wisdome but in demonstration of the spirit of Power Althô it doth not sufficiently appeare whither the words themselues contained that manifestation of the spirit or the Person who spoke or both 5. All this was confirmed by Miracles which may properly enough be called the Broade seale of the King of Kings for as a Broade seale is a publicke Attestation of the Truth of a Patent or Proclamation to which it is annext solikewise a miracle is an Attestation of Almyghty God of a Truth delivered in his name Divina potentia etiam factis loquitur says S Austin Epist 49.9.6 Men speake by words God also by deedes And Origen contra Celsum l. 2. says the same This language of God by miracles is soo cleere that even the most stupid vnderstand it yet so hard that none can speake it but he who is Almyghty Hence Mar. 16 God is sayd To haue confirmed the words with the signes following it And Heb. 24. To haue borne witnesse with signes wonders divers miracles gifts of the Holy Ghost So when Christ our Lord Mat. 9.6 sayd That ye may know that the son of man hath Power on Earth to forgiue sins he sayd to the sick of the Palsye Arise take vp thy bed goe vnto thy house it was to call God to witnesse that Truth that he had such a Power And God by doing the miracle did virtually say I attest that he hath such a Power And who seing this could doubt whither Christ had such a Power without doubting of the divine veracity Yet we must not hence inferre that Miracles are the formal object of our Faith For as the only motiue why a Proclamation is obeyed is nothing else but the King's will commanding the Broade seale serues only to assure vs that is the King's deede Soe the sole motiue of our Faith is divine veracity authorizing what that man S. Paul for example preached the miracle confirmes vs in the perswasion that man delivers divine Truth SECTION VIII 1. 3. Faith by Hearing 2. Words are the best of signes 4. Scripture the object of Hearing Where of the invention of writing 1. THe Doctor of the gentils who laboured with greater successe in conversions than all the other Apostles seemes in a particular manner to speake of the Hearing as conducing to the propagation of Faith in a singular way His words are these Rom. 10. a versu 14. How shall they call on him in whome they haue not beleived how shall they beleiue in him of whome they haue not heard how shall they heare without a Preacher And how shall they preach except they besent And concludes so then Faith comes by Hearing hearing by the word of God Which words confound all enthusiasts others who vndertake to preach without being lawfully called or sent by the Holy Ghost But our present businesse is to examin why Faith is so particulary resolved into Hearing Nothing like this being any where sayd of any other Sense 2. This will be easily vnderstood if we remember that as is abouesayd Faith is an Assent giuen to an otherwise vnknowne Truth on the credit of another This cannot be done without the others thought be made knowne to me to effect this some outward signes must be vsed for men cannot speake to nor heare one another as Angels do by an immediate communication of thoughts but are forced to make vse of outward signes to which some signification knowne to both partyes is annext Now of all signes none more easy or significant than articulate words which with their signification are by the Hearing conveyghed to the mind of the Hearer who by that meanes comes to know what the other averres giues his Assent to it And so Faith comes by Hearing Yet because there are other ways to communicate our Thoughts particularly by the eyes hearing may be thought not to be the only way to beget Faith Men may speake to the eyes by gestures or motions of Head Hand or other parts of the Body if some meaning be annext to them And in this sort of language the ancient Mimi Greekes Romans were excellent Now that mute way of speaking by gestures of the Body to the eyes is much out of vse almost forgotten As to other senses they can reckon but very few significant signes so Hearing surpasses all senses in this by reason of articulate sounds which it receiues passes to the mind Which I learne from S. Austin l. 2. de Doctrinâ Christianâ Cap. 3. Tuba Tibia Cythara dant non solum suavem sed etiam significantem sonum Sed omnia signa verbis comparata paucissima sunt Verba enim inter homines obtinuerunt principatum significandi quaecumque animo concipiuntur si ea prodere quisque velit Several musical instruments giue not only a sweete but also a significatiue sound But words are the Princes of all signes as well for their number variety as for their efficacy in signifying Suppose I know a Truth vnknowne to another would bring him to beleiue it how must I do this 1. I choose words proper to signify my mind to him 2. J vtter those words 3. he heares them 4. beleiues the thing to be as I sayd because he is perswaded I am not deceived nor would deceiue him Thus is propagated Humane Faith Now to Divine That God can speake without vsing any words to the mind immediatly is an vndoubted Truth seing the greatest part if not all Revelations were originally made in that nature to some one Person who knew certainly not only what was sayd but that it was God who spoke it But whither this Evidentia rei attestante Deo this cleere knowledge of God affirming it is consistent with Faith or transferres that knowledge to another species of science Vision Theiologi certant adhuc sub judice lis est But this is certaine 1. That it is not necessary to Faith otherwise the mission of Preachers would be superfluous 2 That God did not vse it to all men to exclude pretences to Enthusiasmes of Fanaticks prevent the jllusions of the devil 3. That God seemes in propagating his Faith to accommodate himself to the ordinary way of men A King sends his Embassadors whither he goes not in person with jnstructions what to say credentialls to procure beleife to what they say their words are looked on as the words of the King their master So God sends the Apostles as his Embassadors 2. cor 5.20 he giues them their instructions to teach what they had learnt of him for their credentials he gaue them Power t s worke miracles Hence The words they spoke were not received as the words of men but as they truly were the words of God 1. Thes 2.13 And the Faith giuen to their words was Divine Faith 3. That this was is to the end of the wold will be the ordinary way of conveyghing Faith is
evident 1. Because the Apostles proposition Faith comes by Hearing is vniversal vnlimited to any time or place 2. God sent his Apostles Disciples to Preach the Ghospel without any expresse command to vse other signes or write bookes indeed most of those written were casual 3. The Apostles sent their successours on alike errant with alike Commission we find in S. Irenaeus that Faith was long preserved in some countryes without any written word 4. Faith by the Apostle called milke is still by Parents Nurses such persons instilled into the Tender minds of Infants even before they are able to reade And if they conceiue it ryghtly beleiue it strongly they haue tru divine Faith 5. The same of several Persons at men's estate who for Poverty or other employments cannot reade the scriptures 4. Scripture may seeme an exception from that general rule Faith by Hearing but it is not so Scripture it selfe being only an jmage of what is spoken therefore belongs to the same Sense that words do Hence S. Austiu l. 2. de Doct. Christ c. 4. Quia verberato aere statim transeunt verba nec diutius manent quam sonant instituta sunt per litteras signa verborum ita voces ostenduntur non per seipsas sed per signa quaedam sua By reason that after a little motion of ayre the voice presently vanishs is assoone lost as the sound is past Letters were invented as signes of words by which meanes words are shewed not by themselues but by their signes Thus S. Austin Which was elegautly exprest by a French Poet Brebeuf en sa Pharsale C'est de là que nous vient cet art ingenieux De peindre la parole de parler aux yeux Et par les traits divers des figures tracées Donner de la couleur du corps aux pensées Hence that ingenious art did first arise Of painting words speaking to our eyes Where with the pen doth by mysterious draught Both colour giue Body to a thought J doe not cite this as building my assertion vpon it but as a neate expression of what I meane The ground on which J rely is scripture whereof a greate part is evidently a description of speeches For 1. a greate part of the Ghospel is a Relation of our saviours Admonitions Sermons Reprehensions Justructions c. 2. The Acts of the Apostles containe their speeches 3. the Apocalypse is a representation of visions Prophecyes revealed to S Iohn 4. S. Luke in his preface declares that he writes what he had Heard 5. S. Mark writ what S. Peter preacht Marcus Discipulus Interpres Petri says S. Hierome juxta quod Petrum referentem audierat rogatus Romae a Fratribus breve scripsit Evangelium Mark the Disciple Interpreter of Peter at the request of the Brethren in Rome writ in a short Ghospel what he had heard Peter preach My last cheifest proofe is from the words of Abraham to the glutton Luck 16.29 They thy Brothers haue moyses the Prophets let them heare them Et verse 31. If they heare not Moyses the Prophets nether will they be perswaded though one rise from the dead Here those are sayd to haue Moses the Prophets who haue their writings 2. Moses the Prophets are sayd to Speake in their writings seing others are sayd to Heare them Hence I conclude that the jnstruction we receiue from Scripture it selfe is reduced to Hearing SECTION IX 1. All Senses never contrary to Faith 2. Hearing is to correct the other senses 3. A conclusion of this digression THe two first points are cheifely aimed at in all this Preface will serue to cleere the mist which Humane Reason casts before our eyes that we may not discerne Truth from falshood but may embrace a Cloud for Iuno leaue the substance for a shaddow Thô some Senses may yet all can never be contrary to Faith this is my first conclusion The reason is Faith must be conveyghed into our mind by some Sense wherefore that Sense at least is not contrary to Faith Which is evident by the ordinary course of Providence teaching vs by Hearing Preachers Missions c. Of which S. Paul Rom. 10. Now if God doth at any time by particular inspiration instruct some that is nothing against this Truth seing those thoughes so inspired are conformable to what others Heare by consequence not contrary to all Senses 2. My second Conclusion is in matter of Faith Hearing is preferred before all other Senses The 1. reason is because Hearing is more capable of conveyghing revealed Truths than any other Sense nay than all the rest together it having more significant signes then all the rest together as is evident by the multitude of significant words The second reason is because God doth actually vse Hearing no other Sense to communicate to vs his Faith For our whole Duty to God our neyghbour what we are bound to beleiue practice is all delivered ether by living words in Catechisms Sermons or in Bookes by dead representations of those living words Wherefore when senses interfere in their depositions concerning any object of Faith we must recurre to Hearing adhere to that For example Other Senses represent Christ to vs as an ordinary man Hearing says he is The only begotten son of God full of grace Truth we must beleiue this silence the rest The rest say water only washes from dirt the surface of the Body this says it purges the soul from the staine of sin we must beleiue this Why then should not this rule acknowledged by the Zuinglians in other things to be good hold in the Blessed Eucharist So that althô the tast tell vs it is bread wine we may subscribe to our Hearing with S. Cyril nay with the whole Church say It is the Body Bloud of Christ But what if Reason takes the part of the other Senses Answer I will say still we must stick however to Hearing For example Reason says the same substance cannot be One three Hearing says the same Divine substance is one in nature three in Persons Our duty is to beleiue God to be so to silence all reasons to the contrary This is what S. Paul vnderstood by Pulling downe imaginations every thought contrary to his Doctrine bringing vnderstandings vnder the subjection of Christ I haue here delivered as by a digression such grounds as if well vsed will be sufficient to resist all the Attacks of God his spousés enemys Yet they are soe cleere that J think few can deny them without rejecting Christianity in some very material points Yet I haue not wandred in this digression out of the syght of my learned freind D. Morley if he retaines his treatise in his company in passing over these few sections he will easily obserue there is nothing but which relates to it J now returne to him
or which is all one confounded the Hierarchy of the Church cast away fiue Sacraments deprived the other two of their efficacy reduced them to the condition of Iewish rites to be Beggerly elements denyed the vniversal redemption banisht Free will introduced stoick Fate changed Hope into Presumption a sin against the Holy Ghost so commended Faith as to destroy charity made good bad workes indifferent by depriving those of merit these of offending God in his elect c. Besides many points of discipline which thô lesse considerable than those of Faith yet are not to be neglected which no Church of England man will deny seing he defends those retained in it against the Presbiterians If these be Small points what are Great And if these be not Many what Herēsy ever had many It will not be enough to say the Church of England doth not oblige her Children to beleiue all these for shee ownes Communion with those who do abetteth her children when they reproach vs with the contrary Truths But suppose there were but Few but One difference that inconsiderable in it self yet if it causes a Schism it destroys all hope of Salvation Now what comfort is it to a wounded man to tell him he hath but one wound that not great if that touch the hart is mortal The Novatians the Miletians the Quarted ci mans the Donatists c. were tru Schismaticks could not be saved altho each of them differred from Catholicks but in one point that not of Faith but of Ecclesiastical Discipline And they were as obstinate in the defense of that one as others in that of many great ones The fewer lesse considerable the points are betwixt vs the Protestants the greater is their guilt in dividing Communion on that score All spiritual temporal jurisdiction the Authority of Prelate Prince is derived from the same fountain God There is no power but of God the Powers that be are ordained of God Rom. 13.1 The same persons are subject to both Let every soul be subject to hygher Powers And this out of the same principle of conscience Who soever therefore resists the Power resists the ordinance of God .... Wherefore ye must needes be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience sake The same motiues are alleaeged to excuse the Disobedience to both Abuses in government heavy vnnecessary Impositions greivances c. The same pretexts serue to make the Rebellious Actions against both plausible Evangelical Liberty Reformation Reestablishment of ancient forme of Government c. Stubbor nesse in the Rebellious is covered with the same fig-leaues Complaints of greivances not harkned to petitions for Redresses vnregarded humble Addresses not effectual Alike Art vsed to conceal a resolution never to be satisfyed what ever Answer be returned for if one request be granted they will demand more if denyed than they perswade their followers they are slyghted that no good can be hoped from such persons that things must be redrest without them Then they teach that all Power is derived not from God as the Apostle says but from the People that their superiours are only their Commissioners accountable to them these having abused their Power may nay ought to be devested of it And so they proceed to change the establisht Government in Church state alleadging the Bible as the Rule of their Actions against the Head of the Church ancient Statutes those against the Prince yet wresting both to their capricios not framing these to those In reality making all Government in Church state subservient to their Interests All which are written with a sun beame in the Hystorys of our civil wars in England those of the first Reformation in Germany France Scotland England too So chang in Church state are begun with lamentations bemoanings of the People greived overcharged carryed on with Humble Addresses Petitions end in confusion destruction Hence it appeares how dangerous it is for a Prince to countenance those Pretences to Liberty against the Prelate with in his dominions What is sawce for à goos is sawce for a gander Both hold their Authority on the same renure what strikes at one wounds the other That Principle which shakes the miter endangers the Crown who breakes the Crozier would crack the scepter for both are made sacred by the same divine Ryght Soe who dares oppose the one is disposed to shake hands with his duty to the other The differences betwixt them being no other but only as of more lesse in the same kind 2. Your care of not exposing your dear self to danger is laudable if that were so great as to exceed that of Preists in England But are Preists so safe in England Ministers in such danger at Brussels Did you blush or smile when you sayd printed this at this time of day Had you sayd it was vnsafe at Brussels it myght haue past your Prudence commended but J doubt whether that comparison was Prudent Look towards Tyburne or Tower-Hill westminister Hall or old Bayly then tell me whether it is so safe in England for Preists c. Then cast your eye back on Brussels see whether in any corner of the town you discover such Tragical scenes J grant that some nay many of the Ch. of Eng. Are so moderate as not to prosecute a Preist though known to be such J beleiue you to be of the number Yet this is no security for a Preist when knowen when any one more Zealous or malicious may cause him to be apprehended brought to the Barr where he shall vnavoydably be condemned And what greater danger can hang over a minister in Madrid or Rome it self before the face of an Inquisitor God will in due time discover the Authours of such crueltys as at certain Periods of time are exercised vpon Preists guilty of no crime vnlesse Preisthood be one I know the cheife Actors in the late Tragedy were as little freinds to the Hierarchy of the Ch. of Eng. to Monarchy too as to that of Rome that those Cricumcellions or Cannibals intended to breakfast on vs dine on the Protestant Clergy sup on the Royal Family Yet those who loue the cause do not hate the effect those who concurred to the making oppose the repealing of the penal sanguinary laws will not break their harts with greife to se them at least some times executed But you cheered vp having F. Darcy's hand word for your security And now begins the dispute SECTION III. 1. Little good from Conference 2. Catholicks ready to comply in what they can 3. Communion of Infants how beleived anciently 1. D Morley sayd There could little fruit be expected from a Conference when one side is resolved to remit nothing 2. F. Darcy Answered they would not be so stiffe in all points for the Church myght alter some
you say of Miracles Miracles when done in Confirmation of Faith are designed to giue credit to a man who speakes in God's name whome otherwise we should not beleiue they are by a metaphore proper enough called God's Broade-seale Now as a Broad-seale is indifferent to all deeds authenticates any to which it is annext so a Miracle myght confirme any Truth but is determined by circumstances to some one rather then others For example the man sicke of the Palsy myght haue beene cured in Confirmation of the Trinity or Incarnation but was determined to testify that Christ had power to remit sins by those words That you may know that the son of man hath Power to forgiue sins then he sayd c. 2. I say when Miracles are done in Confirmation of Faith for all Miracles are not done for that end A Miracle is an effect of God's Power acting contrary to second causes Natural effects are conformable to their inclinations as that fire heates Supernatural are aboue them as that water justifyes the soul Preternatural are besides them as motion of parts of water within themselues Miraculous or contra-natural are contrary to them Such was the cure of Ezechias raysing of Lazarus for second causes required the death of the first the corruption of the second Soe S. Austin l. 26. Cont. Faustum c. 3. Cum Deus aliquid facit contra cognitum nobis cursum solitumque naturae magnalia vel mirabilia nominantur When God doth any thing against or contrary to the knowne vsual course of nature we call that thing a miracle Wherefore when S. Thomas some other Divines say Miracles are Praeter besides the course of nature they are to be vnderstood as J sayd Praeter in them is equivalent to Contra. That no Miracles are done but visible in publick you say but can never proue because it is false S. Austin proues this Epist 3. ad Volusianum by Christ's coming into the world without violating the virginity of his Blessed mother his coming out of his sepulcher this remaming shut See S. Thomas 3. p. q. 29. a. 1. ad 2. Of which more hereafter S. 14. Indeed were no miracles done in private it were in vaine for men in deserts to implore God's assistance against a Lyon or serpent which would devoure or sting them But the contrary errour of Protestants in Brevint Burnet Morley is grounded on another erroneous opinion that no Miracles are done but in Confirmation of Faith Whereas it is certaine they are done for other intentions For 3. Whatsoever can moue God to vse his absolute Power in thwarting the ordinary course of Nature may be the Final cause of a Miracle Pharaoth refusing to dismisse the Israelits Miracles were done to shew it was God's will they should be dismist Exo. 7. A doubt being raysed whither the Preisthood were to be confined to Aaron's family God decided it by the miraculous budding of his rod. numb 17.3 Gedeon wanting resolution to vndertake the war against the Madianits was encouraged by the dew on his furre Iud. 6.4 The encrease of Oyle to releiue a poore widow distressed by her creditours 4. 2. Reg. 4.5 Waters causing a curse to ease a husband of his Jealousy numb 5.6 That there were no ill smells in the Temple notwithstanding all the Burnt offrings nor flyes where so much bloud was spilt was in respect to that Holy place The cure of Ezechias for his comfort or the good of the Royal family which wanted an heyre And who can tell how many other even private things may haue moved Almyghty God to dispense in the common law of nature act contrary to second causes How often are miracles done in consequence of that prayer of the Church Ad te nostras etiam rebelles compelle propitius voluntates drawing those to a pious life who had a perfect aversion to it This you will say is no Miracle But S. Anselme says it is S. Thomas 1.2 q. 113. a. 10. reason proues it to be such because it is contrary to the inclination of the will Antecedenter thô Consequenter the will consents being brought ouer strongly thô sweetely by the Grace of God And without all doubt on The greate day we shall see an infinit number of other Accidents wholy miraculous done either for the spiritual or temporal good of both private publicke persons which are at present entirely hidden from the eyes of all men even those in whose favour they are done Whence I inferre that this conversion in the B. Sacrament may be Miraculous yet be observable by no Senses 4. D. M. pag. 10. Moses his Rod turned into a serpent ceased to looke like a rod in all things was like a serpent which the Magicians rods which were not turned into serpents did not water turned into wine ceased to tast or smell like water Therefore all Miracles are perceptible to sense Revisor A false illation out of an insufficient jnduction as if I should conclude that all men walke because Peter Paul walke D. M. pag. 10. There cannot be a change of one thing into another without a mutual change of Accidents as well as of substance because every thing consists is made vp of Accidents as well as of substance Rev. What stuffe is this J perceiue your Metaphysicks are equal to your Divinity Every thing consists of is made vp of Accidents as well as of substance I hope you will say a man is made vp of his cloths too And not be much out of the way if you speake of those of your degree who are compounded of lawne sleeues c. in lieu of the interiour character How grossely are silly Phylosophers mistaken when they define Accidents by their separability from substance without its decay Quod adest abest sine subjecti interitu what cannot a man become swarthy by being exposed to the sun in the summer or cold in the winter but his Substance his Body or soul must be changed Excellent Doctrine And very fit to make vs fall out with Transubstantiation As vnexpected is that other saying There cannot be a change of one thing into another without a mutuall change of Accidents as well as of substance Vnexpected I say from so learned a person it being so far from Truth so contrary to experience that to confute it nothing is necessary but to shew you any newly dead Corps of one knowne to you before Is there no change In substance when the soul is separated from the Body And do not many Accidents remaine so as it seemes rather a sleepe then dead Do not beleiue me beliue your owne eyes for which you pleade so earnestly Js there not the same quantity The same situation of patts The same organization The same colour moles warts skars c. as before How then can you say There is no change in substance without one in Accidents too Do you not see that by
18. All matters of controversy both Civil Criminal Were by God's appointment to be decided by the Testimony of two or three Witnesses Now how can any man beare witnesse if he be vncertain of what he Heares or sees How is the Iudg certain he doth not condemne an jnnocent man Revisor I suspect it not very prudent to reproach Catholick courts of judicature with condemning Jnnocent men beleiving vncertain depositions of witnesses at this time of the day Those who deny Transubstantiation can take in judgment a dog for a wolf An jnnocent man for a Traitour Peter for Iudas as well as their neyghbours Your Aversion to this insensible change hath left Protestants as obnoxious to errour as other folkes witnesse the Tall slender flaxen hayred D. Iohn the Iesuits house in Paris next dore to the Louure men seene in several places the same time one sworne to be Blundel another to be Hesketh to whome they had no neerer relation then Iaphet as for as we can discover for this I appeale to the Heralds And our last fiue ye ares transactions afford twenty other odde example which I wish were buryed in oblivion recorded no where but in God's booke of mercy amongst the sins forgiuen 3. D. M. p. 18.20 If there be no certainty of Sense why did Christ vpbraide Chorasin Bethsaide for not beleving after having so many Miracles Why doth S. Iohn to proue the word was made Flesh tell vs he saw heard handled it Why did the Angel to proue The Resurrection bid Mary Magdalen come see the place where the Lord lay As inferring if he could not be seene he was not there A shrewd inference against Transubstantiation Why did Christ bid Thomas thrust his hand into his side Why did Christ ascend into Heaven in the syght of his Disciples Why did Luke say he writ what he had from eye witnesses Why did S. Peter say he was an eye witnesse of what he writ Why was the ghospel written or preacht if we are not sure of what we See or Heare Why were tru Miracles anciently done or false ones lately pretended to Why doth the Church proue her owne Being by Notes which if Senses be fallible can ground no certainty Rev. Your Whys at this rate may reach from Genesis to the Apocalypse hooke in to boote all Ecclesiastical Hystory hold vs a long lent's Reading which would haue contributed something more to confound an Ignorant Reader tire out one who would answer you Yet you will misse even of that aime for one answer will satisfy all all your questions being grounded on one false supposition To cleere this J will vse one example We are by Divine Humane laws bound to obey the King his Officers according to their several degrees the Authority communicated to them Yet with this difference that our obedience to the King is absolute without reserue in temporal things that to his Officers is conditional only as long as they continu obedient to the King But if these command vs to take vp armes against the King do what he forbids we cease to be obliged to obey them are obliged not to obey them Jf you say as subjects we are bound to obey them who haue Commissions from the King I grant it as long as they continu in their duty but no further now multiply Queres vpon this subject till Doomes day whither at their command we are bound to take Armes to come to a Rendez vous to stand sentinel shut the gates of a towne open them seize a man dismisse him advance present giue fire retreate c To these questions one answer is sufficient Whilst they command nothing contrary to the Kings will service they are to be obeyd when we are certain they designe a Rebellion rayse men onely to destroy the King build for themselues on his ruins we are not bound to obey them but rather bound not to obey them J answer in alike manner to all your Whys Our Vnderstanding receiues some knowledge from God by either immediate or mediate Revelation some by our Senses It is a general duty to admit whatever truly comes from God We may admit what comes from senses provided it be not contrary to what God averres but if they depose any thing contrary to what God reveales either in his written or vnwritten word we must renounce them stick to the revealed Truth So if they tell me athing is Chalke God tells me it is Cheefe they must pardon me if I rather beleiue God beleiue it to the Cheefe Thus althô contrary to four Senses but not to Hearing I beleiue Transubstantiation because God reveales it I may beleiue that I see a Ship go into it to crosse the seas that I see Bread eate it when I am hungry that J see Wine drink it when J am thirsty that I see a freind rejoice in his company that I see a good action commend it That I see a crime committed procure it be redrest by publicke Iustice that I reade a Hystory or heare a story beleiue it In fine giue as full credit to the verdict of Senses as any Protestant excepting onely that point which God tells me senses are deceived in This well considered I see no reason for those dismal apprehensions from our beleife of Transubstantiation as if by it Laws were made vselesse the sword of justice broken humane society dissolved all Doctrine Divine Humane made voyde of no vse both Church state brought to confusion destruction Rivers may run vnder a bridge winds blow from the same points of the compasse Senses left to their functions we to their direction in all other things though Transubstantiation be beleived D. M. p. 21. To deny the evidence certainty of Sense is in effect to deny all Possibility of Learning or of Teaching or of Knowing or of Beleiving any thing what soever brings a necessity of being a perfect Sceptick not only in other Arts c Sciences but in divinity it selfe also Revisor To secure you against this Phantôme I appeal to common experience to shew where Scepticks in matters of Religion a bound most in the Catholick or in the Protestant Communion let that decide whither Doctrine yours or ours opens a wider dore to Scepticisme What Doctrine Divine Humane haue your Brethren Reformers spared What authority so venerable as they haue not vndermined What law of God so necessary as they haue not rendred ineffectual by teaching all the commandments are impossible What rite so sacred as they haue not derided What Article of Faith fundamental as they haue not questioned rejected And when by your insolent combating Revealed Truths you haue weakned the Church shaked to pieces Faith rooted vp what had been planted by Christ watred by the Apostles growne vp in following ages by this brought into the world
Evangelists in recording the Miracles of Christ was that men Should beleiue that Iesus is the Christ Iohn 20.31 seing they could not record all his Miracles they chose out cheifely such as were publick most convincing the veracity of the Tru Catholick evidence Iesus Christ So Catholicks to proue the Falshood of the Tru Protestant evidence Oates make vse of such vntruths as are publicke confirmed by Oath leaving out very many vntruths vented by him in private D. M. p. 4. The onely end of all Miracles is to make men beleiue some Truths This end failes in such as are not Sensible Therefore there are none such Rev. Your first proposition is absolutely false I haue often acquainted you with several other Ends for which God may do hath done Miracles 3. D. M. p. 5. Aquinas contradicts himself when he says some Miracles are invisible For he says else where that name comes from admiration now how can a thing imperceptible to Senses be the cause of Admiration Rev. Answer 1. words in definitions signify not the actual Being but the aptnesse to be Non significant Actum sed aptitudinem say Sophists soe if the worke be such as when knowne it would cause Admiration that is enough to conclude that it is admirable Ans 2. Arguments drawne from the Etimology of words are frivolous insignificant Pontifex was named from making or mending a Bridge Praesul from leading a sacred dance of the salij Preists of Mars Senatus as an Assembly of old men Will you thence conclude that no man ought to be called Pontifex or Praesul or Senator but who hath made or mended a Bridge lead a dance or is an old man In Englisk Alderman comes from Age yet who regards old Age in the Creation of that Magistrate A Bishop hath his name from Vigilancy a Deacon from serving yet the first is giuen to some who are drowzy enough the second to such as never served Some men haue transmitted to their successours in Bloud names taken from offices which no way belong to them such are Smith Tayler Butler Warner Fryer Preist Monk Deane Bishop Cooke c. Why may not some others do the like to their successours in Dignity Ans 3 cannot we admire things imperceptible to Senses Js not the Vnion hypostatical an object of Admiration to all Christians Is not God's birth of a Virgin admirable Can we sufficiently admire the loue of Gnd towards man declared by the Passion of his only son And is not the Divine Essence Trinity of per fons in one nature admirable both to men Angels And are these or any one of them perceptible to Sense But enough of this childish Argument SECTION XV. 1. Accidents without a subject 2. Extention of quantity in a place 3. A Body in two places 1. D. M. p. 9. Thomas contradicts himself in other places For 1. p. q. 90. ar 2. C. he sayth An accident hath no being but as something is denominated by it That it rather belongs to than is an entity That its whole being is to be in something Yet he teaches that in the Sacrament Accidents are without a subject Revisor What difficulty is there that God should do what nature cannot And how greate soever is the dependance of Accidents on Substance why can not God separate them supply by his omnipotency the want of a subject as the Protestants owne he can preserue Substance without Accidents althô it needes them very much The being of an Accident is to Informe inesse that of a Substance is to recerue information Subesse Now if God can preserue a Substance without receiving Accidents why not Accidents without being received These two are correlatiues t is tru but Relatiues may haue a being without their terme You will say they cease to be relatiues when the terme is gon retaining only an aptnesse to a new relation when it hath a new terme J reply this is just what passes in our case For the Accidents after Transubstantiation haue no actual Relation to Substance but an aptnesse to one when occasion is presented And for this reason Accidents in the Sacrament are sayd to haue an ex stence like in some sort to substance Habent modum existendi substantiae Yet it is distinguisht from all Substance by that expresse natural propension it hath to denominat substance it suffers violence till it be restored to its innate manner of being in a substance as a stone doth when it is suspended in the Ayre D. p. q. Aquinas teachs that quantity hath extension of parts in respect of place yet in the sacrament he sayth it hath none In which he contradicts himself Revisor Quantity hath two effects one in the Substance which it informes the other in the place which it fills The first is In genere causae formalis as a forme this effect of quantity is in Christ's Body in the sacrament very perfectly for his sacred Body being aliue or animated with his rational soul it must be Corpus organicum which imports a distinction of parts from one another The other effect as to the place it fills is In genere causae efficientis as an efficient actiue cause by a certain elasticity springinesse of the parts of a body which thrust backe such bodyes as on all sides presse vpon it which by moderne experiences is evident in the Ayre in alike manner may be proved of other things Hence the same Quantity hath sometimes a greater sometimes a lesser extension in order to place according as the ambient bodyes do more or lesse presse vpon it its elasticity is more or lesse actiue Thus in the top of a very hygh hill in Auvergne askin well stopt seemed full of Ayre at the bottome of it where the Athmosphere prest much it wanted much of seeming full Also a ball of Brasse with a little pin hole being halfe fild with water containes it all very well till by being to a certain degree heated in afire its elasticity is encreased for then the water Ayre mingled will breake through that narrows passage fill the chamber with a kind of mist Now if a Quantity of fiue foote for example by diminishing its Elasticity or encreasing the pressures of ambient Bodys be brought to four or three feete why may it not be reduced to two or one Or by Divine Power quite suspending its Elasticity be brought to an vnconceivable littlenesse of place which would scarce deserue that name If fire the most actiue cause knowne had no effect on the three children in the Babilonian furnace God suspending its vertu why cannot God suspend the actiue vertu of a little Quantity Which I do not say to demonstrate fully the whole mysterious manner of the existence of the Body of Christ in this Divine Sacrament that being a thing to be beleived by faith not to be proved or even comprehended perfectly vnderstood by naturall reason but
estates c. For Naboth was not the only man who lost his life for his inheritance Now there was a time when the demands of the Presbiterians seemed not intollerable to the King who only stucke at the destruction of the Bishops So Mr. Cressey myght say he was Almost the only man who suffred on the score of his protestant Episcopacy I haue not heard of very many ruined killed because they Would not renounce the Bishops Nether did the Rebels vse to say Renounce Bishops or we will hang you Several sayd renounce Popery or we will kill you many were killed by the Rebells for not complying But to no Protestant was giuen such sowre sawce that J heard of 3. D. M. p. 8. Thirdly he says Several of the wisest learnedest of the English Clergy were content to buy their security with a voluntary degrading of themselues from their offices Titles Which say you is injurious to the Bishops Rev. Why the Bishops should be vnderstood in that proposition J know not In our Canon law when only an inferiour generical degree is named in odious thing 's as this it in your eye the superiour particular is not comprehended vide C. Sedes Apostol de Rescriptis the glosse vpon it now Mr. Cressey mentions only The Clergy which is the lowest most common degree Wherefore nether Bishops nor Deanes nor any Person in Ecclesiastical Dignity must necessarily be comprehended What then doth offend you in this Proposition Did not several of the English Clergy become Catholicks Did not these degrade themselues From the offices titles which they enjoyed in the Church of England Could they retaine them remaining Catholicks Did not some of the English Clergy yeild to the streame comply with the times Did not some beare armes Did not one he a Metrapolitan lay aside his Crozier take vp a sword Did not all these degrade themselues May not these different sort of Desertors be named Several of the English Clergy Were it not in the book of a Papist probably they myght so the book passe without offense But Mr. Cressey says that he meanes the Vniversality of the Bishops who seemed to degrade themselues by not filminating any censure against the Rebells Answer If he doth so he says more than what was necessary to make good his first Proposition You say that censures are not a Necessary duty of a Bishop So you both agree that To censure is a duty of a Bishop in time place yet with this difference that you think it is not a Necessary duty of a Bishop he thinks it is doth this diversity of Thoughts make him Criminal Especially being conformable to scripture 2. Trin. 4.2 Reproue Rebuke exhort Tit. 1.13 Rebuke them sharpely Did not Christ giue power to bind as well as to loosen To retaine as well as to release To shut as well as to open If on pressing occasions they neglect the vse of that Power To bind retaine shut is it not as much as to renounce that Power if they renounce that do they retaine the other Is not Episcopacy one individual Power I desire you to shew me any one Catholick country where such a Rebellion hapned all the Bishops remained silent By what doth Christ distinguish a Pastor from a Mercenary Joan. 10. The first sees a Wolf coming exposes his life for the defence of his flock the later seing the wolf coming runs away lets the wolf worry his slocke at Pleasure Which of these two did our English Bishops imitate But J leaue the application to the Reader But what can you alleadge to excuse this silence in such an occasion as would make even the dumbe son of Craesus speake you haue three motiues The first is that it was not seasonable But doth not S. Paul command that it be done even Out of season The second that it would haue done no good But that was De futuro contingenti How ever in a desperate sicknesse is it not better to apply an vncertain remedy than none at all Would any one haue thought that the Layty had complyed with their duty to serue the King in his wars if they should haue remained at home sayd Our fyghting for the King will do no Good The third you would not tempt God nor expose your order to their malice who myght extinguish it The others are but pretended this is the tru reason here the shoo wrings you thought it good sleeping in a whole skin were desirous to keepe your mather's sons out of harmes way Indeed you would secure your persons not your order for the Rebells had before vowed to roote out your degree so that could not be brought into greater danger than it was in Wherefore your feare was for your dearly beloved persons D. M. p. q. His 4. crime is saying that Though many of the Clergy suffred in extremity yet it was not properly with an eye to their Religion but to their fidelity loyalty to their Prince A bold vncharitable Assertion Revisor Why so 1. Because says the Doctor they did not tell him so Answer the factious Rebells did tell him so declaring they did not persecute for Religion but for the security of the state Name any Protestant Parson hanged for being such Dr. Hewit was executed for ether real or pretended crimes against the state not for Religion So the rest Your other reason is because Loyalty is a point of your Religion Answer then Susan is innocent all M. Cressey's fault comes to this that he thought some crimes against the state were not against Religion And if this be a crime there are so many so greate offenders that you will scarce find a Iury to passe vpon them D. M. p. q. I think those Martyrs who suffer in defense of the V. commandment as well as of any other Rev. You will I hope find a place in your catalogue of Martyrs for those Papists Iesuits who chose rather to dye than To beare false witnesse 5. What motiues the Regicides may haue had to leaue vnmolested some obscure Parsons is to me as vncertain as what you say p. 14. is improbable Viz that it was Out of seare of their interest reputation in the countryes where they lived They had cut downe the stately Cedar would they sticke at a shrub They cut off the Head of your Church would they feare the toe or paring a nayl They pulled downe King Nobles the primate his Brethren would they be awed by a country Parson scarce knowne even by name fiue miles from the place of his residence To morrow I may beleiue this not to day D. M. p. 17. Providence seemes to haue suffred that those heroical Confessors should be ejected out of their stations that being disperst over the Nation they myght sow the seedes of Loyalty Truth Rev. Very pretty As if the Hay of a greate medow were Disperst by being