of life was drawn S. Mathew sitting in telonio drawn the thief on the Cross Mary of Egipt from the Ordure of her libidinous lust Pelagia from her prostitution and sordid quest of whoredom all these call'd away by several and unknown ways to follow and pursue vertue and the way to heaven so as hereticks and haynous Sinners that sits in the shade of death are illuminated to apprehend their lamentable dark state and look up to Eternity and to the pure light of true life making them from the children of darkness to become the children of grace and all this done by the infinitly great wisdom and Grace of God without which those sit in darkness of ignorance and infidelity in the imminent danger of eternal death having their heart and understanding obscure so as that they are ignorant of God their Maker ignorant of the way to heaven ignorant of the final sovereign happiness for which they were created and do not know themselves nor that they are children of wrath and obnoxious to death being ignorant of their own insufficiency to good ignorant of the necessity of grace and Regeneration ignorant of Christ their Mediator through whose sacred bloud they are restored from death to life but by pure rays of divine faith they come to know all these things and begin to look after earnestly the way of Truth and of life they implore grace they invoke their Mediator and seek after his soul-faving Science and heavenly knowledge according to these words of S. Paul 1 Corin. 4. ille qui de tenebris dixit lucem splendescere ipse illuxit in cordibus nostris c. Of the true Essence of divine Faith 2. Document REason is most properly exercised in tâ—ings of nature and Faith in matters of Religion great witts set up reason instead of faith and the light of nature against divine light which is at once to deprive man of his highest felicity and faculty and God of his greatest Grace the same Word without question which created the world creates a belief in a spiritual understanding by relying on a divine reavealing Authority It s most certain that God is said to Confound the wisdome and learning of the wise by Faith which declared that without believing they cannot be saved and yet without a supernatural Grace they cannot believe and as God is the chief good and perfect happiness of the soul and the object of our beatitude which cannot be comprehended by natural light or knowledge therefore a kinde of supernatural vertue is necessary by which we may attain to his knowledge which is saith the highest knowledge we have in this world by wch the soul injoys him by him the most excellent guifts and graces whereof it is capable according to S. Paul ad Eph. 2.8 gratia Dei estis salvati per fidem hoc non ex vobis Faith is that divine light by which we prepare our journy towards vertue and heaven without faith it 's impossible 〈◊〉 please God By faith Roman Catholicks do â—alk upon the grounds of the Church miliâ—ant where there is infallibly an infusion of â—abitual Grace sanctification in its sacraments and surely transcendent is their commendation for their faithful conservation of â—he sacred Oracles of Truth in all ages to â—his day for their well ordered Zeale for their most ravishing devotions deiform inâ—entions their heroycal acts of fasting praying recollections meditations inâ—roversies their aspirations humiliations mortifications abnegation of themselves and their dayly abdication of all transitory things so as none in his sences can believe that such a tree can be Corrupted in the root which brings forth such heavenly fruits Some properties we may observe of the doctrine of Faith to be true to be revealed of God to be preached and delivered by the B. Apostles The highest ground by which a man is perswaded that his faith is true is the Authority of God speaking and revealing the highest proof by which a man may be assured that his Faith is revealed is the Authority of Christ and his B. Apostles who delivered and preached the same as from God and that from the beginning to this day it is practised without innovation or alteration in all parts of the inhabitable world The Apostles in the time of Christ conversing with them had sufficient Faitâ— to prevail with their wills to command theâ— understanding into the belief of his being God and man consequently an infalliblâ— faith then it doth follow that whatsoeveâ— he taught was to be assented unto as infallibly true and that without being questioneâ— by our weak and limited reason And surâ— this was very necessary for the true Church otherwise they could not have been sufficiently assured that what Christ their Masteâ— taught them was true and so it would noâ— have been a sin in them to have doubted 〈◊〉 This infallible assurance also the Christianâ— that lived in the B. Apostles time and afteâ— Christ Ascension enjoied they had sufficienâ— ground without question to induce them to a belief that the B. Apostles were infallible Guides and Teachers and that whatsoever they taught and commanded was as infallibly true as if God had immediately spoken the same things and no more to be doubted contradicted or disputed against by vain and curious Reason which doubtless were as strong and as good as ours then the immediate words command or dictates of Allmighty God otherwise these who refused to hear and obey them had beenin no fault and it would have been an insufferable boldness in S. Paul to have required such an absolute submission to what 〈◊〉 taught as to oblige Christians of his â—â—â—e not to have believed even an Angel â—om heaven teaching contrary things to â—hat he taught them Hence it is that the â—â—maining writings of the B. Apostles are by â—ll Christians esteemed as the word of God â—nd this was mainly necessary in the ages â—fter Christ for the Church of God in the 〈◊〉 Apostles time to have a living infallible way of direction and this was the way to â—aintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of â—eace so become one body with one heart â—ot as sects divided subdivided scattered â—â—to as many parts and sorts as now are â—nd have gone to cuffs raising civil war for â—he diciding of controversies as we have seen they did since they divided themselves from the holy Catholick Roman Church Mark now those words Heb. 11.6 without faith its impossible to please God and of Math. 16.16 he that believeth shall not be damned and Eph. 4.5 there is but one faith one Baptism one Lord Jesus the faith which is to save us and by the which we are to please God cannot be had but in one Church and that of Christ it cannot therefore be found in Sects in contrary opinions it being of necessity but one of contraries one only must be true Do but observe 2 Cor. 10.5 bringing into Captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ
seducentium hominum vocibus temere credas ne pro luce tenebras pro die noctem pro cibo famem pro remedio venenum pro vitae mortem sumas Andrew call to your minde the inexpressible enormity of your Apostasie rebellion for what crime more abominable quam adversas Christum stare quam Ecclesiam ejus dissipare quam contra unitatem Ecclesiae concordem populum Dei haereâ—ice pugnare quam fraternitatem amicitiam Christi sanctorum ejus per Apostasiam deperdere Religionem veram antiquam sanctam blasphemando Oh Andrew reclaim come along enter into Peters ship for safety quam tu in baptismate ascendisti navigaturus in ea ad littus foelicitatis eternae and from which through Satans illusions te in mare magnum errorum praeceps â—rojecisti forsoooth because you could not by your poor reason or sences comprehend the wonders and many miracles in the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist you threw your self headlong most precipitously into an ocean of errours and deceit foolishly as it were following the vain steps of Aristotle who despairing of being able to finde out the reason of the Sea's ebbings and flowings threw himself headlong into the main Ocean saying ensentium quia te non capio â—u me cape In all reason I think it is apparent to every one that the will and word of the Almighty cannot or ought not to be subjected to such a poor pitiful thing as man is man must be led by it and not draw it to his â—leasure by adding or diminishing chopping and changing as he lists wherefore our blessed Saviour when some upon the doctrine of the real presence they had heard him deliver doubted and ask'd him with a quomodo how can man forgive sin and again others said how can he give us his flesh to eat It is very observable that our Lord never went about to satisfie their curiosity or declare to them how or in what manner it might be done it being indeed below the Majesty of God to give his vile vassal a reason of his will but he singly repeated again his assertion without shewing the probability or possibility thereof verily verily I say unto you unless you eat of the flesh of man and drink of his bloud you shall have no life in you hereby giving us to understand that the institutions and will of God are not to be subjected to the understanding of man but humbly to be accepted with submission and lowlinesse as the will of that infinite supreme power unto which mans understanding and the whole creation is subjected I contemplate you as becomes another Jonas in the midst of the tempestuous seas of Apostasie heresie and rebellion O utinam utinam summus providentiae Pater qui projecto in mari Jona piscem grandem praeparavit dignaretur me nunc tibi merso in impietate tua loco piscis illiuâ— praeparare ut sicut animam tuam in veâ—tre cordis mei per commiserationem porto â—ta illam in aridum coelestis salutis portum evoâ—ere valuissem O Andrew Let me be to â—ou a whale to comfort and preserve your â—ul from utter ruine be you another Joâ—as accelera veni deglutiam horrendum â—eccatum tuum apostasiam tuam fragilitatem â—uam scandalum magnum datum injuriam per â—e illatam Deo vivo vivo sanctis clero poâ—uloque Hiberniae accede confidenter Andrea secure pacate introducam te in conspeâ—tum offensi Creatoris Redemptoris glorificaâ—oris tui ut misereatur tui come along into the ark of sanctification and mercy with the wandring pidgeon that returned finding no rest abroad and bring in your break that lovely green olive-branch Credo unam sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam abide not abroad with the raven feeding on stinking carrion now I leave you to the sting of your conscience more cruel to you then hellish monsters let it be to you not what Menander confess'd saying mortalibus cunctis conscientia Deus est but a light a guide leading you to do good and decline evil for Synderisis is a practical habit of the understanding not only pointing to you what is good and laudable but inclining you withall to the prosecution of the same this resplendent light insinuates to you not to murther the souls of your brothers by your false erroneous and damnable doctrine it disswades you from cursing your mothers it excites you to give no dishonour affront or the lye to Christ Jesus Now I say to you what God said to Cain si male egeris statim in foribus peccatum aderit and know that poena tibi est inordinatus perversus tuus animus and to conclude do but observe what I say to you there was a man according as S. Ambrose doth relate lib. 6. exam murthered and left dead when many flock'd together to see the cadaver the Murdered mans dog knowing the Murtherer among the croud made at him apprehended him and laid hold of him barking and biting until he was constrain'd to acknowledge the Murther and his heavy guilt oh Andrew the horrour of the haynous guilt of your Apostasy doth and shall perpetually and most grievously bite you sting you and give you no rest until you be brought to acknowledge your horrid crime and humbly cry peccavi Domine miserere which that you may do and not be adjudged to the flames of the damned shal be the daily prayer of your afflicted friends Of Humane Faith Document 6. THe difference between divine and humane faith consists in this that divine faith is most perfect and hath God for its object and is grounded upon divine Authority which doth promise us with infallible unerring and undoubted certainty to enjoy what we believe and hope for but humane faith hath no such object ground â—or certainty but is only a morall casuall and probable belief as for example â—f you Andrew did verily believe that in heaven all great felicities which transcend 〈◊〉 our lower desires are to be found what â—n hinder you but you should at least do as â—uch for obtaining those great felicities as for the lesser the perishable for if you â—ink you may gain them being a protestant â—ith bare faith without works of charâ—â—â—â—liness justice pennance c. than sure â—u have no faith at all for you believe not â—at saying of S. Paul Hebr. 12. follow peace â—â—th all men and holinâ—ss without which no â—an shall ever see God humane saith you â—ay have but not divine for if a man beâ—eves learning to be the only and 〈…〉 â—rnament and beauty of 〈…〉 may enable him to a fair employment in time an honorable memory to succeeding ages this if he believe really and heartily it hath power to make him endure great pains and labour even catarrhs gouts and other diseases to read and write till his eyes are weary to despise the pleasure of idleness or delightfull sports and even to unâ— dervalew whatsoever doth not
that this faith or beliâ—ving was to be sealed in the understanding that the understanding was to submit nâ— arrogantly to dispute And that this Act 〈◊〉 believe was a command or precept of Alâ— mighty God who will have his will obeyeâ— by all his subjects and the not obeying 〈◊〉 which is punished with eternal damnatâ—on Lastly consider Hebr. 10.23 let us hoâ— fast the profession of our faith without wavering for he is faithfull that hath promised That faith is truly divine must be an infallible assent of our understanding submitting it self obediently to believe the Revelationâ— of God for otherwise faith consequently all Religion may be no more then fancy oâ— opinion and then no ways certain and if so then no obligation Now it must follow first that there must be some means appointed by God by which we may know this one true faith from all false Sects and opinions whereas to require one to believe upon pain of damnation not to give him any means whereby he may know what to believe for salvation in this Religion or that sect were to require him to walk without leggs these means must be infallible for we cannot be brought to an infallible assent by fallible and uncertain means as God would not require us to assent to an Authority which may deceive us then our understanding must of necessity submit to those â—eans under pain of damnation O terrible â—r if our understanding were at liberty to â—bmit or not submit to the means by which â—ving Faith is conveyed unto us it would â—en be no sin not to believe consequently â—od would not jnstly damn us for not beâ—eving and withall whosoever shall reâ—se to be governed by those heavenly â—eans and the same authority that God â—ath appointed to govern us he shall be a â—ebel against God and a vile Traitor Lastâ—y I say that two men of two differing â—iths or beliefs cannot be saved for both of â—hem knowing that they are bound to be guided and governed by those means which God hath appointed to convey saving faith â—o them and one of them flatly refusing to submit this person who refufeth must be guilty of disobedience and refractoriness to Gods Command and consequently cannot be saved And so to our present purpose ignorant people by reasonable and earnest diligence as it is very tollerable to humane frailty and very possible and easy for them may come by Gods grace to the true knowledge of these means otherwise God would have appointed means which would prove unprofitable to the end and so the far greater number of souls for whom Christ died would not be sufficiently provided for by Gods sweet providence 〈◊〉 that prophesy would prove also ineffectual Esay 35. Say to them that are of a fear fâ—â— heart be strong fear not behold your Gâ—â— will come and save you then the eyes of thâ— blinde shall be opened and the eares of thâ— deaf unstopped c. and one high way shall 〈◊〉 there and a way and it shall be called the holy way that way-faring men though foâ—â— shall not err therein It cannot be denyed bâ—â— this wholsome doctrine is agreeable with all sorts of people Apostats sectaries oâ— Dissenters from the Mother Church for it must be granted that there must be a way and a Rule there must be means appointed there must be a governing power to judge and decide all arising doubts and teach aâ— the world the true way and path to heaven with certainty but when we come to findâ—â— it out all persons will agree That they are obliged under pain of damnation to submit to it receive it and embrace it and walâ— according to it as to the Apostles if they were actually living or to Christ himself 〈◊〉 and when you understand this Rule and guide then you cannot but believe all and every article of faith which we the Roman Catholicks did all along from the Apostles time and this day do unanimously believe and practise this is the main point which will allay all controversies contests wranglings ammosityes and hatred between Roman Catholicks and all dissenters the God â—f union and truth open the eyes and illuâ—inate the understandings of apostats to â—ake right use of this my labour Now I â—t them know that neither private spirit or natural reason of any man can possibly 〈◊〉 this Rule and Judge for this must subâ—it as a subject and Vassal to that Rule and â—udge and it 's always fallible and strangdly â—t to mistake misleade which is against â—e nature of the true Rule and Judge to be â—r if God should oblige us upon pain of â—amnation to submit unto and to be goâ—erned and ruled by an Authority that might receive and might teach for a truth what 〈◊〉 not we should be bound to believe that 〈◊〉 true which is not so and yet be damâ—â—d for not believing the truth further â—our private spirit or reason were to be â—is Rule and Judge then it would follow â—â—ntrary to the scripture that it is not imâ—â—ssible to please God without faith for â—â—ason would sufficiently teach us how to â—ease God yet it would be a breach of this â—ule to believe what we do not understand would likewise follow that every preâ—â—nded Religion would be the truth and 〈◊〉 contradictions would be true and there would be not only one faith but no faith 〈◊〉 all but reason above which faith is for reason excludeth faith and there 〈◊〉 scarce that man living but his reason diffeâ— from anothers understanding judgmenâ— differing as much as their faces therefoâ—â— none that follows his own Reason could 〈◊〉 justice be condemned by God and so 〈◊〉 ilation all men would be saved unleâ—â— peradventure you will say that in a buâ—â—ness of such main consequence as the salvâ—tion of souls our primate reason perswadâ— us to prefer the authority of such as aâ— wiser then our selves before our own judâ—ments which is most true But I then infeâ—â— that Roman Catholicks are the most ratiâ—nal most learned most wise most godly most unbiased people now in the world aâ— consequently have the best Religion 〈◊〉 acting most conformably to reason in the belief for they rely still on the authority 〈◊〉 General Councils consisting of the able and most learned men of all Nations whiâ—â— is the greatest authority to be found 〈◊〉 Earth especially having the assistance of tâ—â— holy Ghost visum est spiritui sancto 〈◊〉 bis as it appears they have both by thâ— testimony of the Scripture and the constaâ—â— tradition of all ages Upon these ground we may be sure that certainly God in hâ—â— good providence had appointed a moâ—â— sure Guide Rule and Judge to bring maâ— to the infallible faith for salvation the Reason and proud spirit otherwise God is defective in necessaries and that Religion were no more then fancy and opinion and it is worth observation how for the first two thousand years before any Scriptures were written the visible
must follow in all other articles and why is it necessary to believe that Christ resuscitated and not that Christ's body and bloud is contained in the Sacrament of the Eucharist Doth not holy Scripture witness this 〈◊〉 Secondly I say Doth â—oâ— the Apostle ad Tit. 3. admonish us haereticum hominum devitare because he is subverted and condemned by his own proper judgement you must not reply that the Apostle meant him an heretick that rejects Christ or what is contained in the symbol for so indeed he would not be an heretick that would reject all the holy Scripture and all Sacraments neither also he who would condemn marriage and meats and place two distinct persons in Christ yet such 1 Tim. 4. 1 John 4. are held to be hereticks Thirdly Did all antiquity hold that an heretick could not be saved which moved and excited them vigorously always to oppose hereticks confute silence and condemn them wherefore has there been at all times General Councils of Learned Prelats conven'd from all parts of the inhabitable world and with great labor and expences celebrated but for to beat down and confute heresies and damn them with anathema why all commerce and familiarity with hereticks forbidden why very many Roman Catholicks did rather suffer exile losse of means and limbs torments and chaâ—ns then subscribe to hereticks were not all these encounters in vain foolishly and injuriously done if in those sects of heresie salvation might be had or obtain'd The reason is that it would follow by good ilation that the true Orthodox faith would be no better then the heresie of Arians Pelagians Nestorians c. whereas it 's stated salvation to be had in any of these as well as in the Roman-Catholick Faith and consequently it would follow all those ancient hereticks were saved because many of them did hold and beleeve the Apostolical Symbol all which is most absurd and that any should be saved by false faith for false faith neither is nor can be more available for salvation then no faith at all and because the foundation of faith viz. the reason of believing in hereticks is false and erroneous therefore their faith is false also which depends on falshood for they believe their dogmata or tenents either because their pretended Apostles Luther and Calvin c. taught them and these could not erre or be deluded or because by â—â—eir own proper sence and judgement they â—agine those to be contained in Scripture â—nd this is false too for one man alledges â—e same Scripture for this sect and another â—ledges the very same for another different â—ct because they understand it not or â—â—y believe sua dogmata because some are â—â—ght interiourly by a private spirit of the â—se of Scipture this likewise deludes â—â—cause for the most part all of them do brag 〈◊〉 boast they have the true spirit yet they â—â—ch and broaeh contrary things amongst â—â—emselves which verily a good and right â—it can never do Fourthly as he who â—aks one precept is said and held to be â—lty of all the precepts viz. if one be an â—lterer that he shall be damned as well â—e that has committed sins against all the â—â—mmandements of God even so in like â—â—ner whosoever rejects and will not beâ—â—ve one article of true faith falls from salâ—on no lesse then if he had rejected all arâ—es wherefore some in vain do wish or â—ect that the Church would remit someâ—â—g of the articles of faith to the end it 〈◊〉 come and agree in one with the late â—s but that is impossible for faith can reâ—e neither encrease nor decrease fides additamentum incisionem nescit quia divine faith is like an hour-clock her articles aâ—â— made like the teeth of wheels if you takâ— away or pull one tooth all the fabrick 〈◊〉 machine fails and serves for nothing therefore thrice happy are the glorious Saints 〈◊〉 heaven because they have a full vision aâ— fruition of the sweet face of God blesseâ— are the faithfull Christians here beneatâ— though pilgrims travellers because theâ— do not see God for by true faith shall comâ— that place where they shall see God face 〈◊〉 face for all eternity and as S. Austin saiâ— Psa 91. Vbi jam non dicetur nobis creâ— quâ—d non vides sed gaude quia vides finiallâ— if every one might be saved in his own faitâ— then we should have no need of recourse 〈◊〉 Christ it were enough some to be sent bâ— God that would preach the knowledge 〈◊〉 one God according to the Apostle ad Gâ— 2. Si per legem justitia ergo gratis Christ mâ—rtuus est and withall the very Scriptuâ—â— would prove false and in vain which teâ—â—â— us Chant to be our Redeemer and Mediâ—tour through whose sacred bloud we aâ—â— cleansed through whose faith we ought 〈◊〉 be jusified and in whose only Name 〈◊〉 ought to be saved for then if this we 〈◊〉 true and that any one in any faith may 〈◊〉 saved then every humane faith and perswâ—sion would have been sufficient for salvatâ—on for the Turks though they beleeve in â—e God Creator and Remunerator of all â—et they do not beleeve by any divine faith â—t because Mahomet delivered it so in his â—coran in which many moâ—t false things â—e taught as that Mahomet was the prophet 〈◊〉 God c. So likewise the Jews what â—ey beleeve they beleeve because their â—bbins do expound the Scriptures so to â—â—em yet notwithstanding all their grounds â—e vain false and most erroneous because â—e Rule of their faith is moâ—t false The â—ain reason that moves some to say that â—y may be saved in his faith is that they â—d it incredible that all Jews and Turks 〈◊〉 which very many do piously worship â—od and live innocently and iâ—noxiously â—ould eternally perish and that only for â—t beleeving in Christ for this they may â—eade an excuse by reason from their craâ—e they were otherwise instructed and â—â—d according to their light and breeding â—â—d in what they could serve God therefore â—e gates of heaven must not be made so narâ—w as that that vast number should be exâ—uded and not enter in but all this signifies â—â—thing for if it is not incredible that â—od hath left for so many thousand years 〈◊〉 the world the Jews only excepted in â—e darknesse of Idolatry wherein for cerâ—â—in they periâ—hed so it is very easie for every one to perswade himself the same tâ— have happened to the Jews and Turks anâ— further the Jews and Turks now-adayâ— have lesse plea to excuse them in not belieâ—ving in Christ then the Ethnicks had in anâ—cient times whereas the Jews and Turkâ— could seek and learn from the Christians liâ—ving amongst them the true faith of Christ which the Ethincks could not do becauâ—â— they lived in darkness and were hurried aâ—way by the common Custome to folloâ— and observe the Religion of their Ancestors To conclude I say that if there may 〈◊〉 found some