of pious inclination or willingnes to imbrace such a doctrine if they could be persuaded it were true this notwithstanding all reasons and countercheck's of flesh and bloud or whatsoeuer temporall regards to the contrary through a desire to serue God as he would be serued it is then the immediate worke of Gods grace to endue and as it were to informe such a soule with diuine faith by heauenly endowment the vnderstanding becomes eleuate and raised to a height aboue the sublunary sphere of naturall reason to a certaine proportion with diuine and supernaturall obiects by this enabled as it were with vndazeled eyes of Eagles to looke vpon the sunne Now when they say the assent to the Conclusion cannot be of greater firmity or certainty then is the certainty force or firmity of the Premises which are supposed only probable and prudentiall motiues they seuer the Premises and take them as considered in themselues alone not as they are indeed in their Eleuation and Coniunction with the supernaturall power of grace For when they say the Conclusion is qualified by the Premises weake if the Premises be weake c. nor onely so but euen the weaker of the two leades the way in this marke of reason and discourse and the Conclusion followeth that not the stronger which it cannot follow passibus aequis with equall stepp's and which therefore must imploy no more strength then the weaker that the Conclusion may follow both This is true when the Premises haue onely an vniuocall and naturall influence into the Conclusion that is when they impart only that force or value to the Conclusion which they hold of their owne and proper in right and title of nature or naturality but where their inâ—â—uence is as I may say supernaturall dispositiue to a highter forme or Act the tenure wherof is onely arbitrary and as it were at will of the Lord of Vertues due vpon no consideration of any naturall exigence or Couenant and is therefore an Equiuocall influence as of causes inflowing indeed not onely by their owne force but in vertue of their principall cause and agent which is supernaturall then in all good reason they concnrre by proeuring an effect proportionate to that principall and supernaturall cause nor improportioned to themselues as considered in that coniunction and sublimation Neither ought this to seeme strange in supernaturall influxions of causes for euen in the course of nature and in good Physiologie an accident which is a far inferiour nature may produce a substance as heat yea euen then when it is separate from the substance of fire produceth fire the reason because although as heat or as an accident it holdes an inferiour place in nature yet as it is the naturally-ioynt instrument of fire in virtute causae principalis in or by vertue of the fire it produceth fire so likewise those motiues only probable though as such vnable of themselues by reason of their improportion yet in vertue of their principall agent or prime moouer which is the holy Spirit operating and mouing in the soule conioyn'd and sublimed by that prime mouer or agent they may and do dispose to the producing of an infallible assent but of this point he will offer a more proper occasion to speake hereafter But now this is some part of the Calumny that we require things contradictory and impossible to be done Pref. and is this indeed an impossible requisite that we require a most certaine assent to beyielded to things in human reason impossible for with this he chargeth vs. Answ To which I answere it is falsely supposed by him that those things whereunto we require a most certaine assent that is an assent of diuine fayth are in human reason impossible For if they be true they are not in human reason impossible though they haue the semblance or appearance of impossibility in humane reason No truth is vntruth to human reason therefore no truth is impossible in human reason for I suppose that distinction of Truth Philosophicall and Truth Theologicall many yeares since expuls't the Vniuersity For truth in the whole latitude being the obiect of reason and vnderstanding it cannot be that any truth should imply impossibility or repugnance to human reason or vnderstanding no more then that any thing corporally visible can inuolue contradiction or impossibility to be seene by a corporall eye-sight Therefore if they be vntruth's let them be conuinc't to be vntruth's if they hold those things to be impossible in human reason which are aboue human reason no meruaile if this Aduocate belieue not the B. Trinity He will say perchance now he belieues it but how for I aske him Doth he yield a most certaineassent that is an assent of diuine fayth to the B. Trinity as that God is one God in three really distinct persons If he belieue it not with certainty of diuine fayth he belieues it not as a Christian If he do belieue with that certainty of fayth then he yield's a most certain assent to a thing as impossible in humane reason as any other point of fayth required to be belieued with a most certaine assent But why do I aske him It appeares euen by these words as well as by his words of mouth vttered vpon the forementioned occasion that he indeed belieues not the B. Trinity no nor Incarnation nor Resurrection nor any such thing impossible in his style to humane reason with any such certainty of assent as makes a Christian and distinguishes him from an Infidell or Socinian It appeares furthermore by what he writes in this place that he would haue it sufficient to belieue such mysteries with a lower degree of Fayth Now either this lower degree of fayth is diuine fayth or no. If diuine then the assent arising from such fayth is a most certaine assent or an assent with certainty excluding all deliberate positiue doubt concerning the obiect of fayth If that lower degree be not diuine fayth then it is not only a Iower degree of fayth as differing from some other diuine fayth only in degree of certainty or secundum magis minus according to more or lesse certainty as heat differ's from heat and more white from lesse white but it is different in the very species or kind of fayth as diuine fayth from human fayth which differ euen in definition and Essence of fayth Therefore the Catholique requiring diuine fayth and teaching not this Iower degree of fayth but this indeed no diuine fayth to be insufficient for the acquiring Eternall saluation requireth no more then the Apostle doth where he sayth fine fide impossibile est placere Deo without fayth it is impossible to please or serue God meaning that fayth which in that very place is by him described to be sperandarum subctantia rerum argumentum non apparentium the substance of things to be hoped the argument of things not appearing which no man can deny to be diuine fayth Now to require
not able to giue a particular reason of euery article of this Creed The Socinian will say he is bound to belieue no more What sayth Mâ—Ch whome in this Treatise of his we suppose a Christian vntill he declare himselfe a little more expressely a very litle will serue the turne But let him forme his discourse out of this text of S. Peter Euery man is bound to giue a reason of his beliefe or Hope Ergo Euery man is bound to giue a particular reason for euery point of his beliâ—fe or Hope when will he make good this illation by his neuer failing rules of Logick Againe if euery Christian were charged with this obligation to giue a reason to euery one requiring it what kind of reason should that be Must it need 's be a conuincing reason and satisfaction not only in it selfe but respectiuely in regard of the requirers vnderstanding or disposition What if he be a Iew or Infidell or Socinian shall I belieue no more then that wherof I can giue a conuincing satisfactory reason to a Iew Infidell or Socinian Let him tell vs what kind of reason he requires that we may know the obligation he layes vpon vs. In the meane tyme I doubt not to auerre and proue that the meanest Catholique is able to giue a more satisfactory account of euery point of Catholique faith then the most learned Protestant can of any one As thus why do you belieue three Persons one God because sayth the Catholique I belieue the Catholique Church which teacheth me so to belieue And so of the rest Now because no Protestant giues or can giue this reason in coherence with his Protestant principles of necessity he giues a worse if any For whether his reason be his owne or any other humane discourse whatsoeuer independant of this authority of the Church or secluding it or be it Scripture yea Canonicall Scripture interpreted by himselfe or any priuate Spirit he giueth no better an account then an Arrius Eutychius Donatist c. hath or might haue giuen in defence of their Heresies Thus much concerning the abused authority of S. Peter VVords of our Sauiour fallaciously abused SECT XXIII HEnce he proceedeth with some pretty Rhetorique method of blasphemy if you marke him as hauing first prophaned the testimony of S. Iohn after him S. Paul next S. Peter the Vicar and Viceroy of Christ in the Christian world Iam proximus ardet Vcalegon the very next house is a fire it was not probable he could stay himselfe in this precipice Lastly therefore he prophaneth Christ himselfe so truly may it be said of Heresy Inclinata est ad mortem domus â—ius ad inferâ—s semitae eiâ—s Prou. 2. Her howse is hanging towards death and her path's lead to hell Our Sauiours words are these Luc. 12. When you see a cloud rising from the West you say we shall haue raine and so it happen's And when the Southwind blow's you say the summer appreaches Hypocrites know you to discerne the face of heauen and earth and do you not discerne this tyme of my presence or comming But why also do you not discerne what is iust by your selues That is as if he had said you who are so skilfull as to read the prognostick signes of the heauens and by them foretell future euents of weather or seasons why do you not by your selues that is by those internall signes and tokens of your soules remorse of conscience secret inclinations and other the like indicatures of what is iust or vniust why do you not by these discerne what is iust And what affinity hath this discourse of our Sauiour with this Aduocates application that therefore euery man must of himselfe examine and try by his owne discourse or Scriptures interpreted by himselfe what is true doctrine in points of supernaturall beliefe What tokens or prognosticks haue men for these What light of naturall reason or what indicature of inward motions or naturall inclinations shew the truth of supernaturall mysteries And not without some Fallacy hath this interpreter made choice to translate Fallacy iustum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 right rather then iust why of your selues iudge you not what is right because right hath a more apparent reference to matter of doctrine in this positure of words of which doctrine he would haue euery man to be his owne iudge then iust hath which rather implyeth a relation to morall actions Another sentence of our Sauiour abused SECT XXIIII TO as litle purpose and with asmuch violence and irreuerence are those words of our Sauiour If the blind lead the blind c. applied by him For whether in probability follow the blind they who follow the Church of God as their guide to which is promis't the spirit of truth or they who follow either their owne priuate spirit or naturall reason and discourse or the Scripture interpreted by these which is to them as blind as the interpreters of it But by these goodly expositions and applications of Scriptures you see how substantially they are furnish't for examining and trying spirits and doctrines of fayth by Scriptures and naturall discourse and neuer-failing rules of Logick And Good Syr would a man euer wish that any man should make himselfe more ridiculous then to take neuer-failing or infallibility from the Church of God and giue it to Logick-rules This is to robbe Peter indeed but sure it is not to pay Paul His false Logick or misapplication of Logick-rules SECT XXV OBserue now forth with in the close of misapplyed Scripture his fallacious misapplication of Logick precepts and Dialectique forme of discourse Great confidence no doubt he had in the ignorance or negligence of his Reader He hoped to lye hid in these brakes of thorny and intricate Paralogismes to appeare only in gay flowers of soft language Mollit sermones suos extranea Pron 2. so Heresy is wont to soften and file her language Howsoeuer he giues me a warrant by his example to syllogize his loose Periods shape them into Logicall-formes Which for my part I professe to do with much more fidelity then he doth wherein I will appeale to the iudgement of other men yea and especially of those his more learned and more sober Co-academiques Thus then he argueth Discourse truly so called misguideth no man Drawing conclusions out of Scriptures by good consequence is discourse truly so called Ergo drawing Conclusions out of Scripture c. misguideth no man To this I answere that although Discourse truly so called misguideth no man ex vi formae by that forme of lawfull discourse yet ex vi materiae in regard of the matter it often doth But drawing of conclusions out of Scripture by good consequence is discourse truly so called this I distinguish Drawing them out of Scriptures formally taken that is truly vnderstood and this by good consequence is discoursetruly so called I yeild Out of the Scriptures taken only materially that is out of
derogatory from the maiesty of the diuine word to be conceaued in the spirit of man no more then it was from the Maiesty of the Sonne of God to be conceaued in the wombe of the B. Virgin Mary and that as there the Eternall Word was inuested with humane flesh so heere in these spirits of men as in the wombe of the Church the Word of God sowne by the holy Ghost should be inuested with humane notion and brought forth to light of the world in the guise of humane speach and voyce In which sense we may interprete that testimony of the holy Baptist Ego vox clamantis I am the voyce of the cryer as his voyce was the inuesture of that Word of the holy Ghost crying in the desert by which it was conueyed to the eares of mortall men so is the voyce and declaration of the Church the meanes by which the Word of God and all Truth contained in it is conueyed to our soules and vnderstandings And as that cry of the Holy Ghost was first conceaued in the spirit of the Baptist then vttered by his voyce to the world so these Scriptures were first conceaued in the Church those Apostolicall spirits in which they were first imprinted and inuested if I may so speak by the operation and Energy of that fire which appeared in tongues afterwards vttered vpon due occasions in words and writings As therefore those of that tyme heard the voyce of that cryer in the desart from the mouth of the Baptist so all Christians heare and must heare the word of God and diuine truth by the mouth of the Church Well then what this man so confidently auerreth that there is no ground yea that no ground can be pretended why we should hold Gods Church for so he must say if he say any thing against what his Aduersary sayes infallible vnles we first belieue the Scripture diuine I as confidently deny And for as much as respects priority or antecedency of beliefe since the Scripture as I haue said is no other word but what the Church hath and daily doth vtter vnto vs whether historicall or dogmaticall or howsoeuer first conceaued in the vnderstanding and spirit of the Church it followeth that as we haue receaued it vpon her credit telling and teaching vs that it is diuine so we must à Priori belieue the Church as infallible witnes or reporter before we can belieue the infallibility of Scripture which she reporteth it followeth also that we must belieue the Church interpreting the Scripture for it is incredible that any other man should better vnderstand what I speake according as I haue conceaued or what I meane by the words I speake then I my selfe the speaker who only intend to vtter my conceipt It followeth yet further that although there were no Scripture and these Christian Verities had descended to vs only by Tradition and by the testimony of former ages transmitting them successiuely from Christ to this present age we should be bound to belieue the Church that is that continued succession of men belieuing those Christian Verities vnles we will say there was no obligation vpon men to belieue in God and to worship him according to that beliefe before the tyme of Moyses before the Scriptures were For was not Circumcision obligatory before Moyses and was not the posterity of Abraham obliged to belieue and practise that tradition as of diuine authority of which our Sauiour sayth Moyses dedit rebis Circumcisionem non quia ex Moyse est sed ex Patribus He will say You proue the Church infallible by Scriptures your Scriptures must be first belieued infallible I answer we proue this out of Scriptures against such as professe to belieue Scriptures not the Church as out of their owne principles it followeth not thence that we first belieue the Scripturs diuine or infallible For though in methode of confuting such Aduersaries we begin with the Scriptures yet in the methode of belieuing we begin from the Church vpon whose credit we belieue the Scriptures to be diuine and according to this method commencing from the Church Christian fayth was first propagated among nations and imbraced by Heathens Nor will it be to the purpose to reply that Heathens were induced to belieue by reason of miracles This I say is not to the purpose how the Church gained this credit but hence it is inferred that in regard of Christian Beliefe the Church had the Precedency before Scriptures that is the Church was belieued before the Scriptures were belieued Wherefore to conclude this point if it be impiety not to belieue Scriptures as no doubt it is yet it is an impiety no way deducible from this doctrine that the beliefe of an infallible Church is precedent to the beliefe of Scriptures But it is not hard to conceaue by the very carriage of the busines as he handles it what he driues at in all this discourse which is indeed to euacuate all authority both of Church and Scriptures and vpon the ruines of both to build the Godles Socinianisme Therefore all inferences which may seeme any way to perplexe Christian doctrine or force it into straits are his aduantages It was the prudent industry of the Roman Consull to prouoke Catiline whose secret practises and designes vpon the Common-Wealth he had vnderstood into open warre and rebeilion for he supposed no Cittizen would then appeare in his defence or make the oppression of a Tyrant his quarrell As no man would approue the fyering of the house wherein himselfe were or wracking the shippe wherein he sayled himselfe I suppose likewise if this pretended Champion for Protestancy were once discouered and strip't to the naked truth of what he is indeed that is as I haue said a very Socinian Mole vnderworking euen Protestancy it selfe and all Religion no Protestant who hath any zeale of the Religion he professeth would euer be seene in his patronage nor willingly I thinke in his company nor would he vouchsafe the ordinary greeting or salutation as good-morrow Ep. 2. Joan. to him who acknowledgeth neither day nor morning of Christian religion or God saue you to him who doubts whether there be any such thing as God Saluation nor would they thinke him fit to conuerse among Christians who hath disputed himselfe out of all termes of Christian commerce and conuersation His Calumny concerning Protestants reputed Atheists c. by Catholiques SECT XXVIII Pref. YOu say fifthly and lastly sayth this Aduocate with confidence in abundance that none can deny the infallible authority of your Church but he must abandone all infused fayth and true religion if he de but vnderstand himselfe Answ This Aduocate himselfe is no small part of proof of the truth of this Hypothetique who since he hath relaps't from this doctrine of infallible authority of the Church hath withall disclaimed all infused fayth as his Aduersary hath charged him vpon information more then credible wherin that is in abandoning both I confesse
a dwarf Thus much for the Pamphlet Preface I came sayth he with such a mind to the reading of it Charity Maintayned as S. Austin before he was a setled Catholique brought to his conference with Faustus the Manichee Answere He could not compare himselfe amisse with any thing vnsettled Neither in my iudgment could he stand by S. Austin in comparison with any decorum otherwise then as inuested with this formality not setled Pref. For as he thought that if any thing more then ordinary might be said in defence of the Manichean doctrine Faustus was the man from whome it was to be expected so my persuasion concerning you was si Pergama dextrâ Defendi possunt certè hac defensa videbo Ans And why so behold his Rhetorique in his witty gradation Pref. For I conceaued that among the Champions of the Roman Church the English in reason must be the best or equall to the best as being by most expert maisters trained vp purposely for this warre and perpetually practised in it Ans Now Syr if you withdraw this base or corner stone will not all this imaginary structure of discourse this aëry conceit fall flat to the ground I deny then then in reason the English must be the best or equall to the best their training-maisters are the same their practise for this war that is disputes of Controuersy concerning fayth lesse then others haue For the Catholique cause hath the same Aduersaries in some other Countries and those very many and as the opinion of most men is more able Champions for Protestancy then the English with these the encounters of Catholiques of those Countries are more frequent more publique because more secure and free all which considerations make this first Assumpt Fundamentall conceipt incredible Secondly that purposely and perpetually practised if I deny how will he proue it which the Roman Orator accountes great weaknes of discourse to bring in for proofe that which is either confuted or silenced with a Nego a direct deniall Pref. Among the English I saw the Iesuits would yield the first place to none Ans I deny that he saw this or if he did it was a false vision he saw it with eyes of a deluded imagination not of true Iudgment well he deserues to be numbred with those for ought I see of whom the Prophet Ierem. Thren 2. Prophetae tui viderunt tibi falsa stulta thy Prophets haue seene false foolish things Concerning the viderunt tibi assumptiones falsas this is one of the number of false Assumpts which this Prophet saw that the Iesuits would yield the first place to none Pref. And men so wise in their generation as the Iesuites are if they had any Achilles among them I presum'd would make choyse of him for this seruice Answ In which wordes as likewise in the former though I find but little salt yet I discouer not a little gall he would haue you take notice of the Iesuites arrogancy and their presumed or pretended wisedome Now a man would wonder how he became so inwardly acquainted with the Iesuites Sure this man is not he of whom t' is said Sapientis oculi in capite su◠a wisemans eyes are in his owne head but his eyes seeme to dwell in other mens hartes where they are so busy that they are blind at home And would any man thinke that this man was neuer Catholique aboue two months at once who knowes the Iesuites so well or is this some end of an old song which he singes by rote and thinkes not what he singes Or how knowes he the Iesuites conceaued any such difficulty in answering D. P. that some Achilles was to be sought forth to encounter him Was he such a Hector O but haue patience to ascend step by step to the top of this gradation there shall you find M. C. himselfe enthroned in the cloudes for if with so much adoe an Achylles were to be found for such a Hector who shall be the man that after much enquiry shall be supposed an equall match at least for this Achylles Now what Don Q is this who hauing raised an imaginary Castle in the ayre will goe fight against it himselfe and batter it or become another Paris in conceit shoot at his aëry Achylles hit him in the heele and if his hart be there kill him But see I pray you see him building his castle and fortifying it with strong assistants and how he backs his Achylles with his many bandes of Myrmidons before he will vouchsafe to encounter him Pref. I had good assurance that in framing this building though you were the only architect yet you wanted not many diligent handes to bring you in choyce materialls towardes it nor of many carefull and watchfull eyes to correct the errors of your worke Answ If he had indeed so many watchfull eyes employed in correcting his errors the more happy he and he this Aduocate the more vnhappy who of so many eyes as surueyed his worke had not one Watchfull as may appeare by the innumerable errors which haue escaped their corrections that a man would wonder what Mercury had pip't them all a sleeep But what of all this Marry that which followes out of this presumption or preimagination of such a castle or such an Achylles with his so many bandes of Myrmidones and watchfull eyes comming against him he had great reason to expect the vtmost that could be done or said in defence of the Roman Pref. And to assure himselfe that if his resolution not to belieue it were not built vpon the rocke of euident grounds and reasons c. now the wynd and stormes and floodes were comming which would vndoubtedly ouerthrow it Ans Note his Rhetoricall and graue exaggeration that no small matter not wind alone nor wind and stormes no not wyndes and stormes and floodes could be able to ouerthrow this rocke of Resolution M. Ch. Now if you would say notwithstanding all this this rocke of resolution hath beene shaken at the least and that againe and againe and againe and againe for euery wynd once or perhaps as many times as there are collaterall wyndes too or stormes and tydes in the yeare for if he be the man he is thought to be a new Academique or so he may alter his resolution as often as he list so he follow only what seemes more probable for the time the day the hower c. O but now his Resolution if become rocke neither is this so incredible a thing but that an Academique in Religion may belieue it as verily as he belieues any point of Christian Fayth For both Pliny and other good authors tell vs of some certaine thinges of a soft and fluide nature which in tyme yea and often on a suddaine become hard yea very stone rock which for the greater confirmation you shall heare out of Ouides Metamorphosis who had he liued till now might haue added this rocke of Resolution to the number of his
changes Victa racemifero Lyncas dedit India Baccho E quibus vt memorant quicquid vesica remittit Vertitur in lapides congelat aēre tacto I pray good after so much rocking and reeling he be not rock't a sleep become as deafe as a rocke nor by any wynd or storme of diuine threats or floods of reasons and persuasions any whit more moueable towards Religion Quà m si dura silex aut stet Marpesia cautes So that now to question his constancy of resolution in this kind were to question the constancy of the Moone which changeth so constantly euery moneth Notwithstanding I would haue you to take notice of the constancy of his discourse and how easily he falles of from his rocke within three lynes I know he may do so and yet be constant and true inough to his new Academiques for hauing immediatly before professed his rocky resolution vpon euident reasons not to belieue the Roman Doctrine he adioynes forthwith Pref. Neither truly were you more willing to effect such an alteration in me then I was to haue it effected Answ How standes this rocke of resolution vpon euident groundes not to belieue that is not to be altered with willingnes yea so much willingnes to be altered especially that euidence supposed by him to be such as no wynd c. no force of reason or persuasion could ouerthrow Vnles in saying his Aduersary was not more willing to effect such an alteration then himselfe to haue it effected he thought perhaps that his aduersary had no will at all to effect any such alteration as of one so often altered already that to alter him againe would not quit the cost conceauing that after another alteration he would be still more easy to be altered then euer to be setled who goes about to settle the wynd or fasten it to any one corner of the world or any thing else gouerned by the wyndes windmils or weather rocks or the like Pref. Yet because he makes shew of some desire to goe the right way to eternall happines though whether this way lye on the right hand or the left or straight forward to him it is indifferent Answ I will tell him my opinion which is that his way lyes neither on the left hand nor the right nor straight forward no nor backward though this last was not well omitted by him in his distribution as lying nearest to the right way but rather indeed straight downward as if you would settle a wether-cock in one constant positure the readiest way wil be to take it downe and place it on the ground This was the way S. Paul was put into though his alteration by the way is no Apology for this Atturneyes so often iterated reiterated alterations he changed with the change of the whole world Ecce ego noua facio omnia in Christo neque praputium neque circumcisio est aliquid sed nona creatura and t' was his fault he changed no sooner nor was it yet indeed a change For who will say he is changed who conuertes with him who is neuer changed in quo non est mutatio nec vicissitudinis adumbratio But this way Act. 9. I say was downeward Cadens in terram audiuit vocem c. Falling flat vpon the proued lying now eauen with himselfe that is with dust earth and nothing there he hard the voyce of his direction which eauenesse of place and center of truth he euer after kept both in life and doctrine qui existimat se aliquid esse cum nihil sit ipse se seducit he who thinks he is something being indeed nothing he beguiles himselfe At what tyme also he became blind that he might see For he was rather indeed shew'n then made blind he regained his sight by the imposition of handes of Ananias without further dispute who if he would haue disputed with him he could haue done it and remained blind still with a resolution built vpon a rocke of more euident groundes then any M. Aduocate hath to build vpon He would if he had beene of his humor haue questioned the credit of all those visions as being perhaps he would say illusions or at the least not infallibly true and then what could flow from those Principles more strong and infallible then the Principles themselues And suppose they were of infallible authority well then he was to persequute no more or if he were to be a Christian too yet why was Baptisme necessary why Circumcision not sufficient why such a Christian as Peter or Iohn See would he say how many Syllogismes you are short of the Conclusion you would infer Thus might he haue vanish't away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his disputes and haue proued rather a Vessel of Contention then Election And yet after all might haue returned with this or the like glory that he was now more confirmed in his beliefe of Iudaisme then euer or with somwhat like to this Ego exprobraui agminibus Israël hodie date mihi virum vt ineat mecum singulare certamen I haue braued the hostes of Israël this day challenging the best man among then to single combat of dispute with me I haue heard of some such Braues of the new Academy who had little cause of any such glory and who haue found their match more then once but they are so wise as to make their Aduersaries silence or secrecy their aduantage And yet I verily thinke you need not goe far to match this Goliath this Pythagorique Transmigration do but match him with himselfe if he fight not with himselfe yea if be not to hard for himselfe almost in euery page in some oftner then once or twice I dare be bound to answere the forfait As euen namely in this place hauing boasted his resolution built vpon a rock not to belieue the Roman Doctrine very soone after he professeth he retaines a Trauailer's indifference which way of religion to take of so many way 's as are now in the world When will this indifferent Trauailer come to his iourneys end who is not yet resolued of his way nor know's yet whether he be in it or no Yea and if he proue true to his principles will alwayes be thus indifferent So that if he haue gone twenty miles to day on the left hand of truth he wil goe to morrow as many on the right if he meete with a more apparent or howsoeuer more preuailing reason which may be nothing else perhaps but a better friend or some greater commodity or the like The third day you shall haue him gone as far a third way the fourth a fourth way and so forth and a thousand to one after many yeares you shall find him very litle aduanced in his way Inue Academiâ vmbriferâ nitidoue Lyceo In some Colledge-groue or Cloyster there you shall haue my indifferent Trauailer disputing of Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But where is now that inuincible Resolution Was it only a
and goodnes are imprinted in all the workes of nature and all creatures from tyme to tyme togeather with their being receaue that stamp and impression which they exhibite to be read by all intellectuall natures in one most legible language of nature common to all nations according as it is said Caeli enarrant gloriam Dei c. So in regeneration and in the progeny of Grace the author of Grace Christ Iesus is read and vnderstood in his worke and word of Grace his creatures of grace which is the Church of Christ which by that spiritually and supernaturally creating power receaue the print and characters of Christ Iesus and his truth in their hart 's and soules first which afterward's they manifest in their liues and professions and much more in the death's whereby they proclaime him and the truth of his doctrine to all ages to all nations with the last and lowdest voyce of bloud like to that voyce of our dying Lord who crying with a lowd voyce gaue vp the Ghost O tooto dull and deafe eares which the singar of God hath neuer opened which cannot heare a voyce so lowd and those blind eyes which read not those letters that most legible Scripture of Catholique truth written in the bloud of all ages since Christ redeemed the world with his and those inominate and vnlucky birds of night who flying the triall of the day shining in the Church as in the Tabernacle of the Sunne run into couert and obscurity of darke Scriptures the common rendeuous and retrait of all Heresies which they do no lesse absurdely and preposterously then as if in question of right and title grounded in law they would appeale from the suruiuing law-maker to his written lawes as they would say giue vs your Law 's in writing and then leaue them to vs we will not learne of you the vnderstanding of them for so this euer-suruiuing Law-maker is the holy Ghost presiding in the Church in all iudgements questions of fayth from whom there neuer can be any iust appeale the Scriptures his lawes which are written primarily principally in the soules and hart 's and vnderstandings of this Church In which Scriptures no Heretique or Alien can pretend any right or title of interest at all no authority nor ability of vnderstanding them Therefore although we debate right and truth by testimony of Scriptures against the vniust vsurpers of them to take from them those stoln'e weapons and recouer them to the true titler's as euen in this claime of infallibility of the Church yet this truth we learne not immediately of the Scripture written but receaue it à priori from the originall of the holy Ghost written in that one composed of many homogenious by fayth and charity that one soule I say and vnanimous spirit of the holy Church of all ages For as in our natural body one the same in diuisible soule informeth and enlifeneth the daily new acceding and aggenerate matter of nourishment so this spirit of truth informeth as it were and animateth with the spirit of Grace and truth not only the whole mysticall body of Christ all at once or once for all but successiuely euery acceding and new-borne member of the Church As therefore in processe of naturall growth we do not properly learne that we are reasonable ereatures but by the very hauing a reasonable soule and the vse thereof we know it so Catholiques do not properly learne that the Catholique Church is inerrant or infallible but by being Catholiques we belieue it For of this truth I do not see but in a true sense I might say Est hac non scripta sed natalex quam non didicimus accepimus legimus verùm ex naturâ ipsâ arripuimus hausimus expressimus ad quam non docti sed facti non instituti sed imbuti sumus A truth not written for vs but borne in vs which he haue not learned nor acquired nor read in bookes but by a second nature of Grace we are instantly possest of we haue suckt it and exprest it for which we haue beene made not taught indued with it not schooled to it Therefore I should not doubt to auouch though the whole rable of flesh bloud and heresy reclaime that it is vnderstanding it in equality of proportion no lesse innate and connaturall to a Catholique man as such to belieue that the Catholique Church is indued with infallible authority then it is naturall to a reasonable man as such to know he is endued with a reasonable soule Therefore as he should be thought an absurd and senseles man who should goe about to persuade a man by reason that he hath not a reasonable soule so is he worthily iudged an impertinent pratling Sophist who endeauours to argue a Catholique out of his beliefe of a Catholique infallible Church which stone notwithstanding I know this Aduocate neuer ceaseth to rowle and I could wish he would reflect how he may haue deserued that Sisyphian pennance howsoeuer thus I vnderstand Saxum sudat voluendo neque proficit hilum He rowles the stone and sweats for his paines not those texte therefore of Scripture which this Sisyphus presumes but the visible Church the spouse of Christ his purchase of bloud not a lease for terme of yeares according to the tenure of seruile Agar and her issue which became voyd but an euerlasting in heritance according to the tenure of Couenant made with the progeny of Sarai the house of Israel and the house of Iuda an vnabrogable and term'les decree firme and durable as the constitutions of Nature Hierem. 32. In quam traditi estis c. Rom. 6.17 as the course of sunne and moone This spouse I say hath deliuered vs this truth or rather hath borne and bred vs in it we haue suck't this milke from hir brest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rationall and fraudlesse milke conformable to reason though aboue it and therfore consummating reason and extolling it food for the Children of Obedience vt in eo crescamus that we may grow by that in stature of grace and Christian perfection from which brests and milke of Christian simplicity no errant Sophister shall be of power to remoue vs though he attempt it neuer so confidently or impudently by adiuring vs Thus he adiured a certain Catholique as we will answere at the last day arrainged I trow at the Socinian Barre to be tried by certaine select Iudges or a grand Iury of Pyrrhonian Sceptiques or the new Academy who will neuer pronounce any arrest or sentence at all but what to suspect the doctrine of the Catholique Church to question her authority to call those so many Doctours the starr's and light 's of all Christian ages who haue alwayes taught and supposed this truth so many martyrs who haue obsigned it with their bloud to call them all to their answere forsooth for their holding or teaching this doctrine and to giue this Switzer a meeting and conuincing so that
now he can vouchsafe to gleane after them And howsoeuer since Non-Conformity is now become out of all way of profit and preserment to say as they say and thinke with himselfe Pref. therefore to vse his words seeing we see these things done by him which hardly any man who knew him could belieue he would do what wonder if he goe forward still like to himselfe with as little modesty and moderation as hitherto For now he can call Catholique Honour and Reuerence towards the Images of our Sauiour or his Saints Idolatry and the legall proceeding of Catholique Countries against Heresies by them adiudged capitall crimes Murder and forgets in what coast of the world he writeth this and whose hart he wounds through the sides of Catholiques and how pretence of Heresy and pretence of Treason is laid by him to the charge of so many lawes and statutes lately prouided in such cases which remaine in force of vnrepealed decrees And may not this man write any thing so he write against Catholiques But can any man belieue that M. Ch. his first defection from Protestancy was so blind and headlong that he considered not whither he went Or that he knew not the Catholique doctrine concerning the vse of Pictures a Question so commonly vext and ventilated among Protestants Or is he the only Animal that in all spontaneous commigrations foreknow's only the whence but not the whither Or was he so wicked and irreligious that he would make choise of Idolatry Or conceaued he so meanely of the Profession for which he is now become so desperate a Whiffler that in his iudgement he plac't it behind Idolatry Or is lastly the Catholique vse of pictures become Idolatrous since he recoil'd secondly to Protestancy And with his reuolt from it is the Catholique doctrine reuolted from it selfe And may we not then iustly feare a generall Apostasy in the course of nature if M. Ch. should chance to turne once more Xanthe retro propera versaque recurrite lymphae His Calumny That Catholiques execution of Heretiques is Murder discussed and retorted SECT XVII Pref. DEuises haue beene inuented by Catholiques how men may worship Images without Idolatry kill innocent men vnder pretence of Heresy without murder Answ This point was not to be sleightly passed ouer contayning a notorious and fallacious Calumny wherein also if you obserue well you shall espy the Socinian mole working vnderneath Do but commaund your eyes a little patience If Heresy be only the pretended cause what is the latent true Cause which is pretexed or veiled vnder the name of Heresy What is that causa precatarchica that chiefly prineipally though couertly mouing cause if this be the euident and apparent cause only As when in the age of our Fathers some lost their liues vnder pretence of Treason it was easy to assigne the true cause practise or profession of ancient Religion made treagon by new Lawes Let him likewise declare vnto the world the true cause or causes pretens't and cloak't with the crime of Heresy in the procedures of Catholikes in those their capitall sentences and executions vpon Heretiques other then their willfull obstinacy in maintaining hereticall opinions I suppose now that Heresy is punishable by death euen in the opinion and practise of chiefest Protestants Caluin Beza Bellarm. de laicis l. 3. c. 22 and others being also the knowne and receaued doctrine of Fathers and Councels grounded vpon expresse testimonies of holy Scriptures And this a man would thinke to be the opinion of this Aduocate for euen in that he termes the killing of innocent men vnder pretence of Heresy Murder he should seeme to intimate that death executed vpon Heresy not the pretended but the true and primely mouing cause is not Murder nor killing of innocent men As he who calleth Death for Treason only pretended Murder supposeth that Treason it selfe truly so named is iustly punishable by Death will he then say that those opinions were not indeed Heresies but falsely supposed such or only made criminall vnder the name of Heresy and as such or insteed of such punished by death Which being neuer yet proued but rather the contrary conuinc't by all the Arguments and profes wherby any opinion can be conuinc't hereticall is in no wise now to be assumed And yet further if those opinions haue beene fore-iudged or fore-damned for Heresies Catholique posterity hauing those precedents according to those sentencing alike the very same Heresies cannot surely with any probability be said to haue proceeded to capitall condemnation of such opinions only vnder pretence of Heresy And if notwithstanding all those precedents of Antiquity authorities of Fathers Councels c. defining such opinions to be Hereticall what in after ages hath beene done according to those precedent Decrees and Definitions may be yet traduc't to a coulorable proceeding against such doctrines vnder pretence of heresy why may not likewise in the ciuill Gouernment of all Christian Common-wealths throughout the world capitall proceedings against many crimes in this present age according to Precedents Lawes of former tymes be brought back into dispute and Iudges of Assises condemned for their pronouncing capitall sentence against such delinquents and such and such demeanors vnder pretence of capitall Crimes being indeed would these men say no crimes at all or not iustly punish't with death And surely I belieue it will be hard for any Christian in consonancy to Christian doctrine to thinke that laycke and secular Precedents and Statutes may not with as litle scruple be recalled into question as Ecclesiastique Decrees or to giue a reason why the authority of a Nationall Synod Senate of Parlament should be more inuiolable then the authority of an Occumenicall Councell especially if we consider and belieue that this later authority both in regard of matter forme the things decreed and the manner of decreeing is of a nearer approach and accesse to diuine Law 's and Ordinances then the former If then Sentences and Iudgments conformable to Senatory or Parlamentory Statutes must not be esteemed colours and pretences only much more the sentences and executions of the Church in conformity to Ecclesiasticall orders and Constitutions cannot but absurdly be presumed to be only pretensions veilings and maskings of some hidden mistery of malice or pollicy For when the true cause is both apparent and of it selfe sufficient to authorize the proceeding of the Magistrate what need of masking and cloaking causes when whatsoeuer hidden or concealed cause is lesse valid and a lesse sufficient warrant for such proceedings then those publicke and noterious Decrees and Lawes prouided in such cases His Fallacy discouered his supposall of no Heresy according to Socinianisme SECT XVIII NOtwithstāding all this he hath yet an euasion though a very secret and close one somewhat like to the escapes of those amorously pursued riuers which Poet's fable vnder the ground whence we simple men while we thinke to follow him in open view and aboue ground
infallible Church which soeuer that be Nor will it help this Aduocate that soone after his Aduersary as it were directing his speach to Catholiques calleth that Church our Church for to Catholiques this needed no further proofe who belieue it already Whence with them he might presume it as granted according to that of S. Paul sapientiam lequimurinter perfectos we vtter wisedome diuine truth among those who belieue it reseruing that doctrine that our Catholique Roman Church is the true Church of God to the proper place as to be proued against Protestants But you shall take him very often faultring in this Fallacy Fallacy ante-dating his Aduersaries order and therefore seldome answering to the subiect in hand whereof hereafter instances will occurre very plentifully He wil say perhaps he hath fore-inserted his Aduersaries discourse entire and as it lye's in his owne Booke but to this I say againe he answer's is not as it lyes there but misordreth it to his aduantage euen as formerly ordred by himselfe For according to faire play and ingenuous behauiour although he might do well in answering the whole discourse by retaile or by parts yet he should haue taken notice of the relation and connexion of one part with another and so haue answered reason's as reasons positions as positions and not haue made euery reason a position I know he hath learned to analize a Discourse better then so and would esteeme it poore Anatomy only to dissect limbe from limbe ioynt from ioynt and neuer shew the naturall commissure and compacture of limbe with limbe ioynt with ioynt nor distinguish them according to their true Nomenclature and their seuerall both proper absolute relatiue functions But he as though the dissected were only bellua multorum capitum a beast with many head 's so he lectures vpon legs thighs belly eyes eares armes c. all vnder one appellation of Head as though all the parts and members were heads for iust so he hath anatomiz'd his Aduersaries context of speach making euery part as it were a seuerall head and why Because as in a naturall body by reason of that due order and composure of members a certaine mutuall intelligence of influences and sympathies of the members betweene themselues is entertained of which mutuall intelligence and influence depends the life and vigor of euery part and ioindy of the whoâ—e body so in the body of a rationall discourse there is the like influence of one part into another and one part vpholds strengthneth the other and to take away this mutuall correspondence and relation is to take away the very harmony of discourse none who know's what he doth will do it but he who intends to marre the musicke or loues discords and iarrings better then harmony For to this purpose which I haue said what other can be imagined he hath deuided those reasons and confirmations of his Aduersaries position into so many heads or propositions distinguishing them not only by numbers as you say first Pref. and you say againe you say thirdly then fourthly then fiftly but also by seuerally varying the odious phrase as you say confidently inough then you say with sufficient confidence thirdly you say with conuenient boldnes fourthly you say with confidence in abundance when all is indeed but one thing said the Proposition with some few proofes adioyned Yet the fauourers of his cause and person would easily pardon this poore peece of Sophistry or waue it at the least had he achieued his intent by this but now Cuibone what hath he got by this Nihil omnibus actum Tantorum Impensis operum With so much ado with so great expence of honesty and ingenuity laid out vpon a miserably Fallacy to do nothing is intollerable had he yet ouerthrowne those scattered forces or made something of his owne dissections more then a dissector of an oxe can doe now for my part I had no other drift but only to note his Fallacies and Calumnies and to do more in shewing his weake attempts vpon these disranked and dissected parts as they are singly encount'erd by him would proue an enterprise much more easy then needfull Yet because I haue shew'n his insufficiency against his first Prosection which is his Aduersaries Position whereof the ensuing members are as I haue said the proofes I will only employ a dash of pen vpon what he hath against the rest and the rather because I assure my selfe that euen in these too I shall meet with Calumnies and Fallacies these being indeed as the very soule or the naturall and proper language of his pen without which it cannot speake His Answers to his Aduersaries Arguments Fallacious or none SECT XX. Pref. YOu say sayth he againe if this infallibility be once impeach't euery one is giuen ouer to his owne wit and discourse To this he answer's by a distinction Giuen ouer to his owne wit and discourse not guiding it selfe by Scriptures he denyes this to be consequent to infallibility of the Church so impeach't giuen ouer to discourse that is right reason sanaratio say the Socinians grounded on diuine reuelation and common notions consequent deductions from them he denies this consequent to be inconnenient though it follow of the infallibility of the Church denied Answ Now this euasion his Aduersarie foresaw and therfore barred the passage which barre this nimble Aduocate slily skip's ouer taking no notice of it The barre of preuention was this And talke not here so his Aduersatie of Scripture for if the true Church may erre either in defining what Scripture is Canonicall or in deliuering the sense and meaning thereof we are still deuolued either vpon the priuate spirit or esse vpon naturall wit and iudgment What place then for discourse guided by diuine reuelation in colâ—erence of their doctrine who take away the meanes of knowing what reuelation is diuine Either materially in regard of the Canonicall Scripture or formally in regard of the true sense and interpretation of such Scriptures whereof neither the one nor the other can be afcertained without the infallible authority of the Church the only meanes to arriue to this certainty Wherefore if the man be in his wits he will find out his guide and know him to be a sure guide before he put himselfe into his iourney otherwise both the guide and guided may fall into a ditch whence neither his Logick-rules nor all his consequent deductions with twenty ropes to boot will euer be strong inough to pluck him out Now the only guide which guideth reason by Scripture is the holy Spirit the only true and sure interpreter of holy Scriptures This holy spirit is not promised to any priuate man but to the Church it is promised therefore in this Church is infallibly to be found whence he that followeth this company of men not only followeth not a company of beasts Pref. which this Aduocate would insinuate the Church may be but he followeth the holy Ghost
guiding the Church But by this you may see the man miscrably tortured by vnauoidable truth euen maugre himselfe forc't to confesse what his Aduersary teacheth and euen here relaps't into his dilemma which he may seeme to haue laid of purpose to catch him for he is fallen vpon the Scripture as interpreted by euery man's naturall with and iudgment or the priuate spirit By which touch-stone the Priuate spirit with his Logick-rules c. he will also try euery spirit 1. Joan. 4. and by his ignorantly applying the words of the Apostle Belieue not euery spirit to this purpose shew's plainly how sure an Interpreter he is of holy Scripture togeather with his right reason and common notions and Logick-rules For surely in good Logick the vniuersall and distributiâ—e signe omnis all euery importeth number and multiplicity therfore he sayth Belieue not euery spirit but trie the spirits as if he said of many spirits belieue not euery spirit because the holy spirit is but one spirit from which one spirit spirits and euery one of spirits are participations and deriued spirits Now that one spirit which is so one that it cannot be a part of number like as diuine vnity or the vnity of diuine nature is no part of number that one spirit I say is not to be tried for it cannot be but a true spirit otherwise no spirit could be knowne to be true if that one spirit could befalse which is the only rule wherby to trie all spirits but of the multitude of spirits or partaking spirits some do and all may lye Of which number of lying spirits are the Apostate Angells fince their defection from the spirit of truth and those false Prophets in whose mouth 's those lying spirits were speakers Such also were those Pseudoprophets vpon occasion of whom S. Iohn forewarneth Christians not to belieue euery spirit but to try spirits And who were those false Prophets or Apostles those lying spirits They were those of whom he had said before that they had beene in the Church and were gone out of the Church and therefore became lying spirits oftentimes actually lying always inclined and prepared to lye and so neuer to be belieued For as that first reuolt from God the spirit of truth was the originall cause why those mutinous spirits became lyar's so Apostasy from the Church of God in whom the same spirit of truth presides is the generall origen and extraction of all false Prophets and Heretiques As therefore that one prime spirit is none of those spirits euery one of which is to be tryed but by which euery numerable spirit is to be proued so the spirit which guideth the Church is not a spirit to be tried but that by which euery priuat spirit must be examined and tried In which sense also it is most truly said Prima Sedes the prime sea is iudged by none therfore it is true againe that the Church of Christ the Catholique Church is the only competent iudge of it selfe according to that receaued principle of naturall reason rectum est iudex sui obliqui what is straight of it selfe both shew's it selfe to be straight and what is crooked to be so He therefore who will presume to reforme the Church in doctrine of faith wherein the spirit of truth is her guid and teacher Dauiel 12. he shall be the starre which would giue light to the Sunne but none of those who shall shine in perpetuas aternitates For I would aske any man only sober and in his wits if the Church of God may haue erred either in determining Scriptures or the true meaning of them which point concerning Scriptures I specifie to preuent all refuge to trial by Scriptures by what other spirit shall this spirit of the Church be tried And I would gladly looke vpon that face of Impudence that would assume to it selfe what it denyeth to the Church of God and when I shall haue found him I shall know for certaine that he is one of those Antichrists of whom the same Apostle Et nunc Antichristi multi facti sunt Ex nobis prodierunt Joan. 2. 4. and euen now many are turned Antichrists they went out from vs. Yea by this very brand I will know them this indeleble character of antichrist to goe out of the Church then to question the spirit and doctrine of the Church It would be worth their labour yet once to shew when the Church of Rome went out of the Church of Christ where she left it at her departure as we shew what Church Arrius went out of whence Pelagius and Nestorius c. whence of this later age Luthâ—r and Peter Martyr and Caluin and the rest Yet besides this character of a false Prophet which is his terminus à quo the whence they goe out the Apostle hath giuen vs another their terminus ad quem the whither they goe going out of the Church Multi pseudoprophetae exierunt in mundum many false Prophets are gone out into the world and yet more plainly Ipsi de mundo sunt ideâ— de mundo loquntur mundus eos audit They are of the world they are become worldlings the world is their talke flesh blood their discourse intimating euen by this that Hereticall doctrine is carnall doctrine the language of corrupt Nature the discourse of flesh blood and therefore the world harken's to their doctrine as being of a carnall spirit symbolizing with these teachers Indeed the Society of Christians is not the world nor any hâ—mâ—genious part of the world of whom therfore our Sauiours words are truly vnderstood Vâ—s de mundâ— nonestiâ— seâ—â—gâ—â—ligi voâ— de mundo you are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world Whence the whole mortall kind of man is sufficiently deuided by these two names the World and Christendome therfore that going out of the Church signified by those words prodierunt ex nobis they went out from vs could be no whither else but into the world there being no third place or family of mortall men to go vnto therefore all Heretiques are a part of that faction the World and therefore being indued swayed and guided by the spirit of the world which is a lying spirit they cannot be competent Iudges or Examiners of the spirit of the Church or any doctrine of fayth or interpretation of Scriptures But as the Church Triumphant shall iudge the world and condemne it and shall not be iudged by it so the Church now Militant is inuested with the like authority and iurisdiction towards mortall men of this world to iudge and condemne the world that is all those who are seuered from her Society and not to be iudged by them Her doctrine therefore is the sole Iudicature both of it selfe and all other crooked and oblique opinions Wherefore the counsaile of S. Iohn to try spirits is to trie them by the spirit and doctrine of the Church for vnles the spirit of the Church
vntill the number of Saints were consummate that is to the end of the world appeareth playne by the words of the Apostle to the Ephesians Ephes 4. therefore to the hearing and belieuing those succeding Apostles Doctors c. is extended the obligation of succeding ages For can we be so senseles as to thinke those succeeding Doctors haue imposed vpon them the obligation of teaching and not other Christian subiects the obligation of hearing Or was our Sauiour so imprudent an Oeconomus or dispenser of his gift's and talents that he would furnish those whom he had designed hearers and learners in his Christian schoole with greater sufficiency for discerning spirits or greater assurance of not erring then those quos dedit whom he appointed to be their Maisters and Teachers Obedite prapositis vestris subiacete ijs obey your Prelates and be subiect to them And wherein are they Praepositi Prelates or Gouernours Certainly in those things for which they must render account to God which are things appertaing to their soules for they are to render account for your soules sayth the Apostle in that place To them therfore appertaine spirituall instructions and all spirituall directions to them the triall and discretion of spirits Or shall the subiects first try their Prelates spirits yea the highest Prelature and authority on earth before they obey Is this to be directed or to direct Or who is heere the Prelate he who is tryed or he who tryeth And is not this grosse Anarchy and Confusion Haue these spirits any conceipt of Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy Or do they belieue there is any such thing as Order and Subordination in the greatest Empire and kingdom vpon earth the Church of God By what hath beene said it appeareth that S. Iohn by giuing that rule of triall the Confession of the sonne of God in flesh neuer intended to exclude other rules Therefore this is a miserable and fallacious consequence which this Aduocate insinuates saying S. Iohn giues this rule of triall to consider whether men confesse Iesus to be the Christ not whether they acknowledge the Pope to be his Vicar Ergo to examine whether they acknowledge this is no part of triall This consequence I say is no better then this We must try mens spirits by considering whether they confesse Iesus to be the Christ Ergo not whether they confesse that Christ dyed for the sinnes oâ— the world or whether he rose from death or no c. Now hath not this man good reason to rely so much vpon his neuer-failing rules of Logick in matters of Fayth who makes such goodly consequences I can in charity belieue he hath more Logick then he makes shew of in this worke otherwise I see no obligation he hath to rely vpon it so confidently You may likewise note his skill in Logick by this other consequence Pref. which he likewise insinuates S. Paul sayth try all things and hold fast that which is good Ergo we must try all things after this manner which S. Paul teacheth not we must try all things by our owne spirit or the Scripture interpreted by our owne spirit with the help of neuer-failing rules of Logick Or thus Try all things Ergo try euen that by which all things are to be tryed Try the spirit of the Church try the spirit of God for without this spirit of truth which we know not where it is but in the Church it is most certaine that neither Scriptures can be vnderstood nor any other certaine rule imagined by which we may try any spirit or doctrine of fayth So the aduise of the Apostle should be de impossibili of a thing impossible if he aduised vs to try all things by any other rule And as well might this Logician infer out of this principle try all things thus Try all things whether they be crooked or straight by that which is certainly straight Ergo try that which is certainly straight by that which may be crooked And as well he might infer thus Season all things with salt Ergo season salt too for with what other thing shall salt be seasoned Si sal euanuerit in quo sâ—lietur So likewise if that all-trying spirit may erre by what other spirit shall it be tryed His fallacious Interpretation of a text of S. Peter 1.3 vers 15. SECT XXII AFter he had abused the testimony of S. Paul it was to be expected S. Peter should not escape He would be their second Nero ioyne them in the execution of a morall death much more tyrannicall then that of Nero which though it could deuide their soules from their bodies yet it could neuer seuer their soules from Christian truth and a truth which themselues had taught the inseparability of truth and diuine authority from the pillar of truth Pref. I say no more sayth this Aduocate then S. Peter sayth in commaunding all Christians to giue a reason of their Hope Answ But the truth is S. Peter sayth not so nor is it probable he had any intent to ingage Christians in a greater obligation then Christ himselfe had imposed which was only to confesse him vpon due occasions neuer to deny him or the truth of his doctrine S Peters words are these Dominum autem sanctificate in cordibus vestris parati c. Sanctify our Lord in your harts all way ready to giue satisfaction as the Latin version hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ready to exhibite your Apology to euery man who requireth a reason of your Hope Now who seeth not a large difference betweene giuing a reason and requiring it or betweene exhibiting an Apology or other satisfaction to him who requireth a reason and giuing him a reason There are other way 's of satisfaction and Apology besides giuing a reason at the least particular reasons for the seuerall doctrines of fayth as this Aduocate seemes to require who would haue nothing belieued but after a particular tryall and discussion of it So he that answered only Christianus sum I am a Christian was no way reprehensible by this aduise or precept of S. Peter Is not he ready to Apologize to defend his religion who is ready to die for it which a man may do without giuing any other particular reason of his beliefe by his only confessing or professing it vpon fit occasions Or if he vnderstand an obligation imposed by the Apostle vpon all Christians to giue a reason of their beliefe what meanes he That euery Christian is bound to giue or be able to giue a reason of euery point of Christian beliefe How is it credible that such a morall impossibility should be of obligation Or doth he indeed suppose that no Christian is bound to belieue more then that whereof he can giue a reason Now then shall he say with truth I belieue in God the Father with the rest as followeth in the Apostles Creed For surely he inbound not to say he belieues what he belieues not and as sure it is he is
the Synagogue This is therefore a terrible hearing to Protestancy a Church Terribilis vt castrorum acies ordinata terrible as an army in battaile-array Now for Primitiue Christians they imply no such order no such coordination or subordination as of a body and therefore as so many scattered sheep they might wholy dye in their owne ashes not Phenix-like suruiue in their posterity which to affirme of a Church of Christ his establish't Common-wealth or kingdom purchas 't by right of Conquest with the inestimable price of his blood is not only Hereticall but most impious and prophane since neither the Synagogue and Law of Moyses became euacuate or abrogate viâ corruptiuâ by a corruptiue desition but past into a Church Euangelicall Law via perfectiuâ as Christ was the perficient not the corruptiue end of the Law Non veni legem soluere sed adimplere c. I came not to dissolue but to fulfill the Law c. Some other fallacious Euasions in answere to the same position of his Aduersary SECT XXVII IN the very next Paragraph I meete with another Fallacy which I haue also touch't before Pref. You say with conuenient boldnes that this infallible authority of your Church being denyed no man can be assured that any parcell of Scripture was written by diuine inspiration which is an Vntruth for which no proofe is pretended and besides voyd of modesty full of impiety Answ And I pray you obserue his notorious method his Censure is for the most part the preface to his Answere when he hath first struck his Aduersary on the head or wounded his reputation with some calumny or contumely then he wil dispute the matter not only cooly but very coldly as you shall see In the meane tyme since he is so liberall of contumelious and reproachfull language if we spare him it is mere gratuite grace no merit of his not so much as of congruity nay it may seeme much more congruous to shew the man his error where he may see it better then in himselfe For I belieue it will appeare to any vnderstanding man euen by the Genius of his stile that he hath drunke more liberally of Narcissus Well then of Aristotles as neere as it springs Whence I do not see but his President way be my Apology and very Charity will require that some sprinkling of salt be employed vpon his so great insulsity Now marke the Fallacy His aduersary sayth Take away the authority of Gods Church no man can be assured c. For Gods Church this Atturney changeth your Church as though his aduersary preassumed what is in question with Protestants Which he purposely doth not but only sheweth the necessity of a Visible Church and infallible authority shereof The fallacy of this change hath this intent to make his aduersary more odious for his preassuming antedating as also that he may impugne him more easily where he contends not which he doth almost euery where neuer strikes where his Aduersary wards So he seldome or neuer argues or answeres to the matter in hand But why now is this an vntruth void of modesty Because sayth he the experience of innumerable Christians is against it who are sufficiently assured that the Scripture is diuinely inspired and yet deny the infallibility of your Church or any other Answ What Euen of Gods Church For this is the authority this the Church which his aduersary namely and only asserteth And where is the immodesty Is it immodesty in a Catholique to proue the infallibility of the Church of God his Prime principle of Religion and that by an argument which this no Church can no otherwise answere but by rayling at it as with his Lucians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O execrable For who are those innumerable Christians Are they not the aduersaries of the Roman Church and only they And is it immodesty in a Roman Catholique to defend and proue the contrary to that which the Aduersaries of that Church would proue and do teach whereby to ouerthrow that Church and with that all Christianity But to shew him the weaknes of his argument I forme the like Innumerable Christians are sufficiently assured that no man can be assured of any parcell of holy Scripture otherwise then by the authority of the Church of God Ergo M. Ch. who denies them this assurance is voyd of all modesty And now againe why full of impiety Pref. Because sayth he if I cannot haue ground to be assured of the diuine authority of Scripture vnlesse I first belieue your Church infallible then I can haue no ground at all to belieue it Answ I expected he would say then I will be a Socinian But still you see him in his Fallacy Your Church for Gods Church And why then hath he no ground at all vpon that supposall Pref. Because there is no ground nor can any be pretended why I should belieue your Church infallible vnlesse I first belieue the Scripture diuine Answ Still Your Church Sure we shall neuer bring him back to Gods Church againe Now quite contrary I say there is no sufficient ground to omit pretences and permit them to his Hyperbolicall style why men should belieue the Scriptures diuine vnles first they belieue an infallible Church of God For to reuolue to the first birth and parentage of holy Scriptures whence haue we them who told vs they were diuine haue we not the new Testament to instance in this part from the Euangelists and Apostles And were not they the Church of God and hath any other told vs they are diuine and of diuine authority but they primarily and their posterity after them Can any man expect a more certaine testimony concerning his owne or any other mans birth then from the mother who brought him forth into the world Was not the holy Scripture cōceaued of the holy Ghost as it were in the wombe of the Church Yea those soules and spirits of Prophets Euangelists Apostles in which those Scriptures were conceaued euen formally as diuine together with the truth contained in them were they not before those Scriptures were brought to light And could any but they or vpon their credit belieue those Scriptures were of diuine yssue conceaued I say in those spirits diuinely inspired and illuminated yea and from them flowing as from a vitall principle actually and actiuely inflowing into those conceptions togeather with the holy spirit of truth Whence also it followeth euidently that those diuine truth's cannot be the formall conceptions of any soule or vnderstanding not endued and eleuated by this spirit of truth with which spirit since no man can assure himselfe to be endued yet euery Christian ought to belieue as certaine that the Church of God is indued therefore euery Christian ought to receaue those diuine truths contained in Scriptures togeather with the Scriptures themselues from the Church of God whose lawfull issue and ofspring they are Neither can this in reason seeme to a Christian any whit
God and soone after deny it But if the Aduocate will goe back vpon euery such occasion of encounter he will shew no more wit then his horse that being in the way from the Vniuersity would needs be so curteous as to returne back with euery horse he met And I verily thinke as small an occasion and as weake a motiue will draw this man back to Socinianisme as the horse to his manger although perhaps the manger may haue beene the strongest motiue to both retrogressions and though perchance againe the Socinian horse knew better whither he returned and did it with a stronger resolution then his rider howsoeuer he might passe for a sufficient Hieroglyphique of a Socinian who is ready to turne in his way of opinion euery day with whomesoeuer obuious who shall giue him a reason of change stronger in apparence then the former that guided his iourney Againe if he will still float and swimme in Socinianisme vntill all differences of schooles be attoned he may for ought I know dye as he liues and well may he deserue to swimme after death too sowed vp into a lether-sacke and so cast into the sea to be depriued of all the elements at once I need not tell him for what crime that punishment was decreed But if he will not belieue there is any such thing as diuine Predestination vntill it be on all sides agreed whether it be ex praeuisis meritis or no or that there are any diuinely Elct vntill he can be certified why Iacob rather then Esau if he will buy no pots vntil the Potter yield him a coÌ„umcing reason why he made some pottes for baser seruices other for more honorable vses nay if it will not satisfy him to say there was vse for both kinds but will further vrge but why of this clay of this very peece of clay a pot of base seruice since he know's by his owne experience the Potter could haue made it a pot of Honour for so the Poët sayth Argillâ quiduis imitaberis vdâ soft day will take any forme It I say he will stand stiffe vpon these termes of dispute he will neuer fasten vpon any opinion of Diuinity nor buy any pots nor had that pot beene so stiffe when it was clay could the Potter euer haue made it a pot of any seruice whatsoeuer The truth is Christian Religion was neuer brought into the world by coursing and such Coursers vnlesse they change their course are too clamorous and quarelsome to expect admittance into the schoole of peace S. Paul will tell them in playne termes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. if any man seeme ambitious of Victory in contention of dispute we haue no such custome he may do well to matriculate himselfe in the new Academy among those Pyrrhonian Sceptiques whose life and religion is nothing else but dispute Of whom S. Paul may seeme to speake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they befor and foole their soules away in disputes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth S. Chrysostome there in the darkenes of discourse and naturall reasons as they are called by S. Leo Terrenarum caligo rationum mists of human reasons which is notwithstanding light and the only light with Socinians Against whom the Propher Esay pronounceth a curse Quiponunt tenebras lucem lucem tâ—nebras who impose the name of darknes vpon light and call light darknes as they who esteeme naturall reason light and the doctrine of fayth darknes Vaequi sapientes estis in oculis vestris Woe to you who are wife in your owne eyes that is the eyes of naturall reason who aspire to the knowledge of supernaturall â—uth by the light of nature therefore euery Socinian is a foolish Icarus ceratis ope Dedalâ—a Nititur pennis vitree daturus Nomina Ponto His Fallacious application of this his Aduersaries Position From truth no falshood in true consequence SECT XXXII Pref. I Might lastly adioyne sayth he that you fettle for a rule vnquestionable that no part of Religion can be repugnant to reason that from truth no man can by good consequence inferre falshood which is to say in effect that reason can neuer lead any man to error Answ This is in effect and really a false glosse but rather indeed it is in effect to say that reason can neuer lead any man to error from a truth by good consequence which is all one as to say no false Conclusion can flow by true consequence from true premises as such which his Aduersary said not vnawares as this Aduocate would haue you thinke but aduisedly and knowingly and which the very walles of their Logique Schooles proclaime Pref. And after you haue done you proclaime to all the world that if men follow their reason and discourse they will if they vnderstand themselues be led to Socinianisme Answ This is indeed nodum in scirpo to seeke a knot in a bulrush as though what his Aduersary sayth were any preuarication against the former principle from truth no falshood by good consequence But this Aduocate cannot touch a line of his Aduersaries discourse but he must sophisticate it one way or other His Aduersary sayth indeed that no man can deny the infallible authority of the Church but he must be left to his owne wit and way 's must abandon all infused fayth if be vnderstand himselfe aright Is this the same as to say that if men follow their reason and discourse they will be led into Socinianisme or rather that if they follow reason hauing reiected the authority of the Church which is to follow reason where reason cannot guide or where reason is blind they will at length be led away from all true religion thenceforward to Socinianisme or whither he list The ground of which discourse may be this or the like Naturall reason as such apprehendeth not supernaturall truth because such truth is aboue reason though not repugnaÌ„t to reason yea rather euery truth is reasonable and conforme to reason truly conceauing For which cause Christian Doctrine is called by S. Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rationall milke and according to true Metaphysicke all truth hath consistence within the spheare of a reasonable Vnderstanding therefore no truth can be repugnant to reason yet as the Moone though otherwise light by the illumination which it hath from the Sunne by which we see by night yet if it be opposed to the Sunne or interposed betweene the sunne and our eyes becomes both dark it selfe and endarkneth the sunne to vs so Reason standing in opposition to Fayth and that diuine light of day whence it receaues that little night-light which it hath is both it self in darknes and depriues our soules of the light of fayth Whence it comes to passe that Reason thus endarkned taketh Falshood for Truth or from a materiall Truth diuine reuelation misconceaued and so not Truth inferreth an vntruth euen by good consequence Hence now from misconceauing Reason or Reason opposing supernaturall Truth springeth a mutuall
repugnance betweene true religion and false or misconceauing Reason not submitting it self to supernaturall Fayth Nor yet doth it cease to be Reason and discourse truly so called though misapplied for to conclude consequently out of a false principle is no lesse an act of discourse then to inferre truth out of true principles Wherefore notwithstanding this Aduocate his tooto early and antedating Triumph these two Propositions of his Aduersary may stand togeather peaceably That no part of religion can be repugnant to Reason as Reason vndeluded as conteyning it self within due limits as in due subiection to that supreme light whence it is deriued as submitting it self where it is too weak as suffering it selfe to be guided where it is blind to be enlightned where it is darke to be raised to a competent stature or proportion where it creeps vnable to raise it selâ— all which conditions are conformable euen to naturall reason This I say may stand with this other That from Truth as truly conceaued or formally Truth no vntruth can be inferred by good consequence and lastly both these two may admit this third into society of coherence That if men sollow Reason where Reason is darke and blind and weake and in a word cannot guide they may be led into error and from error to error vntill at length they fall into vtter darknes of infidelity and Socinianisme Of Socinianisme I say a most diuellish and perhaps of all other the most dangerous Idolatry as being most neerely allied to the soule of man borne as it were in his bowels nurst and nourish't by selfe-loue cheris't and confirmed and growing daily in greater strength and equall stature with Pride and Self-conceipt For this Supremacy euen in spirituall commaund being once granted to naturall Reason with authority to direct and vmpire in spirituall affaires which authority and power God hath reserued to himself that is to the holy Ghost whose kingdome is the Church what followeth but that the holy Ghost is deposed Reason enthroned in his Chaire where it commaunds absolutely without all dependance or subordination to God from whome it neuer receaued any such authority Thus Reason is made the God of such men and because so made a very Idoll and all Socinianisme is Idolatry yea the last and lowest and basest I dolatry and whither Hereticall Idolatry dâ—uolues at last for euery formall Heretique is an Idolater and euery Socintan a worse then he A most proud Dwarfe a Pygmalion wholy contracted and confined within himselfe whose Reason is all his sayth and consequently his Hopes of no larger extent and his Charity enspheared within the same compasse the obiects or naturall reason Whose will is nothing else but self-loue referring all he doth to his proper interest regard which is indeed the highest place of pride then which the first Precedent of pride the creature that first shewed it to the world he in whom pride was first ideated from whose Pride as from the original source all the pride of temporall or spirituall Ambition all the pride of Schisme and Heresy and Socinianisme and Idolatry are shares and dimanations ascended no higher when he said ascendam ero similis Altissimo I will ascend and be like the most High Thus you see to returne his owne Epiphonema thither whence it came to his due and proper place that is vpon himselfe with what probable matter he might furnish out and iustify his accusation if he should charge his Aduersary with leading men to Socmianisme yet obserue I pray you his pittifull condescendence in the close the clemency and temper of his victory in the much which he sayth he could do and the very little which he doth Pref. Yet notwithstanding all this I do not conceaue I haue ground inough for this odious imputation much lesse should you haue charged Protestants with it whom you confesse to abhorre and detest it Answ Now this is the misery and indeed the point of difference betweene him and his Aduersary that he conceaues he hath not ground inough for this odious imputation therefore imputes it not His Aduersary conceau's he hath nor vainely conceau's but know's and prou's it and therfore chargeth them with it that deserue it to the end they may cease to deserue it abhorre it not only in it selfe but in the necessary cause of it Many a one loueth the Father who loues not the child yet that beloued Father is the parent of that vnlouely child What if the Rauen abhorre her young ones or the Beare perhaps her whelp 's yet both these are the naturall yssue of both effect's as they are the brood and progenie so are they images and resemblances of their causes wherin the face of causes may be seene as in a mirrour And for what other end are looking-glasses made then to reflect and shew the face wherof they present the image Let him first cleare his maintainers from this imputation that Socianisme is the effect of Protestancy or let him shew at least by solid arguments that it is not the naturall issue of Protestancy but as a monstrous birth not intended I do not say by Protestants but by Protestancy according to a Phisicall necessary though not a morall and expressely voluntary intention or lastly that the generation is meerly casuall and occasionall Then let them say they detest and abhorre it otherwise their detestation is like theirs who detest the shame of sinne but loue the sinne Nor is it indeed worth God a mercy to any man to abhorre Socinianisme for it hath certainly a most vggly and deformed aspect to any eye that hath euer lookt Christianity on the face yea I verily belieue if we could see a damned fiend without the sinne of Socinianisme which made him one he would seeme a much more tolerable Spectacle yet this ChaÌ„pion is very confident that he can arme the Mother against the Child commit them in deadly Duell he can do much in this kind and so could she of whom one said Tu potes vnanimes armare in proelia fratres Thou can'st set brothers together by th' eares And if the Sonne chance to fall in the war we haue his epitaph at hand Nati sepulchrum est ipsae Parens the mothers wombe his tomb For I am assuredly persuaded their ends are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confatall he will die like a Sampson or like an Eleazar perhaps suo sepultus triumpho buried in his triumph Pref. O. but Protestants will fight against Socinianisme her proud Impe not with broken reeds so this Aduocate and out of the paper foriresses of an imaginary infallibility Answ So I belieue but out of a paper fortresse of reall fallibility which he hath raised them in this Volume which I dare say will proue a doughty Fortresse while he maintains it especially so armed if not with broken reed's a reed tho and such a reed of resolution as I trust a little wynd may shake it if it blow in the right corner and
falshood spring originally either from the frailty and ignorance of man or from the malice of the Diuell whose worke all Heresy and Falshood is To dissolue which worke of the Diuell the consubstantiall Word of the Eternall Father became man that man in him might become victorious ouer all falshood and Heresy which is the doctrine of flesh bloud the schoole and Iesson of the world which makes a party against Christian Religion Pref. Againe What if saith he the names of Priests and Altars so frequent in ancient Fathers though not in the now Popish sense be now resumed Answ I would fayne know when he will be so good as to shew vs the different sense of these names in the vse of ancient Fathers from the now Popish sense Neuer But at the least by this nominall Conformity the Church of England is put in a state by this regard more iustifiable against Bapists then before being hereby enabled to say to Papists whensoeuer these names are obiected we also vse the names of Priest and Altars and yet belieue neither the corporall presence Pref. nor any proper or propitiatory Sacrifice Answ But to omit that the ancient Fathers most frequently mention a Proper sacrifice too yea and a reall and corporall presence of Christ his body and blood in that sacrifice of the Altar wherin the Priest is sacrificant that all these things names are equally frequented by the vse of ancient Fathers it were well to consider whither this euasion will lead vs to wit into the very Hell of Sonanianisme Will you proue the Fathers belieued the Trinity Why Because there is frequent mention in them of three Persons Father Sonne and the Holy Ghost We Socinians also vse these names and yet we belieue not the Trinity in the now Popish sense nay they might apply this euasion to whatsoeuer mystery of fayth now generally belieued by Christians and of frequent mention in the holy Fathers Pref. Lastly sayth he what if Protestants be now put in mynd that for exposition of Scriptures they are bound by a Canon to follow the ancient Fathers which whosoeuer doth with sincerity it is vtterly impossible he should be a Papist Answ There spake a Iewell Behold the Phenix newly hatcht in his ashes already flush now this was well flowne surely he was resolu'd to strike home And an Hyperbole flyes from him with as great facility as an euen Truth but I know his shift that the Fathers had some priuate opinions which the Church hath antiquated and Catholiques now hold not orthodox therfore they who follow them will this Aduocate say cannot be Papists But this consequence is not worth a rush for those Fathers neuer held those opinions in opposition against the Church but were alway's ready to follow what the Church would determine in those points of doctrine as then vndefined like as they most readily imbraced all her doctrines already defined By which two Catholique properties their actuall conspiring in things defined and preparation to conspire in things to be defined they were truly Papists and whosoeuer follow 's those Fathers in this it is vtterly impossible he should not be a Papist The rest ensuing in his vindication of English Deuines is partly nothingelse but animosity of deniall and offering as it were to course sense with reason to proue by reason that the eyes of men see not what they see or see what they see not partly meere impertinences nothing to disprooue that change and alteration which his Aduersary describes but neither censures nor reprehends at all as this Sophist would make men belieue which done then after his solemne manner of conclusion he triumph's sicut exaltant victores captâ predâ quando diuidunt spolia as victor's are wont to exult hauing gotten some booty when they deuide the spoyles For euen so he deuides his presumed victory amongst his friends giuing euery man his share Pref. And thus my friends I suppose are clearely vindicated from your scandal's and Calumnies Answ No doubt as clearely as those were truly Calumnies and scandal's which were either none or they were his and of his owne making as I suppose I haue clearely proued His Answere to some personall Imputations SECT XXXVII Pref. IT remaineth now that in the last place I bring my selfe fairely off from your foule aspersions Answ Thus the Aduocate now his owne Clyent But by his leaue if this method can stand with the order of Charity which they say begins at home sure it doth not with the order of good Rhetorique according to which order he should first haue remoued his personall preiudices that he might be heard more fauourably in the behalfe of his Clyents or friends God himselfe may seeme to haue prescribed this order Peccatori autem dixit Deus Psalm 49. quare tu enarras Iustitias meas God said to the Sinner why dost thou preach my righteousnes God himselfe would not be iustified by a sinner Which very words of the holy King when that great Origen after his lapse moued by some intreaty of friends to say something out of the Chaire had chanc't to fall vpon them at the first ouerture of the booke are reported by some to haue drawne teares from his repentant silence insteed of speach of explicatiō By this rule then he should not in the last but rather in the first place haue iustified himselfe that so all rubbs of exception against his owne Person being taken away his iustification of other men might haue found a smoother way to the acceptāce of indifferent iudgments But I can as easily pardon his fayling in the rules of Rhetorique as of Logick of which he makes so loud profession and which he hath taken for his Cynosure in Religion in place of the Church of God yet if he affoard vs but truth in any method or order whatsoeuer for my part I can be satisfied Let vs now behold how he wipes off those foule aspersions They are only a number of false and impious doctrines petty charges which he saith he will not name in particular in that professeth his owne discretion and prouidence not to assist his Aduersary in spreading of his owne vndeserued defamation And yet for all that some man would thinke so many and mighty imputations should deserue an Apology Now in one word and that a word which no Socinian cares for he answers all Pref. Whosoeuer teaches or holds them let him be Anathema Againe The summe of all those charges cast vp by your self is this Nothing ought or can be certainely belieued further then it may be proued by euidence of naturall reason whosoeuer hold's so let him be Anathema Answ You haue his Laconique Answer to all Now Syr if the man be yet a Socinian as the presumption that he is is very graue and grounded what hath he said in saying let him be Anathema What waight hath this imprecation in the Socinian schoole Truly as much as a feather blowne to and fro by
inough that he quit the Catholique for temporall ends Pref. But it is incredible that if he had such ends or desires he should make choyce of Socinianisme Because sayth he Socinianisme explicates the law's of Christ with more rigour and lesse indulgence and condescendence to the desires of flesh and blood then Catholique doctrine doth Answ How true this is I will not heere dispute but giue it true So did the Manichaans so the Donatists so the Tertullianists so some other Heresies explicate some points of Christian doctrine and some sentences of Scripture more rigidly and more repugnantly to flesh and blood then the Catholique Church did and therfore those Explicator's were Heretiques and their rigor of doctrine Heresy because a man may be an Heretique vs well for the more as for the lesse But what is this to the surpose that Sucinianisme explicates the Law 's of Christ with greater rigour if it bind no man to belieue them or to belieue that they are the law 's of Christ the Sonne of God and therefore obligatory but leaues euery man free to his owne reason to belieue so much of them as he think's fit where is then the rigour So the doctrine of Caluin explicate's the lawes of God the Ten Commaundments not only hard but impossible to be kept Loe the rigour of explication Loe. but therefore he bind's no man to keep them Loe the indulgence of application That Socinianisme is the readiest way to temporall Aduancements SECT XLI ANother reason of incredibility that if the Motiue to abandon the Catholique Church had beene temporall respects or ends he would haue imbraced Socinianisme is this as followeth Pref. Socintanisme is a doctrine by which no man in his right mynd â—an hope for any honour or preferment either in this Church or state or any other Answ This I deny and auouch the quite contrary which is this that in any Protestant or not Catholique State a Socinian is most capable of aduancement My reason because Socinianisme bindeth no man to professe it publiquely nay it imposeth no obligation to any exterior act whatsoeuer which may yield the least sent or suspicion of it nay rather by the maine principle of it sana ratio right reason such as they terme right which so appeareth to euery man in particular they are obliged to exhibit no signe or shew at all which may hinder or crosse their designes therefore Socinianisme obligeth rather to all exteriour conformity Since therefore all Heresy is subiect to change and alteration alterable by the authority by which it stands the Socinian of all other is most ready to change with it and to conforme himselfe to any Church or state whatsoeuer as the waxe as yet vnprinted is capable of any impression and the Eye hauing in it self no colour receaues the formes or idols of all colours Therefore in such a Church or State no Sect is endued with so great aduantages as Socinianisme is which can without any difficulty or demurre put on the guise and liuery of any profession The Socinian can be a Puritan to day to morrow a Protestant the third day an Arminian and the fourth an Arrian and after so or so or neither so nor so Nor can I doubt but this is indeed the very principall cause why so many make this choyce For the Socinian is the only He who sayles with euery wynd whiles other professors some out of tendernesse or scruple iniected by the principles of their doctrine dare not yeild to the countermaund of secular authority others out of animosity of opposition or as it were the pride of their choyce will not conforme others out of the extreme hate of what they feare the hate I say of that truth which they feare will preuaile will not come in and while all these either by their not yielding or by direct opposition run hazard of their fortunes yea liues and liberty the smooth-faced Socinian arides euery change derides the folly of Non-conformants swims aloft like a Corke fall's and rises with the waues whatsoeuer stormes against religion or be the seas neuer so rough he will neuer drowne in briefe he is the one Pamphylus and Eutrapelus of tymes and fortunes the only State-humourer and State-complyer He might passe for a very wiseman in some heathen Philosophy a very Atheist in Christianity And tell me now is not this man in the high rode-way of preferment if which he must if he be true to his principles he can but keep his owne Counsell or impart it only to his confidents Adde vnto all this that wheresoeuer rules of Policy or Reasons of State sway the Gouernment more then rules of Piety or Religion the Socinian will be thought the fittest instrument for imployment in State-affaires who wil be wrought to any circumstance of aduantage who will vndertake yea and make good way through all those difficulties which neither Religion nor Honesty would venture vpon For who can question the aduantage which he hath ouer a Religion-bound Conscience who himselfe hath either none or a Socinian one which is so flexible changing with euery turne of fancy or affection varying with euery variety of occasion All which demonstrates to vse his word's that this foule aspersion is no false one or at the least not so cleanly wip't out but that notwithstanding all his purgations and compurgations it stick 's as fast and deepe as euer it did The Aduocates misconstructions of his Aduersaries Direction declared to be a iust and charitable Admonition SECT XLII AS for the fountaine whence this Aduocate supposeth these aspersions to haue proceded from a hart sayth he abounding with the gall and bitternes of vncharitablenes Pref. and euen blind with malice towards him I verily think whosoeuer knows both parties will neuer belieue this censure neither as proceeding from the one nor as against the other The Censurer will neuer deserue so much credit as to be delieued nor the Censured so much discredit as to be suspected of so much malice Besides that as I am informed his Charity and curtesy extended to this plainant in tyme and place haue deserued a better construction were he not growne now so forgetfull of all that he learned among Catholikes that he hath forgotten to construe Charity in any Christian language either words or deeds He might haue construed this foule aspersion which he so call's no aspersion at all but an Admonition and a needfull one least others might receaue infection from his contagious pen. He might haue interpreted it as proceeding from Zeale not a peruerse Zeale as his words are to his superstition which himselfe this Aduocate immediatly after call's the Catholique Cause Now to call the Catholique cause or Religion superstitioâ— is indeed to vse the phraze of the Chayre a very Bull. And howsoeuer he construes it out of his owne not Zeale which were a mere Solecisme in Socinianisme but his ouer and ouer and many tymes peruerted iudgment yet other more sober and
vnderstanding men comparing this Admonition with the profession and function of the Admonisher will interprete it a duety or a necessary Charity They I say who shall consider that the prudence of Almighty God ouer his Church hath for all tymes deputed certaine men to the charge and office of Gardian of Watch of Sentinell according to that of the Prophet Jsa 62 Super mures tues Hierusalem constitui custodes c. Vpon thy wals Hierusalem I haue placed watchmen will not only hold them worthy pardon but prayse too who discharge this office faythfully which followeth in that place Totâ die nocte non tacebunt c. Day nor night they shall not be silent And if men of that charge and prefecture be worthily honoured with the appellation of Angels to them most fitly may be applyed what the other Prophet sayth Angelis suis Deus mandauit de te c. God hath charged his angels to guard thee c. Yea were the Incumbent of such a Ministery neuer so meane of quality yet the obligation fals vpon him with his function to signify the approach of the thiefe or enemy Ezech. 33. and they who shall heare this sound of signification are likewise bound to take notice and stand vpon their Guard And yet if there be any who shall hold either their owne or other the like watchments silence or conniuency in these occasions of impendent dangers their greater prudence or discretion yet euen this their prudhominy or caution may be so much the more exensable if their stilnes be supplied by the barking of others And for this cause they will I thinke at the least excuse if not cherish such who by discharging them vndertake the whole burden of Enuy and perill vpon themselues But to such a minister who hath apostated and reapostated from Religion take which you will who hath delegated any such authority Vnles he will take it for his warrant which is written in the Canticles Posuerunt me custodem in vineis Cant. â— Vineam meam non custodiui they haue appointed me a keeper in the vineyards my owne Vineyard I haue not kept surely almighty God gaue him no such keeping And howsoeuer he think's the preiudice of his Person so often false and faultring in Religion should in equity be no disparagement to his doctrine or disaduantage to his Plea yet it is certainly so great and iust a preiudice that it dischargeth all men from giuing eare or credit to his reasons whatsoeuer they be and whatsoeuer he argues to the contrary in this place might as well Apologize for the Diuel who no doubt could vrge as strong and pressing Reasons against any profession of Religion as this Adnocate hath either learn't or can learne of him and yet I suppose no man is bound with indifference to heare Reason from the Diuell no although he preach Ghospell Yea I dare presume to say had Christ himself beene preiudged in the opinions of indifferent and vnderstanding men by the like presumptions so strongly and clearely made good against him the not acceptance of the Iewes had beene at the least excusable Which he himselfe not obscurely fignified by his appeale to themselues Quis ex vobis arguet me de peccate Who of you can charge me with any sinne as supposing that a sufficient warrant of their recusancy if they could iustly charge him with any sinne much more if they could haue charged him with so grieuous a crime as Infidelity or Socinianisme For who can belioue him who is presumed not to belieue himself For be his reasons neuer so strong yet he will be supposed able to answere them since he belieues not the doctrine built vpon those reasons No. Syr it cannot it must not be otherwise this preiudice must in reason staue off all beliefe vntill it be remoued And if either Bellarmine could haue beene proued a Iew or Peron an Atheist as easily as credibly as this Minister-Aduocate who by these base adiections seeltes to fly-blow their worthily memories with suspition can be proued a Socinian Calumny which is implicitely both Iew and Atheist their works and writings would haue as litle credit and authority as themselues fayth and religion Wherefore the Christian Reader that the streame of this Ministers discourse turned another way may serue to good vse Vt cursum mutaâ—it iniquum fragibus amnis Doctus iter melies knowing that his Saluation depends vpon his impartiall and fyncere iudgment of these things now to harken to Orthodoxe and seriously Christian Doctors rather then to Renegado's and Tâ—aitorâ— to all states of Religion and to bend a more inclinable eare to Vertue then to Vice is no partiality at all will guard himself I hope from such impostors and will regard the person also not only his reasons and who it is speaks to him not only what he speakes knowing that if the Diuell vtter some truthes euen in those truthes he conceales a false and diuellish meaning and after that he hath gained credit by the attractiue splendor of some true doctrines he will hope to be belieued euen when he lyes and so howsoeuer appearing first in the inuesture of light and truth he will proue an Angell of darknes and Imposture It hath beene the vsuall Practise of all hereticall writers to embellish their discourses with as many verities as they could possibly inculcate without apparent contradiction or repugnancy Euen this deuise begot not a little esteeme to the Answerer of Charity mistaken he had employed his care to make his work popular and taking by the intermedling of many Catholique truth's this was it which so much commended it to the vulgar Reader whose capacity could not sound the incoherence and inconsistency of those truth 's with the fashood's which he principally intended to bring into credit by consorting thom with those therefore when he heard his worke so popularly applauded he might haue said with great truth and modesty as she who hearing her self highly praysed for the hayre she wore said Nescis quam pro melaudat nunc iste Sicambram The rest which followeth in this Prefatory Answere to the Direction and immediatly precedeth his Conclusion is a briefe recollection as it seemes of what is scattered in his ensuing Volume trust vp together with a number of points fastned all to one chiefe point and maine head of Doctrine which is indeed a most false Principle in the sense he pretendeth That all things necessary to Saluation are euidently contained in Scriptures Whence it will follow that the beliefe of the B. Trinity is not necessary to Saluation as which in this Aduocates opinion as I haue noted heretofore is not euidently reuealed in the Scriptures And yet grant this principle true it will follow that the authority determining Controuersies of fayth cannot be the Scripture but the Church for it is notorious that some Her eticall doctrines haue beene grounded vpon some ineuident passages of Scripture and those vented as doctrines of
indeed a waighty inducement to belieue that to be the true Church foresignified by the spirit of God wherein those signes wherewith God hath fore-marked and predesigned the true Church are euident to be seen then contrariwise if those signes and markes of the true Church are not to be found in the Protestant this ought in reason to induce a man to belieue that the Protestant is not the true Church For where the connexion betweene the signe and the thing signed is indiuisible there the inference is good proceeding from the destruction of the signe to the destruction or deniall of the thing signed or signified As to say heere is not the indiuisible signe Ergo heere is not the thing signed This I say supposing such infallible Connexion which in this case ought to be supposed such deuine prediction and the veracity of God being presupposed which tyeth the signe and the thing signed togeather by an inuiolable and indissoluble knot I say further that it is false that Nations haue been conuerted to the true Religion of Christ by men of contrary Religions which thus I demonstrate Those contrary Religions or Professions of Religion though they might be both or all false yet both or all could not be true as the Roman Orator sayth well pronouncing vniuersally of dissenting opinions Now of the true Religion conuerting men to the true there is no question but of the contrary or repugnant to the true Thus I argue Either the Professors of a false Religion taught and preacht ' according to their false principles or doctrine and then by those they neuer conuerted any to the true Religion or else they taught true principles and true doctrine of Christian fayth If so then if by those true Principles c. they conuerted men to Christian fayth though themselues were not true Christians yet they conuerted as agreeing and consenting with the true Religion not as opposers or as men of a contrary Religion As if a heathen should baptize by applying the matter and forme of baptisme with intention to do what Christians are wont to do by the like application then not Heathenisme but Christian Religion baptizeth by a Heathen Nor can this Argument be retorted by the Protestant for it will easily be made to appeare that Catholiques haue conuerted Nations to and by those doctrines wherein they dissent from protestants whereas neither Protestants nor any other oppugners of the Catholique will euer be found to haue conuerted Nations by preaching the doctrine wherein they disagree from the Catholique but moreouer as for the Protestants they neuer conuerted any neither by their disagreeing nor agreeing doctrines Nay euen this confirmes if at any tyme it so fall out the truth and efficacy of Christian Religion and the accomplishment of those prophetique Predictions when euen the alien or opposer of true Religion who can achieue no one Conuersion to Christianity by his owne repugnant doctrine can and doth effect it by vertue of Christian Truth which I say this supposed that any such Precedent may be cited out of antiquity of some Conuersion to Christian Religion wrought by an alien Professour though the entire Conuersion of a nation by any such separate instrument I belieue hath no Precedent in ancient memory For the reasons which I haue touched heretofore and in a word according to the ordinary and connatuâ—all course of diuine proceedings in such affaires Non hos elegiâ— Dâ—minus See the Examples commonly alleaged answered also in Authours God is not went to make choyce of such men to be his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as S. Paul and after him S. Denis speakes his cooperators or coâ—diâ—tors in the reduction of soules This is too great an honour to be coserred vpon an alion or enemy of Religion So then your fifth Motiue stands yet fast and irremoued by you like to some pillar which raised in the Church by some Architect stands there fix't and firme euen when the workman is gone farre away yea now perhaps dead and rotten or as while many a weary person leaning vpon that pillar findeth case and rest the drunken Artist receaues no ease at all from it but reeles stagger's in the wide field vntil he fall dead drunke vpon the ground or into some ditch c. Iust so M. Aduocate Hac à te non multâ—m abludit imago this is no bad picture of your selfe VI. Motiue Because the Doctrine of the Church of Rome is conformable and the doctrine of Protestants contrary to the doctrine of the Fathers of the Primitiue Church euen by the confession of the Protestants themselues I meane those Fathers who liued within the compasse of the first 600. yeares to whom Protestants themselues do very frequently and very confidently appeale VI. Remotiue The Doctrine of Papists is confess'd by Papists contrary to the Fathers in many points VI. Promotiue Nether will this Motiue be remoued with so weake a push which thus I confirme It is vntrue that any learned Papist confesseth that the doctrine of faith of moderne Papists is contrary to the doctrine of the Fathers in any point of faith theÌ„ defined by the Church If from some they differ in some point now defined then not defined this is no formall contrariety in points of faith that is as they are points of fayth obligatory to belief which they are not before they be defined by the Church which being the sole infallible interpreter of diuine reuelation by propounding any point of doctrine as diuinely reuealed makes it now formally the obiect of necessary beliefe which was before only materially such But neither againe in regard of such differences is this contrariety of some opinions betweene the moderne Papists and some of the ancient Fathers any formall opposition For since they so held those disserent doctrines then vndefined as being ready to let them go when the Church should define the contrary euen in vertue of this readines or preparation of mynd they held implicitely and in a sort equiualently the very same which we now hold after the definition of the holy Church But the Protestants Appeale to those Fathers of the first 600. yeares is a very brag and imposture of a Iewell not worth one barley corne Campian Neque hoc sibi suisque vulnus inflictum Laurentius Humfredas tacuit For since in this vno tertio in this middle terme of submitting all our iudgmeÌ„ts doctrines to the authority decision of the Catholike Church we ioyne with the Fathers both of those 600. all succeeding yeares eueÌ„ to this present age we caÌ„not but meet in the coÌ„clusion of whatsoeuer doctrine of faith As contrariwise for want of this concurrence in one third or middle terme all hopes of Protestants or any Sectary whatsoeuer euer to ioyne with those Orthodoxe Fathers is spes Hypocritarum a vaine presumption rather then any solid hope as of such who couet to make some shew of agreement with those Peeres of Christian Religion thereby to procure
condemned Heretiques endeauoured not sufficiently by all other meanes within the compasse of their abilities Pope Councell and Church excepted to find out the true sense of the Scripture or to belieue it in the true sense Remot For he that belieues the Scripture syncerely and endeauours to belieue it in the true sense cannot possibly be an Heretique Promot Who shall now be able to iudge or condemne any Heretique After what manner shall he frame his inditement Who shall be able to conuince a sincere Professour him or her who professeth sufficiently his endeauour to belieue Scripture in the true sense by his most daily versing and conuersing with it his most punctuall citation of Booke Chapter and Verse who will hardly exchange an ordinary salutation but in the Scripture-phrase who I say shall be able to conuince his want of endeauour to belieue the Scripture in the true sense especially being required to belieue that only and no man liuing nor nothing else who can condemne him for an Heretique whatsoeuer he belieue or belieue not Tell me Aduocate is this the way whereby to meet in that one Rendeuous Ephes 4. of which S. Paul Denes occuramus omnes in vnitatem fidei these as many seuerall beliefes as seuerall or diuerse or contrary vnderstandings of the Scriptures these so many wayes some on the left some on the right hand some forward some quite backward besides a thousand subdiuisious of so many seuerall wayes of doctrines and interpretations Where fall they into one way Yes you poynt me out the very place where after many wyndings and Meanders they fall as riuers into one Sea that is the Scripture endeauoured to be belieued in the true sense But good Syr Scripture in all those senses is not Scripture is not the word of God nether doth any mans endeauour to belieue it in the true sense make it the word of God as it is vnderstood in a false But it is the word of God you will say perhaps to them who conceaue it so But so might Baal and Astaroth and Ieroboams Calues be Gods to those who belieued they were so there is no Idolatry at all And certainely as well no Idolatry as no Heresy and heresy it selfe is a spirituall Idolatry So euery falshood as belieued to be reueald by God and warranted by holy Scripture is an I doll of the Vnderstanding and an I doll as such is nothing S. Paul hath no reall subsistence is a meere fancy or Chymera What an vnity then of faith will this be consisting of so many diuisioÌ„s what a strange harmony composed of so many iarring discord's may not a man dreame as good a Faith and as good an vnity of religion as this is Cuius velut agri somnia vana Finguntur species ut nec pes nec caput rui Reddatur forma Furthermore it is manifest that such an vnity of fayth cannot stand with trne Vnity of Charity For euen naturally affections of the will follow in proportion of sympathy the iudgments dict a mens of the Vnderstanding So dissention of iudgments hath euer beene and is and will be the seed and parent of inter-warring and hostile affections as betweene the Lutherans and Caluinists Moreouer Charity is candida and rubicunda of a light and fiery constitution Ignem veni mittere in mundum and sent it was in fiery Tongues Now Candor and Heat are so natur'd and tempered according to physiology and experience it selfe that they seuer and disiect and dissolue Heterogenious copulations which darke cold amasseth togeather So diuine Charity where it groweth from the root of vnited faith dissolueth not onely contradictory doctrines in points of Faith with which it cannot consist on both sides and that by an instantaneous mutation as the sun-shine dispels darknes in a moment but more and more as it increaseth attoneth differences of lesse consequence as interposed cloudes impeaching greater heat and radiancy of Charity Remot And if no more then this were required of a man to make him capable of the Churches Communion then all men so qualified though they were different in opinion yet notwithstanding any such difference must be of necessity one in Communion Prom. Loe you the Man who I foresaw would do meruailes and is not this a compelle intrare strangely interpreted A great busines hath beene made in requiry after lost-sheep such as had strayed from the flock of Christ such as our Forefathers haue alwayes supposed Heretiques to be so much a do so much wearines in labouring their reduction so frequent and earnest prayer and pealing heauen with sighes and groanes of a Christian zeale and Charity so much fasting and voluntary maceration directed to that end so many hazardous expeditions aduentures in this spirituall quest of such as haue attempted their recouery to the very losse of their bloud and liues Now all this is proclaimed folly and lost labour our Forefathers silly Babes and sonnes of Ignorance compared with a late borne Doctour dropt out of the skies God know's how to fetch back those lost sheep though neuer so far stragling a sunder neuer so opposite and oppugnant and euen whether they will or no to make them of necessity of one Communion and one Church Nay wheresoeuer they be neuer so far from the fold yet they must be within it of necessity he hath found a meanes to incircle them with an Ocean with an Amphitrite of Scripture yea to ingird them with the very strings of a Geneua-Bible Nor will he fetch in those aboue ground only he will rake Hell to find them out and bring them into his Churches Communion euen maugre Hell and maugre themselues were it not only to be out of Hell for the tyme. For what saist thou Arius Hadst thou not Scriptures for for thy opinion Yes and did'st thou not endeauour to belieue them in the true sense Yes Come thou art a good Christian thou must be one in our Communion thou hast beene iniured furto sublatus es è terrâ Hebraeorum Gen. 4. hic innocent in lacum missus es the Papists eiected thee by a preuailing faction and now hither they haue sent thee to be the Diuels Prisoner And thou Donatus thou could'st not abide the Pope no more then I. What saist thou didst thou belieue the Scriptures Yes and didst thou not endeauour to belieue them in the true sense Yes And had'st thou not Scripture for thy doctrine Yes very good Scripture Iudica mihi c. vbi pascas vbi cubes in meridie by this Scripture and by the eleuation of the Pole and the meridian line I belieued the Church could not but be in Africk and if in Africk then surely in parte Douati I promise you a very good Christian you haue both Scripture and right reason grounded vpon Scripture and your deduction is according to the neuer-failing-rules of Logique at least you thought so did you not Yes M. Aduocate And that thought or iudgement of yours was neuer coÌ„uinc't with any argument which in your iudgment was vnanswerable No I was neuer so silenc't but I had something to say So you remained still vnconuinc't To my dying day Syr. Good Syr neither do I go about to conuince you you are as good a Christian as I am for ought I know Let me alone with the Papists I le presume to re-enter and re-enrole you in Communion of Christians let them do what they can you shal be postliminie restitutus I le breake a hole in the Church wall bring you in that way if the worst come to the worst and if the Papists will be vnreasonably obstinate you shall be one of our New Academy and geere all Religions Pardon me M. Aduocate if I seeme to personate you in this Dialogue if I make bold to entertaine you in the behalf of those anciently styled Heretiques your Charity as widely extending I suppose as your faith hath created in me a iust Presumption that you will reiect no Clyent so qualified as your selfe haue described Within the limit's and precincts of which description I verily thinke there neuer was so very a Terrae filius so very a Giant of so ignoble and obscure extraction no man euer so out-law'd or bandited out of all Christian Communion of all those fore-damned Heretiques but he could make it appeare that he had liued and dyed and consequently a Diocesian of your Church But euen these are too narrow marches for your Charity it will extend it selfe yet further Turkes Iewes Infidels and Heathens too so they belieue a God as shall appeare hereafter all which no doubt you will oblige vnto you no lesse then him or those who gaue you thanks for shewing them a way to heauen without Faith THvs farre I haue play'd the Promooter if any man will take this occasion to call me so but then let him remember that I am his Promooter whom we may suppose to haue beene the first Moouer in these Motiues which as all moouing Verities may truely say in ipso viuimus mouemur sumus Act. 17. Then let him who list call me Gods Promooter Iglory in this name I professe it nor will I be ashamed of my Profession Thus euen the Apostles as they were his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his cooperators or coadiutors so they were Gods Promooters Nâ—me autem vestrum patiatur quasi homicida 1. Pet. 4. aut fur aut maleficus aut alienorum explorator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I thinke we may interprete it an Informer Let no man suffer himselfe deseruedly to be called such a Promooter si autem vt Christianus non crubescat if as a Christian Promooter let him heare it without blushing For this is our confort as dayly as the crime 2. Cor. 6. vt Seductores Veraces This by way of Preuention FINIS Gentle Reader THE faults which haue escaped in printing by reason of the vncorrected copy and imploying of strangers not skillfull in our language I hope are not very many nor yet such as may not easily be corrected by thy iudicious Reading