never mentioned Manichaeus ergo the Church on whose word he received the Ghospel was that of his time not that of the Apostles When therefore E. S. pag. 220. says It is plain S. Austin meanes not the Iudgment of the present Church but of the Catholick Church as taking in all ages places he evidently contradicts the very text of S. Ausstin whence I conclude that ether he speakes against his conscience which I am unwilling to beleive or else which is more excusable that he had not reade the text which he understakes to explicate A third yet more improbable explication is delivered by W.L. pag. 82. He speakes it ether of Novices or doubters in the Faith or else of such as were in part Infidels Mr. Fisher the Iesuit at the conference would needs have it that S. Austinspake it even of the faithfull which I cannot yet thinke For he speakes to the Manichees they had a greate part of the Infidell in them And the words immediatly before these are If thou shouldst find one qui Evangelio non credit which did not beleive the Ghospel what wouldest thou doe to make him beleive Thus W. L. This is like wise plainly fals for S. Austin was nether a Novice nor a doubter in the faith nor in part an infidel when he writ that Booke for he writ it after he was made Bishop as you may see l. 2. retract c. 2. But he speakes of himselfe describes the ground of his owne faith ergo he doth not speake of Novices Doubters or halfe Infidels nor describes the ground of their fath but of those who are firme beleivers I prove that S. Austin speakes of his owne Faith shews the ground on which it relyed For first he says I would not beleive the Ghospel without the authority of Catholicks commending them Secondly he says If you weaken the authority of Catholicks I will reject the Ghospel This I beleive Mr. Stillingf saw therefore sayd pag. 220. If you extend this beyond Novices weaklings I shall not oppose you in it And I cannot think that W.L. had reade that place at least with attention when he writ he could not think S. Austin spake of the faithfull Stillingf pag. 220. Nether you nor any Catholick Author is able to prove that S. Austin by these words ever dreamt of any infallible authority in the present Church Answer seing S. Austin expressely says he would renounce the Ghospel if the authority of Catholicks were weakened in him by discovering they had delivered any one lye he must ether think them exempt from all possibility of lying or else he adhered very loosely to the Ghospel I hope E.S. will not assert the later part wherefore he must grant that S. Austin thought the Church free from all possibility of errour Let us returne to Mr. G. B. G. B. pag. 43. Christ's prophetick office is invaded by the pretence of the Churches Infallibility in expounding Scriptures And why Good Sir should the infallibility in expounding Scriptures be an invasion of the prophetick office of Christ seing infallibility in writing them was no such thing Certainly it is more to compose a writing them to understand it as many can understand Cicero's speech pro Milone who cannot compose such an one And your old women pretend to understand severall parts of Scripture which yet I think will scarce undertake to pen the like By this Say you the whole anthority is devolved on the Church No more then it was on S. John when he writ his Ghospel or S. Paul composing his Epistles Nor soe much nether seing these were so assisted as to compose Holy Scripture when the Church only pretends to expound the word of God How doth such an assistance of the divine Spirit derogate from the infallibility of God from which it is derived But her exposition must be admitted say you though contrary to the sense As if Infallibility did not exclude all possibility of such a wrested exposition The infallibility of the Church may slyght your attempts whilest you are armed only with such straws We have seene you arguments Let us see your Answers to ours G. B. pag. 44. The Gates of Hell not prevailing against the Church Mat. 16.18 Proves not the pretence of infallibility Why not learned Sir Not a word for that but as if you had forgotten what you were about your fall uppon the Inglish Translation of that text which you say deserres amendment And I will leave you to be taught better manners by your fellow Ministers or your mother the kirk of Scotland G. B. pag. 45 The spirit leading into all truth Joan. 16.13 advances not the cause a whit since that promise relates to all beleivers Here is another assertion without proofe as if we were bound to take your word Those words are part of the sermon after the last supper at which only the Apostles were present which was directed immediatly to them You should then give some reason why they relate to all beleivers althô spoken to only the Apostles G. B. The Church's being built on the Rocke Peter proves nothing for a series of Bishops of Rome seing the other Apostles were also foundations ANS If it proves all Bishops together Infallible firme in faith as a Rock it confounds your Reformation which is condemned by them all G. B. The keys of the Kingdome of Heaven Mat. 16.19 import no more then that Peter was to open the Ghospel When you shall give in a proofe we will consider it Till then I will beleive not you but Christ who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 addes the office of the Keys to open shut not the Ghospel but Heaven by loosing binding sins G. B. pag. 46. It is certaine that vice as well as errpr os destrictove of Religion If then there be no authority for repressing of vice but that same of the discipline of the Church it is not incongruous there be no other authority for suppressing of error but that same of the discipline of the Church ANS It is certaine that both in the old new law severall persons have beene secured against Error who were subject to sin S. Peter was truly reprehensible (a) Gal. 2.11 for a thing he did not for any thing he writ or preacht The same of David of Salomon c. For this reason our Blessed Saviour commanded (b) Mat. 23.23 all to follow the Doctrine of the Scribes Pharisys because they sate on the chaire of Moyses but not their example Soe your question why God should provide more against error in faith then against vice in manners can find no place amongst Catholicks who are taught to adore God's holy will even when they understand it not to Bring (c) 2. Cor. 10.5 into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ To you who think it absurd to deny a man the use of his Reason in judging discerning all things submit even Divinely
Parisis 1636. S. Chrisostome Etonae 1613. Commodianus Parisiis 1666. S. Cyprian Parisiis 1666. S. Cyril Alexan. Parisiis 1638. S. Hierome Antwerpiae 1578. Julius Firmicus Parisiis 1666. Justinus M. Parisiis 1636. Minutius Felix Parisiis 1666. Origen c. Celsū Cantabrig 1658. Tertullian Rotomagi 1662. Theodoret Parisiis 1642. Ger. Jo. Vossius Francofurti 1668. Faults escaped in the Printing I intend only to correct those which are considerable may alter the sense The rest I leave to the courteous Reader In the eyght page of the Preface line 26. Iupiter in Reade Iupiter is Pag. 5. l. 7. When r. Where p. 11. l. 13. Tru the r. the tru p. 13. l. 31. c. 20. r. c. 25. p. 18. l. 9. deprescript r. depraescrip c. 40. p. 338. p. 19. l. 9. sayd r. layd p. 32. l. 24. who where r. which were p. 38. l. 4. sayd to r. sayd of p. 41. l. 12. though r. through p. 44. l. 19. make r. made p. 51. l. 10. sentelesse r. senselesse p. 53. l. 12. addicted the ro r. addicted to Item l. 26. say the r. say then p. 54 l. 23. God nations r. God of nations p. 68. l. 1. sals r. fals p. 75. l. 29. wife r. wife p. 78 l. 14. place Ovid's r. place in Ovid's Item l. 16. mode r. made p. 79 l. 18. Phiny r. Pliny p. 84. l. 3. for r. far p. 86. l. 13. beaty r. beauty p. 88. l. 28 43. r. 47. p. 90. l. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 99 l. 4. many r. may Item l. 17. yet r. yee p. 100. l. 18. then r. them p. 104. l. 21. If r. It. p. 117 l. 10. bnow r. know p. 118. l 29. or the r. on the p. 131. l. 1. wherely r. whereby p. 146. l. 8. fath r. faith p. 148. l. 6. your fall r. you fall p. 159 l. 4. expianda r. expiandae p. 162. l. 5. incapable r. capable p. 179. l. 28. adify r edify p. 189. p. 189. l. 29. or him r. on him p. 190. l. 13. a r. Act. 15.29 Item l. 27. epickia r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 191. l. 16. for idden r. forbidden p. 194. l. 22. post r. lost p. 195. l. 27. ever r. even p. 196. l. 2. are r. as p. 201. l. 4. place is r. place it p. 202. l. 28. dedmed r. deduced p 213. l. 14 mediocry r. mediocrity p. 219. l. 27. this r. his p. 221. l. 6. breahes r. breaches p. 226. l 26. hill r. kill p. 231. l. 7. Poverly r. Poverty Item l. 14 war r. was p. 239. l 4. our r. your p. 243. l. 4. but not even r. but even p. 244. l. 22. mannes r. manners p. 247. l. 28. they r. he p. 251. l. 22 him R. S. r. him by R. S. Item l. 21. to make r. to make way p. 154. l. 13. fryghte r. fryghted p. 255. l. 19. this r. his p. 256. l. 12. you r. your p. 263. l. 4. doe r. due p. 266. l. 14. sound r. found Item l. 28. the r. he p. 267. l. 13. buffled r. baffled p. 269. l. 4 us sherin r. Usher in p. 273. l. 12. their r. those p. 276. l. 14. vulgary r. vulgar p. 277. l. 4. form r. for p. 279. toke r. tobe p. 295. l. 23. you r. your p. 297. l. 7. burther some r. burthensome p. 305. l. 10. your r. hour A LETTER TO MR. R. CUDWORTH D. D. SIR I had finisht this treatise before I saw your learned worke against Atheisme I seldome read any booke with greater desire to learne from it Your Candour discovered in your Preface by owning correcting a mistake encreased my opinion of your abylityes my hopes of new lyghts in obscure matters from so greate labour accompanyed with such sincerity The first lesson of wisedome is to speake of nothing but what we understand perfectly The second is to correct Willingly what is unadvisedly spoken S. Aug. epist 7. having sayd that Cicero would never recall any thing he had once spoken says that he thinks that no signe of a Wise-man Haec laus quamvis praeclarissima videatur tamen credibilior est de nimium fatuo quà m de sapiente perfecto Nam illi quos Moriones vocant quantò magis à sensu communi dissonant magisque absurdi insulsi sunt tantò magis nullum verbum emittunt quod revocare velint quia dicti mali stulti vel incommodi poenitere utique Cordatorum est We must earnestly contend for that Faith which was once delivered to the saints Jud. v. 3. which from them hath beene handed downe to us by the Church Here we must be immoveable as Rockes But as for other doctrinall Points whither grounded on Hystory or naturall Discourse we ought not to take them for better for worse to have to hold till Death us depart or sticke to them longer then they appeare conformable to Truth I think the best qualification of an Authour is that Docile Disposition which the best of all purely humane Authours S. Austin expresses l. 1. de Trin. c. 3. Quisquis haec legit says he ubi pariter certus est pergat mecum ubi pariter haesitat quaerat mecum ubi errorem suum observat redeat ad me ubi meum revocet me ita ingrediamur simul charitatis viam tendentes ad Deum Et hoc placitum pinm atque tutum cum omnibus inire volo qu◠ea quae scribo legunt ........ You have given a pledge of that good quality so I am confident these objections against some points treated in your Booke will not be unwelcome to you You owne some very few Philosophers to have thought God to be corporall viz Epicurus Strato but that the major part beleived him a pure spirit adored the only tru God under the names Iupiter Minerva Osyris or Venus I sayd with the ancient Fathers Primitive Christians that althô all Pagans nay all men had naturally a knowledge of the tru God yet those they adored were Men. To the proofes alleadged above I adde now four 1. Taken from the diversity of their sexes 2. From their Generation 3. From their Death 4. From their Rites 1. The different sexes of the Pagan Deitys is a convincing proofe that they were not spirits but Men women or at least Males Females by consequence corporall This reason takes up a greate part of Arnobius's third booke from pag. 46. where he begins with these words Adduci primum hoc ut credamus non possumus immortalem illam praestantissimamque naturam divisame esse per sexus And he says that Cicero having ingenuously profest his dislike of this the Pagans designed to get his workes abolisht by the Senate as confirming Christian Religion destroying ancient tru Paganisme Oportere statui per Senatum aboleantur ut haec scripta quibus Christiana comprobetur vetustatis opprimatur auctoritas So essentiall to Paganisme was this diversity of sexes Which being only designed for carnall
not what you say G.B. p. 124. The inspirations of Holy writers on whome we found our faith was proved by miracles ANS We build not our Faith on any of their Revelations you speake of so this hint is nothing to rhe purpose If we did Miracles are not here wanting viz the change of men's lives ether from good to better or at least from bad to Good Which sufficiently proves the goodnesse of the Spirit appearing above all your frivolous exceptions And if other miracles are necessary those are many times granted too G. B. p. 126. Was it not aworthy peice of the Angelicall ministration for Angels to go trotting over sea Land with a Loade of Timber Stones of the Virgins House to Loretto ANS Whither they trotted or ambled I doubt not but that peice of ministration was more pleasing to those B. Spirits then to attend the protection of men who spend their strengh of body mind in offending God by impugning know nè Truth Sin I know they abhorre other things are indifferent to them all are welcome when commanded G. B. pag. 128. The Miracles of Rome are not heard of till some ages at least yeares be past ANS This is not tru They are all very strictly immediatly examined by authority from the ordinary then publisht See that done at Gant uppon D. Mary minshall approved by the Bishop shortly after it past G. B Ibidem It is the interest of Rome to have them all beleived without once questioning them ANS Rome has no interest but that Truth find place God by glorifyed If you consider how strictly those of the Portuguese nun were examined how sincerely the cheate was publisht you will acknowledge that our church doth not countenance any deceipt in this nor think it her interest that all should be beleived G. B. Ibidem How comes it that in hereticall countryes where there is more neede of those miracles where they myght be more irrefragably proved if tru none of these myghty workes doe shew themselves forth ANS How comes it that when the Scribes Pharisyes demanded a signe from Heaven our Saviour refused it (a) Mat. 12.39 An evill adulterous generation seeketh after a signe there shall no signe be given to it It is presumptuous for you or anyother to prescribe rules to God Almyghty's Providence which is never wanting in what is necessary we ought not to expect things unnecessary to pleasure our curiosity ether in nature or Grace which he grants when he pleases but not always Now miracles are very essicacious meanes but not the only motives to bring us to faith by consequence not absolutely necessary The Apostle had a Power to work miracles had a greate proportion of learning yet he used nether for conversion of the world when worldly men demanded it 1. Cor. 1.22 Iudaei signa petunt Graeci sapientiam quaerunt Nos autem praedicamus Christū Crucifixum Iudaeis quidem scandalum Gentibus autem stultitiā The Iews require a signe the Greekes seeke after wisdome did he worke miracles to satisfy the one or use humane wisdome to worke on the other No but we preach Christ crucifyed ascandall to the Iews folly to the Greekes Both tempted God as the Scribes did you do nether obtained what they demanded In deed those that will shut their eyes to all other motives would easily baffle the conviction of miracles ether saying they are naturall workes or attribute them to Magicke You see how the cure of the blind man (a) 10.9 borne soe was tossed how casting out Devils (b) Luc. 11.15 was attributed to to their Prince Beelzebub G. B. p. 130. My greatest quarrell at these forgeryes of miracles is that the People are taught to beleive them the miracles of the Ghospel with an equall certainty ANS If this be only ground of your quarrell we shall quickly agree for I doe not beleive them with equall certainty We are bound to beleive with divine faith each miracle related in the Ghospel but not soe those contained in Ecclesiasticall hystory how authenticall soever CHAPTER XXXII Whither all Mysterys of Faith ought to be common G. B. pag. 131. There are no secret doctrines in our Faith which must be kept from the vulgary where by the Pastors of Christendome may have possession over their souls ANS Here you smell another Popish designe of which none but your party ever dreamed of which we cannot be accused suppose it were tru without reproach to the Apostles whose example we follow in this if we practice it Which in some sort seemes unavoyable considering the weakenesse of men with which we must comply as much as we can without withdrawing any saving Truth Our body by certain degrees grows up from the dimensions is is borne with to its full stature our mind from its native ignorance successively passes to knowledge Give Archimedes his workes to anovice in mathematicks he will not be the better form them He must be first prepared to receive benefit by them by passing Euclide's elements The same of other sciences one may learne to reade Hebrew-without-points without learning his Aleph Beth as well as may learne the abstruer conclusions of any Science without learning its Rudiments Faith differs from all other sciences in its object that is God's veracity but agrees with them that it requires some time to be brought to its full perfection It containes many assents to severall mysteryes or Articles to whose understanding we cannot attaine at one hearing Nay each article requires some time soe that as the materiall sun chaces away the obscurity of the nyght by degrees rising on our horison soe doth the sun of Iustice successively enlyghten our soul This encrease of Faith the Apostles (a) Luc. 17.5 demanded of our Saviour To this the Prince of the Apostles exhortes (b) 1. Pet. 2. desire the sincere Milk that in you may may grow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as your Inglish translation hath it that you may grow thereby as if our Growth were only by Faith in other things when it is in Faith it selfe Milke is frequently taken in Scripture by a naturall very proper metaphor for the first rudiments or necessary principles of Faith communicated to Catechumens or beginners who being young at is were infants in Christ were not capable of more abstruse mysteryes which are called solid meate Soe to Babes Milke is given til by use of it they get strength to digest solid meate This method the Apostles used 1. Cor. 3.1.2 I Brethen could not speake unto you as unto spirituall but as unto carnall even as Babes in Christ I have fed you with Milke not with meate for you were not able to beare it nether yet now are ye able for you are yet carnal Here you see sir a whole Church a noble Church kept for a long time to her Milke because her progresse in