lit c. 21. Austin was that Scripture or Scriptures written in their harts Quid sunt leges Dei seriptae in cordibus nisi ipsa prasentia spiritus sancti qui est digitus Dei What are law's of God written in harts of men but the presence of the holy Ghost who is the fingar of God And this Scripture of hart 's was foretold by the Prophet Hieremy Cap. 31. Post dies illos after those days that is in the tyme of the Ghospell dabolegem meam in visceribus eorum in corde eorum scibam eam I will giue my law in their bowels and write it in their hart There was then the Scripture the Word of God the Ghospell There I say as in the Autographon the authentique the originall instrument out of that authentique and originall transcribed and copied out in parchment's or papers If then euery transcript or copy retain's the credit of a true copy or transcript so far forth as it is found agreeing with the originall it followeth that whatsoeuer we receaue vpon the authority of Scripture we receaue it first from and vpon the credit of the Church And what we read or vnderstand as Scripture is to be compared with that authentique least it may proue a false copy which we presume to be Scripture or the word of God Since then the holy Ghost euen to the consummation of the world resideth in the Church of Christ according to his promise it followeth euidently that the word of God is in the Church as in the Authentique and Originall but in writings of inke and paper only as in Copies and Transcripts What madnes then what grosse absurdity is this to belieue the Copy rather then the Originall Or with what sense can any man pretend to vnderstaÌ„d this Copy or Transcript as written with inke and paper better then by the liuing voyce of the Author himselfe of that anthentique originall the Church Since in the Church of Christ and only there resides the Author of holy Scriptures perpetually and successinely writing them and the verities contained in them in the hart 's and soules of Christians members of that Church as they are vnited by vnity of one fayth and charity with their head Christ Iesus Whence it followes furthermore that to say we receaue the Scriptures from the Church but not the sense and meaning of them is to speake contradictories For both the meaning and vnderstanding of Scriptures is in the Church and only there with certainty and infallibility of interpretation where that spirit dwel's which alone can interprete infallibly his owne authentique And besides not the letter written but the sense and meaning of the writing or the Verities therein contained are the Scripture or word of God Therefore if they receaue not these from the Church they receaue not the holy Scriptures thence but a mute and dead writing a riddle to be read according to ech man's fancy and coniecture For as no man knoweth what is hidden in the hart and soule of man but the spirit which is in man so no man can probably presume to vnderstand those hidden Verities that wisedom of God occultat am in mysterio hidden in mistery howsoeuer appearing in words but the spirit of God First therefore Christians are to inquire where that spirit is the Author of Scripture and the doore by which we must enter into the Scripture for he that presumeth to enter another way as by the way of human reason and discourse Philosophy or the like as by a posterne is worthily suspected to be a theefe in Religion it is he who openeth the sense and vnderstanding of men extending it to a more large spheare of capacity which naturall reason shuâ—'s vp and confines within the narrow bounds of naturall principles and discourse vpon them We are to enquire I say if we are yet to seeke where this spirit residesâ— and since we treat this busines with such as pretend to be vmpir'd by Scriptures to them we say as Christ to the Iewes Joh. 5. scrutamini scripturas quia vos putatis in ipsis vitam aeternaÌ„ habere Search the Scripture for there you thinke to haue life eternall Where that spirit of truth was promis'd to continue by our Sauiour there certainly it is to be sought and found and only there There I say where Christ would be nobiscum omnibus diebus vsque ad consummationem saculi to continue with vs to the worlds end from that time omnibus diebus all the day 's of posterity not by tymes or inter-spaces or intermission of his presence nor with them alone to whom he then personally directed his speach who were not to continue all the day 's of future ages vnto the worlds end and which could not be vnderstood of them as after their death inuested with immortality and in possession of eternity wherein there is neither plurality of dayes nor consummation of tyme but with their progeny and the ofspring of their Fayth who were to belieue in Christ by them and whom he ioyned with his Apostles in his prayer for them Joh. 17. and sure his prayer was heard vt ipsi vnumsint c. That they also may be one by vnity of fayth and charity vt credat mundus that the world may belieue not this age of men alone but in that sense wherein he commaunded that the Ghospell should be preach't to euery creature and belieue What quiae tu me misisti that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God Enquire then what Society of men that is who in succession to the Apostles and from their tymes in all ages haue taught and still do teach that Christ is the sonne of God who euen in this last age of vs and our Fathers haue taught this to the East and West of Indians c. and when you haue found that Society of Christian professor's when you haue found out the sunne in the clearest midday know that you haue found the Church of Christ and with that the word of God the Scriptures the Gospell together with the true and infallible interpretation of these For this Society of men is indeed Epistola Christi the Epistle yea and Ghospell of Christ 2. Cor. 3â— written non atramento sed spiritu Dei viui not with inke but with the spirit of the liuing God and this Scripture is that qua legitur ab omnibus hominibus which all men read not only such who can read the Scripture written in Hebrew Grecke or Latin c. but euen such as cannot read at all For as this Scripture is written not with inke but with the spirit in the hartes of Christians so it appeareth not in the exterior traict's of Characters but in the exterior profession and liues and Christian vertues of Christians There I say it is read euen by such who know no letters For as in the creation of Nature that creating and conseruing power of God omnipotent his wisedom also
to himselfe a glorious Church hauing neither spot nor wrinkle nor any such thing And is all this come at length to a de iure not de facto to a what should be only not a what is And is this that state of beauty no lesse permanent then spotles wherein tyme which withers and wrinkles all the beauty of fields ' and flowers ' aruit foenum cecidit flos should cause no fading or impayring because 1. Pet. 1. Verbum Domini manet in aeternum that word of truth is euerlasting which as the forme and soule of beauty in this glorious spouse should neuer abandon her Now doth Christ Iesus thus sanctify his Spouse or no hath he purchast her this permanent Beauty or no If no then is he frustrate of his designe which was to espouse vnto himselfe a Church which should de facto indeed not deiure of duty only be euer Holy for though it be placed in the particular choice of euery single man to be holy or no thus and in such sort that no man is or shall be holy or vertuous of force or against his wil or not freely yet it is not in the particular choice or power of any particular man or men no nor in the malice of Hell it selfe to effect that Christ Iesus shall not haue a holy Church on earth euen to the worlds end For this was the intent of his precious death bloud-shed vt sanctificaret that he might de facto fanctify his Spouse that he might acquire vnto her a perpetuity of beauty not a duty only to preserue it And this intent can neuer be frustrate and yet it should be if the spouse of Christ should only of duty alwayes be holy but were not so indeed Or tell me is she spotlesse who should haue no spot's but hath them Is that a faire face which should be so and is not hath she no wrinkles who should haue none Rem But God hath neither decreed nor foretold that his true doctrine should de facto be alway's visibly profess't without any mixture of falshood Prom. What because he hath not foretold it to you who haue lost your eares of hearing or haue stop't them with humane reason or dwell too neere the Catadupa and the noise of waters or conuerse with bleating or bellowing cattle in fine haue your attention taken vp in the traffick care and tumult of earthly commodities that you cannot heare the musick of the Sphear's or the harmony of heauenly Truth And haue all men forfaited their eares since you haue beene deafe on the left eare or forgotten what you haue heard heretofore with the right But to other men it hath beene told and foretold in all the languages of the world they haue heard it foretold in those words of Esay Esay 35. Eterit ibi semita via via Sanctorum vocabitur hae erit vobisvia directa c. and this shall be a direct or straight way so that fooles shall not mistake it But Socinians are no simple fooles they may mistake it Now if this way be humane reason humanum est errare nothing human as such is exempt from error If the Scripture be this way the wisest may erre in interpreting it and then it is no way or at least not the way of Saints nor the true and straight way when a false interpretation hath distorted it But the doctrine of the Church is that Via Sanctorum the way of Saints wherein the spirit of truth residing according to promise interprets holy Scriptures which then becoms a way and a straight way wherin a Foole shall not erre 1. Cor. 3. Ibid. a Foole I say who hath made himself a foole that he may be made wise by Christian wisedom which is folly to the world and to Socinianisme as the wisedom of the world and Socinian Reason is madnes and folly to God and Christian Religion Againe they haue heard foretold in those words of our Sauiour Math. 28. 16. Ecce ego vobiscum sum c. and those other Et portae tuferi non praualebunt aduersus eam the power of hell shall not preuaile against it the preseruation of the Church of God from error of doctrine from all falshood of heresy They vnderstand it decreed by God Ephes and foretold by S. Paul Et ipse dedit quosdam Apostoles alios prophet as c. ad consummationem sanctorum in opus ministerij which worke of ministery necessarily supposeth visibility of the Ministers and ministred in adificationem corporis Christi for the edifying or building vp the body of Christ which is his Church the members whereof being to accede throughout all ages to this mysticall body by the Visible ministery of those Visible ministers Prelates Teachers and Gouernours inferre a necessity of true doctrine visibly taught or to be taught them by those their Prelates without which truth of doctrine they could not be the regenerate issue of the spirit of Truth They haue likewise heard the Church of God called by S. Paul 1. Tim. 1. Domus Deiviui columna firmamâ—ntum Veritatis the house of the liuing God the pillar and proppe of truth Of the house of God it is said Domum tuam decet sanctitudo Domine Psalm 92. in longitudinem dierum sanctitude becomes thy house O Lord for euer which fanctitude consistes in the rectitude of the vnderstanding and will of man rectified by truth of doctrine both in fayth and manners Ibid. And this is sure that visible house wherin S. Timothy was to be wary and to know how to conuerse for the edification and example of others who should be eye-witnesses and eare-witnesses of his doings and sayings This Church is also the pillar and proppe of Truth which proppe or pillar surely shall stand while truth hath need of a proppe which shall be in order to mankind while man is mortall obnoxious to errour and lapse in question of diuine truth To this pillar of Truth Isa 59. Johan 14.16 Johan 16.13 the spirit of God is by speciall Couenant tied to the worlds end or is himself this pillar of Truth and that spirit of truth which shall teach the Church and by the Church omnem veritatem all truth that is all necessary truth which necessary truth certainly excludes all falshood in doctrine of fayth and manners which are the points in contestation between the Catholicks and Protestants All this and much more the Fathers and Doctors of the Catholique Church haue heard and belieued as foretold and decreed by God concerning the Visible profession of true doctrine in the Church of Christ without any mixture of falshood and the continuance of such Visible Profession de facto not de iure only Nor if you can glosse these Scriptures to anothersense shall they cease for that to tell vs this truth to whom the Catholique Church doth so interpret them and who as sonnes of obedience haue learned to turne the
of difference betweene vs and you which point held by you in opposition to the Roman Catholique hath euer beene countenanc't by any least miracle of our Sauiour or his Apostles or the opposite doctrine of Catholiques confounded by the like testimony For if you make not this appeare by your sunne of Euidence those diuine and supernaturall miracles what will remaine for your confirmation but ignis fatuus I know your Sanctuary when you haue tost turned all your creditable records and euidences you will shew vs forsooth that those points of fayth which you haue receaued and hold of the Catholique Roman Church though the tenure be merely Hereticall that is of voluntary choice because it pleaseth you to hold some such as import no restraint or that some face of truth may appeare like the face and song of Siren's to draw men vpon your rock's of pernicious Heresies those I say you will proue to haue beene attested and confirmed by those miracles of our Sauiour and his Apostles which will help your cause nothing at all but rather weaken it when by such testimony of miracles you can confirme no other doctrine but what you haue receaued from vs. Neither yet are those doctrines yours which you can proue to haue beene so confitmed I say no otherwise yours then those things which you haue stolne or keep by force from the right owners therefore they are with you as children rauish't from their mothers bosome and the company of their brethren by the Turket or Mâ—ret with whome they remayn so sequestred perforce daily testifiyng by their sighes and grones the tyranny of their restraint and their defire to returne to their Mother brethren After this violent manner are those Catholique doctrines with you and thus are holy Scriptures in your not custody but captiuity both of them entertained by you to no other end but to be slaues and seruants to your owne children the peculiar dâ—â—trines of your Schisme to carry torches before them to gaine â—ome reputation of light to those workes of darknes Although for Scriptures as I haue said before and say againe no Heretique hath them properly that is as they are the word of God which they are not but as truly interpreted for which truth of interpretation he can pretend no warrant or title at all For the Scriptures are not only the word of God but the word of the Church which hauing first conceaued them by the holy Ghost the spirit of truth brought them forth to light and bequeathed them from age to age to the children of her obedience made partakers of the same spirit and therfore they only can discerne them to be the word of God which is only discernable to those to whom it is spoken or reuealed by the same spirit which is only in the Church of Christ the one mysticall body of Christ which is also called the spirit of Christ and therefore is not to be found in any other Body or Society of men for then Christ should be the head or heads of more bodies which is absurd blasphemy And as the Church of God alone is endued with this spirit of discretion whereby she discernes what Scripture is the word of God so this Church alone hath the spirit of interpretation of Scriptures and she alone can certainly say this is the sense and meaning of this Scripture who can truly say this is Scripture as only that Daniel cold declare the interpretation and meaning of Nabuchâ—donozors dreame who could tell him what he had dreamed which none of those Wizards or Sorcerers or Enchanters could do who yet professed they would interprete the dreame so he would tell them what he had dreamed But the wise King belieued them not qua sunâ— per Allegoriam dicta But heere good Sir I must tell you as a friend I am ashamed to sâ—â— a man of your expectation hopefull promisings to come forth in this thred-bare liuery of old Heretiques this appeale from Church to Scriptures There was neuer so putide an Heretique which hauing once cast off the authority of the Church could not find some refuge or sanctuary in the darknes of Scripture hauing also togeather with that authority excussed taken to himselfe the freedome of interpreting Scriptures Belie us it Syr. it is and euer will be a maine presumption that you draw â—nder the same yoke with former Heretiques when you can not get out of the same Cart-rout which they haue track't before you Et monstrata diâ— veteris trabis â—rbita â—ulpa For first you haue gone out of the Roman Catholique Church so they from the authority of that Church you appeale to Scriptures so they then you interprete Scriptures according to your single vnderstanding without any other liuing guide or Vocall authority so they being gone out you turne all your power of Pen-gall against that Church whence you went forth so they But neither you nor your patrons nor Apostles conuert any nation to Christian fayth nor they You reduce few sonles from sinfull courses to better life nor they In the whole number of your Patriarches you cannot name one Saint nor they I see how you haue consociated your self and your Clyent 's with the knowne Heretiques of former tymes I would gladly know someone distinctiue signe by which you discerne and vindicate your selues from the formall character or character 's markes or brands of ancient Heretiques In the meane tyme let vs examin the remnant of this Remotiâ—e Rem This booke c. foretell's me plainly that in after ages great signes and wonders shall be wrought in confirmation of false doctrine Prom. But hath it fore told you that in after ages no true miracle shall be wrought in confirmation of true doctrine If not it hath foretold you nothing to the purpose you pretend Rem And that I am not to belieue any doctrine which seemes to my vnderstanding repugnant to the first Prom. Wâ—â—ch seemes repugnant c. to your vnderstanding Most ridiculâ—us 〈◊〉 no such thing was euer foretold you by the Booke of Gods Word you dreamed it But that doctrine is not to be belieued which to an infallible vnderstanding which is the vnderstanding of the Church which is guided by the spirit of truth is not only seemingly but really repugnant to Apostolicall doctrine But still you put vs in mynd of your Character your appeale to your owne vnderstanding you will not out of this Cart-rout Rem But that true doctrine should in allages haue the testimony of miracles that I am no where taught Prom. Are you any where taught the contrary Or that the testimony of miracles promised by our Sauiour is confined within a certain compasse or period of tyme Hath the Church only a lease of miracles for terme of yeare and if it hath when expired that terme or lease Vnles you can tell vs this for ought you know it is yet in being Now the promise of our Sauiour being conceaued and exprest in plaine words
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
such fayth besides the necessity of it cannot possibly mooue any scorne to religion Pref. but is rather most fit and congruous to beget a more honourable conceipt due Veneration of diuine mysteries in faythfull soules For those other who out of an excesse of an Hyperbolicall Pride will seeme to scorne whatsoeuer stand's without their sphere or because they are not will suppose there are no Eagles we can expect no lesse from them For this indeed is that verbum crucis pereuntibus stultitia that word of the crosse folly and matter of scorne to those who perish 1. Cor. 1. ijs autem qui salui fiunt id est nobis sayth S. Paul virtus Dei but to them that are saued that is to vs it is the Power of God And he who tell 's them which this Aduocate takes so hainously that he makes it some part of his Apology for Atheisme that they were as good not belieue at all as belieue with a lower degres of fayth Pref. meaning human fayth only sayth no more but true that humane fayth can neuer aspire to the purchase of supernatur all hopes that therefore in regard of euerlasting Saluation if it grow no higher it becomes fruitles and lost labour As if a generall pardon were proclaimed for all such who should make their personall appearance in such a Court or Pallace before the king vpon such a day or within such a space of tyme a man should say it were as good stay at home as to goe to the Court only and neuer enter or appeare in presence of the king because the pardon was granted to such personall appearance made not to such a iourney made for so likewise Saluation and pardon of sinnes is proclaimed and promised to such a fayth as should enter those adita those sacraries or treasuries of diuine hopes not to such as cannot and will not enter but stand without S. Leo Serm. 7. de Nat. in the mist of humane reasons or in the smoke of worldly wisedom vnable to ascend into that presence of Maiesty And yet there forsooth will they stand by this Aduocat's aduise nor goe one foot further or higher then they can see the way in that mist and will yet I thinke contest with diuine Wisedome yea and quarrell too if he vouchsafe not to come downe a degree lower and pardon them vpon equall termes or shew them some conuincing reason why it should be necessary to clymbe vp those staires of diuine fayth or why they should not sufficiently deserue pardon by taking so much paines in comming as farre as they could vpon the plaine and eauen ground of reason and why his Maiesty should annexe vnto his pardon such impossible and contradictory conditions as to require a voluntary and certaine assent to things in humane reason impossible that many moderate and considering men who would otherwise come readily and sue forth their pardons according to his Proclamation hearing of these conditions fly backe and belieue that there is either no such pardon to be expected and that this is but some forged Proclamation or that surely it is or should be granted vpon reasonable termes and such conditions as may sute with mens abilities that conditions of this impossible and contradictory nature are likely to make considering men scorne all pardons and all religion So they with their lower degree of fayth where I leaue them disputing with God at the foot of the staires proceed For thus is followeth The Church compared with Scripture SECT XIII Pref. LAstly I should desire you to consder whether your pretence that there is no good ground to belieue Scripture but your Churches infallibility ioyned with your pretending no ground for this but some text's of Scripture be not a faire way to make them that vnderstand themselues belieue neither Church nor Scripture Answ This Cauill or Calumny we might retort as he is wont almost totidem verbis as thus Whether their pretence that there is no good ground or rule whereby to determine what is truth in doctrine of fayth but Scripture ioyned with their pretending no ground for this but some text's of Scriptures togeather with euery mans naturall reason interpreting it which is as errant a guide and diuerse as the head 's of men be not a faire way to make men that vnderstand themselues belieue neither their doctrine nor their Scripture But what is this to him who cares not how his argument reflects vpon himselfe so it wound the Catholique who will be content like another Samson or Eleazar to be crush't to death vnder the ruine of his Aduersaries Trahere cùm pereas inuat he is cōtent that the ship be shot through and through wherein he sayles with the Catholique nay this would be his glory Solus nequis occidere nobiscum potes But what if we be deceaued all this while What if he be not the man Achylles himselfe but a Patroclus in his guise and fighting in his armour while he with his Socinian Myrmidons stands aloofe out of shot or if he fight and fall with Protestancy he will reuiue and reuenge himselfe in Socinianisme What I say if all this arguing for Protestancy against the Catholique be nothing else but a cunning vndermining to blow vp both Or what if this Switzer in religion fight only for pay To day for Holland to morrow perhaps for Spaine but if the warre and seruice grow hoat he willl serue neither he wil returne home and sleepe safe in the new Academy and in a whole skin Notwithstanding because this arrow howsoeuer flying from hart or hand only for Religion or for Pay being shot against a rock not entring there may chance to glance and wound some stander by who is neither rock nor rocky it will not be amisse to fore-arme such by fore-warning them It is false then which he presumeth Gratis that we pretend no other ground for the infallibility of the Church but some texts of Scriptures nor is our doctrine so incoherent to it selfe but as before and without Scripture the Church could truly say Visum est spiritui sancto nobis it hath seemed good to the holy Ghost and to vs So if no Scriptures were now the same Church guided by the same holy Ghost might truly say Visum est spiritui sancte nobis yea and this very doctrine that the same holy Ghost Spirit of truth speakes in the Church we are taught not only by this and those other texts of holy Scripture but à priori by the Church vpon whose credit and testimony we receaue this Scripture For thus I vrge Where was this Scripture where the whole Ghospell before it was written Was it not first in the Church in the soules and spirits of the Apostles and disciples of Christ wherin they were written by the fingar of the holy Ghost nay the presence of the holy Ghost sayth S. Austin was that Scripture or Scriptures written in their harts De spir
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
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
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
he hath proceeded no lesse consequently then irreligiously But what of this Pref. This is sayth he agreable to what you haue said before and what out of the abundance of your hart you speak very often that all Christians besides you are open Fooles or concealed Atheists Answ For my part I haue neuer knowne any Catholique vse any such inciuility of language Neither do I thinke any harboureth any such conceipt of all other not Catholiques that they are either open Fooles or concealed Atheists though I can easily belieue the common opinion of Catholiques to be that a Socinian is a concealed Atheist at the least and so in consequence a foole For the foole hath said in his hart There is no God Now that which followeth in this Paragraph I will only retort disoblige my selfe of a duty Mutato nomine de to Fabula narratur All this the Aduocate writes with notable confidence as the manner of Sophistes is which manner he is very well acquainted with to place their confidence of preuailing in their confident manner of speaking but then for the euidence wherewith he should maintaine so great a confidence it is as inuisible as the Religion he defends from the tyme of Luther vpward His fallacious Recriminations SECT XXIX HItherto we haue seene what this Aduocate had done he tell 's now what he could doe which we must suppose to be more then he hath or will doe O parce viribus vsque tuis As if he had a mynd to recriminate and charge Papists that they lead men into Socinianisme he cold certainly make a much fayrer shew of euidence then his Aduersary hath done And truly I belieue he hath met with an Aduersarie that will easily yeild him the priority in making faire shew's without any shew of repugnance at all But now he fall's into the puerility of a most triuial Rhetorique you shall see him fight as like a Parthian as you would wish doing most what he makes shew least to do fight 's as he flyes away and will be found I belieue Parthis mendacior For thus he colours and florishe's his Sophisme Pref. If I had a mind to recriminate I would not tell you you deny the infallibility of the Church of England Ergo you lead to Socinianisme Which is altogether as good as this Protestants deny the infallibility of the Roman Church Ergo they induce Socinianisme Answ Yet because this I would not tell you is no reall pretermission or passing ouer in silence what he would say but a saying it after a more aduantagious and Emphatique manner of speach then if he had said it positiuely and in plaine termes as the flight of warring Parthians is no serious and intended flight but a more dangerous fight vnder shew and pretence of feare and flight therefore we must vnderstand these words according to the direct and positiue sense as though they were couch't in this forme This argument You deny the infallibility of the Church of England Ergo you lead to Socinianisme is as good as this Protestants deny the infallibility of the Church of Rome Ergo they induce Socinianisme Wherein I note first his most familiar Fallacy of willfull ignorance and mistake of his Aduersaries Argument and the Elench who neuer inferred leading or inducing into Socinianisme out of the deniall of infallibility of the Roman Church but out of the deniall of some infallibility of Iudgment and authority of a Visible Church to determine of Scriptures and their interpretation c. For he knew well that if there were any other such infallible authority to determine such differences it should not then follow that they who disclayme the authority of the Roman Church should haue their only remaining refuge to the priuate spirit or naturall iudgment c. Wherefore hauing not yet excluded all other infallibility no nor disputed it he assumeth not infallibility of the Roman Church or the deniall of that as inducing Socinianisme but the deniall of all infallibility of whatsoeuer Church Therefore if this Logician would haue played fayre and not more like a Sophister then like a Scholler which very appellation in my iudgment carrieth with it a face and promise of ingenuity he should haue framed his Aduersaries Argument as it lyeth in him or at least so as it might appeare the same in effect and not seeme to haue his whole attention applyed to shift's and aduantages thus then he should haue formed it Protestants deny infallibility to the Church of God Ergo they induce Socinianisme and then haue compared it with this his owne recriminant Papists deny the infallibility of the Church of England Ergo they induce Socinianisme and then Macte O cum compare compar Not a nut more like an apple He had parallel'd it faire indeeed Secondly in comparing the English with the Roman Church Fallacy he seemes no doubt to take the Roman as a particular Church fraudulently affecting not to know that by the Roman Church Catholiques vnderstand all Christian Churches making one with the Roman by obedience and subordination to it Whence by the way Catholique Roman Church is no Bull as I haue heard a Dux Gregis among them was pleased sometyme to say it is And yet againe how long hath the English Church made a part separate from the Roman Look back into her cradle of extraction or distraction rather and blush not What was the originall cause and yet blush not Well say we what we list to all the Churches I know there is none more Visible then the Protestant some man yet aliue may haue seene her quite through from her first birth or appearance euen to this age but yet what was the cause of the distraction Causa mali tanti c. But I know this Aduocate will easily shift all this he will grant for a need True the generation was Equiuocall yet it might be Honourable inough Ex malis moribus bonae leges c. of euill manners good Laws c. I know his common place Howsoeuer in my iudgment the comparison hath something of the odious But what hath this Retrograde to do with the Infallibility of the Church of England He hath profe'st the infallibility of it so farre as to deny to subscribe the English Articles of fayth and doctrine wherein the authority of this Church may seeme to appeare of as great force as wheresoeuer He may haue since beene wrought into some other opinion by the skill and industry of some such Artist as know's well how to deale with so pliable a nature Vdum molle lutum nunc nunc properandus acri Fingendus sine fine rota Or that other though no Doctour yet a maister of Art ingenique largitor Persius proem one who can teach such towardly schollars wit yea thrifty wit a precious lesson in this age of prodigality may haue persuaded him to conforme Howsoeuer now he will do her this honour by way of Restitution as to say she is no more Fallible
applause and approbation to their Heresies being so farre indeed from any true agreement or harmony with them that they iarre euen in what they hold with them euen in those very doctrines wherein they say the same which the Fathers say The reason because in all those doctrines of Fathers this transcendent condition of a prepared and prompt submission to whatsoeuer determination of the Church is so permeant and pertinent and transfused throughout all their doctrines and sentences as the very soule and consistence of them so that whatsoeuer doctrine of Heretiques wanting this ingredient of a Catholique Submission and Relation to the Church can neuer be the same doctrine nor agreeable with that of the Fathers though it seeme neuer so much the same in words though inuested I say in the same language and exterior signification yet euen so they are but wolues in vestimentis ouium in the skin and garments of sheep which skin they put on for no other end nisi vt mactent perdant to kill massacre the soules of such who belieue they are Orthodoxe because they speak the language of the Fathers This is then the distinctiue signe the spirituall marke and cognoisance which infallibly proclaimes them to be Heretiques this pertinacity in any single opinion of fayth yea in any one the least point of fayth this standing our against the authority of the Church and refusall to submit destroyeth the whole forme the very constitutiue and distinctiue Character of a Catholique subiect Howsoeuer he appeare in all other points of Christian doctrine an Angell of light by this you shall discerne him as by a clouen foot with this submission no Hereticall opinion can make a man an Heretique without this the whole Apostolique Creed cannot make him a Catholique si per impossibile if it were possible that such submission should be wanting in him who belieues entirely the Apostolique Creed VII Motiue Because the first pretended reformers had neither extraordinary commission from God nor ordinary mission from the Church to preach Protestant doctrine VII Remotiue The Pastors of a Church caÌ„not but haue authority from is to preach against the abuses of it whether in doctrine or practise if there be any in it c. VII Promotiue Extraordinary mission or commission is immediately from God Ordinary mission or Commission is that which issueth immediatly from man placed in authority vnder God Now to proue an ordinary mission or commission is easily done by producing the testimony of that authority which sendeth or granteth the commission Extraordinary missions cannot be proued or manifested by ordinary manifestations and being not proued cannot oblige to acceptance or beliefe Now since to reforme is an act of power and authority and all power and authority is from God whether mediatly or immediatly hence it is that no such act can be legall or regular and so effectuall and valid of it self without mission or commission that is without receauing such power or authority to reforme from him who hath power to giue it that is from God himself immediatly or mediatly from his Officers Since then those pretended Reformers had or could proue no such mission or commission neither immediately nor mediately from God hence it followeth that they had none at all no authority Psay at all to reforme the Church Ergo their pretended Reformation was an illegall and irregular act of presumption It is true a Commission may be of two kinds respectiuely to circumstances It may be either an expresse and formall commission or interpretatiue only The expresse and formall Commission is that which I receaue expressely granted by superior authority Interpretatione I may call that which though I haue not expressely receaued from such authority yet I prudently and vndoubtingly suppose would be granted me in such circumstances of tyme place c. if the Superior had notice of them vpon which supposed and prudently presumed grant yea and direct will of the Superior I execute such an act of authority as to reforme reprebend teach preach c. Thus much premised let vs now consider this Remotiue or anti-Motine what waight it hath in ballance with the Motiue Remot The Pastours of a Church cannot but haue authority from it c. Promot Beware of false dealing in the very entrance A Church denoteth a particular Church The Catholique which is the Vniuersall Church the whole mysticall body whereof particular Churches and euery A Church are parts and members is improperly styled A Church but properly The Church as The spouse of Christ not A spouse as though he had many spouseâ—â— Vna est columba mea perfecta mea with which one Church or perfect Spouse particular Churches yea particular soules are his Spouses as they are one with her Now it is true that the Pastour of A Church hath authority from The Church to preach against the abuses of that particular Church when it swarueth either in doctrine or manners from the law's or doctrine of the Catholique Church to which it oweth Conformity But then againe the Pastour of A Church is the sheep not Pastour of The Church therefore his preaching against The Church is without all authority or commission either from God or man nay it is a prodigious presumption for any Christian subiect to preach against the doctrine or practise of that Church as against abuses whose doctrine and practise is his rule wherby to know what is abuse in either For of the preposterous way of making the Scripture the Rule to discerne such abuses by it inough hath beene already said how absurd and groundlesse it is especially when the point of doctrine which is imputed or traduced as abuse is concerning the Scripture it self or the true meaning or interpretation thereof which no priuate Spirit or particular Pastour hath authority do determine against the Church Remot Neither can any Christian want an ordinary commission from God to do a necessary worke of charity after a peaceable manner when there is no body else that can or will do it In extraordinary cases extraordinary courses are not to be disallowed Promot Commission immediate from God as granted to any subiect with out all mediation yea or approbation of his ordinary Superior cannot be an ordinary commission therefore it is not to be admitted or accepted yea or belieued without Precedent proofe and manifestation that it is from God by extraordinary signes and testifications Againe to vndertake such a reformation without any ordinary commission or yet extraordinary duly manifested to be such and that in opposition against ordinary authority cannot be peaceable for peace cannot be where order and subordination is violated therefore non est pax impijs dicit Dominus wicked men enioy not peace because in and by them as such due order is subuerted For this cause also this cannot be a worke of Charity being an act of dissention and rebellion and therefore of it self destructiue and subuersiue of Peace and Charity Remot But when there
Scriptures Fathers or whosoeuer quoted and cited as theirs which are not to be found in them Of which kind of falsifications our Catholique Writers from the beginning of Protestancy haue discouered almost innumerable and those vnanswerable and vnexcusable whereof your self Syr when you were intra mures at least in inclination or shew or I know not how were a part of testimony and an eye-witnes or else you verified my Verse And euen concerning this very Writer whose sword and buckler you are now there are who remember your obseruation when you said malum omen hauing met with a manifest falsification in the very beginning of his answere to Charity-Mistaken though now you are become Recantatis amicus Opprâ—brijs since he is in your bookes and your commodity in his Cellar's Vincunt benefacta feras Verily such false and fraudulent dealing in a bufines of this religious consequence and therefore to be treated with all reuerence and religiosity ought to be a strong Motiue to lead any prudent and indifferent man into iealousy and suspicion of such a cause and the maintainers of it that neither the cause is the cause of Truth which needes the patronage and defence of lyes nor the maintainers men of a consciencious spirit who can take vpon them the impudence to be the publique Authors of such Therefore the Catholique Writers haue taken paynes to manifest these falsities not in grosse as you do heere but by retaile particularly and namely as hic nuâ—â— here they falsify in this sentence in this very authority misalleaged where no probable mistake can be their apology which if you could do as they giue you example you would haue done it you who haue made calumnies of sober Verities sophismes of plaine and euident deductions you would not haue omitted to lay hold vpon some of those so many falsifications to haue made your Aduersary as odious and faithles as you could wish But you haue found none you can obiect none particularly and namely no not one You know you cannot do it and euen here you falsify your owne testimony I demonstrate you cannot do it because you do it not which in you who attempt to do more then you can to all aduantage of your cause and disparagement of your Aduersary is indeed an euident demonstration as many falsications c. as leaues and nor shew one O ridiculous Hyperbole and most negligent Calumny we see those leaues we see your most prying perusall of them nor blame I that but you who haue the ey 's of an Eagle or Aesculapian snake by which you see the least mote in your Aduersaries eye could so great a beame haue escaped your notice or discouery And for the number of Calumnies which you obiect and those ioyntly with falsifications and this purposely because you can easily by your willfull mistaking and misinterpreting your aduersaries words make vp some number of Calumnies where there are truly none so that if pretended falsifications stand but as Cypher's yet they will serue to double or treble the number of both yet I dare auouch let any man compare this your Aduersaries little Pamphlet with your great Pamphlet his falsifications and calumnies will stand like Cypher's with yours to make yours numberlesse Yet howsoeuer you haue not purged your prime Controuersy-Writers whom in your Motiue you consure as notoriously guilty of falsifications and calumnies no this aspersion stick 's fast vpon them still nor will it be wip't of by casting the like vpon others Clodius accusat Maches Catilina Cetheges Yet neither those Machi nor Cethegi are therefore guiltlesse because Clodius or Catiliue are guilty of the same crimes and this were the accusation or crime by you obiected against protestant-Writers by you the same truly recriminated in Catholique Authors And all men know by experience that euen in false crimes it is much more easy to sprinkle any man's reputation with discredit then to wipe it out againe X. Motiue Because by denying all humane authority either of Pope or Councels or Church to determine controuersies of sayth they haue abolished all possible meanes of suppressing Heresies or restoring Vnity to the Church X. Remotiue Lot all men belieue the Scripture and that only and endeauour to beâ—â—eue is in the true sense and require no more of others and they shall find this not only a better but the only meanes to suppresse Heresy and restore Vnity c. X. Promotiue Ti 's easy to perceaue that you haue tasted hony with Ionâ—thaâ— since your returne from Troy your eyes are now so open illuminate when you haue eaten more fully you will do meruailes Nor is this a petty meruaile that you haue recouered what was abolish't and haue reduced not only to possibility but to existence and actuality the meanes of suppressing Heresies c. without either Pope or Church or Councelâ— which before you had tasted hony seemed impossible to your vnderstanding The secret forces and vertues of nature say the Alchymist naturall Magician are discouered by vexation of Nature After much vexation and toyling of your brayn and body by your so many turn's and return's to and from Religion you haue found at length the Ariadne's threed of a most manifest direction Which threed of direction so often offered to your hand 's spun out of the bowell's of all Aduersaries of the Catholique Church as ordinary as cobwebb's I wonder much how you saw it no sooner It is euident you haue tasted hony For what more ordinary Rendeuous of all Heretiques then Prouocation from the Church to Scripture But no we are deceaued for in this way of discourse wherein you reiect all ordinary meanes of suppressing Heresies you take a shorter course to abolish Heresy it selfe yea to exterminate the very name and essence of it è rerum naturâ out of the world nay out of the vnderstanding of man that there shall not remaine the very notion or definition of it which is a more vniuersall and totall abolition and suppression then if the whole world were regested and reconfounded into the first Chaos or nothing of it For how can there be or euer haue beene any such thing as Heresy in coherence with this discourse For was there euer Heretique who could not pretend his endeauour to vnderstand the Scripture in the true sense yea and sufficient endeauour excluding the authority of the Church Councels c. by employing all the forces of his natural wit personall abilities who can say he employed not his endeauour by all these Then this endeauour only supposed though he belieued the Scriptures in a false sense and vpon that false sense grounded false doctrine euen repugnant to Christian faith yet he was no Heretique by you nay they did him wrong who would molest him any further or require any other beliefe at his hands Who can say now that Arius was an Heretique or Eutyches an Heretique or Manichaus an Heretique Who can say that any of those anciently
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
were supposed the spirit of truth they could not haue beene iudged false Prophets for going out of the Church no nor for opposing the doctrine of the Church Moreouer that by which another thing is tried as by a rule must needs be supposed more perfect in regard of Iudicature then the thing tried but it is absurd to thinke that the spirit of a priuate man is more perfect in nature of Iudicature then the spirit of the Church therefore S. Iohn neuer aduised priuate men to try the spirit of the Church Lastly this very command or aduise Try euery spirit is the aduise of the Church it selfe in the person of S. Iohn a principall pillar of the Church but no man can be so silly as to thinke that the Church aduiseth priuate men to try her spirit and least of all can Heretiques challenge any such authority Heretiques also are subiects of the Church euen in that they are at the least characterically Christians which character of subiection they can neuer wipe out whersoeuer they run they are euer subiects though rebells therfore their calling the Church to question and triall is mere presumption and an act of rebellion No Catholique presumeth to trie the spirit or doctrine of the Church nay euery Catholique trieth his owne spirit and doctrine by that of the Church therefore a Catholique as such hath no priuate opinion of fayth but all Catholique that is the same with the whole Catholique Church The Catholique makes no choyce of doctrines of fayth but taketh such as are giuen him he is Gods beggar and therefore no chooser Ego autem mendicus sum pauper I am a beggar and poore Thus euery Catholique is taught both to say and belieue The Heretique makes choyce of what he will hold with the Church takes what he list's and refuseth what he list's not take And this is to be euen Etimologically an Heretique and an Heretique formally no lesse in what he takes then in what he refuses For what he takes he chooseth to take vpon his owne discretion not vpon the credit of the Church nor formally from the Church therefore he is an Heretique in all euen in the points of diuine fayth which he holdeth with the Church not of the Church and therfore holdeth nothing with diuine fayth because he is still a chooser of what he holds and so an Heretique Another Text of S. Iohn by this Aduocate corrupted and misinterpreted SECT XXI WHat this all-trying spirit can do of himselfe without the spirit of the Church will appeare by his singular talent in interpreting Scriptures nor shall I swarue from my subiect in this way for I shall demonstrate that all his interpretations are Sophismes wily and fallacious detorsions of Scripture from their true sense to his owne crooked ends Pref. S. Iohn sayth he giues a rule to all Christians to make this triall by to consider whether they confesse Iesus to be the Christ that is the guide of their fayth and Lord of their actions So he Answ The words of S. Iohn are these In hoc cognoscitur spiritus Dei c. In this the spirit of God is knowne Euery spirit that confesseth Iesus Christ to haue come in fleth is of God and euery spirit that dissolueth Iesus is not of God and this is Antichrist The affirmatiue part of which copulate sentence as some other the like occurring in the Epistles of S. Iohn is to be vnderstood in sensu formali as thus Euery spirit which coufesseth Iesus Christ to haue taken flesh as confessing this truth is of God who is the author and warrant of this truth therefore of him who confesseth this supernaturall truth it may be truly said Caro sanguis non reuelauit hoc tibi flesh and blood hath not reuealed this vnto thee being a truth aboue the conceipt of flesh and blood which restriction to a formall sense is both sufficient and often tymes necessary for the verifying of many the like sentences of â—oly Scripture Wherefore although the negatiue to deny Iesus Christ to haue taken flesh be a sufficient note whereby to discerne a false spirit yet the affirmatiue to confesse Iesus Christ to haue come in flesh is but a part of the rule The other part is the character of Christian Charity as the same Apostle teacheth in the same Chapter Omnis qui diligit ex Deo natus est Euery one that loueth is borne of God therefore these two rules we find conioyned in the precedent Chapter hoc est mandatum â—ius vt credanius in nomine silij eius Iesu Christi diligamus alterutrum This is his commaundment that we belieue in the name of his sonne Iesus Christ and that we loue one another for in these two vertues indeed a Christian is consummate For fayth in Iesus Christ the sonne of God incarnate includeth all points of fayth because it implyeth the beliefe of all that Iesus Christ hath taught or teacheth either by himselfe or by his Church according to that saying of of his Qui vos audit me audit in which sense also the affirmatiue proposition of the Apostle Euery one who confesseth that Iesus Christ came in flesh c. hath a true construction euen without restriction but then it is nothing to the purpose of this Aduocate who by this rule would exclude the necessity of beliefe of other points of fayth proposed by the Church to make this confession of Christ to haue come in flesh the rule whereby to try spirits As therefore that other cognoisance of a Christian mutuall Charity according to that of our Sauiour In hoc cognoscent omnes c. all men shall know you to be my disciples by this ensigne or character of mutuall loue excludeth not that of fayth or the confession of the sonne of God Incarnate from being a rule whereby to discerne spirits and to know who are true Christians So this rule of Fayth in Christ excludeth not that of Charity and neither of them nor both exclude a third giuen by the same Apostle Qui nouit Deum audit nos Cap. 4. qui non est ex Deo non audit nos in hoc cognoscimus spiritum veritatis spiritum erroris See heere an expresse rule to try spirits by He who know's God heares vs he who is not of God heareth not vs in this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error Now it is most absurd to think the force of that rule to be limited and confined with the age of the Apostles therefore by that vs is vnderstood the Church or if they were to be heard of posterity in their writings we caÌ„not heare them so without an interpreter which interpreter as before hath beene proued can be no other of infallible authority but the Church Now that the Apostles were to continue in their posterity of Apostles Euangelists c. that is Preachers and Teachers of Christs Ghospell Doctors and Pastors c. ad consummationem Sanctorum
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
the wynd a fancy an opinion alterable with euery change of imagination nay with euery alteration of affection So what is Anathema to day Cell lib. ◠c. 5. in the worse sense an imprecation or execration may be to morrow Anathema in the better sense that is a consecration what to day is a curse way be a blessing to morrow Nor is it easy to conceaue in whether sense he takes Anathema by way of cursing or blessing For I vehemently suspect he neuer meant to curse the fauourer's of those opinions to whom I doubt not but he wishes as to himselfe yea and whose deferts towards himself haue gain'd no small interest title to his well wishings wherfore what he sayth He who holds so let him be Anathema may in the Socinian intendment be no more but this he who hold's so long may he liue Yet for a more expesse discharging himself from all imputations of this nature namely of such as charge him with deniall of supernaturall Verities what sayth he marry He belieues all those book 's of Scripture which the Church of England account's Canonicall Pref. to be the infallible word of God Answ You see the Resolution of his Fayth into the Authority of the Church of England Where you may note that he sayth not that he belieues it infallibly or that those bookes are infallibly the word of God but that they are the infallible word of God where that infallible is a meere fallacious Pleonasme a redundant and superfluous accession to the word of God Whence it followeth only that he belieues this with a fallible Fayth and therefore no diuine Fayth which he doth consequently to his principles for holding the motiue of his beliefe that is the authority of the Church of England as of all other Churches to be but fallible and capable of errour his beliefe can haue no greater assurance then that motiue hath But then it followeth that he hath no infallible assurance of these Bookes that they are the word of God Ergo he hath no assurance that the contents of these Bookes are supernaturall Verities or Verities at all Ergo with this may stand his deniall of supernaturall Verities And that you may Vnderstand that he belieues the aforesaid Verities with a Socinian fayth only he ioyneth in one and the same tenure of beliefe things euidently contayned in those Canonicall Bookes with things probably deducible from the same Whence thus I argue If he belieues as his words expresse things euidently contained in those Bookes with no more assurance then he belieues things euen probably deducible thence then he belieues neither with assurance of diuine fayth Ergo he belieues them not as supernaturall Verities to the beliefe of which humane fayth can neuer ascend as being out of the reach and extent of all such Fayth therefore as yet and by this profession he hath not cleared himselfe from the imputation of Socinianisme and Infidelity An Act of Parlament the motiue of his beliefe His fallacious refuge SECT XXXVIII Pref. FVrthermore I acknowledge all that to be Heresy which by the Act of Parliament primo Elizabethae is declared to be so Answ With this acknowledgment may well consist the deniall of all supernaturall verities according to my former deduction And this is surely a strong presumption that he belieues an act of Parlament with no greater assurance then the decrees of a Generall Councell yea and that he belieues the Parlament rather then a Generall Councell shews that such his beliefe is grounded vpon his affection not his iudgment for no poyse of iudiciall motiues can preponderate or sway him rather towards a Parlament Wherefore since none of these motiues or authorities yield him assurance that such contents of Canonicall Bookes are supernaturall verities it followeth no way out of his beliefe of these that he belieues any supernaturall verity as such Ergo notwithstanding this profession he is a Socinian still Which though it be so yet I will not do him wrong nor say he hath effected nothing by this his syncere profession and acknowledgment But what hath he done Forsooth he hath cuningly put himself vnder the wing's of the State he hath retired himself into the sanctuary of Protestancy by this meanes he hath ingaged them in his quarrell whose religion he professeth so that whatsoeuer inconuenience as irreligion nullity of diuine fayth lastly Socinianisme it self shall be deduced as consequent out of his disclaiming the authority of the Cath. Church and acknowledging a Parlamentary religion and authority in determining Canonicall Scripture declaring Heresies must fall first vpon the English Protestants and must be answered by them Thus while he endeauours to bring himself off fairely from those foule aspersiōs he draw's them on whom he pretends to vindicate and thus he brings about his owne ends and couertly aduanceth his owne designe which is to ruine all Religion His fallacious Hypocrisy SECT XXXIX WHat he talkes of retaining liberty in points which may be diuersly held satuâ fides compage the iuncture or structure of fayth remaining safe is a ridiculous Hypocrisy in him who endeauours by his doctrine and principles to demolish the very foundation of Christian Fayth which is the infallibility of diuine Reuelation I meane the infallibility of that authority which declares it to be such and consequently that vnquestionable certainty vpon which Christian Fayth relyeth being taken away not to leaue one stone vpon another in this earthly or militant Hierusalem in the building of Fayth And can you haue further patience to heare any more of his Sophistique Hypocrisy For he know's that all Christiās would spit defiance in his face should he not seeme to speak somewhat like a Christian Pref. Yet thus much I can say quoth he which I hope will satisfy any man of reason that whatsoeuer hath beene held necessary to saluation either by the Catholique Church of all ages or by the consent of Fathers measured by Vincentius Litinensis his rules or is held necessarie either by the Catholique Church of this age or by the consent of Protestants c. That against the Socinians and all others I do verily belicue and imbrace Answ Can any man belieue he writes what he thinkes if he vnderstand what he writes For who doubts but the Catholique Church of all ages hath held the beliefe of an infallible Church as a point of Christian Fayth For how could the Catholique Church gathered togeather in Generall Councels anathematize and condemne whosoeuer refused to subscribe to her decrees in points of fayth had not the same Church supposed her self to haue infallible authority for all such decisions and decrees Therefore he who belieues what the Catholique Church holds necessary to be belieued belieues this Now obserue in these very words by the Catholique Church of this age or by the consent of Protestants how he makes the Protestants a member of his diuision a part from the Catholiques Wherein also he preuaricates egregiously
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
fayth and therefore as necessarily to be belieued or at the least not reiected by an expresse misbeliefe Againe some parts of Scripture may haue an euident construction to one which to another may be darke and obscure then the doctrine inferred vpon that euidence will be of fayth to him to whom it is euidently contained in Scripture to another who will deny the euidence because he see 's it not it will not be so What authority then other then the Church shall determine the true sense of this part of Scripture euident and ineuident especially which may often fall out if no other more euident Scripture can be brought in as a witnesse of greater authority to cleare the doubt Heere then the doctrine of Fundamentalls and not Fundamentals will be good for nothing but to bring in more Fayths yea contradictory Fayths since all points of Fayth are Fundamentall so as necessarily to be belieued by him to whom they are euidently contained in Scripture and none fundamentall to him to whom they are not euidently contained in Scripture and therefore not necessary to be belieued And if you say that such points euidently contained in regard of some vnderstanding not euidently to another are none of those which are coÌ„maunded to be preached to all men which euasion this Aduocate may seeme to haue reserued how will this be proued since our Sauiours commaund is in general termes this Praedicate Euangelium hoc omnicreaturae Preach this Ghospell to all the world he sayth not these or these points of the Ghospell and no more And yet againe Quod aeudistis in aurem praedicate super tectae what you haue heard in secret preach it publiquely But especially when any controuersy concerning doctrine of fayth ariseth and some Heresy is authorized by some supposed euidence of Scripture then the contrary truth is to be preach't and publish't to the whole Church least that Heresy should be imbraced for a truth of Fayth or the word of God yea God himselfe pretended the Author of that vntruth or Heresy which pretence is a very high and low'd Blasphemy By which may appeare the grosse and palpable absurdity of this Ministers doctrine legitimating as it were all Adulterate and suprious Doctrines and Heresies by saying Nothing that is obscure can be necessary to be vnderstood or not mistaken Which is indeed one of his capitall Principles and a chiefe support of his doctrine For I aske Is not the mistaking or misinterpreting of some parts of Scripture the very source of some Hereticall doctrines and those Scriptures the greatest strength and colour that giueth credit and countenance to such Heresies Is not then the not-mistaking of such Scriptures necessary euen as necessary as it is that such doctrines should not preuaile or win credit by the authority of those Scriptures For though the true vnderstanding of some obscure parts of Scripture be not necessary yet it is necessary that such obscure parts be not so mistaken as to warrant Heresy by their authority If therefore out of that first principle by this Minister presumed a thousand other absurdities follow such as those by him deduced howsoeuer for I will not examine the regularity of those deductions what is this to the matter in hand For this was not the Direction or Caueat giuen him by his Aduersary that he should not answere out of this principle of Protestancy but that he should not out of those other specified by his Director those Socinian principles which euen Protestants abhorre The Conclusion of his Preface with his fallacious Apology for himselfe SECT XLIII HE concludes after his self-plauding manner as I haue often noted before Pref. And thus your Venome against me is in a manner spent Answ Which words I take notice of also heere that you may obserue with me the spirit of his style perpetuate throughout his whole worke and with all the difference betweene it and his Aduersariâ—s Pen and then tell me whether this be not the spirit of a Spider indeed which findeth venome euen where none is whome therfore that is Aduocare and Spider I shall not doubt to ioyne in one and the same Word which mall be this for the tyme. Inueniam aut faciam I will find it or make it Pref. Now only two litle impertinenties remaine the first that I refused to subscribe the Articles of the Church of England the second my mortues which first induced me to forsake Protestantisâ—â—e Answ So he and to the first he answer's in effect this Pref. That the doctrine of the Church of England is so pure and Orthodoxe that whosoeuer belieues it and liues according to it vndoubtedly he shall be sauâ—d That there is no error in it which may nocesutate or warrant a man to disturbe the peace or renounce the Communion of it Which acknowledgment he is persuaded is the only thing intended by subscription Answ By this you see he hath now leueled his way to Ecclesiasticall preferment so that if hereafter you heare he hath accepted any such commodity you many know he did it vpon better consideration The scruple he had concerning subscription is vanish't into the aire whither the rest of his scruples will follow in their turnes It may be that scruple was but a melancholique Dreame such as he conceaues Luthers conference with the Diuell might be He is now Materia prima for any benefice Chayre Prebendary Chanonry or what yee will you may coniecture who hath had the tempering and working of this pliable clay he was a Maister in that feat you may assure your selfe if not a Doctor and this his Maister-peece To the second impertinency concerning his motiues he answere's Pref. That it is more impertinent and friuolous then the former Vnlesse sayth he it he a iust exception against a Physician that himselfe was sometymes in and recenerâ—d himself from that disease which he vndertakes to cure or against a Guide in a way that at first before he had experience himselfe mistoâ—ke it and afterwardâ— so and his error and 〈◊〉 it That 〈…〉 Michaâ—â— de Montaigne wassurely of a farre different mynd for he will hardly allow any Physician competem but only for such diseases as himself had passed through and a farre greater then Montaigne Answ I pray you by the way take notice of this as not spoken by chance or without due reflection least any man should question whether authority were of greater waight in the Socinian balance Iesus Christ or Michael de Montaigne Pref. Euen he that said Tu conuersus confirma sratres tuos thou being conuerted confimre thy brethren giues vs sufficiently to vnderstand that they which haue themselues beene in such a state as to need conuersion are not thereby made incapable of but rather engaged and obliged vnto and qualified for this charitable function Answ He might haue added to this that the Hollander's men say make speciall choyce of such men for Pilot's and Maisters of ships who haue formerly wrack't many ships
deafe eare to all exotique interpretation yea and to all naturall reason and discourse when it impugnes this authority as you Socinians are deafe to supernaturall truth when it sounds a note aboue the reach of your reason Wherefore since this your answere is in effect no otherwise a confutation of your first Motiue but by a flat deniall I do not see but it may moue still with as much force as euer yea and liue againe to fight against the Father and that with more equity then he fights against his Mother And all this I haue said supposing he meanes by his de facto as I vnderstand him and as I haue some reason more then euery man knows to thinke he mean's If he meane otherwise when he shall vouchsafe to come out of the Clouds and appeare in his true meaning he shall be answered otherwise II. Motiue Because Luther his followers separating from the Church of Rome separated also from all Churches pure or impure true or false then being in the world vpon which ground I conclude that either Gods promises did faile of performance if there were then no Church in the world which held all things necessary and nothing repugnant to Saluation or else that Luther and his Sectaries separating from all Churches then in the world and so from the true if there were any true were damnable Schismaticks II. Remotiue To the second God hath neither decreed nor foretold that there shall be alwayes a company of men free from all errour in it selfe damnable Neither is it alwayes of necessity Schismaticall to separate from the externall communion of a Church though wanting nothing necessary For if this Church supposed to want nothing necessary require me to professe against my conscience that I belieue some errour though neuer so small and innocent which I do not belieue and will not allow me her communion but vpon this condition In this case the Church for requiring this condition is Schismaâ—icall and not I for separating from the Church III. Promotiue Gods decree concerning the perpetuity of a Visible and infallible Church on earth to the end of the world hath bene foretold many wayes as hath beene declared in part in the former Promotiue and more fully and plainly by many Catholique writers and the contrary is heere assumed with too to great boldnes but without all proofe or possibility of proof That such separation from the Church is schismaticall is euident for schisme being the breach of vnion in Charity as Heresy violates the vnity of faith to separate from the externall communion of this Church is to shew you are fallen out with the Church with which you refuse to conuerse in Ecclesiasticall conuersation as he who flyeth the company of a man with whome he hath beene formerly familiar in way of ciuill conuersation is supposed to be fallen out with him Then againe this separation is very scaÌ„dalous as yeilding a iust presumption that such a Separant is in his iudgment an Heretique Now to scandalize wittingly and knowingly as such a Separate cannot be ignorant that this is a true cause of scandall or if he be he is wilfully ignorant is to violate the law of Charity and this especially when you separate from a Church wherein nothing necessary to Saluation is wanting as you make the supposition But if this Church wanting nothing necessary as you suppose require you to professe against your conscience that you belieue some error then say you your Separation is lawfull But either this error required by the Church to be belieued is in your conscience an error of doctrine concerning fayth or manners or no If yea then in your conscience somewhat necessary is wanting to that Church that is the contrary doctrine of truth If it be no error of doctrine concerning either of these but only some opinion held or practized as indifferent then certainly the Church will neuer vrge you to belieue it then againe you may choose whether you will belieue it or no and then lastly you should haue no cause for this to breake with the Church or deuide your selfe from her Communion If you say in the iudgment of the Church it may perhaps be held indifferent yea perhaps a necessary point of doctrine but to my conscience it is an error in faith or manners Now this I expected and this I knew you said in your hart so then I say againe in your iudgement and conscience the Church is wanting in some necessary point of true doctrine And heere now I appeale to the sentence of any sober and indifferent Christian what greater pride can be imagined then that any priuate or single man should haue a conscience repugnant and refragatory to the conference of the Church of God What sober Christian I say reflecting duely vpon such a conscience will not doome it mere insolency and arrogance True it is no pride of man can be a Paragon with the pride of formall Heresy this is indeed that Pes superbiae that foot of pride by the length and bulk whereof you may coniecture how Gigantique a monster an Heretique is For which cause all Orthodoxe Spirits haue learned to pray with the Church Psal 35. Non â—eniat miâ—ipes superbiae manus peccatoris non moucat me this foot of pride this suggestion of Sathan may it haue no accesse vnto my soule and the hand or pen of such a sinner let it haue no power to moue or drawe me from an humble beliefe Ibi ceciderunt qui operantur iniquitatem expulsi sunt nec potuerunt flare there and in that pride Apostat-Angels fell with them Apostat-Christians fall from the Church expulst and eiected thence or by reason of their pride they could stay no longer there For after this pride growing daily more in an Hereticall conscience hath at length extinguished the spirit of God stifled all his Inspirations and Motiues then the same spirit of God expulseth that Satanicall and mutinous spirit out of his family which is the Church of Christ bandites throw's him forth into the open field of professed Heresy 1. Iohn 2. vt manifesti fiant that they may be knowne for Heretiques and warred against as open rebels that their conuersation may be eschewed by weaker Christians their Herefies lay'd open and beaten downe by the more learned to be buried at last in the ignominy and obliuion of their infamous Ancestry 2. Thess 2. whom our Lord Iesus from age to age hath and will kill with the spirit of his mouth And now after their eiectmens and expulsion they pretend the equity of their separation when it is indeed their Iniquity which hath separated and expelled them qui operantur iniquitatem expulsi sunt c. As when God and the Apostate Angels by reason of their pride became two factions if I may so say the immensity of heauen was too strait to containe both Quaemare quae terras quae totum possidet Orbem Non caepit