" Viles pulli uati infelicibns ovis."
Your only misadventure is, that you are fallen into somewhat an unhappy age, wherein men are hard-hearted, and will not give away their faith and reason to every one that can take the confidence to beg them at their hands.
But you will now prove by instances that if a man deny any thing that your chuich proposeth, he may with as good reason deny every truth whatever. I shall follow you through them, and consider what, in your matter or manner of proposal, is worthy that serious perusal of them which you so much desire. To begin : " See if the Quakers deny not as resolutely the regenerating power of baptism as you the
346 A VINDICATION OF THE ANIMADVERSIONS ON FIAT LUX.
efficacy of absolution. See if the Presbyterians do not with as much reason evacuate the prelacy of Protestants as they the Papacy." All things it seems are alike, truth and error, and may with the same reason be opposed and rejected. And because some men renounce errors, others may on as good grounds renounce the truth, and oppose it with as solid and cogent reasons ! The Scripture, it seems, is of no use to direct, guide, or settle men in these things that relate to the worship and knowledge of God! What a strange dream hath the church of God been in from the days of Moses, if this be so ! Hitherto it hath been thought that what the Scripture teacheth in these things turned the scales, and made the embracement of it reasonable, as the rejection of them the contrary. As the woman said to Joab, " They were wont to speak in old time, saying. They shall surely ask counsel at Abel ; and so they ended the matter.'' They said in old time con- cerning these things, " To the law, and to the testimony; search the Scriptures;" and so they ended the matter. But it seems " tempera mutantur," and that now truth and falsehood are equally probable, having the same gTOunds, the same evidences. " Quis leget haec ? min' tu istud ais V Do you think to be believed in these incredible figments, fit to bear a part in the stories of Ulysses unto Alcinous ? Yet you proceed : " See if the Socinian arguments against the Trinity be not as strong as yours against the eucharist." But where did you ever read any arguments of ours against the eucharist ? Have you a dispensation to say what you please for the promotion of the Catho- lic cause ? Are not the arguments you intend indeed rather ybr the eucharist than against it, — arguments to vindicate the nature of that holy eucharistical ordinance, and to preserve it from the mani- fold abuses that you and your church do put upon it ? that is, they are arguments against your transubstantiation and proper sacrifice that you intend. And will you now say that the arguments of the Socinians against the Trinity, the great fundamental article of our profession, plainly taught in the Scripture, and constantly believed by the church of all ages, are of equal force and validity with those used against your transubstantiation and sacrifice of the mass, — things never mentioned, no not once, in the whole Scripture, never heard of nor believed by the church of old, and destructive in your reception unto all that reason and sense whereby we are, and know that we are, men and live? But suppose your prejudice and partial addiction unto your way and faction may be allowed to countenance you in this monstrous comparing and coupling of things together, like his
who
" Moi'tua jungebat corpora vivis; "
is your inference from your inquiry any other but this, that the Scrip- tiu'e, setting aside the authority of your church, is of no use to in-
WHENCE THE GOSPEL CAME TO ENGLAND. 347
struct men in the truth, but that all things are alike uncertain imto all? And this you farther manifest to he your meaning in your fol- lowing inquiries. " See," say you, " if the Jew do not with as much plausibility deride Christ, as you his church." And would you could see what it is to be a zealot in a faction, or would learn to deal can- didly and honestly in things wherein your own and the souls of other men are concerned. Who is it amongst us that derides the church of Christ? Did Elijah deride the temple at Jerusalem when he op- posed the priests of Baal? or must every one presently be judged to deride the church of Christ, Avho opposeth the corruptions that the E-oman faction have endeavoured to bring into that part of it wherein for some ages they have prevailed ? What plausibility you have found out in the Jews' derision of Christ, I know not. I know some that are as conversant in their writings, at least, as you seem to have been, who affirm that your arguings and revilings are utterly destitute of all plausibility and tolerable pretence. But men must have leave to say what they please, when they will be talking of they know not what; as is the case with you when by any chance you stumble on the Jews or their concernments. This is that which, for the present, you would persuade men unto, — that the arguments of the Jews against Christ are as good as those of Protestants against your church. " Credat Apella" Of the same nature with these is the remainder of your instances and queries. You suppose that a man may have as good reasons for the denial of hell as purgatory ; of God's providence and the soul's immortality as of any piece of Popery ; and then may not want appearing incongruities, tautologies, improbabilities, to dis- enable all holy writ at once ! This is the condition of the man who disbelieves any thing proposed by your church ; nor in that state is he capable of any relief, — fluctuate he must in all uncertainties. Truth and error are all one unto him ; and he hath as good grounds for the one as the other. But, sir, pray what serves the Scripture for all this while? will it afford a man no light, no guidance, no direction? Was this quite out of your mind? or did you presume your reader would not once cast his thoughts towards it for his relief in that maze of uncertainties which you endeavour to cast him into? or dare you manage such an impeachment of the wisdom and goodness of God, as to affirm that that revelation of himself which he hath graciously afforded unto men to teach them the knowledge of himself, and to bring them to settlement and assurance therein, is of no use or vali- dity to any such purpose? The Holy Ghost tells us that " the Scrip- ture is profitable for doctrine and instruction, able to make the man of God perfect, and us all wise unto salvation;" that the " sure word of prophecy," whereunto he commands us to attend, is " a light shining in a dark place;" directs us to search into it, that we may come to the