superâ—atural Things Again it being evident and held by those Christians that none can come to Heaven without knowing there is such a thing or some very great Good reserv'd for the next life nor yet without loving it for none is thought to go to Heaven whether he will or no which Love besides the Knowledge that Heaven is cannot be had without knowing likewise that 't is a Good incomparably greater than any in this life nor can these Knowledges be had by Mankind but by Believing hence Belief of Supernatural things or Faith is conceived necessary for the salvation of Mankind Nor is this found only in the Judgements the learneder Faithful make concerning it by their Discourse but in the very Meaning of the word Faith as it imports Knowledge of superâ—atural things It being then granted by all and in it self most rational that some at least of the vulgar are to be saved that is are to have Faith or Knowledge of God it follows that the Rule of Faith or certain means to arrive at Faith must be appliable to them 9. Moreover since the ruder or unskilfuller people are the lesse capable they are of Science and none doubts but some amongst even the rudest may come to be saved since we experience they have oftentimes well-meaning virtuous and devout hearts the Rule or Means to come to Faith must also be appliable to these that is must be such as even the rudest may be capable to know there is such a thing 10. The Rule of Faith therefore must be Knowable as to it 's Existence by natural impressions upon mens Senses affecting their Souls according to the common light of understanding For seeing the rudest are very shallow Reflecters and Discoursers and suppos'd to be utterly unacquainted with any kind of Skill got by Speculation or Study the Knowledge of the Rule of Faith's Existence must not need any skill or Science acquir'd by Study intervening between the natural power of their Understanding and Itâ— otherwise it could not be Knowable by them 〈◊〉 be to them a Rule by parag 4th 11. Again seeing those who are very rude are yet capable of being put into Doubts concerning their Faith either by Sophistry or faiâ— Language and at length deserting it and 't is most unreasonable there should be no means lest by God sufficient to settle them nor can any Means be sufficient if the Rule of Faith which is the best if not only Means to come to the Knowledge of Faith be dissatisfactory or impossible to be shown worthy to be rely'd on it follows that the Rule of Faith must be of such a nature as iâ— either by its own light evidently secure and worthy to be held a Rule and this even to the rudest who can doubt or else easily evidenceable to them to be such by intelligent persons who art vers'd in such reflexions and this out of Principles they are capable of as was prov'd paragâ— the 5th that is requiring onely common and obvious Reason not scientifical speculation to instill them Otherwise those rude persons would be left unfurnish't of due Means to be stedâ—ast in their Faith 12. Also since the Notion of the word Faith bears that 't is a perfection of the Soul or a Virtue and so no act of it irrational but on the contrary all its Acts rational and the submission of onr Understandings exercisd in it rationabile obsequium 't is evinc't that the Satisfactorines of its Rule ought not onely to be evident or easily evidenceable to the rudest Doubters as we now prov'd but also it ought to be so qualify'd that the Faithful who yet have no doubts should do rationally even while they simply or unreflectingly adhere to it and that it should supply to their common and uncultivated Reason by a natural way what it wants of reflexion I mean so that the common light of Reason may tell them upon solid and true Principles taught them by the ordinary course of things in the World this is to be held or followed thongh they dive not into the Grounds or particular Reasons of their tenets or actions nor can give account of them 13. And since our Saviour intended those out of the Church should embrace Faith and those who are to be converted are Heterodox that is hold contradictorily to the Church in what they dissent from her so that if they change they must now hold is indead of is not or is not instead of is there being no middle to hold to in those points in which they differ from her and no change ought to be in reason or in a rational Nature of which Nature those Heterodox are without true reason to change and the change in our case is to be made not to a meer Suspension which is believing nothing nor to a middle between is and is not but to a contrary or rather contradictory Assent and no Assent can beâ— without sufficient Cause of Assent nor is any sufficient in reason to put that Effect or cause Assentâ— in a thing antecedent to Faith as is the Ruleâ— of Faith but Evidence for while 't is but probable that is while the Understanding must aâ— yet say I know not it is so it cannot say I know iâ— is so which is no more but to say understandingly or to assent that it is so now the Cause of our actuall assenting to the Churches Faith is the Rule of Faith It follows out of the notion of Rational included in the word Faith as apply'd to convettible persons that the Rule of Faith must be beyond all Peradventures how high and presumed soever they be that is absolutely Evident to us and consequently CERTAIN 14. Moreover there being many Eminent Wits in the Chutch vers'd in true Logick enured to Sciences and true Logick and the course of Science necessarily telling them that nothing can in perfect reason be held by one who penetrates difficulties but either Self-evident Principles or Conclusions necessarily deduced by intrinsecal mediums from those Principles nor can they be necessarily deduced without immediate connexion or Identification of the Terms with the Medium which infers the Identity between themselves in the Conclusion and that what is not seen to be thus connected is unknown and so for any thing appears may be false and to see a thing may be false must needs breed some Fear of being so or Doubt if we be concerned in the Truth or Falsitie of that thing and none can rationally assent or fix their judgment where there is left some Doubt or wavering of Judgment and the Judgement or Assent of Faith must be rotional It follows that the Rule of Faith which is the immediate Producer and Cause of the Assent of Faith ought to be of that Nature that it must not onely be plain to the ruder sort but also contain in it self Seeds of perfect evidence to satisfy those learned Persons who shall more narrowly examin it Otherwise the best and wisest portion and
First Principle in Controversy being so supremely important I have attempted it Putting this Dilemma to the Protestant Either Controversy or the skill which enables us to conclude certainly what 's Faith is a Science or not if not why do we meddle with it since without Science or Knowledge all is meer beating the ayr and empty ignorant talking If it be common seuse tells us it must be grounded on some first and self-evident Principle Let 's to work then and settle this Principle that so we may have something to agree in and proceed upon that is be able to discourse together I have endeavoured to show the First Principle we Catholicks proceed on establisht on rational Grounds and self-evident Let the Protestant either agree with us in it or settle some other able to render his Citations certain without which they ought alledge nothing Nor is it enough for them to catch at single words or little parcels of my Discourse as their way is but it being connected they must overthrow the main of it nor that but they must lay some First Principle of their own else they ought affirm nothing nor speak for why should any one say what he knows not or how can he know without Principles Especially the Protestant is oblig'd to do this who cannot stand on Possession but on his Reasons why he mov'd what he found settled This Principle then they are ty'd by all honest Considerations to produce and till they do so I must frankly declare what reason tells ever intelligent man that those many flashy books of late against Catholicks by whomsoever written deserve not a word in Answer FIRST DISCOURSE Showing from the nature of Rule and Faith what Properties belong to the Rule of Faith 1. As common Reason gives it evident that no satisfaction at all can be had in any point whatever without knowing first the Meaning of those Words which express the Thing under debate since without this the discoursers must talk of they know not what so the Art of Logick assures us that the Meaning of those Words exactly known a ready way is open'd to a clear decision of the most perplexing difficulties For seeing the Meaning of a Word includes in it self the Nature of the Thing as signified by that Word in regard it could not mean That Thing unless it also meant it of such a Nature which constitutes that Thing so t is plain that the Meaning of the Word once known perfectly the Nature of the Thing as signify'd by that word must be known likewise Wherefore since the Nature of the Thing bears along with it all those Considerations and Attributes which intrinsecally belong to such a Nature and excludes all those which are incompetent to the same Nature it acquaints us with what can be both said and deny'd of the Thing as far as exprest by that word The perfect knowledge then of the Meaning of the Words affords us the certain solution of all questions whether Affirmative or Negative and is the most compendious way to settle all Controversies Let us therefore apply this method to our present purpose and examin well what is meant by those Words which express the thing we are discussing namely THE RULE OF FAITH and we may with good grounds expect a solid clear and brief satisfaction both of what is not that Rule and what is It. 2. To begin then with what is most evident Seeing a Rule signifies a thing which is able to regulate or guide him who uses it it must consequently have in it all those Qualities by which it is able to do that it 's proper Effect otherwise 't is no Rule that is 't is not apt or able to do what a Rule should do 3. It must then in the first place be Evident as to its Existence unto the Sense if it be to guide it or to the Vnderstanding if it be an Intellectual Rule For how should either of these be guided by what they neither see nor know 4. Whence follows that it must be Evident to all those who are to be regulated by it that there is such a Thing otherwise it can be to them no Rule since being unknown it reaches not or affects not those persons who are to be ruled by it that is reaches not those things upon which it is to do its Effect and so cannot rule them or be a Rule to them 5. Moreover to those who can raise doubts or can have doubts raisd in them that is in a manner all Mankind even the Rudest Vulgar it must be knowable that the Intellectual Rule they are to be regulated by has in it self a virtue to rule or guid their understandings right That is they must be capable to know that it deserves to be reli'd on as a Rule Wherefore this must either be evident by its own light or at least easily evidenceable by other knowledges or skills presupposed in those users of Reason who are to be guided by that Rule Otherwise 't is against Sense and Reason to yield over ones understanding to be guided by that which he can never come to understand that it has in it any ability or power to guide him 6. And because nothing can be evident to be what in reality it is not it follows that this Thing pretending to be a Rule must also be certain in it's self or establisht on secure Grounds For otherwise 't is not possible that can in true sence be call'd a Rule which one may follow and yet go wrong or be missed The Directive Power then which it has must not be wavering Wherefore also the causes which conserve it so constantly able to perform that Effect must be established too to that degree as to keep it fitting to do the effect proper to its Nature which is to be certain in its self 7. Thus much is evidently gathered out of the common Notion or Nature of a Rule That is out of the genuin and proper meaning of that single word We are next to consider the meaning of the word FAITH By which we intend not to give rigorous School-definitions of either this or the former word but only to reflect on and make use of some Attributes Predicates or Properties which in the sence of such who intelligently use those words are apprehended to be involved in or truly appertaining to their signification This caution given to avoid mistake or cavil let 's enquire of what kind of Nature that thing is which is meant by this word FAITH and then reflect what further qualifications it requires in it's Rule that is in the Certain Means which is to guide us to that Knowledge called Faith 8. FAITH then in the common sence of Mankind is the same with Believing and Divine Faith in the sence of the generality of Christians from whom as being the intelligent users of that word the true sence of it is taken the Believing God in reveal'd Truths which necessarily imports some kind of Knowledge of
blotted worn out c. Which though it seems a remote and impertinent Exception yet to one who considers the wise Dispositions of Divine Providence it will deserve a deep Consideration For seeing the Salvation of Mankind is the End of God's making Nature the means to it should be more settled strong and unalterable than any other piece of Nature whatever Putting then Scripture's Letter to be this Rule and that all its Significativeness of God's Sence that is all its virtue of a Rule is lost if the material Characters its Basis be destroy'd or alter'd who sees not a very disorderly proceeding in laying so weak means in such immediateness to so main an end and concludes not thence that Faith's Rule ought in right reason have a better Basis than such perishable and alterable Elements 3. Reflecting next on those material Characters in complexion with the Causes actually laid in the world to preserve them entire we shall find that either those Causes are Material and then themselves are also liable to continual alterations and innumerable Contingencies or Spiritual that is men's Minds Now these being the noblest pieces in Nature and freed in part from Physical mutability by their Immateriality we may with good reason hope for a greater degree of constancy from them than from any other and indeed for a perfect unalterableness from their Nature and this being to conceive Truth an Inerrableness if due circumstances be observ'd that is if due proposals be made to beget Certain Knowledge and due care us'd to attend to such Proposals Otherwise their very Createdness and Finitness entitle them to defectibility besides their obnoxiousness to mutation and perpetual alteration through the alloy of their material Compart I call it due proposal when it must necessarily affect the Sense and so beget natural Knowledge or when unequivocal terms are so immediately and orderly laid that the Conclusion must as necessarily be seen in the Premises as that the same thing cannot both be and not-be at once by a mind inur'd to reflexion and speculation and I call that due care which preserves the Soul in such temper as permits the objects impression to be heeded and the Mind to be affected by it 4. This premised we may reflect that the Rule of Faith as was provd Disc. 1. § 4 5 10 11. must be obvious to men of ordinary Sence and not onely to Speculators as also that Objects of the Senses may be of two sorts Of the the first are things in Nature or else simple vulgar actions and plain matters of Fact which if oft repeated and familiariz'd are unmistakable and consequently the perceiver inerrable in such a matter Of the second are such actions as are compounded and made up of an innumerable multitude of several particularities to be observed every of which may be mistaken apart each being a distinct little action in its single self Such as is the transcribing a whole book consisting of such myriads of words single Letters and Tittles or Stops and the several actions of writing over each of these so short and cursory that it prevents diligence and exceeds human care to keep awake and apply distinct attentions to every of these distinct actions And yet to do our Opposers right I doubt not but each of these failings may possibly be provided against by oft-repeated Corrections of many sedulous and sober examiners set apart for that business and that the truth of the Letter of an whole Book might to a very great degree if not altogether be ascertain'd to us were the Examiners of each Copy known to be very numerous prudent and honest and each of them testifying his single examination of it word by word For then the difficulty consisting in the multiplicity and the variety is provided against by the multitude of the preserving Causes and their multifariousness made convictive to us by their well-testify'd consent 5. To apply this discourse to the matter in hand If we were Certain there had been anciently a multitude of Examiners of the Scripture's Letter in each Copy taken from the first Original or the next Copies from these and so forwards with the exact care we have defin'd the single Examinations of each and the amendment of the Copy according to their Examinations convincingly testify'd and that by Excommunication or heavy Ecclesiastical Prohibitions and Mulcts it had been provided for from the beginning that none should presume to take a Copy of it and that Copy be permitted to be read or seen till it were thus examined much might have been said for the Certainty of the Scripture's Letter upon these men's Principles But if no such Orders or Exactness was ever heard of especially of the New Testament upon the Truth of whose Letter they build Christian Faith If the multitudes of Letters Commaes blottings or illegibleness of the Originals like-appearance of Letters and even whole Words in in the Book like-sounding in the ear or fancy of the Transcriber possibility of misplacing omitting inserting c. did administer very fruitful occasions to human overâ—ight If the more Copies were taken the more the errours were like to grow and the farther from correcting If Experience testifies no such exact diligence has been formerly us'd by the diverse Readings of several Copies now extant and thousands of Corrections which have lately been made of the Vulgar Edition the most universally currant perhaps of any other what can we say but that for any thing these Principles afford Scriptures Letter may be uncertain in every tittle not withstanding the diligence which has de facto been used to preserve it uncorrupted in the way of those who hold it the onely Rule of Faith In their way I say who will not have the Sence of Christ's Doctrine writ in Christians hearts the Rule for the Correcters of the Letter to guide themselves by but the meer Letter of a formeâ— and God knows controvertible Copy out of which the Transcription and by which onely the Examination is made What Certainty accrues to Scripture's Letter by the means of Tradition or the living voice of the present Church in each Age is the Subject of another enquiry 6. Now as for the Certainty of the Scripture's Significativeness which is the other Branch nothing is more evident than that this is quite lost to all in the Uncertainty of the Letter and 〈◊〉 evident that 't is unattainable by the vulgar that is the better half of mankind since they are unfurnisht of those Arts and Skills as Languages Grammar Logick History Metaphysicks Divinity c. requisit to establish and render certain the sence they conceive the Letter ought to bear without which they can never make such an Interpretation of it but an acute Scholler skill'd in those means will be able to blunder theirs and make a seeming clearer one of his own In a word if we see eminent Wits of the Protestants and the Socinians making use of the self-same and as they conceive the best
the Multitudes of virtuous persons would â—elp to encrease both Virtue and Glory too in â—heir fellowes and relations It follows that â—ad those Fathers in any Age consented to misâ—â—ad their Posterity from what themselves conâ—eit to be true they should do the most Extream â—arm imaginable to others without any the â—east Good to themselves which is perhaps imâ—ossible in one single man more in a few but â—nfinitly in a multitude especially of good men Moreover Christ's Law being the Law of Châ—rity which includes Love of our Neighbouâ— 't is directly opposit to the Principles of Christiâ—nity to do them an injury of so high a nature 〈◊〉 to debar them Heaven and send them to Helâ— and all this gratis 11. Again the greater the Recommends any Truth is the greater is the obligation not bely our selves and it Let us weigh then 〈◊〉 Recommends which Christian doctrin receive from Forefathers had either as to its serious 〈◊〉 port that it be faithfully transmitted to otherâ— or the Universality conceited wisdom gooâ—ness c. of the Recommenders and then 〈◊〉 lance it with the Recommendation of any natâ—ral or civil Truth whatsoever and we shall 〈◊〉 it levitate like an inconsiderable feather or 〈◊〉 in comparison of the vast poize and weigâ— sway with which the other descended 12. Nothing is by Nature more deeply 〈◊〉 more universally rooted in the hearts of mankiâ—â— than a dear and tender love of their off-sprinâ— and a careful provision for their passing their 〈◊〉 well that is free from miseries with a comâ—tency of such Goods as are held fitting for thâ— Nature But how much more care must Chaâ—â—ty oblige Parents to have of their Children 〈◊〉 to use the means they conceive proper to briâ— them Everlasting and Infinit Bliss in Heaveâ— and to avoid them Intolerable and Endless Misâ—ries in Hell Especially since the performing â—evaricating from that Duty is of equal concern 〈◊〉 Themselves How strange an advantage â—peradds Christianity in this particular to the â—earest natural love of our selves or of our nearâ—â—t Relations who are next our selves 13. Consider we next the Natural care of not â—â—sing one's Credit and we shall find in comâ—on that the good Opinion of others we call â—redit or Repute is look't upon as a most necessaâ—â— means to make men fit for human Society or â—ommerce and without which none can expect 〈◊〉 thrive in his Vocation or live with comfort â—eflecting next on the degrees of Discredit we â—nd that he who tells a lye for his own adâ—antage though without any harm to others with â—uch ado escapes some disrepute but if his â—yes be pernicious he is held an arrant villain â—f to nearest Friends and Relations still greater â—f the mischiefs he does by his salse words or â—ealings be exceeding great ones he is yet more â—bominable and proportionally still as the harms â—e induces grow If the motives he had to keep â—im good were very strong and efficacious he â—s still more enormous and as the strength of â—hose preservative motives encrease so is his Maâ—ice still enhanc't But if he go about all this wickedness boldly and confidently without caâ—ing who knows it especially if he back his most notorious and most pernicious Lye with deepest Oaths and Perjuries by things most Sacred he is now conceiv'd to be arriv'd at such a pitch of wickedness that he is no longer to be held a Man but a Divel Incarnate But how incomparably more wicked and consequently disgraceful must that man be who believing Christ's doctrin to be thus received and the means to salvation should teach his Children otherwise The believed mischiefs he does his nearest relations no less than the loss of Heaven and the sad Gain of Hell-fire for all Eternity the motives he had not to do it as to his own concerns full as Infinit his lye most Notorious to all about him and even the whole World And if he be a Pastor who besides other Sacraments implying most obliging vows not to renounce his Faith is consecrated by a particular one to preach Christ's doctrin truly and to preserve his Flock sound in Faith to his power then to prevaricate from this Duty renders him a sacrilegious abuser of the most holy state of life and most inviolable tye this world as Sanctify'd by our Saviour has in it What inconcievable villany then and consequently discredit must that man seeingly undergo who shall misteach his own Fancies for doctrins deliver'd and how impossible is it a World of Forefathers should all conspire to make so desperate and absolute a forfeit of their reputation and honesty 'T is not possible to be summ'd up or even ghest at being beyond all proportion The Advantage then with which Christian Doctrin in the mind of each and the Holy Ghost in the hearts of most of the Faithful rivet and confirm this natural care of Credit to the preserving Tradition inviolable is incomparable and in a manner Infinit 14. It would require a large volum to unfold particularly how each virtue contributes to show the inerrable Indeficiency of Tradition and how the Principles of almost each Science are concern'd in demonstrating its Certainty Arithmetick lends her Numbring and Multiplying Faculty to scan the vast number of Testifiers Geometry her Proportions to show a kind of Infinit Strength of Certitude in Christian Tradition above those Attestations which breed Certainty in Human affairs Logick her skill to frame and make us see the Connexions it has with the Principles of our Understanding Nature her Laws of Motion and Action Morality her first Principle that nothing is done gratis by a Cognoscitive Nature and that the Body of Traditionary Doctrin is most conformable to Practical Reason Historical Prudence clears the Impossibility of an undiscernible revolt from points to descended held so Sacred Politicks show this to be the best way imaginable to convey down such a Law as it concerns every man to be skilful in Metaphysicks engage the Essences of Things and the very notion of Being which fixes every Truth so establishing the scientifical Knowledges which spring from each particular nature by their first Causes or Reasons exempt from change or motion Divinity demonstrates it most worthy God and most conducive to bring Mankind to Bliss Lastly Controversy evidences the total Uncertainty of any thing concerning Faith if this can be uncertain and makes use of all the rest to establish the Certainty of this first Principle and which settled secures Scripture as far as is requisit and all things else that can mainly concern Salvation To pursue these and many other Testimonies of Tradition's Infallibleness is not my task at present I shall content my self with concluding that as we have prov'd it self-evident that Tradition if ever held to is an inerrable Rule so our four last Discourses have shown its ever-Indeficiency or rather Indefectibleness scientifically Evident and as strong as Nature and Grace strain'd as we may say to their utmost can make
none of the pretended Rules of Faith all of them building on Scripture's Letter are Certain Disc. 2. 3 4. without Tradition it follows that no other company have any Principle of Distinction from others that is either of Constitution or self-preservation under the notion of Church but that which adheres to Tradition All the loud out-cry then made commonly against that Body which adheres to Tradition callâ—d Roman-Catholick for accounting it self onely the Vniversal Church and excluding all others is but empty noise and her claim rational and well-grounded till it be shown by evident Discourse that the other Pretenders have some other more Evident and Certain Rule to know who are of the Church who not than this of Tradition now produc't and explicated upon which she proceeds and by which she consists 12. There is no arguing against Tradition out of Scripture For since as we have prov'd Disc. 4. there can be no absolute Certainty of Scripture's Letter without Tradition this must first be suppos'd Certain ere the Scripture's Letter can be rationally held such and consequently ought in reason to be held Vncertain while Tradition is thought â—it to be argu'd against that is while it's Certainty is doubted of Wherefore since none can argue solidly upon uncertain Grounds none ought to argue against Tradition out of the Letter of Scripture 13. None can in reason oppose the Authority of the Church or any Church against Tradition First because in reality Tradition rightly understood is the same thing materially with the living Voicâ— and Practice of the whole Church Essential consisting of Pastors and Layity which is so ample that it includes all imaginable Authority which can be conceiv'd to be in a Church Secondly because in the way of generating Faith Tradition formally taken is antecedent to Disc. 2. § 11. and so in the way of Discourse working by formal and abstracted notions its notion must be presuppos'd and its Certainty establish't before the notion and Certainty of Faith consequently of Faithful and consequently of Church which must necessarily be a congregation of Faithful Whence they would argue very preposterously who should go about to oppose Church against Tradition this being the same as to think to establish the House by overthrowing the Foundation 14. None can in reason oppose the Authority of Fathers or Councils against Tradition This is evident by the former Corol. 13. in regard neither of these have any Authority but as Representatives of the Church or Eminent Members of the Church Nor can any determin certainly what is a Father or Council Disc. 2. § 11. till the notion of Church that is of Faithful that is of Faith that is of Rule of Faith that is of Tradition be certainly establish't 15. No Disacknowledgers of Tradition are in Due of reason but in Courtesy onely to be allow'd to argue out of Scripture's Letter Father or Council For since wanting Tradition they have Certainty of none of those as was prov'd Disc. 2. § 11. 't is manifest that disacknowledging Tradition while they alledge and talk of these they alledge and talk of things themselves do not know to be Certain Wherefore 't is too great a Condescendence and courtesy in Catholiks to let them run forwards descanting with wordish Discourses on those Testimonies after their raw manner since they might justly take their advantage against them and show they have no right to make use of Principles which their own Grounds can never make good to them as was Tertullian's smart and solid way de Praescr Haeret. c. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21. denying them the use of Scripture who deny'd the Church which would save many an aiery confus'd discourse about words unapt to evidence any thing satisfactorily Nor can the right of an Opponent to argue ad hominem licence them to claim this favour from our Controvertists in regard we never held that Scriptures Letter hammer'd upon by Criticisms and such pretty knacks of human Learning was the Ground of our Faith nor the way to establish it but onely as interpreted by the Language and Practice of the Church nor consequently can we hold it capable to be prejudic't by such endeavours of private Wits Though then we should allow them a Copy of the Letter and consequently so far a liberty to argue ad hominem against us yet we never allow'd their method of arguing from it as efficacious either to build or evert Faiâ—h but our learned Controvertists ever held direct contrary Whence in case they clamour that in not following their wild method we desert Scripture to avoid which calumny with the vulgar I conceive one reason our Controvertists generally were so civil to them as to cope with them in their fleight way the unreasonableness of the Calumny is to be made appear which is quicklier done not their unreasonable expectation to be satisfy'd 16. No Authority from any History or Testimonial Writing is valid against the force of Tradition For since Falshood is as easy to be writ or printed as Truth 't is evident those Books can give no Testimony to themselves that what they express is certainly true and if we say they are abetted by the Testimony of other Books the same question recurrs concerning them in what Age soever they were writ It remains then that 't is onely the Acceptation of Men or Sence writ in their Hearts and so convey'd down from Father to Son that these Books are true Histories and not Fables which gives them any Authority But this has plainly the nature of Tradition They have therefore no Authority but by force of Tradition Therefore they can have no possible force against Tradition since if Tradition or the conveying down from hand to hand sence writ thus universally in men's hearts can deceive us no such Books can have any Authority at all Wherefore not the Books but the Sence writ in men's hearts of the Goodness and skill of the Authours of those Books upon which qualifications the Truth of each passage contain'd in those Books is built is to be alledg'd against Christian Tradition since 't is that Sence which authorizes those Books and gives Credibility to those passages and so is stronger than any dead Testimony from the Books themselves Which devolves into this that onely some great Tradition or living Testimony for things past can in point of Authority be pretended an equal match to Christian Tradition or competent to be alledgâ—d against it 17. No Tradition is alledg'd or alledgeable in reason against Christian Tradition That none is alledgâ—d is Evident from matter of Fact For the Adversaries of Catholick Tradition never pretend the Consent or constant Sence of great multitudes deriv'd from age to age by living voice that at such a time former Tradition was relinquish't new Faith introduc't or the old Faith chang'd or abolisht but onely odd ends or scraps of Histories or other dead Testimonies according as they light on some passage which seems favourable to them or may
Fathers Testimonies leave little in him to be reply'd to and my Discourses have left nothing at all Amongst late Adversaries then Dr Dentons folly seem'd so ultra crepidam that it was not worth a serious thought and 't is wholly answer'd by declaring that he begins and grounds his whole Book on so knavish a Calumny that could the Universality of Catholicks have the same Law against him that a private Protestant though the meanest in the Kingdome might freely have he would lose his Ears for Libelling The Dissuader for his plausibleness not for his strength of sence seem'd to require a larger Answer than was sutable to the design of an Appendix Dr Pierce was of highest vogue and short but he was already so doubly overthrown by two Learned Opposers that it seemâ—d unhandsome and ignoble to strike a man when he was down his Circumstances making him rather an Object of Pity than Victory Yet his Pulpit-alarum to excite all England to persecute Catholicks was so full of malice and so monstrously cry'd up that I judg'd it above all others deserving to be made an Example of ungrounded Talk Though I shall do it with that compassion as not so much to confute him as by laying a few Notes as Admonitions to him to open his Understanding and enable him to look into the force of his own Citations and so to guide himself better the next time he goes about to quote Authors a point I doubt he as yet never thinks on They may also give his Defender now as I hear writing some light to strengthen his Testimonies against us I am sure they will tend to clear Truth not to blunder it and so all ingenuous seekers of satisfaction will thank me for them To begin then 2. The whole scope of his Sermon exprest in the Title of it The Primitive Rule of Reformation causes my first Admonition For since we both agree that the Primitive Faith is to be held to and only differ about the Certain means to come to know what that Faith was we holding to Tradition and to Fathers and Councils which are taken properly parts of Tradition as Certain means to know that Faith The Protestants to private Interpretations of Scripture and to Citations quoted on any fashion The way to confute us Catholicks is to demonstrate the Certainty of the way they take to prove their Faith the same with the Primitive otherwise let them talk and write as long as they will they are never the neerer their Conclusion Now if plain Experience tells us the Smâ—ctymnuans too preacht and writ against Episcopacy by quoting Fathers and Scripture let Dr Pierce show us what his way of Talking has above theirs which gives it a virtue of ascertaining or perfectly settling the understanding or confess theirs and so his too is fallible and frivolous To demonstrate then against us and so confute us he ought rather have insisted on a derivative Rule or a Rule able to derive down to them Christ's Faith with Certainty so to make out their present knowledge which alone can justifie their present or late Action of Reforming and not run afar off to a Primitive Rule or Faith which is nothing to the Protestants unless they can prove Certainly they follow it When D. Pierce makes a Sermon at Court upon the Certainty of such a Rule we will all become Auditours so he will promise to begin with first Principles and bring Evidence of what he sayes Till then let him take heed of bragging in print of Demonstrations until he knows what the word means that is till he reflects how a Demonstration is a Proof which obliges the Uuderstaâ—ding and considers or studies wherein the virtue by which it performs this consists Such bold and careless talk has cost his Credit dear already and when it comes to be scann'd by Principles and Science will leave it quite bankrupt 3. We have seen the End and Scope of D. Pierce's Performance which is to over-leap all that concern'd him to prove if he would conclude with Certainty against us Now the usefullest part of his whole performance as he sayes in his Dedication are his Citations as being the Evideâ—ce and Warrant of all the rest which therefore if any thing deserve to be consider'd Their faults distinguish them into so many forts Of the first sort are those which are impertinent to our or indeed to any purpose but to make a noise or vaporing show Of the second those which are raw or unapply'd and onely say somthing in common which never comes home to the point Of the third those which are levell'd blindly at none knows what or at a question unstated and so are shot at rovers Of the fourth Those which impugn a Word for a Thing or some Circumstance or Manner for the Substance Of the fifth Negative Testimonies Of the sixth A private Authours saying against the torrent of a contrary consent which of it self is liable to innumerable contingencies of passion mistake or ignorance but thus compar'd signifies less than nothing The like is to quote a Schoolman or two for a point which others freely contradict Of the seventh those which are false and signifie not the thing they are expresly quoted for Of the eighth those which labour of obscurity by an evidently ambiguous word Of the ninth Sayings of those on his own side Of the tenth a few fragments of Scripture senc't by Fancy 4. I intend not to muster up one by one all his Citations and then rank them under their respective Heads the brevity of an Appendix not permitting it But I make this fair proffer to his Vindicater or himself that if they please to pitch upon any Testimonie of his which falls not under some one perhaps many of these Faulty Common-places I will yeild them all valid and conclusive and make him publick satisfaction for the Injurie Having thus given my bond for the Truth y charge and under so great a penaltie upon failure of being so I have Title to free licence to suppose my charge good which will also appear shortly in common by my § 9. and accordingly to apply my reason to consider his Citations I discourse then thus and Note 6. First That Citations are of two sorts the one alledges the Testifiers Knowledge by Eye-sight or Infallible Sense the other his Judgment or Opinion Now this later in regard mens Judgments or Opinions depend on Reasons is not properly that Authours Testimonie nor he a Witness who ought to proceed upon Evidence had by Senses but a Schollar or Relier on his Reasons and so his expressing himself in the words found in such a Citation has no Authority further than his Reason gives him which Reason therefore and not his Saying ought to be alledg'd in regard it was meerly by vertue of his Reason he knew this and so the whole vertue of his Authority which follows and goes paralel to Knowledge consists in that Reason None therefore are properly Testimonies but those
from mistakableness it follow'd demonstratively it was testify'd and to come close to our purpose that the descendents in each age to the very end of the world had the same Obligation to believe their immediate Forefathers saying it was testify'd by the former as those of the third Age to believe the second or the second the first 16. Who ever looks into Rational Nature with even that ordinary Knowledge with which the rudest person almost that lives does upon materiall natures would discern the same Necessity or Obligation of continuing down by the way of Testifying notorious and Important matters of Fact fixt at first in the minds and fancies of an Universality by the Existence of the Thing working on their Senses as that in a long chain of Iron one link drawn should draw all the rest or that the turning the First wheel should move a thousand distant ones depending on its motion Nor doubt I but it will be made full as Evident when rational Souls come to set themselves to reflect seriously on their own nature and procedure to Action a speculation few Protestants are acquainted with Bookishness and much reading being onely in Vogue with the talking Tribe amongst them In the mean time Mr. Stillingfleet may see in the Instance now put that is in the strong Persuasion of Alexander's Victories yet continuing by Tradition that there is an Obligation in one Age to believe another when they proceed as Witnesses and this not onely of what they saw but of what others told them They saw and of what some affirm'd they were told by others that the Age before Them saw and so downwards and that as the Impulsive force is communicated from the Movers hand to the farthest-distant-wheel by the Application of the intermediate ones the solid or Inflexible nature of the matter obliging the next wheel to propagate its motion So the Existence of the Thing mov'd the First Experimental Percievers of it and That solid Notion which fixes every Truth was the virtue which run thorough and gave force to all the rest being apply'd by Universal Witnessing a plain matter of Fact or others Testimonies from each Age to the other as great a Ty to Assent as Human Nature was capable of by natural means For that Existence of the Thing was the virtue which made this Persuasion so solid and firm besides what 's said is seen by this that were it deliver'd onely as an Opinion of the Things being so its strong conveyance had not been able to elevate it beyond Opinion for the stronger That had been the more perfectly it had been held Opinion still The Existence then of the Thing had virtue to oblige to a full persuasion the thing was so when Apply'd with Certainty The Testification of the precedent Age is a Certain Applier of it and Undoubtable that is Obliging to Belief therefore the next Age is in such matters convey'd down this way as strongly oblig'd to believe the foregoing as Reason can oblige it that is by seen Effects impossible to be without the Existence of foregoing Testifications nor they finally without the Existence of the Thing 17. I expect now what Mr Stillingfleet will reply to this discourse Will he say there were no Causes layd to oblige the After-comers to believe the Fore-goer that Alexander conquer'd Asia but that it happen'd so by Chance What will he say then to thousand other such matters of Fact and indeed all that were done long ago all which must either be held obligingly this way or none see Cowll 24. Besides the Causes proper to work on a rationall Nature are Reasons To say then there are no Causes able to make us believe Alexander thus conquer'd is to say there is no Reason for it and Chance being nothing but a Cause unforeseen by us to say all believe it by Chance signifies none sâ—e any reason why they believe it which makes 〈◊〉 the world Asses Or have I not hit on the right Causes I shall thank Mr Stillingfleet to help me out and in the mean time assure him that whatever Causes he assignes obliging poposterity to believe Ancestours in this shall strengthen Tradition Perhaps he will say they may be oblig'd to believe such Histories deliver'd yet not deliver'd Points of Faith I shall wonder at the position but because I foresee he is like to recurr to this for he must be forc't to say either this or what 's worse I shall prepare against it by parallelling the Obligation to believe this deliver'd History to the Obligation to believe Christian Faith deliver'd 18. To do this more amply we will consider Christ's Doctrin according to the whole complexion of Circumstances exprest in that common Verse Quis quid ubi quibus auxiliis cur quomodo quando Quis Who was the Authour and Subject of this Faith thus to be deliver'd Not a poor mortal but the Wisdome of the Eternal Father not an ambitious self-extolling Man but a self-humbled God come down from his Heaven to be the World's Saviour and Master every of whose Words and Actions were infinitely to be admir'd and consequently requiring to be had in perpetual remembrance Quid What thing was it which was deliver'd or Testify'd A Doctrin containing Principles of the new Life they were to lead as Christians and so Practical notwithstanding the Majesty of its abstruseness a Doctrin Connatural and sutable to Reason Man's true Nature and so apt to sink into him not be easily relinquishable A Doctrin which bears in its very notion to be a Guid towards Eternal Bliss and consequently that to forsake it is the way to Eternal misery which therefore oblig'd Fathers to teach it and Children to esteem themselves bound to learn it and hold to it Lastly a Doctrin all made up of most astonishing miracle and wonder and so apt to strike a deep sence of reverence into hearts already imbu'd with it Such was the nature of the Thing we call Christ's Doctrin imprinted on the Sensarions of the 〈◊〉 Age of Christians not a pittifull story of an Alexander or Caesar of Sleight concern wonderment or practical Usefulness but in comparison of the other like a Tale of a Tub which no hurt is done if it go in at one ear and out aâ— the other 19. Vbi When was this matter of Fact or Preaching this doctrin performed In all even the remotest parts of the world and not onely in a peece of Europe and in Asia and this openly Especially in Rome the world's Metropolis whence it could easily and effectually spread into the rest Nay in the very face of Tyrants which things gave it a perfect Visibility and lastly in every private Family it was taught and put in practice which made it beyond dispute Sensible and Maniable as far as it conduces to Christian Life Quibus auxiliis By what helps or means By most stupendious miracles powerful preaching and heavenly Living conformably to those Principles which made those Principles or Faith
visible and evident Not by three or four Victories imputable perhaps to Chance at least in which nothing Divine discovered it self engaged Cur Why was this doctrin of Christs taught and practic 't not to satisfy the vain humour of impotent Ambition but to deliver mankind from the Devils slavery and-hell fire its reward and to bring him to everlasting Salvation Quomodo By what manner By writing it in the fleshy Tables of the hearts of the First Christians and afterwards continuing it by the way of Testifying the most connatural way to oblige the Generality to Beleef of matters of Fact that Nature knows Quando When In the First Christians when they were now at Age to judge of the miracles and multitudes of Motives spoken of which aw'd overpower'd and subdu'd their Understandings to a firm Beleef and an high Reverence to the doctrin thus attested to be Gods In the after-Christians when they were yet scarce able to speak much less to judge and taught by nature to believe their Parents Hence a lively and reverential conceit was bred in their Hearts by others serious teaching and their own practising of the Sacredness and consequently Unalterableness of that doctrin ere they came to that Ripeness as to use their own Judgment Nay that doctrin was so deeply naturaliz'd into them by Christian Life ere they came to maturity of Understanding that it became Unnatural and exceedingly violent for them to act and beleeve contrary to what Fathers had taught Whereas the story of Alexander was not proper to be told Children till they were at Age and fit for some kind of Schollership and then it was so little practical that nothing was to be acted about it but talking of it again so that it lookt like a meer piece of Speculation and totally unconcerning them I add that this delivery by attestation or teaching went on linking the former Age to the later by propagating it into new Subjects not all at one time but from year to year moneth to moneth and even less according as the Understandings and even Bodies of Children budded into a Capacity of knowing saying or doing something which belong'd to Christianity which still-continu'd Interweaving the former Age with the later after a wonderful manner strengthens the sway of Tradition and secures it both against Mistake and Deceit neither of them having any possible place where the whole business is carry'd on by such immediate Steps 20. I will not repeat over again 〈◊〉 â—â—conceivable Advantages but leave it to Mâ—o Stillingfleet's reflexion and so proceed 〈…〉 discourse thus If the conceited Sacredness Concern Necessity Unalterableness miraculously-attestedness also if the Visibleness Practicalness with extent to every particular connaturalness c. found in the notion and nature of Christs doctrin or manifestly connected with it render'd it incomparably recommendable in every respect above the Story of Alexander's Conquests and that plainest nature or Common Sense and daily Experience teaches us that by how much more a thing is recommendable or deserving to be beleev'd and practic 't by so much more 't is obligatory to be believ'd and practic 't and that we find in unconcerning Stories a continu'd Obligation layd in Nature for the Children to believe Parents else such stories could never have descended with an hearty perswasion of their Truth hitherto it follows that incomparably and in a manner infinitely greater must the Obligation be to believe Christ's Doctrin than Alexander's or William the Conquerors Victories or any History of the like nature whatever 21. I have been much longer in such a point than the matter requir'd it needed no more but to manifest that Common Sense tells us Nature obliges every man to believe those he takes to be honest much more children Fathers or the next Age those of the former still more if what they tell them be no Speculation depending on Fancy or private Judgment but matter of Fact depending onely on Sense that is if they tell it them as Witnesses But most of all if they see we conspire in the same For then the Obligation is so necessary that I cannot conceive that from the beginning of the world there was ever found one single person so unreasonable as not to yeild to it Whence also we can show every first Beginner of an Heresie is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or self-condemn'd that is conscious to himself that out of Pride or some Passion he goes against Evidence of Authority Now in Tradition all is carry'd on this manner So that if the Explainers of Tradition have not made provision for this point 't is because they thought there could not be found a Considerer so unreasonable as to question it Yet because Mr Stillingfleet puts the whole stress of his Objection against Tradition in this I shall to give him further satisfaction consider it practically 22. Let us conceive then that the Apostles Disciples and Apostolical men taught the first Age Christ's Doctrin qualifi'd in the manner before declar'd and recommended it as such that is as Sacred Unalterable the way to Bliss Taught by Christ c. by Miracles and other Supernatural means 't is plain They had Obligation to believe Christ taught it Well they receiving it as such that is as Christ's and so Unalterable were bound to recommend it for such to the next Age. Nor does Mr. Stillingfleet question this But were their Children oblig'd to believe them While they were young t is plain they could do no other neither out of Reason nor Passion But what were they oblig'd to when they were grown up to ripeness of Judgement 'T is plain that were that Doctrin deliver'd as an Invention of then Forefathers or some Collection of their Reason that it was Christ's it was obvious for them to make this Discourse We have natural Wit as well as our Parents had and perhaps as good Circumstances to apply that wit and why then should not we cast about and consider whether that be indeed Christ's Doctrin and taught by the Apostles which they would persuade us is so But in case it were deliver'd as ascertain'd by their Senses to have been taught by the Apostles what imaginable reason can they have of doubt Can they think all their Fathers and Neighbours a pack of impudent Knaves that conspire to abuse their posterity purposely to damn them or that they could be mistaken in a Doctrin they were so highly concern'd to learn right and had led their lives by ever since they were Christian The third Age succeeds whose Immediate Ancestours the Second Age told them they had been taught and brought up thus by the First Nor have they more reason to doubt the Second Ages Attestation of the First Ages Doctrin and Life it being an unmistakable matter of Fact than the Second had the First 's that is they were oblig'd to believe it And since each foregoing Ages Attestation is a plain matter of Fact it follows that each succeeding Age has still equal obligation to