now that I close up this discourse by applying the premisses to my purpose and matter at hand It is an undeniable truth that Baptism ordained for the
Where the Protestants do teach that in the Eucharist the body and blood of Christ is not only signified and offered but also really substantially and truly presented exhibited and communicated and consequently that the bread is not a bare sign significative only but also exhibitive of Christs body See Vsher's Sermon before the Commons Page 16. Edit. 2. Sure had Christs body been only figuratively presented he would have removed the doubt when he saw the Jews offended at the reality as Hereticks be now a days John 6. and he would not have confirmed and repeated his saying in terminis with promise of a greater wonder John 6. 62. The Lutherans believe our Saviour to be as really in the Eucharist as he was upon the Crosse but do not adore him the Roman Catholiques both believe the reality of it and adore it For my part I should clearly hold with these for S. Paul and all the four Evangelists unanimously teach the Doctrine of the reall presence and not one single place produceable that in direct terms calls the B. Eucharist a sign or figure of Christs body notwithstanding the vain cursed maintainers thereof admit no proof as authentical but the prâ—cise Text of Scripture but in this so important controversie they fly to logical inferences and Philosophical discourses and so make their own bare reason the Judge and not the word of God rendering by their new and private interpretations this great Sacrament inferiour in dignity not only to the Paschal Lamb a type of Christ but even to Manna which was but a figure of this very mystery Surely if we shall add to so many and so evident Texts of Sâ—ripture the constant judgement of the Fathers and the universal practise of the whole Christian world for above a thousand years we may safely conclude the doctrine of our Saviours presence in the B. Eucharist to be most probable and true and consequently Roman Catholiques in no wise accusable of rashness or obstinacy in believing a position so efficaciously recommended to them and conveyed from hand to hand therefore what can be more dangerous and pernitious to any Kingdom then to quite abolish such a dread Sacrament plainly invincible which adorneth and graceth the whole universe fomenteth innocency extirpats vice and by most evident ways demonstrate that a living God lieth under it and set up in its place a piece of prophane bread which never yet discovered more grace or force in the Ministers hand then it brought out of the Oven As it s evinced out of Christs repeated words By this so important digression we have the omnipotencie of God against all weaknesse idle curiosities sophisms and artificial falsities of new wits as a pledge sufficient enough to evince and secure the reality of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar and believe that under the Sacramental species sensible and corruptible our Saviour subsisted with a glorious body which is called by S. Paul spiritual body because it s dignified with qualities and conditions of spirit though it lose not the essence of a body adoring therein with all humility that which cannot be sufficiently comprehended but by expresse passages of Scripture clear decision of 40. Councels the testimony of above 500. Authors antient and holy which ought to be preferred to the chimeras imaginary figments and bare assertions of any particular Lay-man and if plain Scripture-Texts with the Church Saints and general Councels exposition be not sufficient for a man to rest both his Science and Conscience upon I know not where he will find a resting satisfiable place it may shoot at randome but never come to take a right aim It being the most palpable folly which can creep into the brain of man to desire wisedom contrary to the wisedom of Saints my firm hope is that Doctor Taylor having with so much labour and charges indeavoured to honour Christ in a meer shadow will now in the name of God turn his tongue and pen to honour and glorifie him in his true real and substantial body and receive those rules of Religion ever unalterable eternal universal and constant and not any longer to run with the Jews after simple figures and weak elements Now it s more then time to look after Christs true Church still the same without opposition to it self in any fundamental doctrine when all other arising Sects are notoriously known to contradict both their Associates and themselves at the end Behold more then sufficient cause and ground for all those that pretend to any fear of God any care or regard of their souls eternal welfare utterly to detest and anathematize all novellism and damnable principles now its time to return to the Catholique Church setled by Christ upon a Rock never to be prevailed against by humane or divels power Cause enough there is to take warning for the future not to remit the planting of religion to every giddy pretending spirit Now it s more then time that truth the centre of our understanding maugre never so long or strong opposition should powerfully work upon those very many Machievillians of our times that seriously and deliberately say Pox on it I 'l be of any Sect rather then hazard my liberty honour or fortunes I 'l keep my consciene to my self but I 'l never lose my Land for want of outward compliance or conformity with the prevailing lâ—bertines Alas how many brave ancient families are quite extinguished and brought to nothing for want of compliance or conformity with God and his holy revealed Ordinances as it s by woeful experience obvious to any judicious person for non est prudentia non est concilium contra Dominum for my own part I cannot but wonder that any man acknowledging his sould immortal and that either Hell or Heaven must be the eternal domicil after this life withal acknowledging that a false wavering religion cannot be the way to beatitude shall not desert that sect of whose falsenesse and damnablenesse to mans soul and inconsistency with a well ordered Church he hath so many and pregnant demonstrations to the eye Finally its time for all to begin to follow the main current and generality of Religion ancient and well grounded Erubescat senectus quae se emendare non potest nullus pudor est ad meliora transire S. Ambros. Ep. 31. ad valent And now that we see the Protestants fighting writing and preaching against Protestants for Protestant Religion The old Catholique Religion must be the white at which we must all aim out of which none can hope for salvation I beseech God the Father of light and mercy may open the heart and eyes of our Doctor and of his Profelytes and resolve them herein for to receive that faith which hath God himself for object Let me now end with two words concerning the B. Virgin Mother ever most highly reverenced under God by all Christians upon earth as the blessed instrument of our welfare who but a turbulent Momus or a
AN ESSAY of Original RIGHTEOUSNESS AND CONVEYED SIN Wherein the question is rightly stated the latent venome of some of Dr. Jeremiah Tayler's heretical assertions detected and accurately impugn'd By 〈◊〉 â—ord Gentleman Epist. ad Gal. 1. 8. But though we or an Angel from Heaven preach any other Gospell unto you then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed Permissu superiorum Printed 1657. To the RIGHT HONOURABLE AND most truly Noble LORD the Marquess of Dorchester the great Example of true Honour Learning and Chivalry Right Honourable Lord WHereas your Illustrious Honour is not ignorant and all the World knows that as Divinity and essential truths are therefore eternal and 〈…〉 because such so falshood must needs decay and vanish and that the learning of our late reforming Divines consisting onely in some superficial Talent of preaching language or elocution and not in deep knowledge of Philosophy Metaphysick and much less of that most solid profitable and subtile method call'd School Divinity aims onely at non procedere ad perfectioneni sed ad permutationem still teaching to go forward not to perfection but to perpetual change leaping from ignorance to a prejudicate opinion and never taking a good judgment in their way and this for that the enemy of mankind moving Hereticks to deride and sleight School Divinity looks at no less then the total ruine of all Religion and faith Hence most Honourable Lord I thought it no ill Office of a Patriot for the undâ—ceiving of many to contrive this succinct Methodical Treatise of School Divinity which now runs for shelter to the glorious protection of your Honour a person incomparably Illustrious and accomplish'd in all royal and moral virtues nam geminas animi nobilitate genus the general report fame and applause of your rare genius transcendent worth and known abilities in most part of all learning hath invited me to the boldness of this address for to whom more fitly should a small Treatise intended for to establish truth now when most malign'd despis'd run â—or Patronage then to your most illustrious Lordship a Vigorous honourer and indefatigable Investigator of truth the natural pleasing object of our understanding Pray Heaven it prove worthy your acceptance for my part I shall ever acknowledge your greatness admire your glory and from your goodnesse raise to my self a hope that you will vouchsafe to cherish these weak fruits of my elucubrations for such is the sublime and magnificent amplitude of your soul as it will harbour with benign indifferencie what is spoken against your own sense judgement and consent my scope being to serve and honour not to instruct you neither to engage you in the Patronage of what I deliver more then truth shall convince your judgement Vale diu feliciter vive Nobilium decus magnae Britaniaâ—â— ornamenium This shall be the constant humble supplication of Most truly Noble And Right Honourable Lord Your humble and obsequious Servant J. FORD To the Reader Courteous Reader IN an Age so pregnant of vice desirous of prophane novelties affected and advantagious ignorance it 's no wonder the structures of true Religion Devotion and Antiquity decay and ruine For if men did but seriously consider how unsatisfactory new Faiths new Opinions are they would quickly be convinced of this varity in seeking For proof of this I appeal to the Conscience â—f any that by misguided zeale have been transported with this fury whether they have not with indignation beheld their former Tenets applauâ—ing their present condition as escap'd from the pit of perdition and yet in that instant of imagined felicity and safety have not an â—â—ching desire and of new Lights and a perfecter walking which in a short time they prosecute so eagerly by ever learning to a Contradiction and Opposition of their â—ate found happiness as to account also that state desperate and damnable In this circular progresse of Religion what hope câ—n these have of salvation or comfort in the agonies of Conscience oâ— languishings of mortality when their recovery may restore them to a defiance of their present belief and uncertainâ—y what Creed to die in If the Apostle tells us of one Hope one Lord one Faith sure the dâ—viation from this Vâ—ity must be Schism and persevering in 〈◊〉 utter destruction because the multiplying a Deity opposeâ—â— its Essence as much as the denying itâ— and he will be no lesse mistaken that thinks by by-pathes unknowne and uncertain wayes to goe to Heaven aâ— he that denees â—ny A more illustrious moral reason of this cannot be given then that of the Philosopher Euâ—tibus via errantibus nulla because they in the trueâ—way â—ake their progresse in righteousnesse the misguided only in errors It much importeth men to be very circumspect inquisitive after the right way if neither living or dying they cannot by those ungodly reflections they now wander in attain any certain hopes of salvation I have not without admiration looked upon the incomparable ignorance of the most professing Teachers who have no other cognizance of their zeale then the want of good Literature and I cannot judge the products of their instruction to be more then blind devotion they themselves being such blind Leaders For if I should ask them a reason of their Faith or of those many Mysteries contained in the New Testament or why they have abrogated holy Ceremonies continued from the Primitive times even untill these late dayes of Apostacie I suppose they could render no other account then what a great Rabbi to justifie their abominable proceedings replied That the pious actings of these later dayes would not have pass'd for religious or devout in the Primitive times How cautious then should all good minded Christians be to bear the Doctrines of such dangerous Preacherâ— which are Libels and Contradictions to the Primevall Church and sent only for politick ends by special faith to cast me into a Lethargie of godlinesse oblivion and detestation out of I know not what fear of good deeds and just dealings It 's strange where the Priests lipps should preserve knowledge the ancient and boyish Elders of our times should zealously affect the contrary except that being deceived they may more securely deceive others or may with more audacious security precipitate together with themselves others into destruction according to that of Thucidides A {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Ignorance is the Mother of confidence or by want of knowledge the more facil may stupifie the clamours of a corrupt conscience hide their covetousnesse and for their private craft the more undiscernably cry up Great is Diana of the Ephesâ—aâ—â— They might easâ—â—y have avoided these present Pasâ—â—s and fearfull Paroxysms for the â—osse of â—ithes â—â— they at first had vigorously Preach'd and shew'd the severe â—eâ—aces and damnable puâ—ishments for Sacrâ—â—â—dge and may yet free us from raâ—iâ—eâ— and unjust negotiations if they themselves would cease to be covetous and truly convince