Story follow doctrinall writings namely Epistles conteining particular doctrinall controversies and precepts of manners written upon occasion when false Teachers had sowne tares of particular Heresies in the Churches founded by the Apostles Among these Epistles those of S. Paul both for the number importance and length of them obtained the first place but disposed not according to the order and dates of time that they were written but according to the priviledges and advantages of the Churches and Citties to which they were sent the Romans having obteined as reason was the first place then the Corinthians c. and after all such followed his particular Epistles to particular persons as Timothy Titus c. In the last place the whole volume was concluded with this single booke of Prophecies as being last written most difficult and lesse necessary These things being apparent let all reasonable men judge what just advantage can be taken by Protestants thus to build their maine foundation of difference from the Catholique Church upon so inconsiderable so casuall a thing as the order wherein the bookos of the New Testament have been ranged no man knowes by whom CHAP. VII Rnasons and Texts produced by Mr. Chillingworth to prove onely Scripture to be the Rule of Faith 1. BEsides these two so much by many Protestants magnifyed proofes of the Scriptures pretended sufficiency to determine all controversies of Religion with exclusion of unwritten Traditions There are other arguments which had greater force with me produced by Mr. Chillingworth and which that he might more advantagiously enforce he laies this first for a ground viz That no man ought to be obliged upon paine of Excommunication to believe any thing but what God hath revealed to be necessary to eternall salvation which is the substance of the New Covenant made by God in Christ conteining points of necessary beleife and precepts of necessary Evangelicall Obedience For saies he why should any errour or ignorance exclude him from the Churches Communion which will not deprive him of eternall salvation Why should men be more rigid then God 2. These grounds thus laid and supposed unquestionable In the next place to prove that this Covenant is entirely conteined not only in the whole Scripture but also in the lower Gospels yea sufficiently in any one of the former he first alledges these reasons Because the Evangelists having as they professe a purpose to write the Gospell of Christ or New Covenant no reason can be imagined why they who have set downe many passages unnecessary should neglect any necessary For what supine negligence and indiscretion must that needs bee such verily as no man in these dayes undertaking the same designe would commit Againe with what truth could they stile their bookes the Gospell of Christ being but a part of it 3. After such discourses he brings in his opinion two evident and unanswerable Texts out of the Gospells to prove that whatsoever is necessary for a Christian to beleive or practise is conteined in every one of them severally The first Text is the conclusion of S. Johns Gospell cap. 21 Many other signes also did Iesus in the sight of his Disciples which are not written in this booke But these are written that ye may believe that Jesus is Christ the Son of God and that believing you may have life in his name For the enforcing of which quotation he addes By these words these are written may be understood either These things are written or These signes are written Take it which way you will this conclusion will certainly follow That either all that which S. Iohn wrote in his Gospell or lesse then all and therefore all much more was sufficient to make them believe that which being believed with lively faith would certainly bring them to eternall life 4. The second proofe is from those words in the Preface of S. Lukes Gospell cap. 1. Forasmuch us many have taken in hand to set forth in order a Declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us even as they delivered unto us which from the beginning were eye witnesses and Ministers of the word It seemed good to me also having had perfect understanding of things from the first to write to thee in order most excellent Theophilus that thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed To this quotation he addes a parallell passage of the same S. Luke in his entrance to his History of the Acts of the Apostles Chap. 1. viz The former treatise have I made O Theophilus of all that Iesus began both to doe and teach untill the day that he was taken up c. Lastly he adjoynes twelve questions serving to enforce to the uttermost the strength and energy of these Texâ—s Which Questions after I have first prepared a way by consideration of a few principall termes in this controversie to a satisfaction what is here concluded from these Texts quoted by Mr. Chillingworth I will likewise set downe adjoyning to each of them its answer CHAP. VIII Preparatory grounds for the answering of these reasons and Quotations That Christian Religion was setled in the Church by Tradition especially The advantage of that way beyond writing 1. THe whole weight of this Controversie concerning the Rule of Faith viz. Whether all truths and precepts c. of Christianity necessary to Salvation be to be sought for in Scripture alone or any one or more of the Gospels as expresly conteined in them as Protestants affirme or likewise in the Tradition of the Catholique Church as Catholiques maintaine relying upon the true understanding of these three things especially viz. 1. The way whereby Christianity was setled in the Church which will appeare to have beene by Orall Tradition and externall uniforme practise as being more secure from errour and mistakes than writing 2. The occasion of the writing of the Gospels and other bookes of the New Testament and the benefit which the Church reapes by them 3. The meaning of this Phrase things necessary to salvation and the freeing of it from ambiguities and misapplications I conceived it therefore necessary to meditate seriously and as exactly as I was capable to informe my selfe distinctly of these particulars to the end that I might be able to judge whether these difficulties and objections alledged by Mr. Chillingworth would approve themselves as unanswerable as at my leaving of England I supposed them Here therefore I will set down in order the effect of my enquiry 2. To begin therefore with the first particular to be premised namely the way whereby Christian Religion was setled and continued in the Church By diligent reading of the writings of severall Fathers especially and ancient Ecclesiasticall Historians it manifestly appeared at least to mine own full satisfaction that it was not the purpose of Christ to deliver his new law as Moyses had done his in Tables or written characters but in Orall Tradition or to write it indeede but as Eusebius
Caesariensis before quoted expresseth it not with ink on paper but by his Spirit in the hearts of his people according to the ancient Prophecies concerning him in the Old Testament And hereupon the Fathers observe that our Saviour left nothing at all in writing neither did he lay any injunction upon his Apostles to write bookes And therefore the same Eusâ—bius Hist. Ecel l. 5. cap. 8. 24. expresly affirmes That the Apostles had the least regard to writing The like is noted by Saint Chrysostome in his frist Homily upon the Acts where he gives the reason why the booke of the Acts does onely or principally conteine the occurrences concerning S. Paul and not those neither to the end of his life But an assurance of this irrefragable is given by Saint Paul himselfe who in severall places of his Epistles referres to the doctrine setled by orall instruction as when he sayes Gal. c. 1. If any one shall preach otherwise then ye have received let him be Anathema And againe Phil. cap. 4. Those things which ye have been taught and received and heard and seen in me doe ye And againe to shew the uniformity of the doctrine every where he calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a forme of wholesome words And againe We write no other things unto you then what you have known And againe 1 Cor. cap. 14. 15. As I teach in all Churches And againe So we have preached and so ye have believed Hence S. Augustine makes this rule The Scripture is wont for brevities sake to be silent of many things which are to be learned from the order of Tradition For this reason it was as antiquity observes that S. Paul kept his residence so long a time in many Cities after he had setled Churches there to the end to inculcate into their memories the substantiall doctrines preached over and over unto them and to establish an uniforme order and discipline among them which by that meanes continued in an exact conformity for severall centuries of yeares in the Catholique Church all the world over as Tertullian S. Basil S. Augustin c. observe 3. Now this way of setling Religion by Tradition and outward practise was much more secure and lasting and far lesse subject to corruptions then writings without unappealable interpreters especially could possibly be If it be objected that memory is not so safe a depositary as written records which are made use of to supply the defects of memory It may be answered that that is true of preserving doctrines meerely speculative but not so of such as may be made as it were visible by practise as almost all Evangelicall doctrines are For as for bookes we see by experience that those which of all other in the world ought to have been preserved with the most exact care and wherein the most scrupulous curiosity was commendable I meane the Sacred Evangelicall writings have not been able to escape the inevitable fate of all bookes especially such as every one almost will thinke himselfe concern'd to transcribe that is to have infinite variety of readings much more then any other bookes that I know of whatsoever and principally in in the originall tongues which were not read in Churches Insomuch as in my hearing Bishop Usher one of the most learned Protestant Prelats in England professed that whereas he had had of many yeares before a designe to publish the New Testament in Greeke with various lections and Annotations and for that purpose had used great diligence and spent much money to furnish himselfe with Manuscripts and Memoires from severall learned men abroad yet in conclusion he was forced to desist utterly from that undertaking lest if he should ingenuously have noted all the severall differences of readings which himselfe had collected the incredible multitude of them almost in every verse should rather have made men Atheistically to doubt of the truth of the whole booke then satisfie them in the true reading of any particular passage An evident signe this is that the ancient Governours of the Church did not suppose that Christian Religion did onely or principally rely upon what was in writing For if they had they would doubtlesse either have forbidden such a multitude of transcribers or have preserved the Originall copies or at least have imitated the exact diligence and curiosity of the Jewish Masorites in their preserving the Old Testament entire for the future namely by numbring all the letters and points and signifying where and how oft every one of them were found in Scripture None of which preventions and cautions notwithstanding have been used in the Christian Church Yea so farre is it from that that at least one whole Epistle of S. Paul to the Laodiceans and that most ancient Gospel in Hebrew secundum Nazaraeos are at this day utterly lost not to speak of severall bookes mentioned in the Old Testament not now to be heard of 4. Well but how casuall soever bookes may prove to be yet it does not hitherto appeare how Orall Tradition and Practise can demonstrate it selfe a way more secure and free from hazard than they I will therefore endeavour to resolve this seeming difficulty by asking these Questions Can any one reasonably say that for example the doctrines of Christs death for mankinde commemorated in the Blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist of his reall unfigurative presence there have beene or could possibly have beene more securely propagated and more clearely and intelligibly delivered to Posterity in bookes written which may be lost and will be corrupted by some transcribers and every transcribers copy is as authentique as any others or as they have been in the Tradition and universall Practise of the Church and in a continuall visible celabrating of those divine Mysteries where every action they did performe published the truth which they believed where their thanksgiving for Christs Passion dayly renewed the memory manner and end of it where their prostrations and adorations demonstrated their assurance of his reall Presence where every mans saying Amen at the Priests pronouncing Corpus Domini nostri Jesu Christi expressed their confession of that Presence with exclusion of all Tropes and Metaphors in the businesse Againe is not the true inward sence of these Christian Doctrines conveyed more intelligibly and represented more exactly lively and naturally by such practises and solemne spectacles than by bare words though they had beene never so eleare and of never so studied a perspicuity With relation to which expresse impossible to be mistaken way of propagating the Mysteries of Christian beliefe and reflecting in his minde thereupon S. Paul in all probability thus reproved the Galatians for their inconstancy in these words of wonder and indignation Gal. c. 3 v. 1. O insensatiGalatae O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that ye should not obey the truth before whose eyes Iesus Christ hath been lively represented being Crucified among you As thinking that nothing of lesse power than a charme could
either denyed or affirmed they being of a contrary opinion would break Communion from and deny it to other Churches for Schisme about unnecessary things is by all Christians acknowledged a sin almost unpardonable 2. That rationally to affirm a doctrine to be expressed plainly in Scripture it is not sufficient to say it appeares so to me for so almost every one will be forward to say of all his Opinions which he pretends to be grounded on Scripture But that is to be called plain and expresse which ha's not been controverted by men of reason pretending to piety and impaertiality especially if they be in any considerable number so that it will not be satisfactory to say this appears plainly to me and I am sure I am not led by interest or faction as others are for this may be every ones plea against another 3. That where two senses are given of any passage of Scripture the one extremely probable and naturall the other not wholly absurd and whereof the words may possibly be capable in this case one Protestant cannot upon their own grounds condemn or impute heresie to another 3. These positions thus premised in the next place I conceived it very just that before any Sect of Christians did build upon this foundation of the Scriptures containing expressely and evidently all things necessary that they should all conspire to make a Catalogue of points necessary and this with relation to severall states of persons or at least to Communions and Churches I add this limitation because to multiply severall distinct Catalogues for all persons would be of extreme labour and on the other side to make one Catalogue for all men would as Mr. Chillingworth Cap. 3. parag 13. sayes be like the making a coat for the Moon which is continually in the wain or encrease 4. Now to shew the reasonablenesse of this and that Mr. Chillingworths adversary required most justly such a Catalogue from Protestants let but any man consider with himself what satisfaction any man can have from a Protestant Minister when he shall tell him You have the Bible of our Translation in which we affirm all necessary truths to be contained but mixed with a world of unnecessary you are not absolutely bound to study or to be able to read this Bible yet you shall be damned if you be ignorant of those necessary truths dispersed here and there in it to say definitively how many and which are those especiall necessary truths we are not able neither have we authority therefore at your own perill be sure you mistake neither in the number nor sense of those truths we can indeed afford you Articles and Catechismes to which as long as you live with us you must be forced to subscribe but we have no authority for there is none visible upon earth to propose our collections or determinations as obliging in conscience c. In what a miserable case would that Protestant be that should give himself leave to examine upon how meer a quicksand all his pretentions to eternity are built 5. And whereas Mr. Chillingworth would seem to conceive himself secure in the midst of these uncertainties because as he thinks Catholiques also are encumbred with the like I found that conceit of his altogether groundlesse for the promises of Christ remaining firm and appropriated to the Catholique Church it will follow 1. That in the Catholique Church shall be taught to the worlds end all necessary and profitable truths to all sorts of persons so that every man respectively receiving and believeing what the church appoints to be proposed to him cannot fail of being instructed with things necessary c. 2. The same Church being endued with authority to determine the true sense of divine truths a Catholique submitting to the Church cannot be in danger through mistakes or errours so that he who hearkens to the Church ha's his catalogue of fundamentalls made to his hand the Church like the wise Steward in the Gospell out of that store of provisions given her by Christ proportioning to every man his dimensum panis quotidiani his own befitting allowance 6. And here by the way will appear 1. The vanity of that ordinary calumny which Protestants impute to the Catholique Church as if she taught that it were sufficient to ignorant men only implicitly to believe what the Church believes without an explicite belief of any thing for there is none so ignorant but is obliged to know and assent to what the Church teacheth him by his Pastour suitable to his estate and education And secondly an usuall mistake among Protestants who think that all the credenda in Catholique Religion are comprised in the definitions of Councells for before ever any Generall Councell sate the Church was furnished with her full measure of divine truths necessary to be believed which were by her publiquely professed and proposed which have been occasionally declared and distinctly expounded in her Councells But to return to Mr. Chillingworth 7. He by his sharp understanding and long meditation coming to perceive those inconveniences and considering that no Protestant or other Church could upon their generally acknowledged grounds authoritatively define either the number or sense of Articles of Faith so as to oblige any man even within her Communion in conscience to assent and submission For for example if an Englishman would not subscribe to the sense of any Article of the Church of England all the penalty would be he should not partake of the priviledges and preferments of that Church but he might go over into Denmark or Holland whose sense in such an Article he liked better and still be acknowledged even by the English Church to be orthodox enough He therefore was forced to introduce two Novelties among English Protestants which find great approbation the first is to alter the old manner and notion of subscription to the English Articles for whereas before the Protestants there by their subscription testified their belief of all the 39. Articles in the sense imported in the words yea whereas there was a Canon which denounced Excommunication ipso facto to all that should say that any of them were not true Mr. Chillingworth thus expresseth his mind in subscribing I am perswaded that the constant doctrine of the Church of England is so pure and Orthodox that whosoever believes it and lives according to it undoubtedly he shall be saved and that there is no error in it which may necessitate or warrant any man to distrub the peace or renounce the Communion of it This in my opinion saith he is all intended by subscription 8. His second novelty is that whereas the Protestants alwaies professed that the publiqua Confessions of their Churches Faith was indeed their own faith that is such expressions plain and indubitable as are in holy Scripture concerning such points or at least irrefragable consequences from Scripture and therfore were to them as Scripture because their sence of Scripture and whereas they respectively
in it all things necessary to be believed and practised but which and how many such things there are we cannot tell you besides they are dispersed up and down in Gospells Acts Epistles and Revelation so that it will cost you much trouble to collect all that are of the substance of the new Covenant in yours and our opinions but to make short work be sure to believe all in grosse and then you shall be sure to believe all that is necessary and then chuse what Church you will for there can be no danger since all cannot but agree in necessaries only there is some danger in the Catholique Church for she will oblige you to believe other things as well as Scripture for universall Traditions sake and besides she will not permit you to think your own self wiser then the whole world Or if you have the curiosity to live in the purest Church of all then you must study all the obscure unnecessary passages of Scripture likewise for such only can be controverted among reasonable men and examine what every party ha's to say for himself and then descend from your tribunall of judging and associate your self with them that you think the wisest that is those that agree with you in all your opinions if there be any such and there stay till either they or you change opinions But as for Catholiques to such a man that was to chuse both Christianity and a Church they would first tell him that by his reason he might most certainly judge that this Religion was taught by Christ and his Apostles since besides Records the universall agreement of the present age was that they received it from an universall Tradition of former ages which is a testimony beyond all others most irrefragable 2. They would by the same way assure him that this Religion was by the first teachers confirm'd with miracles and his reason upon examination both of those miracles and the sanctity of this Religion in generall would most assuredly conclude that the miracles were divine and by consequence the Religion too and therefore necessary to be embraced since it self said so 3. They would upon the same undeniable grounds of universall Tradition assure him that among others one necessary duty of this Religion was to live in the Communion and under the authority of such a Church as Christ had promised should be Catholique for place and never to fail untill his coming to judgement which Church was one body consisting of a subordination of parts among which by consequence one must needs be supreme and from which to separate was to be divided from Christ himself in this Church therefore he was to fix himself inseparably And here is to be an end of his judging and chusing For 4. being in this Church his Reason had no more to do but to submit it self to the beliefe and practise of the speciall doctrines and precepts which this Church should teach him Liberty indeed he might have to search out interpretations of Scripture yet so as that he must not contradict any traditionary doctrines And he might draw consequences from doctrines so that he would give leave to the church to judge whether such consequences were rationall and fit to be received abstaining from others that would not assent to his consequences And this is the method according to which a Catholike would advise such a man to proceed thus much liberty of judging he would allow to his reason before he did make choice of a church and only so much afterward 8. To these discourses Mr. Chillingworth adds some proofs out of Scripture to justifie Private Reason's pretention to judge of the sense of Scripture as first those words of S. Paul 1 Thes. 1. 5. v. 20 21. Try all things hold fast that which is good But I answer here is no mention either of Scripture or church much lesse of interpreting Scripture against the church the truth is there were extant scarce any books of the New Testament when S. Paul wrote that Epistle But the words before speak of Prophecyings in the church which perhaps S. Paul would have to be tryed whether they were consonant to the doctrine which he had delivered to the church Now who was to be the Judge of Prophets he shews in another place 1 Cor. 14. 32. where he sayes The spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets not to the ignorant people A second proof is Believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they be of God or no 1. Joh. 4. 1. To which the former answer will suffice A third Be ye ready to render a reason of the hope that is in you 1 Pet. 3. 15â— I cannot imagine how from this Text this conclusion can be infer'd Ergo it belongs to all Christians to judge of the sense of Scripture even against the authority of the Church A fourth If the blind lead the blind both shall fall into the ditch All the inference that I could possibly draw from this Text would be therefore if men will not believe their teachers but either will rush forward themselves or follow others that neither have authority nor ability to teach they are likely to fall into the Ditch For surely by blind are not meant the lawfull Pastours of the Church which on the contrary are in the Old Testament called Videntes or Seers and by S. Paul eyes when speaking of such persons as Mr. Chillingworth here gives the office of judging to he saith If the ear shall say because I am not the eye I am not of the body is it therefore not of the body If all the body were the eye where were the hearing 1 Cor. 12. 16. Whereby S. Paul shews expressely that the hearers ought not to usurp the teachers office expressely contrary to Mr. Chillingworths Position 9. I will conclude this discourse of Protestants exalting private reason against Catholique authority with those memorable words of S. Augustine Ep. 56. Those saith he who not being in Catholique Unity and Communion yet notwithstanding do boastingly usurp the name of Christians are constrained to contradict the true Believers and have the boldnesse to seduce as it were by reasons the ignorant and unskilfull although that our Lord is come with this preservative to ordain faith unto the people But this they are constrained to do as I said because they perceive well that without this there is nothing more vile and base then they are if their authority be compared with Catholique authority They endeavour therefore as it were to surmount the most firmly setled and most stable authority of the most surely founded Church by the name and promising of Reason for this is as it were an uniform and universall temerity of all Heretiques But the most clement Commander and Generall of our Faith hath strengthened his Church with this bulwark of Authority by the most famous Assemblies of Peoples and Nations and by the proper Sees Episcopall of the Apostles aâ—d by a
say that he is inferiour But now what Texts are there to be found so evidently expressing the eternall Divinity of the Son of God as there are for appropriating the Divine Nature to the Father only Viz. these two Texts This is eternall life to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent And To us there is but one God even the Father and one Lord Jesus Christ. 7. The truth is if Tradition and the authority of the Church be not admitted to interpret Scripture the Socinians and other Antitrinitarians cannot by Protestants be condemned as Heretiques upon the pretence of denying expresse Scripture since if reason alone be judge those Texts cannot be called express which may be confronted with others seemingly contradicting or which are capable of a sense it may be lesse probable yet so as that without much racking the words will be able to bear a case which to have hap'ned in this controversie every reasonable man will confesse that shall cast his eyes upon the severall positive Texts alledged by Crellius in his book De uno vere Deo I may add further that if the universall Tradition of the present Church in the time of the Councell of Nice had not prevailed for the stating of that great controversie against the Arians so many objections those Heretiques heaped together not only out of Scripture but likewise out of the writings of such Fathers as preceded that Councell that perhaps they might have endangered the cause as will appear to any one that shall cast his eyes upon a world of passages quoted by Heretiques out of Clemens Alexandrinus Tertullian S. Justin Martyr Origen Lactantius c. 8. The Second instance is the Heresie of Rebaptization renewed by the Anabaptists of these times and in conformity to Antiquity condemned by English Protestants it is more evident then the Sun that expresse Scripture alone being the Rule and private reason or Spirit the Judge the Anabaptists cannot upon Protestants grounds be accused either to erre in a point fundamentall or however in a point fundamentall contained expressely in Scripture 9. In the last place that upon Protestants grounds no separation among them can justly be called Schisme in the notion of Antiquity appears yet more evidently For among those â—â— of Sâ—â—â—â— now in England which abhor and renounce the Communion of one another 1. There is not any one of them that ha's the assurance to stile themselves the Catholique Church with exclusion of all others not in actuall Communion with them Now Schisme is only a separation from the externall Communion of the Catholique Church at least if universall antiquity may be allowed to be the judge 2. There is not any one of them which dares apply to themselves in particular those words of Christ Tell the Church and if he will not hear the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen and a Publican or those Promises of his Upon this Rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it And I will send the Comforter which shall lead you into all truth And Behold I am with you to the end of the world Now there is no Schisme but from such a church to which those elogies and promises belong 3. All the means and remedies left them to deale with those they call Schismatiques or Heretiques are not to excommunicate them in a Generall Councell as the Catholique Church ha's continually upon occasion done for what a ridiculoâ—s affembly must that be to which they should presume to attribute the name of a Generall Councell And how more ridiculously would an Anathema sound being fulminated by a Synod of Charenton or Gappe or Dâ—rt c. But their proper course in such cases is to persecute imprison or perhaps burn one another as Calvin did Servetus and by this means the weaker and sufferer would be the only Heretique and Schismatique But of Schisme more in the following Conclusion CHAP. XLV The third Conclusion The point of Shisme slightly considered by Protestants which notwithstanding ought above all others to be chiefly considered THE 3d. CONCLUSION viz. That there is one only Church of Christ and that all Heretiques who believe not all Christian doctrines taught in her and all Schismatiques who breaking the bond of Charity divide themselves from her visible and externall Communion are separated from Christ himself 1. IN my discourse upon this Conclusion I need not separate Heresie from Schisme since I do not know any Sect in these times precisely Schismaticall that is without any mixture of Heresie as the Donatists were in the beginning who agreed in all doctrines with Catholiques but separated upon a quarrell grounded upon a matter of fact Therefore hereafter when I speak of Schisme and enquire upon what party it is to be charged it is to be supposed that Heresie must accompany it seeing the foundation of all the present separations among Christians is â—heir disagreeing in points of faith and doctrine 2. Now though this divine truth viz. That the true Church of Christ is only one and by consequence that an injustifiable separation from it is in a high degree damnable be acknowledged by all Christians that I know since it is an expresse article of our Creed Credo unam sanctam Catholicam Ecclesiam that is I believe one holy Catholike Church and therefore there may seem to be no necessity to put ones selfe to the trouble of proving it Notwithstanding I will not refuse that trouble to make a collection of quotations both out of Scripture and Fathers to the end both to get a distinct notion of what was antiently understood by this word Schisme and to set forth according to their conceptions the abominablenesse and extreme sinfulnesse of that sin and this the rather because a sad meditation upon such passages enforced me to consider in what a state I had formerly lived and likewise made me wonder that heretofore above all other points I had not bent my thoughts and studies to enquire and determine since it is apparent that there is a Schism in the church upon which party the guilt of so horrible and exterminating a sinne did lye 3. But the truth is my wonder decreased when I considered that hitherto I had not met with any Protestant Writers that have throughly considered this point of Schisme which yet above all others ought to have been most exactly ventilated and examined as S. Augustine lib. 2. cont lit Petil. saith in the case of Schisme against the Donatists The whole question therefore is whether you do not ill you I say to whom the whole world objects the sacriledge of so geeat a Schisme the exact examination of which question whilest you neglect all that you say is superfluous and whereas you live like theeves you boast that you dye as Martyrs And again Ep. 164. ad Emer Don. Wherefore in the prime place this is to be enquired for what reason you made
not true because they find no satisfaction in the discourses and answers which the Schoole-writers endeavour to give to a thousand foolish objections which they conjute up out of Aristotles Philosophy against this Mystery to be adored and trembled at It is onely Scripture testimonies of Faâ—hers Ecclesiasticall Tradition Generall Councells and the Profession of the present Catholique Church which are the proper Judges of this controversie and whose authority when it is employed as it ought will assert this divine truth of the Reality of Christs presence by way of conversion in the blessed Sacrament to the confusion of all Novelties and all Blasphemies of Heretiques The antient both Latin and Grecian Fathers who certainly were of wits as subtill and pierceing as any that have succeeded them yet never thought upon such nice enquiries as now every young Philosopher can prattle of and therefore I professe since I am far from finding any obligation at all lying upon me to the contrary yea since the Councell of Trent Sess. 13. c. I. hath defined this point in the language of Antiquity and not of the Schools saying that Christ is present in the Sacrament Sacramentaliter i. e. mysteriously inexplicably I will never endeavour to answer any Philosophicall arguments any other way then with such words as these of S. John Damascene The Bread and Wine is changed into the Body and Blood of our Lord but this after an unsearchable manner For of this matter we know no further but only that the word of God is true and efficacious and omnipotent Damasc. de Orthod Fide lib. 4. cap. 14. Of the Adoration of our Lord Jesus Christ present in the holy Eucharist 9â— Let us now consider to what the church obliges all Catholiques in this point If any one saith the Councell of Trent Sess. 13. Can. 6. saith that Jesus Christ the only Son of God ought not to be adored with the exteriour worship of Latria it self in the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist and that for that end it ought not to be proposed publikely to the people to be adored and that those who adore him are Idolaters let him be Anaâ—hema Which worship of Latria is not given to the outward Symbolls of the Eucharist but only to Jesus Christ himself there present A certaine degree of respect even by the confession of the Calvinists is due to all outward instruments of Religion as to Chalices to the books of Scripture to the water of Baptisme and to the Species of Bread and Wine in the Holy Eucharist And Catholiques allow no more But the true object which a Catholique adores with this sublime act of adoration or Latria is in the case in hand Jesus Christ himself who is to be adored every where wheresoever he is present and therefore likewise in the holy Eucharist in the which the Catholique church knows and acknowledgeth no other substance as the Calvinists desire to impose on them but only Jesus Christ. And if they be Idolaters for this the Lutherans are so too who teach the same doctrine though they expresse themselves in the point of the Reall Presence after another new-invented manner yet notwithstanding the Calvinists when their worldly interests obliged them could be content to comunicate with the Lutherans and could swallow their pretended Idolatry but out of fear and hatred of Catholique union make even the church her self a prejudice against her doctrine 10. For mine own part whilest I was a Protestant I professe I could never answer to mine own reason why we should condemn the worshipping of Christ whom we professed to be present in very truth without figures or fancies If he had not been there after a peculiar Sacramentall manner I might lawfully notwithstanding have worshipped him there because I may and ought to worship him every where as being God omnipresent yea though his humane nature be locally present only at the right hand of the Father in glory yet I may worship the man Jesus Christ every where because that person which is God and Man is every where present viz. according to his divine not humane nature and yet it seems when a new accâ—ssion of another kind of Sacramentall truly reall presence is added to the former though I acknowledge this later presence to be as reall as the former I must be forbidden to expresse that I acknowledge and believe it any other way then by saying with my lips that I do so I must then deny unto him in that place at his owne table and altar and at that time whilest are celebrated those mysteries adorable even to Angells themselves that worship and respect which I would have given him at mine own table or whilest I was doing the ordinary works of my calling But it will be said perhaps you are not forbidden to worship him but you must not worship him as present there And why for Gods sake Bid me rather believe that he is not after an epseciall manner present But this is tyranny and injustice in the highest degree to command me to believe that he is as truly though after another manner present there as at the right hand of his Father and at the same time to command me by my works to belye my belief No no. Quà m magis ingenuè Peribonius How much more ingenuous are the Socinians then all other Sects for whereas the rest would gladly pretend Antiquity and take much unprofitable pains to make a Father now and then speak a word in their favour The Socinians instead of puzling themselves to untye cut asunder all such knots and difficulties they with an impudent resolutenesse break through all obstacles Let the antient church determine what it please and let the antient Fathers agree to speak as they have a mind if what is spoken and decreed either suit not with what they fancy that the Holy Ghost does mean or naturall reason being Judge ought to mean or if the Holy Ghost in their opinions hath been silent in it without more aâ—o they presently reject and condemn it upon which grounds they strein not to alter all the language almost of the church they know no such thing as a Sacrament they acknowledge no promises to nor no â—ffects of such ceremonious actions as the church and all Christians call Sacraments they scoffe at the Reall Presence and abominate the adoration of Christ in his Mysteries Let S. Ambrose de Sp. 5. l. 3. say By his footstool is meant the earth and by the earth the body of Christ which every day we adore in the mysteries and which the Apostles adored in our Lord Jesus Let S. Augustine in Psa. 48. say For he took earth from earth both because be conversed here in very flesh and gave us likewise very flesh to eat for our salvation Now no man eats that flesh but that he adores it first And thus a way is found how the Lords footstoole is adored And again Epist 120. expounding that of the Psalmist All
equally very artificiall and very naturall 6. Thus much of the Preface therefore being acknowledged to be unanswerable the designe of all that follows is 1. To shew that the doctrine of the churches Infallibility is of all others most generall and comprehensive and which if it could be demonstrated would immediately decide all other controversies 2. That therefore none can seriously think Protestants so unreasonable but that if they were perswaded of the truth of this they would presently submit and leave all disputing 3. But yet since it seems evident to them that some Decisions of the Church are contradictory to the Scriptures which Catholiques propound as infallibly true Therefore it is necessary that Infallibility ought to be demonstrated at least to a higher degree of evidence then they have of the contradiction of the Churches Decisions to the infallible Rule of Gods Word 4. That no such demonstration hath been made by Catholiques the great Defenders of the Church of England have very excellently and fully demonstrated 5. And this with such successe that the very name of Infallibility begins to be burthensome even to the maintainers of it in so much that one of their latest and ablest Proselytes Hugh Paulin de Cressy as the author stiles him which is a title that the same Serenus Cressy for that is henceforth his name assumed in Religion utterly renounces is most certain the Author can never justifie against such a world of much more able Proselytes hath acknowledged the same word Infallibility to be an unfortunate word and too advantagious to Protestants and therefore fit to be forgotten and laid by Wherupon the Author gives scope to a fit of triumphing at the strength of reason and power of truth that a Catholique is forced or renounce so fundamentall a doctrine which yet notwithstanding is not found in any Councell c. 6. Now lest it should be thought to be only the word Infallibility but not the notion of it intended by Catholiques and understood by Protestants that is deserted by Mr. Cressy the Author sayes that Protestants never impugned it by Nominall Arguments producing a passage out of Bellarmine to justifie the acknowledged sense of that word 7. Hereupon the Author imputes to Mr. Cressy unreasonablenesse in answering Arguments made against that which himself confesses cannot be maintained 8. And yet greater unreasonablenesse in the manner of his answer because deserting Infallibility he answers only for the authority of the Church and so makes this authority answer for that Infallibility From this last he draws three consequent absurdities which shall be set down when their place comes to be answered 9. Hereupon he profesles that having considered the inconsiderablenesse of M. Cressy's whole discourse he changed his resolution to answer it as judging it not to deserve an answer 10. And lastly he concludes the invinciblenesse of my L. Falklands discourse of Infallibility 7. This is the mind and whole importance of the Preface which whether rationall or no shall be examined but it is confess'd to be orderly enough and therefore shall be endeavoured to be answered according to its order and the Paragraphs and divisions made by me not himself CHAP. IV. An Answer to the four first Paragraphs of the Preface 1. THat which the Author of the Preface sayes in his first Paragraph viz. That the Doctrine of the churhes Infallibility is of all other most generall and comprehensive and which if it could be demonstrated would immediately decide all other controversies is so conformable to evident reason that it cannot be denied And that which reason requires of me to acknowledge in the first Paragraph charity would invite me to grant universally in the second viz. That if Protestants were perswaded of the truth of this they would presently submit and leave all disputing Were it not that I. P. himself discourages me I doubt not but both himself and many others if they were absolutely convinced of the churches Infallibility would not wilfully detain the truth in unrighteousness by continuing in an obstinate and then an acknowledged disobedience to the church But they behave themselves in the search of the truth as if they were afraid to find it They come with extreme prejudice and partiality to the examination of the controversie and if they can find but any small advantage against any passage in Catholike writers though the churches doctrine be not at all concerned in it they presently give the cause decided according to their own minds and interests which partiality of theirs seems much more intense and withal heightned with fâ—â— greater Passion since the downfall of their Church then ever it was before for indignation to see the extreme weaknesse of their cause imbitters them much more in their disputes against Catholikes and encreases their obstinacy against the authority of Gods church as if they would be revenged against God for giving such an advantage to his Church Proofs of this given by too many others will appear in the whole contexture of this Preface as I shall demonstrate 2. Thirdly J. P. sayes That since it seems evident to them that some decisions of the Church are contradictory to the Word of God which Catholiques propound as infallibly true Therefore it is necessary that Infallibility ought to be demonstrated at least to a higher degree of evidence then they have of the contradiction of the Churches decision to the infallible Rule of the Scriptures Truly this is not altogether unreasonable therefore to give him satisfaction I will fix a good while upon this point though I shall be forced to say over somewhat said already Therefore according to the grounds of the precedent Book I will endeavor to clear the controversie of Infallibility as it is there handled from the mistakes of J. P. and to effect this more prosperously I will peruse this supposition 3. Let it be supposed that the Church of England did pretend to an Infallibility or if you will to an authority of obliging all Christians under pain of Damnation to submit to her Decisions This being supposed and that I desirous to enquire into the grounds of this pretension should betake my selfe to a meeting of severall learned Protestants and say to them since it is so necessary that all Christians should receive information in Christian Doctrine from you Pray let me know where I shall find it This request would presently raise a murmure amongst them and there is onely one answer in which they would all agree which is this That that only is to be accounted the doctrine of the Church of England which ha's been determined by the authority of the English Bishops ratified by the secular head of the Church the King yet with the advice of the Parliament and embraced by all the children and Subjects of the English Church But when they would descend more particularly to signifie the speciall repositories of this Doctrine there would be great variety of answers For the most moderate of them would
Universal Church But they are not satisfied that they ow that submission to the Roman and if not to the Roman they know not to what Church Sol. 16. To say somthing for the clearing this difficulty I shall desire them to consider 1. That whilst the Eastern and Western Churches were joyned in one External communion it is apparent that that Body was the Catholick Church to which the Promises of Christ were made and to which Protestants themselves would not have refused submission 2. That a breach hapning between these Churches is not mortal to the whole Body but onely to that Member that did unlawfully separate 3. By consequence that both the Title and real Authority of the Catholick Church remains in the innocent Part that is either in the Roman or Eastern Church 4. That whethersoever of these two be the Catholick Church English Protestants are Schismaticks since they are divided from both and the pretended grounds of their Divisions are Doctrines received by them both 5. That in case English Protestants would now take into debate to whether of these two parties they should re-adjoyn themselves by that means to become Catholicks again they must be forced to quit both a greater number of their Topical Doctrines and more fundamental ones to fit themselves to an union with the Eastern then with the Roman Church 6. That if they will needs out of Passion prefer the Eastern their Passion will be evident since that whensoever either remorse of conscience or the approaches of death made them see their unsafe condition thousands of them have fled to the Roman Church for shelter but never any to the Grecian or any other but the Roman 7. That as long as they are out of the Roman Church they are in a headless trunck divided from the successor of St. Pèter whom St. Cyprian St. Hierome Optatus c. acknowledged to be the foundation of Unity Order c. Ob. 17. Now if among Protestants any out of a perverse condescendence shal grant that the grounds alledged for the separation of the Eastern Western Churches are not in themselves of such main importance as to hinder them from being really one Catholick Church And therefore that before the present controversies can be decided a general Assembly of them all must be expected Sol. 18. to this they must give me leave to say 1. That they make the Promises of Christ to be casual temporary and obnoxious to critical daies and seasons if they think that the changes of Kingdoms or that the humors of an earthly Tyrant can either evacuate or suspend the force of those promises by which our Lord hath obliged himself to provide that the Gates of Hell that is heresies shall not prevail against his Church The effect of which promise in the opinion of such Objectors must be delayed till the Grand Signior will allow the Grecian Bishops to meet with the Western to consult of and procure the peace and union of Christendom 2. In case they should be permitted to meet Protestants may without the spirit of prophesie foretel their own most solemn condemnation For since both the Eastern and Western Churches do already agree in most doctrines renounced by Protestants viz. Transubstantiation Adoration of the blessed Sacrament Prayer for the Dead and by consequence a Purgatory in which souls are capable of refreshment by such Prayers Veneration of Images Relicks c. Invocation of Saints Indulgences Merit of good works c. In which Doctrines they do agree as acknowledging them to be Traditionary It is impossible they should ever be perswaded to revoke any of them being met in an Assembly unless they will renounce all order and manner of proceeding in former General Councels which is not according to the Method of Protestants Viz. Endlessly to dispute every controverted Point by Texts of Scripture but to judge of the Truth of Points and the sense of Scripture by Traditien In such Assemblies therefore Bishops will ask one another Have your Fathers delivered to you that Bread after consecration becomes the Body of Christ That this body in the Sacrament is to be adored That we ought to pray for Souls departed in the Faith of Christ c. If so Servetur quod traditum est Now it being apparent that at the present all agree that such Doctrines both in the East and West have been delivered by Tradition and that their meeting together in a Councel will not help to make a contrary Tradition possible It will follow that whether divided or united whether alone or in Assembly they are and ever will be at least so far united as to joyn in the condemnation of Protestants CHAP. V. An Answer to the Remainder of the Preface 1. THe rest of the Preface of I. P. touches my self onely and pretends to shew what success the writings of those great Defenders of the Church of England have had against me in particular forcing me to confess That Infallibility is an unfortunate word That Mr. Chillingworth hath combated it with too great success so that I would wish the word were forgotten or at least laid by c. Now since the Church is not at all concern'd in this but my self onely who am charged with writing an incongruous impertinent Book a Book that deserves no answer but answers it self since it maintains that which its Adversary did not combat c. Truly were it not for I. P. and his friends sake more then mine own I would not answer for my self But since I perceive that the word Infallibility is as unfortunate a word to them as it was to me I will endeavour to take order that it shall be so no more 2. First therfore I say with Mr. Veron that the word Infallibility has been found out by the Schools that love to find out as short waies to express their notions as possibly can be And the world finds very great convenience by it Therefore with reference to the Church Schoolmen and from them Controvertists desirous to express the great veracity of the Church considered as a Judge or witness of Divine Truths deposed by God with her and withal the utmost obligation that all Christians have to beleeve truths so determined and witnessed by her found out this single word Infallibility to express both these by But yet the Church her self hath not as yet assumed or borrowed this word in any of her Decisions from the Schools and therefore being none of the Churches word we are not oblig'd to make her to speak it and the truth is though it comprehends al that they intend by it yet it is no adaequate measure of those conceptions because Infallibility may comprehend a great deal more for truth and our obligation to beleeve it is yet in a higher degree in Scripture then in the Decisions of the Church as Bellarmine acknowledges For the Scripture in all points both of Doctrine and Story and all circumstances is infallibly true not so the Decisions of the
be doubtful that he is wrong A Guide that the Scripture never mentioned and the Church never heard of but supposed by being called a Chruch that it never should be hearkned to so that whether Scripture or Tradition or Church or all of them be followed such a Guide ought to be deserted and renounced A Guide that two persons cannot possibly follow together because no two persons that ever followed any other Guide beside Authority did or could think all things to be reasonable that any other thought so And lastly by consequence such a Guide that as long as he continues in the office there cannot possibly be any Church any where And is not this an infallible Eviction that this is an imaginary seducing Guide since it is impossible that that should be a Guide appointed for any Christian which neither Christ nor his Apostles nor any of their followers ever mentioned yea which does formally destroy one of our twelve Articles of the Apostles Creed Credo Sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam 12. And yet when all this is said even this is a less unreasonable and less unsafe Guide then any divided particular Church can be For this hood-wink'd Guide inquiring into Scripture and searching after Tradition may possibly stumble upon the way to Unity and Truth that is the true Catholick Church for private Reason professes the exclusion of partiallity and will not refuse to take into consideration whether it self ought not to be renounced and Authority submitted to and if it chance to finde Reason for Authority it will resign its Office and cease to be a Guide any longer or private Reason any longer whereas particular Churches being founded upon the renouncing of Universal Authority in practise and yet usurping that Authority which they renounce doe not onely mis-lead their followers but having seised on them do chain and fasten them in that Dunge on CHAP. VII A concluding Exhortation wherein all are invited to Catholique UNITY 1. FOR a farewell to I. P. and all his Brethren and to all my dear mislead Countrymen of what Religion Sect or Faction soever but principally the Protestants Presbyterians and Independents I beseech them all to suffer a word of Exhortation made by St Paul to the Philippians Phil. 2. Si quae ergo consolatio in Christo si quod solatium c. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of Charity if any society of the spirit if any bâ—â—els of Compassion fulfill the joy of St Paul and all Saints that you be of the same Judgement having the same charity being of one mind thinking the same thing That is Think Catholique Unity a desirable thing and pursue the ways to attain it 2. Now the Sun shines not clearer at Noon then this Truth That there is no possible Unity without Authority nor no Christian Unity without an Infallible Authority all other Authority is meer Faction and Rebellion an Authority that reaches to the outward appearance or that bindes onely the purse If there were any true Spiritual Authority lately in England or now at Geneva c. it would engage the consciences of those that are under it and that not as English men or French but as Christians And by consequence all Christians should be obliged to submit to it a thing that themselves do not so much as pretend to Therefore by all those passionate exhortations of St. Paul I conjure you be no longer averse from Catholick Unity and Catholick Authority for be assured without such Unity and Authority submitted to you will finde no consolation no not in Christ himself no comfort in the charity of the Father nor society with the â—â— Spirit c. 3. Do not according to your mistaken custom account us uncharitable in professing that salvation cannot belong to any that are estranged from our Catholick Communion we could not be Catholicks if we said not so Thereby we approve our selves to be the lawful children of the Ancient Saints Martyrs Confessors c. all which out of their burning charity not pride or malice protested damnation to all out of their Communion For how could they or we be the true Church unless we excluded false Churches St. Augustin was the benignest humblest charitablest soul in his Age yet who thunders so loudly and so terribly against Schismaticks as he And his enemies the Donatists pretending to be the Catholick Church to the end to justifie seemingly their false plea were forced to denounce damnation to all from whom they were divided otherwise they would not have had so much as the shew of Catholicks 4. More particularly addressing my self to my most dear friends the English Protestants of whose communion I once was a seduced Member consider I beseech you that that which at the first composing of this Book I onely suspected might possibly happen is now abundantly effected God has in part visited on you the persecution and injustice you laid upon us Now do you not see that your Church was the meer creature of State-Policy If it had had the power of Religion the decay of your Ecclestical estates or imprisonment of your Bishops would not have destroyed Authority among you The censures of a captive Pope or Excommunication of a Synod meeting in a Grot were as terrible to irregular disobedient Catholicks as if they had thundred from the Capitol or the Emperial Pallace in Constantinople Where are the proofs now of your Spiritual Power Why do not you thunder out your Excommunications against the Subverters of your Religion or against your own daily revolting subjects Alas who would be frighted with such Anathema's Or what subjects have you now after the loss of your temporal Lordships And which way shall those Lordships be regained that you may become a Church again Those that were once content you should enjoy them will not adventure their own estates to recover them for you the Lutherans are too far off and the Calvinists too neer you may comfort your selves with your Liturgy and perhaps your Surplices worne in private Conventicles But as for a succession of Priests or Bishops that is not to be hoped much less a restauration of your Religion which is now quite out of date 5. To what Church will you now apply your selves To the Scotish Kirk or your own Presbyterians the first incendiaries of all these troubles the Idumaeans that cried Exinanite Exinanite usque ad fundamentum in ea Or to their successors of a thousand names and shapes and all of them frighrful What is it that holds you from returning to Catholick Communion What other injuries have we done you except that we have forced you to blush to see how patiently we suffred your injustices oppressions and persecutions But the Truth is you were not so much our Persecutors as that poysonous generation of Calvinists among you they were those who instill'd fury into our Kings and Parliaments and poison into the laws against us Which very lawes are still kept in force against Catholicks
and the present Governors who profess Independency an absolute freedom of Conscience are yet by a secret transition of some dregs of Calvinistical pollution become severe Executioners of their cruelty against us By that means destroying the foundation of their own Religion and rendring themselves obnoxions to be censured by neighbouring Princes and States as persons of no faith or constancy even to their own Principles But however it is to be hoped that care will be taken that the Presbyterian banner shall never be displayed amongst you lest their little fingers prove hereafter more heavy to all their opposors then the Prelatical loynes were formerly And I cannot but congratulate unto Scotland their late procured liberty from this more then Scilician Tyranny of Kirkism 6. If those now exauctorated now dispossessed Presbiterian Spirits would hearken to the advise of one that truly wishes so well to their souls that he would willingly sacrifice his life for their good I would desire them to consider how palpably beyond all other Sects their condition is most miserable and evidently accursed both by God and man For their Dominion and Tyranny never lasts longer then during the times of sediâ—ions and secret rebellious practises Then indeed secular ambitious spirits having great use and need of them to whisper treasons sow discontents inflame revenge and under a shew of zeal root all charity obedience and peacefulness out of the consciences of the people do suffer them to rage Whilst these plots are agirating so long they have leave given them to domineer over the souls of men and to set up their abhorrid Tribunals But when once their secular lords see themselves settled by their practises then nothing is so contemptible as a Calvinistical Minister witness Geneva where they have no influence upon the State and witness Holland where the whole Body of their wretched Ministery are not allowed one single voice in their Government nor the meanest Artisan scarce willing to cast away a daughter upon them 7. Filii hominum usquequo gravi corde ut quid diligitis vanitatem quaeritis mendatium O my beloved Countrymen How long will you remain of such stupified insensible blinde hearts Do not you perceive that it is meer emptiness that you graspe and a palpable lie that you so busily seek whilst renouncing Christs Authority you follow the conduct of your own Reason and Spirit Are you not now become like the men of Sodom struck with blindness yet perswaded that you are the onely Seers You cross and justle one another in the way knocking at all doors but the right How impossible is it that this blindness this eternal wandring should be cured but by the Opobalsamum of Catholick Faith and Obedience to the only spouse of Christ the Church Your eyes are not the onely Organs but your ears must be used for the learning of the true way Faith comes by hearing not studying or disputing and the persons to be heard are those that are sent that have a Mission sealed by Christ and delivered successively from his Apostles and by their Successors If you would hear you would beleeve And if you would beleeve you could not be divided But you will read and study and dispute and the fruit thereof is not faith but science falsely so called which puffs you up with a vain opinion of knowledge and tempts you to study and dispute without end Now if you really beleev'd the Scriptures which you read you would hear the Church that is the onely safe Interpreter of them He that hears you hears me sayes our Saviour to and concerning his Apostles and their Successors Christians must be hearers of their Teachers to the end of the world What infinite numbers of mis-lead souls have continually deceived themselves into eternal perdition and all of them with the Bible in their hands and perhaps in their heads and memories And this not for want of reading or disputing but of hearing and beleeving 8. This is the true and proper Difference indeed between a Catholick and a Mis-beleever The Bible is a Rule to them both but the sense of the Bible is conveyed several ways to them Hereticks receive it by the eyes they deliver it themselves to themselves by which means every one being a Teacher independent of another Christ has no Schollers among them so that every Reader creating a sense proper to his own tast and disposition they all agree onely in possessing the outward bark but the true sense escapes them Whereas a Catholick receives both the Bible and the sense of the Bible from the Church and Teachers appointed in Her So that he has the same assurance of the senseâ—â—â— of the Bible it self then which a greater certainty cannot be given even Protestants themselvs being Judges By this means it comes to pass that as it is impossible that Hereticks should agree any other way then in faction So it is impossible that Catholicks should differ in points of belief as it is impossible that Protestants should be humble who trust none nâ—r rely on any but their own wit and judgment they being their own only Authority So it is impossible that Catholicks should in this regard be proud whose wit and judgment is to renounce their own judgment and to depose their own wit and to captivate both to the obedience of Faith which comes by hearing Christ speak to them by his Church Lastly as it is impossible that Hereticks who follow private Reason which of all others by a general acknowledgment is the blindest Guide should not with their blind Guide fall into the Pit so it is impossible that Catholicks if their works be answerable to their faith should not with the Church that teaches them attain the glory which Christ has purchased for his Elect. 9. Do not I beseech you my dear friends look upon this Characteristical difference between Catholicks and Hereticks as a new device of our own brain but as an Ensigne set up by the Fathers of the Church yea by the Holy Ghost himself speaking by his Choisest Organ St. John the Evangelist Ep. 1 Chap. 4. Ipsi de mundo sunt ideo de mundo loquuntur c. They are of the World therefore they speak of the World and the World hears them we are of God He that hath known God heareth us Hereby know we the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error The Apostle in the beginning of the Chapter had warned the Brethren of the multitude of Antichrists that is Hereticks that were shortly to infest the Church and to preserve themselves from their poyson he advises them to try the Spirits that they might discern the true from the false Now to enable them for this Tryal he gives this mark of distinction They saith he that is the false Spirits are of the world and they speak of the world and the world heareth them Their great Master and Arch-Apostle is the world that is worldly lust which as he said before were
Exomologesis OR A Faithfull Narration OF The Occasion and Motives of the Conversion unto Catholike Vnity OF HUGH-PAULIN DE CRESSY Lately Deane of Laghlin c. in Ireland and Prebend of Windsore in England Now a second time printed With Additions and Explications by the same Author who now calls himself B. Serenus Cressy Religious Priest of the holy Order of S. Benedict in the Convent of S. Gregory in Doway Luc. cap. 22. vers 32. Tu aliquando conversus confirma fratres A PARIS Chez Jean Billaine Rue S. Jacques à l'Ensigne S. Augustin MDCLIII To the Honourable Walter Montagu Esquire Sir IN this happy retrayt of a voluntary banishment from the world which by Gods goodnesse I have made choice of one principall designe of my thoughts is not to think of the world yet this cannot justifie nor excuse me if I should endeavour or be willing to forget such a Person as you and one to whom I have so great obligations Indeed I should not comply with this my Vocation if I did not oftentimes remember you To think of you to write to you or converse with you are not worldly businesses they may become and cannot but be advantagious even in matter of spirit to the most abstracted persons for what will such an object represent to them but a true esteem of heaven gracefully set off by an heroicall contempt of earth and this exemplified to the best advantage by one who in the middest of the greatest affluence of all worldly contentments in the strength of his age and vigor of capacity when he was most disposed and inabled to tast whatever was gustfull in them yet had the succesfull courage to despise and renounce them And which is more admirable one that still maintains a fearlesnesse of their skill to recall his liking of them since out of pure charity to God and his distressed servants he dares yet live in sight of them a stranger to them one that with himself consecrates all his own riches to God and onely interesses himself in the wealth of others to the end that he may procure supplies for those that want and to inrich those who by supplying such wants can be perswaded to purchase eternall treasures To you SIR therfore I addresse my self willing to take any even this poor occasion by a very mean Present to testifie to the world my cordial affectionate esteem of you my thankfull acknowledgment of your great goodnesse and charity towards me expressed by a considerable pension without any intercession of friends voluntarily offered and out of your own prison and straitnesse freely sent me immediately after my Conversion though a meer stranger to you yet sufficiently recommended by relinquishing of Friends Estate and Country for that Religion's sake which before had made the same conquest over you And since expressed by many testimonies of your friendly benignity and confidence I take leave therefore to present unto you this Book as it is now a second time published The subject of it is the story of my uncertainties and wandrings and in conclusion my fix'd establishment in the same solid foundation of Truth with you which gained â—e first the happinesse of your affection And I pretend in this second publication to a further entrance into the same affection not for any worth of the Treatise but onely for the testimony that I of mine own accord give publikely of my declining to consider mine own fame or esteem with men in a matter that respects though only the circumstances of divine Truth Since the ground why I renew the impression is to signifie that I detest to maintain with a perverse constancy even the smallest phrases or words which I could suspect might be obnoxious to offence or misconstruction I cannot call it a Book of Controversies though the essentiall points of Catholike Religion be asserted in it or if of Controversies it is principally against those that unnecessarily multiply them Whatsoever it is a poor Present it is God knowes and yet even in that respect lesse unacceptable to you who despise riches and more becoming me whose profession is poverty I pretend to no reward or if any I am content that your pardon should be my reward Yet I must recall my words I do indeed humbly expect and beg a great reward no lesse then the richest kind of Almes Prayers and the best of that best sort of Almes your prayers mine for you have been alwayes due since I knew you and God willing shall be most faithfully paid at Gods holy Altar for I am in truth of heart Paris 21. Octob. 1652. SIR Your Servant in our Lord most affectionately devoted B. SERENUS CRESSY To the Right Reverend Fathers the Fathers DD. Religious of the Holy Order of the Carthusians in the English Convent at Newport in Flanders Right R. R. Fathers SInce it was the eminent sanctity of your Order in vaine endeavoured with greater care by you to be hid from the observation of the world then by others their hypocrisie which contributed much to put me in a condition of writing a discourse of this nature And since it was by the command and for the satisfaction of certain Superiours of your Order likewise that contrary to my Resolution I adventured upon this work and lastly since it was by the advice and encouragement of certain of your Fathers Religious that I took the confidence to publish it being written therefore in strict justice it ought to return and addresse it self thither from whence in so many respects it took its originall But whereas the language made it uncapable either of the censure or apology of those persons who had the greatest and immediate influence upon it and besides though it had been Translated it would not have procured that effect which I infinitely desire Therefore it may seem that meer necessity hath cast upon you this trouble and charity Though the truth is seeing the almost only argument of this Book is to maintain Catholike Unity against the sacriledge of Schisme there could scarce be chosen fitter Patrons for it ' then such persons who are the true successors of those Innocent Martyrs with the effusion of whose blood both Catholike Unity expired in England and that Sacrilegious Tyrant K. Henry 8. dedicated his accursed Idol of Schisme an act which alone may be able to rectifie the judgments of the seducing seduced World for can any man think otherwise but that Catholike Unity is a daughter of heaven whose Victimes have been the lives of persons so only heavenly in their conversationâ— and how could that infernall monster of Schisme prove her â—rigâ—nall better then by being the designe of that Prince â—â— abandoned to all impiety as that he made choice to establish this his darling by sacriledge and murder Saeriledge most palpably against his conscience since in that regard be always continued a Catholique and murder of a most studied beyonâ—sness being committed upoÌ„ persons so innocentâ— that they
who are naturally better disposed attesting that God is to be sought and worshipped we ought not to despaire but that there is some authority placed by the same God upon which we raising and settling our selves as upon a most firm basis may be exalted up unto God Againe This is the providence of true Religion this is commanded us from heaven this is delivered unto us by our Blessed ancestors this is preserved even to these our times to be willing to disturb and pervert this is nothing else but to seek a sacrilegious way to true Religion Again de unit Eccl c. 19. Neither thou nor I do read this evidently and expresly viz in the Scriptures But if there were to be found in the world any one endow'd with wisdome and recommended by the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ and if such an one were consulted with by us touching this controversie we should in no wise doubt to observe whatsoever such an one should say unto us and this for fear of being judged to have opposed not so much such a person as our Lord Jesus Christ himself by whose testimony such an one is recommended Now Christ gives testimony to his Church Again de Bap. l. 5. c. 23. To speak the truth the Apostles have prescribed nothing concerning this but this custome ought to be believed to have taken it's originall from their Tradition As there are many things which the universall Church observes the which in good right ought to be believed to have been delivered by the Apostles although they be not found in Scripture Againe lib. 4. That which the universall Church holds and it is not ordeined by Councels but hath been alwayes reteined and observed is most justly believed to have been delivered no other way than by Apostolique Tradition c. We must observe in these things that which the Church of God observes the Question therefore between you and us is Whether of the two Yours or Ours is the Church of God Againe To omit therefore this sincere wisdom which you will not allow to be in the Catholique Church There are many other things which most justly keep me in her bosome The consent of Peoples and Nations keep me there The authority begun by Miracles nourished by hope augmented by charity confirmed by Antiquity keep me there The succession of Prelates ever since the Seat of Peter to whom our Lord after his Resurrection committed the feeding of his sheep to this present Episcopate keep me there And finally the very name of Catholique keeps me there the which name this Church alone not without cause hath reteined among so many and great Haeresies insomuch as when any stranger demands where the assembly is wherein a man may communicate with the Catholique Church there is not any one Heretique ha's the boldnesse to shew him his Temple or house c. These so many and so strong and most deare tyes of the Christian name with good right retein a believer in the Catholike Church although that by reason of the slowness of our understanding or want of merit in our lives the truth doth not as yet shew it self unto us with perfect evidence Againe the same Father in the same book ca. 5. I doe not believe saith he that Manichaeus is the Apostle of Christ I pray you be not angry neither begin to give ill language For you know that I have resolved not to believe rashly any thing produced by you I ask therefore Who is this Manichaeus You will answer the Apostle of Christ. I do not believe it Now thou wilt find nothing what thou shouldst say or do for thou didst promise me a science of truth and now thou forcest me to believe a thing that I know not It may be thou wilt read the Gospel unto mee and from thence wilt endeavour to assert the person of Manichaeus But what if thou shouldest light upon one that doth not yet believe the Gospel what wouldst thou doe to him when he tells thee I do not believe And truly I my self would not believe the Gospel were it not that the authority of the Catholique Church moves me Now why should I not believe the same persons saying to me Believe not Manichaeus to whom I gave credence saying Believe the Gospel Chuse what thou wilt If thou shalt say Believe the Catholiques they move me to give no credence to you therefore if I believe them I must of necessity not believe thee If thou shalt say Doe not believe Catholiques Thou shalt doe unjustly compelling me by the Gospel to believe Manicheus because the same Gospel I believed upon the â—reaching of Catholiques But if thou 〈◊〉 say Thou didst well to believe the Gospell upon the commendation of Catholiques but ill in believing them discommending Manichaeus Doest thou think me so very a fool as that without any reason rendred I should believe what thou pleasest and dis-believe what thou likest not So that surely I doe much more justly and warily if because I am already a believer I doe not forsake the Catholiques to come over to thy partie unlesse thou commandest me not to believe but undertakest to shew me something that may be known most manifestly and apparently Therefore if thou wilt afford me reason quit the Gospel if thou holdest thy self to the Gospel I must hold my selfe to those upon whose command I believed the Gospel and upon the same persons commandement I must by no meanes believe thee But if by chance thou shouldst be able to find in the Gospell some passage most evident concerning the Apostleship of Manichaâ—â— thou wilt thereby weaken indeed unto mee the authority of Catholiques who command mee not to believe thee which authority being invalidated I would no longer believe the Gospell it selfe because it was for their sakes that I believed it So that whatsoever thou shalt alledge will have no force with me To the same purpole the same Father lib. de util cred c. 14. Why should I not most diligently enquire what Christ commanded of them before all â—â—hers by whose authority I was moved to 〈◊〉 that Christ commanded any good thing Canst thou better declare to me what hee said whom I would not have thought to have beene or to be if the belief thereof had beene recommended by thee to me This therefore I believed by fame strengthened with celebrity consent Antiquity But every one may see that you so few so turbulent so new can produce nothing deserving authority VVhat madnesse is this Believe them Catholiques that we ought to believe Christ but learne of us what Christ said VVhy I beseech thee surely if they Catholiques were not at all and could not teach me any thing I would more easily perswade my selfe that I were not to believe Christ then that I should learn any thing concerning him from any other then them by whom I believed in him Lastly the same Father con Cres. I. 1. c. 33. Although saith he there cannot be produced out of the
in any degree wound nor so much as incommodate his adversary 3. Secondly I answer that whatsoever arguments have been or can be made by Protestants against the manner of Resolution of Catholique Faith do not touch the Church at all since she ha's not intermedled in that Scholasticall nicety of the Resolution of Faith If particular men to exercise their wits and to boast their subtilty do busie themselves in this last inquisitive age about such curiosities undebated and unheard of among the antient Doctors of the church what is that to the church her self or her Traditionary doctrines which were proposed and believed before that new language of the schools was invented 4. But thirdly to demonstrate that Protestants do vainly flatter themselves in supposed advantages against Catholiques about this point of Resolution of Faith I will endeavour as briefly and as perspiouously as I can to set down the state of that controversie which when I have done I believe that without any further trouble it will justifie it self not to be obnoxious to those circles and absurdities which Protestants charge upon it 5. Now for a preparation thereto I will lay down these grounds viz. 1. That that is the thing into which we say Faith is last resolved which is the prime motive or authority for whose sake we believe 2. In all kinds of belief the prime authority which deserves Faith must have two qualities viz. Knowledge and veracity 3. In divine Faith the prime authority is alwaies the prime Verity or God 4. In divine Revelations we are to distinguish the faith or assent which we give to the truth revealed from the knowledge or assent to the Revelation or act of revealing 5. In immediate divine Revelations we believe the truth it self for the authority of the revealer or relator himself which is God and we assent to the revelation having a certain knowledge thereof either by the help of our senses externall and internall or without them immediately by our understanding 6. But if divine revelations be conveyed to us by a second hand that is by the report of others yet then faith is not resolved into the conveying authority but into the prime 7. To make faith by vertue of the prime authority certain or firm I must have assurance of the certitude of this conveying hand that is not only that this conveying hand did receive those revealed truths but the true sense of them likewise and withall was not subject to errour in the propagating of them 6. Having laid these grounds we will make application of them to the present purpose in a few examples The first shall be of a revelation made by God immediately either by expresse language or dreams or visions or the Oracle of Urim c. for all these are of the same nature as much as concerns certainty as when God revealed to the Prophet Isaiah the mystery of the Conception of the Messiah of a pure Virgin In this case the Prophet it is to be supposed was assured by a certain knowledge that this revelation was reall and not imaginary so that he believed the truth revealed with a most firm faith for the authority of God the prime verity whom he knew to be the revealer for if he had not assuredly known this he could not have adhered firmly to the mystery though in it selfe never so true and infallible A second example shall be of an immediate revelation also but yet somewhat of a different nature from the former viz. Of our Saviour teaching the Jewes that he was the Messiah the eternall Sonne of God and confirming this truth by divine Miracles In all outward appearance he seemed to be but a man and therefore what he taught could not be the object of divine Faith neither could his hearers have assurance of his authority unlesse they were assured of the truth of his miracles A third example shall be of the same revealed truth viz. That Christ was the Messiah c. but proposed to persons living in the second or third ages after that time by those who either were themselves eye-witnesses or received it from those that were In this case the persons living in the second or third age if they had not certitude that those that told them this did not lye could not with a faith rationally firm and certaine assent to those truths But certain they might be and most undoubtedly were and the grounds of this certainty were as I have largely shewed before a certain knowledge both that they all heard these and all other substantiall truths of Christianity from their Ancestors as a Tradition Universall whether written or no it matters not and that it was as impossible that all their ancestours all the world over should conspire to seduce them with a lie as that their own eyes and ears should deceive them In all these examples there is the same resolution of Faith for both the immediate witnesses of these revelations and their successors do resolve their faith in these supernaturall truths finally and only into the authority of the prime verity For if any of them should be asked Why do you believe that Christ is the eternall Son of God They would all answer because God ha's so revealed neither could they proceed any further But if they were asked how are you certain that there was such a divine revelation the immediate witnesses would say We saw and heard Christ himself publishing these truths and with a world of stupendious miracles confirming them And their successours would say we receive the same truth by an Universall Tradition not only in it self and of it self credible and in a high degree certain but such an one as ha's more advantages to demonstrate its certainty then any other that ever was Now what ha's been spoken of the second and third ages may upon the same grounds be verified of the fourth fifth and all following to the worlds end And likewise what hath been exemplified in one or two supernaturall truths revealed may be extended to all the substantiall points of Christianity all which as I before demonstrated arrive unto us by the same conveying hand of Universall Tradition by severall wayes as writing publike profession and practise propagated 7. Now among these truths or doctrines coming by Universall Tradition and for that reason believed most assuredly by all Catholique Christians and by consequence most certaine and indubitable one principall one is the authority of the present Church considered not as a relator only but as authorized by Christ to teach this and all other doctrines so as to oblige all men to belief and obedience Which speciall doctrine though it were only testified in Scripture as it is evidently enough were sufficient against those that acknowledge only Scripture for their rule yet we are certain of the truth of this doctrine by the former Rule which can neither fail us neither can we be mistaken in it viz. Because it is universally believed in the present
Infallibility or Authority of the Church I am most assured if the reasons given by me against M. Chillingworth be indeed concluding and my answers to his objections satisfactory that if Mr. Chillingworth had been alive to read my book and had thought so too he would not have made that poor shift that I. P. hath done and have said that Mr. Cressy did unreasonably to impugne him 11. In the next place forasmuch as concerns the manner of my Answer which I. P. in the eighth Paragraph says is yet more unreasonable In that I deserting the Infallibility answer onely to the authority of the Church so making this authority answer for that Infallibility I answer that it was onely a mistaken notion that both I and Mr. Chillingworth and all Protestants have of the word Infallibility that I deserted and desire I. P. likewise to desert with me but as for the true Infallibility which is in effect al one with the Authority of the Church it could never enter into my thoughts to desert it and it proving to be the very same thing with the Authority of the Church obliging under damnation it is very reasonable that this Authority should answer for that Infallibility and that Infallibility for this Authority 12. As to the three Absurdities in the opinion of I. P. following from the unreasonableness of my answer of which the 1. is That after all I have said to Mr. Chillingworth's arguments I must still acknowledge them unanswerable as they were intended by him that made them 2. That my Answer must be to no purpose because I pretend to answer his arguments as against the Authority of the Church simply considered without Relation to such an Infallibity which were never made against an Authority so qualified And 3. That if I intend to refute all opposition made to the Infallibility of the Church by an assertion of its bare authority then must I assert that authority which is fallible to be as great and as convincing as that which is Infallible c. Here I answer that there is no need of any further answer for that which is already said demonstrates all these consequences to be meer mistakes grounded upon mistakes Yet because for good I. P. sake I am content to take the pains to say more then absolute necessity requires therefore that which is already said being presupposed to the first pretended Absurdity I answer 1. That Mr. Chillingworth did esteem both the Rhetorick and Logick of his Book prevalent not onely against Dr. Potters single Adversary and his grounds but against the very foundations of all Catholick Authority insomuch as he challenges all Catholicks whatsoever protesting that if they be able to answer but a very few leaves of his Book he will submit and go to Mass presently And 2. The truth is if his positive grounds of The Bible and nothing but the Bible interpreted casually by private reason be the onely Rule not Infallibility onely but all Authority is destroyed Therefore his intention was that his arguments should have heir force not onely against that notion which he thought his Adversary had of Infallibility but against the thing it self whether you will call it Authority or Infallibility And by consequence 3. I have no obligation to think still for it never concerned me to think his arguments to be unanswerable as they were intended by himself 13. To the second pretended Absurdity I further answer that it is true Mr. Chillingworth very often mistakes even his Adversary in his acception of the word Infallibility And this I said in general in the Book and much more that he mistakes in his application of this mistaken notion to the Churches Authority or qualified Infallibility But though I said this in general you will finde that when I come to a particular answer of passages and grounds quoted out of him they are such as concern the positive fundamental grounds of his whole book and destroy not onely all Infallibility but all Authority yea the very being of a Church whether Catholick or Schismatick And where I answer particular objections against the Church I have no recourse to his mistake of Infallibility Therefore my answer is to some purpose though many of his objections be to none as to Catholicks in general 14. To the third supposed Absurdity I answer that I had rather think I. P. did read my Book negligently then that he would censure it malitiously and against his conscience if he did read it with care For it is evident through my whole book that my own thoughts were c I have clearly signified those thoughts to have been that Infallibility and Authority are in effect all one as applyed to the Church For to say that the Church has authority in a General Councel to propose Doctrines of Faith and to oblige all Christians under penalty of damnation to receive and beleeve the said Doctrines and withal to say that she is fallible and may deceive and propose falsities for truths and so propose them as that there can be no appeal from her would be the extremity of injustice and the exalting of a Tyranny more grievous then Sicily ever felt a Tyranny upon Souls I wonder therefore what art it was that I. P. used when he extracted out of my book that because of the ill use that Mr. Chillingworth c. made of the Scholastical word Infallibility exalting it to the supremest degree that the word could import that is to a degree not at all pretended to by the Church no nor scarce by the Scripture it self and therefore I declared my willingness not to serve my self of that word which was none of the Churches own and desired others also either to abstain from it or at least to adjoyn such necessary qualifications to it as were allowed by the Church to the end that Protestants might see what it is that they combat and ought to submit to viz. The just and lawful Authority of the Church in interpreting of Scriptures Authoritatively and proposing of Doctrines with absolute obligation of beleeving I wonder I say by what new art he extracted this consequence that I must assert that that Authority is as great and convincing which is fallible as that which is Infallible Did I ever deny or give the least ground of suspition that it was in my heart to deny the Authority of the Church to be Infallible in Decisions propounded by her as traditionary Is it to say the Church is fallible or a Guide that may lead a soul out of the way or a Judge capable of mistaking because there may be spread in some places of the Church some Opinions no Decisions or some practises which Protestants may account unwarrantable No no it is meer guilt in I. P. that made him draw such an inference he is loath to see the truth appearing out of clouds I may more truly call the word Infallibility the Darling of Protestants then as he does of Catholicks a Darling to them
The lusts of the flesh â—he lusts of the eye and the pride of life these were the great Masters that taught them their new Doctrine and made them renounce the old The weariness of an unmarried or of a chast life ambition after great estates and scorn to submit themselves to obedience these taught new lessons to the Arch-Heriticks and these lessons they preach to others and those that are of the world and love such censual conveniences hear them Thus is Heresie begun and continued in the world 10. On the contrary saith he We are of God who have conquered the world and by that means â—rample on these things we have a far more noble ambition For the reward that we pretend to is no less then God himself And all that know God and know how to set a value on him hear and obey us Hence he concludes Hereby know we the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error But it may be replyed That as there are many true Beleevers much immers'd in the lusts of the world so there may be some Hereticks that in appearance at least are in a good measure free from the same lusts 'T is true yet those Hereticks do not hear the Ministers of Christ They receive their writings they study them and dispute out of them but do not hear the true Pastors interpreting them Hereby indeed is known the Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error For if they without mission would not pretend to be Apostles nor deliver their own doctrines out of the Apostles writings but have humility to hear the Apostles and their Successors and Faith to beleeve them they would never be obnoxious to this Spirit of Error 11. To conclude my dearly beloved Friends instead of examining those several marks of true and false Churches and Teachers extant in Books of controversies content your selves with this Catholick mark given by the Apostle in his Catholick Epistle to all Christians to the worlds end Would you know where the Spirit of Truth is It is not among them that accept and read and study the Scriptures for then what would be Heresie Do they not in all their wandrings and mazes carry the Bible with them And the Bible it self as they use it leads them to destruction For Lust Ambition Curiosity Covetousness or Pride either blinding them or staining their eyes makes them think they see in Scripture that which foments and encreases those Passions Whereas if having their eyes open to read the Bible they would keep their ears open likewise to hear the Church interpreting it it is not possible they should erre or be at variance about the mysteries of Faith God Almighty of his infinite goodness clear your eyes and open your ears that you may see and hear and live for ever Amen FINIS AD LECTOREM En tibi Candide Lector illas Eximii Doctoris ad Quaesita mea pridem missas Responsiones in priori quidem hujus Libri Impressione promissas sed ex oblivione omissas Quod ad speciales autem Doctrinas pertinet vel hìc vel superiùs in Libro contentas me tanquà m Historici solùm non Dogmatistae partes agentem respicias Et vale Quaesita Generalia QUaeritur primò Utrùm haec Thesis sit in Romana Ecclesia irrepraehensibilis videlicet Nihil est creditu necessarium in Religione Christiana tanquam de fide nisi quod revelatum fuit Ecclesiae per Christum Apostolos ejus Respondetur Quod haec thesis ut jacet est omninò irrepraehensibilis immò nihil est proprie de side cujus actus necessariò iâ—mediatè innititur divinae revelationi â—nisi quod revelatum fuerit á Deo Ecclesiae per Christum Apostolos Ab eorum enim tempore nihil de novo Ecclesiae revelatum agnoscimus Qu. â— Utrùm omnes articuli de Religione in Concilio Tridentino determinati propositi sinâ— veritates divinae tales quae ab Apostolis fuerint Ecclesiae revelatae Resp. Omnes articuli purè doctrinales nec aliam incluâ—entes materiam facti quà m quod divinitùs institutum agnov mus determinati a Concilio Tridentino tales sunt quoad substantiam Qui verò vel disciplinales vel ex toto vel ex parte ad materiam facti non divinitùs instituti spectant canonicam habent certitudinem ac proinde quicunque illorum aliquâ—m pertinacitur condemnaverit tanquam Ethnicus publicanus habendus est Qu. 3. Si non Uâ— v. gâ— articuli de libris canonicis de vulgata translatione de communione sub una speâ—ie de veneratione imaginum utrùm liceat Catholico inquirere probabiliter determinare quinam speciales articuli sint tales veritates revelatae quinam non Resp. Ad quaestionem principalem sepositis hypothesi perenthesi quod omninò licet Ad hypothesim supra responsum est Ad parenthesim autem respondetur Quod esse librum canonicum importat duo 1. Quod vel doctrinam revelatam contineat vel cerre nihil dissonum à veritate divina Catholica 2. Quod liber ipse semper habebatur à multis Ecclesiae Doctoribus divini fuisse alicujus authoris Cui scilicet istius libri doctrina ad Religionem spectans aut immediatè à Spiritu sancto revelata fuerit aut in illa tradenda divinum adfuerit speciale auxilium De prima parte potest Concilium verè oecumenicum certissimè decernere de secundâ cum majori vel minori cerâ—itundine juxta varias reâ—um circumstantias ita tamen ut canonicam semper habebit certitudinem hujusmodi Concilii etiam in hac parte decretum Quod idem dicendum est de vulgatae editionis decreto licèt purè materiam facti designet De communione sub una tantùm specie Concil â— Decretum est negativum videlicet Ecclesiam non teneri nec institutionâ— seu praeâ—epto divino nec quacunque aliâ◠de causa Sácramentum Eâ—charistiae fidelibus omnibus sub utrâque specie administraâ—â— Et hoc certistimum habet Ecclesia ex traditione praxi An verò justis de causis unam tantùm speciem communiter administrari decreverit prudentiae non doctrinae quaestio est De veneratione imaginum quamvis res facti sit hoc tamen ab ipsis Apostolorum temporibus traditum habemus Qu. 4 An non haec sit pobabilis ratio distinguendi inter tales articulos scilicet ponendi istos articulos esse revelationes divinas in quibus Concilium explicitè significat Ecclesiam traditionaliter recipisse talem doctrinam à primis usque Christianismi temporibus Resp. Hanc rationem seu viam distenguendi inter tales articulos probabilem ac sanam esse non verò solam unicam Oportet enim ut articuli qui sint revelationis divinae sint doctrinales qui nunquam ab omnibus Ecclesiae Doctoribus habebantur incerti tunc etiamsi Concilium declararet hujusmodi articulos ad novatoris alicujus obtundendam audaciam absque
Church in which the simple conclusion decided is onely accounted infallibly true not so the principles upon which it depends or reasons by which it is proved and much less are orders made by Councels which depend upon information yet notwithstanding we cannot finde a more energetical word to express the unquestionable and unappealable authority of the Church then Infallibility We may proceed further and say that Divine truths revealed internally after a supernatural manner to the Prophets Apostles c. and by intellectual images are yet more infallible then the same truths revealed by words becaus words being but the Images of Images are further removed from that prime Exemplar of truth which is God and besides are in themselves unavoidably ambiguous and so do not convey truth so infallibly as Internal illustrations yet what can we say more of these then that they are Infallible Lastly there is no Image so perfect but in as much as it is an Image it comes short of the Exemplar which is truth it self that is God and by consequence differs from it yet the supremest title that we can give to God himself in this regard is Infallibility But to instance more familiar examples of the several degrees of Infallibility I am infallibly assured that I cannot repeat all the words I have spoken this last year and yet I am more infallibly assured that I cannot say over again all I have spoken in my whole life I am infallibly assured that if I threw a thousand dice they will not be all sixes and yet I am more infallibly assured that the same cast upon so many dice cannot be a thousand times successively repeated Of all these impossibilities I have several degrees of assurance and every degree in a certain sense infallible but in a severe acception of that word the very highest is not rigorously infallible because none of the cases alledged are absolutely impossible if we speak of the highest degree of impossibility for such imply a flat contradiction as that a part should be equal to its whole or any thing be and not be at once a kinde of certainty that is appliable even to very few Demonstrations we are not so sure that the light of the Moon is borrowed from the Sun or her Eclips by the interposition of the Earth yet these are reckoned amongst demonstrations in Astronomy and no man in his wits ever doubted of either Methinks if God have furnisht his divine and supernatural truth with evidence equal to this that the Sun will shine to morrow or that there will be a spring and harvest next year we are infinitely obliged to bless his providence and justly condemned if we refuse to beleeve the least of such truths as shewing less affection to save our souls then the dull Plowmen to sow their corn who certainly have far less evidence for their harvest then Catholicks for their faith they insist not peevishly upon every caprichious objection nor exact an infallible security of a plentiful reaping next Summer but notwithstanding all difficulties and contingencies proceed chearfully in their painful husbandry and here I shall beg leave to ask the Reader this serious question supposing not granting that the greatest assurance the Church can give abstracting from the promises of Christ be of no higher infallibility then the lowest degree we have mentioned would you venture your soul that a thousand dice being thrown out of a box would come forth all sixes Do you not see by this argument that it is a thousand to one the Catholick is in the right and consequently a thousand to one the Protestant is in the wrong and this will necessarily follow for in Religion we cannot stand by and look on but we must absolutely engage on one side and therefore it is a desperate shift of such Protestants as think that because they see not a clear demonstration of the Churches Infallibility in the severest importance of that word they may therefore safely continue in their schism unless they be hardy enough to venture their souls in a way where it is at least a thousand to one they lose them So that though humane wit should by captious objections seem to trouble the clearness of the Infallibility of the Catholick Church which is in it self really impossible to be endangered yet are the motives of adherence to that Communion so highly credible even in a rational natural consideration that it were an absolute madness to prefer any other separated Church or Congregation which cannot pretend to the least credibility to support it 3. These things being thus premis'd since there are so many degrees of truth or veracity and Infallibility and yet the same word Infallibility applied to them all it may be very reasonable that great Caution should be used in the application of it that is that it should be expressed in what sense and degree the word is taken before it be urged or disputed upon So that if it be advanced to a more sublime degree then the matter requires no wonder if there be misunderstanding between Disputants and not only a prolonging of Disputations but also an impossibility of ending them Now whether it is the fault of Catholick Controvertists for want of explication and clearing of the sense of this word Infallibility that hath given an advantage to Protestants I examine not but sure I am Protestants have taken advantage from the ambiguousness of this word Infallibility to embroile the controversie of the Churches authority and to spin it out endlessly insomuch as there is not one Author of them I ever met with that treating of this controversy disputes to the point or so much as aimes to combat against the Churches Authority but against an image of Infallibility created onely by their own fancies 4. For proof of this to omit the ordinary Polemical writings of Protestants who wast paper and time onely in combating particular unnecessary points controverted by Catholicks themselves I shall desire any ingenuous Protestant to examine the proceedings of Mr. Chillingworth and even my noble Lord too in this little Treatise and he wil acknowledge what I say to be true yet certainly no English writers ever professed to come closer to the point then they 5. First for Mr. Chillingworth what a brand â— shing and flourishing doth he keep with his pen and what a great proportion of his book is spent in Discourses by which he would pâ—etend to enervate the Churches Infallibility which do not so much as approach towards it For suppose a Pope were Simoniacally elected or a Bishop unlawfully consecrated or a Priest not baptized or that any of these had a perverse intention in administring the Sacraments would the Church for all this fail in being an Infallible Guide or would all Christians be turned out of their way to salvation Did not or might not he easily have been informed that excepting in Infants even Baptism it self and much less any other Sacrament unlawfully and invalidly administred