PROTESTANT DOCTRINE OF UNITY OF FAITH. 279
the very foundations of it. For what can a man rationally conclude, that shall see you driving all persons, and that on no small penalties, excepting yourselves who are concerned in the conspiracy, and some few others whom you suppose sufEciently initiated in your mysteries, from the reading and study of those books wherein the world knows, and yourselves confess, that the arcana of Christian religion are con- taiued, but that there are some things in them, like the hidden " sacra " of the old pagan hierophants, which may not be disclosed, because, however countenanced by a remote veneration, yet are [they] indeed "turpia" or "ridicula," — things to be ashamed of or scorned? And the ti'uth is, some of your doctors have spoken very suspiciously this way, whilst they justify your practice in driving the people from the study of the Scripture, by intimations of things and expressions not so pure and chaste as to be fit for the knowledge of the promis- cuous multitude; when, in the meantime, themselves or their asso- ciates do publish unto all the world, in their rules and directions for confession, such abominable filth and ribaldry as, I think, was never by any other means vented amongst mankind.
V. Protestants say that the Lord Christ hath instituted his church, and therein appointed a ministry to preside over the rest of his discijyles in his name, and to unfold unto them his mind and ivill as recorded in his ivord; for which end he hath promised his pre- sence with them by his Spirit unto the end of the world, to enable them, in an humble dependence on his assistance, to find out and declare his commands and appointments unto their brethren. This position, I suppose, you will not contend with us about; although I know that you put another sense upon most of the terms of it than the Scripture will allow, or v/e can admit of.
These are the principles of Protestants; this is the progress of their faith in coming unto settlement and assurance. These are the foundations, which are as unquestionable as any thing in Christi- anity; the most of them, yourselves being judges. And from them one of these two things will necessarily follow, — either. That all men, unto whom the word of God doth come, will come to an agreement in the truth, or the unity of faith; or, secondly. That it is their own fault if they do not so do : for what, upon these principles, should hin- der them from so doing? All saving truth is revealed by God in the Scripture, unto the end that men may come to the knowledge of it. It is so revealed by him that it is possible, and, with his assistanCCj easy, for men to know aright his mind and will about these things so revealed ; and he hath appointed regular ivays and 'means for men to wait upon him in and by, for the obtaining of his assistance. Now, pray, revive your question that gave occasion unto this dis- course,— However men may differ in religion, why is not the Scrip-
280 A VINDICATION OF THE ANIMADVEESIONS OJN FIAT LUX.
ture sufficient to bring them unto an agreement and settlement? Take heed that in your answer you deny not some principle that will involve the whole interest of Christianity in its ruin. Where is the defect? where the hinderance why all men, upon these principles, however differing at present, may not come to a full settlement and agreement? I hope you will find none but what are in themselves; and for them, " ipsi viderint," the Scriptm'e is blameless. Here is cer- tainty of revelation from God, — fulness of that revelation as to our duty, clearness and perspicuity for our understanding of it, — means appointed and sanctified for that end; what, I pray, is wanting? All truths wherein it is the duty of men to agree are fixed and stated, so that it can never be lawful for any man, in any generation, to call any of them into question; — plain and evident, that no man can mis- take the mind of God in them in things wherein his duty is con- cerned, without his own crime and guilt. You will say, then, it may be, " But why, then, do not men agree? why do you not agree among yourselves?" But I would hope that it is scarcely possible for any man to be so ignorant of the condition of mankind, and amongst them of the best of men, as seriously to ask this question. Are not all men naturally blind in the things of God? Do not the best of men know only in part? Have not the different tempers, constitu- tions, and educations of men a great influence upon their under- standings and judgments? Besides, do not lust, corruptions, carnal interests, and respect unto worldly things, bear sway in the minds of many that profess Christian rehgion? Are not many prepossessed with prejudices, traditions, customs, and usages against the truth? And are not these things, and the like, sufiicient to keep up variance in the world, without the least suspicion of any disability in the Scripture to bring them to a holy agreement and immovable settle- ment? Neither is there any other way for men to come unto settle- ment and agreement in religion, according to the mind of God, but that only which hath been now proposed ; and this they will come unto when all men shall be persuaded to captivate their understand- ings to the obedience of faith. I deny not that by outiuard force and compulsion, by supine negligence of their own concernments, by refusing to bethink themselves, and such other ways and means, some men may come to some agreement amongst themselves in the things of religion. But this agreement, we say, is not of God, it is not built upon rh ^s/j,sXiov rr^g tIotsus s-tti Qsov, — " the foundation of faith towards God;" and so is of no esteem with him. That such is all the unity which, on your principles, you are able to bring men unto, we shall manifest in our next discourse. For the present, I dare challenge you, or any man in the world, to question or oppose any one of the principles before laid down; and which, whilst they stand