The certainty of Christianity without popery, or, Whether the Catholick-Protestant or the papist have the surer faith being an answer to one of the oft canted questions and challenges of the papists, sent to one who desired this : published to direct the unskilful, how to defend their faith against papists and infidels, but especially against the temptations of the Devil, that by saving their faith, they may save their holiness, their comfort and their souls / by Richard Baxter. Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691. 1672 Approx. 137 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 61 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2004-08 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A26887 Wing B1213 ESTC R5291 11892559 ocm 11892559 50455 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. 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Revelation. 2004-03 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-03 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-04 Olivia Bottum Sampled and proofread 2004-04 Olivia Bottum Text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-07 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion THE CERTAINTY OF CHRISTIANITY Without POPERY : OR , Whether the Catholick-Protestant , or the Papist have the Surer Faith. Being an Answer to one of the oft canted Questions and Challenges of the Papists , sent to one who desired this . Published to direct the unskilful , how to defend their faith against Papists and Infidels , but especially against the Temptations of the Devil ; that by saving their Faith , they may save their Holiness , their Comfort and their Souls . By Richard Baxter . 2 Cor. 4. 1 , 2. Seing we have this Ministry , as we have received mercy we faint not : But have renounced the Hidden things of dishonesty , not walking in craftiness , nor handling the word of God deceitfully , But by manifestation of the truth , commending our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God. LONDON , Printed for Nevil Simons at the Sign of the Princes Arms in St. Pauls Church-Yard . 1672. TO THE Protestant Reader . IT is for your Reading , and not for the Papists chiefly that I publish this short and hasty writing . For I may probably prognosticate of them , 1. That the lay men will not , must not read it ; 2. That the Priests , will not read it with any impartiality , as Lovers of Truth ; 3. That what they cannot answer they will silently dissemble , or if any meddle with it , they will either take some scrap and leave the rest ; or they will spend paper in cavilling at my 40. Reasons against them , because , lest I be tedious , I have not improved them by Syllogistical form and full confirmation , and they will put off the full answers already given them in the former Books to which I refer them , without a Reply : And they will pass by the strength of what they meddle with . 4. And when I am dead , they will patch up some confident answer to some of my Books ( as vain as Mr. Iohnson , alias Terret , hath done to one , ) and will borrow some lies , from the writings of some against me that are of the same spirit with them , wherewith to reproach my Name , which shall be instead of an answer to my Books . The Answer to their present Question I have already fullier given them , 1. In my Reasons of the Christian Religion ; 2. And in my More Reasons , 3. In my Life of Faith , Part 2. 4. In my Safe Religion throughout , especially Disp. 3. 5. In my Key for Catholicks . 6. In my Preface to the 2. Part of the Saints Rest. And none of them that I know of are answered ; But they cant over and over the same thing , and tempt or necessitate us thereby to write over and over the same thing , to the wearying of the Readers , while they silently dissemble all . But the end of this writing is , to tell young unstudied persons , on what terms , and in what order they must deal with this great Question , and defend the foundations of their faith , against Infidels , Papists , and the Devil himself , who will here assault us with greater craft and force , than Papists or Infidels can do . Reader , study it well , till thy soul is clear and well confirmed ; For the Keeping or Losing of this Fort , is the Keeping or Losing of thy Religion , thy Comfort , and thy soul. This following Paper was sent me from an unknown person in a Letter , which had these words . SIR , THe business of this Paper is to beg a favour of you , of a publick nature — an Answer to the inclosed Paper , which was sent me from a friend of mine who is a Papist , with an earnest desire that I would procure it to be answered . The resolution of which would be of use to us both in the things in Controversie between us — I cannot but wonder at the confidence of this deluded people , who though they are so often again and again Learnedly and Religiously writ against , yet they can with as great confidence and boasting challenge and dare the Ministers of Truth to encounter and answer them , in such kind of Papers , as if their tenets had never been refuted at all : And though I have referred my friend to your Books , that will not satisfie ; but he doth as it were Goliah-like bid defiance to our Ministers , telling me that if any be so hardy , let them answer his Papers . The Paper followeth . ALL who call themselves Christians are agreed in this principle . That every Revelation of God , or whatsoever God says is most certainly true in the sense wherein he intends it . And this is a matter of right on Gods part , to have this granted . But all Christians do not agree ; and it is the sole point wherein Christians differ : Whether God hath Revealed or said what is proposed to us as his Revelation : Or as the sense intended by him by that which they all agree to be his Revelation . And this is purely matter of Fact , ( viz. ) 1. Whether several Books affirmed and proposed to us as the Revelations of God be truly so . For Instance , the Old Testament affirmed by some to be , and proposed as the Revelations of God , are denied by the Valentinians and the Manichees . The Gospels of St. Mark , St. Luke , St. Iohn , and all St. Pauls Epistles , proposed by some Christians as the Revelations of God , are denied by others , namely by the Ebionites . So likewise several parties agreeing several Books to be Scripture and the Revelation of God , do notwithstanding differ touching the Copies , and touching the Translations ; Some affirming one Copie to be true , and one Translation to be true , whilst others expresly say , that Copy is false , and that Translation false . And Lastly , several parties agreeing the Books to be Scripture , the Copies true , and the Translations true , and to be the Revelation of God , do nevertheless differ touching the sense , each party delivering a particular sense of such a Text , and proposing such sense , as the sense , and the only sense Revealed by God , to be intended by God by that Text , and each proposed sense being contrary to the other . It is clear in any difference arising touching matter of Fact , there can only be one party which can have the true Faith touching that matter , for it is impossible one thing can be a Revelation of God and no Revelation of God : That one Copy , or one Translation , or one Sense can be true and not true . It is now enquired whether Christ hath setled any principle or medium in the world : And what principle or medium it is which Christ hath setled in the world , for the determining of matters of Fact of this nature . By which Unity in Faith may be conserved , and Christians may with certainty know what is a true Revelation of God , which a true Copy of such true Revelation , which a true Translation of such true Copy , and what the true sense thereof , that Christians may not be carried about with every wind of Doctrine . The solution of this is desired to be by fixed and solid principles , and not by tedious discourses ; for the Nature of the thing requires that there be a firm Principle setled among Men , for the final determining of matters of Fact. THE CONTENTS . THe Papists Question to which an Answer was challenged . CHAP. I. Of the Quality of this Question and Challenge . p. 1. CHAP. II. The Explication of some Terms in it . A Scheme of Divine Revelations . What matter of Fact is ? Of several senses and sorts of Certainty : of Principles : Media : Determinations : Unity of Faith. p. 5. CHAP. III. The briefest and summary Answer to the Confused Question . p. 13. CHAP. IV. The many Questions confounded in his one . Quest. 1. What are the Revelations of God in controversie . p. 22. CHAP. V. Quest. II. Whether the Papists grant all Divine Revelations to be true . p. 25. CHAP. VI. Quest. III. What Certainty we have what is a real Revelation of God ? Where the Nature and Conditions of Objective and Subjective , Sensible and Intelligible Certainty are opened ? p. 30. CHAP. VII . Quest. IV. What Certainty have we of the Copies . p. 43. CHAP. VIII . Quest. V. What Certainty have we of the Canonical Book . p. 45. CHAP. IX . Quest. VI. What Certainty have we of the truth of Translations p. 48. CHAP. X. Quest. VII . What Certainty have we of the true sense of the Text. p. 51. CHAP. XI . Quest. VIII . What Vnity of Faith may be expected to be conserved , by these Certainties . p. 54. CHAP. XII . Quest. IX . What Determination is necessary to this Certainty and Vnity . p. 57. CHAP. XIII . What the Papists ascertaining Medium or Determination is , and why we cannot trust our souls on it : Where are fourty Reasons briefly named , for the use of them that seek for Truth , proving not only the utter uncertainty , but the notorious falshood of this Determination which is cried up as the only proof of Certain faith . ( But I doubt not but many Papists that fear God indeed , do practically build their faith on better ground , however this be cried up by Disputers ) . p. 60. ERRATA . Page 23. line 21. read bulk . p. 47. l. 7. r. did . but. p. 64. l. 16. r. by Clemens . p. 98. l. 18. r. Superiour . p. 107. l. 2. r. Certainty . p. 109. l. 9. r. be ) is . CHAP. I. Of the Quality of this Question . SIR , § . 1. YOU may see by this Paper , with the ordinary disputing of this sort of men , that it is not without cause that we have suspected the hand of the Papists in many of the defences of the Infidel cause , and questionings of the foundations of the Christian faith , which this age is troubled with . They have so long plaid the Infidels in jeast , till they have made such a swarm of serious Infidels , as will prove neither the honour nor comfort of such seducers in the end . I know that this Paper it self hath a more modest aspect , but the tendencie of it is the same as of the rest . But I hope God will turn all their endeavours to our advantage , and teach Christians bet-better to consider the foundations of their faith ; that they may not only be able to defend it against an Infidel or Papist ; but , which is of more universal and frequent necessity , to defend it against the inward suggestions of Satan , the enemy of Christ and us . § . 2. Therefore I think it most profitable to answer this Question in such a manner as shall tend not only to silence the Caviller , but as may best satisfie such as doubt , and stablish men about the cause it self ; and therefore to be larger , than this Imposer desireth , that I may be plain . § . 3. The fraud which this Quaerist is guilty of is manifold , and manifest to any discerning Reader . 1. In the choice of his subject : For he knoweth ( for it 's easily known , ) that it hath not pleased God to make the mysteries of our faith so evident , as things sensible are ; and that the difficulties which are in and about the Christian cause , are such , as give advantage to carnal unbelievers , to find many words to say against it ; and that maketh it the hardest work of Preachers , to convince unbelievers : or else the Gospel had been received by more than the sixth part of the world , before this day . Now these juglers would lay all the difficulties which are in the Christian cause as such , upon the Reformers cause alone , as if all this were nothing to them , but the cause of Popery were wholly free from them ; or at least , they could answer such questions better than we can do . And so when such a fellow as Hobbs , or Benedictus Spinosa in his Tractatus Theologico-politicus , shall stretch their wits to disgrace the Scripture and the Christian cause , all this shall seem only to fall upon the Protestants ; whereas if we could not better defend Christianity than the present principles of Popery enable them to do , we must confess that the Infidel were far hardlier answered than any Sectary that we have to deal with . § . 4. 2. And his next fraud lieth in casting all the positive defence and proof on us , that he may have nothing to do but assault Religion , and manage the Infidels objections against us . He offereth not to tell you himself , what their uniting certainty of Divine Revelations is , and to make it good , but to put you upon the proving task . § . 5. 3. And his fraud is evident in the multitude of Questions which he thrusteth together into one ; which any man of wit knoweth cannot have one answer ; but must have many as the Questions are many . § . 6. 4. And yet he will oblige the Answerer to avoid [ tedious discourses ] that so if his many questions have not one short answer , he may have the evading pretence , that It is a tedious discourse . § . 7. 5. And there is evident fraud in his ambiguous terms ; As his opposing matter of fact only to matter of right , and so making many heterogeneals to fall under matter of fact ; His confused and unexplained use of the terms [ Principle , Medium , determinining , Certainty , Vnity in faith , &c. ] § . 8. 6. Lastly , There is much fraud in his many insinuated suppositions ; As , 1. That the Truth of this proposition that Whatsoever God saith is true , &c. is a matter of meer right , as distinct from the rest mentioned as matters of fact : 2. That the sense of the words is a matter of fact as the truth of them is not . 3. That Papists agree with us that every Revelation of God is most certainly true . 4. That the Ebionites , Valentinians , &c. who questioned the Scripture books were Christians ; 5. That these matters have here a final determination . 6. That this is necessary to Certainty and Unity in the faith . By all which it appeareth that this Question is intended , or used at least , as a Soul-trap , and a Fool-trap . CHAP. II. The Explication of some Terms . § . 1. THat he may be satisfactorily answered , these Terms must be necessarily explained , and distinguished of , 1. Revelation , 2. Matter of fact , 3. Certainty , 4. Principle , 5. Medium , 6. Determining , 7. Unity in faith . § . 2. I. Either he taketh Revelation generally , as containing natural and supernatural Revelation , 2. Or specially for supernatural Revelation only : Because he distinguisheth not , we must suppose him to take it Generally : But you will understand the mater the better if I distinguish of Revelation . Revelation is either I. Objective , or the bare proposal of the Object . II. Effective Illumination of the mind : The first only is here spoken of . In Objective Revelation we have to consider , I. The Efficient cause , viz. 1. Principall which is God. 1 , As the Author or first Cause of Nature , 2. As the Cause of Gratious extraordinary Light. II. Subservient . I. Persons . 1. Christ as man ; the Teacher of the Church and Messenger of God. 2. His Ministers . 1. Angels . 2. Men. 1. Publick . 1. Parents Oeconomical . 2. Ecclesiastical . 1. Inspired . 2. Instructed . 3. Magistrates . 2. Private : Neighbours and Friends . II. Things : Considered I. Singly . 1. In the matter , and so they are 1. Signs Natural , viz. All Gods works . 2. Signs Artificial , viz. Writings , &c. 3. Signs Mixt , viz. Vocal Words . 2. In the manner of causing them 1. Naturally , as the works and Law of Nature . 2. Supernaturally , and extraordinarily . II. Conjunct and duly ordered ; as they make up just evidence . Viz. 1. Things in their notifying conditions . 2. Words ; 1. Simple Terms , 2. Propositions , 3. Discourses II. The Matter of Divine Revelations signified ( for the Matter signifying is before spoken of ) is , I. Beings substantial 1. Created , 2. The Creator . II. The Modes or Accidents of Beings substantial , which are , 1. Physical and Hyperphysical . 2. Moral : Especially , 1. Truth , 2. Right or Dueness , 3. Goodness . And reductively and by accident , All their contraries . III. The form of Revelation , is Evidence , or the Notifying Aptitude which includeth , 1. The Sense or Meaning as True : 2. As Perceptible . IV. The Terminus and Ends of Revelation ( to joyn them for brevity ) are , 1. The sense and its Perception , 1. External , 2. Internal ; the Imagination . 2. The higher faculties 1. The Intellect and its perception . 2. The Will and its Complacencie or Displicence . All this goeth to make up Divine Revelation . And do you think we can give you one only Medium of it in a word ? § . 3. II. Matter of fact , is a phrase sometime used so largely as to signifie the Reality of any Being , that is existent as such . But ordinarily it signifieth something practised or done as such : If he here take it in the first sense , then the verity of this proposition [ Whatsoever God saith is True ] is as much matter of fact as the sence of that Proposition . But if he mean the later , neither of them is matter of fact . And yet he saith that the said Proposition is matter of Right ; As if the Truth of a Proposition , and Gods Right to be believed , were formally the same . And yet he saith that the sense is matter of fact . § . 4. III. The word Certainty is very ambiguous : Lest he complain of needless distinction , I will only remember you , 1. That as Certainty is Objective and Subjective , so it is the Objective Certainty that we have here to enquire of : But so as it is the means of Subjective Certainty . But withal to remember that to Subjective Certainty ( that we our selves may be sure ) there is need of much more than Objective Certainty , viz. that the soul and faculties be , 1. Rightly disposed : 2. And duly excited and applied , &c. 2. Of Objective Certainty you must note , that the word is sometimes taken for meer Verity and Reallity ; And so the word [ Infallible ] is used , for that which verily is , and whosoever apprehendeth it so to be , is not deceived . And so all Truth is Certain and Infallible Truth . But usually besides Truth , the word Certainty , ( and infallibility , ) denoteth the evidence of that Truth , by which it is ( not alwaies actually , but ) aptitudinally notified to us . This evidence is either sensible , or Intelligible , as the sense or the intellect is to be the perceiver of it . Where you must distinguish the Physical Evidence of the Thing or Incomplex Object , from the Logical Evidence of Complex Objects . And here between the Evidence of self-evident Principles , and of Conclusions whose Evidence is derivative . But especially you must note wherein it is that certainty of Intelligible evidence formally consisteth ; which is in a certain degree of evidence : And 1. It is not every low degree : For though all Truth be equally Truth , and infallible , so that no man is deceived that receiveth it : yet we use not to call that Certainty of evidence which is apt only to give them some dark probability , and leave the mind in hesitant doubtfulness . 2. And yet it is not only that degree of evidence ( which must help us to a perfect apprehension , which is to be called Certainty : For then no man should be certain in this world . For no man hath such a degree of apprehension , but more may be added to the clearness of it . 3. Therefore certainty must be denominated from a middle degree ; which is , when the evidence is not only True ( for the confidentest apprehension of a falshood is no certainty , ) but also so Clear as is apt to give a satisfying , quieting , resolving apprehension to the mind , yea though it should be sometimes molested with some doubts . 4. And therefore seeing such or none is our certainty here , it followeth that Certainty hath divers degrees , as the satisfaction of the mind is more or less : And that we are not equally certain of all that we are certain of . You will find necessary use of these distinctions about this controversie . § . 5. IV. And what he meaneth by [ Principle ] I know not . 1. There is a Physical or Hyperphysical Principle of Being , and there is a natural principle of notification , and there is a Logical principle of notification . 1. Our intellective faculties are the natural apprehending principle . 2. The spirit of God is the supream moving principle of Influx . 3. The intrinsick and adherent evidence of the thing in it self , is the natural notifying principle : which is as various as things are . 4. The Premises as inferring the conclusion are the Logical Principles of derivative certainty . § . 6. V. And I scarce know what he meaneth by [ Medium ] he seemeth to take it for the same with [ Principle ] . There are media essendi which I suppose he meaneth not ( means to make us Articles of faith , or to make them True ) ; but rather the media cognoscendi : But these are necessarily more than one . 1. There are the media by which we hear the word and receive the Bible as it is . 2. There are the media by which we come to understand — the sense of the words . 3. There are the media by which we know the difference between the several parts of the Book , the more certain and the more doubtful , and the different copies and readings , and the different translations . 4. There are the media by which we know that these Doctrines and these Books are the same which were delivered to the Churches by the Apostles , &c. 5. There are the media by which we know that Miracles were wrought by Christ and his Apostles and other Christians in confirmation of the Gospel . 6. And there are the media by which we know that this Gospel and these Books are true . And all these are not to be confounded , by the simple pretence of calling for a fixed medium or principle . § . 7. VI. [ Determining ] signifieth either the private decision or determining of doubts in the minds of particular persons ; or else the publick decision of doubts as they are managed in the Church , by a publick Judge . And this either as binding mens Consciences or Minds what to believe , or only as ruling their tongues , and actions , in teaching and conversation . § . 8. VII . By [ Vnity in faith ] is meant either unity in a general faith ( which they call Implicite , ) or in a particular ( explicite ) faith : And that is either a unity in all the essentials of Christianity , or also in all the Integrals , or also in all the accidentals which are revealed by God. And it is either a secret unity of minds , or a publick unity for communion that is meant . If he think any of these distinctions needless , let him prove it and then cast them by . I am sure confusion is fit to deceive , but not to edifie . CHAP. III. The rude and summary answer to the confused Question . § . 1. LEst the Querist should pretend that by distinguishing I avoid a plain and direct answer to his Question , I will here first suppose him to be as rude and confused as his Question would imply , and give him such an answer as it will bear . But so as that it cannot be satisfactory to a distinguishing understanding , for whom therefore I shall afterward answer more distinctly . § . 2. I cannot answer with common sense in a narrower compass than by distinguishing these Questions : 1. How know I the words and Bible ? 2. How know I that this Doctrine and Book is the same , which was delivered by the Apostles to the Churches ? 3. How know I the meaning of the words ? 4. How know I that this Doctrine and these words are of God , ( or a Divine Revelation ) ? 5. How know I that they are true ? § . 3. I. To the first Question I answer , that I know that I hear and read the words , and that this Bible containeth in it all its visible contents , by my sense ( my sight and hearing ) and my intellective perception of things sensible . And though this be a principle in which the Papists agree not with us , I am never the more in doubt , whether I see and hear the words . § . 4. II. To the second , I know that this Doctrine and Book is the same which by the Apostles were delivered to the Churches , by Infallible History ; not such as dependeth on the honesty of the speakers only , and so begetteth but a humane faith ; much less such as depends on the bare Authority of the King of Rome and his narrow selfish sect or party and Kingdom ; but by such History as hath a certainty in it from natural principles , by which we prove it impossible that there should be deceit ; there being so full a concurrence of all sorts of Christians , and enemies also , and infallible circumstantial evidence . Even as I know that there was such a man at Rome as Gregory 1. and Gregory 7. and such persons in England , as Henry 8. King Edward 6. Queen Mary . Queen Elizabeth , &c. And as I know that our Statute Books are not counterfeit : And as your Doctors know that the Acts and Decrees of Councils , the Works of Bellarmine , Baronius , &c. are not counterfeit : which is not because the Pope or a General Council saith so , but by rational evidence of certain History , which leaveth not mens minds in doubt . § . 5. But I am not equally certain of some questioned Books , or Readings , ( no nor of the sense of some difficult words ) as I am of all the rest , which being more evident are more past controversie . § . 6. III. I know the meaning of the words ( spoken or written ) as you know the meaning of a man that talketh with you , or of any other writings ; as of your Councils , Decretals , Mass-book , Bellarmine , &c. that is , by the significance of such words by humane usage from those daies till now , which Lexicons , Books , and successive practice fully prove . § . 7. But there are plain passages in Scripture which I understand certainly , ( not because the Pope saith This is the meaning : ) Such are all the essentials of Christianity and abundance more . And there are difficult passages which I am not certain of the sense of . § . 8. IV. I know that this Doctrine and the Bible containing it as such , are of God , ( or are his word , ) by the spirit attesting and fealing it ; not in the fanatick sense , as they think they have an inward impulse perswading them that so it is ; ( as some Papists think the Pope and Councils know that to be of God which they decree , by Prophetical Inspiration : ) But , 1. As to the Gospel , the spirit attested it by antecedent Prophesie . 2. The image of Gods Power , Wisdom and Goodness imprinted on the Scripture , is its essential constitutive evidence , being unimitable by meer man , and that which is its intrinsick self evidencing light : so that a spiritual well disposed soul , may from a sensibleness , tast that it is Gods word ; if a Bible had come to them by chance and they had never heard of it before . I say that they may do so , if you can suppose them spiritually disposed before : But if not , yet they may strongly suspect that it is Gods word , when they read that it affirmeth it self to be so , and that the image of God upon it is so clear . 3. But the Concomitant Evidence of the spirit maketh up the proof ; in the miracles of Christs Life , Resurrection and ascension ; and in the miracles of Apostles and primitive Christians , abroad the world by which the Gospel was fully sealed , 4. And the effected subsequent evidence of the spirit compleateth all the evidence ; which is the spirit of holiness given by the means of this same word to all true serious Believers in the world in all ages and nations : which Holiness is the Image of God himself , and is such a gift as none but God can give , and as God would not give by a Doctrine , which he abhorreth as a lie . Therefore , 1. It witnesseth objectively as an evidence ; 2. And it witnesseth effectively , by inclining the heart to tast and close with and receive the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the innaturalized word ; as life and health cause a man to know suitable food , by a gust which proceedeth from a suitable nature ; so is it in the new nature and the sincere milk of the word . And indeed though the intellect be the proper apprehender of Truth as such suo modo , yet the will is quaedam natura , and hath a natural propensity to Good as Good , which is natural to it , and is the pondus motuum in the rational soul : And it is not an universal notion , or nothing under the name of good which it thus inclineth to ; but existent good , in some being that is , Vnum , Verum , Bonum , as Rada and other Scotists well prove . And therefore it hath necessary volitions ( as of its own felicity , &c. ) which yet are free , and not meerly per modum naturae , though natural as being ex sua natura . And this three or foursold witness or attestation of the spirit , ( sometime Antecedent , alwaies Constitutive , Concomitant , and subsequent ) though a holy soul that is suited to it , and hath the witness in it self may most fully and certainly discern , yet another also may discern ; The Miracles being Intelligible attestations to them , and the beauty of Wisdom and Holiness in the Scripture and in the Saints being refulgent and discernable by a stander by , though not as by a possessor . § . 9. But I have not an equal Certainty of all the parts of it , that they are the word of God , because , 1. All the Books , Texts and Readings are not brought to me with equal historical Evidence . 2. And there are abundance of passages in it which are but Accidental to the Christian Religion which have not the same self-evidencing luster in them as the Essentials have . And there is no Necessity of an equal knowledge of the parts . § . 10. The parts which I am fully Certain of in the Scripture are , 1. All the Essentials of the Christian Religion ; Because , 1. They are delivered in Scripture frequently , plainly , past all Controversie of which I will cite your testimonies anon . 2. Because they were as certainly delivered to all Christians and Churches in the whole world distinctly by themselves , ( twelve years before any of the New Testament was written , and above threescore and ten years before all of it was written , ) even in the Covenant of Baptism , renewed in the Lords Supper , and in the Creed , Lords Prayer and Decalogue , which are the exposition of the Covenants , professed by all Christians , in all Christian Churches at every sacred meeting . And these two waies of Tradition ( in Scripture and by themselves ) are fuller than one . 2. And all the rest of the holy Scriptures in which the full concord of Copies , and the plainness of the words doth leave no room for rational doubting . § . 11. V. I know that all this word is True , because God is True , ( verax , ) and it is impossible for him to lie . For whoever lieth , must want either Wisdom , to know what to say , or Goodness to Love Truth , or Power to make good his word , and attain his will by better means . But God is perfect in all these . Which you seem to grant us . § . 12. That all things necessary to Salvation have been delivered by the Apostles to the Churches two waies , as by two hands , viz. Distinctly by word of mouth , and in the Bible , is our Doctrine . That more than all in the Bible hath been delivered by word of mouth , and this as necessary to the Salvation of some men ( I know not whom , who have no more wit than to create necessity to themselves , ) is your Doctrine . But yet your famousest contentious Doctors confess that all things commonly necessary to Salvation are plainly expressed in the holy Scriptures . Concil . Basil , Orat. Ragus . Bin. pag. 299. [ The holy Scripture in the literal sense , soundly and well understood , is the Infallible , and most sufficient Rule of faith . ] Bellarm. de verbo Dei , lib. 4. c. 11. [ In the Christian Doctrine both of faith and manners , some things are simply necessary to the salvation of all , as the knowledge of the articles of the Apostles Creed , of the ten Commandments and of the Sacraments . The rest are not so necessary that a man cannot be saved without the explicite knowledge , belief and profession of them — These things which are simply necessary and profitable to all , the Apostles preached to all — All things are written by the Apostles which are necessary to all , and which they openly preached to all . ] Costerus in Enchirid. cap. 1. p. 49. [ We do not deny that those chief heads of faith which to all Christians are necessary to be known to Salvation , are plainly enough comprehended in the writings of the Apostles . ] § . 13. By the way , hence judge of the jugling of your praters , when they call to us for a Catalogue of Essentials , or Fundamentals , as if no such distinction were to be made . § . 14. But the ancient Fathers talkt at a higher rate ; even as Theophil . Alexandr . Epist. Paschal . 2. Cont. Orig. Biblioth . Patr. To. 3. pag. 96. [ Ignorans quod daemoniaci spiritus esset instinctus sophismata humanarum mentium sequi , & aliquid extra Scripturarum authoritatem putare divinum . i. e. not knowing that it is the instinct of a devilish spirit , to follow the sophisms of mens minds , and to think that any thing is Divine , without ( or besides ) the authority of the Scriptures . ] CHAP. IV. The distinct Questions all Implied or Confounded in his one . Quest 1. What are the Revelations in Controversie . § . 1. I Must now for the satisfaction of him if he be judicious , answer his Question more distinctly , and therefore divide it into all these Questions . Quest. 1. What are the Revelations of God , about which our Controversies lie . 2. Whether it be true that the Papists grant us that all Divine Revelations are true . 3. What Certainty have we what is a real Revelation of God. 4. What Certainty have we of the true Copies and Readings . 5. What Certainty of the Canonical or Divine books . 6. What Certainty of the Truth of Translations . 7. What Certainty have we of the true sense of the words . 8. What unity of faith may be expected to be consferred , by such certainties . 9. What Determination is necessary to this Certainty and Unity . And the Questions , what Principle , and what Medium is established , will be Answered in these . § . 2. Quest. I. What are the Revelations of God about which our Controversies lie ? Answ. To mention no more , than I needs must , there are three sorts of Revelation which we assert and rest in : 1. Of Natural Production and Evidence ; such as is the Light and Law of Nature , in the Nature of all things , especially of man himself , as revealing Gods will per modum signi . 2. Infallible , Oral and Historical , Traditition : And so , 1. All the Covenant of Grace in the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper , with the Catechistical explanation in the Creed , Lords-prayer and Decalogue , have been particularly delivered by themselves . 2. And so the Bible hath been delivered to us in the bulks . 3. Written Revelation , in the sacred Records of the Spirit , which is the holy Scriptures themselves . § . 3. Of the first , more anon . The second they grant us so far as to confess , 1. That the said Covenant and Catechistical Principles have had that way of delivery by themselves , as well as in the Scripture : But they tell of much more ( I know not what ) delivered the same way , than is in them , and the Scripture it self . 2. Yet ( as you see ) they confess that none of that addition is commonly necessary to Salvation . The third they grant us ( that all those books which we receive are the Certain word of God ) But , 1. They say that there are more ; 2. And that we must receive them as such , because the Pope and his Council , as the only Judges , say they are such . Of which more anon . CHAP. V. Quest. II. Whether it be true that the Papists grant us , that all Divine Revelations are true ? § . 1. Answ. YES , if you will first take their bare word what are Divine Revelations , 2. And will take in this word [ in the sense that God intends them ] 3. And will allow them to speak contradictions . For thus , 1. They can tell you when they have a mind , that Gods plainest Revelations , are none of his Revelations . 2. And that whatever Evidence of truth or sense there is in the signs revealing , God intendeth something contrary : 3. And that that is his revelation which is contrary to his Revelation . § . 2. For instance : The first fundamental Revelation of God to man , is unto our senses of things sensible , and thereby Intelligible to our understandings : Now we cannot get the Papists assent that these Divine Revelations are certainly true : yea , they say that daily they are certainly false . God made Sense : God made the Intellect : God made the Medium , and God made the object . In the Lords Supper all the sound senses of all men living Christians and Heathens , Papists and Protestants perceive Bread and Wine , by seeing , smelling , touching and tasting . Yet the Papists say , and their Priests swear that there is no Bread and Wine , and that God by another Revelation hath certified us that this Revelation to sense and the Intellect by sense is false : He that will not swear that there is no Bread shall be no Priest : He that will not renounce this Divine Revelation in Nature , and all his senses , and all mens senses , is a Heretick to be burnt and damned . All Temporal Lords that will suffer such as thus renounce not sense and sensible Revelation , are to be excommunicate , and deprived of their dominions , and their subjects absolved from their oaths of allegiance . All this is in the Council of Lateran sub Innoc. 3. Can. 1. 3. And the Trent Oath and Council . Is this now a Divine Revelation or not ? If not , then they that heard Christ speak and saw his Miracles , and saw him after his Resurrection , had none . For their senses might be all deceived if all mens now may . § . 3. And if God intendeth here the quite contrary to the Evidence , even of sensible natural signs , how can they ever prove that he doth not so in his word too , even in Hoc est corpus meum , and in every article of the faith , Certainty lieth in Evidence , and if all the declaring evidence may be false , because of the contrary intent , then who knoweth what is true ? or whether ever God said true to man ? § . 4. And here Revelations are pretended against Revelation , yea the superstruct against the fundamental , the consequent against the antecedent , the less certain against the more certain ; yea certain forgery fathered on God , against his Certain Natural Revelations . For , 1. We are men before we are Christians ; we have sense before we have faith . We can have no certainty of faith , but by means of the Certainty of sense : For we cannot tell that there is any man or book in the world , nor that ever we saw a letter or heard a word . What then shall we believe ? 2. And they have nothing but pretended Miracles against this Constant Evident Natural Revelation . For every Priest ( how sottish and wicked soever ) to turn Bread into no Bread and Wine into no Wine when he list : For all the Priests in the world these sixteen hundred years to do this every week , or each day that they celebrate their Mass , publickly or privately , must needs be an undeniable Miracle ( if true ) being as much beyond all natural power as raising Lazarus from death : And to make these miracles as universal , constant , and easie as Gods worship in the Assembly , is to turn Miracles into the familiarest of Gods dealings : And hath not all this need of good proof , to prove Gods natural Revelations to be as ordinarily and universally false ? 3. Yea , the Miracle is doubled , while the accidents remain : They deny them to be the Accidents of Christs body and blood . If they are Accidents then , it is either of Bread or of Nothing : An Accident of Bread which is no bread , the Quantity and Colour of bread which is no bread , or of wine which is no Wine , is a plain contradiction . If they be the Accidents of nothing ; the Quantity of nothing , the weight of nothing , the locality of nothing , the colour , tast , smell of nothing , all these are as plain contradictions . Then God must be said by his Omnipotence to cause Contradictories , and to work constant Miracles for that end , and all to prove his Natural Revelation false . § . 5. And what cogent Evidence bringeth them to all this ? Why , Hoc est corpus meum ; No more than Davids [ I am a worm and no man ] or Christs [ I am the vine and ye are the branches ] and Pauls [ that Rock was Christ ] , Though paul becometh Christs expositor , and three times in the three next verses , 1 Cor. ▪ 11. calleth it Bread after the Consecration ; And the old Fathers as often as Edmundus Albertinus hath shewed in folio . Yet because the foresaid Later an and Trent Council have in the later end of the world , new made this Article of the Papists faith , by their exposition of Christs words contrary to St. Paul , all Christs fore-revelation in nature must go for falshoods , and God daily worketh Miracles to deceive all the common senses of the world , when yet no word or Miracle can be believed , but on supposition of the certainty of senses . § . 6. This , his blind supposition called me to premise ; that you may see how far Papists and we are or are not agreed that all Gods Revelations are true ? and how impossible it is for them to know what is a Divine Revelation , or when Gods meaning is agreeable to his Revelations . These are things neer and plain and weighty . CHAP. VI. Quest. III. What Certainty we have what is a real Revelation of God ? § . 1. Answ. AS I have before partly distinguished of Certainty , I will now tell you as to some sorts , what it is that goeth to make up Certainty , and then how much and what of this we have . § . 2. I suppose you to remember that it is not subjective Certainty ( in our selves ) that we speak of , but Objective ; which may be at hand when men see it not . And that it is not meer Truth which we now speak of , but the Evidence of Truth , or its perceptibility , and that neither the lowest , nor only the highest degree , but any of the various degrees which truly satisfie quiet and resolve the soul. § . 3. And that Objective Infallibility or Certainty , is 1. Not only that which deceiveth no man which receiveth it ( for that 's the case of all truth ) 2. Nor yet that which no man can be deceived about ( for that is nothing at all , that I remember , unless it be me cogitare , vel sentire . ) 3. But it is that which , in all its right conditions , may give a man satisfactory , resolving certainty of mind . 4. To this is necessary , I. That the Thing have intrinsecally the requisites of an Object . II. That it have extrinsecally the necessary concomitant conditions . § . 4. I. To the Nature of a perceptible Object it is necessary ; 1. That it be something whose nature is within the reach of the perceiving faculty , and not out of its orbe ( as spirits are to sense ) . 2. That it have a perceptible degree , or Magnitude : For the Minima rerum are not perceptible to man. 3. That it be Hoc aliquid , a distinct being , or unum as its called . 4. That it have a special congruence to the special perceiving faculty : For Light must be seen and not heard , and so of the rest . In a word , that it be Ens , Vnum , Verum , Bonum , thus agreeably conditioned . And the contraries reductively , or rather the Propositions about them . § . 5. II. To the Accidents and Extrinsick Conditions which go to make up Evidence , it is necessary , 1. That the Object have a due Position or site . 2. That it have a due distance , neither too far off , nor too near ; 3. And a due Medium ( as the air is to the sight and hearing ) 4. And a due abode or stay ; For neither sense perceiveth motion perfectly swift , nor the Intellect things absolutely instantaneous , that have no Time of continuance . § . 6. Because Objective Certainty is Relative to Subjective , I must add what is necessary to that , I. On the part of sense , II. Of the Intellect . I. To true sensible perception it is necessary , 1. That the sensitive faculty of the soul intend the business : Else the Organs will be as a Lute not touched : as we see in hard Students , that hear not the Clock at hand . 2. It is necessary that the spirits which are actuated in sensation be present and sufficient for their part . 3. It is necessary that the Organs be in a competent soundness . 4. It is necessary that it be the proper Organ that is used which agreeth with the object ( not the eye to hearing , &c. ) 5. That the sense be not oppressed by Impediments . II. And further to Intellective perception , 1. Of things sensible ; It is necessary , 1. That the thing be truly perceived by the sense , 2. And truly Imagined , and therefore that the Imagination have a Competent soundness ; 3. That the soul be Attentive to to the matter , and not alienated : 4. That the internal sense , Imagination and Sensitive-memory be in a fit state of vicinity , conjunction or union for the Intellect to operate on and with them . 5. That the Intellect it self be in act , according to its formal Virtue . 2. But to the Intellection of our own Immanent Acts of Intellection and Volition , there is no more necessary but that such Acts be ; and then we can Intuitively perceive them . 3. And by easie collection , the Intellect without further help of sense can gather , that [ I that understand and will , am sure I have a Power so to do : For nothing doth that which it cannot do : And hereby I apprehend that there are Intellective Volitive Agents , and what they are ] . § . 7. It is here supposed , that God hath not a Voice to speak by as man hath ; but yet that he can cause a voice at his pleasure , either by the use of a creature , that naturally hath a voice , or by the motion of other creatures , a thousand waies , of which it is not needful for us to be acquainted . § . 8. When God revealeth his mind , not by voice , but by inward Inspiration , it carrieth its own notifying Evidence with it , which no man can formally conceive of , but he that hath it ; But this is the case of Prophetical persons only , and not of us . § . 9. In this Question , How to know that a Revelation is of God ? It is supposed that the Revelation it self , that is , the notifying sign , whether Voice , Writing , or other Act or thing , be known already , For we must first know that such a thing really is , before we can know whence it is . And this is afterward to be spoken of . § . 10. And here it is not enough to know that God is some way a Cause of that Act , Voice or Writing . For no doubt but he is a universal cause at least , of all the Real beings , and actions in the world : But we must be sure that he is the Determining Cause of this special and individual act or thing as such ; so as that he may properly be called The Author of it , and it be called His work . § . 11. And here ( Negatively ) 1. We have not sensible Evidence ascertaining us , that these words or signs are the word of God. Sense is not the perceiver of this , as it is of light , heat , motion , &c. § . 12. 2. Therefore neither doth the Intellect perceive it , by the sense , as it doth these sensed things forementioned . § . 13. 3. Nor is it the object of Immediate Intellective Intuition , or known as we know the acts of the soul it self , by Immediate perception , as that we Think , Know , Will , and Feel . § . 14. 4. Nor do we ( alwaies at least ) know it as we do self-evident Principles , which a man using Reason about them , cannot choose but understand . § . 15. 5. Nor are all the Parts of Divine Revelations , notified to us with equal Certainty , nor altogether by the same media ; nor are they all of equal necessity to be known to be Divine , and so to be believed . § . 16. But ( Affirmatively ) 1. We know these Revelations to be Divine , as we know the Truth of Conclusions , by Virtue of the Evidence of their Premises . 2. And this variously , as the Consequence is more or less evident and certain . § . 17. 1. Supposing that we are Certain that there is a God ; ( whether as a self-evident Principle , or as the Certainest of Conclusions ) and so that he is Perfect , and therefore True , we are certain , as of a most neer and Evident Conclusion , that all Gods Works are his Revelations to man ( which are within our reach ) : that is , That they are signs by which God Revealeth Himself and his Will to us : The Glass in which he must here be seen : The Divinity of this Natural Revelation is past doubt : But all the doubt is of the sense of it . § . 18. 2. There are Naturally Evident Verities in the Scriptures , which upon the first considerate hearing we may be sure are true : As that there is a God , that he is One , that he is Infinite , Perfect , most Powerful , Wise and Good , the Beginning , Governor and End of all things ; that he is our Owner , Actor , Ruler , Benefactor and End : That we ought to Love him , Please and Obey him , above all others , with all our hearts and Powers . The whole Body of the necessary Law of Nature is there conteined ; and so is known by a double Revelation . § . 19. 3. There are other points which are so greatly congruous to the common experience of mankind , as that they have also a Certainty in the thing from that experience ; As the common pravity of mans nature , and the great necessity that we have of Deliverance by Pardon and Sanctification ; the malice and endeavour of Devils or evil spirits to tempt us from God , and destroy us ; the need of Gods continual help against them and our selves , with such like . And these also we have a double Revelation of . § . 20. 4. The Principal part of the Supernatural Revelations , are so exceeding congruous to those which are of Natural and Experienced Certainty , and are so aptly adjoyned to them , and have so Divine a design and tendency apparent in them , as that they are the more easily believed . § . 21. 5. And the main frame of the book hath so much of the same spirit and design , and is adapted to the Communication of these principal parts ( that is , the Essentials of Christianity ) and thereto so compaginated , as that the Belief of the said Estials , maketh it the more easie to believe that the whole system of books is of God. § . 22. 6. But where we are uncertain of any thing whether it be really a part of that book or system ( as some questioned Books , some various Readings , some Texts whose sense is not understood ) we must needs be equally uncertain whether those be the word of God. § . 23. 7. But that Medium which ascertaineth us that these supernatural Revelations are indeed Divine ( I mean the proper Truths of Christianity ) must be something , which is Lower , or is Notius & prius cognitum , better known than Christianity , and known ( in order of Evidence ) before it . For all proof of conclusions must be from something first and better known . § . 24. 8. These things which are sooner and better known than the supernatural Revelation , can be nothing but Natural Revelations , by Gods works in the Nature of things compared , and our natural experience . For there is nothing else antecedent to be a medium of proof . The forementioned natural Verities , about God and Holiness carry their own Evidence with them , either as first principles or as certain conclusions ; And the Essentials of Christianity have a self-commending Goodness , which rendreth them sweet to a man that is already a true Believer , and desireable to all truly rational men , and the Congruencie rendreth it credible , supposing further proof . But that really the Incarnation , Deity , Life , Satisfaction , Resurrection , Ascension , Offices and Coming of Christ , are truth , with the Trinity of persons , and such other points , must be proved by some more notorious Medium , proving that they are Divine assertions ; which must be some Natural Verities . § . 25. 9. Therefore the Ascertianing Inference must be this , that If this be not a Divine Revelation , then some Certain Natural Verity must be denied ; ( which at last will amount to the denying of a God. ) § . 26. 10. Here the Matter of fact is supposed to be known by sight and other senses to the first Christians , and the first Churches , where Christ and his Apostles , and multitudes of other Christians wrought them . And to be known by Certain History to those that saw them not ; And the existence of the Persons , Words and Books is supposed known the same way . And on this supposition , we infer that [ These Impressions of Divine Power , Wisdom and Goodness , set upon this Doctrine : and all these Miracles by Christ , and multitudes of his servants wrought , in attestation of it , and all this sanctification of all true Believers by this word through the world , are either done by Gods will , or against his will. If they be done by his will , he is the Author of them and approver : And seeing it is evident that they are to the common capacity of mankind , so notorious a signification that God is the Author or approver of that word which be so evidently and wonderfully attesteth , if yet this word prove false , mankind is unavoidably deceived , and Governed in the greatest concernments and business of all his life by this deceit . For he hath no principle , no means left him to know that these are not Divine attestations , nor to disoblige him from judgeing them so to be . But if God shall thus necessitate mankind to a false belief and thereby Govern him , while in Nature he hath taught man to value Truth and hate Lying , he must do this either for want of Power to do otherwise , or for want of Wisdom to do otherwise , or for want of Will and Goodness to do otherwise . And if he wanted any of these he is not God. Or if he Govern not the world himself , but permit some Evil Spirit to do all this ; he is not God. For to be God is to be the Supream Governor , and to be every where , the nearest universal Agent . ] These consequences being plain , ( though there are vain Objections which I must not stay to answer ) we certainly infer : There is a God who is the perfect Governour of the world , and therefore is Gracious , True and Iust ; and therefore doth not rule even the best of men by unavoidable deceit and falshood : and therefore this word is True which he so notoriously owneth and attesteth as aforesaid . § . 27. And hence it is that we take our selves bound about the Sacrament to believe that all mens senses are not deceived ; because if they be , man hath no remedy : For God hath made our sense the perceiver of things sensible ; and if it be not a Certain perceiver , we have no Certainer nor other about those objects . And if the apprehensions of sense be uncertain , ( having all the natural requisites ) then all Gods Miracles by which he attested the word , ( as well as the word it self ) are so : And if it be not contrary to Gods perfection , Veracity and Justice , to deceive all mens senses in the Sacrament , we cannot prove it contrary to them to deceive them by Miracles . § . 28. As an unbeliever is not so well disposed to receive the Gospel as a holy person after is , and recipitur ad modum recipientis ; so usually a more wavering belief goeth before a fuller Certainty : And the holier and more experienced any man is , the more he is Certain of the truth of the Gospel , because he hath the witness in himself , in the Gust and Certain Effects of it : But yet there is that Evidence of Truth which Preachers may and must use to the Conviction of Infidels , to bring them to true belief . § . 29. The holy Scripture Containing all the Divine Revelations belonging to Religion , compleatly , Essentials , Integrals and Accidentals ; the parts of it are not of equal necessity to us . All that truly have the Essentials in Head and Heart and Life , shall be saved : yea though culpably they understand not other points as plainly revealed , and so believe them not to be Divine . For this is the Covenant of Grace : No wonder then if many less necessary parts are less evident . § . 30. We have a fuller Evidence that all these Miracles , Prophesies and subsequent operations of the Sanctifying Spirit , do attest the New Covenant , and Substance of the Gospel , than we have that they attested every book , ( e.g. the Chronicles , the Canticles , &c. ) or that they attested every phrase , method , yea or the truth of every word of the penmen , so as that none of them could through oversight or forgetfulness , misrecite a name , number or circumstance . Though we have here sufficient satisfaction , yet not so full a Certainty as we have of the Doctrine of the Gospel , which the Apostles converted the world by Preaching of , before the New Testament was written ; and which in the Sacramental Covenants , the Creed , Lords Prayer and Decalogue and Catechisms , was distinctly by it self delivered to the Churches ; and so cometh to us by a double way of tradition . CHAP. VII . Quest. IV. What Certainty have we of the Copies . § . 1. Answ. THE same that we have of the Statute Books in England ( save that the Recorded Originals of some Laws remain ) And the same that you have of the Copies of the most Certain Councils , and Authors extant . § . 2. 1. They are delivered to us by men of so many Countries , minds and interests , as could not possibly agree to falsifie them , in the substance , and in those points in which the Copies agree . § . 3. 2. They were constantly read in the holy Assemblies through the Christian world , and by private Christians , and especially all Teachers : And therefore any great depravation could not grow common . § . 4. 3. The Copies all over the world , of Greatest antiquity , still agree so far as is aforesaid ; and the Commentaries of the Fathers , containing the Text , with all the Citations , are the same in the main . So that we have a Historical Certainty of the Copies so far as they are commonly known to agree : which the Old Translations also Confirm . § . 5. The words in which they disagree , though many , are such as no article necessary to Salvation dependeth on : and are plainly the errors of Scribes , and not of the holy Penmen . § . 6. In the points where any late or inconsiderable Copy differeth from the generality which have Evidence of Antiquity and Concord , that singularity , is no cause of doubting . § . 7. Many slips are such as the Context will sufficiently detect . § . 8. In all those points where the Copies so differ , as that it cannot be proved which is the truest , by certain proof , we can have no certainty : Nor is our uncertainty of any danger to us . CHAP. VIII . Quest. V. What Certainty have we of the Canonical Books . § . 1. Answ. 1. OF all those Canonical Books which the Christian world now commonly receiveth , there is the same Certainty by the same means , which I before mentioned of the Copies . The Doctrine of them was spoken of before , it being that Divine Revelation which God hath attested as was opened . We have the Certain History and Tradition of all ages from the first common notice and reception of them , agreeing which are the true Books . § . 2. 2. But yet even of these Canonical Books agreed on , the Evidence of Divinity is not equal . For , 1. Some of them have . more Evident Impressions of Gods Image upon them in the Matter than others have ( As the Psalms more than Ruth , the Chronicles , &c. The Doctrinal Books more than the Genealogies , Chronologies , particular Histories , ) 2. God did confirm some more notoriously by Miracles and publick attestations than others : So Moses his words , had more confirmation by Miracles than Ruth , Chronicles , Ecclesiastes , Canticles , &c. 3. Some have had a fuller testimony by Tradition than others ; As the Pentateuch and Psalms , more than the Chronicles , part of Daniel , &c. 4. In all these respects , the New Testament cometh to us with fuller and clearer Evidence than the Old : As being of later date , and so the Historical proof more discernible ; And hath more clear Impressions of Divinity , and was confirmed by the most notorious multiplied long-continued Miracles , and by the most notable effects of holiness in all true Believers , &c. And indeed its attestation to the Old Testament is not our weakest proof of its Divinity . § . 3. There is less doubt of those few books of the New-Testament , which were unknown or doubted of but by some Churches for a time , than of those which are controverted as belonging to the Old. § . 4. As to those Books which he saith the Ebionites and Valentinians denied , they have as full Historical proof as any ; And those that denied them denied Christs Resurrection or some Essentials of Christianity , and were no Christians , but mad-brained factions withdrawn from Christians , ( the Valentinian Gnosticks in their whole heresie , plainly shewed themselves crackt-brained Fanaticks , as Irenaeus and Epiphanius describe them , ) so that for Number , Quality and Cross-interest their Exceptions were not any considerable discredit of the History ; and indeed but excite the Christians the more carefully to examine and preserve their Canon : Nor were their exceptions so much against the Matter of Fact ( whether Mark , &c. wrote those books , ) as about the Divinity of them : And were but of the like nature with all the Turks , Heathens and other Infidels exceptions against the whole Gospel . § . 5. And as for those Apocryphal books which are in Controversie between the Papists and us , some Protestants say that they are Certainly none of Gods word , and some that it is utterly uncertain to any man that they are his word : And let the Papists who assert the Certainty that they are , give us the proof of it , and we will thank them . Till then our denial or uncertainty of those books , maketh no alteration in the Great and Necessary Articles of our faith . CHAP. IX . Quest. VI. What Certainty have we of the truth of Translations . § . 1. Answ. 1. THose that understand the Original and the Language into which it is Translated ; have a Certainty from the Known signification of the words , answerable to the degree of their skill in those tongues . The signification of the words is Certain to them by Infallible Tradition . The use and sense of the words in Hebrew and Greek is known by Lexicons , and the constant use of Authors , and by the confession of all parties , friends and Enemies , and by present use : so that as your Priests understand a true Translation of any Latine , Greek or Hebrew Author , ( Cicero , Plutark , Demosthenes , Antonine , Maimonides , &c. ) by the same means do the Learned know a true Translation of the Bible . § . 2. In the Essentials of Christianity , and all the necessary Articles of faith , the Ignorant themselves have an Infallible Certainty that the Translations are true , so far as that all that is necessary to Salvation is contained concordantly in them all . 1. Because it hath pleased God to deliver all those Necessary points , in various words , distinctly by themselves by all Baptizers and Pastors of the Churches , as is aforesaid : With which the Scripture Translations do agree . 2. Because there is a natural Impossibility that men of so various minds and interests as all the Translators , and all the Defenders of those Translations , should agree till this day to deceive the world , and not be discovered . § . 3. And by the same evidence it is certain to an unlearned man , that all other plain points in which the Translators agree , are truly translated : Though the knowledge of it in lesser points is not so necessary . § . 4. And thus ( and no other way ) both unlearned Protestants and Papists , that cannot read , must know that there is a Bible in the world , and that the Priests do ordinarily read truly that publickly read it to them , and that there are Canons of Councils in the world , &c. Because it is not possible , for so many men of cross interests to agree in feigning it , without detection . § . 5. There are some passages in some Translations so palpably distorted to the Translators interests and ends , as that the Text and Context to the Learned , and the common agreement of the world to the unlearned , may notifie the error . § . 6. There are many passages or words so difficult , about which Translators differ as that few or none are Certain which of them is in the right . And this uncertainty is of no danger to the Church or to mens souls . CHAP. X. Quest. VII . What Certainty have we of the true sense of the Text. § . 1. Answ. THis Question is partly the same with the former ; For to Translate is to give the sense of the original , in other words . The sense is either , 1. The sense of single terms ; 2. Or the sense of propositions and sentences , 3. Or the sense of many sentences conjunct in Method . § . 2. The first is known to Translators as is aforesaid ; As you know the sense of all words of all languages ; by common usage and common Tradition . The second is made up of the first by common reason ; As a sentence is made up of common words . He that understandeth what these words [ Repentance ] and [ is ] and [ necessary ] signifie ; may know without a Pope , what this sentence signifieth [ Repentance is necessary ] . The same is to be said of divers sentences conjunct . The sense is known by the way that men learn to talk and to understand one anothers speeches . And as you understand Baronius , Bellarmine , the Councils , or any of your Priests ; even by the common acception of words , and reason setting them together , as man from his Infancie is taught to reason . § . 3. But as Infants understand not common talk till they are taught , nor children and untaught persons so well as men and Scholars ; so the plainest things in Scripture require some use and consideration , and Teaching to the understanding of them : Much more the harder parts . And God hath made it the duty of Parents to teach the Scripture to their children at home and abroad , lying down and rising up , Deut. 6. & 11. without asking the Pope the sense of it : And God hath appointed the elder and wiser to teach the younger and more ignorant , and especially Pastors and Teachers , to teach the world , and instruct their flocks , to understand the word of God. Not barely to rest in their opinion and words , but to shew men the same Evidence which doth convince themselves . Which Teaching is not a final Iudging . § . 4. But yet where the Teacher knoweth what the Learner doth not , the Learner must have the humility of a Disciple , and not set his untaught wit conceitedly against his Teacher , and wrangle before he understandeth ; but must judge his Teacher ( whether it be Grammar , Logick , or Theologie , words or sense , that he Teacheth him ▪ to be wiser than himself . Else why will he be his Scholar ? And so he must believe him as a fallible man , with a humane faith , in order to his attaining of a proper Certainty . § . 5. But there are in Scripture many passages so exceeding difficult , that we have no Certainty of the sense ; And some that only a few extraordinary Students have a Certaintainty of ; neither Protestants nor Papists further understanding them . And this is no disparagement to the Scripture , nor hazard or injury to us . CHAP. XI . Quest. VIII . What Unity of faith may be expected to be conserved by our foresaid Certainties . § . 1. HEre are two Questions for haste included : I. What Unity in faith may be expected ? II. What Certainties are necessary thereto . § . 2. I. To the first , 1. A Unity in all the Essentials of the Christian faith , is already existent among all Christians in the world ; For they were not Christians if they agree not in all Essentials of Christianity . § . 3. 2. A Vnity of faith in the Integrals of Christianity is desireable , and so far hopeful , as that the wiser all Christians are , in the more of the Integrals they will agree . But here will never be an universal Concord or Unity , any more than in mens age , strength , Stature and complexions : This Paul openeth at large , 1 Cor. 12. & Rom. 14. & 15 , &c. § . 4. 3. A perfect Vnity in the common knowledge of all things in Scripture , or all the revealed Accidentals of Religion , will never be found between any two persons in this life ; because that no ones knowledge is perfect . § . 5. II. From hence the other Question is easily answered . 1. To a Unity of Christians as Christians , or the body of Christ and Church Universal , and of necessity to Salvation , no Certainty is necessary but of the Essentials of the Christian Religion . 2. To the more Comfortable progress , and the melius esse of Christians and the Churches , as great a Concord and Certainty in the Integrals of Christianity is needful , as the degree of melius esse doth require . 3. To mens peaceable and comfortable Communion in Christian Societies , an Unity and consequently knowledge of the points of Christian Love and holy communion is necessary . 4. To our Heavenly Union , Heavenly perfection is necessary . § . 6. But to insinuate that a Certainty of the sense of all the Scripture , or all that God hath revealed to us Objectively , or of all that Popes and Councils determine , is necessary to that unity of faith , which maketh all Christians to be Christians , and one body of Christ , is but a cheating trick , which is against Scripture , reason and their own Doctors . CHAP. XII . Quest. IX . What Determination is necessary to this Certainty and Unity . § . 1. Answ. 1. GOds Determination of the Object , by Verity and Evidence , and his helping the faculty in determining it self in act , is necessary . § . 2. 2. The inward true Determination of every mans own perceiving faculty , ( sense and Intellect ) is necessary to his true perception . § . 3. 3. A Parent , Schoolmaster , Senior , and Pastor , must tell the Scholar their own Judgement , and then open to him the Evidence of truth . § . 4. A Magistrate or other Superiour ( Parent , Master , &c. ) hath a determining Judgement , under God and his Laws , in order to the ends of their proper Government ; and no further . That is , They are the only publick Judges in their Society , who shall be punished or not punished by the sword ; restrained or encouraged , as teaching false Doctrine or true . But this is not an absolute and unregulated power . If they determine contrary to Gods word , they sin , and bind not me to obey them though I am bound to continue my subjection , and not to resist . § . 5. Even so it is with Pastors in the Church , who have power to try particular mens cases , and judge them according to Gods word , and that only in order to the ends of their Society , which is holy Communion in Love. § . 6. But this much power ( as it supposeth the sense of the Law , and declareth it only as far as the decision of the particular case requireth , and not an Universal Regulating determination which hath the nature of an Universal Law it self , so ) it belongeth to none but true Pastors of the Church , and that only within their proper charge : And if any one will do as the Pope , who will be Ruler in all Churches of the world , his usurpation maketh him a sinner , but not an obliging determiner . § . 7. And thus you have our Answer to all his Questions , which he thrust into one , as plainly and distinctly as I can well speak . And because his snare lieth in putting you on the deciding of all these cases , while he doth nothing to it himself , that so he may destroy where he cannot build , and so would make the world believe that they have a greater Certainty in all the cases propounded than we have , I will next try their Certainty compared with ours and shew you the difference ; And withal I will tell you why we use not their Medium and take it not for any Certification at all . § . 8. But withall professing that if I knew where to find that Man or company of men that I could be sure could Infallibly certifie me of all the doubts and difficulties in the matters of faith , it would save me such abundance of labour in my long studies , and so gratifie my love of ease , and my earnest desires of the greatest Certainty in these greatest things , that I would spare no possible labour and cost to find out such an Oracle : And I wonder not that slothful men had rather conceit that others ( by number or prerogative ) are Certain , and so to trust upon a common faith , than to search and pray till they have a Certainty of their own . CHAP. XIII . What the Papists ascertaining Medium is , and why we reject it . § . 1. THough I will not intitle my Answer as Mr. Pool doth his book , The Nullity of the Romish faith , yet you might be ashamed if you have any modesty lest , to go about still with confident challenges with the same case , whilest neither that book of his , nor his Dialogue , nor the many in which I fully answer this very Question , have any reply . And indeed I have said so much to this point already , that without repeating the same things , I scarce know what is yet to say . Almost the whole book called The Safe Religion is of it ; But most directly all the third part : Where pag. 186 , 187. I briefly and plainly give you the grounds and resolution of the Protestants faith . And pag. 189. and forward I shew you the lamentable difference among the Papists about the Resolution of their faith . And pag. 195. and forward I give you abundance of unresistible Arguments to prove , 1. That It belongeth not to the Pope and Roman Church to be the Judge of Scriptures to all the world . 2. That they are not Infallible . 3. That our faith must not be resolved into their Infallible Judgement . And in my Reasons for the Christian Religion ; and in my more Reasons for it , and in my Life of Faith , I have fully opened and desended the reasons , resolution and certainty of our faith . But seeing their Impudency and Designs are such , as that nothing of this must be considered ( though they are referred to it , ) but they must lay snares for souls , by canting over the same things , and calling out for that Answer which they will not take notice of when it is before them , some more they shall have , for the sake of those whom they would deceive : But in great brevity lest I tire the Reader by repetitions of things that have been so often said . § . 2. Though the Papists are disagreed greatly among themselves in this matter , yet the most prevailing opinion is , that it is upon the Authoritative Determination of the Bishop of Rome and a General Council if he approve it , that all Christians in the world must have the Certainty what is indeed the word of God : And men must take all for Certain which is so determined of , and no more : even because this Authority hath so determined : And that this is to believe by the common certain faith of the Church , when otherwise men must have but an uncertain private faith of their own : And consequently that he that will convince an Infidel and convert he world , must first make them believe that the Pope and Council are Authorised or Enabled , to determine judicially ( and not only to Teach by Evidence ) what is Gods word and what not , before any thing can be Certainly taken for Gods word ] § . 3. The difference between the Papists opinion and ours , for brevity sake , shall be included in our Reasons against their pretended Certainty : which are these . Reason I. We have another Certainty already by notorious Evidence of many things in your present Question . And must we quit all that Certainty , to take the same things only on trust from your Pope and his Council ? We cannot do it ; Because some evidence is Cogent , and the Intellect is necessitated by it : Must we not know that [ Thou shalt Love God and thy neighbour ] is Gods word , by its proper Evidence ? We have the witness within us ; we see on all true Christians that Holiness wrought by this Gospel , which God will not use a lie to effect ( even to save men from sin , and recover the hearts of men to himself , and repair his Image on mans soul ) . Must I needs give the lie to this Evidence till the Pope speak . He that Loveth God may be sure by inward perception ( yea Intuition if Ocham say true ) that he Loveth him ; and consequently is beloved of him ; and this Gospel wrought it . Must I not know that [ He that believeth shall be saved ] is truly translated out of the Original , till the Pope determine it ? Must I believe no Grammar , no Lexicon , no Antient Author , no Jew , no Teacher of Greek or Hebrew , no vulgar use , concerning the sense of words till the Pope determine it ? Must I not know what the Baptismal Tradition of all Christians in the world doth tell me , that we must believe in God the Father , Son and Holy Ghost till I know that the Pope determineth it ? Must I not receive the Creed , Lords-Prayer , or Decalogue by all other Evidence till his word cometh in ? Then I must throw away Certainty for uncertainty ? II. Your own party do not thus receive all in your Question . They teach and learn the Hebrew and Greek Grammars , and the Rules of Translating , and Criticize upon the Text , and search after the Copies to discern the best by intrinsick Characters , and by comparing them , as any man may see who readeth all your Gramarians , Criticks and Commentators : And yet must we know Translations and Copies only by the Popes determination ? III. Your own Popes ex Cathedra have given the Church various Translations : That Edition of the Vulgar Latine made by Sixtus 5. and that made about two years after Clemens 8. differ in so many hundred passages , and abundance of whole verses and sentences , that if a Bible be a Divine Revelation , one of them shamefully erred about Divine Revelations , or de fide . See Dr. Iames his Bellum Papale , and its Defence against Gretser . Where then is your Certainty ? IV. You are utterly uncertain and disagreed among your selves , who it is that hath this Ascertaining Determining Authority : You say it is your Church : But some say that the Infallibility and Power is in the Pope alone , in Cathedra . Some say it is a General Council though the Pope dissent : Some say that the Pope and Council must agree : and some say that the Church Essential of all Countries must receive the decrees before they are infallibly ascertaining . And who can be Certain of Gods word by an Authority which is it self so uncertain ? See the proof in Safe Relig. p. 192 , 193 , 194. V. Your own sentence condemneth your own Judges as uncertain : General Councils ( as Constance and Basil ) have concluded that Popes may err in matters of faith : yea accused and Condemned them as Hereticks , if not Infidels . And shall we not believe a General Council in matter of present fact , and yet must believe them what is Gods word ? And that one Council hath Condemned another , and Popes have Condemned Councils , I have ibid. proved at large . And if Popes and General Councils distinct are deceitful , how shall we be sure that two false parties when they meet do make one true one ? VI. Popes and General Councils have often erred from the faith ( as our Church of England truly asserteth ) : and therefore we are not sure that they never will do so more . Bellarmine himself noteth about fourty Popes charged with error or Heresie . Liberius subscribeth the sentence against Athanasius , and received the Arrians to Communion , and subscribed the Sirmian faith , Hane ego libenti animo suscepi in nullo contradicens : See his Epist. 7. in Binnius To. 1. p. 465. and his notes on it . See more in my safe Relig. p. 249 , &c. And of Councils , p. 274 , &c. The sixth General Council at Constantin . approved by Pope Adrian and by the seventh Council , hath many errors , as have many others there instanced in . What Certainty then can they give us ? VII . The Ancient Christians and Churches received not the Certainty of their faith upon the Authoritative determination of a Pope and Council . Therefore there is a Certainty to be had without it . The Churches that Paul or any Apostle Converted , believed not at first upon the Authority of a General Council , nor of a Pope . Till the Council of Nice , for above 300. years the world was without a General Council : And were they without faith ? Frumentius and Aedesius that preached to the Indians and all other Christian Preachers that then converted souls took another course . They did not first convince men of the Authority of a Pope and General Council to tell them what was Gods word , before they brought them to believe it . VIII . Scripture it self never mentioneth this Method or Evidence : And would it be silent of the only way of Certainty ? It never saith to the world [ You must know by the Judgement of Peter , or the Pope and a General Council what is the word of God ] Did Christ forget it ? IX . The Ancient Defenders of the Christian Faith did all go another way : Iustin , Tertullian , Athenagoras , Tatianus , Minutius Faelix , Arnobius , Lactantius , Eusebius in his two first Volumes de Praepar . & Demonstrat . Augustine , and all such writers , seek to prove our faith by other Evidence , and never say [ the Pope and a General Council are the only ascertaining declarers of it . ] X. Our Proof of the Matters of fact is incomparably more certain than yours : For , 1. As to the Power of Judging , we maintain a concurrence of the peoples Discerning Iudgement , the Pastors Teaching or Directing Iudgement , and both Magistrates and Pastors Deciding and Governing Judgement , not to be the only Determiner of mens minds de fide , but to Rule the publick Doctrine and Communion of the Church according to Gods foreknown Laws . And as to the Truth of Copies , Miracles , and the actual delivery of the Gospel in the Scripture , and in the distinct Catechistical Articles aforesaid , we rest on Tradition which hath a Natural Infallibility , and not a pretended Authoritative Iudge . Your Tradition receiveth its credit from pretended Power to Iudge , which all the wise men in the world will deny till it s proved . Our Tradition hath its credit from a Natural Impossibility that the History should be false . I have shewed you the proof of this in my More Reasons for the Christian Religion and else where : If you will not read them there , I know not whether you will read them here , and therefore will not write them again . We have all your Evidence which is Evidence indeed , and far more with it ; And as Hierom saith , The world is more than the City . Your Tradition is that of a Popes judging Power only as some say ; and of a Pope with his Council as others say ; and of the Pope with his subjects as your few moderate Latitudinarians say ▪ You are not above the third or fourth part of the Christian world : If you deny this , your Impudent lying may cheat a woman that never read the state of the world , but will shame you the more with learned men : And is not the Tradition , 1. Of all the Christian world for 300. years before there was any General Council , 2. And of all the Christian world since ( even Greeks , Armenians , Syrians , Copties , Abassines , and all others ) more than the Tradition of a Pope and a few inslaved Priests ? The Council of Trent had for a considerable time but 42. Bishops , even when it set up your Tradition as a supplement to Scripture . And is the Pope and these 42. of equal historical credit to all the Christian world ? 3. Yea our History takes in Hereticks , yea and Infidels and Heathens too so far as they have left us any Testimony of these things . Even a Pliny , a Celsus , a Porphyry , a Iulian , and any other the bitterest Enemies : Because we prove it Impossible that so many men of different Countries , and no converse , and contrary minds and Interests , should confederate or agree to deceive the world , and be undetected in such a matter . And what is the Pope and 42. or two hundred Prelates ( most of Italy ) to such Historical Evidence as this ? O that you could lay by partiality and base selfish respects but for one day or hour ? What if the Question among us were whether ever Paul was at Rome ? Or Iustin wrote his Apologie ? Or Origen was a professed Christian ? Or Constantine the Great professed Christianity ? Or whether the writings of Iustin , Tertullian , Cyprian , Augustine , &c. be true or spurious , &c. Whether do you think that the Intrinsick and Extrinsick Evidence , with the Consent of all the world that knew them , Christians , Hereticks , Heathens , &c. be not a more satisfying Evidence of truth , than if a Pope of Rome and his Council should say , so and so it was , ( as Liberius condemned Athanasius , ) without or against the rest of the world ? If the Question were whether ever there was such a man as Gregory the first or seventh , or such a man as Luther , or as Charles the Great , or Car. 5. or King Iames in England , or such a thing as the French Massacre , &c. Is not the current uncontroled self-evidencing History of these matters , more certain than if the Pope and Council of Trent only had told us of them ? And we have all your valid testimony in , with ours . As you are part of the witnesses that received the Scriptures , and as you have among you the Teachers and Professors of them , or have any other Evidence of their truth , besides a pretended Power to Iudge for all the world , you are a part ( and but a part ) of our Historical witness . And cannot the Pope and his Council tell us as credibly whether Homer , Virgil , Ovid , Cicero , were ever in the world , and their writings be not spurious , as they are part of the world that hath credibly received it , as if they pretend a power to judge infallibly whether it be so or not ? XI . It is an injury to God for such arrogant fellows to pretend that he hath entailed on them a power to do that , which he enableth men by Natural means to do as well and better without them . As to pretend that God hath given them a judicial power , to tell us whether the Statutes of England are true or spurious ? Whether ever there were such Kings or Parliaments as made them ? &c. Doth not the Certain Historical Tradition of the world suffice for this without a supernatural power ? If you say that soul-concernments must have more certainty than bodily ? I answer , 1. The more impudent are you that would give us less . 2. The nature of the matter alloweth ordinarily no more . As sense told the seers of Christs and the Apostles Miracles that they saw them , and the hearers and readers of the Gospel that they heard and read it , so all the difference between their way of faith and ours is , that what they took by their own sense Immediately , that we take by a concatenation of successive senses and Tradition historical by currant proof . 3. You your selves find you have no more certainty that the Scripture is not a forged writing than you have that there was such a man as King Iames in England , whatever you pretend : 4. Do you not know that you must resolve even your pretended Authoritative Certainty into our Rational Historical Certainty . He that knoweth not that ever there was a Pope , ( e. g. Greg. 7. Innoc. 9. Clem. 8. ) or that ever there was a Council ( e. g. of Trent , Lateran ) knoweth not what they determined : But how know you what Popes and Councils you have had but by common Historical proof . Do you believe it only by the Iudicial decrees of later Popes and Councils ? XII . If the Pope and his Council know the Certainty of these things , it is either by Evidence and History as all men may do , or by Inspiration . If by Historical Evidence , it is extant before : If by Inspiration , let them prove themselves to be Prophets : Either by their Prophesyings , Miracles , or other Evidences , that may satisfie a man that is not mad . XIII . Alphonsus a Castro tells us , some Popes understood not Grammar , and common history tells us what lads and ignorant fellows divers of them have been ; And their own writers and General Councils tell us how horridly wicked many of them have been , ( as Ioh. 22. Eugenius and other damned as hereticks by Councils : And Honorius the Monothelite , &c. ) And is it probable that God should Inspire to Infallibility , Hereticks , Ignorant fellows , debauched wicked men , and work a Miracle to teach them to know that Infallibly which they knew not at all ? When the Scripture and Nature tell us how he abhorreth such men . XIV . They give us no Proof of their Infallibility ; Either from any promise of God antecedently , or subsequent effect : How then shall we be sure of it . XV. It is impossible for us to know who is a true Pope : And is every man that will call himself Pope , or only the true ones possest with this Infallibility ? If all ; then one of our Bishops may have it when he will : If not , no man can be sure of Gods word for want of being sure who is a true Pope ? Read but what a plunge poor Mr. Iohnson , alias Terret , alias &c. is put to , as to the Questions about what makes a Pope in his answers to me , and you will see how they are bewildred : Their fourty years Schism , in which there were divers pretended Popes , and the uncertainty who is the true successor to this day , especially since Eugenius was deposed as a Heretick by a General Council , hath left this matter unrecoverably uncertain . If Electors give the Essence , People , Priests , Princes , Prelates , Cardinals , have been Electors by turns . If Consecration be necessary ; it must be by an Inferiour , and no man knoweth by whom , and some have been Popes unconsecrated , and their power defended . If the Churches acceptance be necessary , no man knoweth in many schisms which had the greater party ; but certainly neither had the Church . XVI . It is impossible to know which have been true General Councils : and therefore impossible to know which of their Decrees are Gods word , and the Churches faith . They are utterly disagreed of this among themselves . Bellarmine and the Papalines tell us it is those only that are approved by the Pope , ( and so if all the Christian world had no more wit than to send their Bishops from all parts of the Earth , to sit as long as the Council of Trent did ( divers Popes Reigns ) it is in the Popes power whether they shall be Approved Councils when all is done ) . But how know we which are Approved ? Is it by the Decree of other Councils ? No : None hath ventured to determine it . It is therefore by Common Historical Evidence : And so your faith must be thereinto resolved . And yet here History faileth you . How many Councils are Controverted ? Bellarmine will partly tell you . What wanted Ephes. 2 ? What wanted that at Basil ? And many more such , I have elsewhere debated . XVII . There never was a real General Council in the world ( unless you will call the twelve Apostles one . ) This is the great cheat of the Papists : which I wonder all men that ever read History do not see as plainly , as any lie in History can be seen . Was it not the Romane Emperours that called the Councils ? Had they any power out of their own dominions ? Were not all the Patriarchs only in one Empire ? Is their Jurisdiction mentioned in the Concil . Nicen. any further extended ? Read in Binnius Surius or any others , the subscribed Names to all the Councils , and then peruse the Maps and Topography of the Roman Empire and the notitias Episcopatuum ( even Aub. Myraeus famed for a feigner ) and you will see that all the Councils were made up of the subjects of the Empire alone , or such as had been thereto accustomed while they were their subjects , ( and but few of them , ) unless some odd Bishop that no man knows what he was : Indeed when Scythia and Persia wanted help , they placed a Bishop in an Imperial City neer Scythia ( as Tomis ) and Persia , and gave him leave to help the Country as far as he could , and called him Bishop of Scythia or Persia. But what is this to a true General Council representing all the Churches in the world ( on the terms as Dr. Holden honestly requireth . ) If you have a mind to laugh at the mans Ignorance in Cosmographie you may read Mr. Iohnson , alias Terrets Reply to me ( which I am not so idle yet as to answer , ) confuting me by instances out of Thracia and such like . But the thing is most Evident in History that as the Scots call the meeting of their Ministers a General Assembly , meaning of that Kingdom , and not of all the world , so the Councils in the Empire were called General , only as to that Empire and not to all the world : which I am ready to make good to any man that can understand History . The Pope was by one Prince made the chief Patriarch of that Imperial Church as the Kings of England preferred the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury ; And four others they joined with him ; of which one claimed Primacy when the Imperial seat was removed thither ( never dreaming of a Divine right ; else he could never have laid that claim ; ) And the Councils were only as our Convocations , and seldom extended to half the Empire . And little did those Emperours think , that thence their subject Popes and Councils would claim Supremacy at the Antipodes , and turn the orbis Romanus to orbis terrarum . XVIII . There never will be , nor must be , nor can be a true General Council in the world . I have fully proved it in the second part of my Key for Catholicks ; Read it there or Choose . XIX . Your Popes and Councils have made no determination at all of many of the matters in your Question . Where have they determined , which are the true Copies of the Hebrew and Greek Text ? Do you call us for our only Certainty to a Determination that was never made to this day ! O for Modesty and Conscience ! Where have they determined which are the right among all the various Readings ? What need Lucas Brugensis , Alba , and so many others search after this with so much industry if the Pope have determined it ? Where have they determined which are the only Currant or true Translations ( however they have extolled the Vulgar Latine . ) Is Montanus and other such Condemned ? Where are all the Translators differences reconciled by the decision of Pope or Council ? When did they determine the Controversies of Commentators of the sence of a thousand Texts of Scripture . I must confess that a just indignation ariseth in me at the reading of such soul-cheating snares ; where men have the Impudence to perswade us that we can be sure of none of our faith , unless we be sure of Copies , Translations , &c. by that Authority that never durst nor did determine of the many remaining Controversies thereabout ? And where hath the Pope or Council given us a Grammar or Lexicon to know the true sense of words by , for the future ? Fathers differ : Papists differ ; the world is disagreed of the sense of words and many Texts : The Pope hath an infallible skill , and power with his Council to decide all , and will not : Was there ever a crueller wickeder wight in flesh ? To see all this difference and darkness , and not vouchsafe to speak a few words , or write one Infallible Commentary to end them ? Just as if the plague or feaver were common , and one Physicion would say , all men shall die that will not believe that I can cure all men ; when in the mean time he will not cure those that do believe it ? What is it that your Pope and Councils are to determine ? Is it the great Essentials of Religion ? We thank them for notthing : Cannot we know that there is a God , and a Christ , till the Pope judge it ? Have we not the Sacramental Covenant of Grace , the Creed , Lords Prayer and Decalogue surely delivered before any Pope or Council judged of them ? Or is it of the hard controverted points : Do it then ; and let us see that you can do it . XX. Hath the Pope power to judge in utramque partem , either way , or only one way ? May he judge that there is a God or no God , a Christ or no Christ , a Heaven or no Heaven , a Scripture or none , at his pleasure ? If so , must we believe him if he be for the Negative ? Take you that Certainty : we will have none of it : Or is he only to Iudge truly , and then only to be believed ? ( that there is a God , a Christ , a Scripture , &c. ) So may and must every Teacher , yea and every Christian Judge . If you say that he cannot go besides the truth , General Councils and Pope Adrian himself said otherwise . XXI . The Pope and his Council differ from the Council of Laodicea and the ancient Church , upon this very Question , What is the word of God , even of the Canon of the Scripture : For full proof whereof I refer you to Bishop Cousins Book , which bringeth full testimony from antiquity . XXII . The use of Authority is not to disclose all Verities , but to Govern Societies in the management of them ; If the King of Rome could prove himself King of all the world , that would but enable him to Govern the world : When one man that is at his footstool that is more Wise and Learned , may know better than he and his Council too , what 's true or false . XXIII . Your very foundation is a Contradiction in its self . What do you make a Pope to be but the Vicar of Christ ? And ( mark Reader ) can any man be sure that he speaks true as Pope or Christs Vicar , that never knew that he was Pope or Christs Vicar ? Or can any man believe that Christ hath an Infallible Vicar before he believe in Christ himself , and that he is Infallible ? It 's a contradiction to believe the Pope as his Vicar or Pope , before we believe Christ. If you believe that the Pope hath Power or Infallibility , you must believe that Christ gave it him . And if you believe that he gave it him , it must be by some Revelation that he gave it , and that you must believe it . And can you believe that Revelation that made him Pope or Infallible , before you believe any Revelation ? XXIV . The same contradiction there is in believing a Council or the Church , before you believe Divine Revelation : For you cannot know till you believe Divine Revelation , that Council or Church have any such being or power . XXV . Either the Pope and Council themselves know the true Copies , Readings and Translations from the Authority of former Councils , or by their own : or by the Evidence of the thing : and Common History : or by Inspiration or Supernatural Revelation : If all the rabble of wicked Popes and Prelates pretend to Rule the Church and our faith by Inspiration , they are crackt-braind fanaticks : Sure they were no Prophets before they were Popes or Councillers . But if it be by their own Authority , who will take a self-made faith , of men that Believe only because they Believe ? And must have all others believe only because they believed before them ? Then it is themselves and not Christ that they believe . If it be , former Popes and Councils that they believe , tell us whom and why the first believed ? Mark , that you cannot arise to St. Peter : For the various Copies and Translations which we are in question of , were all made since St. Peters daies . XXVI . When in a Council the major part carry it by vote ( perhaps by one or a few ) How shall we be sure that all the minor part were deceived ? XXVII . How shall all those Abassines , Armenians , Indians in New-England or others that know not that ever there was a Pope or General Council , in the world , become Christians ? Or are you sure they are none ? XXVIII . We see by experience in the foresaid Nations , and feel in our selves , that men may have a certain faith without receiving it from the Pope . Can you make me know that I do not believe , when I know that I do ? And can you prove that only the third part of Christians in the world are true Christians , and have Certain faith , because all the rest receive it not from the Pope ? and why may not the major part of the Church be sure as well as he ? XXIX . Hath the Church a twofold foundation for faith ? If the Pope and Council believe Gods word to be his word on one Ground , and all other men on another ground , ( that is , because they say it , ) then we have two faiths and two Churches on two foundations . But if otherwise , then Pope and Council do as we must do ( by their doctrine , ) even believe it , because they say it themselves . XXX . The Councils Decrees of Faith are so Voluminous that not one Priest of fourty knoweth them all ; and not one lay man of many thousand : The very bulk therefore of your faith , must make it more uncertain than ours is : And who can tell whether he have it all ? XXXI . The words of your Councils are as obscure as Scripture words ; and are controverted by your Doctors : And how can it be otherwise when humane language is so ambiguous , in such huge Volumes ? How then shall the sense of your Councils themselves be certainly known ? XXXII . Councils are rarely extant : God only knoweth whether ever there will be anothor , ( even a pretended one : ) And must we have no judge in the mean time to give us a Certainty of the meaning of the very foregoing Councils themselves ? Most confess that the Pope himself may err ? XXXIII . It is but few persons in the world that ever saw and consulted with a Pope and a General Council ? How then shall we be all sure , what they said or determined ? How know we whether the Records of them be truest in Crab , in Surius , in Nicolinus , in Binnius or in none of them ? What was Caranzas's fault that he is blamed for ? Which of the various Copies of Canons are true which are given us oft by the same Author ? Who knoweth what alterations the Index expurgatorius ( not infallible ) maketh in the books ? Have we no more or other Certainty of our Creed than of all these Councils , so variously and doubtfully delivered ? XXXIV . Seeing that each lay man that never saw Pope or Councils , can know them only by believing the Priest that telleth him , This the Church saith , is that Priest Infallible ? Can no man be be certainer of the Creed than of that Priests words ? Is not the faith of almost all your vulgar Papists , resolved into the Priests affirmation ? And so is it not a humane faith ? And how ignorant and wicked is many a Priest ? Is our faith uncertain because we take it not on such a mans credit ? XXXV . If you say that an Implicite faith that all is true and of God which the Pope and Council saith is so , will save men ; 1. How do the people know whether the Pope and Council determine any thing at all but on the Priests credit ? 2. Then all Infidels may be saved without believing that there is a Saviour or salvation , so they do but believe in the Pope and Council . 3. Then believing in the Pope and Council is made far more necessary than believing in Christ. 4. Why will not an implicite belief in Christ go as far as yours ? XXXVI . By your way we can never be Certain when we have all the Christian faith : For more Councils may still make more decrees as hitherto they have done ; and who knows when they will hae done ? And so you make a Christian quite another thing , than he was in the primitive Church ; And you cruelly make it far harder to be saved : when as then , a man might be saved that believed the Covenant and Creed ; and foresaid Catechism ; and now he must also believe so many Canons , as that the Councils containing them in the last Edition , exceed the purse of a poor Minister to buy them ; and the time and brains of most to read them . XXXVII . You confess all our faith and Religion to be true ( as far as I can learn ) but we deny all your additions : Both parties therefore being agreed of the truth of ours , it 's like to be the surer . Our Religion in the Essentials , is nothing but the Sacramental Covenant , the Creed , Lords Prayer and Decalogue with the Law of Nature ; And in the Integrals , it is nothing but the Scriptures which we receive as Canonical : And all this you commonly confess to be true : And I told you before how Bellarmine , Costerus and others confess less to be sufficient to Salvation ( as commonly necessary . ) But your additions we reject as uncertain or false . XXXVIII . We see you to be a Carnal Kingdom set up against Christs express determination , Luk. 22. 26. 1. Pet. 5. 3. As the Geographia Nubiensis saith ( In Vrbe Roma , &c. In the City of Rome are the seats of a King called the Pope : Nor is there any superiority in dignity above the Pope , and Kings are lower ( or inferior ) than he . ) We see that you have compaginated your policie all for these carnal Ends ; and that dignity , and dominion , and riches , and worldliness is promoted by your faith : And that your Religion is propagated and upheld by most inhumane cruelties and bloodshed , and they must be burned that seem not to believe as you do : And will it not raise suspicions in us of the fidelity of such men , when they make their own faith , and tell us that we have no certainty of ours but by their determination : When also we see the wickedness of mens lives among you , in common Fornication and other heinous sin ; when the certainest faith , will have the holiest life , when it is Subjectively as well as Objectively certain . XXXIX . You destroy or greatly discredit the Grand Evidence of the Christian faith , even Miracles : How then can your faith be the most Certain ? For when you pretend that Miracles are as common through all the world as Priests Masses are ( in turning bread into no bread as aforesaid ) and yet no man seeth any proof of one such Miracle , when really it is no less than Christs Resurrection which you pretend to be so common before all the Churches ; what is this but to tempt men to take all the Scripture and Apostolical Miracles to be no surer ? And then where is our faith ? XL. Lastly , I end where I almost began : If our sense be true , the Pope and his Council are false , and therefore our faith not to be received only nor chiefly on their trust . For their faith teacheth us , not to believe Gods most Natural Revelations , to the sound senses and Intellective perception of all men in the world , as I have shewed about the Bread and Wine in the Sacrament : And when a Controversie it brought to sense it self we can bring it no lower : And when we must either believe your faith and its foundation false , or believe Gods most Natural Evident Revelation false , and all mens Senses and Intellective perception false , we are not able , I say not able , to be of your faith . And now judge whose faith is more Certain the Protestants or the Papists ? And whether you do well so zealously and busily ; to make use of such soul-traps and fool-traps , as the paper is which I have answered . September 12. 1672. FINIS . APENDIX . CHAP. I. I. WHereas I have here and more fully in my [ More Reasons for the Christian Religion ] asserted a Certainty in some Morals , it will give some light into the matter if I give you Ocham's decision of the Certainty of Moral Science in it self ; which because it is short I will translate . Quod lib. l. 2. q. 14. [ Quest. Whether there can be a Demonstrative knowledge of Morals ? Resp. It seemeth not : Because there can be no demonstrative knowledge of those things that are subject to the will : But such are Morals : ergo , &c. But contrarily , Morals are a Science . In this Question , 1. I will expound one Term of the Question ; 2. I will give you one distinction : 3. And then answer the Question . 1. As to the first I say that Moral is sometime taken largely , for humane Acts which are under the will absolutely : — Sometime more strictly , for Acts subject to the Power of the will , according to the natural dictate of Reason , and according to other circumstances . 2. As to the second you must know that Moral Doctrine hath many parts : of which one is Positive , another is Not-positive . Moral Science Positive , is that which containeth humane Laws , and Divine , which oblige us to follow or avoid things , which are neither good nor evil ; nor because prohibited and commanded by a superiour to whom it belongeth to give Laws . But Moral Science not positive is that which without any command of a Superidirecteth humane actions : as Principles known by themselves , or known by experience , so direct ; As that all that is honest is to be done , and all that is dishonest is to be avoided ; and such like of which Aristotle speaketh in his Moral Philosophie . 3. As to the third I say , That Moral Positive Science , such as the Science of Lawyers is , is not Demonstrative , though in many things it be regulated by that which is demonstrative . Because the reasons of Lawyers are founded on humane Positive Laws , which receive not propositions evidently known . But Moral Science not positive is Demonstrative ; I prove it : Because all knowledge deducing conclusions Syllogistically , from Principles known by themselves , or by experience of him that knoweth , is demonstrative : But such is Moral Doctrine : ergo , &c. The Major is known : The Minor is proved , Because in Moral Philosophie there are many Principles known by themselves ; As that the will is to conform it self to right reason ; that all evil is to be avoided , and such like . In like manner , many Principles are known by Experience ; as is evident to him that followeth experience . And I further say , that This is more Certain than many other things , in as much as every man may have more Experience of his own acts , than of other things : From whence it is plain that this is a Science , very Subtile , Profitable and Evident . To the Argument for the Contrary I say , That of things subject to the will , may be formed Propositions , true and known by themselves , which can demonstrate many Conclusions . ] CHAP. II. How much the wisest Papists are for our way of Resolving faith , before Luthers time by controversie perverted them . IT was ordinary , till Luthers disputing convinced them that the Scriptures would not serve their turn , for the wisest Papists , 1. To make Scripture the perfect Rule of faith , without the supplement of Tradition to add more ; 2. And to give such Reasons for their Faith as we now do for ours . I. I must not be tedious in citing many . 1. Aquinas Cont. Gent. Cap. 9. fol. 3. saith [ But the singular manner of convincing an adversary of this truth , is by the Authority of the Scripture confirmed of God by miracles . ] And Summ. 1. q. 1. a. 8. ad secundum , he saith that [ Sacred Doctrine useth the authority of the Canonical Scripture arguing properly and from necessity : but the authorities of other Doctors of the Church as arguing from its own , but Probably . For our faith resteth on the Revelation made to the Apostles and Prophets who wrote the Canonical Books ; but not on the Revelation made to other Doctors , if there were any such . Whence August . to Hier. I have learnt to give this honour only to the Books of Scripture called Canonical , as that I firmly believe that no Author of them did at all err in writing them . But others I read so as that how excellent soever they were in Learning and Holiness , I take it not to be therefore true because they so thought or wrote . ] Durandus in his Preface hath little else but of the Scripture excellency in Dignity , Goodness , Certainty and Profundity : And from Hier. ad Paulin. saith [ Let us learn that on Earth , the knowledge of which will continue with us in Heaven . But this is only in the Holy Scripture — 3. The Holy Scripture exceedeth all in Certainty of Truth — We must speak of the mystery of Christ and universally of those things which meerly concern faith , comformably to what the Holy Scripture delivereth . As Christ Joh. 5. Search the Scripture , &c. If any man observe not this , &c. — The Measure is , not to exceed the Measure of Faith — which Measure consisteth in two things , that is , that we take not that from faith , which belongs to faith , nor attribute that to faith which is not of faith . For both waies is the Measure of faith exceeded , and men deviate from the continence of the Holy Scripture , which expresseth the Measure of faith : And this Measure God assisting , we will hold , that we may write or teach nothing dissonant from the Holy Scripture . But if by ignorance or inadvertencie we should write any thing , let it be ipso facto esteemed as not written . And so on . And Prolog . q. 1. his description of Theologie is , 1. For a habit by which we only or principally assent to those things , that are delivered in Scripture , and as they are there delivered . And so Theologie differs not from faith . The reason of which is because the things that are delivered in the Scripture , are so only held by Divine Authority . Scotus Prolog . Q. 2. doth conclude p. 7. that the Doctrine of the Canonical Scripture is sufficient to the attainment of our end : And that the Holy Scripture containeth sufficiently the Doctrine necessary to a Viator ( a man in this life . ) II. And to prove this Scripture to be true he giveth us these ten proofs ; ( which I must not repeat at large ) 1. From the predictions of Scripture which God only could do . 2. From their notable concord . 3. He proveth that their own Doctrine against Lying and such like prove that the writers lied not . 4. From the great diligence and concord of the Receivers . 5. From the Rationability of the Contents . 6. From the unreasonableness of all other waies . 7. From the stability of the Church . 8. From the Miracles , which God would never affix to a lie , which he largely urgeth . 9. From the testimony of aliens and adversaries . 10. That God would not give up those to a lie who so seek him with all their hearts as many Christians do . Abundance of their Authors more I could cite , who thus argue for the truth of Scripture , and not from an Authoritative decision of a Pope or Council only . And what in this they give to them at other times , doth but shew that their foundation was so much weaker than ours . CHAP. III. That where the Learned Papists differ from us , they are so far from building on a Certainer foundation that , so far they are forced to deny all Certainty of faith . TO prove this it may suffice to mind the Learned Reader how even the most judicious ( as Greg. Armin. Prolog . Estius and commonly most Schoolmen , deny a proper Certainty of Evidence to faith : Not only that the Object is not Evident to sense , which all confess , but that the truth of the conclusion is not Demonstrable , and that Faith is a pious act of the Election of the will , which were not meritorious , if it had rational demonstration or evidence . And that it is but opinion which is resolved into humane Authority : and yet that they believe the Scripture to be Gods word , and this or that to be the sense meerly , because the Church holdeth it . I cannot stay to cite many . Plain Durandus shall be instead of all : Who Prolog . q. 1. saith p. 6. c. 1. Faith which resteth on humane Authority differeth not from opinion : because the place from humane authority is topical , and an argument thence taken is the weakest : And therefore the faith which resteth on that authority is the weakest opinion . But pag. 9. of the faith which resteth on Gods authority , he granteth us . that it may stand with Science of many of the same things , and that Divine authority and demonstrative reason may concur to cause the same assent . But p. 10. he dissenteth from them that hold that Gods attestations were such to those that saw Christs Miracles and Resurrection , &c. as certainly proved the truth of his Godhead , and so of his word ( which is Aquinas his honest Doctrine 3. q. 43. act . 4. against which Durandus writeth this . ) And because it is us as well as Aquinas that he opposeth I will briefly confute his reasons . The first is , Because Demonstration necessitateth the understanding to believe : But many that saw Lazarus raised , &c. believed not Christ to be God , &c. Therefore Miracles were not a sufficient demonstration . Answ. Not sufficient to all things , but sufficient to do their own part . By this you would prove that there is no demonstration of any thing almost in the world ; For there is almost nothing which convinceth all men . I distinguish therefore of a disposed and an indisposed understanding . And as to the later I deny the major . Demonstrations constrein not millions of undisposed Intellects . Recipitur ad modum recipientis . What need any other proof than your oft mentioned denial of Bread in the Eucharist ? Because millions deny the perception of all mens Senses and Intellects thereby , are not things sensible demonstrable or evident ? Can you hope to bring more cogent proof , And yet this is rejected : And so were Christs miracles . The second is Gregory , Faith hath no merit , where humane reason hath experience , and there is Science . Answ. A falshood as easily denied as asserted without proof : If by Merit you mean Rewardableness . For it is only Natural involuntary necessity which evacuateth moral Good or Evil. The will may shew its virtue or vice in receiving or rejecting Objective ascertaining Evidence . The third is that it was not known of it self that this miracle attested the truth of what Christ said . But whether per se or by consequence , it is a most evident certainty , that a man , yea abundance of men that assert such a point of unspeakable consequence to the world , doing abundance of open notorious miracles as professed witnesses or proofs of their Doctrine , could not do this but by Gods extraordinary providence . And that if this be not to be taken for a Divine Testimony , we know of none that mortals are capable of , nor a possibility of the worlds escaping the deceit , as caused unresistibly by God. His Answers to this are not worthy the repeating . The same Author , li. 3. d. 23. q 7. Enquiring of the Certainty of faith , whether it be certainer than Science , brings in the several answers of others : 1. That there is a Certainty of Evidence ( and this Science hath , ) and a Certainty of Adhesion , ( and this Faith hath . ) But this he rejecteth , and sheweth ( truly ) that Adhesion is not properly Certainty , and also that the fullest Evidence causeth the closest Adhesion . 2. That Faith hath most Certainty in se , in the thing , and Science most Certainly quoad nos , as to us . But the vanity of this he truly sheweth : For to be Certain in it self and not to us , is but to be True : And all things True are equally True : But no truth is Certain to us or Credible , without revelation to us . And as he saith ( The Certainty of Act or habit is not from the Certainty of the object in it self , but from the mode which the habit putteth as to the person , and the act : No way therefore ( saith he ) is the act or habit called Certain , unless it be certain as to us . Therefore he is forced to conclude that many habits and acts of Science are Certainer to us than faith and its act , and that both extensively , Science having both certainty of Evidence and Adhesion ( if that be Certainty , ) And intensively ; for Science hath no doubt permixt as faith oft hath . And he is forced to conclude his faith into the further uncertainty following . CHAP. IV. That the most Learned Doctors of the Church of Rome resolve their faith ( in earnest or jeast ) into such an Inspiration of the Pope and Prelates in Council , as the Apostles had , and so are meer Fanaticks : And this against notorious sense and experience . THe said Durandus saith ib. li. 3. d. 23. p. 573. [ Nothing is more certain than experience , to which the resolution of other things is made , that we may have the fuller certainty . ] But experience telleth us that there is Bread after consecration : And that he took the belief of humane authority , for the weakest opinion I told you before . And v. 12. he saith [ How are we sure that God saith what we believe ? Non nisi quia sic tenet Ecclesia ? Only because the Church so holdeth ? ] Which he brings to prove that Divine Authority is not surest to us . And Ocham Quod l. 5. q. 31. so answereth the question , Whether the substance of Bread remain after consecration , as I verily believe he did but Ironically jear them , and shew that he durst not speak his thoughts . Mentioning three opinions : The first , that the substance of bread which was there before , is after the body of Christ , ( I think he meaneth Durandus opinion condemned by Bellarmine , &c. ) he rejecteth . The second saith he ( that the substance of bread and wine cease to be , and the accidents only remain , and under them Christs body begins to be is the common opinion of all Divines , which I hold for the determination of the Church , and not for any other reason . The third ( that there remaineth the substance of bread and wine with Christs body ) would be very reasonable , if the Churches determination were not contrary : for that opinion solveth and avoideth all the difficulties which arise from seperating the accidents from the subject . And the contrary to it is not had out of the Canon of the Bible ; nor doth it include any contradiction for Christs body to consist with the substance of bread any more than with the accidents — And after more , answering the argument of Mass-miracles by every Priest he saith [ Sometime about some things there must more Miracles be put , though it might be done by fewer , and that because it pleaseth God ; And the Church knoweth this , by some Revelation that so it is , and therefore the Church hath so determined . ] Either he jeareth them , or else he professeth that their faith even of daily miracles , against common sense is resolved into a Revelation which the Church hath of that which is not in the Bible ; which must be Prophetically . The like you have in Paludanus , Durandus , ( save that he leaveth them as aforesaid ) Scotus , &c. I will end with learned Rada , who Vol. 4. Contr. 7. a. 1. pag. 164 , 165. having shewed that This is my Body will not in its own proper sense infer what Aquinas and others gather , saith [ Yet indeed now ( we must not take that sense ) but as the Church taught by the Holy Ghost understandeth those words . For the Scriptures are expounded by that spirit which they were made by : And so it must be supposed that the Catholick Church by that spirit which delivered us the faith , even taught by the Holy Ghost , so expounded , and exploded the first sense , and chose this , being that other was not true , as to the remaining of the substance of bread after consecration . But this sense he chose which is true , and so delivered by our Lord himself , as it is solemnly declared C. firmiter , &c. And he concludeth that [ This is my body ] is not enough to convince a Heretick ; but [ as understood by the Church by that spirit by which they were given and delivered , they exclude the substance of bread ] . O all men of common sense and reason in the world ; we appeal to your humanity in the Controversie between the Papists and us . While they assert a Miracle by every Priest every day that he masseth in all the world , and deny the truth of Gods primary natural Revelation to all mens common senses , they resolve their faith of the Certainty of all this , not into the Scripture , but into such an Inspiration of the Holy Ghost as the Scriptures themselves were written by : The Scripture must not be our proof of this Inspiration , but must be proved by it . We must believe that thus every wicked Pope and the Prelates of the major vote in his packt Councils have this Inspiration ? When they do no Miracles , they live so much worse than other Ministers of Christ , that the Reforming of them hath long been the vain wish and attempt of the Christian world ; They murder the servants of Jesus in their Inquisitions , and yet we must lay all our faith and salvation on it , that they have all a Prophetical spirit . Well ; If it be proved Certainly to the world , that the Pope and his Church are all Prophets , or Inspired by the Holy Ghost as the Apostles were , then I declare that the Papists are in the right : If not , I will be no willing Subject of the KING of Rome , while he so abuseth the Word , the Church , the Honour , of the Churches King. FINIS .