Christianity maintained. Or a discouery of sundry doctrines tending to the ouerthrovve of Christian religion: contayned in the answere to a booke entituled, mercy and truth, or, charity maintayned by Catholiques.

The eight Doctrine. Opens a way to deny the B. Trinity, and other high misteryes of Christian Fayth.

CHAP. IX.

1. I Cannot omit notwithstanding here to shew, that one of the Reasons which he brings to prooue, that one may at the selfe same tyme, yield assent to contradictories, must be ranked a∣mongst the rest of his Doctrins, which do cleerly tend to the ouer throw of Christianity. It is the third rea∣son wherin he argues thus:(z) 1.1 They which do capti∣uate their vnderstandings to the beliefe of those things, which to their vnderstandings seeme irreconciliable con∣tradictions, may as well belieue reall contradictions (for the difficulty of belieuing arises not from their being repugnāt, but from their seeming to be so.) But you (he speakes to vs Catholicks) do captiuate your vnderstandings to the beliefe of those things, which seeme to your vnderstandings irreconciliable contradictions. Therefore it is as possible, & easy for you to belieue those that indeed are so. Change but a word, and insteed of Catholicks, put Christians, and the Conclusion will be: Therefore it is as possi∣ble,

and easy for Christians to belieue contradictions that indeed are so, as to belieue those which to their vn∣derstanding seeme so. And seeing it is the common conceit of men, that one cannot at the same time be∣lieue contradictions; and he himselfe acknowledges in the same place,(a) 1.2 that men should not do so, and that to do so, is both vnreasonable and very difficult; what will follow but that to belieue the highest my∣steryes of Christian Fayth, is, if not impossible, at least very difficult, and vnreasonable, and a thing that men should not doe.

2. Now that Christians belieue mysteries which to human reason seeme to imply contradiction, he him∣selfe will not deny. For though all the mysteryes of Christian Fayth be in themselues most sacred & true, yet to the weake eye of human reason some of them seeme to be against the Goodnesse of God: as that, Many are called, and few elected, it being in his power to haue elected, and preuented with congruous & ef∣ficacious Grace, as well those many, as these few. And our vnderstāding is apt to be the more staggard with the depth of this mystery, by considering that Christ our Lord dyed for the saluation of all; and that euery thought, word, or worke of his was superabundant∣ly sufficient for the Redemption of infinite millions of worlds. Other points of Christian Fayth appeare contrary to Gods infinite Mercy, and Iustice. Such is our beliefe, that for euery deadly sinne committed in a moment, and perhaps in a matter seeming but a trifle, as the eating of an apple, he should inflict an eternity of torments, if it be not repented. Or, that Infants can be iustly depriued of Beatitude in punish∣ment

of Originall sinne, to which they neuer concur∣red by any Act properly theirs. And it might haue been to good purpose, if this man had declared him∣selfe directly in these two points, seeing he was not without good ground directed to doe so.

3. But I goe on with the difficulty of Christian verities. For as the former may seeme harsh and rigo∣rous, so others may seeme, as it were, silly, & vnreaso∣nable if Fayth be resolued, as this man will haue it, in∣to human Reason. Others beare a shew of repugnance to the most receiued Principles of Philosophy, and Metaphysicke, as the Mystery of the most Blessed Trinity. Others in appearance derogate from the su∣preme respect we owe to God, as the mystery of the Incarnation and Death of the sonne of God. Where I cannot but obserue, that this man speakes so irreli∣giously sometimes, that it may giue iust occasion for men to enquire what he belieues concerning the Di∣uinity of our Sauiour Christ, as when he sayth;(b) 1.3 that the Doctrine of Transubstantiation may bring a great many others, as well, as himselfe to Auerroes his resolu∣tion: Quandoquidem Christiani adorant quod comedunt, sit anima mea cum Philosophis: seeing Christians adore what they eate, my soule be with the Philosophers. Is this matter of eating our Sauiour such a pill to your vnderstan∣ding, that rather then disgest it you will turne Turke or Infidell? If you belieued indeed that our Sauiour Christ is truly God, you would not be scandalized that Christians adore Him, who would and could be eaten, no more then Him who stood in need of eating, and whom the Iewes were able to wound and mur∣der, and might haue eaten (euen in a Capharnaiti∣call

sauage manner, farre different from the man∣ner we receiue him in the B. Sacrament) if it had beene his will to permit it. Perhaps for these reasons, hauing subiected Fayth to Reason, you wish with Auerroes, a professed enemy of Christians, My soule be with the Philosophers.

4. He giues another suspicion of it in the passage following. For hauing alleadged diuers seeming con∣tradictions in our Doctrine concerning the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, he concludes,(c) 1.4 that if I (that is the Author of Charity Maintayned) cannot compose the repugnance, and that after an intelligible man∣ner, then I must giue him leaue to belieue, that either we do not belieue Transubstantiation, or els that it is no contradi∣ction, that men should subiugate their vnderstandings to the beliefe of contradictions; which yet, as I said before, he iudgeth either impossible, or at least vnreasonable(d) 1.5. And who I pray, can vndertake against a cauilling wit, to answere all arguments obiected against the Blessed Trinity, Incarnation, and other sublime ve∣rityes of Christian Fayth, and compose all seeming re∣pugnances after an intelligible manner? Deuines are not ignorant, what inexplicable difficulties offer them∣selues, euen concerning the Deity it selfe, for exam∣ple, his Immutability, Freedom of will, voluntary de∣crees, knowledge of creatures, and the like. Must we then deny them, because we are not able to compose all repugnances after an intelligible manner? It may seeme that you are of opinion that we must; to which per∣suasion if you adde another Doctrine of yours, That there is no Christian Church assisted with Infallibi∣lity fit to teach any man, euen such articles as are fun∣damentall,

or necessary to saluation, but that euery one may, and must follow the Dictates of his owne reason, be he otherwise neuer so vnlearned: what wil follow, but a miserable freedome, or rather necessity for men to reiect the highest, and most diuine miste∣ries of Christian Fayth, vnlesse you can either com∣pose all repugnances after a manner, euen intelligible to euery ignorant and simple person (which I hope you will confesse to be impossible) or els say, it is reasona∣ble for men to belieue contradictions at the same time, which by your confession were very vnreaso∣nable.

5. And here I appeale to your owne Conscience, whether in true Philosophy, the obiections which may be made against the mystery of the Blessed Tri∣nity, and the Incarnation of the sonne of God, be not incomparably more difficult, then any which can be brought against Trāsubstantiation. Some one whom you know could say in some company, where there was occasion of arguing, Either deny the Trinity, or ad∣mit of Transubstantiation; and it was answered, We will rather admit this, then deny that. And with good rea∣son. For if we respect human discourse, there are more difficult obiections against that mistery, then against this. And if we regard Reuelation, Scripture is more cleare for the reall presence, and Transubstantiation, then for the mystery of the Blessed Trinity. But no wonder if they who reduce all certainty of Christian Fayth to the weight of naturall reason, are well con∣tent vnder the name of Transubstantiation, to vn∣dermine the doctrine of the Blessed Trinity, and all the prime verityes proper to Christian Fayth. For

which cause I haue some reason, as I touched before,(d) 1.6 not to be satisfyed, that this man for all his brag∣ges of belieuing Scripture, doth make that account of it which Christians doe, and ought to doe, but de∣ludes the Reader with specious words: as for exam∣ple, when speaking of the holy Scripture he sayes:(e) 1.7 Propose me any thing out of this Booke and require whether I belieue it or not, and seeme it neuer so incomprehensible to human reason, I will subscribe it with hand and hart, as knowing no demonstration can be stronger then this: God hath said so: Therefore it is true. These are glorious words, but contrary to his owne principles. For re∣soluing Fayth into Reason, he cannot belieue that which to his reason seemes contradictory, but must thinke that the Motiues for which he receiues Scrip∣ture being but probable, and subiect to falshood, must of necessity yield to arguments more then probable, and demonstratiue to human reason. And how then can he subscribe to Mysteryes incomprehensible to hu∣man reason, and capable of obiections which cannot alwayes be answered, after a manner intelligible, as he requires? And consequently he must, to vse his owne words, giue me leaue to belieue, that either he doth not be∣lieue those misteryes, or els, that he subiugates his vn∣derstanding to the beliefe of seeming contradictions; which he acknowledges to be vnreasonable, and a thing which men should not doe, according to his owne words(f) 1.8. And the Reader had need to take heed that he be not taken also with that protestation of his:(g) 1.9 I know no demonstration can be stronger then this; God hath said so: Therefore it is true: since he tea∣ches, that he knowes not that God hath said so, other∣wise

then by probable inducements, and only by a probable assent. So that in fine this must be his strong demonstration: Whatsoeuer God speakes or reueales, is most certainly true: But I am not certaine, that God speakes in the Scripture: Therefore I am cer∣taine that whatsoeuer is in Scripture is true. Behold his demonstration, that is, a very false Syllogisme, ac∣cording to his owne discourse in another place where he not only graunts, but endeauours to prooue that the minor of this Demonstration exceedes not pro∣bability, and consequently cannot inferre a conclu∣sion more them probable. Somewhat like to this is an other cunning speach of his:(h) 1.10 That he hartily be∣lieues the Articles of our Fayth be in themselues Truths, as certaine and infallible, as the very common principles of Geo∣metry, or Metaphysicke. Which being vnderstood of the Obiects, or Truths of Christian Fayth in themselues, is no priuiledge at all. For euery Truth is in it selfe as certaine as the Principles of Geometry, it being ab∣solutely impossible that a Truth can be falshood. But the point is, that he does not certainely know or belieue these Truths, as he does the Principles of Metaphysicke, but onely with a probable assent, and so to him the Truths cannot be certaine. The like art also he vses pag. 357. saying in these wor∣des: I doe belieue the Gospell of Christ, as verily as that it is now day, that I see the light, that I am now writing; for all this florish signifies only, that he is certaine he be∣lieues the Gospel of Christ with probable assent. As for the argument, it deserues no answere. For who knowes not that contradictories inuolue two propo∣sitions? but he who captiuates his vnderstanding, as∣sents

to one part only,* 1.11 and therefore is sure inough not to belieue contradictories at the same time, as he pretends. All which considered, the Reader will easily see, that his Doctrines vndermine the chiefest myste∣ries of Christian Fayth, and ouerthrow Christianity.

Notes

• (z) 1.1

  Pag. 215.
• (a) 1.2

  Pag. 217. n. 47.
• (b) 1.3

  Pref. n. 8.
• (c) 1.4

  Pag. 216. 217.
• (d) 1.5

  Ibid.
• (d) 1.6

  Chap. 6. n. 6.
• (e) 1.7

  Pag. 376.
• (f) 1.8

  Pag. 217.
• (g) 1.9

  Pag. 376.
• (h) 1.10

  Pag. 225. n. 5.
• * 1.11

  Chap. 10.