Char. XVI Of Holy Order p. 233. Char. XVII Of Matrimony p. 261. Char. XVIII Of Extrem-vnction p. 279. Char. XIX Of the Church Militant p. 291. Char. XX. Of Traditions p. 333. Char. XXI Of the Church Triumphant p. 351. Char. XXII Of Foundamentall and not foundamentall Articles of faith p. 289. THE FIRST BOOK OF HOLY CHARACTERS Containing a Miscelany of Theologicall discourses THAT IS THEOLOGY Positiue Scholasticall Polemicall and Morall Built vpon the foundation of Scriptures Traditions Councils Fathers CHARACTER J. OF GOD THE CONTENTS The necessary being of one God his existence in three distinct persons his omnipotency together with his other divine attributes GOD is a spirituall nature so eminent that nothing can be apprehended by man or Angell * Aug. l. 1. de doct Chr. Deus est quo nihil cogitari potest aut bonitate meliùs aut porsectione matus in goodness better in perfection greater His existence * Si ab altero haberet existentiam non esset ens supremū improductū proinde debet necessariò essentialiter existere is his essence and therefore to him essentiall which euinceth a necessity of his being and all Creatures necessary dependence of him for t' is impossible that there should be more then * Singularitas seu vt loqùitur Tertull solitas id est incommunicabilitas ad extra est essentialis supremo enti quod debet necessariò essentialiter existere quia existentia est rei singularis incommunicabilis ideoque impossibile est vt multipliectur nam essentiae sunt omnino per se incommunicabiles one necessary being and that is properly called God (a) 1. Io. 3. There are three vvhich bear vvitness in Heauen the Father the Word and the-hold Ghost and these three are one This Scripture testimony giues full evidence of personall distinction and essentiall vnity in the blessed Trinity and as S. Austin well observes ouerthrows two heresies at once namely the Arian by saying one which signifies vnity in nature and the Sabellian heresy by faying bear in the plurall number which plainly expresseth distinction as to the divine persons who in essence is one and in persons three one and the same individuall Deity essentially requiring to be invested with a triple personality expressed in the name of Father Son and holy Ghost (b) God sais Isa 66. Shall I cause to trauell and not bring forth from this sacred Text S. Austin infers that it were not equity if God should giue fecundity of generation to his creatures and want it as to himselfe and it were not reason or equity that God within him selfe should be barren wanting production that communicates fecundity of generation to all things without himselfe God the Father is a beginning without a beginning hauing no beginning of his being God the Son hath his beginning and being from his diuine Father who begot him from all eternity the full brightnes of his glory and * Hebr. 1. splendor gloriae figura substantia eius the express resemblance of his diuine substance God (c) The Council of Florence in the decree of Pope Eugenius the 4th defines the procession of the holy Ghost from the Father and the Son In this Council the Grecians renounc'd their heresy as to the same procession though soon after they fell againe into it and so continue obstinate in their pertinacy notwithstanding that God by evident signes manifested his iust wrath against them in regard of that relapse For soon after and euen at Pentecost when the Church celebrates a speciall Feast in honour of the holy Ghost the Turks seizd on the Imperiall towne of Constantinople and therby mastred all Greece Be sides in the same Council the Latin against the Greek Fathers asserted the procession of the holy Ghost from the Father and the Son as from one sole beginning of his being the holy Ghost proceedeth from the diuine Father and the diuine son as from one origen of his procession being the reciprocall loue and vnion of both As in the visible sun three things are obseruable (d) The similitude as to the globe beames and light of the sun Gelasius the Patriarch of Constantinople vsed in a conference with Amurath the Emperour of the Turks vnto illustrating the vnexpressisible mystery of the blessed Trinity the round body or globe thereof the beames and the light and as the beames are deriued from the same body and not from the light and the light from the body and beams and the body from neither of both and as all these three make one only sun without confusion or separation so in God there are three diuine persons and the Son proceedeth only from the Father the holy Ghost from the Father and Son and the Father from neither of both and these three are one sole God without * Symbolū S. Athanasij neque confūaentes personas neque substantiam separantes confusion of persons or separation of fubstance * Exod. 13. Omnipotens nomen eius vnde Aug. ser 12 ait quod nomen Deus est potestatis non proprietatis The name of God is Almighty for soe he calleth himselfe and his works shew what his name speakes him to be namely the world created out of nothing by * Psal 37. Verbo Domini Coeli firmati sunt spiritu oris eius omnis virtus eorū the word of his power the sweet order in the disposition of the fabrick the extraction of man from the dust * Gen. 2. formauit Deus hominem de limo terrae of the ground the vniuersall deluge drowning the whol earth to the destruction of man and beast Noë only with his family preserued (e) Exod. 12. the Children of Israë are said to haue walked vpon drie land through the mids of the sea while the waters were as a wall vnto them on the right and on the lest hand the diuision of the red sea giuing safe passage to the Israëlites as by land and the revnion of its waters to the drowning of king Pharao and his whole army In these marueilous effects of Gods omnipotency as in a clear glass appear his other divine attributes in the creation of the world in time his duration before time * Isaias cap. 51. appellat Dominū habitantem aternitatem which is his eternity in the sweet order of the things created his wisdome in the production of man after his own image and likenes his goodnes in the generall deluge his iustice in the preseruation of the Israëlites his mercy in the destruction of Pharao his fortitude And all his works joynt or separate declare (f) The intent of creation was the Creatours glorification wherfore the Royall Prophet Psal 18 makes the heauens to speake the glory of God his glory which is the end of his working who is aboue all his works a God without circumscription immense without bounds infinite in himselfe inuisible *
tempus Iudex vice Christi cogitatur Because due obedience is not exhibited to Christ's Vicar and the Chaire by our lords voice founded on S. Peter As in the old law schisms so in the new law heresies spring vp The Childrē of Israël fell into schisms when they fell away from their due Obedience to the Chaire of Moyses and Christians fall into heresies as oft as they rise against the Chaire of S. Peter coyning or following vnauthorised nouelties whereby Christian souls are misled into most desperate precipices of errours in regard whereof I haue been mou'd to write a Theology conform to the ancient Cycli and weights of the holy Churches sanctuary that is to set forth a whole body of Christian doctrine built vpon Scriptures Traditions Councils and Fathers which deserue to be prefer'd before Schollars of new Notions that is Christian people ought to adhere conforme their conciences to and rely their eternity rather on those then these which is the Counsell that the great S. Austin guies in his 2. Booke against Julian the Pelagian Bishop who had brocht new opinions to the preiudice of souls exhorting all Christians to regard rather the learning of the holy Fathers which flourished in the precedent ages and the constant and vniuersall practice of the Catholicke Church then the prophane nouelties vented and spred by the Pelagians Saying Hos antiquos Patres oportet vt Christiani populi vestris prophanis nouitatibus anteponant eisque potius quam vobis eligant adherere My lord herein lies the sole intent of these conceptions which I present you with and vnder your authority aduenture into publick view vnto aduantaging such as are piously sober d Secundum S. Aug. l. 14. de Trinit c. 1. munns Theologiae est pijs opitulari veritatem contra impios defendere and to defend the truth against such as are impiously wanton This is the ayme of my Theologicall discourses and the height of my desires is but this that they may be receiu'd into your Lordships protection which is ground warrantable enough to gaine them credit in regard of the high measure of knowledge which is extraordinary in you beseeming a well studied diuine as appears by your own writings which together with your other gifts of nature and grace renders you admired by all that know your Lordship aright Besides that which alone might embolden me to address these endeauors vnto your Lordship is your eminent nobility The best blood that is in any English subiect run's in your Lordships veins as euidence your paternall and maternall descents from the most renown'd and ancient Houses of Pembrock Northumberland and Derby Again your sundry noble allyances The lord Talbot that was Heire of Shrewsbury maryed your only Daughter a Lady of great vertue and Vere vidua A widow indeed hauing for aboue these 20. yeares continued in her widow hood notwithstanding her Ladyships youth person birth and great doury which made her the ambition of many noble Suitours Moreouer your Lordships onely and most hopefull son marryed to the most accomplished in honour obligingness sweetnes and piety the lady Elizabeth Daughter to Edward Lord Marquess of Worcester which brings forth also an alliance with the most illustrious House of Norfolke Arundell and Surrey Since I am fallen vpon your eminent Nobility has not your owne Lady much added thereto if your House were without an ample series of renowned progenitors might not your posterity haue a glorious Rise from her Ladyship whose eminent vertues haue rendered her memory blessed Nobilitas sola est atque vnica virtus Besides has not that gallant Person the lord Crauen her Ladyships Brother added something of greatnes to your posterity whose braue and gallant actiōs performed a broad in foraine parts haue gain'd much honour to his Country Moreouer the rising of that family is honorable the supream prouidence haueing brought it to the height of Eminence which it now happely enioyes as the same prouidence e Aug. l. 5. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 15. profitetur Deum terrenam gloriam excellentissimi Imperij cōcessisse bonis artibus Romanorum id est vt ipsemet interpretatur virtutibus quibus ad tantam gloriam nitebantur extended the Empyre of the ancient Romans in regard of Morall vertues which were eminent in your ladies Father and Mother the Raisers of it for as much as their zeale to the law of nature that is to do Iustice giuing to euery one what is euery on 's own and to shew mercy vnto the distressed feeding the hungry and cloathing the naked rendered them admired of such as knew them and according to holy Scriptures God exalted the Midwiues of the Hebrew women and made them houses Exod. 1. For their complyance to the law of nature in preseruing of innocent Babes which the Tyrant of Fgypt had commanded them to kill and since I am fallen vpon Gods merveilous rewarding of morall good works in confirmation of this truth I might produce conuincing examples in our own Country where very many in these times through a supream prouidence are aduanc'd to honours dignities and eminent offices that is God hath built them new Houses of nobility or encreased the glory of the old for preseruing loyalty to their king which is the law of nature written in their hearts they feared God and honoured his annoynted against the commandement of the Tyrant of England and therefore are exalted and truly vpon this score the supream prouidence hath built his Grace the Duke of Albermarle a more glorious House thē any subiect in the Christian world this day enioys in as much as through a happy managing of his loyalty he carries the name not onely of Paterpatriae but likewise of Pater Caesaris hauing preseru'd both Caesar and his Countries In consequence of the premises his Maties Catholick subjects that with the effusion of their blood and loss of their Estates haue cherefully performed that duty of nature in order to loyalty may hope that a speciall prouidence in good time will make for them Houses of Ease which shall be the daily prayer of MY LORD YOVR HONORS Most humble and most obedient Seruant GEO. LEYBVRN PREFACE TO THE COVNTRY-MISSIONARY SR Although these holy Characters so named because they describe and set forth the holy Mysteries of Christian Religion containe Theology but compendiously dressed vp neuertheless vvant noe Requisits either essentiall or necessary thereto being built on the foundation of holy Scriptures Traditions Councils and Fathers vvherin lies the consistency of true Theology vvhich as the pillar of fire led the Israëlits by night in their vvay to the land of promise so in as much as it carries the lights of the best Antiquity shevvs Christians their vvay thorovv the darke Mysteries of Christian faith as by night vnto an heauenly Inheritance prefigured in the land of promise that is God hath instituted this diuine science to direct Gouernours of souls in the pursuance of their pastorall function vvhich
misericordia eius nos in omnibus praeuenit cōsentire verò vel dissentire propriè voluntatis est to consent or not consent vnto it for God forceth no man vnto his freindship As to the second kind or way of gouerment Christ the son of the Virgin Mary was * Aug. 95. haer filius hominis venit magnus medicus quia magnus iacebit aeger ipse medicus factus est medicamentum phraenetici a great mercifull phisician vndertaking the Cure of a great infirm patient which was all mankind afflicted with sundry mortall infirmityes in healing wherof he applied no other remedy then himselfe he was made both the phisician and the phisick to shew his mercifull greatnes (d) Christ In the pursuance of the generall redemption performed all the seuen works of mercy and in the Cure of each infirmity he perform'd a work of mercy Man was halfe dead with hunger himselfe gaue him Heauenly (e) Jo. 6. Christ is named bread of life bread his own body vnto euerlasting life Man was halfe dead with thirst himselfe ministred drink made of his own blood that he might be no more a thirst Man was a very Idiot as to the knowledg of his Creatours glory and his own happines himselfe taught him (f) t' was foretold Ierem. 31 that the law of grace should be giuen in the inward parts and writ in the hearts of the faithfull and writ his holy ordinances in his heart Man in a journy between Ierusalem and Ierico met with thieues that robbed him of his garments wounded and left him for halfe dead himselfe was the charitable Samaritan that took compassion of him (g) Lut. 10. he went to him and bound vp his wounds and powred oyle and wine bound vp his wounds powred in oile and wine of seuerall graces and made full prouision for him Man was detained in prison for a debt that was not in his reach to discharge himselfe visited him wiped out and cancelled (h) Coloss 2. Christ is said to haue cancelled the handwriting of the decree that was against us the handwriting of the decree that was against him and fastened it vpon his Crosse wherin he dying spoiled the principalities and powers of death and hell triumphing ouer them which had brought all the fore mentioned infirmities vpon mankind CHAR. VIIJ. OF THE CROSS OF CHRIST THE CONTENTS Of the Cross of Christ came all our happines honour and worship due to the Cross the custome of ancient and modern Christians to make the sign of the Cross in their foreheads the ground manner and meaning thereof THe Cross of Christ is the Altar of generall redemption that is the Tree that was erected in Mount Calvary wherin Christ the second Adam by a supream sacrifice of his pretious body and blood redeemed the generall loss that the first Adam made in the tree planted in the terrestiall Paradise diuine providence fore ordaining so that the deuil * Canit Ecclesia inpraefatione de Dominica passione vt qui in ligno vincebat in ligno quoque vinceretur S. Ignatius mar Epis ad philad Crucis signum inquit est trophaeū contra virtutem principis mundi quod videns expauoscit audiens timet who in wood ouercame should in wood be ouercome And as a stagg worsted in single fight by another of his fellows euer after stands in awe of the Conquerour waues his walk or if by accident or necessity he passeth by him bowes his lofty head in recognisance of his inferiority and the others superiority (a) S. Damascene calleth the Cross of Christ a sign or token of his victory ouer the deuil and erected to the intent the conquered enemy may not dare to come near the place wherin it is exposed and S. Chrisostome expresly affirmes that deuils cannot abide near such as make the sign of the Cross on their forcheads Again Origen Hom. 8. in locis diuerfis calleth the Cross of the son of God our victory at the sight wherof deuils tremble Nothing affraid saith he of golden Capitolls they stand in fear of the Cross so the deuill standes in fear of the Cross that subdued him runneth from it and though he make light of guilded pallaces and contemne the Scepters of kings neuertheless he is afraid of the weapon that wounded him and trembles as often as he sees the sword that depriued him (b) Io. 12. Christ said the Prince of this vvorld the deuil shall be cast out and vvhen I shall be exalted from the earth that is put vpon the Cross I vvill dravv all men vnto me Wherefore S. Ignatius the Martyr calleth the Cross a trophy or sign that is set vp against the power of the Prince of this world who while he see it is afraid and while he heares the naming of it trembles of his principallity and power This is one reason of the generall practice vsed by Catholick Christians in making the * S. Chryfost si vultui tuo signum sanctae Crucis affixeris nullum daemonium propè stare poterst sign of the Cross on their forheades on their meat and drink (c) S. Hieron Epis ad Eustoch exhorteth this holy virgin to make the sign of the Cross with her hand in the doing of euery worke and in all their conuersations and exercises at their going out and coming into their houses at their going to bed and rising and this pious and religious vse hath descended from Father to son euer from the beginning of Christianity Tradition left it saith Tertullian custome confirmed it and faith practized it Another reason is because the Cross is a liuely representation of the Generall redemption vnto conseruing the memory of Christs passion who did chuse saith S. Austin in exposit Euang. S. Ioan. trac 43. That kind of death to hang on the Crosse and to fasten the same Crosse in the foreheades of the faithfull that a Christian may say God forbid that I should glory saue in the Crosse of our lord IESUS Christ Besides Christians by imprinting the sign of the Cross in their foreheades and saying in the name of the Father and of the son and of the holy Ghost doe confess and profess together with the mystery of generall redemption the mystery of the holy Trinity for they mention expresly the three diuine persons and in as much as they say In the name of the Father c. and not in the names vsing the singular number only they signifie implicitly the individuall or singular vnity of the individuall or singular diuine nature equally participated by each person Also they plainly and orderly express the marueilous order that the diuine persons had from all eternity for example they name the Father in the first place the son in the second the holy ghost in the last And in regard the diuine Father is a beginning without a beginning and as it were the head of the other two diuine persons in making the sign of
the Cross they carry their right hand to their head naming the Father and because the second person son to God the Father became incarnat in the wombe of the Virgin Mary they carry the same right hand down to their stomack or belly naming the said diuine son likewise in regard the holy Ghost * S. Aug. vocat Spirisum saÌ„ctum charitatem vinculum reciproci amoris qui eÌ„utercedit eÌ„nter PatreÌ„ Filium is the Charity vnity or vnion that vnites Father and son together as the midle link in three linkes of a chaine in naming this diuine person they carry the same hand from the left to the right shoulder thereby vniting as it were the other two diuine persons the holy Ghost being the reciprocall diuine loue that vnites the Father and son together Furthermore Christians in making the sign of the Crosson their foreheads or otherwise saying In the name of the Father c. implore diuine assistance as to their necessities in vertue of the three diuine persoÌ„s acknowledging thereby all gifts naturall and supernaturall to come from them joyntly for as the same singular nature subsisting in each singular person doth not suffer one person to be separated from the other (d) S. Austin trac 22. in Iohn affirmes that the Catholick faith establis'hd by the holy Ghost against the pertinacy of all hereticks teacheth that the works of the Father and son are inseparable and Epis 102. expresly auerres that all created things subsiste by the Creation of the B. Trinity Likewise other ancient Fathers assert that god who is three as to diuine persons and one as to nature or essence is one sole cause of the whole vniuers in regard all the three persons haue one and the some power of working outwardly So likwise it doth not let one diuine person to act or worke without the others in the communication of graces out of themselues the originall power of working consisting in that singular diuine nature Insomuch that euen the generall redemption of mankind is owing to the three diuine persons for though the second diuine person only was made man was borne of the Virgin Mary and was crucified the mystery of the Incarnation being in and by him only executed personally neuertheless all the actions as reall created actions that did accompany the said mystery proceeded from all the three diuine persons equally For the closing of this Character only shall be added the vision (e) Apoco 7. I savv saith S. Iohn an other Angell come from the East vvhich had theseale of the liuing God and he cryed vvith a loud voice .... hurt yee not .... till vve haue sealed the seruants of God in their fore heads where according to the interpretation of S. Austin tract 43. in Joan. the Euangelist alludes to the sign of the Cross which true belieuers make on their forheads in testimony that they are not asham'd of Christ of S. Iohn the Euangelist wherin he saw four destroying Angells and one sauing Angell that had the mark or sign of the liuing God to marke or sign his seruants in their foreheads that they might not be inuolued in the generall execution of just reuenge vpon the wicked In this vision by the marke or sign of the liuing God is meant the Cross of the son of God that is our lord Iesus-Christ crucified the sign wherof is his royall mark or signature that mark 's and sign 's all his seruants in their foreheades to the end that being formed and fashioned into the similitude of his death they may be transformed and translated into the similitude of his life and deliuered from destroying Angells CHAR. IX OF ADORING THE CROSS THE CONTENTS Sundry kinds of adorations or worships God Christ God and man the true and representatiue Cross of Christ the blessed in Heauen Images and holy Reliques and ciuill Magistrats Chalenge adoration according to their seuerall excellencies respectiuely ADoration of the Cross is a Religiout honour or worship according to Christian Religion exhibited to the true or representatiue Cross of Christ in respect of supernaturall excellency or dignity This is the present Character in brief which to illustrate and make plainly clear it is obseruable First that by the law of God and nature honour and worship are due to excellency in consequence wherof there are as many diuerse branches of honour and worship as there be differing kinds of excellency Secondly Christian Religion is a vertue that by inward and outward acts procureth due adoration or worship to be exhibited vnto the Creator in respect of his proper increated excellency and withall to creatures in respect of created excellency participated and deriued from the Creator who is the fountaine of all good things and cause of all graces and as between excellency and excellency so between adoration and adoration there is essentiall difference excellency being the formall motiue or cause of adoration Thirdly adoration or worship includes of necessity two inward acts one as to the vnderstanding which is knowledg of the excellency in respect wherof adoration or worship is rendred the other as to the will is an affection or willingnes in him that adereth or worshipeth to submitt and humble himselfe to the thing ador'd honour'd or worship'd Besides these inward actions are requisite also in men composed of an intellectuall and sensible nature outward sensible actions for example prostrating on the ground bowing the body head or knee c. And in asmuch as these outward doe correspond to the inward acts they bear the name of outward adoration or worship Fourthly adoration or worship is of two kinds one ciuill human or naturall the other Religious and sacred Ciuill or naturall adoration doth correspond to Ciuill excellency dignity or worthines wherfore that kind of adoration or worship is due euen to Ciuill Magistrats in regard of their charges and offices wherwith they are inuested aboue and ouer others Iudith bowed her selfe and adored Holofernes Iacob Pharao Bethsabee Dauid on the score of Ciuill excellency belonging to the said persons adored And euery soul for conscience sake * Rom. 13. omnis anima subdita sit porestatibus 〈◊〉 bâ—â— owes obedience submission and subiection vnto the higher powers being there is no power but of God and deriued from him Religious and sacred adoration or worship doth correspond vnto supernaturall excellency or dignity of which there being two kinds namely increated and infinit created and finit excellency it followeth necessarily that there be two kinds also of Religious adoration or worship one wherof in respect of increated excellency named by appropriation of a Greek word (a) S. Austin l. 10. de Civit. Dei saith that Latria according to the form of speach vsed by those which haue deliuered vnto us the diuine Oracles signifies alwaies or for the most part that kind of seruice or worship which pertaines to God only And wheras Mat. 4. his said the lord thy God shalt thou adore and
Pet. 10. in order to many diuine ordinances in regard they doe not shew plainly clearly and euidently all the mysterious precepts of Christian faith that require necessary obseruance wherefore it is an extream weakness to infer from the light of the written a negation of light in the vnwritten word of God as to instruction in iustice and saluation and indeed down from the begining of the Church christian religion hath in all times * Trid sess 4. cap. 1. declarat veritatem disciplinä Ecclesiae contineri in libris scriptis sine scripto traditionibus qua ex ipsius Christi ore ab Apostolic acceptae aut ab ipsis Apostolis Spiritu sancto dictāte quasi per manus traditae ad nos vsque peruenerūt huiusmodi traditionū contemptoros anathemati subiecit Sectarij vero communiter reijciuns eruditiones apostolicas affirmantes omnia qua sine dispendio sulutis possunt ignorari apertè contineri in scripturis been directed and gouerned by both of the said lights that is by the written and vnwritten word as by laws and customs which kind of gouerment is common alike to euery common wealth instituted aright That this double light (c) According to S. Irenaens p. 3. con haer c. 3. 4. Tertull. l. de coro militum cap. 3. S. Basil l. ad Amphilochium de Spiritu sancto cap. 29. S. Austin Epis ad Janua there is full parity between traditions ad scriptures warrantable authority being common alike to the one and the other Wherefore S. Chrys hom 4. in 2. ad Thess saith Est traditio nihil quaras amplius T' is tradition seeke no further of written and vnwritten Traditions is of necessary and perpetuall vse in the Church appeareth by the second Epistie to the Thesalonians where S. Paul enioyneth the keeping of both saying stand fast keepe the Traditions which you haue been taught either by word or our Epistle All the doctrines necessary to saluation which the Apostles receiued either from the mouth of Iesus-Christ or by inspiration of the holy Ghost they deliuered to the faithfull of those dayes partly in written and partly in vnwritten traditions which down from the primatiue Church to the present times haue passed as from hand to hand in a continuall line of priestly succession Moreouer it appeareth clearly by the second Chapter of S. Iohns canonicall Epistle that the Apostles thought it not expedient to set forth in writing all matters of christian religion necessary to saluation for he expresly saith although I had many things to write vnto you yet would I not write with paper and inck for I trust to come vnto you and speak mouth to mouth that your ioy may bee full which he repeateth in the end of his third canonicall Epistle saying I haue many things to write but I will not with ynck and pen write vnto thee and doubtless as Christ when he said to his Disciples Io. 16. I haue yet many things to say vnto you but ye cannot beare them now meant of many mysteries of faith distinct from those he had already taught them so S. Iohns meaning was that he had other doctrines of christian faith or manners to deliuer by word of mouth then those he had written with ynck and pen and truly the particles That your ioy may be full doe import as much being meant of spirituall ioy such as faithfull christians commonly receiue when they are instructed in things pertaining to iustice and saluation and it is not in reason probable that S. Iohn should vnderstand temperall ioy in order to wordly aduantages the intent of his Epistle being to stir vp a Mother and her son vnto a vertuous life in Iesus-Christ neither is it as to reason credible that so many things which S. Iohn purposely omitted to write were set down in writing either by himself afterward or by the other Apostles afore there being no scripture testimony wheron to ground those coniectures inuented meerly by the aduersaries of vnwritten traditions Besids it is plainly euident that sundry vnwritten doctrines of christian religion which are not contained expresly in any part of the new or old Testament are of necessary credence For example we must belieue with diuine faith the receiued catalogue or canon of both Testaments to be the true and vncorrupted word of God For otherwise those holy writings would haue nothing of weight with vs as theron to relie our saluation notwithstanding not any part of either Testament expresseth the receiued catalogue or canon for example we must belieue that the true sense of the written letter is a necessary and essentiall requisit to faith because in the sense that giueth life and not in the letter that bringeth death the true word of God consists but the true sense of the written letter that is to say how (d) The Caluinists in a publick disputation with the Antytrinitarians in the presence of Iohn the second elected king of Hungary engag'd to proue by scripture the mystery of the B. Trinity but failing in their engagement the king of a Caluinist became an Anti-trinitarian the written letter ought to be taken whether in a proper or figuratiue signification is not known but by the interpretation and tradition of the Church Again we must belieue that in one God there is a Trinity of diuine persons which be really distinct one from an other and no more yet not any writing of the Apostles or Euangelists (e) According to S. Chrys hom 4. operum imperf as in Heauen so in scripture God lies hid vnseen Wherefore as all men behold this corporall Heauen and not God that dwels within it so though many read the holy scriptures neuertheless they perceiue not the God of truth that lies hid in the inward seuse thereof expresly assertes a reall distinction or excludeth expresly a quaternity of persons and truly though S. Iohn saith in his canonicall Epistle cap. 4. that there be three which beare testimony in Heauen the Father the word and the holy Ghost neuertheless he doth not say expresly * Simplex affirmatio ternarij in aliquo non excludit vel negat ibi esse aliquod quartum cū in quaternario includatur ternarium qui asserit esse tres vbi sun◠quatuor non falsum dicit three only or that these three are really distinct one from an other for he addeth these three are one in so much that the great Sabellian heretick Praxeas taught that God was but one sole person that carried three distinct names in order to three seuerall effects naming him Father in as much as he createth all things son because be was borne of the Virgin Mary inuested with human nature and holy Ghost in regard he sanctifieth all creatures Wherfore if the Apostles had not deliuer'd to the faithfull of those days by word of mouth a reall distinction in God as to personality and a reall identity as to nature and substance and the Church