the ten Commandements were appointed to be laid which Ark before the said Testament was compleat ever since the Babylonian Captivity had been wanting Petavius himself a learned Jesuite that hath set out Epiphanius except he may be allowed to expunge those words as spurious the last refuge of venturous Criticks when they are plunged and cannot get out doth plainly professe to suspect this to have been the opinion of Epiphanius whereas we have more occasion to suspect of him that he did not understand him or had any thought of those passages of Tertullian and Augustine which would have made Epiphanius his meaning clear enough and as we conceive unquestionable I have now done with those grounds of common notions and principles of humane reason the consideration whereof I conceived would be proper and pertinent to the subject we are to treat of a subject of it self so sublime and so farre above the reach of humane understanding that whoever takes upon him to meddle with it had need to lay wel his grounds before-hand and carefully to circumscribe himself lest he fall into extravagances before he be aware Qui scrutatur Majestatem opprimetur à gloriâ whether that were Solomons meaning Prov. 25.27 or no may be controverted but a true sentence it is however and they shall be sure to find it true that proceed not in such arguments with much warinesse This method of proceeding by certain hypotheses laid for a foundation though it be most proper to Mathematicians yet it is not unusuall to other Artists and Writers It is the very method used by Plato in his Timeus the subject whereof is the Creation of the world of man particularly our subject is the restauration or regeneration of mankinde in Christ which of the two is generally accounted the greater work OF THE INCARNATION of CHRIST ANcient Philosophers that have written concerning the nature of this Universe observe this as a great mystery of nature and a singular evidence of the power and wisdome of God the author of nature that whatsoever is commonly said to dye or to perish is by this death or corruption which they more properly call alteration the cause of the production and generation of something else whereby the course of this worlds generation in generall is continued and maintained It may be applied in some kinde to this sacred subject and mystery of Christ his Incarnation The fall and miscarrying of the first Adam was the cause or occasion at the least of the second Adam Had not the first Adam the first fruits of mankind in whom the whole lump was either to be sanctified or polluted sinned and by his sin undone all that should come from him the second Adam Christ Jesus according to the flesh as the Scripture speaketh had never been born for there had been no need of him For as for the conceits of some either ancient Hereticks or later Schoolmen who have maintained a contrary opinion as neither grounded upon Scripture nor any probability of reason and generally rejected by the more sober of all sides I willingly passe by But on the other side though the Incarnation of the Son of God of all the works of God hath eminently the preeminence yet we may not say or think that therefore the first man sinned or was ordained to sin that the Son of God might be incarnated For so wee should make God the author of sin then which nothing either in it self can be more detestable or more contrary to true piety God indeed to whom all things past present future are equally present as hee foresaw from all eternity the fall of Adam and in him of all mankinde so did he from all eternity decree the Incarnation of his Son for the restauratiō of man Whence are those phrases of Scripture that Christ as a Redeemer a 1 Pet. 1.20 was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world that we were b Ephes 1.4 chosen or c 2 Tim. 1.9 saved in Christ before the foundation of the world or before the world began and again that Christ is the d Apoc. 13.8 Lamb slain from the foundation of the world though as for this last passage I rather embrace their interpretation such hyperbaton's as they call them being very frequent in the Scriptures who referre this from the beginning of the world to the book of life as Apocal. 17.18 rather then to the Lamb slain though I must professe against the reason that is given by some as Ribera the Jesuite upon the place as though there were any absurdity or incongruity in the speech being so justifiable by other parallel places of Scripture But this foresight of God did no ways occasion much lesse necessitate the disobedience of Adam who as he was created with perfect freedome of will so he might had not he been wanting to himself have resisted the temptation of the Devill and have continued in that innocency to which his happinesse and immortality was annexed But it so fell out that Adam used his freewill to his own and all that should be after him being descended from him their ruine and eternall confusion Better it had been for him certainly and better for all that had any dependence of him never to have been for I am not of their opinion that think any beeing better then no beeing then to see himself at once stript of his happinesse and innocency of the son of God become the slave of the Devill and besides his own personall misery the occasion of so much evill unto others Seneca De Clem. l. 1. Quanto autem non nasci melius quà m numerari inter publico malo natos how much more then quà m unum omnis omnibus mali causam extitisse Here a question offers it self though we would be very cautelous of moving questions of this nature where the Scripture it self is silent too much curiosity in this kind having been the occasion of sundry blasphemies and heresies yet because there is some ground for it in the Scripture we may not altogether passe it by The question is Why God would permit Adam to sin which he might many ways have prevented if he had thought fit The first answer is because it became God well if this be not too bold a speech to make good his own order and to maintain his owne work It had pleased God to endow Adam with a perfect free-will He was furnished with sufficient grace to continue innocent and to withstand sin but that grace was conditionall as be used it as he liked it he might either improve it or lose it If therefore we must make a question of it it is more proper to ask why God created Adam with free-will then why God did not hinder the sin of Adam being so created This very question much troubled ancient Philosophers who had the bare light of reason and nature for their guide Why God being so perfectly good as they did acknowledge him would suffer sin
the Scripture which by Ancients is said sometimes to be very plain and perspicuous and sometimes obscure and full of incomprehensible mysteries both true if rightly understood Clear and perspicuous in the delivery of such and such Doctrines or Articles necessary to be known beleeved or practised to attain salvation but full of obscurity or altogether incomprehensible in their own natures to humane understanding To instance in one example What point of Doctrine can be proposed to our beleef with more clearnesse and perspicuity then the Resurrection of the dead and what more obscure for the manner and possibility of it That nothing therefore is to be beleeved for which there is not ground in reason and humane common sense is that which we have said and are really to maintain in a right sense but that Nihil credendum quod ratione capi nequeat Nothing is to be beleeved which may not be comprehended by humane reason as the Photinians and some other Heretiques maintain is an assertion I know not whether more ridiculous and absurd in point of reason or more blasphemous and impious in Divinity Philosophers are allowed their occulta qualitates and Physitians even they who knew little of God otherwise did acknowledge 〈◊〉 soâ—ewhat above their capacity and the ordinary course of nature in things of nature There be I know that laugh at these occultae qualitates and in some cases they may justly neither would I contend about words if another word wil give better content But as for them who think they can give a reason for all which by others is admired as hidden abstruse sooner may they bring themselves into a suspition that they never knew how to distinguish between reason and phancy then perswade them that are rationall that no work of nature is above the reach of humane reason Our second Observation which follows upon the former and is a further confirmation of it shall be concerning the ambiguity or different acception of this word faith or beleef Faith then we say may be taken either in opposition to sight or sense or in opposition to knowledge and comprehension or thirdly and lastly to reason in generall In opposition to sight or sense so things invisible whether in their nature so because spirituall or invisible because not present but future are the proper object of faith In the Epistle to the Hebrews faith is thus defined Faith is the substance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of things hoped for the evidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of things not seen In opposition to knowledge and comprehension so we are said to beleeve those things which we doe not understand or comprehend Lastly in opposition to reason so we are said to beleeve those things for which or for the beleef of which we have no ground or foundation at all in humane reason and ratiocination Those that shall reade the Ancients upon this argument will finde great use of these distinctions to reconcile their severall expressions which otherwise might seem to import â— contrariety of opinions For example whereas it was commonly objected by ancient Heathens to the Christians of those times that they grounded all their Doctrine upon meer beleef that their simple faith was all they had to trust to Some not so aware perchance neither of the ambiguity of the word nor what advantage Heathens would make of it made no scruple simply to avow what was objected unto them but others again did utterly disclaim it complained of the objection as a grosse and impudent calumny appealed to reason themselves for proof of their beleef and offered themselves to joyn issue with them upon that title Certain it is that most of them in this question did take faith not as opposed to reason properly but either to knowledge and comprehension or to sight and sense Or if they did use the word reason in opposition to faith by reason they did understand knowledge and comprehension not as the word was used by others In this sense Saint Augustine doth often oppose Divine authority to reason August de Vera Rel. Authoritas fidem flagitat rationi praeparat hominem ratio ad intellectum per cognitionem perducit quanquam nec auâ—horitatem penitùs ratio deserit cùm consideratur cuâ— credendum sit c. not as though it were against humane reason to beleeve those things that are commended unto us by divine revelation or authority whereof we shall say more afterwards but because most of the mysteries of our faith commended unto us by divine authority are such as are above the reach of humane capacity to comprehend Though herein too they did distinguish between the Tyrones or beginners in Christianity such as were lately converted to the Christian faith whom they would have wholly to rely upon authority and those whom the Apostle Heb. 5.14 speaketh of who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evill Of the use of humane reason in this kind for the unfolding or understanding of particular points which is a different consideration from that of the Principles much hath been written of late by learned Vedelius in a Book of this argument entituled Rationale Theologicum to which the Reader if he please may have recourse I shall conclude this Observation with the words of Saint Peter 1 Pet. 3.15 Be ready to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekenesse and feare Thirdly we would have it observed that notwithstanding this opinion of faith and religion so grounded as we have said we maintain neverthelesse that no man can attain to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that degree or fulnesse of faith required or availeable to salvation but by supernaturall means viz. by the immediate operation of Gods holy Spirit To which purpose Origen in his answer to Celsus the Heathen says well Orig. contra Celsum l. 6. We are taught by the divine Word that what is preached by men be it of it self never so true and rationall or well grounded cannot sufficiently penetrate into the soul of man except both supernaturall power from God be given to the speaker and divine grace accompany those things that are spoken c. which is by him inferred upon the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.4 And my speech my preaching was not with inticing words of mans wisdome but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power that your faith should not stand in the wisedome of men but in the power of God The necessity of this infused faith is acknowledged by Papists as well as by Protestants no sober man that beleeves the Scriptures can make any question of it Fourthly and lastly we say though faith be reducible to principles of reason and in that respect become knowledge as well as faith yet we doe not maintain a necessity of this knowledge in all Christians Without infused faith no man is a true Christian but a man
the invisible things of God from the Creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternall power and Godhead so that they are without excuse And certainly whoever shall weigh the arguments on both sides as in good order and with exactnesse they are marshalled by Sixtus Empiricus a very learned man and a Sceptique that is one that professed himself to embrace no particular opinion but to suspend his judgement and therefore to be hoped the more impartiall in all things will or I am much deceived even by evidence of reason not to insist upon his authority think himself bound to be of Saint Pauls opinion I think therefore I may conclude this point with Saint Augustines words with little alteration Quisquis prodigia said he of the Christian faith adhuc ut credat inquirit magnum est ipse prodigium Aug. de Civ Dei l. 22. c. 8. Initio qui mundo credente non credit I say Qui argumenta adhuc ut Deum credat quaerit c. To require proofs and arguments that there is a God which all parts of this visible world doe so clearly declare and all men of the world so freely acknowledge must needs be an argument of as monstrous stupor of minde as it is of prodigious infidelity As for the distinction of Persons in the Deity there be that affirm this mystery not to have been unknown to some ancient Philosophers Divers plausible passages and arguments they bring to that purpose I confesse and yet conceive neverthelesse that by others it is more probably denyed But however this is quite another case will not prove to our purpose here That there is a God with those ordinary Attributes of Goodnesse Omnipotency by ancient Heathens as cōmonly acknowledged is all wee desire to be granted in the notion of a common notion and principle And so much of the first II. The second is That the ways and counsels of God c. as before It was the first sinne of man that not contented with that similitude of God to which he was created by God he aspired to be like unto God in a higher and incommunicable degree of likenesse From which being shamefully and deservedly disappointed it hath been his sin and his infirmity ever since that he hath endeavoured as much as in him lay to make God like himself From hence sprang the making of Idols and Idolatry Aristotle in his Politicks briefly noteth it in these words That the gods doe reign or are governed by a King is commonly said and beleeved amongst men because amongst men are yet at this present have been of old Kingdomes for as the shapes so the lives of the gods men are wont to liken unto their own But Clemens Alexandrinus in his Stromata partly out of Xenophanes an ancient Philosopher miscalled a Poet by some because he wrote in verse partly of himself more largely thus The Grecians or Gentiles saith he as they do represent the gods like unto themselves in outward shape so in passions and affections also And as every nation according to Xenophanes make the gods to resemble them in outward shape The Aethiopians for example form them black and flat nosed the Thracians flaxen haired or yellow haired and skie colour eyed so their souls dispositions also The Barbarians make them cruell and terrible the Grecians more meek and gentle but yet not free from all perturbations of mind So Clemens The same observation is in Theodoret also and in him divers of Xenophanes own words and verses To this purpose Pliny also hath a notable passage in his Naturall History of a famous Painter in Rome about or a little before Augustus his time one Arellius but his own words will doe best Fuit saith he Arellius Romae celeber paulò ante Divum Augustum nisi flagitio insigni corrupisset artem semper alicujus foeminae amore flagrans ob id Deas pingens sed dilectarum imagine Itaque in picturâ ejus scorta numerabantur It hath ever been so and is so to this day and from this very fountain doe flow most of the grossest opinions and sects in Religion by which both the mindes of men are distracted and the publique peace of Common-weals disturbed Every man is apt to think well of himself of his own wit reason and judgement and as he is so must his god be or he shall hardly bee his god His own reason must be the rule of his gods reason and his wisdome the rule of his gods wisdome I appeal to them that are versed in controversies how often they shall meet with such speeches as these It would not have stood with the wisdome of God with the goodnesse of God yea and discretion too some have said to have done this saith one not to have done it saith another In such contradictions that both should be in the right every man knows is a thing impossible so that the credit of God if I may so speak without blasphemy is put to the stake and must needs suffer on the one side Yea even in matters of no controversie but of meer curiosity there be that sticke not at these expressions So one and he a man of good account otherwise except he may know all the particulars of Adams Paradise about which how much controversie and little certainty there is S. Eug. In Genesin p. 23. b. Neque adeò inhumanus fuerit Deus ut voluerit hujus rei ignoratione per omnes aetates homines torqueri c. is not unknown to them that have taken pains to enquire into it he charges God with unkindnesse and inhumanity I must confesse of my self that I never read such speeches without some horror nor ever made any other account of them then of speeches approaching to blasphemy neither can I perswade my self they ever had any very right apprehension of the Majesty of God that make their own wisdome goodnesse or ratiocination the modell of his The Prophet Isaiah I am sure hath taught us to think better of God then so But why say I the Prophet Isaiah they are Gods own words concerning himself Esay 55.89 For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my ways saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher then the earth so are my ways higher then your ways and my thoughts then your thoughts To this purpose also are the words of the Psalmist Ps 77.19 as they are expounded by many Thy way is in the Sea and thy path in the great waters and thy foot-steps are not known But it is not Scripture that we have here to do with but common notions and principles of humane reason To humane reason therfore to common sense I appeal If God be acknowledged infinite omnipotent as by the Creation of the world he may be inferred will not as much difference between God and man be granted as is between man and brutes Or
divina testimonia Ponitur à quibusdam saith Quintilian quidem in parte primâ Deorum auctoritas quae est ex responsis ut Socratem esse sapientissimum And a little after Quae cùm propria causae sunt divina testimonia vocantur cum aliunde accersuntur argumenta True it is that these divina testimonia as the same Authour sheweth elsewhere were not generally received among the Heathens But the reason was partly because there were then many of Epicurus his sect who denyed a Providence and that the gods entermedled with humane affairs and so eluded all such authorities as false and counterfait and partly because most were so in very truth either meerly forged and pretended or so obscure and ambiguous as that nothing could certainly be concluded from them From what hath been said doth sufficiently appear what hath been the common opinion of men concerning divine revelation Though this may suffice yet I will adde one passage or two of ancient Philosophers which goe further yet and may give further content to them who are not altogether unacquainted with the writings of such Plato in his second Aleibiades a Dialogue of his so called the subject whereof is altogether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of Prayer having disputed at large how hard a thing it is to to pray well and insisted upon some particular forms concludes in the person of Socrates that they must be content and wait untill some other teach them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doccat here not discat how they must be affected or how they ought to carry themselves both towards God men Yea but when shal that time be replyeth Alcibiades who is he that shal teach us for gladly would I see that man And upon Socrates his return that it is one that will take care of him and take away that mist from his eyes that hindereth him from the knowledge of that which is truly good or evil Alcibiades concludeth that he is fully resolved to submit unto that man whatsoever he shall enjoyn him whereby he may be bettered This passage of Plato is much made of not by allegorizing Platonicks onely who often give scope to their phansies upon very little ground of reason or probability but by more sober unpartiall men also Among others a learned man who hath taken great pains upon Aristotle and out of his affection to Aristotle may be thought by some to have passed but a harsh censure upon Plato notwithstanding this his generall judgement instances in divers particulars wherein he acknowledges him to deserve more then ordinary commendation among others in this very particular which we have spoken of in these very words Quod docuerit c. Denique quod omninò mirum est c. that is in English As for other things so particularly which is to be admired in him that he did teach the ineffable Incarnation and comming of our Lord Christ and did in a manner presage or foresee the Doctrine of the Gospel when he said that men must acquiesce for a while to his instructions and admonitions untill a more venerable or majestick man and more sacred who would open all sacraries and fountains of truth should appear upon Earth whom as one that could not erre all men should bee bound to follow For who else by this more majestick more sacred man can be meant c. So he of that place which though he doth not quote yet by what others say of it to the same purpose and because I know no other in all Plato that comes neerer I am confident is the place he so much commendeth Yet there be that make a question whether Socrates himself were not the man intended by Plato which some of the words would bear well enough but the greater part not as I conceive However if any question be made of this place there be others in Plato no lesse admirable and lesse questionable Such a one is to be found in his Phaedon where having discoursed of some opinions ridiculous enough at the best but made worse by mistake concerning the state of the soul after death he concludes that to know the certainty they are his very words of those things in this life is either altogether impossible or very difficult that neverthelesse it is the part of a generous man not to give over searching untill he have met with the truth or so much of it at least as by indefatigable industry is to be attained That so saith he venturing our selves in the Cockboat as it were of the safest and most exact discovery that can be made by man we may wade through this mortall life and think our selves happy in this condition untill a more firm bottome of divine Word or Oracle happen unto us wherein with more safety and security we may be carried over In those words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by some translated divine Oracle doth properly signifie divine Word which title to whom it is appropriated by sacred Authors no Christian I hope needeth to be told The same Plato in that so much admired peece which Tully of old translated into Latin his Timeus in a place where he speaks of daemons or spirits or rather excuseth himself that he doth not speak of them referring himself to ancient tradition he saith there as Tully hath rendred him Credendum est nimirum veteribus priscis ut aiunt viris qui se progeniem Deorum esse dicebant And few words after Ac difficillimum factu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Plato à Diis ortis fidem non habere quanquam nec argumentis nec rationibus certis eorum oratio confirmetur sed quia de suis rebus notis videntur loqui Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. Cōser cū Arist 1. Metaphys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. veteri legi morique parendum est that is It is very hard or unreasonable not to beleeve them who are descended from the gods though their speech or doctrine be not confirmed by any arguments or certain proofs But forasmuch as they spake of their own things best known unto them we must submit to the old law and rule There will be found in these words not much lesse then in those of Nazianzene which at the beginning of this third Observation we spake of if they be compared And again in another place of the same Timeus having spoken of the first principles of things But as for these saith he what was their originall from the very first beginning God knoweth and among men such as are beloved of him or dear unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I take notice of the words besides the sense because of Christ his words John 15.14 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ye are my friends if ye doe whatsoever I command you Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of my Father I have
his absolute power but the justice and equity of his providence or wisdome Origen whom I mention for his antiquity though not always to be followed in his opinions upon this argument because the question proposed by Celsus the Heathen was not whether any other way in generall but particularly why not such a way rather he contents himself to shew the impertinency of the question and that the way by Celsus proposed was not either to the Providence of God or to the nature of man so sutable and convenient but of the possibility in generall as he doth not deny it so neither doth he peremptorily affirm it He doth not not there at least but others doe and their determination of the matter is embraced by the Schoolmen Peter Lombard and Thomas Aquinas and others by Protestants also Zanchius Polanus Peter Martyr Paraeus and many more I beleeve Gerardus and most of the Lutheran party hold the contrary opinion and not they onely but of our side also some not of the obscurest For my part in reverence to God and his truth freely to deliver my minde leaving others to the liberty of their own judgements I must professe that I cannot satisfie my self how it can stand with the duty and humility of mortall men who can give so little account of our selves either of our souls or bodies to attempt the sounding of such an abyssus such a bottomlesse Ocean as either the Power or the Mercy of Almighty God and out of physicall * Vide Testardum De Natura Gratiâ nuperas ut alios praetereā Joh. Hoornbeck Disputationes Antijudaicas or metaphysicall speculations for such I account all in this kinde that are not apparently grounded upon divine authority so peremptorily and positively to determine how farre either can goe I tremble to think what hapned to the Bethshemites for offering to pry into the Ark the Mercy-seat of God Of all things in the world I would not abridge the Power of God in point of Mercy whereof there is so much need in the world If God himself doth limit I adore his judgements and submit with all humility Where he doth not I will not certainly no authority of mortall man no subtilty of humane wit shall perswade me to do it Earthly Kings and Princes will not endure their Prerogative should be scanned by every Subject not by any perchance if they could help it and good Kings will esteeme mercy the best part of their Prerogative Owe wee not then so much respect to the King of Kings the Omnipotent Creator of all things who from his highest Throne beholdeth the Inhabitants of the earth Kings and Monarchs as well as others as so many worms or grashoppers as to leave him the power and Prerogative of his Mercy indisputed free and unbounded That any who was not a God should take upon him to forgive sins was once we know thought blasphemy Mark 2.7 how shall it not be some spice of blasphemy to bereave God of this power except God himself in his revealed Word doth expresly disclaim it We see in the Gospel when the Disciples upon the words of their Master that it is easier for a camel to goe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of God began to infer as probably enough they might that none therefore or very few for so must their words not pertinent otherwise be understood most men being either rich or covetously seeking after riches which comes all to one could be saved Christ himself teacheth them in such cases not to judge rashly but to remember the power of God With men saith he this is unpossible but with God all things are possible By which words Christ seemeth in some manner to justifie their inference in point of humane ratiocination for that men cannot save themselves or be saved by other men whereof no question was made is not it that Christ acknowledges here impossible with men but to disallow of humane ratiocination in things of this nature But now on the other side if any pretend Scripture as most doe for their opinion I answer If clear Scripture as in such points would be requisite how come so many both ancient and late so well versed in them so able to judge of them to be of another opinion If doubtfull and disputable then in such a case that comes so neer to blasphemy without good warrant from God himself I hold the affirmative as more plausible so safer every way To passe by therefore their arguments which are drawn as was said before most of them from metaphysicall speculations which I desire not to meddle with I will onely take notice of some considerations insisted upon by some of them to make their opinion more plausible if not necessary The first is that to beleeve the possibility of mans restauration either without any satisfaction at all by free pardon or any other way of satisfaction if any other way can be which as we said before we doe not conceive is to undervalue the benefit and high price of this holy Dispensation It is certain the apprehensions of men though their end to glorifie God be the same may be different and a difference of apprehensions may make a difference of opinions though tending to one end I join with them therefore in their main drift but I doe not conceive that any man who really beleeves an impossibility grounded upon Gods revealed Word of any mans salvation without Christ needs any other motive to induce him to set a right price upon this miraculous work then the consideration of his own and every mans happinesse thereon depending It is secondly further objected that this opinion may seem to savour or at least to favour Socinisme who eagerly plead against the necessity make it an argument against the truth of Christ his satisfaction But surely the way to deal with Socinians is not by such reasoning God be praised we have a more sure way and that is the way of divine authority If that doe it not it is to be feared weaker proofs which not without much probability may bee contradicted will rather confirm them then convert them What Saint Augustine saith in a place upon another occasion would be considered upon this Metus est ne cum saepe subruuntur August De Magistro quod totidem sere verbis etiam Plato non un◠loco quae firmissimè statura et mansura praesumimus in tantum odium vel timorem rationis incidamus ut ne ipsi quidem perspicuae veritati fides habenda videatur that is It is to bee feared that when men shall see those reasons which they once grounded upon as firm and stable easily and familiarly overthrown they fall at last into such a hatred or suspition of reason that even the most undoubted truths shall not be beleeved I am therefore much pleased with Balth. Meisnerus a Lutheran his prudent moderation in this point who