of our Charity Which three vertues are Cheifly or rather solely aimed at in Religion Haec maximè imo vero sola in Religione sequenda sunt Aug. Enchir. c. 4. Now if Moss the cheifest noblest of Religions Actions be Idolatry as you say elsewhere how do you say now it is Lawfull nay Commendable Worthy the imitation If it be so certainly it is not Idolatry But Contradictions are vnavoidable when we combate a known truth which by surprisal will force an acknowledment of it self altho we arm our selues against it when advertised Hence you approue here the same thing in Gross which you condemn in retail I leaue you this bone to pick proceed SECTION II. 1. Conferences to compose differences in Religion seldome successefull why 2. Security of Preists in England danger of Ministers at Brussels D. Morley 1. My lord Andover wisht that some learned moderate men of the Churchs of Rome England might meet debate freely charitably the Differences between the two Churchs which are not so many nor so great but they might find out some expedient to compose them 2. D Morley Sayd it would be imprudent vnsafe for him to disoute of Religion in Brussels thô the Preists in England had often with all boldnesse freedome safety before many witnesses mantained their opinions So vpon my life may you do here sayd F. Darcy be so far from offending me as J shall take it as a favour 1. Revisor Altho I readily grant the capacity of that noble man to be great yet I must beg leaue to dout whether he were a competent Judg of the most ready way to end the Differences in points of Faith betwixt dissenting Churchs this requiring a greater search into points of Doctrine interest then Persons of his quality education are willing commonly to vndergo Truth is ever pretended on both sides but it is onely pretended on the one side which in reality applyes all its industry to suppresse it for ether motives of Passion Interest Envy Spite Reveng what else is contrary to the law of God When these possesse the hart the head is busyed to make Vertu pass for vice vice for vertu to adorn Falshood with the dress of Truth by sophistical reasons make Truth be suspected of Falshood He will by calumayes as black as Hell reader odjoas or contemptible the persons who oppose his Passion thwart his Jnterest Cross his design procure his real good by discovering his errours by that inviting him to return to the ancient Faith Communion of the Church which he broke through want of Charity It is hard to discover the wiles of those Foxes ways of these wolves the fraudulent or fierce enemys of the Churchs Peace to see through that mist which they raise on purpose not to be seen to fathom these Depths of Sathan Apoc. 2.24 Now thò this noble man's capacity was great yet perchance not sufficient for so obscure intricate a work Yet when all the doubling of these Foxes are discovered the secrets of their harts layd open yet the work is not half don The greatest difficulty remaines to wean them from those beloved wandrings it being one of the dismallest effects of these sinfull errours that by secret yet power full charmes they fix the will in the loue of them Hence S. Prosper Tantum nocet error Vt juuet errare veteris contagia morbi Tam blande obrepunt vt quo languetur ametur Such charmes before our eyes doth errour lay That it e'en makes vs loue to go astray Whilst th' evil spreads we vnconcerned go Deceiu'd yet contented to be so The secretary of nature Aristotle never div'd deeper into the hart of man then when he sayd that althô Reason seemes to hold the scales discern betwixt two contending parts yet in reality it is the hart the will which deliberates decides the thing in question Hence comes that variety of judgments on the same individual Action of which one shall make a Panegyrick another a Satyre And thô the lyght of Truth the appearance of God be so cleer as not to be concealed yet this shall be as ineffectual as to all influence on our Actions as if they were dreames a sensual man prefers Pleasure before his Honour A vertuous man the contrary So we judg as we are affected not as we should our will doth not follow but lead nay drag after it our Reason that with so sweet a violence that it is not perceived without much labour great attention strict search into the beginning progresse end of our Actions This is the root of all incoherent discourses illogical deductions of Passion interest or self-loue which in many prevail over Truth controul the inclinations to good make men break all their dutys to God their country to Prince frends Relations thô they see what is better yet do the contrary Video meliora proboque Deteriora sequor This difficulty seemes invincible when strengthned with the content which Proud Ring'eaders find in having their followers harts at a beck being esteemed by them as Oracles a satisfaction sayd St Francis Bacon as much aboue that of Tyrants as mens souls are aboue their Bodys In the whole black list of Heresiarks only two occur to my mind who truly repented viz Eutichius Patriark of Constantinople who denyed the Resurrection of the Flesh was converted by S. Gregory our Apostle Berengarius Patriark of the Sacramentarians Only these two to my remembrance dyed well professing the tru Faith contrary to their several errours Without doubt some if not all other Heresiarks were convinc'd of the vntruth of their doctrines were as the Apostle says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Condemned of themselves or knowing that they deserved condemnation doubtlesse all felt those reproachs of conscience which follows all guilty Actions yet Pride hardened their harts against all Now what can work vpon these men in order to their Conversion set before theyr eyes Truth they know but will not acknowledg it Reproach vnto them their perfidious abandonning God and his spouse the Church the Holy Ghost doth it inwardly they slyght him Threaten Hell damnation to torrify them They are self condemned yet are vnconcerned this opposing known Truth is a sin against the Holy ghost impossible to be forgiven because it is morally impossible to be repented This is proved by Reason confirmed by experience delivered by the Apostle Which is to be vnderstood of Heresiarks such as school men call Formal Hereticks Yet I know many I hope most of those who liue in schism or Heresy do so either by misfortune of their birth or education or by weakenesse of reason or strength of Passion or fear of punishment or loue of goods of fortune rather then hatred to the Church or loue to Heresy therefore are not Formal Hereticks or
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
broach Heresyes impugn her defend themselves with the same principles I am now arrived at the end of this real or pretended Conference without omitting any one material point of it I hope I haue given reasonable satisfaction of which others will judge more impartially then my selfe if I am mistaken by judging too favourably of my owne labours my replyes be found vnsatisfactory J desire that defect be charged on my weakenesse not on the cause I defend which is invincible being secured by the promise of Christ from all possibility of errour for Against it the gates of Hell shall never prevayle I haue given a reason in the preface why I take no notice of the Father's answers as they are couched in this Relation My intention is only to defend the Church from the Objections of the Learned Doctor To which it is enough to shew as I think I haue don that his Premisses are false his Jllations incoherent his whole discourse not convincing Thus Wisdome is justified of her children Mat. 11.19 THE SECOND BOOK A REVISION OF THE ARGVMENT FROM SENSES AGAINST TRANSVBSTANTIATION THE PREFACE I Never began to read any Treatise with greater Horrour nor ended with greater Indignation than this which J now come to review Horrour to see doubts of divine Doctrine submitted to the depositions of facultys common to Beasts a jury of the Senses impanelled to decide controversys of Faith set on a throne to judge the judg of the world determine the meaning of the words of eternal Truth of divine veracity althô they are vncapable of vnderstanding the words of the meanest vnderstanding most illiterate Pesant I expect shortly to see some other appeal to Beasts seing many of the better sort of these surpasse man as to quicknesse of Senses which in them are much more perfect then in most if not al men therefore may be sayd to be more competent judges of the objects of Senses then men can be Indeed Seducers proficiunt in peius wax worse worse 2. Tim. 2.13 it is not so great a step from the Senses of men to those of Beasts which are of the same Species are rather more than lesse perfect in their kind J as it is from the Church directed by the Holy Ghost for our jnstruction in Faith to Carnal senses That having something of divine by reason of the Holy Ghost assisting these being meere Corporal below all that hath any thing of Reason A fit judge indeed for such a Church as the Protestant is My horrour changed into Indignation when I heard the Verdict brought in by this Iury the Sentence pronounced by this Vmpire this Brutish judge yet from such a Iudg little lesse could be hoped for in such a matter by which the Scripture is silenced Tradition trampled vnder foot Fathers rejected the Practice Faith of the whole Catholick Church condemned the Communion with all Faith full all the Catholick Church renounced a horrid execrable Schisme authorized And all this vpon the deposition of so vile a witnesse by the Sentence of so contemptible a judg as Carnal sense And this Sentence accepted of recommended by a learned Doctor of divinity a pretended Ryght Reverend Bishop Is Christianity is Divine Faith brought to this Yet J find one sign of Modesty vnlesse it were rather Cunning craftinesse in adorning the stage for this piece of Pageantry disposing for this extravagant judgment that there is ether no mention at all of the grounds of Catholick Faith in this treatise or else it is so silent low a mention that it is scarce perceptible For had you set before the eyes of your Readers the practice of the Church the Testimonys of Fathers the decrees of councils the written vnwritten word of God in fine the vnanimous vote of the primitiue present Church averring that to be Christs Body Bloud the Readers would not haue heard the sentence of this mock judg would haue pulled him off the Bench forced him to yeild the victory to Truth For if we Must pull out our eye if it scandalize vs we must shut our eyes stop our cares renounce all our Senses when thy contradict God's expresse word But if by this you made sure of such a sentence as you wisht you discovered the vnjustice of it by not admitting the plea of the contrary party For qui statuit aliquid parte inauditâ alterâ aequum licet statuerit hand aequus fuit This argument is not of the Doctors invention it is as old as the Sacramentarian Heresy Berengarius vsed it so did Zuinglius Calvin F. Stillingfleet G. Burnet And the answer is as common To confute this Treatise it were enough to reprint the 33. Chapter of Anti-Haman so no new reply is necessary Yet least he think himself neglected I will review what he says SECTION V. 1. Ancient Fathers re'yed not on sense 2. S. Paul teaches the senses are not to be relyed on 3. Reason convinces the same SEnses no competent judges in this Controversy Are not our Senses the same now as they were a thousand or sixteen hundred yeares ago Are their objects changed Are not the sensations they cause the same now as then Did not Bread tast like Bread wine like wine than as well as now Are not their colour odour the same at all times And had not men then as much reason to rely on their Senses in framing a judgment of their objects as now Sure they had Now what judgments did Ancients frame of this object in debate Let S. Cyril of Hierusalem speak for all the rest Althô it seemes to be Bread yet it is not Bread Althô it seemes to be wine yet it is not wine Thus this great saint ancient Father delivering Christian Doctrine in a Catechisme So this is not his private sentiment but that of the Church not things of his own invention but of publick Tradition Till then Christians retained a sincere entire veneration for the word of God they harkned indeed to Senses but more to God when these two interfered one saying That is Christ's Body the other it is not such It is Bread they did not hesitate which to follow they easily resolved pronounced in favour of Faith subscribed to the son of God Who had words of life even life everlasting Io. 6.69 Animalis homo non percivit ca quae sunt spiritus Dei c. says the Apostle 1. Cor. 2.14 The natural man as your Translation hath-it Receiues not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him nether can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Thus the Holy Apostle is not Faith one thing of the spirit of God Is it not of Faith or revealed Truth preached by the Apostle that he speakes in that place Now if Faith be aboue the reach of the whole Natural man how comes it to be below Senses which
are his lowest facultyes Just as if what the Apostle says is over my head you should say is vnder my feet But why doth not the Natural man receiue Faith Because It is foolishnesse vnto him And just such is Transubstantiation to you therefore is laught at by you the other reason is convincing He cannot receiue Faith Becaus it is spiritually discerned Are Senses spiritual facultyes can they Spiritually discern If not as certainly they cannot pull them off the throne on which you placed them of which they are vnworthy as being vncapable of discerning the thing in question which is of The spirit of God spiritual discerned only spiritually No lesse but rather more evident are the words of the same Apostle 2. Cor. 10.4 The weapons of our warfare says he are not carnal but myghty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations every hygh thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God bringing into captivity every Thought to the obedience of Christ .... do ye look on things after the outward appearance Thus your own Translation Which words decide the thing in question For first it is evident he speakes of the Doctrine he preacht which is Faith And in the first place he cleerely discards outward Senses from any share in this judgment The weapons of our warfare are not carnal now Senses are Carnal as is cleere 2. He rejects inward Senses Casting down all jmaginations 3. He teaches that our vnderstanding must also be subject Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Thus according to the Apostle all facultys of soul body spiritual carnal interiour exteriour must vayle bonnet to Faith which is termed Myghty through God The last question Do ye look on things according to their out ward appearance Is a conclusion of the foregoing discourse cuts all the nerves of the Doctors argument Which is totally grounded Vpon out ward appearance to carnal sense Let vs apply the Apostles meaning to our present purpose by some few questions What will you say that is on the Holy Altar Mr. Dr Answer Bread wine But why do you think it to be bread wine Answer wee looke on the out ward appearance judge of the thing after that You know sir that the Catholick Church all over the wor'd even Luther himself beleived it to be the Body Bloud of Christ with what weapons do you combat their opinion Answer The weapons we fyght with are Carnel they are the senses Now let vs propose such questions to a Catholick What do you beleiue that to be which is on the Altar Answer the tru Body Bloud of Christ But why do you beleiue it to be the Body Bloud of Christ Answer Because Christ says it is so the Church teaches me his words are so to be vnderstood Doth it appear to be the Body Bloud of Christ Answer no. But We look not on things after the out ward appearance when that is not conformable to the word of God delivered to vs by the Church With what weapons do you combat the contrary errour Answer The weapons we vse Are not carnal sense But myghty through God to destroy all jmaginations beate downe all thoughts which are raysed in vs in opposition to the divine revealed truth 3. If we consult Reason in this debate we shall see that Senses ought not to be admitted as judges it being absolutely impossible they should vnderstand the matter in question therefore cannot possibly pronounce sentence on ether side For what is the question What is the meaning of those words of our Blessed saviour This is my Body this is my Bloud for I suppose your jmpiety is not arrived to that heygth as to deny his words to be tru or say you would not beleiue any thing to be what he plainly vndeniably says it is That is you do not beleiue that God doth or can tell a Lye Otherwise farewell all Faith we must make vse of other Mediums to deale with you Our dispute then being about the sense of those words of Christ J proue that our senses cannot judg in it with this argument Senses cannot judg of things which are not their proper objects But such are the things in debate in this controversy Therefore senses cannot judg of these things The major or first Proposition is cleere For the eye cannot judg of a found because it is not its proper object Nor the eare of a colour for the same reason The same of all other senses Wherefore no sense can judg of any thing that is not its proper object The minor or second proposition viz things in debate here are not the proper object of Senses is also selfe evident For the proper meaning or signification of words is the proper object of no sense But the matter here in debate is the proper meaning or signification of the words of Christ Therefore it is the proper object of no sense These Premisses are so evidently tru that J think it enough only to proue the first Proposition this I doe by induction for nether eye nor nose nor palate nor hand nor eare can see tast smel feale or heare the signification of words wherefore no sense can perceiue it The only doubt can be about Hearing by reason of the convexion betwixt the sound of an Articulate word which is the object of the eare the signification of it yet even here my Proposition is tru for the same articulate sound is insignificant to one who vnderstands it not sometimes signifyes different things to persons of different langages v. c. Lego to a Latinist signifyes I reade to a Grecian I speake to an English man nothing Yet the sound in the eare is the same to all these three Jndeed if it were not so by learning anew language our eares should be changed framed in a different manner to represent the new signification Which I suppose no body will say As to the other Proposition the minor that our dispute is about the signification of those words is as evident For our sentiment is grounded on the words being taken litterally yours vpon their being taken figuratively Both which are the severall significations One thing only occurres in answer to this viz that the litteral signification is so absurd that it cannot be admitted Answer this is sayd but not proved in du place these absurditys will be confidered J hope found to be no bsurditys Answer 2. this doth not satisfy my reason for no Absurdity can make any faculty judg of what it cannot know As no Absurdity can make me a competent judg of a composition in the Chinese language of which J am entirely ignorant Here I myght lay down my pen it already appearing that all you can alleadg from Senses can signify nothing seing they cannot depose of a thing they are totally strangers to you say nothing but
things in motion which stir not in rest others which moue shewing substance other then it is colours where there are none As for Hearing some raving haue seemed to heare a consort of musicke A person of my acquaintance was once awakened with an exceeding great noise as if guns had ben shot off at his bed side Calling to mind that there was nether Canon nor any thing else neere which could cause that vast noyse he concluded it must be something in his eare picking it he pulled out a little insect bred in some roses which the day before he had throwne over the tester of his bed which falling from them creeping into his eare with the motion of its little tender feete caused that huge noyse Whither these such like instances of the vncertainty of our Senses sufficiently proue that they were not designed by the Authour of nature God Almyghty for instruments of sciences or to conveygh new notions into our mind or only as Guards or sentinels for our security preservation the only thing they can be designed for in Beasts thô these haue their Senses as perfect as men I leaue to the judgment of others as also to determine whither these examples can ground a judgment in that doubt what I gather hence is That Senses are often mistaken that even about their proper objects That these errours are sometimes corrected by our owne reason or discourse some times by advice or information from other men For example we know that on oare hath a strong consistency of parts to which those of the water yeild as having no consistency at all Whence thô our eyes represent it as broken in the water we conclude their deposition false 1. because water cannot breake a strong oare gently thrust into it 2. because if it were broken by the water it would not be whole when taken out as we see it is Thus reason corrects our eyes By discourse likewise we find that the diameter of the moone is much bigger then a foote as our eyes represent it Now an illiterate Bumpkin who knowes not how the tru quantity of a body seemes lesse by reason of its distance from the eye heare 's one whome he beleiues to be a learned clark say the moone is bigger then all his grounds are he beleiues him vpon his credit corrects that errour of his eyes So he preferres the word of that learned man before his syght 4. It is easy to draw from these premisses the conclusion cheifely intended viz that it is rash presumptuous to alleadge rely on any sensation contrary to the word of God or any revealed Truth For if your reason discourse or the Authority of a man more knowing experienced then our selues are sufficient to make vs frame a judgment different from or contrary to the depositions of the most perfect of our Senses our eyes with much greater reason ought we to suspect their depositions nay reject them when we find them disagree from what God hath attested For J hope the world is not brought as yet by Dogmatizers to such a degree of Libertinisme Atheisme as to say that God either can be deceived him selfe through ignorance or can maliciously deceiue vs. And if the credit of a man be sufficient to reforme the judgments we frame on our sensations shall that of God be lesse regarded Wherefore we must nether prefer Reason before Faith with Socinus nor which is worse Sense before Faith with Dr. Morley but with S. Paul the Church submit both Sense Reason to Faith let God be tru all men lyars And this conclusion holds tru whither one or more Senses bepose the same thing or whither the revealed Truth be confirmed by any Sense or no for if a clowne doth prudently prefer the word of one whome he thinks learned before his syght which no other sense doth or can correct it is certainly prudent to prefer the word of God before all Senses before our reason too SECTION VII How far senses are serviceable to Faith 1. Cartesian doubts destroy science human society 2. Nature of Faith as it comprehends divine humane 3. Two things necessary to a witnesse knowledge veracity 4. Both eminent in the Apostles 5. Miracles very serviceable to Faith 1. ALthô I think the Senses sometimes are often may be mistaken for that reason think we ought to reject their depositions when they are contrary to such things as we haue greater reason to trust to yet J am far from the senselesse errour of those who say no credit at all is du to them or that by them we cannot be sufficiently assured that we haue nether hornes nor a coxcombe on our head that our nose is nether the bille of a cocke nor the trunk of an Elephant or that our Body is flesh not glasse or butter Which is the sentiment of the Authour of the Search of Truth Cartesius teachs vs more to doubt whither we are awake or a sleepe or haue any body at all Which doubts if really admitted not pretended only afford an excellent pretext to all Ignoramus jurys to all malefactours who may pretend the witnesses are not certain of what they depose to all Rebells Refractory subjects who may alleadge their doubts against the King's Proclamation lastly to all knaues who may pretend ignorance of the promises which they haue no mind to keepe So this Cartesian way to knowledge certainty by casting off all former knowledge senses as vncertain lays the Axe at the roote of all Authority dissolues all bonds of commerce amongst men is only good to make Scepticks Atheists too seing it leaues no certain meanes to teach or learne Faith to vnderstand scripture or Councils So that nether Church nor state can stand if these doubts against the depositions of Senses without any ground to the contrary besides the general fallibility of our Senses themselues be really admitted Wherefore when D. Morley often repeates that we deny all authority to our Senses he is either deceived himself or deceiues his reader which is worse for we rely on our Senses where Reason or greater Authority doth not contradict them of both which J haue giuen examples So a man sees Titius kill Simpronius deposes it vpon oath his deposition ought to be admitted notwithstanding all Cartesian doubts So Peter relyes on a promise of Paul to Pay him within such a time 100. l. Paul is bound to make it good Peter may exact it by law 2. Faith taken generally as it comprehends Divine Humane is an Assent giuen to a thing as Tru vpon the credit of another In the first operation of our mind which consists of single thoughts called in our schooles Simple Apprehensions there can nether be Truth nor Falshoode these being propertyes of combined thoughts which are called Propositions these are the second operation of our mind for
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
pleading for Sense against Faith you endanger the losse of both And of your Reason too giving me here a reason against yourself For if Accidents remaine when the man is no more as certainly he is not when his soul is departed why may not the Accidents of Bread remaine when the Bread is no more D. M. If there could be a substance without its owne Accidents or Accidents without their owne substance yet no man can be obliged to beleiue there was one without the other because it is not possible to judge of one but by the other Rev. All men are obliged to beleiue what God reveales So if God reveales that the substance is changed althô the Accidents remaine we are to beleiue the Change But say you We cannot judge of one but by the other Why not good sir if God speakes Can we not as assuredly ground a judgment vpon his word as vpon any Sense nay all the Senses together 5. Having thus reviewed the grounds of your judgment in this place let vs score vp some Paradoxes of yours 1. Miracles are Appellations to sense What Sense did Christ appeale to when Luk. 4.30 He past through the midst of a multitude of men went his way To what sense doth he appeale when he converts a sinner 2. Miracles Are done to convince our vnderstanding of a Truth J challenge any man to shew in scripture any proofe of this saying taken generally Many Miracles are private done for the releife of private Persons Doth not the Church teach vs to haue recourse to God by Prayer in personal wants And why so if God on such occasions never acts contrary to second causes 3. The Magicians rods were not turned into serpents Jt is expressely sayd Ex. 7.12 Their rods Became serpents J know Fathers are divided in this point But why you should take to that opinion which seemingly contradicts scripture I know not vnlesse it be your custome to regard it little But if they remained rods how had they the Appearance or Accidents of Serpents were by the spectators judged to be such Sure you may as well beleiue there may be the Accidents of Bread without its substance as the Accidents of Serpents where there never were any serpents Againe how could Moses Rod made a serpent devour the rest if they remained staues is not easy to vnderstand That one serpent should swallow another is no greate wonder we dayly see the Dains swallow their young ones vpon approach of danger their limber yeilding bodys are fitted for it But a strong staffe is not so pliable 4. All things consist of are made vp of Accidents as well as of substance So that Accidents are essential to man to other things otherwise they would not make him vp as Well as Substance this being Essential Thus far we haue examined the proofe of your maior Now comes your minor We will see how that succeedes SECTION XII 1. What is the object of sense 2. Whither senses about it do discerne of their objects in it are mistaken 3. Of the conditions requisit to certify our senses 1. D. D. M. p. 11. If Papists say the proper objects of Senses are not the Substances but Accidents of things I answer that though indeed the Objectum formale or Objectum quo of the sense are Accidents yet Substances are the Objectum materiale or the Objectum quod even of our outward senses My meaning is that though Senses do discerne immediately of Accidents onely yet mediatly by Accidents they discerne of substances also So that nether Accidents alone nor Substance alone but the thing consisting of both is the compleate adequate object of Sense Revisor This place seemes not so very proper to procure by some shreds of Latin a few schoole termes the repute of a Learned Clarck when the same things myght as well haue been sayd in plaine English in the text as in the margent had you so thought it fitting I will not imitate you Though you cite as many schoole termes as are to be found in Scotus borrow hard words from Arabick Hebrew as well as from Latin you will never prove that my eye discernes the substance as such My eye represents a white object but whither that white be in an egge or in astone or in some other substance to that my eye says nothing The same betwixt two egges betwixt Chalke Cheese c. And my eares tell me there is an Articulate sound but what it meanes my eare doth not tell Or else we must say our eare is changed as often as we learne a new language Thus the Senses only discover the Colour or the thing Coloured as it is such no further The Eye sees white on a wall discernes if it be pure or mingled with blacke or red spots cleere or darkish The Eare heares the voice discernes if it be musical or not The hand perceiues the object whither it be hard or soft rough or smooth warme or cold But to judge that the white is Plaster on a wall the voice that of a man singing the prayses of God the thing toucht the hand of a freind is the work of the vnderstanding directed by Senses but passing beyond them For as the vnderstanding discovers the meaning of words which the eare heares vnderstands not these two acts thô as different as soul Body are so linkt together as they seeme the same Act so it happens in other Senses whose Actions haue such a connexion with those of the mind which they stir vp that they seeme but one thô they really differ 2. D. M. p. 11. 12. If Senses doe not discerne of Substances how could a man say he saw such a man or heard such a story Is not every Substance discernable by its proper Accidents why are our Senses giuen vs if we cannot by them distinguish things themselues as well as their Accidents wherefore did God giue vs several Senses but onely for the better discerning of objects that if one Sense faile the others may supply Revisor Here are four questions all importing the same thing resolved with the same answer Both you we agree that it is convenient we haue some knowledge to discerne of objects This you will haue to be the sole worke of the Senses We say it is originally in the Senses but it is compleated in by the Vnderstanding Now to your four Queres To the first we can say we saw heard a story because our Vnderstanding helped by senses judged so To the 2. By our vnderstanding we can discerne of Objects substances by the meanes of Senses which represent their Accidents To the 3. Our Senses are giuen vs as servants to our Vnderstanding as its Informers To the 4. We haue several Senses because there are several objects of Senses according to the species of objects there ought to be divers Senses as you may find in Aristotle other Philosophers
you a father of the Protestant Church publish those betwixt your Penitent you And J heare that some persons of your Communion haue found that they had not made their Confessions themselues to Mute fishes Witnesse Capt. Hinde Catholickes haue indeed printed a letter of a Preist to my Lord of Stafford something written as is beleived by her R. H. but nether of these comes home to the point of this letter For what was written by her R. H. was probably designed to be seene at least it was not written to her Confessor nor was that letter to my Lord of Stafford by his Confessor it myght probably did come from one who never saw him nor knew of him but onely that he was preparing for Death Another reason why I was surprized at the syght of this letter is that it doth in a manner confirme the Report of her being a papist Now this lady being by alliance entred into the Royal Family making a very eminent figure in it I thought shee should haue beene partaker of that priviledge that none should publish their being Papists for if this be Treason by law when sayd of the head of that Family it ought to be held a hainous offence when spoken of others Besides this we learne in Tobie 12.11 That it is Good to reveale the secrets of God to conceale those of the King So that whereas Divines are permitted to dine as deepe as they can into Divine mysterys as to those of the King they are to remember that Qui scrutator est Majestatis opprimetur a gloriâ He that pryes into Majesty shall be opprest with glory Prou. 25.27 Death to the foole hardy 2. The booke called Anti Haman p. 309. hath these words There seemes to be as much difference betwixt the spiritual food which souls receiue in the Catholick Church that of Protestants as there is betwixt the nourriture a child receives sucking a breast stretched with milke that he gets by sucking a moistned finger We haue an occasion here to see whither this judgment be well grounded Two things are remarkable in the instructions which Ministers giue to the souls vnder their direction as appeares by their sermons spiritual bookes 1. A horrour hatred of Popery 2. A slyght touch of some holesome Catholick Truths yet so handled as not to moue considerably the soul for feare it moue them too far For example they speaking of some former sins the sorrow for them the purpose of amendment the preventing God's judgments by judging our selves appeasing his wrath by Penitencial workes they do it well yet knowing that those points are meere Popery to prevent their passing over to it they added an Antidote which destroyes all they had sayd One instance shall suffice Dr Hewit Repentance Conversion p. 51. hath these words we must confesse to men that both privately publickly according to the quality of the sin This is catholick Doctrine now he corrects it For though we condemne Auricular Confession as a trick of state Policy yet we allow exhort all Christians to a tru voluntary sincere Confession of their sins to the Bishop superintendents of the Church Thus he Now what is Private Confession but Auricular Confession Yet to the one he exhorts the other he condemnes or rather he approues condemnes the same thing vnder different names And what is this but to build with one hand pull downe with the other to plant roote vp the same thing To teach in Churchs as tru Protestant evidences depose in Courts plaine Downe ryght contradictions Now what can a soul do hearing this if she be truly desirous of salvation Practice those Truths They bring her to Popery Then they cannot seriously practice what you teach This inward combate seldome ceases till they leaue the Protestant Communion for either they become immediatly Papists if the loue of vertu overcomes or Presbiterians if the hatred of Papists prevailes by the helpe of a Morose nature Thus the surest tyes to Protestaney seeme to be 1. a carelessenesse of what is to come in the next world 2. a Presumption of God's goodnesse 3. Temporal motiues of all sizes All which are insignificant to a soul that prefers her eternal concerne before her temporal resolues to advance in vertu an Earth that shee may be more gratefull to her celestial spouse in Heaven 3. For this reason the report of the change in Religion of her R. H. easily found credit with me Of which report you speake p. 4. 5. God had giuen her a serious desire to serue him as he would be served I heard she was earnest in pursuing what she thought was for his glory attentiue in her Devotions exact in performing what seemed to be the will of God for the good of her soul that though her Fortune was exceeding greate yet she would rather forgoe it all then hazard her soul that Jewell being too precious to be compensated with any thing God had Giuen her an extraordinary good vnderstanding say you p. 14. with which she could easily discerne betwixt what was Tru what onely Seemed to be so Whence without any helpe of Bookes or instructions of men by only Hearing the discourse of Religion which is the most common in England will be so till men talke themselues either out of all Religion or into a good one either into Atheisme or Popery she myght easily discover that the devil was not so vgly as he was painted that somethings were charged on vs which we did not hold that what we really taught was not Blame worthy soe on both sides we were jnnocent And probably she myght declare so much being vnwilling to heare vs wronged Which gaue you occasion to say p. 4. that shee Declared in favour of Papists grounded that Report of her being one Then you spend several pages in proving how fatal a like Report had beene to her Father-in-law K. Charles I. what prejudice it had like to haue done to Charles II. altho both were jnnocent of that Crime averse to the Religion Which confirmes what I sayd how dangerous it is to entertaine that animosity against Popery which enables knaues to compasse the ruin of honest men even the King himself with only traducing him or them as Papists how jnnocent soever they be averse to that Religion D. M. p. 12. It is Impossible to silence this Report of your being a Papist vnlesse you your self appeare in it vpon all occasions declare your detestation of it c. Rev. How insignificant this remedy would haue proved appeares by its successe in the late King's time Whose declarations of that nature even at the Communion could not silence his Enemyes nor check a like report D. M. p. 15. None shall ever be able to proue that either we omit any thing necessary to salvation or teach any thing destructiue to it Rev. Your Schisme is
of reason all considerations of Eternity And if they should be judged weyght by men will God judge so too At the greate day will it be a sufficient excuse for Schisme Heresy to say I was affrayd of loosing my estate of hindring my fortune of offending my freinds of giving advantage to my Enemys Will not Christ answer Seing You haue disowned me my Church before men I will disowne you before my father I will not deny but you haue given satisfaction as to what concernes your self that you are a Protestant Yet J must professe you giue little satisfaction as to your Church Nay I do declare that I would never desire other nor better grounds to vindicate the Truth of Catholick Religion the necessity of living in the Communion of the Catholick Church than what this letter affords For by it we may gather the condition of the Protestant Church to be like that of Laodicea Apoc. 3.17 Wretched miserable poore blind naked I hartily wish you those of your ranke were truly sensible of this Truth that you made a ryght vse of it by seeking ways to returne to the Communion of the Catholick Roman Church so put an end to this horrid Schisme Though the difficultyes to be overcome were greate yet greate difficultyes ought not to fryght vs from so greate so necessary a good as that of the Peace of the Church But in reality they are lesse then apprehended which you must say if you beleiue what you report after Bishop Andrews that the Pope was willing to confirme all that Q. Elizabeth had done in matter of Religion provided she would acknowledge his Supremacy This is then the grand nay the only obstacle Now all who haue been conversant in Catholick countryes see their customes even where that Supremacy is acknowledged see cleerly that this is no such formidable thing as to excuse justify a separation by consequence can be no just hindrance of Peace which the God of Peace grant vs giue all Schismaticks a tru desire of Amen SECTION XX. A Revision of his Letter to a Preist WHo this Regular Preist is you do not tell vs yet what you say of him he of himself describe him by infallible notes You endeavour to proue in this letter to him three things 1. That being so perswaded as he was he was bound in Conscience to leaue the Communion of the Roman Church 2. That he was bound to joine Communion with the Protestant Church of England 3. That he was bound to do it out of hand Which Propositions are built one vpon another the third on the second this on the first Which being Conditional not Absolute supposing his Present perswasion we must see what that is according to this Meridian we must calculate his Duty What this poore man's Perswasion is if he haue any setled is hard to judge of He hath vowed Obedience to his Regular Superiour will not keepe it He hath vowed Poverty breakes that vow He professe the Catholick Faith beleiues it full of Errors nay Heresyes He says he will remaine in the Communion of the Roman Catholick Church yet beleiues her to be Heretick Schismatick He hath beene ordred backe to his Convent he refuses to returne he hath been Canonically admonisht of his extravagances he slights it he hath been Excommunicated he Laughs at it In fine in him Hereticks find a constant freind Schismaticks a sure Advocate Apostates a certaine Patrone Catholicks an implacable Enemy yet he pretends he is nether Heretick nor Schismatick nor Apostata but a Catholick member of the Roman Church Who can square these circles reconcile these Contradictions betwixt his Declarations Actions that so a judgment may be framed of his Tru Persuasion Whither shall we giue credit to his declarations Or his Actions Those speake his being a Catholick he is nothing lesse These declare his hatred to Catholicks their Religion which yet he professeth So we must conclude him a Chimera one composed of contradictions his Religion is made vp of parts mutually destroying one another Or else that he hath no Religion for as a Chimera cannot haue a being In rerum naturâ so there can nether be an Entity composed of Contradictions nor a Religion for the same reason At least at the greate Audit he can never fayle to heare Discede a me c. Begon from me whither so ever Religion he be of his owne words will condemne him Ex ore tuo te judico serve nequam What can hence be gathered but that his Perswasion being so vncertain his Religion so dubious or certainly none at all nothing can be thence gathered as to the Communion which he should enter into If you think him well disposed for your Church you discover what kind of men it is composed of Ours that is the Catholick Church doth not desire such nor tolerate them further than there is hopes of their amendment little or none at all being left of this man she hath cast him out by Excommunication As I learne from your owne letter So by what I see I conclude that You haue spoyled a Catholick not made a Protestant Yet to moue him to come quite over you very learnedly distinguish three ages of the Church The first whilest she continued in that Faith which was once delivered to Saints p. 31. The second p. 32. from the time the Pope tooke vpon him the title of vniversal Bishop Yet you are not resolved what time to allow to this Second age whither one thousand or eleven or twelue hundred yeares The third p. 42. from the two Councils of Lateran vnder LEO X. Trent jmplying that all were bound to communicate with the Church of Rome in its first age myght communicate with it in the second must not in the third Jn the first Communion with it was a necessary duty in the second it was lawfull but not necessary in the third vnlawfull a sin And these dreames take vp aboue 30. pages Rev. All this is a dreame for the second age which you speake of is yet to come the Pope never having taken the title of Vniversal Bishop Besides this Christ promist his assistance to the Church not for any determinate time but for all times assured her of his presence till the end of the world now when you shall proue that Christ hath broken or can or will breake his word we will think your second age possible not till then so the first age in which all are obliged to joine in Communion with the Church of Rome is not expired nor will nor can ever expire D. M. p. 62. Having quitted the Communion of the Roman Church he is bound to joine with that of England in Conscience it being the most perfectly reformed Church in the world in Prudence in order to the protection of his Person provision
for his future subsistance Rev. You boast much of the perfection of your Reformation yet were never able to get it approved by any one externe Church of what denomination soever how many or rather how few do vniversally approue it in England appeares by the number of your Sectaryes Schismaticks At what tribunal haue you not beene condemned whereever you appeared The Pope hath anathematized your Reformation so hath the General Council of Trent that Church representatiue This Amphibium this your Anonimous Preist says you appealed to the Church diffusiue which he gathers by the Apologyes you publisht for all men to see But you haue had as ill successe here as at Trent or Rome having never been able to find any one Kingdome or Province or Citty or any considerable number of particular men who in all things approue your Reformation So that you are in this inferiour to the Lutherans to Calvinists to Anabaptists to Adamists nay to Independents Quakers c. Who all haue in several countryes some of their Perswasion but of yours none out of England how many even there owne their vocation to your Reformation more to the Royal Authority than to the force of the Truth you teach or the Beauty of your Church which you commend D. M. p. 63. Prudence obliges him to the same for He can hardly be safe any where beyond seas by joining with vs he will as also find provision for his subsistence which you say you will vndertake shall not be wanting Rev. You sow the fox's skin to that of a Lyon Spiritual motiues falling short you piece them out with Temporal When we call to mind that within these fifty yeares your whole Church was turned out of God's Blessing into the warme sun that within these fiue yeares she was very neere the same fate we may conclude that there is not much greater assurance of your Temporal than of your Spiritual promises Here I obserue two things The first that Temporal motiues are never omitted when there is any hopes of gaining a Proselit Indeed they are your best Card as appeares by your vsing it so frequently by vsing it you shew what weyght it hath with you The second that in this you differ very much from Papists who propose hopes of eternal life indeed but as for this they promise nothing but what Christ promist his Disciples 30.16.32 In mundo pressuram habebitis you shall be hated calumniated persecuted imprisoned Opprest hanged In this world But better all this than to loose your soul by Schisme Heresy D. M. p. 64. It remaines therefore that being obliged to quit the Communion of the Church of Rome joine with ours of England you are obliged to do this speedily c. Rev. All this falls to the ground for there nether is nor can be an obligation to quit the Church of Rome there being an obligation to conforme to her to submit to her devisions in matter of Divine Truths to renounce all errours contrary to the tru Doctrine of Faith which she teachs will teach to the end of the world Imprimatur Act. in Vïc die duodecima May 1683. De Mand. Ampliss ac RR. adm DD. meorum praefat B. D. SECRET DUARUM EPISTOLARUM GEORGII MORLAEI S.T.D. ET EPISCOPI WINTONIENSIS AD IANVM VLITIUM REVISIO In quâ de Orationibus pro Defunctis Sanctorum Invocatione Dijs Gentilium Idololatriâ agitur AVTHORE IOANNE WARNERO S. I. THEOLOGO M.DC.LXXXIII Superiorum Permissu PRAEFATIO DVae istae Epistolae quarum summam tibi hic exhibeo Erudite Lector vná cum responsionibus ad earum singula capita pars sunt Libri ante quinque circiter menses in Angliâ typis editi á Dom. ac Mag. nostro Georgio Morlaeo S. T. D. Oxoniensi ac Episcopo Wintoniensi qui Regem exulem olim secutus inter Catholicos degens aliqua zeli sui pro matre suâ Ecclesiâ Protestanticâ Anglicana specimina dedit cum vivâ voce tum calamo varia Fidei Ortodoxae capita impugnando Quae omnia libro isto continentur additis alijs quae Patriae postliminio restitutus dixit scripsit Adeoque complexus est hoc vno volumine quod cento vocari potest ex varijs tractatibus conflatus nihil praeter odium in Ecclesiam orthodoxam commune habentibus hoc inquam complexus est quidquid longissimo vitae tempore octogenario major est adversus varia Ecclesiae Romanae dogmata improbo labore continuo studio colligere potuit Putabamus bonum Senem contentionum istiusmodi pertaesum cogitare cogitationes Pacis charitatem potius quám schisma promovere malle vnionem inter discordes Ecclesias illi cordi esse quam Prudentiores multi ex illâ sectâ aut seriò aut simulatè optant Et quidem aetas ingravescens planè capularis vt receptui caneret suadebat turpe fenex miles Cum ecce subitò nemine de certamine ab illo futuro cogitante in arenam descendit seniles lacertos juveniliter jactat de victorijs praeteritis sibi gratulatur easque ita praedicat vt non senili Prudentiâ sed juvenili levitate sortis humanae propriae infirmitatis parùm memor novas laureas futurosque triumphos sibi polliceri videatur Quominus cum hac in re imiter facit rerum humanarum incertitudo propria infirmitas quas prae oculis semper habeo Quo facilius judicium ferat Lector Eximii Domini argumenta ipsiusmet verbis expresla meis responsionibus praemitto non sum mihi conscius me vspiam eorum vim dissimulasse An planè ijs satisfecerjm iudicent alij Novi hominum studia suos cuiquam affectus haud ita facilè avelli nec incompertum quantam isti vim habeant ad judicium inflectendum ne dicam corrumpendum Hinc in causâ nostrâ non praejudico neque veluti de partâ victoriâ in antecessum glorior haud tamen exiguam spem in sinu foveo ex bonitate causae ex assistentiâ Spiritus Sancti Ecclesiae promissâ ex tuâ Lector veritatis amice humanitate responsiones nostras Eruditis aequis Iudicibus à partium studio liberis probatum iri Docet nos Epistolarum Auctor eximius eas ante viginti quatuor annos fuisse scriptas quia posterior data est anno MDCLIX in lucem prodiit tantum hoc anno MDCLXXXIII Vnde non ad novem annos tantum vt consulit Poeta sed ferè ad ter novem eas penes se retinuit Ego verò ne quidem totidem dies ad responsa concinnanda impendi licet variis interea temporis aliis implicarer occupationibus illa siquidem auspicatus sum XI Aprilis I. Maji absolvi Quod non ita accipi velim quasi laudem aliquam ex festinato opere sperem quod novi ancipitis esse ad laudem vituperium aestimationis sed vt ostendam nullam in iis Epistolis