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A71073 A second discourse in vindication of the Protestant grounds of faith, against the pretence of infallibility in the Roman Church in answer to The guide in controversies by R.H., Protestancy without principles, and Reason and religion, or, The certain rule of faith by E.W. : with a particular enquiry into the miracles of the Roman Church / by Edward Stillingfleet ... Stillingfleet, Edward, 1635-1699. 1673 (1673) Wing S5634; ESTC R12158 205,095 420

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constitute it in the notion of faith divine because the faith so stiled is supposed to rest always on an higher ground viz. Revelation Divine 10. That the infallibility of the Church grounded on Divine Revelation and believed by a divine faith is a main ground and pillar of a Catholicks faith for any other articles thereof that are established by the sam● Churches Definitions where the Scriptures or Tradition Apostolick are to him doubtful Of which ground and assurance of such points believed by Catholicks from the Churches infallible Authority the Protestant● faith is destitute § 3. These are the Principles upon which this Guide in Controversies undertakes to clear this intricate Question and to free their resolution of faith from the danger of a circle I have but two small things to object against this way 1. That it gives up the cause in dispute 2. That notwithstanding it doth not avoid the main difficulties 1. That it gives up the cause in Dispute● which was whether the Infallible Testimony of the Church be the necessary Foundation of Divine Faith for upon occasion of the supposed necessity of this Infallibility the Question was first started this Infallibility being asserted to be necessary by T. C. and was the thing I chiefly opposed in the discourse of the Resolution of Faith Now this the Guide in Controversies freely yields to me and consequently the main Foundation of Faith asserted by my Adversary is destroyed as plainly appears by the third Proposition wherein he affirms that an external infallible proponent is not necessary to divine Faith But this he doth not barely affirm but he saith it is copiously proved by many learned Catholicks and to this purpose he cites Cardinal Lugo speaking of Divine Faith who saith that the infallibility of the Church cannot be the first Ground of Divine Faith because this Infallible Authority of the church by Assistance of the Holy Ghost is it self an article of Divine Faith And experience tells us that all Children or adult persons first coming to the Faith do not apprebend much less infallibly believe this Infallible Authority in the Church before any other article of Faith And in the Law of Nature and under the Law of Moses the Churches proposition was not necessary in order to faith but the instruction of Parents was sufficient in one and the doctrine of Moses and the Prophets in the other before their Prophecies were received by the Church He cites Estius likewise speaking of this Divine and Salvifical faith that it is not material to faith what medium God makes use of to bestow this gift of Faith upon men many having believed that knew nothing of the Churches infallibility He cites Layman asserting that it often comes to pass that other articles of our faith are explicitly believed before that of the Churches Infallibility and withal this Infallibility of the Church depends upon the promise of the spirit therefore men must first believe that there is a spirit of God and consequently the holy Trinity Farther saith he it is plain that the primitive Christians did believe with divine Faith not for the Authority of the Church which either was not founded yet when St. Peter believed Christ to be the Son of the living God or had not defined any doctrines of Faith Again he denies the Churches Authority to be the formal principle or motive of Faith and that for this very good reason because this infallible Authority of the Church is one of the things to be believed Nay he cites Fa. Knot himself in his reply to Chillingworth affirming Christians may have a true Infallible Divine Faith of which faith they have only a fallible proponent nor are infallibly certain thereof i. e. as to the proponent I now appeal to the indifferent reader whether the main thing contended for by me viz. that the infallible Testimony of the Church is not necessary in order to Faith be not here fully granted to me 2. But yet the account of Faith here given is very far from clearing the chief difficulties of it as will appear by these two things 1. That this resolution of Divine Faith is very unsatisfactory in it self ● 2. That it is liable to the absurdities which he seeks to avoid by it 1. That the resolution of Divine Faith laid down by him is very unsatisfactory in it self the principles of which are these 1. That Divine Faith must rest upon Divine Revelation 2. This Divine Revelation upon which faith is built is that which is first made known to the person and from which he proceeds to other matters of faith 3. This Divine Revelation is not one and the same to all but to some the Authority of the Scriptures to some the Authority of the Church to some Apostolical Tradition 4. Divine Faith must rest upon this Revelation with an immediate assent to it without enquiring further for if there be any further process there must be so in infinitum or a circle 5. That the Holy Ghost doth illuminate the understanding of him that believes both as to the veracity of God and the truth of his Revelation and causes such a firm adherence of faith as many times far exceeds that of any humane Science or demonstrations But in this way I can neither be satisfied 1. What that particular divine Revelation is which this divine Faith doth rest upon Not 2. How this Faith can equally rest in several persons upon several ways Nor 3. How it can rest with an immediate assent upon any way Nor 4. Wherein this way differs from resolving Faith into the Testimony of the Spirit § 4. I cannot understand what that particular divine Revelation is into which as into it● prime extrinsecal motive Faith is here resolved The thing enquired after is the reason of believing the truth of what God hath publickly revealed to mankind as we say he hath done the Doctrines of Christianity the ultimate resolution of divine Faith as to this I am told is that particular divine Revelation which is first made known to a man i● this particular divine Revelation the sam● with Gods publick and general Revelation o● distinct from it If it be the same it can offer no reason for my Faith unless the same thing may be proved by it self if it be different then God makes use of particular divine Revelations to men different from his publick into which they are to resolve their Faith Suppose then the Question be thus put why do you believe that Christ shall come to judge the quick and the dead The general Answer is because God that cannot lie hath revealed it but then the Question returns on what ground do you believe this Revelation to have been from God with such a divine Faith as must rest upon divine Revelation For such you assert to be necessary To this the Guide in Controversies Answers that the ultimate resolution of a Christians divine Faith is into that particular divine
of Rome confess that it was not always necessary but least on the other side they should seem hereby to forego the Palladium of that Church they do withall say that sometimes Faith may begin there and so run into the very same absurdities that the others do For if one man can resolve his Faith well so why not a hundred why not a thousand why not all Christians If all cannot do it without running into a circle neither can one for the process of Faith is alike in all Not that the same means are used to all persons for it is evident that men believe upon different grounds but what is absurd if a thousand do it is equally absurd if but one do it Although the Guide ●n Controversies doth not suppose it necessary ●or men to resolve their Faith into the Churches Infallibility yet he doth suppose ●hat some men may do it Well then we will put the case that any one person doth re●olve his Faith concerning Gods Revelation ●nto the Churches Infallibility as the ground of his divine Faith I desire to be informed by this worthy Guide whether he doth not run into the same absurdities which all would do if they proceeded that way i. e. whether it be any more possible for one to free himself from a circle than for all Is not the reason assigned by Canus and Layman and Lugo this viz. because the Churches Infallibility i● one of the things to be believed as revealed by God and therefore cannot be the ground of Faith to any And will not this reason exclude any one person from doing it that resolves his Faith as he ought to do So that if this hold in any one being drawn from the reason of the thing and not from the circumstances of persons it must equally hold against all persons and consequently no one person can reasonably establish his Faith as to Gods Revelation upon the Churches Infallibility § 6. 3. I am far from understanding this way of immediate asse●●t to the divine Revelation I grant the reason against proceeding furthe● to be very good for the Guide could see n● passage that way but over rocks and precipices and therefore finds out a shorter cut by asserting an immediate assent to the Divin● Revelation But to what divine Revelation doth he mean The Authority of Soripture Churches Infallibility Apostolical Tradition or any of these It is all one to me which it is for it is equally unreasonable to allo● any of them For I look upon Faith a● an act of the mind which must always have a reason moving it to assent Even in self evident Propositions where the assent is most immediate yet there is the greatest and clearest reason for it viz. the evidence of the thing which makes the understanding never hesitate or doubt but yield a firm assent upon the first apprehension and proportionable to the reason and evidence of the thing or of the motive enclining to assent so is the readiness and firmness of it But to assert an assent in Faith so immediate of which no motive or reason can be assigned proportionable to it is a thing repugnant to the nature of our reasonable faculties and it is to make one of the noblest acts of our understandings a meer blind and bruitish assent All that we enquire for is a sufficient reason to move our minds to believe in the act of divine Faith which is seen in all the acts of humane Faith For no man can reasonably believe what another saith or that he hath said so but he is able to give an account of both of them And it would be very strange that in the most weighty matters of Faith on which mens eternal happiness and misery depend they should be obliged to assent in such an immediate manner that they can have no good account to give of their divine Faith Yes ●aith the Guide an account may be given ●o make this assent appear prudent by the mo●ives of credibility But that is not the thing we enquire for but a sufficient foundation for divine Faith and as to this he asserts ●hat our Faith doth immediately rest upon divine Revelation without proceeding to another Revelation for the ground of it But now then can this divine Faith have a divine Revelation for its ground It may have it for its material object which comes not under our consideration but only the formal object on motive of that Faith as to this Revelation We will suppose the Churches Infallibility to be the matter believed I demand a reason why this is to be believed The Answer is because God hath revealed it in his Word there the Q●estion returns what reason have you to believe that to be the Word of God Here the Guide cries out stand there if you proceed a step further you are lost For if you say upon another Revelation then that upon another and so without end But say I you tell me I must believe this to be Gods Word with a divine Faith and this divine Faith must rest upon a divine Revelation as its formal cause assign me that or you overthrow the nature of divine Faith what divine Revelation is there for this Faith to rest upon None say you but here it must stop if so then it is certain by your own principles this either can be no divine Faith or else divine Faith doth not always need a divine Revelation So that this way of the resolution of Faith overthrows it self and needs no other opposition but of one part to another § 7. 4. It may be all this may be cleared by the Assistance of the Holy Ghost supplying the want of another Revelation by its illuminating and confirming the mind So the Tragoedians of old call'd down the Gods upon the Stage when they could extricate themselves by no other means Not that I do in the least doubt the efficiency of the divine Spirit in the act and exercise of Faith or that God by secret and unexpressible ways may strengthen and increase Grace in the hearts of men which thereby become better assured of the ●hings they believe But the Question now ●s whether our Faith as to the motive and ●eason of it can or ought to be resolved into ●he illumination of the Holy Ghost And in ●ruth after all his turnings and windings the Guide sits down at last in the grossest way of resolving divine faith into the Testimony of the Holy Ghost For he saith that doth ●lluminate the understanding that the prime verity cannot lie in whatever thing it reveals and also that the particular articles of our faith are its revelations Was ever any ●hing more fully said to this purpose by the highest Calvinists or Enthusiasts Have the ●isputants of the Church of Rome hither●o charged them with a circle in this ●esolution of faith equal with theirs between the Church and Scripture and hath the very Guide in Controversies found no way to escape one whirlpool but by
falling into another But since I see no reason to believe this Guide in Controversies to be infallible any more than the Pope himself I hope I may have leave to ask him some few Questions Doth he in earnest believe that our assurance of Gods veracity and the truth of his revelations do flow from the immediate illumination of the Spirit of God I would fain know then 1. Why he trouble● himself about any other resolution of faith For by this way he resolves faith in all the parts of it If you ask the first Question● why you believe that to be true which God reveals The Answer is ready the Holy Ghost illuminates my mind in the belief of this If you again ask why you believe these particular articles to be Gods revelations the answer is already given the same Holy Ghost illuminates my mind in that too What need Church-Infallibility Apostolical Tradition motives of credibility or any other way the work is compleatly and effectually done without the assistance of any of them 2. Is not this to tell unbelievers that we can give them no satisfaction as to the grounds of our divine faith It is true he grants something may be said for a dull kind of humane and acquisite faith which others are capable of understanding but for divine faith that depends upon such secret and private illuminations which no person can at all judge of but he that hath them nor he very well unless another revelation assures him that these are the illuminations of Gods Spirit and not the deceptions of his own Especially since it is a principle in the Roman Church that no man can attain any absolute certainty of Grace without a particular Revelation from God See then what a wilderness this Guide hath led us into We ●re to believe that what God hath revealed ●s true and that he hath revealed these things ●rom the illumination of the Holy Ghost ●ut we cannot certainly know that we have ●uch an illumination without another reve●ation to discover that and so we must run ●n without end or turn back again the same way we went to believe illumination by ●evelation and revelation by illumination 3. How he can possibly give himself any good account of his faith in this manner For since the fundamental principle of faith ●s the veracity of God and the belief of Gods veracity is here attributed to the illumination of the Holy Ghost we may see how excellent a Guide this is that thus stumbles in a plain way or must of necessity go forward and backward For I desire him to satisfie me according to this resolution of faith in this Question why he doth believe whatsoever God saith is true his Answer is because the Holy Ghost by his inward illumination assured me so But then I ask again why he is assured of the truth of what the Holy Ghost enlightens him his Answer must be if he speaks at all to the purpose because the Holy Ghost is God and cannot speak any thing but truth So that the veracity of God is proved by the Spirits Illumination and the Spirits Illumination by Go● veracity But there is yet another principl● which faith stands upon which is that Go● hath revealed the things we believe he● again I ask why he believes these articles a● Gods revelations his answer is the Hol● Ghost by enlightening my mind hath assured me of it But then I ask how he is su● with a divine faith which in this case is necessary that there is a Holy Ghost and tha● this is the illumination of the Holy Ghost● Here he must return again to divine Revelation wherein the promise of the Holy Ghos● is made Judge now Reader whether thi● be not an admirable Guide in Controversies and whether he hath not given a very satisfactory account of the Resolution of Faith § 8. Besides that this way is thus unsatisfactory in it self I have this further charge against it that other ways are liable only to the single absurdities of their own particula● opinions but this blind Guide hoping to clea● himself of one great absurdity hath not only run into it the very way he seeks to escape it but into many more besides If there be any thing absurd in the Calvinists Resolution of Faith he hath taken in that if there be any thing absurd in resolving faith by the Infallibility of the Church he is liable to ●hat too because though he doth not think ●t necessary he allows it to be good and last of all that which he looks upon as the advantage of their faith above ours plungeth him unavoidably in as bad a circle as may ●e And that is That the Infallibility of the Church being once believed by a divine Faith from the Revelation of it in Scripture it is a ground of faith to him in all controversies that arise concerning the sense of Scripture I am not now to examine the falseness of the pretence which hath been done already and may be more afterwards that which at present I am to shew is that it is impossible for him in his resolution of Faith concerning the sense of Scripture to avoid the circle Let us see how he attempts it Suppose I be asked saith he concerning some article of faith defined by the Church though the same article doth not appear to me clearly delivered in the Scriptures why with a divine faith I believe it to be divine Revelation I answer because the Church which is revealed by the Scriptures to be perpetually assisted by the Holy Ghost and to be infallible for ever in matters delivered by her hath delivered it to me as such If again why with a divine faith I believe these Scriptures in general or such a sense of those texts in particular which are pretended to reveal the Churches infallibility to be divine Revelation I answer as before because Apostolical Tradition hath delivered them to be so which Apostolical Tradition related or conveyed to me by the Churc● I believe with a divine faith by the interna● operation of the Holy Spirit without havi●● at all any further Divine Revelation fro● which I should believe this Revelation to b● divine This is the utmost progress of divine faith with him I know not how muc● faith there may be in this way I am su● there is not the least shadow of reason Fo● if a stop be made at last by the internal op●ration of the Holy Spirit what need so muc● ado to come thither Might not the sam● answer have served as well to the first an● second Question as to the third When yo● were asked why with a divine faith you b●lieve such a sense of Scripture to be divin● Revelation Might not you have hindred a● further proceeding by saying I believe i● with a divine faith by the internal operatio● of the Holy Spirit without having at all an● further divine Revelation But if you though it necessary to assign another divine
Revelation for the foundation of that faith by th● Churches Infallibility why will not the sam● reason hold for the last act which must hav● as good a Foundation as the other or els● how comes it to be a divine faith as well as ●he other But the subtilty of all this is ●ou have it seems by your office of Guide ●he opening of the Gate and you hold it ●pen so long as to let through all your Friends ●or Infallibility and Tradition must by any means be let through and when these are ●assed down falls the Gate in so rude a man●er as is enough to cripple any other that endeavours to get passage Can any man pos●ibly assign a reason why the operation of the Spirit should not have as great force before the Churches Infallibility be let in But this it is to be a Guide in Controversies ●o direct Infallibility Tradition and the Ho●y Ghost to know their distance and to keep ●heir due places and it is a great favour ●hat the Holy Spirit is allowed to bring up the rear and to make all sure but by no means to offer to go before Infallibility or Tradition For these are capable of doing better service afterwards than the Holy Ghost is ever like to do them the greatest use of it being to make good a Pass that nothing follow to disturb the march of Infallibility and Tradition But if I may be so bold once more to presume to ask this wonderful Guide when the dispute is about the sense of Scripture why he doth believe such a particular sense which doth not appear clearly to him in Scriptures to be the infallibl● sense of it or to be divine Revelation Hi● answer is because the Church which is revealed in Scriptures to be infallible hath delive●ed this to him as the sense of it Very well this is an Answer I understand though I se● no reason for it But I proceed why d● you believe this Infallibility to be the sens● of those places which speak of the Church since to me they are far from appearing t● be clearly delivered in those Scriptures Remember you believe this with divin● faith and this divine faith must have d●vine Revelation the Question then is u● on what divine Revelation do you believ● the Infallibility of the Church to be pr●mised in Scripture He Answers upon Ap●stolical Tradition Is this Apostolical Tradition the same with the Scriptures or different from it If the same what greate clearness can there be in this than in th● Scriptures If different what divine Revelation is your faith of the Infallibility o● that built upon He ingenuously consesse● none at all for then there must be a process in infinitum or a circle And yet hi● principle is that divine revelation is nece●sary to divine faith but there can be non● here by his own consession without process in insinitum or a circle which i● to acknowledge the absurdity of his own way as far as a man can desire Well but how comes this Apostolical Tradition to be known to him By the Church he saith but may the Church be deceived in delivering Apostolical Traditions No he saith she is infallible but do you believe her infallible with divine faith Yes he saith that must be done then at last there must be a divine Revelation again for this Infallibility and so the circle returns No he saith at last he believes the Churches Testimony infallible only with a humane and acquisite faith upon prudential motives but he believes the Apostolical Tradition related by the Church with a divine faith Was there ever such a perplexed Guide in Controversies The Infallibility of the Church is sometimes to be believed with a divine faith and sometimes not and yet when it is not to be believed with a divine faith it is the Foundation of the divine faith of Apostolical Tradition for he assigns no other ground or reason for it besides the Infallible Testimony of the Church But this infallibility he saith may be known two ways by promises of Scripture or prudential motives not to dispute now the possibility of proving the Churches Infallibility by prudential motives which I shall do at large afterwards the thing I now enquire after is since the Apostolical Tradition must be believed by divine faith and the belief of it comes by the Churches Infallibility whether any other Infallibility can secure such a faith besides the Infallibility by Promise for the Infallibility asserted being a security from error by divine Assistance and that assistance only supposed to be promised in Scripture there can be no other Infallibility here understood but that which Infallibility by his own assertion must be believed by divine faith which divine Faith must rest upon divine Revelation and so he believes the sense of Scripture because of the Churches Infallibility and the Churches Infallibility by Apostolical Tradition and Apostolical Tradition by the Churches Infallibility and the Churches Infallibility by the sense of Scripture See now what an admirable Guide in Controversies we have met with and with what skill and dexterity he hath escaped the circle And so I take my leave of this GUIDE finding nothing in him further material about Infallibility which I have not answered in the foregoing Discourse The Considerato● urging so much the very same things and frequently in the same words that I now think he either was the same person or made very bold with him CHAP. II. The Principles of E. W. about the certainty of Divine Faith laid down and considered § 1. HAving met with so little satisfaction from the Guide in Controversies I now betake my self to the Rule no Fancies Toys Trifles or Fallible Glosses I assure you for those E. W. cries out upon almost in every page of his worthy work but Reason and Religion or The Certain Rule of Faith What can any man desire more unless it be to see Mr. Stillingfleet joyned in the Title-page with Atheists Heathens Jews Turks and all Sectaries And that he might own a greater obligation to him than all that Rabble he dispatches them all after a fashion in 30. pages and spends above 600 upon him O what a pestilent Heretick is this Stillingfleet that deserves so many lashes beyond Atheists Heathens Jews or Turks If he had been any one of those he might have been gently used for never were they fairlier dealt with by any man that undertook them But he is not so much their Friend to thank him for this kind usage and E. W. thinks he will have enough to do to defend himself I confess I think so too if either of his Books against me were to be thrown at my head for they are very thick and as heavy as is possible And to my great comfort I never yet saw two such bulky books whose substance might be brought into a less compass for setting aside Tautologies and tedious repetitions frequent excursions and impertinent digressions the pith and marrow of
Moral which doctrine he saith if it be defensible it 's impossible to declare how Faith it self or the illustration previous can proceed from the Holy Ghost For did the Spirit of God work with a soul when it believes the certainty of Faith would without all doubt go beyond that assurance which is only humane moral and fallible I think that I escape well that E. W. hath not transcribed a great part of Bradwardin de Causâ Dei against me for I plainly see he takes me for an Absolute Free Willer and a denier of the Grace of God It is true indeed I set aside the consideration of Divine Grace in this matter but I assure him not that I questioned the Truth or necessity of it but because it was not pertinent to ●his business For to what purpose should we argue about that which can only serve for ●he satisfaction of those which have it and ●eaves men entangled in the same difficulties they object to others But the Question was plainly put by me concerning the outward inducements to faith viz. whether an infallible Testimony of the Church were necessary in order to it or whether a certainty short of that which I called Moral were sufficient for Divine Faith Not opposing this Moral Certainty to the concurrence of Divine Grace but to an external infallible Proponent I took it then for granted on both sides that the Grace of Faith doth not come meerly from our selves but that it is the Gift of God that whereever God doth immediately concur he doth direct the mind to the belief of what is certainly True that there might be unaccountable ways whereby an inward certainty might be produced and so firm an adherence to the Truth believed which all the arguments and torments in the world could never shake of which the Primitive Martyrs were undeniable Instances But this internal perswasion could be made no matter of debate nor any argument to convince another any further than the effects of it did manifest that it came from God yet withal I did not Question but faith being an act of the mind of man which is rational and discursive had sufficient grounds to proceed upon and such which without any absurdity might justifie mens belief to any prudent or considerative men and to the severest enquiries of a mans own mind Now concerning these Grounds the Question was put by me taking in then the efficiency o● Divine Grace this is the true state of the Controversie whether the spirit of God may not by moral arguments work in mens minds such a certain assent of Faith as the Scripture requires for Salvation or whether in order thereto an Infallible Testimony of the Church be necessary But because the inserting the operation of the Holy Ghost doth rather perplex the controversie than explain it since this was granted on both sides I thought it better to leave it out and to manage the dispute as it ought to be only concerning the necessity of an infallible Testimony of the Church which is asserted by my Adversaries and denied by me 2. The Question is not concerning that Foundation of Faith whereby we believe what God saith to be true but that whereby we believe this to be revealed by God For those two Propositions must be supposed to any particular act of Faith viz. that whatever God saith is true and that God hath said this ●articular thing which I am bound to believe Concerning the first of these there is no dispute between us for Gods veracity founded ●pon ●his Infinite Wisdom and Goodness is agreed to be the ultimate reason of our assent ●o whatsoever God reveals Only E. W. to ●phold the supernatural certainty of Faith will not have the veracity of God to be the Foundation of Faith as it is known by natural Reason for if it were saith he Faith would at last be resolved into one natural ●rinciple thus I believe God to be the high●st verity imaginable not because he saith so ●ut because I know this great Truth scienti●ically Now saith he no science gives the ●ast or least degree of intrinsick certitude to ●aith This is profound reasoning but which ● dare say no faith can be built upon For ●ither I must be convinced of Gods veracity ●y natural reason from the consideration of ●he divine nature and attributes or by Re●elation from God but if by Gods revela●ion then see what an excellent way this Scholastick Divine hath found for resolving Faith as to this Principle for as it is a mat●er revealed it is an immediate object of ●aith If you then ask him why he believes any thing to be true which is revealed by God his answer is because he believes Gods supream verity or that he neither can nor wi● deceive but if you ask him again why h● believes this veracity of God he answers because God hath revealed it And is n● this a likely man to escape circles th● makes them where any common understanding would avoid them But besides supposing God had never discovered his own veracity in Scripture I would fain know of E. ● whether there could have been any suc● thing as Divine Faith or no if there coul● then this principle of Gods veracity mu● have been the Foundation of divine faith ● known by natural Reason And supposin● Gods veracity not to be embraced antecedently to a divine Revelation it is impossible to suppose there should be any argumen● sufficient to perswade me to believe any Divine Revelation For the greatest Miracle cannot convince me of Gods Truth though they may of his Power and the● may perswade me to believe that God se● such men who work Miracles but they canno● perswade me to believe that all they say is true For if God can deceive men he may imploy men as his messengers and deceive the world by them and if this opinion be rooted in a mans mind it is impossible he should yield a firm assent to any thing because it is revealed by God But E. W. saith Divines say so as he doth I suppose he means School Divines and then I grant they do and a great ●any silly things besides wrapt up under the ●ame of subtilties If any one hath a mind ●o try the truth of what I say he need do no more than read their unintelligible subtilties ●bout the nature and resolution of Faith Which Cardinal Lugo himself complains of and saith they make the doctrine of the Schools ●ard and unintelligible and in this particu●ar of believing Gods veracity on the account of Divine Revelation he saith it carries men into an inexplicable circle Suarez finding no better way to clear this difficulty ●uns to a mystery in it and makes it a great part of the mysteriousness of faith that although it doth not clearly see its object nor the things revealed yet it receives it by its own light and this act of faith he saith is wholy supernatural he might have said unintelligible But he