guiding the Church But by this you may see the man miscrably tortured by vnauoidable truth euen maugre himselfe forc't to confesse what his Aduersary teacheth and euen here relaps't into his dilemma which he may seeme to haue laid of purpose to catch him for he is fallen vpon the Scripture as interpreted by euery man's naturall with and iudgment or the priuate spirit By which touch-stone the Priuate spirit with his Logick-rules c. he will also try euery spirit 1. Joan. 4. and by his ignorantly applying the words of the Apostle Belieue not euery spirit to this purpose shew's plainly how sure an Interpreter he is of holy Scripture togeather with his right reason and common notions and Logick-rules For surely in good Logick the vniuersall and distributiâ—e signe omnis all euery importeth number and multiplicity therfore he sayth Belieue not euery spirit but trie the spirits as if he said of many spirits belieue not euery spirit because the holy spirit is but one spirit from which one spirit spirits and euery one of spirits are participations and deriued spirits Now that one spirit which is so one that it cannot be a part of number like as diuine vnity or the vnity of diuine nature is no part of number that one spirit I say is not to be tried for it cannot be but a true spirit otherwise no spirit could be knowne to be true if that one spirit could befalse which is the only rule wherby to trie all spirits but of the multitude of spirits or partaking spirits some do and all may lye Of which number of lying spirits are the Apostate Angells fince their defection from the spirit of truth and those false Prophets in whose mouth 's those lying spirits were speakers Such also were those Pseudoprophets vpon occasion of whom S. Iohn forewarneth Christians not to belieue euery spirit but to try spirits And who were those false Prophets or Apostles those lying spirits They were those of whom he had said before that they had beene in the Church and were gone out of the Church and therefore became lying spirits oftentimes actually lying always inclined and prepared to lye and so neuer to be belieued For as that first reuolt from God the spirit of truth was the originall cause why those mutinous spirits became lyar's so Apostasy from the Church of God in whom the same spirit of truth presides is the generall origen and extraction of all false Prophets and Heretiques As therefore that one prime spirit is none of those spirits euery one of which is to be tryed but by which euery numerable spirit is to be proued so the spirit which guideth the Church is not a spirit to be tried but that by which euery priuat spirit must be examined and tried In which sense also it is most truly said Prima Sedes the prime sea is iudged by none therfore it is true againe that the Church of Christ the Catholique Church is the only competent iudge of it selfe according to that receaued principle of naturall reason rectum est iudex sui obliqui what is straight of it selfe both shew's it selfe to be straight and what is crooked to be so He therefore who will presume to reforme the Church in doctrine of faith wherein the spirit of truth is her guid and teacher Dauiel 12. he shall be the starre which would giue light to the Sunne but none of those who shall shine in perpetuas aternitates For I would aske any man only sober and in his wits if the Church of God may haue erred either in determining Scriptures or the true meaning of them which point concerning Scriptures I specifie to preuent all refuge to trial by Scriptures by what other spirit shall this spirit of the Church be tried And I would gladly looke vpon that face of Impudence that would assume to it selfe what it denyeth to the Church of God and when I shall haue found him I shall know for certaine that he is one of those Antichrists of whom the same Apostle Et nunc Antichristi multi facti sunt Ex nobis prodierunt Joan. 2. 4. and euen now many are turned Antichrists they went out from vs. Yea by this very brand I will know them this indeleble character of antichrist to goe out of the Church then to question the spirit and doctrine of the Church It would be worth their labour yet once to shew when the Church of Rome went out of the Church of Christ where she left it at her departure as we shew what Church Arrius went out of whence Pelagius and Nestorius c. whence of this later age Luthâ—r and Peter Martyr and Caluin and the rest Yet besides this character of a false Prophet which is his terminus à quo the whence they goe out the Apostle hath giuen vs another their terminus ad quem the whither they goe going out of the Church Multi pseudoprophetae exierunt in mundum many false Prophets are gone out into the world and yet more plainly Ipsi de mundo sunt ideâ— de mundo loquntur mundus eos audit They are of the world they are become worldlings the world is their talke flesh blood their discourse intimating euen by this that Hereticall doctrine is carnall doctrine the language of corrupt Nature the discourse of flesh blood and therefore the world harken's to their doctrine as being of a carnall spirit symbolizing with these teachers Indeed the Society of Christians is not the world nor any hâ—mâ—genious part of the world of whom therfore our Sauiours words are truly vnderstood Vâ—s de mundâ— nonestiâ— seâ—â—gâ—â—ligi voâ— de mundo you are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world Whence the whole mortall kind of man is sufficiently deuided by these two names the World and Christendome therfore that going out of the Church signified by those words prodierunt ex nobis they went out from vs could be no whither else but into the world there being no third place or family of mortall men to go vnto therefore all Heretiques are a part of that faction the World and therefore being indued swayed and guided by the spirit of the world which is a lying spirit they cannot be competent Iudges or Examiners of the spirit of the Church or any doctrine of fayth or interpretation of Scriptures But as the Church Triumphant shall iudge the world and condemne it and shall not be iudged by it so the Church now Militant is inuested with the like authority and iurisdiction towards mortall men of this world to iudge and condemne the world that is all those who are seuered from her Society and not to be iudged by them Her doctrine therefore is the sole Iudicature both of it selfe and all other crooked and oblique opinions Wherefore the counsaile of S. Iohn to try spirits is to trie them by the spirit and doctrine of the Church for vnles the spirit of the Church
lit c. 21. Austin was that Scripture or Scriptures written in their harts Quid sunt leges Dei seriptae in cordibus nisi ipsa prasentia spiritus sancti qui est digitus Dei What are law's of God written in harts of men but the presence of the holy Ghost who is the fingar of God And this Scripture of hart 's was foretold by the Prophet Hieremy Cap. 31. Post dies illos after those days that is in the tyme of the Ghospell dabolegem meam in visceribus eorum in corde eorum scibam eam I will giue my law in their bowels and write it in their hart There was then the Scripture the Word of God the Ghospell There I say as in the Autographon the authentique the originall instrument out of that authentique and originall transcribed and copied out in parchment's or papers If then euery transcript or copy retain's the credit of a true copy or transcript so far forth as it is found agreeing with the originall it followeth that whatsoeuer we receaue vpon the authority of Scripture we receaue it first from and vpon the credit of the Church And what we read or vnderstand as Scripture is to be compared with that authentique least it may proue a false copy which we presume to be Scripture or the word of God Since then the holy Ghost euen to the consummation of the world resideth in the Church of Christ according to his promise it followeth euidently that the word of God is in the Church as in the Authentique and Originall but in writings of inke and paper only as in Copies and Transcripts What madnes then what grosse absurdity is this to belieue the Copy rather then the Originall Or with what sense can any man pretend to vnderstaÌ„d this Copy or Transcript as written with inke and paper better then by the liuing voyce of the Author himselfe of that anthentique originall the Church Since in the Church of Christ and only there resides the Author of holy Scriptures perpetually and successinely writing them and the verities contained in them in the hart 's and soules of Christians members of that Church as they are vnited by vnity of one fayth and charity with their head Christ Iesus Whence it followes furthermore that to say we receaue the Scriptures from the Church but not the sense and meaning of them is to speake contradictories For both the meaning and vnderstanding of Scriptures is in the Church and only there with certainty and infallibility of interpretation where that spirit dwel's which alone can interprete infallibly his owne authentique And besides not the letter written but the sense and meaning of the writing or the Verities therein contained are the Scripture or word of God Therefore if they receaue not these from the Church they receaue not the holy Scriptures thence but a mute and dead writing a riddle to be read according to ech man's fancy and coniecture For as no man knoweth what is hidden in the hart and soule of man but the spirit which is in man so no man can probably presume to vnderstand those hidden Verities that wisedom of God occultat am in mysterio hidden in mistery howsoeuer appearing in words but the spirit of God First therefore Christians are to inquire where that spirit is the Author of Scripture and the doore by which we must enter into the Scripture for he that presumeth to enter another way as by the way of human reason and discourse Philosophy or the like as by a posterne is worthily suspected to be a theefe in Religion it is he who openeth the sense and vnderstanding of men extending it to a more large spheare of capacity which naturall reason shuâ—'s vp and confines within the narrow bounds of naturall principles and discourse vpon them We are to enquire I say if we are yet to seeke where this spirit residesâ— and since we treat this busines with such as pretend to be vmpir'd by Scriptures to them we say as Christ to the Iewes Joh. 5. scrutamini scripturas quia vos putatis in ipsis vitam aeternaÌ„ habere Search the Scripture for there you thinke to haue life eternall Where that spirit of truth was promis'd to continue by our Sauiour there certainly it is to be sought and found and only there There I say where Christ would be nobiscum omnibus diebus vsque ad consummationem saculi to continue with vs to the worlds end from that time omnibus diebus all the day 's of posterity not by tymes or inter-spaces or intermission of his presence nor with them alone to whom he then personally directed his speach who were not to continue all the day 's of future ages vnto the worlds end and which could not be vnderstood of them as after their death inuested with immortality and in possession of eternity wherein there is neither plurality of dayes nor consummation of tyme but with their progeny and the ofspring of their Fayth who were to belieue in Christ by them and whom he ioyned with his Apostles in his prayer for them Joh. 17. and sure his prayer was heard vt ipsi vnumsint c. That they also may be one by vnity of fayth and charity vt credat mundus that the world may belieue not this age of men alone but in that sense wherein he commaunded that the Ghospell should be preach't to euery creature and belieue What quiae tu me misisti that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God Enquire then what Society of men that is who in succession to the Apostles and from their tymes in all ages haue taught and still do teach that Christ is the sonne of God who euen in this last age of vs and our Fathers haue taught this to the East and West of Indians c. and when you haue found that Society of Christian professor's when you haue found out the sunne in the clearest midday know that you haue found the Church of Christ and with that the word of God the Scriptures the Gospell together with the true and infallible interpretation of these For this Society of men is indeed Epistola Christi the Epistle yea and Ghospell of Christ 2. Cor. 3â— written non atramento sed spiritu Dei viui not with inke but with the spirit of the liuing God and this Scripture is that qua legitur ab omnibus hominibus which all men read not only such who can read the Scripture written in Hebrew Grecke or Latin c. but euen such as cannot read at all For as this Scripture is written not with inke but with the spirit in the hartes of Christians so it appeareth not in the exterior traict's of Characters but in the exterior profession and liues and Christian vertues of Christians There I say it is read euen by such who know no letters For as in the creation of Nature that creating and conseruing power of God omnipotent his wisedom also
the Synagogue This is therefore a terrible hearing to Protestancy a Church Terribilis vt castrorum acies ordinata terrible as an army in battaile-array Now for Primitiue Christians they imply no such order no such coordination or subordination as of a body and therefore as so many scattered sheep they might wholy dye in their owne ashes not Phenix-like suruiue in their posterity which to affirme of a Church of Christ his establish't Common-wealth or kingdom purchas 't by right of Conquest with the inestimable price of his blood is not only Hereticall but most impious and prophane since neither the Synagogue and Law of Moyses became euacuate or abrogate viâ corruptiuâ by a corruptiue desition but past into a Church Euangelicall Law via perfectiuâ as Christ was the perficient not the corruptiue end of the Law Non veni legem soluere sed adimplere c. I came not to dissolue but to fulfill the Law c. Some other fallacious Euasions in answere to the same position of his Aduersary SECT XXVII IN the very next Paragraph I meete with another Fallacy which I haue also touch't before Pref. You say with conuenient boldnes that this infallible authority of your Church being denyed no man can be assured that any parcell of Scripture was written by diuine inspiration which is an Vntruth for which no proofe is pretended and besides voyd of modesty full of impiety Answ And I pray you obserue his notorious method his Censure is for the most part the preface to his Answere when he hath first struck his Aduersary on the head or wounded his reputation with some calumny or contumely then he wil dispute the matter not only cooly but very coldly as you shall see In the meane tyme since he is so liberall of contumelious and reproachfull language if we spare him it is mere gratuite grace no merit of his not so much as of congruity nay it may seeme much more congruous to shew the man his error where he may see it better then in himselfe For I belieue it will appeare to any vnderstanding man euen by the Genius of his stile that he hath drunke more liberally of Narcissus Well then of Aristotles as neere as it springs Whence I do not see but his President way be my Apology and very Charity will require that some sprinkling of salt be employed vpon his so great insulsity Now marke the Fallacy His aduersary sayth Take away the authority of Gods Church no man can be assured c. For Gods Church this Atturney changeth your Church as though his aduersary preassumed what is in question with Protestants Which he purposely doth not but only sheweth the necessity of a Visible Church and infallible authority shereof The fallacy of this change hath this intent to make his aduersary more odious for his preassuming antedating as also that he may impugne him more easily where he contends not which he doth almost euery where neuer strikes where his Aduersary wards So he seldome or neuer argues or answeres to the matter in hand But why now is this an vntruth void of modesty Because sayth he the experience of innumerable Christians is against it who are sufficiently assured that the Scripture is diuinely inspired and yet deny the infallibility of your Church or any other Answ What Euen of Gods Church For this is the authority this the Church which his aduersary namely and only asserteth And where is the immodesty Is it immodesty in a Catholique to proue the infallibility of the Church of God his Prime principle of Religion and that by an argument which this no Church can no otherwise answere but by rayling at it as with his Lucians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O execrable For who are those innumerable Christians Are they not the aduersaries of the Roman Church and only they And is it immodesty in a Roman Catholique to defend and proue the contrary to that which the Aduersaries of that Church would proue and do teach whereby to ouerthrow that Church and with that all Christianity But to shew him the weaknes of his argument I forme the like Innumerable Christians are sufficiently assured that no man can be assured of any parcell of holy Scripture otherwise then by the authority of the Church of God Ergo M. Ch. who denies them this assurance is voyd of all modesty And now againe why full of impiety Pref. Because sayth he if I cannot haue ground to be assured of the diuine authority of Scripture vnlesse I first belieue your Church infallible then I can haue no ground at all to belieue it Answ I expected he would say then I will be a Socinian But still you see him in his Fallacy Your Church for Gods Church And why then hath he no ground at all vpon that supposall Pref. Because there is no ground nor can any be pretended why I should belieue your Church infallible vnlesse I first belieue the Scripture diuine Answ Still Your Church Sure we shall neuer bring him back to Gods Church againe Now quite contrary I say there is no sufficient ground to omit pretences and permit them to his Hyperbolicall style why men should belieue the Scriptures diuine vnles first they belieue an infallible Church of God For to reuolue to the first birth and parentage of holy Scriptures whence haue we them who told vs they were diuine haue we not the new Testament to instance in this part from the Euangelists and Apostles And were not they the Church of God and hath any other told vs they are diuine and of diuine authority but they primarily and their posterity after them Can any man expect a more certaine testimony concerning his owne or any other mans birth then from the mother who brought him forth into the world Was not the holy Scripture cōceaued of the holy Ghost as it were in the wombe of the Church Yea those soules and spirits of Prophets Euangelists Apostles in which those Scriptures were conceaued euen formally as diuine together with the truth contained in them were they not before those Scriptures were brought to light And could any but they or vpon their credit belieue those Scriptures were of diuine yssue conceaued I say in those spirits diuinely inspired and illuminated yea and from them flowing as from a vitall principle actually and actiuely inflowing into those conceptions togeather with the holy spirit of truth Whence also it followeth euidently that those diuine truth's cannot be the formall conceptions of any soule or vnderstanding not endued and eleuated by this spirit of truth with which spirit since no man can assure himselfe to be endued yet euery Christian ought to belieue as certaine that the Church of God is indued therefore euery Christian ought to receaue those diuine truths contained in Scriptures togeather with the Scriptures themselues from the Church of God whose lawfull issue and ofspring they are Neither can this in reason seeme to a Christian any whit
derogatory from the maiesty of the diuine word to be conceaued in the spirit of man no more then it was from the Maiesty of the Sonne of God to be conceaued in the wombe of the B. Virgin Mary and that as there the Eternall Word was inuested with humane flesh so heere in these spirits of men as in the wombe of the Church the Word of God sowne by the holy Ghost should be inuested with humane notion and brought forth to light of the world in the guise of humane speach and voyce In which sense we may interprete that testimony of the holy Baptist Ego vox clamantis I am the voyce of the cryer as his voyce was the inuesture of that Word of the holy Ghost crying in the desert by which it was conueyed to the eares of mortall men so is the voyce and declaration of the Church the meanes by which the Word of God and all Truth contained in it is conueyed to our soules and vnderstandings And as that cry of the Holy Ghost was first conceaued in the spirit of the Baptist then vttered by his voyce to the world so these Scriptures were first conceaued in the Church those Apostolicall spirits in which they were first imprinted and inuested if I may so speak by the operation and Energy of that fire which appeared in tongues afterwards vttered vpon due occasions in words and writings As therefore those of that tyme heard the voyce of that cryer in the desart from the mouth of the Baptist so all Christians heare and must heare the word of God and diuine truth by the mouth of the Church Well then what this man so confidently auerreth that there is no ground yea that no ground can be pretended why we should hold Gods Church for so he must say if he say any thing against what his Aduersary sayes infallible vnles we first belieue the Scripture diuine I as confidently deny And for as much as respects priority or antecedency of beliefe since the Scripture as I haue said is no other word but what the Church hath and daily doth vtter vnto vs whether historicall or dogmaticall or howsoeuer first conceaued in the vnderstanding and spirit of the Church it followeth that as we haue receaued it vpon her credit telling and teaching vs that it is diuine so we must à Priori belieue the Church as infallible witnes or reporter before we can belieue the infallibility of Scripture which she reporteth it followeth also that we must belieue the Church interpreting the Scripture for it is incredible that any other man should better vnderstand what I speake according as I haue conceaued or what I meane by the words I speake then I my selfe the speaker who only intend to vtter my conceipt It followeth yet further that although there were no Scripture and these Christian Verities had descended to vs only by Tradition and by the testimony of former ages transmitting them successiuely from Christ to this present age we should be bound to belieue the Church that is that continued succession of men belieuing those Christian Verities vnles we will say there was no obligation vpon men to belieue in God and to worship him according to that beliefe before the tyme of Moyses before the Scriptures were For was not Circumcision obligatory before Moyses and was not the posterity of Abraham obliged to belieue and practise that tradition as of diuine authority of which our Sauiour sayth Moyses dedit rebis Circumcisionem non quia ex Moyse est sed ex Patribus He will say You proue the Church infallible by Scriptures your Scriptures must be first belieued infallible I answer we proue this out of Scriptures against such as professe to belieue Scriptures not the Church as out of their owne principles it followeth not thence that we first belieue the Scripturs diuine or infallible For though in methode of confuting such Aduersaries we begin with the Scriptures yet in the methode of belieuing we begin from the Church vpon whose credit we belieue the Scriptures to be diuine and according to this method commencing from the Church Christian fayth was first propagated among nations and imbraced by Heathens Nor will it be to the purpose to reply that Heathens were induced to belieue by reason of miracles This I say is not to the purpose how the Church gained this credit but hence it is inferred that in regard of Christian Beliefe the Church had the Precedency before Scriptures that is the Church was belieued before the Scriptures were belieued Wherefore to conclude this point if it be impiety not to belieue Scriptures as no doubt it is yet it is an impiety no way deducible from this doctrine that the beliefe of an infallible Church is precedent to the beliefe of Scriptures But it is not hard to conceaue by the very carriage of the busines as he handles it what he driues at in all this discourse which is indeed to euacuate all authority both of Church and Scriptures and vpon the ruines of both to build the Godles Socinianisme Therefore all inferences which may seeme any way to perplexe Christian doctrine or force it into straits are his aduantages It was the prudent industry of the Roman Consull to prouoke Catiline whose secret practises and designes vpon the Common-Wealth he had vnderstood into open warre and rebeilion for he supposed no Cittizen would then appeare in his defence or make the oppression of a Tyrant his quarrell As no man would approue the fyering of the house wherein himselfe were or wracking the shippe wherein he sayled himselfe I suppose likewise if this pretended Champion for Protestancy were once discouered and strip't to the naked truth of what he is indeed that is as I haue said a very Socinian Mole vnderworking euen Protestancy it selfe and all Religion no Protestant who hath any zeale of the Religion he professeth would euer be seene in his patronage nor willingly I thinke in his company nor would he vouchsafe the ordinary greeting or salutation as good-morrow Ep. 2. Joan. to him who acknowledgeth neither day nor morning of Christian religion or God saue you to him who doubts whether there be any such thing as God Saluation nor would they thinke him fit to conuerse among Christians who hath disputed himselfe out of all termes of Christian commerce and conuersation His Calumny concerning Protestants reputed Atheists c. by Catholiques SECT XXVIII Pref. YOu say fifthly and lastly sayth this Aduocate with confidence in abundance that none can deny the infallible authority of your Church but he must abandone all infused fayth and true religion if he de but vnderstand himselfe Answ This Aduocate himselfe is no small part of proof of the truth of this Hypothetique who since he hath relaps't from this doctrine of infallible authority of the Church hath withall disclaimed all infused fayth as his Aduersary hath charged him vpon information more then credible wherin that is in abandoning both I confesse
the authority of the Church applying them in confirmation of this mistery gather a necessity of acknowledging the infallible authority of the Church without which notwithstanding holy Scriptures we should be in doubt how to belieue some principall point of Christian beliefe The necessity of which authority appeareth yet more euidently euen by what he quarrells concerning the doctrines of Eusebius Origen and those other questioned and controuled by the like authority of the Church Against which authority no faculty of wit and vnderstanding no eminency or glory of science and erudition could preuaile no not martyrdome it self could protect any error against orthodoxe beliefe or escape the censure of this supreme Iudge on earth What he sayth of Cardinall Peron informing the world of some Errors of those Ancients Calumny against Peron if he meane the world knew them not before discourers great plenty of ignorance in himself if he knew it without his information he sayth nothing for could not Socinians who deuoure Christian Libraries to no other end but to digest them into scandals read the very same in others of far more ancient authority then this most learned Cardinall In that the Arrians would gladly be tryed by the Fathers before the Councell of Nice they shew their hereticall spirit which always flyes from the authority of a Visible Vocall and liuing Iudge to the mute copy of Gods or mans word as here to defunct authors who left behind them their priuate opinions in things at that tyme not expressely defined which is indeed to fly to their owne interpretations both of Fathers Scriptures from a publique authority to which a neuer failing assistance is diuinely promised to some particular or single opinions of priuate men to whom no such assistance was promised But whither will not a theefe fly from the sentence of authority which can condemne him And whither not an Heretique from the Church And who doubts but the Church of Christ is most representatiuely and iointly and vnanimously in a generall Councell as a kingdom in a Parlament or full senate in which mysticall body then as euer yea then more effectually and actiuely then euer the holy Ghost as the soule informing moueth and directeth Whither flyes he then who flyes from this Church but from the spirit of God Quo ibo à spiritu tuo Whether shall I fly from your spirit True he flyeth from Christ but escapes him not from him a Sauiour to him a Iudge from his Mercy to his Iustice si desceudero in infeinum ades if I go downe to hell you are there And is this the Socinian scandall or is this any way leading men into Socinianisme that the Church of God assembled together of purpose to examine or determine some question of fayth hath defined the contrary to some doctrine or opinion of some priuate Doctor or Doctors who as such whatsoeuer they preiudged could not say as the Councell could Visum est spiritui sancto nobis it hath seemed good to the holy Ghost and vs You see then the weaknes of this Fallacious Calumny yet strong inough to cast a mist before the eyes of the vnlearned or vnpassioned Reader the number of which sort because it like to affoard him most voyces their applause and approbation is the triumph he aymes at His Sophisticall Calumny concerning differences of Catholique Doctors in questions vndefined SECT XXXI ANother occasion or inducement to Socinianisme pretended by this Aduocate are those different opinions of Scholastique Deuines in points of doctrine as yet vndetermined by the Church this is also one of those a thousand tymes recoct Crambes like some cold Seruice daily brought in only to furnish vp the table vntill it grow mouldy and meat for no body But what is this towards the disabling or disparaging the authority of the Church in points now defined and no longer disputed as douâ—â—full Will the Socinian hence argue thus In some points of doctrine vndecided some Catholique Doctors disagree among themselues Ergo in points decided they haue no certainty Who seeth not the inconsequence of this illation If they differ concerning the modification of diuine Prescience and the different respect and habitude which it hath to future euents necessary or contingent abloâ—ute or conditionall will they out of this variance inferre the vncertainty of diuine prenotion or conclude that God foreseeth not at all But yet see how he concludes for the Socinians Pref. The Dominicans sayth he maintaine on the one side that God can foresee nothing but what he decrees The Iesuit's on the otherside that he doth not decree all things Answ Iungentur iam Gryphes equis he will make these one and other sides to meete in one syllogisme and so be no more sides at all and then no different doctrines at all which is the quite contrary conclusion to what he assumeth Reflect setiously vpon these different propositions of the Dominicans and Iesuits and you shall find them contradictories and so impossible to inflow into one Conclusion true or false by any lawfull consequence For ex nihilo nihil and contradictories annihilate one the other Now this proposition God foresees nothing but what be decrees is in effect equiualent to this God decrees all that he foresees Againe God decrees not all things as ratione materiae equipollent to this God decrees not something which be foresees for the question being stated of things future or which shal be both sides grant that God foresees them the difference betweene them is hâ—w he foresees them Now let any man commit the two propositions as ioynt premises and see whether from that complexion or commission the Socinian conclusion can any way result Nay you shall find it generally true which I haue said That two Contradictions can neuer ioyne in any such commission to produce a third proposition as truly consequent from them but see them now committed and obserue how ready and obuious the Conclusion will be which the Socinians draw from them Dominicans God foreseeth nothing but what he decrees Iefuits God doth not decree all things Socin Ergo God doth not foresee all things In what mood and figure Logician But what Socinian syllogizing is this to ioyne two propositions of contrary doctrines and repugnant in themselues in one formall complexion of premises and out of those to inferre the conclusion Is it wonder if of so monstrous a coniunction of premises a prodigious conclusion be brought forth the conclusion being the naturall issue of the premises Might he not aswell conclude from two propositions the one of Catholiques the other of Arrians in like manner thus Cath. The Sonne is consubstantiall with the Father Arr. The Father is greater then the Sonne Socin The Sonne is lesse and equall to his Father An obuious conclusion sayth the Socinian as though he would say Fairely encounterd and kisse it For out of this absurd conclusion he will further question whether there be any such thing as Father Sonne in
to himselfe a glorious Church hauing neither spot nor wrinkle nor any such thing And is all this come at length to a de iure not de facto to a what should be only not a what is And is this that state of beauty no lesse permanent then spotles wherein tyme which withers and wrinkles all the beauty of fields ' and flowers ' aruit foenum cecidit flos should cause no fading or impayring because 1. Pet. 1. Verbum Domini manet in aeternum that word of truth is euerlasting which as the forme and soule of beauty in this glorious spouse should neuer abandon her Now doth Christ Iesus thus sanctify his Spouse or no hath he purchast her this permanent Beauty or no If no then is he frustrate of his designe which was to espouse vnto himselfe a Church which should de facto indeed not deiure of duty only be euer Holy for though it be placed in the particular choice of euery single man to be holy or no thus and in such sort that no man is or shall be holy or vertuous of force or against his wil or not freely yet it is not in the particular choice or power of any particular man or men no nor in the malice of Hell it selfe to effect that Christ Iesus shall not haue a holy Church on earth euen to the worlds end For this was the intent of his precious death bloud-shed vt sanctificaret that he might de facto fanctify his Spouse that he might acquire vnto her a perpetuity of beauty not a duty only to preserue it And this intent can neuer be frustrate and yet it should be if the spouse of Christ should only of duty alwayes be holy but were not so indeed Or tell me is she spotlesse who should haue no spot's but hath them Is that a faire face which should be so and is not hath she no wrinkles who should haue none Rem But God hath neither decreed nor foretold that his true doctrine should de facto be alway's visibly profess't without any mixture of falshood Prom. What because he hath not foretold it to you who haue lost your eares of hearing or haue stop't them with humane reason or dwell too neere the Catadupa and the noise of waters or conuerse with bleating or bellowing cattle in fine haue your attention taken vp in the traffick care and tumult of earthly commodities that you cannot heare the musick of the Sphear's or the harmony of heauenly Truth And haue all men forfaited their eares since you haue beene deafe on the left eare or forgotten what you haue heard heretofore with the right But to other men it hath beene told and foretold in all the languages of the world they haue heard it foretold in those words of Esay Esay 35. Eterit ibi semita via via Sanctorum vocabitur hae erit vobisvia directa c. and this shall be a direct or straight way so that fooles shall not mistake it But Socinians are no simple fooles they may mistake it Now if this way be humane reason humanum est errare nothing human as such is exempt from error If the Scripture be this way the wisest may erre in interpreting it and then it is no way or at least not the way of Saints nor the true and straight way when a false interpretation hath distorted it But the doctrine of the Church is that Via Sanctorum the way of Saints wherein the spirit of truth residing according to promise interprets holy Scriptures which then becoms a way and a straight way wherin a Foole shall not erre 1. Cor. 3. Ibid. a Foole I say who hath made himself a foole that he may be made wise by Christian wisedom which is folly to the world and to Socinianisme as the wisedom of the world and Socinian Reason is madnes and folly to God and Christian Religion Againe they haue heard foretold in those words of our Sauiour Math. 28. 16. Ecce ego vobiscum sum c. and those other Et portae tuferi non praualebunt aduersus eam the power of hell shall not preuaile against it the preseruation of the Church of God from error of doctrine from all falshood of heresy They vnderstand it decreed by God Ephes and foretold by S. Paul Et ipse dedit quosdam Apostoles alios prophet as c. ad consummationem sanctorum in opus ministerij which worke of ministery necessarily supposeth visibility of the Ministers and ministred in adificationem corporis Christi for the edifying or building vp the body of Christ which is his Church the members whereof being to accede throughout all ages to this mysticall body by the Visible ministery of those Visible ministers Prelates Teachers and Gouernours inferre a necessity of true doctrine visibly taught or to be taught them by those their Prelates without which truth of doctrine they could not be the regenerate issue of the spirit of Truth They haue likewise heard the Church of God called by S. Paul 1. Tim. 1. Domus Deiviui columna firmamâ—ntum Veritatis the house of the liuing God the pillar and proppe of truth Of the house of God it is said Domum tuam decet sanctitudo Domine Psalm 92. in longitudinem dierum sanctitude becomes thy house O Lord for euer which fanctitude consistes in the rectitude of the vnderstanding and will of man rectified by truth of doctrine both in fayth and manners Ibid. And this is sure that visible house wherin S. Timothy was to be wary and to know how to conuerse for the edification and example of others who should be eye-witnesses and eare-witnesses of his doings and sayings This Church is also the pillar and proppe of Truth which proppe or pillar surely shall stand while truth hath need of a proppe which shall be in order to mankind while man is mortall obnoxious to errour and lapse in question of diuine truth To this pillar of Truth Isa 59. Johan 14.16 Johan 16.13 the spirit of God is by speciall Couenant tied to the worlds end or is himself this pillar of Truth and that spirit of truth which shall teach the Church and by the Church omnem veritatem all truth that is all necessary truth which necessary truth certainly excludes all falshood in doctrine of fayth and manners which are the points in contestation between the Catholicks and Protestants All this and much more the Fathers and Doctors of the Catholique Church haue heard and belieued as foretold and decreed by God concerning the Visible profession of true doctrine in the Church of Christ without any mixture of falshood and the continuance of such Visible Profession de facto not de iure only Nor if you can glosse these Scriptures to anothersense shall they cease for that to tell vs this truth to whom the Catholique Church doth so interpret them and who as sonnes of obedience haue learned to turne the
deafe eare to all exotique interpretation yea and to all naturall reason and discourse when it impugnes this authority as you Socinians are deafe to supernaturall truth when it sounds a note aboue the reach of your reason Wherefore since this your answere is in effect no otherwise a confutation of your first Motiue but by a flat deniall I do not see but it may moue still with as much force as euer yea and liue againe to fight against the Father and that with more equity then he fights against his Mother And all this I haue said supposing he meanes by his de facto as I vnderstand him and as I haue some reason more then euery man knows to thinke he mean's If he meane otherwise when he shall vouchsafe to come out of the Clouds and appeare in his true meaning he shall be answered otherwise II. Motiue Because Luther his followers separating from the Church of Rome separated also from all Churches pure or impure true or false then being in the world vpon which ground I conclude that either Gods promises did faile of performance if there were then no Church in the world which held all things necessary and nothing repugnant to Saluation or else that Luther and his Sectaries separating from all Churches then in the world and so from the true if there were any true were damnable Schismaticks II. Remotiue To the second God hath neither decreed nor foretold that there shall be alwayes a company of men free from all errour in it selfe damnable Neither is it alwayes of necessity Schismaticall to separate from the externall communion of a Church though wanting nothing necessary For if this Church supposed to want nothing necessary require me to professe against my conscience that I belieue some errour though neuer so small and innocent which I do not belieue and will not allow me her communion but vpon this condition In this case the Church for requiring this condition is Schismaâ—icall and not I for separating from the Church III. Promotiue Gods decree concerning the perpetuity of a Visible and infallible Church on earth to the end of the world hath bene foretold many wayes as hath beene declared in part in the former Promotiue and more fully and plainly by many Catholique writers and the contrary is heere assumed with too to great boldnes but without all proofe or possibility of proof That such separation from the Church is schismaticall is euident for schisme being the breach of vnion in Charity as Heresy violates the vnity of faith to separate from the externall communion of this Church is to shew you are fallen out with the Church with which you refuse to conuerse in Ecclesiasticall conuersation as he who flyeth the company of a man with whome he hath beene formerly familiar in way of ciuill conuersation is supposed to be fallen out with him Then againe this separation is very scaÌ„dalous as yeilding a iust presumption that such a Separant is in his iudgment an Heretique Now to scandalize wittingly and knowingly as such a Separate cannot be ignorant that this is a true cause of scandall or if he be he is wilfully ignorant is to violate the law of Charity and this especially when you separate from a Church wherein nothing necessary to Saluation is wanting as you make the supposition But if this Church wanting nothing necessary as you suppose require you to professe against your conscience that you belieue some error then say you your Separation is lawfull But either this error required by the Church to be belieued is in your conscience an error of doctrine concerning fayth or manners or no If yea then in your conscience somewhat necessary is wanting to that Church that is the contrary doctrine of truth If it be no error of doctrine concerning either of these but only some opinion held or practized as indifferent then certainly the Church will neuer vrge you to belieue it then againe you may choose whether you will belieue it or no and then lastly you should haue no cause for this to breake with the Church or deuide your selfe from her Communion If you say in the iudgment of the Church it may perhaps be held indifferent yea perhaps a necessary point of doctrine but to my conscience it is an error in faith or manners Now this I expected and this I knew you said in your hart so then I say againe in your iudgement and conscience the Church is wanting in some necessary point of true doctrine And heere now I appeale to the sentence of any sober and indifferent Christian what greater pride can be imagined then that any priuate or single man should haue a conscience repugnant and refragatory to the conference of the Church of God What sober Christian I say reflecting duely vpon such a conscience will not doome it mere insolency and arrogance True it is no pride of man can be a Paragon with the pride of formall Heresy this is indeed that Pes superbiae that foot of pride by the length and bulk whereof you may coniecture how Gigantique a monster an Heretique is For which cause all Orthodoxe Spirits haue learned to pray with the Church Psal 35. Non â—eniat miâ—ipes superbiae manus peccatoris non moucat me this foot of pride this suggestion of Sathan may it haue no accesse vnto my soule and the hand or pen of such a sinner let it haue no power to moue or drawe me from an humble beliefe Ibi ceciderunt qui operantur iniquitatem expulsi sunt nec potuerunt flare there and in that pride Apostat-Angels fell with them Apostat-Christians fall from the Church expulst and eiected thence or by reason of their pride they could stay no longer there For after this pride growing daily more in an Hereticall conscience hath at length extinguished the spirit of God stifled all his Inspirations and Motiues then the same spirit of God expulseth that Satanicall and mutinous spirit out of his family which is the Church of Christ bandites throw's him forth into the open field of professed Heresy 1. Iohn 2. vt manifesti fiant that they may be knowne for Heretiques and warred against as open rebels that their conuersation may be eschewed by weaker Christians their Herefies lay'd open and beaten downe by the more learned to be buried at last in the ignominy and obliuion of their infamous Ancestry 2. Thess 2. whom our Lord Iesus from age to age hath and will kill with the spirit of his mouth And now after their eiectmens and expulsion they pretend the equity of their separation when it is indeed their Iniquity which hath separated and expelled them qui operantur iniquitatem expulsi sunt c. As when God and the Apostate Angels by reason of their pride became two factions if I may so say the immensity of heauen was too strait to containe both Quaemare quae terras quae totum possidet Orbem Non caepit
fortuna duos So an Heretique when he makes two with the Catholique they cannot stand together vnder one roofe of the Church expulsi sunt nec potueruntstare the Spirit of God as being the predominant spirit in the Church and in right of possession expels the other incompatible spirit of Pride But yet Good Sir Remouer is it possible so grosse a folly should escape your reflection as you manifest in the close of this your answere for thus you write That if this Church wherin nothing necessary to Saluation is wanting will not allow you her Communion but vpon condition c. in this case the Church for requiring such a condition is schismaticall not you for separating Now for my part I truly should haue had a very great Scruple to haue imprinted vpon your reputation such a character of a prodigious pride as you haue heere displayed with your owne hand and pen. For as I haue intimated before it is certaine yea and to surmise the contrary or draw it within suspitioÌ„ or iealousy is mere litigious cauilling that the Church will neuer require the beliefe of so small and innocent an error as includeth no preiudice or falshood against Catholique faith or manners and if it include any such it cannot be small or innocent Yet put the case that the Church should require of any single or priuate Christian that he would for peace sake condescend with the whole Catholique Church to the profession of some point of doctrine which euen in his iudgment were but a small and innocent error but in her iudgment an Orthodoxe truth though not yet defined and would aduise him to depose his single conscience in this point wherein he could not possibly be supposed to haue any conuincing euidence especially against the torrent and vnanimous consent of the whole Church and that finally in case he would not submit he should be excommunicate held an alien from the Church were it not a strange pride in such a man to say No he could not and so would not depose his conscience that he know's he is in the right and the whole Church in an errour for thus we must suppose according to the sense of this Motiue that Luther stood out single against the whole Church and that therfore vnlesse the Church will allow him her Communion vpon his owne termes and conditions that is without obligation on his part to any such profession of doctrine or practise of the whole Church he would disclaime her communion and proclaime her schismaticall for requiring from him any such concurrence with her in any such practise or exterior conformity Although by the way Luther for whome he apologizeth opposed the whole Church in points of fayth then already defined when those errors if errors were neither small nor innocent being now imposed vpon Christians to be belieued euen as they would belieue God himself I say no error so imposed or so authorized could be small or innocent but if an error at all a most grieuous and damnable imposture Or if they were true doctrines and then also defined by the Church then Luther and his sectaries by not belieuing them and for separating according to your former discourse from that Church all the Churches of the world and so from the true if there were any true were damnable Schismatiqueâ— Therefore this part concerning Luthers Apostasy as vrged in your Motiue remaines yet vnanswered And yet further let vs consider your Apology for this Apostata personated in your selfe In this case the Church not allowing me her coÌ„munion is schismaticall not I for separating Reflect seriously vpon this discourse whether it be not only vnchristian but incongruous and illiterate nor worthy to haue dropt from a Grammarians Pen much lesse from a maister of Art's or of a Chaire For if Luther or any such whom you act in this defence were euer in the Church from which he separates he was in it as a limbe or member in the whole body for example as an arme or legge or thigh c. Now in case of separation or diuision betweene the body and any member do we say the body is deuided from the legge or arme or the legge or arme from the body Schisme is diuision or separation the Church say you is Schismaticall for requiring the aforesaid condition From whome or what schismaticall from whom or what deuided Is the Church deuided or separated from you What the body from the legge as if you suppose it incurably gangrain'd and then Immedicabile vuluns Eâ—se reâ—idendum est ne pars syncera trahatur But shall the body in this case be cut from the legge quis ita lâ—quitur is not this very language schismaticall separate from all Catholique vse of common sense speach Doth the Church separate from you in not condescending to your single opinion or you from her in not submitting to her Catholique doctrine The Church held the same doctrine for which you separate from her before you came to her you found her possest of this doctrine you leaue her so possest ' and standing where you found her Who separates in this case You stood for a while ioyned to a pillar you flye from the pillar what is the Pillar gone from you or you from the Pillar Nay I say more were it indeed an error which the Church should vrge you to professe and which because you refuse to professe you forsake the Church yet not the Church if we speake properly but you are the Schismatique or Separant Schismatique or Separate alway's denominates the inferior or subiected part for who are now the Separatist's in England They who exact conformity that is the Gouernours of the English Church or they who refuse to conforme Do you not see that by the very like discourse the Non-conformant's may conclude the Conformant's to be Schismaticks Nay might not the Heretiques of all ages euen those who opposed the doctrine of the primitiue Church haue returned the Schismaticall vpon that Church Yea vpon the Colledge of the Apostles themselues for requiring the beliefe of some doctrine which those Heretiques belieued not and which in their deluded conscience was errour For could not euery Nicholait say as much You require of me to professe against my conscience that I belieue some error which I belieue not otherwise you allow me not your communion you for requiring this are Schismaticall not I for separating from you rather then to condescend to this your condition Nor truly do I see why a priuate subiect might not aswell stand out against the King and Parlament refusing to subscribe or obey some decree or order establish't by full consent and authority of both Houses pleading in defence of such his recusancy that the order or decree is an errour in the State and alleadging perhap's to that purpose some old Charter or record misapplyed by his owne priuate interpretation disagreeing from the common intendment and declaration of the Lawyer 's and Iudges of
is no body else that can or will do it c. Prom. When Martin Luther ran out of his Monastery and ran into a Nunry made a strumpet of a Nun and forthwith turned rebell vnder the colour of reforming abuses in the Roman Church there was not indeed another to be found so very a miscreant who could and would do the like worke of vnchristian Charity although the breach now made he was seconded by others true and most effectiuely by that burn't Sacrifice of Geneua who for his merit might haue been an holocaust Hem Correctores Behold the Reformers of the Roman Church with the true mark 's and brand's of their extraordinary Mission Habeat iam Roma pudarem blush Catholique Rome for your abuses laid open to the world by these innoceÌ„t Hieremies these extraordinary Committies or Missioners For in extraordinary cases extraordinary courses are not to be disallowed Remot If some Christian Layman should come into a Country of Infidels and had ability to perswade them to Christianity who would say be might not vse it for want of commission Prom. No man would say it that I know and as you M. Aduocate put the case you speake Law for in this exigent interpretatiue Commission from the Church to any Layman your self for example hath place for the Church giues leaue to any man to persuade Christianity especially in such circumstances of necessity yea and to make Christians too by baptizing But now the application What aduantage hath your plea from this Who can interpret that any man hath a Commission from the Church to preach against the same Church This can be no ordinary commission as I haue proued nor extraordinary of any effect or authority vntill it be manifested by extraordinary testimony which can be no other but true miracles VIII Motiue Because Luther to preach against the Masse which containes the most materiall points now in controuersy was perswaded by reasons suggested to him by the Diuell himselfe disputing with him so himselfe professeth in his Booke de Missâ priuata that all men might take heed of sollowing him who professeth himselfe to follow the Diuell VIII Remotiue â—â—thers conference with the Diuell might be for ought I know nothing but a melanchely dreame c. VIII Promotiue An qui amant ipsisibi somma fingunt Surely t' is you who dreame that Luther dreamed because you would haue it so otherwise you cannot choose but know by him that he dreamed not if you will belieue him who sutely knew whether he were waking or sleeping when the Diuell cour'st him otherwise you make the Diuell a very dull and Phlegmatique courser I haue seen much coursing in my dayes but neuer knew any man who slept while he was cours't yet I cannot but admire your iudgment and discretion that you rather belieue Luther in what he teacheth against the Church then what he testifieth of his owne certaine knowledge but this was properly and prouidently added by you for ought I know for I thinke you were not present at the disputation no you were then but an Embrie of Protestantisme no nor so much but only existeÌ„t in virtute causarum so for ought you know it was nothing but a melancholy dreame Yea and perhaps for ought you know he wal'kt too in his sleepe when as he confesseth of himselfe he oftentymes walk't with the Diuell in his bed-chamber that some of his Diuels with whome he conuersed so familiarly were braue Diuels Doctours of diuinity Doctours of the Chaire among the Diuels this he dream'd too Now I verily suspect these were the disputant Diuels who disputed him out of the Masse and being such great Doctors of Diuinity sure they would scorn to take hold of such an aduantage to dispute with him while he slep't For they no doubt intended a victory which had beene none if he had beene a sleepe while they disputed therefore I verily thinke he was broad-waking as he himselfe teaches But did he indeed trow you M. Aduocate eat so much salt with the Diuell as he saith he did It little appear's by this or did he but dreame he eat salt too For surely he was a very freshman in diuinity who would be driuen out of his saith by a dreame or because he could not defend it againnst the Diuell waking he sleeping But since you reserue so many euasions to escape this Diuellish disputation with Luther as not denying that he had such a Conference euen waking with the waking Diuell but that it might be otherwise then againe for ought you know we will presse you no further with this yet when you made this Conference of Luther with the Diuell your Motiue not to belieue Luthers doctrine authorized or suggested by the Diuell you then knew no more then now you know that is for ought you knew it might be but a melancholy dreame so this part of your Motiue stand's in the same force which then it had Remot But if it were reall the Diuell might persuade Luther from the masse hoping by doing so to keep him constant to it Prom. Certainly you haue taught the Diuell a lesson of Policy for which he will thinke himselfe obliged to teach you many In the mean tyme this is a very transcendent answere and applyable to many a solid blasphemy If the Diuell had persuaded Luther to preach against the Blessed Trinity as whosoeuer preacheth or teacheth against it may be presumed I thinke to do it by his perswasion and somewhat to this purpose I haue heard whisper'd of a certaine Socinian who stickles for Protestancy why might not a Socinian or Antitrinitarian answere to this likewise that the Diuell perswaded him this to keepe him more constant to the beliefe of the Trinity So likewise if Arius were said to haue beene perswaded by the Diuels arguments to preach or write against the Equality or Consubstantiality of the Sonne of God with God the Father why might not the Arian to whom this should be obiected answere the Diuell did it to keepe him more constant to the beliefe of Consubstantiality Syr I am sory you are become so priuate and inward with the Diuell that you can diue into his intentions and acquaint your selfe with them better then he who had eat so much salt with him who had his company at bed and board as daily and as nightly as his owne reueyled Catharine But do you not see what a gappe you lay open to a most outragious blasphemy when you teach Heretiques to make the Diuell a Gateghist and an Apostle of Christian doctrine and what he doth himselfe he might do by others his instruments So then the of-spring and posterity of those Heretiques who denyed that the sonne of God suffered death vpon the crosse might be said to haue beene perswaded by the Diuell to preach that deniall to the end to keep them closer to the beliefe of Christs Passion Now I see you so wholy taken vp in your extraordinary missions and extraordinary Courses
Scriptures Fathers or whosoeuer quoted and cited as theirs which are not to be found in them Of which kind of falsifications our Catholique Writers from the beginning of Protestancy haue discouered almost innumerable and those vnanswerable and vnexcusable whereof your self Syr when you were intra mures at least in inclination or shew or I know not how were a part of testimony and an eye-witnes or else you verified my Verse And euen concerning this very Writer whose sword and buckler you are now there are who remember your obseruation when you said malum omen hauing met with a manifest falsification in the very beginning of his answere to Charity-Mistaken though now you are become Recantatis amicus Opprâ—brijs since he is in your bookes and your commodity in his Cellar's Vincunt benefacta feras Verily such false and fraudulent dealing in a bufines of this religious consequence and therefore to be treated with all reuerence and religiosity ought to be a strong Motiue to lead any prudent and indifferent man into iealousy and suspicion of such a cause and the maintainers of it that neither the cause is the cause of Truth which needes the patronage and defence of lyes nor the maintainers men of a consciencious spirit who can take vpon them the impudence to be the publique Authors of such Therefore the Catholique Writers haue taken paynes to manifest these falsities not in grosse as you do heere but by retaile particularly and namely as hic nuâ—â— here they falsify in this sentence in this very authority misalleaged where no probable mistake can be their apology which if you could do as they giue you example you would haue done it you who haue made calumnies of sober Verities sophismes of plaine and euident deductions you would not haue omitted to lay hold vpon some of those so many falsifications to haue made your Aduersary as odious and faithles as you could wish But you haue found none you can obiect none particularly and namely no not one You know you cannot do it and euen here you falsify your owne testimony I demonstrate you cannot do it because you do it not which in you who attempt to do more then you can to all aduantage of your cause and disparagement of your Aduersary is indeed an euident demonstration as many falsications c. as leaues and nor shew one O ridiculous Hyperbole and most negligent Calumny we see those leaues we see your most prying perusall of them nor blame I that but you who haue the ey 's of an Eagle or Aesculapian snake by which you see the least mote in your Aduersaries eye could so great a beame haue escaped your notice or discouery And for the number of Calumnies which you obiect and those ioyntly with falsifications and this purposely because you can easily by your willfull mistaking and misinterpreting your aduersaries words make vp some number of Calumnies where there are truly none so that if pretended falsifications stand but as Cypher's yet they will serue to double or treble the number of both yet I dare auouch let any man compare this your Aduersaries little Pamphlet with your great Pamphlet his falsifications and calumnies will stand like Cypher's with yours to make yours numberlesse Yet howsoeuer you haue not purged your prime Controuersy-Writers whom in your Motiue you consure as notoriously guilty of falsifications and calumnies no this aspersion stick 's fast vpon them still nor will it be wip't of by casting the like vpon others Clodius accusat Maches Catilina Cetheges Yet neither those Machi nor Cethegi are therefore guiltlesse because Clodius or Catiliue are guilty of the same crimes and this were the accusation or crime by you obiected against protestant-Writers by you the same truly recriminated in Catholique Authors And all men know by experience that euen in false crimes it is much more easy to sprinkle any man's reputation with discredit then to wipe it out againe X. Motiue Because by denying all humane authority either of Pope or Councels or Church to determine controuersies of sayth they haue abolished all possible meanes of suppressing Heresies or restoring Vnity to the Church X. Remotiue Lot all men belieue the Scripture and that only and endeauour to beâ—â—eue is in the true sense and require no more of others and they shall find this not only a better but the only meanes to suppresse Heresy and restore Vnity c. X. Promotiue Ti 's easy to perceaue that you haue tasted hony with Ionâ—thaâ— since your returne from Troy your eyes are now so open illuminate when you haue eaten more fully you will do meruailes Nor is this a petty meruaile that you haue recouered what was abolish't and haue reduced not only to possibility but to existence and actuality the meanes of suppressing Heresies c. without either Pope or Church or Councelâ— which before you had tasted hony seemed impossible to your vnderstanding The secret forces and vertues of nature say the Alchymist naturall Magician are discouered by vexation of Nature After much vexation and toyling of your brayn and body by your so many turn's and return's to and from Religion you haue found at length the Ariadne's threed of a most manifest direction Which threed of direction so often offered to your hand 's spun out of the bowell's of all Aduersaries of the Catholique Church as ordinary as cobwebb's I wonder much how you saw it no sooner It is euident you haue tasted hony For what more ordinary Rendeuous of all Heretiques then Prouocation from the Church to Scripture But no we are deceaued for in this way of discourse wherein you reiect all ordinary meanes of suppressing Heresies you take a shorter course to abolish Heresy it selfe yea to exterminate the very name and essence of it è rerum naturâ out of the world nay out of the vnderstanding of man that there shall not remaine the very notion or definition of it which is a more vniuersall and totall abolition and suppression then if the whole world were regested and reconfounded into the first Chaos or nothing of it For how can there be or euer haue beene any such thing as Heresy in coherence with this discourse For was there euer Heretique who could not pretend his endeauour to vnderstand the Scripture in the true sense yea and sufficient endeauour excluding the authority of the Church Councels c. by employing all the forces of his natural wit personall abilities who can say he employed not his endeauour by all these Then this endeauour only supposed though he belieued the Scriptures in a false sense and vpon that false sense grounded false doctrine euen repugnant to Christian faith yet he was no Heretique by you nay they did him wrong who would molest him any further or require any other beliefe at his hands Who can say now that Arius was an Heretique or Eutyches an Heretique or Manichaus an Heretique Who can say that any of those anciently