then haue fallen flat into Atheisme therefore their falling thence immediatly into Atheisme is an argument of that former discourse which I haue supposed probably to haue passed in their secret discussions or this or none true Adde vnto this that in that Nation where our Religion hath and doth most absolutely commaund those wise and Gallant spirits were best acquainted with the doctrine taught in it Whervpon blinded with pride or passion or wicked life being not able to discerne the colour of truth by the light of the sunne they despaired to discerne it by candle-light And it is I confesse an experience grounded vpon great reason both of nature and manners Waight's which fall from higher places force their descent through middle obstacles more strongly and therefore fall lowest None but a Iudas called to the eminency of Apostle-ship could haue plunged himselfe into such a depth of desperate treason as to betway to death the Author of life whom when I consider how soone he fell from the spirit of his vocation to be a calumniator fratrum a Diuell as our Sauiour himselfe call's him I am induc'd to thinke he became an Apostle for no other purpose but to know our Sauiour and his doctrine and then betray him And verily I could easily belieue that of the number of those who professe Christianity more turne Atheists of those who haue beene Catholiques then of those who neuer knew Catholique religion as those who haue been bâ—rne and bred in Lutheranisme Caluinisme or the like because from so low a place they do not easily fall so farre Qui iacet in terrâ non habet vnde cadat Who lyes on the ground he fall's no lower vnles perhaps they haue taken these in their way from the Catholique for if they haue so twenty to one vnles they be some duller spirits they stay not there howsoeuer they make shew of such profession but after some short space of entertainment they goe on their iourney from thence to Adiaphorisme in religion where hauing spent some tyme in good fellowship with all professors vntill they haue consumed that litle remnant stocke of Christian or whatsoeuer else beliefe of a God they steale away after a while from thence too keeping on directly in that roade vntill they arriue to the very next Inne and the very last adioyning to the Ferry vpon the bank-side of Death and Damnation commonly called stylo veteri Atheisme now of later yeares the new Academy or Socinianisme By this the Aduocate may see what he hath gained to his Cause by this obiected Calumny Forsooth that reuolt from Catholique religion renders it selfe at last into Atheisme or Socinianisme where such reuolters I make no doubt would be glad to meete him for there men say this indifferent Trauailer dwells though they say again he hath shift of habitations and his iudgment often changeth lodging but that 's his ordinary and more constant rendeuous Calumnies against Miracles SECT VI. THe next Calumny and second in number of the Pretermissions strikes at Heauen and expect that he will haue a fling at God himselfe afore he hath done by mouing iealousy and suspicion of all miracles and histories and records of Saints whiles he would make men belieue the Catholique Church approueth forging of Miracles and lying Legends so he writes which is indeed a notorious Calumny and had he not made so much hast in running back from the Catholique as though he had come thither only to fetch fire of faction he might haue acquainted himselfe better with the practise of the holy Church in this very point of Miracles and relations concerning Saints He might haue admired their exactnes of scrutiny and all the way 's of industry to find out the truth and to reiect whatsoeuer hath the face or least shew of counterfait or vnsound Knowing well that neither truth can be of any durable consistency with falshood they expell one another euen naturally as light and darkenes but besides this Non tali auxilio nec defensoribus istis Roma caret the Catholique Church needs no such subsidies the pillar of truth craues no support of lyes and forgeries She hath in her Archiues records and euidences of this kind so authentique so authorized so testified that blindnes it selfe by no other Exorcisme but that of manifest truth hath beene compelled to see them and confesse them No otherwise then those Ministers of Pharao digitus Dei hic est But giue them leaue to question Saints and miracles who questionles had neuer yet any no not when the tyme most required them to countenance their extraordinary mission when they ran out of the Church to reforme it or as to cry fire fire when they carried it in their bosomes Calumny against holy Ceremonies SECT VII THe third passe or figuratiue omission in these word 's Not to obiect to you thirdly is a spurn'or kick as he goes by Pref. at the weake and silly Ceremonies and ridiculous obseruances so he of the Catholique Church Ans Indeed if they were only Ceremonies without the substance whereunto they relate they were surely silly Ceremonies but if euery least Ceremony include a mystery greater then hath euer entred into his little weake state or vnderstanding who is then ridiculous but he who laugh's at what he know's not yea euen therefore because he knowes it not Yet had the man but stayd to haue learned his Catechisme among vs he might haue knowne the vse and meaning of our Ceremonies now hauing come into the Church as Cato came vnto the Theater only to go out againe what meruaile if he returne a ridiculous censurer of what he only saw and vnderstood not Such post-hast were hardly tolerable in a Spie much lesse in one who comes to see and censure Of whom if I should aske what in particular were sylly and ridiculous in those ceremonies or whether the Church hath not authority to prescribe Ceremonies if the Church of England allow of ceremonies no whit more substantiall then the Roman to say no more will he be strong inough thinke you to find out a disparity Or will he rebell against all I belieue by these and many other the like passages of his booke the Chayres who haue subscribed it litle obserued how lowd an All-arme is sounded to mutinies and seditions and rebellions against all Church-gouernment But now alas euen this may seeme a thing ridiculous indeed in vs who reprehend his laughing and deriding the waiting Gentle-women or maides of Honour who geeres the Queene hir selfe For did he allow of any such thing as Religion Queene of vertues he would not grudge hir due attendance and obseruance of holy Ceremonies nor would he I thinke be so vnmannerly as to find fault with such as please the Queene Calumny against Ecclesiasticall Persons SECT VIII A Fourth Calumny with which he will not trouble vs is Pref. A great part of your doctrine specially in the points contested makes apparently for the temporall ends of the
and goodnes are imprinted in all the workes of nature and all creatures from tyme to tyme togeather with their being receaue that stamp and impression which they exhibite to be read by all intellectuall natures in one most legible language of nature common to all nations according as it is said Caeli enarrant gloriam Dei c. So in regeneration and in the progeny of Grace the author of Grace Christ Iesus is read and vnderstood in his worke and word of Grace his creatures of grace which is the Church of Christ which by that spiritually and supernaturally creating power receaue the print and characters of Christ Iesus and his truth in their hart 's and soules first which afterward's they manifest in their liues and professions and much more in the death's whereby they proclaime him and the truth of his doctrine to all ages to all nations with the last and lowdest voyce of bloud like to that voyce of our dying Lord who crying with a lowd voyce gaue vp the Ghost O tooto dull and deafe eares which the singar of God hath neuer opened which cannot heare a voyce so lowd and those blind eyes which read not those letters that most legible Scripture of Catholique truth written in the bloud of all ages since Christ redeemed the world with his and those inominate and vnlucky birds of night who flying the triall of the day shining in the Church as in the Tabernacle of the Sunne run into couert and obscurity of darke Scriptures the common rendeuous and retrait of all Heresies which they do no lesse absurdely and preposterously then as if in question of right and title grounded in law they would appeale from the suruiuing law-maker to his written lawes as they would say giue vs your Law 's in writing and then leaue them to vs we will not learne of you the vnderstanding of them for so this euer-suruiuing Law-maker is the holy Ghost presiding in the Church in all iudgements questions of fayth from whom there neuer can be any iust appeale the Scriptures his lawes which are written primarily principally in the soules and hart 's and vnderstandings of this Church In which Scriptures no Heretique or Alien can pretend any right or title of interest at all no authority nor ability of vnderstanding them Therefore although we debate right and truth by testimony of Scriptures against the vniust vsurpers of them to take from them those stoln'e weapons and recouer them to the true titler's as euen in this claime of infallibility of the Church yet this truth we learne not immediately of the Scripture written but receaue it à priori from the originall of the holy Ghost written in that one composed of many homogenious by fayth and charity that one soule I say and vnanimous spirit of the holy Church of all ages For as in our natural body one the same in diuisible soule informeth and enlifeneth the daily new acceding and aggenerate matter of nourishment so this spirit of truth informeth as it were and animateth with the spirit of Grace and truth not only the whole mysticall body of Christ all at once or once for all but successiuely euery acceding and new-borne member of the Church As therefore in processe of naturall growth we do not properly learne that we are reasonable ereatures but by the very hauing a reasonable soule and the vse thereof we know it so Catholiques do not properly learne that the Catholique Church is inerrant or infallible but by being Catholiques we belieue it For of this truth I do not see but in a true sense I might say Est hac non scripta sed natalex quam non didicimus accepimus legimus verùm ex naturâ ipsâ arripuimus hausimus expressimus ad quam non docti sed facti non instituti sed imbuti sumus A truth not written for vs but borne in vs which he haue not learned nor acquired nor read in bookes but by a second nature of Grace we are instantly possest of we haue suckt it and exprest it for which we haue beene made not taught indued with it not schooled to it Therefore I should not doubt to auouch though the whole rable of flesh bloud and heresy reclaime that it is vnderstanding it in equality of proportion no lesse innate and connaturall to a Catholique man as such to belieue that the Catholique Church is indued with infallible authority then it is naturall to a reasonable man as such to know he is endued with a reasonable soule Therefore as he should be thought an absurd and senseles man who should goe about to persuade a man by reason that he hath not a reasonable soule so is he worthily iudged an impertinent pratling Sophist who endeauours to argue a Catholique out of his beliefe of a Catholique infallible Church which stone notwithstanding I know this Aduocate neuer ceaseth to rowle and I could wish he would reflect how he may haue deserued that Sisyphian pennance howsoeuer thus I vnderstand Saxum sudat voluendo neque proficit hilum He rowles the stone and sweats for his paines not those texte therefore of Scripture which this Sisyphus presumes but the visible Church the spouse of Christ his purchase of bloud not a lease for terme of yeares according to the tenure of seruile Agar and her issue which became voyd but an euerlasting in heritance according to the tenure of Couenant made with the progeny of Sarai the house of Israel and the house of Iuda an vnabrogable and term'les decree firme and durable as the constitutions of Nature Hierem. 32. In quam traditi estis c. Rom. 6.17 as the course of sunne and moone This spouse I say hath deliuered vs this truth or rather hath borne and bred vs in it we haue suck't this milke from hir brest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rationall and fraudlesse milke conformable to reason though aboue it and therfore consummating reason and extolling it food for the Children of Obedience vt in eo crescamus that we may grow by that in stature of grace and Christian perfection from which brests and milke of Christian simplicity no errant Sophister shall be of power to remoue vs though he attempt it neuer so confidently or impudently by adiuring vs Thus he adiured a certain Catholique as we will answere at the last day arrainged I trow at the Socinian Barre to be tried by certaine select Iudges or a grand Iury of Pyrrhonian Sceptiques or the new Academy who will neuer pronounce any arrest or sentence at all but what to suspect the doctrine of the Catholique Church to question her authority to call those so many Doctours the starr's and light 's of all Christian ages who haue alwayes taught and supposed this truth so many martyrs who haue obsigned it with their bloud to call them all to their answere forsooth for their holding or teaching this doctrine and to giue this Switzer a meeting and conuincing so that
vntill the number of Saints were consummate that is to the end of the world appeareth playne by the words of the Apostle to the Ephesians Ephes 4. therefore to the hearing and belieuing those succeding Apostles Doctors c. is extended the obligation of succeding ages For can we be so senseles as to thinke those succeeding Doctors haue imposed vpon them the obligation of teaching and not other Christian subiects the obligation of hearing Or was our Sauiour so imprudent an Oeconomus or dispenser of his gift's and talents that he would furnish those whom he had designed hearers and learners in his Christian schoole with greater sufficiency for discerning spirits or greater assurance of not erring then those quos dedit whom he appointed to be their Maisters and Teachers Obedite prapositis vestris subiacete ijs obey your Prelates and be subiect to them And wherein are they Praepositi Prelates or Gouernours Certainly in those things for which they must render account to God which are things appertaing to their soules for they are to render account for your soules sayth the Apostle in that place To them therfore appertaine spirituall instructions and all spirituall directions to them the triall and discretion of spirits Or shall the subiects first try their Prelates spirits yea the highest Prelature and authority on earth before they obey Is this to be directed or to direct Or who is heere the Prelate he who is tryed or he who tryeth And is not this grosse Anarchy and Confusion Haue these spirits any conceipt of Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy Or do they belieue there is any such thing as Order and Subordination in the greatest Empire and kingdom vpon earth the Church of God By what hath beene said it appeareth that S. Iohn by giuing that rule of triall the Confession of the sonne of God in flesh neuer intended to exclude other rules Therefore this is a miserable and fallacious consequence which this Aduocate insinuates saying S. Iohn giues this rule of triall to consider whether men confesse Iesus to be the Christ not whether they acknowledge the Pope to be his Vicar Ergo to examine whether they acknowledge this is no part of triall This consequence I say is no better then this We must try mens spirits by considering whether they confesse Iesus to be the Christ Ergo not whether they confesse that Christ dyed for the sinnes oâ— the world or whether he rose from death or no c. Now hath not this man good reason to rely so much vpon his neuer-failing rules of Logick in matters of Fayth who makes such goodly consequences I can in charity belieue he hath more Logick then he makes shew of in this worke otherwise I see no obligation he hath to rely vpon it so confidently You may likewise note his skill in Logick by this other consequence Pref. which he likewise insinuates S. Paul sayth try all things and hold fast that which is good Ergo we must try all things after this manner which S. Paul teacheth not we must try all things by our owne spirit or the Scripture interpreted by our owne spirit with the help of neuer-failing rules of Logick Or thus Try all things Ergo try euen that by which all things are to be tryed Try the spirit of the Church try the spirit of God for without this spirit of truth which we know not where it is but in the Church it is most certaine that neither Scriptures can be vnderstood nor any other certaine rule imagined by which we may try any spirit or doctrine of fayth So the aduise of the Apostle should be de impossibili of a thing impossible if he aduised vs to try all things by any other rule And as well might this Logician infer out of this principle try all things thus Try all things whether they be crooked or straight by that which is certainly straight Ergo try that which is certainly straight by that which may be crooked And as well he might infer thus Season all things with salt Ergo season salt too for with what other thing shall salt be seasoned Si sal euanuerit in quo sâ—lietur So likewise if that all-trying spirit may erre by what other spirit shall it be tryed His fallacious Interpretation of a text of S. Peter 1.3 vers 15. SECT XXII AFter he had abused the testimony of S. Paul it was to be expected S. Peter should not escape He would be their second Nero ioyne them in the execution of a morall death much more tyrannicall then that of Nero which though it could deuide their soules from their bodies yet it could neuer seuer their soules from Christian truth and a truth which themselues had taught the inseparability of truth and diuine authority from the pillar of truth Pref. I say no more sayth this Aduocate then S. Peter sayth in commaunding all Christians to giue a reason of their Hope Answ But the truth is S. Peter sayth not so nor is it probable he had any intent to ingage Christians in a greater obligation then Christ himselfe had imposed which was only to confesse him vpon due occasions neuer to deny him or the truth of his doctrine S Peters words are these Dominum autem sanctificate in cordibus vestris parati c. Sanctify our Lord in your harts all way ready to giue satisfaction as the Latin version hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ready to exhibite your Apology to euery man who requireth a reason of your Hope Now who seeth not a large difference betweene giuing a reason and requiring it or betweene exhibiting an Apology or other satisfaction to him who requireth a reason and giuing him a reason There are other way 's of satisfaction and Apology besides giuing a reason at the least particular reasons for the seuerall doctrines of fayth as this Aduocate seemes to require who would haue nothing belieued but after a particular tryall and discussion of it So he that answered only Christianus sum I am a Christian was no way reprehensible by this aduise or precept of S. Peter Is not he ready to Apologize to defend his religion who is ready to die for it which a man may do without giuing any other particular reason of his beliefe by his only confessing or professing it vpon fit occasions Or if he vnderstand an obligation imposed by the Apostle vpon all Christians to giue a reason of their beliefe what meanes he That euery Christian is bound to giue or be able to giue a reason of euery point of Christian beliefe How is it credible that such a morall impossibility should be of obligation Or doth he indeed suppose that no Christian is bound to belieue more then that whereof he can giue a reason Now then shall he say with truth I belieue in God the Father with the rest as followeth in the Apostles Creed For surely he inbound not to say he belieues what he belieues not and as sure it is he is
derogatory from the maiesty of the diuine word to be conceaued in the spirit of man no more then it was from the Maiesty of the Sonne of God to be conceaued in the wombe of the B. Virgin Mary and that as there the Eternall Word was inuested with humane flesh so heere in these spirits of men as in the wombe of the Church the Word of God sowne by the holy Ghost should be inuested with humane notion and brought forth to light of the world in the guise of humane speach and voyce In which sense we may interprete that testimony of the holy Baptist Ego vox clamantis I am the voyce of the cryer as his voyce was the inuesture of that Word of the holy Ghost crying in the desert by which it was conueyed to the eares of mortall men so is the voyce and declaration of the Church the meanes by which the Word of God and all Truth contained in it is conueyed to our soules and vnderstandings And as that cry of the Holy Ghost was first conceaued in the spirit of the Baptist then vttered by his voyce to the world so these Scriptures were first conceaued in the Church those Apostolicall spirits in which they were first imprinted and inuested if I may so speak by the operation and Energy of that fire which appeared in tongues afterwards vttered vpon due occasions in words and writings As therefore those of that tyme heard the voyce of that cryer in the desart from the mouth of the Baptist so all Christians heare and must heare the word of God and diuine truth by the mouth of the Church Well then what this man so confidently auerreth that there is no ground yea that no ground can be pretended why we should hold Gods Church for so he must say if he say any thing against what his Aduersary sayes infallible vnles we first belieue the Scripture diuine I as confidently deny And for as much as respects priority or antecedency of beliefe since the Scripture as I haue said is no other word but what the Church hath and daily doth vtter vnto vs whether historicall or dogmaticall or howsoeuer first conceaued in the vnderstanding and spirit of the Church it followeth that as we haue receaued it vpon her credit telling and teaching vs that it is diuine so we must à Priori belieue the Church as infallible witnes or reporter before we can belieue the infallibility of Scripture which she reporteth it followeth also that we must belieue the Church interpreting the Scripture for it is incredible that any other man should better vnderstand what I speake according as I haue conceaued or what I meane by the words I speake then I my selfe the speaker who only intend to vtter my conceipt It followeth yet further that although there were no Scripture and these Christian Verities had descended to vs only by Tradition and by the testimony of former ages transmitting them successiuely from Christ to this present age we should be bound to belieue the Church that is that continued succession of men belieuing those Christian Verities vnles we will say there was no obligation vpon men to belieue in God and to worship him according to that beliefe before the tyme of Moyses before the Scriptures were For was not Circumcision obligatory before Moyses and was not the posterity of Abraham obliged to belieue and practise that tradition as of diuine authority of which our Sauiour sayth Moyses dedit rebis Circumcisionem non quia ex Moyse est sed ex Patribus He will say You proue the Church infallible by Scriptures your Scriptures must be first belieued infallible I answer we proue this out of Scriptures against such as professe to belieue Scriptures not the Church as out of their owne principles it followeth not thence that we first belieue the Scripturs diuine or infallible For though in methode of confuting such Aduersaries we begin with the Scriptures yet in the methode of belieuing we begin from the Church vpon whose credit we belieue the Scriptures to be diuine and according to this method commencing from the Church Christian fayth was first propagated among nations and imbraced by Heathens Nor will it be to the purpose to reply that Heathens were induced to belieue by reason of miracles This I say is not to the purpose how the Church gained this credit but hence it is inferred that in regard of Christian Beliefe the Church had the Precedency before Scriptures that is the Church was belieued before the Scriptures were belieued Wherefore to conclude this point if it be impiety not to belieue Scriptures as no doubt it is yet it is an impiety no way deducible from this doctrine that the beliefe of an infallible Church is precedent to the beliefe of Scriptures But it is not hard to conceaue by the very carriage of the busines as he handles it what he driues at in all this discourse which is indeed to euacuate all authority both of Church and Scriptures and vpon the ruines of both to build the Godles Socinianisme Therefore all inferences which may seeme any way to perplexe Christian doctrine or force it into straits are his aduantages It was the prudent industry of the Roman Consull to prouoke Catiline whose secret practises and designes vpon the Common-Wealth he had vnderstood into open warre and rebeilion for he supposed no Cittizen would then appeare in his defence or make the oppression of a Tyrant his quarrell As no man would approue the fyering of the house wherein himselfe were or wracking the shippe wherein he sayled himselfe I suppose likewise if this pretended Champion for Protestancy were once discouered and strip't to the naked truth of what he is indeed that is as I haue said a very Socinian Mole vnderworking euen Protestancy it selfe and all Religion no Protestant who hath any zeale of the Religion he professeth would euer be seene in his patronage nor willingly I thinke in his company nor would he vouchsafe the ordinary greeting or salutation as good-morrow Ep. 2. Joan. to him who acknowledgeth neither day nor morning of Christian religion or God saue you to him who doubts whether there be any such thing as God Saluation nor would they thinke him fit to conuerse among Christians who hath disputed himselfe out of all termes of Christian commerce and conuersation His Calumny concerning Protestants reputed Atheists c. by Catholiques SECT XXVIII Pref. YOu say fifthly and lastly sayth this Aduocate with confidence in abundance that none can deny the infallible authority of your Church but he must abandone all infused fayth and true religion if he de but vnderstand himselfe Answ This Aduocate himselfe is no small part of proof of the truth of this Hypothetique who since he hath relaps't from this doctrine of infallible authority of the Church hath withall disclaimed all infused fayth as his Aduersary hath charged him vpon information more then credible wherin that is in abandoning both I confesse
Canonicall Word Therfore I hope I shall do him no wrong in thinking he had a purpose to consecrate his Motiues by a mystery of number I shall also make bold to conceaue him so learned as to know the great vertue and efficiency which not only the Schoole of Pithagoras but the retyâ—ing Cabalists and learned Rabbius yea the holy Fathers themselues attribute to numbers and euen namely to this number of Ten. Whence I will imagine he had here regard to the Decalogue of Diuine Commaundements in conformity to which he proposed to himselfe his Decalogue of Motiues Perhaps he considered with all the reward of such man whose integrity of obseruance and obedience to those Commaund's should receaue singali denarium which denarius diurnus Anagogically vnderstood is life euer lasting that one entire day of Eternity vninterrupted by night or intermission of happines And this Decalogist may haue cause to feare though other cares at this tyme by land and water diuert his feare or imploy it otherwise least at the numbring and counting day this very Decalogue may be obiected against him Nonne ex denarie connenisti mecum Was not your agreement with the Catholique Church ex denariâ— out of your owne Decalogue of Motiues But now he saith he repents the bargaine There was also to be considered in this number a mystery of congruity NoeÌ„ was the tenth Generation of man NoeÌ„ signifieth Rest. So in the tenth Motiue it seemes this Moueable intended to rest and moue no further as all motion's render themselues to some terme of rest vnlesse you will except the Circular and the motion of such men who moue in a Circle of whome the Prophet Psal 11. Jud. in circuitu impij ambulant Wicked men walke in a Circle and as those cloud ' of which S. Iude nubes sine aquâ quae à ventis circumferuntur dry cloud 's without all moisture of diuine Grace as * Socinians those who haue no Grace so much as in their Catechisme what more dry and Graceles cloud 's then they these are hurried round omni vente dectrinae with euery blast and change of doctrine whose Religion hath no residence Ephes 4. And such a one is he who hauing arriued to the truth by ten step 's or Motiues by ten I say the pause and period of number falls back and begin's a new account Semper ad vsque decem numero crescente venitur Because denarius est omnis numerus sayth the learned Mirandula the tenth is all number for thus farre his march and motion was as the progresse of the iust in the path of light Prousâ—b â— Iustorum sâ—mitae quasilux splendens procedit crescit vsque ad perfectum diem the path of iust men as a shinning light proceed's increase's still vntill the noone or perfect day This noon-day or perfect day is the terme period of this progresse this that denarius diurnus the day of diuine Truth as obscurely reuealed to be belieued in this life to be enioyed in the next in the clarity of blissifull vision For this tenth of euerlasting day is the place and residence of the eternall Beatitude of mankind of which S. Austin Attende Serm. de decimit quod creatura decima inter intellectuales creatur as est homo quia Angeli in nouem ordinibus consistunt decimus verò ordo est hominum Obserue that man is the tenth in number of intellectuall creatures for there are nine orders of Angels the tenth order is of men Now this vnhappy man after much study I doubt not and paines taken in the search of truth and Religion hauing now happily aduanc't his progresse Motiues to this number of Perfection and to the hope of communion with Angelicall Hierarchies euen there and then like vnto Lot's wife or the fabulous Orpheus transgre'st the couenant and look't back ibi omnis effusus labor There all the labor was lost or as the Greeke prouerbe hath it Hydria in foribus the pitchard broken in the very entry or threshold And now the mystery of the sacred number fouly betrayed of those ten goodly Motiues nothing remaines to him the Mouer but the number the soule and spirit now departed they moue no more then a carcasse and may therefore not vnfiâ—ly carry before them in their title Nos numerus sumus We are a number Yet euen these though vnnaturally massacr'ed by him who gaue them light Natis sepulchrum Notwithstanding may perhap's reuiued to lfie be Motiues againe and mooue others who will entertaine them though their pittilesse Parent hath cast them off And because I conceaue this resurrection may be atchieued without a miracle I will presume to attempt it though weakly a stronger spirit will performe it more effectually 1. Motiues 2. Remotiues 3. Promotiues or Replicants I. Motiue BEcause perpetuall visible profession which could neuer be wanting to the Religion of Christ nor any part of it is apparently wanting to Protestant Religion so farre as concernes the points in contestation I. Remotiue God hath mayther deoâ—eed nor foretold that his true doctrine should de facto be alwayes visibly professed without any mixture of falshood I. Promotiue or Replicant If by this restrictiue de facto you vnderstand that such visible profession of vnmixt or pure Truth was only so decreed or foretold that de iure it should be so that is of right there ought to be alwayes visible profession of true doctrine without any mixture of falshood but that de facto such vnmixt doctrine to be so professed indeed was nether decreed nor foretold Against this I reply in behalf of your Motiue This were no Priuiledge at all of the Christian Church for de iure of right not only the Church but the Synagogue too was so make profession of true doctrine without mixture of falshood Nay de iure euen the Gentiles should haue worshi'pt God according to truth without falshood and those Philosophers should haue taught the truth which they vnderstood concerning God without mixture of vntruth for the contrary of which they are coÌ„demned by S. Paul Rom. 1. What was then the effect and intent of the spirit of truth so sent as to continue to the end of the world in the Church of Christ Was it only to impose a duty and obligation vpon the Church to teach truth without falshood And was the Church to be Columna veritaetis the pillar of 〈◊〉 de iure only not de faâ—â—o Who can safely leaue or rely vpon that Pillar which only should stand but may as well fall as stand Was this the purchase that cost the dearest bloud of the Sonne of God a duty only and a deeper damnation of the Church not corresponding with this duty Was this the loue of Christ Iesus Ephes 5. towards his dearest spouse so great that he would dy for her to the end he might sanctify her and wash her in the lauer of water in his word that he might exhibit
to himselfe a glorious Church hauing neither spot nor wrinkle nor any such thing And is all this come at length to a de iure not de facto to a what should be only not a what is And is this that state of beauty no lesse permanent then spotles wherein tyme which withers and wrinkles all the beauty of fields ' and flowers ' aruit foenum cecidit flos should cause no fading or impayring because 1. Pet. 1. Verbum Domini manet in aeternum that word of truth is euerlasting which as the forme and soule of beauty in this glorious spouse should neuer abandon her Now doth Christ Iesus thus sanctify his Spouse or no hath he purchast her this permanent Beauty or no If no then is he frustrate of his designe which was to espouse vnto himselfe a Church which should de facto indeed not deiure of duty only be euer Holy for though it be placed in the particular choice of euery single man to be holy or no thus and in such sort that no man is or shall be holy or vertuous of force or against his wil or not freely yet it is not in the particular choice or power of any particular man or men no nor in the malice of Hell it selfe to effect that Christ Iesus shall not haue a holy Church on earth euen to the worlds end For this was the intent of his precious death bloud-shed vt sanctificaret that he might de facto fanctify his Spouse that he might acquire vnto her a perpetuity of beauty not a duty only to preserue it And this intent can neuer be frustrate and yet it should be if the spouse of Christ should only of duty alwayes be holy but were not so indeed Or tell me is she spotlesse who should haue no spot's but hath them Is that a faire face which should be so and is not hath she no wrinkles who should haue none Rem But God hath neither decreed nor foretold that his true doctrine should de facto be alway's visibly profess't without any mixture of falshood Prom. What because he hath not foretold it to you who haue lost your eares of hearing or haue stop't them with humane reason or dwell too neere the Catadupa and the noise of waters or conuerse with bleating or bellowing cattle in fine haue your attention taken vp in the traffick care and tumult of earthly commodities that you cannot heare the musick of the Sphear's or the harmony of heauenly Truth And haue all men forfaited their eares since you haue beene deafe on the left eare or forgotten what you haue heard heretofore with the right But to other men it hath beene told and foretold in all the languages of the world they haue heard it foretold in those words of Esay Esay 35. Eterit ibi semita via via Sanctorum vocabitur hae erit vobisvia directa c. and this shall be a direct or straight way so that fooles shall not mistake it But Socinians are no simple fooles they may mistake it Now if this way be humane reason humanum est errare nothing human as such is exempt from error If the Scripture be this way the wisest may erre in interpreting it and then it is no way or at least not the way of Saints nor the true and straight way when a false interpretation hath distorted it But the doctrine of the Church is that Via Sanctorum the way of Saints wherein the spirit of truth residing according to promise interprets holy Scriptures which then becoms a way and a straight way wherin a Foole shall not erre 1. Cor. 3. Ibid. a Foole I say who hath made himself a foole that he may be made wise by Christian wisedom which is folly to the world and to Socinianisme as the wisedom of the world and Socinian Reason is madnes and folly to God and Christian Religion Againe they haue heard foretold in those words of our Sauiour Math. 28. 16. Ecce ego vobiscum sum c. and those other Et portae tuferi non praualebunt aduersus eam the power of hell shall not preuaile against it the preseruation of the Church of God from error of doctrine from all falshood of heresy They vnderstand it decreed by God Ephes and foretold by S. Paul Et ipse dedit quosdam Apostoles alios prophet as c. ad consummationem sanctorum in opus ministerij which worke of ministery necessarily supposeth visibility of the Ministers and ministred in adificationem corporis Christi for the edifying or building vp the body of Christ which is his Church the members whereof being to accede throughout all ages to this mysticall body by the Visible ministery of those Visible ministers Prelates Teachers and Gouernours inferre a necessity of true doctrine visibly taught or to be taught them by those their Prelates without which truth of doctrine they could not be the regenerate issue of the spirit of Truth They haue likewise heard the Church of God called by S. Paul 1. Tim. 1. Domus Deiviui columna firmamâ—ntum Veritatis the house of the liuing God the pillar and proppe of truth Of the house of God it is said Domum tuam decet sanctitudo Domine Psalm 92. in longitudinem dierum sanctitude becomes thy house O Lord for euer which fanctitude consistes in the rectitude of the vnderstanding and will of man rectified by truth of doctrine both in fayth and manners Ibid. And this is sure that visible house wherin S. Timothy was to be wary and to know how to conuerse for the edification and example of others who should be eye-witnesses and eare-witnesses of his doings and sayings This Church is also the pillar and proppe of Truth which proppe or pillar surely shall stand while truth hath need of a proppe which shall be in order to mankind while man is mortall obnoxious to errour and lapse in question of diuine truth To this pillar of Truth Isa 59. Johan 14.16 Johan 16.13 the spirit of God is by speciall Couenant tied to the worlds end or is himself this pillar of Truth and that spirit of truth which shall teach the Church and by the Church omnem veritatem all truth that is all necessary truth which necessary truth certainly excludes all falshood in doctrine of fayth and manners which are the points in contestation between the Catholicks and Protestants All this and much more the Fathers and Doctors of the Catholique Church haue heard and belieued as foretold and decreed by God concerning the Visible profession of true doctrine in the Church of Christ without any mixture of falshood and the continuance of such Visible Profession de facto not de iure only Nor if you can glosse these Scriptures to anothersense shall they cease for that to tell vs this truth to whom the Catholique Church doth so interpret them and who as sonnes of obedience haue learned to turne the
Will he reprehend the seeking of the kingdom of God for this or the forsaking temporall estates to follow Christ in a higher way of perfection because the gaine and returne is a hundred fold in this life and therefore makes for the temporall ends of such men And are these our beaux Esprits Are these the learned new Academy that cannot make this distinction between making and being made or are they rather indeed en bon François in plaine English dull and earthly Spirits and which least they would heare not Wit 's but silly Fellows Who if they could once resolue vpon a God or any such not only omnipotent but free agent who could do and giue what he pleased should rather betake themselues with Salomon who had I thinke as good a naturall wit as the best of the new Academy and shew'd a much better in making such a choyce and in the acknowledgment of his owne weakenes and want betake themselues I say to their prayers that they might receaue the spirit of Wisedom from heauen without which spirit no meruaile if they haue no palate of heauen nor as being indeed meerely Animals any rellish of spirituall things But neither indeed do they belieue there is any such thing as holy spirit Et quem non inuenit vsquam Esse putat nusquam Concerning different opinions among Catholiques the Aduocates Fallacy and Calumny SECT X. AFter all these Rhetoricall pretermissions of temptations into so he writes and principles of Irreligion and Atheisme in Catholique doctrine as considerations which he wil seeme to esteeme of lesse moment thereby to prepare your expectation to some more weighty Only I should desire you sayth he to consider attentiuely when you conclude so often from the differences of Protestants Pref. that they haue no certainty of any part of their religion c. Whether you do not that which so magisteri ally you direct me not to do that is proceed a destructiue way c. Ans Now this Pretermissiō is no figure but a fraud Fallacy for his aduersary directs him not to proceed a meere destructiue way Now this restrictiue particle meere fraudulently left out is no figure but a fallacie of pretermission and makes indeed a kind of Non-sense in his Aduersary where there is a good and plaine sense For whosoeuer will throw downe the doctrine of another must proceed a destructiue way but he who doth nothing else but throw downe and builds nothing as he who doth nothing but ouerthrow doctrines of religion holdeth nothing prositiue in religion at least in coherence of his doctrine he proceeds a meere destructiue way and a meere Antimachus he is an Ismael sonne of Agar secundum carnem genitus a child of the flesh and therefore as euery Socinian doth persequutes the free-borne child the yssue of the Spirit but what sayth the Scripture Eijce ancillam filium eius non enim erit haeres filius ancillaecum filio liberae cast forth the handmaid and her sonne for the sonne of the hand-maid shall not coherit which the sonne of the free-woman Indeed one house could not hold them Why because Ismael was terrae homo a fierce condition'd man manus eius contra omnes manus omniam contra eum his hands against all men and all mens hands against him which is in effect to say he proceeded a meere destructiue way And I pray you is not a Socinian such an Ismael whose hands are vp against all Professors of Christianity since his reasons principles tend as his Aduersary chargeth him to the ouerthrow of all Christian Profession no lesse then of Catholique religion And doth he not deserue that all Christian hands should be employed about his eares with vnanimous consent to extinguish such a Giant But doth the sonne of Sarai proceed a meere destructiue way he dares not say it as bold as he is therefore he onely sayes he proceeds a destructiue way wherein he doth well and as euery confutant must do otherwise he doth nothing Pref. But his aduersaries Arguments so he retorts obiected against the Protestant tend to the ouerthrow of all religion because sayth he as you argue Protestants differ in many things therefore they haue no certainty of religion so an Atheist or a Sceptique may conclude as well Christians and the Professors of all religions differ in many things therefore they haue no certainty of any thing Ans I know well these are the ordinary Socinian Topickes which this man hath by hart whence they are wont to argue themselues out of all religion And it is a very Socinian and Atheisticall argument indeed that is a foolish one as foolish as this Euery man is a man therefore no man is a Christian For though euery man be a man and therefore subrect to errour some more some lesse some in one thing some in another whence difference of opinions ariseth and vncertainty is concluded yet some men are Christians and as such in matters defined to be of faith not differing nor vncertaine They should deduce thus if they would conclude to the purpose they intend Christians in points of fayth defined by their Church to be such the definition of which Church they hold as their rule of fayth disagree among themselues therfore they haue no certainty in points of religion then the solution is ready I deny that such Christians who rely on that autority of the Church defining as all Catholique Christians do disagree in any poynt of religion so defined therefore this inference of vncertainty from the differences of doctrines in poynts of fayth fals heauy vpon the backs of all Sectaries nor can be shaken off but toucheth not the Catholique Whence they should conclude if they were indeed wise and gallant either the Catholique or none Not as they are wont there is difference of opinions and doctrines among Professors of Christianity betweene Lutherans and Caluinists c. and the Catholique from them all therefore there is no certainty therefore no religion at all and therefore lastly I will be an Atheist or Socinian Whereas if these Sceptiques would be feriously sceptique indeed that is serious inquisitors of truth and not make it their whole life and busines euer to seeke neuer to find like those sylly and sinfull women of whome S. Paul semper discentes numquam ad scientiam veritatis peruenientes always learning and neuer arriuing to the knowledge of truth nay if they did not set downe for their last arrest despaire of euer knowing with those foolists Sceptiques and Pyrhonians lastly if they could be persuaded that they heare what they heare or see what they see certainely they might see discerne a vast disparity betweene these two kinds of differences the differences of Sectaries among themselues in most substantiall points of faith and those of Catholiques discepting and discussing difficulties occurring as yet vndecreed and vndetermined by authority as children of truth neuer ceasing to inquire after it
guiding the Church But by this you may see the man miscrably tortured by vnauoidable truth euen maugre himselfe forc't to confesse what his Aduersary teacheth and euen here relaps't into his dilemma which he may seeme to haue laid of purpose to catch him for he is fallen vpon the Scripture as interpreted by euery man's naturall with and iudgment or the priuate spirit By which touch-stone the Priuate spirit with his Logick-rules c. he will also try euery spirit 1. Joan. 4. and by his ignorantly applying the words of the Apostle Belieue not euery spirit to this purpose shew's plainly how sure an Interpreter he is of holy Scripture togeather with his right reason and common notions and Logick-rules For surely in good Logick the vniuersall and distributiâ—e signe omnis all euery importeth number and multiplicity therfore he sayth Belieue not euery spirit but trie the spirits as if he said of many spirits belieue not euery spirit because the holy spirit is but one spirit from which one spirit spirits and euery one of spirits are participations and deriued spirits Now that one spirit which is so one that it cannot be a part of number like as diuine vnity or the vnity of diuine nature is no part of number that one spirit I say is not to be tried for it cannot be but a true spirit otherwise no spirit could be knowne to be true if that one spirit could befalse which is the only rule wherby to trie all spirits but of the multitude of spirits or partaking spirits some do and all may lye Of which number of lying spirits are the Apostate Angells fince their defection from the spirit of truth and those false Prophets in whose mouth 's those lying spirits were speakers Such also were those Pseudoprophets vpon occasion of whom S. Iohn forewarneth Christians not to belieue euery spirit but to try spirits And who were those false Prophets or Apostles those lying spirits They were those of whom he had said before that they had beene in the Church and were gone out of the Church and therefore became lying spirits oftentimes actually lying always inclined and prepared to lye and so neuer to be belieued For as that first reuolt from God the spirit of truth was the originall cause why those mutinous spirits became lyar's so Apostasy from the Church of God in whom the same spirit of truth presides is the generall origen and extraction of all false Prophets and Heretiques As therefore that one prime spirit is none of those spirits euery one of which is to be tryed but by which euery numerable spirit is to be proued so the spirit which guideth the Church is not a spirit to be tried but that by which euery priuat spirit must be examined and tried In which sense also it is most truly said Prima Sedes the prime sea is iudged by none therfore it is true againe that the Church of Christ the Catholique Church is the only competent iudge of it selfe according to that receaued principle of naturall reason rectum est iudex sui obliqui what is straight of it selfe both shew's it selfe to be straight and what is crooked to be so He therefore who will presume to reforme the Church in doctrine of faith wherein the spirit of truth is her guid and teacher Dauiel 12. he shall be the starre which would giue light to the Sunne but none of those who shall shine in perpetuas aternitates For I would aske any man only sober and in his wits if the Church of God may haue erred either in determining Scriptures or the true meaning of them which point concerning Scriptures I specifie to preuent all refuge to trial by Scriptures by what other spirit shall this spirit of the Church be tried And I would gladly looke vpon that face of Impudence that would assume to it selfe what it denyeth to the Church of God and when I shall haue found him I shall know for certaine that he is one of those Antichrists of whom the same Apostle Et nunc Antichristi multi facti sunt Ex nobis prodierunt Joan. 2. 4. and euen now many are turned Antichrists they went out from vs. Yea by this very brand I will know them this indeleble character of antichrist to goe out of the Church then to question the spirit and doctrine of the Church It would be worth their labour yet once to shew when the Church of Rome went out of the Church of Christ where she left it at her departure as we shew what Church Arrius went out of whence Pelagius and Nestorius c. whence of this later age Luthâ—r and Peter Martyr and Caluin and the rest Yet besides this character of a false Prophet which is his terminus à quo the whence they goe out the Apostle hath giuen vs another their terminus ad quem the whither they goe going out of the Church Multi pseudoprophetae exierunt in mundum many false Prophets are gone out into the world and yet more plainly Ipsi de mundo sunt ideâ— de mundo loquntur mundus eos audit They are of the world they are become worldlings the world is their talke flesh blood their discourse intimating euen by this that Hereticall doctrine is carnall doctrine the language of corrupt Nature the discourse of flesh blood and therefore the world harken's to their doctrine as being of a carnall spirit symbolizing with these teachers Indeed the Society of Christians is not the world nor any hâ—mâ—genious part of the world of whom therfore our Sauiours words are truly vnderstood Vâ—s de mundâ— nonestiâ— seâ—â—gâ—â—ligi voâ— de mundo you are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world Whence the whole mortall kind of man is sufficiently deuided by these two names the World and Christendome therfore that going out of the Church signified by those words prodierunt ex nobis they went out from vs could be no whither else but into the world there being no third place or family of mortall men to go vnto therefore all Heretiques are a part of that faction the World and therefore being indued swayed and guided by the spirit of the world which is a lying spirit they cannot be competent Iudges or Examiners of the spirit of the Church or any doctrine of fayth or interpretation of Scriptures But as the Church Triumphant shall iudge the world and condemne it and shall not be iudged by it so the Church now Militant is inuested with the like authority and iurisdiction towards mortall men of this world to iudge and condemne the world that is all those who are seuered from her Society and not to be iudged by them Her doctrine therefore is the sole Iudicature both of it selfe and all other crooked and oblique opinions Wherefore the counsaile of S. Iohn to try spirits is to trie them by the spirit and doctrine of the Church for vnles the spirit of the Church
were supposed the spirit of truth they could not haue beene iudged false Prophets for going out of the Church no nor for opposing the doctrine of the Church Moreouer that by which another thing is tried as by a rule must needs be supposed more perfect in regard of Iudicature then the thing tried but it is absurd to thinke that the spirit of a priuate man is more perfect in nature of Iudicature then the spirit of the Church therefore S. Iohn neuer aduised priuate men to try the spirit of the Church Lastly this very command or aduise Try euery spirit is the aduise of the Church it selfe in the person of S. Iohn a principall pillar of the Church but no man can be so silly as to thinke that the Church aduiseth priuate men to try her spirit and least of all can Heretiques challenge any such authority Heretiques also are subiects of the Church euen in that they are at the least characterically Christians which character of subiection they can neuer wipe out whersoeuer they run they are euer subiects though rebells therfore their calling the Church to question and triall is mere presumption and an act of rebellion No Catholique presumeth to trie the spirit or doctrine of the Church nay euery Catholique trieth his owne spirit and doctrine by that of the Church therefore a Catholique as such hath no priuate opinion of fayth but all Catholique that is the same with the whole Catholique Church The Catholique makes no choyce of doctrines of fayth but taketh such as are giuen him he is Gods beggar and therefore no chooser Ego autem mendicus sum pauper I am a beggar and poore Thus euery Catholique is taught both to say and belieue The Heretique makes choyce of what he will hold with the Church takes what he list's and refuseth what he list's not take And this is to be euen Etimologically an Heretique and an Heretique formally no lesse in what he takes then in what he refuses For what he takes he chooseth to take vpon his owne discretion not vpon the credit of the Church nor formally from the Church therefore he is an Heretique in all euen in the points of diuine fayth which he holdeth with the Church not of the Church and therfore holdeth nothing with diuine fayth because he is still a chooser of what he holds and so an Heretique Another Text of S. Iohn by this Aduocate corrupted and misinterpreted SECT XXI WHat this all-trying spirit can do of himselfe without the spirit of the Church will appeare by his singular talent in interpreting Scriptures nor shall I swarue from my subiect in this way for I shall demonstrate that all his interpretations are Sophismes wily and fallacious detorsions of Scripture from their true sense to his owne crooked ends Pref. S. Iohn sayth he giues a rule to all Christians to make this triall by to consider whether they confesse Iesus to be the Christ that is the guide of their fayth and Lord of their actions So he Answ The words of S. Iohn are these In hoc cognoscitur spiritus Dei c. In this the spirit of God is knowne Euery spirit that confesseth Iesus Christ to haue come in fleth is of God and euery spirit that dissolueth Iesus is not of God and this is Antichrist The affirmatiue part of which copulate sentence as some other the like occurring in the Epistles of S. Iohn is to be vnderstood in sensu formali as thus Euery spirit which coufesseth Iesus Christ to haue taken flesh as confessing this truth is of God who is the author and warrant of this truth therefore of him who confesseth this supernaturall truth it may be truly said Caro sanguis non reuelauit hoc tibi flesh and blood hath not reuealed this vnto thee being a truth aboue the conceipt of flesh and blood which restriction to a formall sense is both sufficient and often tymes necessary for the verifying of many the like sentences of â—oly Scripture Wherefore although the negatiue to deny Iesus Christ to haue taken flesh be a sufficient note whereby to discerne a false spirit yet the affirmatiue to confesse Iesus Christ to haue come in flesh is but a part of the rule The other part is the character of Christian Charity as the same Apostle teacheth in the same Chapter Omnis qui diligit ex Deo natus est Euery one that loueth is borne of God therefore these two rules we find conioyned in the precedent Chapter hoc est mandatum â—ius vt credanius in nomine silij eius Iesu Christi diligamus alterutrum This is his commaundment that we belieue in the name of his sonne Iesus Christ and that we loue one another for in these two vertues indeed a Christian is consummate For fayth in Iesus Christ the sonne of God incarnate includeth all points of fayth because it implyeth the beliefe of all that Iesus Christ hath taught or teacheth either by himselfe or by his Church according to that saying of of his Qui vos audit me audit in which sense also the affirmatiue proposition of the Apostle Euery one who confesseth that Iesus Christ came in flesh c. hath a true construction euen without restriction but then it is nothing to the purpose of this Aduocate who by this rule would exclude the necessity of beliefe of other points of fayth proposed by the Church to make this confession of Christ to haue come in flesh the rule whereby to try spirits As therefore that other cognoisance of a Christian mutuall Charity according to that of our Sauiour In hoc cognoscent omnes c. all men shall know you to be my disciples by this ensigne or character of mutuall loue excludeth not that of fayth or the confession of the sonne of God Incarnate from being a rule whereby to discerne spirits and to know who are true Christians So this rule of Fayth in Christ excludeth not that of Charity and neither of them nor both exclude a third giuen by the same Apostle Qui nouit Deum audit nos Cap. 4. qui non est ex Deo non audit nos in hoc cognoscimus spiritum veritatis spiritum erroris See heere an expresse rule to try spirits by He who know's God heares vs he who is not of God heareth not vs in this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error Now it is most absurd to think the force of that rule to be limited and confined with the age of the Apostles therefore by that vs is vnderstood the Church or if they were to be heard of posterity in their writings we caÌ„not heare them so without an interpreter which interpreter as before hath beene proued can be no other of infallible authority but the Church Now that the Apostles were to continue in their posterity of Apostles Euangelists c. that is Preachers and Teachers of Christs Ghospell Doctors and Pastors c. ad consummationem Sanctorum
inough that he quit the Catholique for temporall ends Pref. But it is incredible that if he had such ends or desires he should make choyce of Socinianisme Because sayth he Socinianisme explicates the law's of Christ with more rigour and lesse indulgence and condescendence to the desires of flesh and blood then Catholique doctrine doth Answ How true this is I will not heere dispute but giue it true So did the Manichaans so the Donatists so the Tertullianists so some other Heresies explicate some points of Christian doctrine and some sentences of Scripture more rigidly and more repugnantly to flesh and blood then the Catholique Church did and therfore those Explicator's were Heretiques and their rigor of doctrine Heresy because a man may be an Heretique vs well for the more as for the lesse But what is this to the surpose that Sucinianisme explicates the Law 's of Christ with greater rigour if it bind no man to belieue them or to belieue that they are the law 's of Christ the Sonne of God and therefore obligatory but leaues euery man free to his owne reason to belieue so much of them as he think's fit where is then the rigour So the doctrine of Caluin explicate's the lawes of God the Ten Commaundments not only hard but impossible to be kept Loe the rigour of explication Loe. but therefore he bind's no man to keep them Loe the indulgence of application That Socinianisme is the readiest way to temporall Aduancements SECT XLI ANother reason of incredibility that if the Motiue to abandon the Catholique Church had beene temporall respects or ends he would haue imbraced Socinianisme is this as followeth Pref. Socintanisme is a doctrine by which no man in his right mynd â—an hope for any honour or preferment either in this Church or state or any other Answ This I deny and auouch the quite contrary which is this that in any Protestant or not Catholique State a Socinian is most capable of aduancement My reason because Socinianisme bindeth no man to professe it publiquely nay it imposeth no obligation to any exterior act whatsoeuer which may yield the least sent or suspicion of it nay rather by the maine principle of it sana ratio right reason such as they terme right which so appeareth to euery man in particular they are obliged to exhibit no signe or shew at all which may hinder or crosse their designes therefore Socinianisme obligeth rather to all exteriour conformity Since therefore all Heresy is subiect to change and alteration alterable by the authority by which it stands the Socinian of all other is most ready to change with it and to conforme himselfe to any Church or state whatsoeuer as the waxe as yet vnprinted is capable of any impression and the Eye hauing in it self no colour receaues the formes or idols of all colours Therefore in such a Church or State no Sect is endued with so great aduantages as Socinianisme is which can without any difficulty or demurre put on the guise and liuery of any profession The Socinian can be a Puritan to day to morrow a Protestant the third day an Arminian and the fourth an Arrian and after so or so or neither so nor so Nor can I doubt but this is indeed the very principall cause why so many make this choyce For the Socinian is the only He who sayles with euery wynd whiles other professors some out of tendernesse or scruple iniected by the principles of their doctrine dare not yeild to the countermaund of secular authority others out of animosity of opposition or as it were the pride of their choyce will not conforme others out of the extreme hate of what they feare the hate I say of that truth which they feare will preuaile will not come in and while all these either by their not yielding or by direct opposition run hazard of their fortunes yea liues and liberty the smooth-faced Socinian arides euery change derides the folly of Non-conformants swims aloft like a Corke fall's and rises with the waues whatsoeuer stormes against religion or be the seas neuer so rough he will neuer drowne in briefe he is the one Pamphylus and Eutrapelus of tymes and fortunes the only State-humourer and State-complyer He might passe for a very wiseman in some heathen Philosophy a very Atheist in Christianity And tell me now is not this man in the high rode-way of preferment if which he must if he be true to his principles he can but keep his owne Counsell or impart it only to his confidents Adde vnto all this that wheresoeuer rules of Policy or Reasons of State sway the Gouernment more then rules of Piety or Religion the Socinian will be thought the fittest instrument for imployment in State-affaires who wil be wrought to any circumstance of aduantage who will vndertake yea and make good way through all those difficulties which neither Religion nor Honesty would venture vpon For who can question the aduantage which he hath ouer a Religion-bound Conscience who himselfe hath either none or a Socinian one which is so flexible changing with euery turne of fancy or affection varying with euery variety of occasion All which demonstrates to vse his word's that this foule aspersion is no false one or at the least not so cleanly wip't out but that notwithstanding all his purgations and compurgations it stick 's as fast and deepe as euer it did The Aduocates misconstructions of his Aduersaries Direction declared to be a iust and charitable Admonition SECT XLII AS for the fountaine whence this Aduocate supposeth these aspersions to haue proceded from a hart sayth he abounding with the gall and bitternes of vncharitablenes Pref. and euen blind with malice towards him I verily think whosoeuer knows both parties will neuer belieue this censure neither as proceeding from the one nor as against the other The Censurer will neuer deserue so much credit as to be delieued nor the Censured so much discredit as to be suspected of so much malice Besides that as I am informed his Charity and curtesy extended to this plainant in tyme and place haue deserued a better construction were he not growne now so forgetfull of all that he learned among Catholikes that he hath forgotten to construe Charity in any Christian language either words or deeds He might haue construed this foule aspersion which he so call's no aspersion at all but an Admonition and a needfull one least others might receaue infection from his contagious pen. He might haue interpreted it as proceeding from Zeale not a peruerse Zeale as his words are to his superstition which himselfe this Aduocate immediatly after call's the Catholique Cause Now to call the Catholique cause or Religion superstitioâ— is indeed to vse the phraze of the Chayre a very Bull. And howsoeuer he construes it out of his owne not Zeale which were a mere Solecisme in Socinianisme but his ouer and ouer and many tymes peruerted iudgment yet other more sober and
deafe eare to all exotique interpretation yea and to all naturall reason and discourse when it impugnes this authority as you Socinians are deafe to supernaturall truth when it sounds a note aboue the reach of your reason Wherefore since this your answere is in effect no otherwise a confutation of your first Motiue but by a flat deniall I do not see but it may moue still with as much force as euer yea and liue againe to fight against the Father and that with more equity then he fights against his Mother And all this I haue said supposing he meanes by his de facto as I vnderstand him and as I haue some reason more then euery man knows to thinke he mean's If he meane otherwise when he shall vouchsafe to come out of the Clouds and appeare in his true meaning he shall be answered otherwise II. Motiue Because Luther his followers separating from the Church of Rome separated also from all Churches pure or impure true or false then being in the world vpon which ground I conclude that either Gods promises did faile of performance if there were then no Church in the world which held all things necessary and nothing repugnant to Saluation or else that Luther and his Sectaries separating from all Churches then in the world and so from the true if there were any true were damnable Schismaticks II. Remotiue To the second God hath neither decreed nor foretold that there shall be alwayes a company of men free from all errour in it selfe damnable Neither is it alwayes of necessity Schismaticall to separate from the externall communion of a Church though wanting nothing necessary For if this Church supposed to want nothing necessary require me to professe against my conscience that I belieue some errour though neuer so small and innocent which I do not belieue and will not allow me her communion but vpon this condition In this case the Church for requiring this condition is Schismaâ—icall and not I for separating from the Church III. Promotiue Gods decree concerning the perpetuity of a Visible and infallible Church on earth to the end of the world hath bene foretold many wayes as hath beene declared in part in the former Promotiue and more fully and plainly by many Catholique writers and the contrary is heere assumed with too to great boldnes but without all proofe or possibility of proof That such separation from the Church is schismaticall is euident for schisme being the breach of vnion in Charity as Heresy violates the vnity of faith to separate from the externall communion of this Church is to shew you are fallen out with the Church with which you refuse to conuerse in Ecclesiasticall conuersation as he who flyeth the company of a man with whome he hath beene formerly familiar in way of ciuill conuersation is supposed to be fallen out with him Then againe this separation is very scaÌ„dalous as yeilding a iust presumption that such a Separant is in his iudgment an Heretique Now to scandalize wittingly and knowingly as such a Separate cannot be ignorant that this is a true cause of scandall or if he be he is wilfully ignorant is to violate the law of Charity and this especially when you separate from a Church wherein nothing necessary to Saluation is wanting as you make the supposition But if this Church wanting nothing necessary as you suppose require you to professe against your conscience that you belieue some error then say you your Separation is lawfull But either this error required by the Church to be belieued is in your conscience an error of doctrine concerning fayth or manners or no If yea then in your conscience somewhat necessary is wanting to that Church that is the contrary doctrine of truth If it be no error of doctrine concerning either of these but only some opinion held or practized as indifferent then certainly the Church will neuer vrge you to belieue it then againe you may choose whether you will belieue it or no and then lastly you should haue no cause for this to breake with the Church or deuide your selfe from her Communion If you say in the iudgment of the Church it may perhaps be held indifferent yea perhaps a necessary point of doctrine but to my conscience it is an error in faith or manners Now this I expected and this I knew you said in your hart so then I say againe in your iudgement and conscience the Church is wanting in some necessary point of true doctrine And heere now I appeale to the sentence of any sober and indifferent Christian what greater pride can be imagined then that any priuate or single man should haue a conscience repugnant and refragatory to the conference of the Church of God What sober Christian I say reflecting duely vpon such a conscience will not doome it mere insolency and arrogance True it is no pride of man can be a Paragon with the pride of formall Heresy this is indeed that Pes superbiae that foot of pride by the length and bulk whereof you may coniecture how Gigantique a monster an Heretique is For which cause all Orthodoxe Spirits haue learned to pray with the Church Psal 35. Non â—eniat miâ—ipes superbiae manus peccatoris non moucat me this foot of pride this suggestion of Sathan may it haue no accesse vnto my soule and the hand or pen of such a sinner let it haue no power to moue or drawe me from an humble beliefe Ibi ceciderunt qui operantur iniquitatem expulsi sunt nec potuerunt flare there and in that pride Apostat-Angels fell with them Apostat-Christians fall from the Church expulst and eiected thence or by reason of their pride they could stay no longer there For after this pride growing daily more in an Hereticall conscience hath at length extinguished the spirit of God stifled all his Inspirations and Motiues then the same spirit of God expulseth that Satanicall and mutinous spirit out of his family which is the Church of Christ bandites throw's him forth into the open field of professed Heresy 1. Iohn 2. vt manifesti fiant that they may be knowne for Heretiques and warred against as open rebels that their conuersation may be eschewed by weaker Christians their Herefies lay'd open and beaten downe by the more learned to be buried at last in the ignominy and obliuion of their infamous Ancestry 2. Thess 2. whom our Lord Iesus from age to age hath and will kill with the spirit of his mouth And now after their eiectmens and expulsion they pretend the equity of their separation when it is indeed their Iniquity which hath separated and expelled them qui operantur iniquitatem expulsi sunt c. As when God and the Apostate Angels by reason of their pride became two factions if I may so say the immensity of heauen was too strait to containe both Quaemare quae terras quae totum possidet Orbem Non caepit