My being conscious to my selfe how confused­ly and intricately, I haue deliuered my con­ceptions vnto your lady­shippe vpon the seuerall occasions of discourse we haue had together concer­ning that important sub­iect of what faith and reli­giō is the true one to bring vs to eternall happinesse (wherein your Ladyshipp [Page 4] is so wisely and worthily inquisitiue and sollicitous) hath begotten this follow­ing writing; in the which I will, as nere as I can, summe vp the heads of those cōsiderations I haue somtimes discussed vnto you in conuersation. And I will briefely and barely lay them before you with­out any long enlargement vpon them; as haueing a better opinion of the re­flections that your Lady­shipps great vnderstanding and strong reasoning soule will by your selfe make vpon the naked subiect sincerely proposed, then of any commentary I can [Page 5] frame vpon it. And indeed such discourses as these, are deeper loked into, whē they are pōdered by a pru­dentiall iudgement, then when they are examined by scientificall specula­tions.

But with your leaue I shall take the matter a little higher then where the chiefe difficulty see­meth to be, at which your Ladyshipp sticketh; con­ceiuing that if we begin at the roote and proceede on steppe by steppe, we shall find our search the easyer, and the securer, and our assent to the conclusions we shall collect, wil be the [Page 6] more firme and vigorours.

We will therfore begin with considering why faith and Religion is need­full to a man, before we de­termine the meanes how to find out the right faith: for that being once setled in the vnderstāding, we shall presently without further dispute reiect: what Religiō soeuer is but pro­posed, that hath not those proprieties which are re­quired to bring that to passe, that Religion in its owne nature aymeth at. And this must be done by taking a suruey of some of the operations of a human soule, and of the impres­sions [Page 7] made in it by the ob­iects it is conuersant with­all,

1. Your Ladyshipp may be pleased thē to cōsider in the first place. That it is by nature ingrafted in the soules of all mankinde to desire beatitude. (By which word I meane an intire, perfect, and secure frui­tion of all such obiects as one hath vehement affec­tions vnto, without mix­ture of any thing one hath auersion from.) For the soule haueing a perpetuall actiuity in it, must necessa­rily haue something to en­tertaine it selfe about: and according to the two [Page 8] chiefe powers of it (which are the vnderstanding and the will) it employeth it selfe, first in the search and inuestigatio of what is true and good; and then, ac­cording to the iudgement it maketh of it, the will fol­loweth and with affectiōs graspeth at it, which if it happen to seize vpon, the soule is at content and at rest; but if it misse, it is vn­quiet, and laboureth with all vehemence to com­passe it: and if any thing happen that is repugnant to the nature of it, it vseth all industry and efficacious meanes to ouercome and banish it: so that all the ac­tions [Page 9] and motions of it, tend to gaine contentment and beatitude.

2. In the next place you may please to consider that this full beatitude which the soule thirsteth after, cannot be enioyed in this life. For it is apparent, that intellectuall goods, as sciēce, contemplation and fruition of spirituall ob­iects and contentments, in theire owne nature are the chiefe goods of the soule, and affect her much more strongly and violently thē corporall and sensuall ones can doe: for they are more agreeable to her nature, ād therfore moue her more [Page 10] efficaciously when they are duely relished. But such intellectuall goods cannot be perfectly relis­hed and inioyed as long as the soule is immersed in the body, by reason that the sensuall appetite ma­keth continuall warr a­gainst the rationall part of the soule; and in most men mastereth it, and in the perfectest, this earthly ha­bitation doth soe drawe downe and clogge and benumme the noble inha­bitant of it (which would allwayes busie it selfe in sublime contemplations) as it may be sayd to be but in a iayle whiles it resideth [Page 11] heere. And experience cō ­firmeth vnto vs, that the sparkes of knowledge we gaine heere are not pure; but haue the nature of salt water, that increaseth the thirst in them who drinke most of it; and we swal­lowe the purest streames like men in a dropsie, who the more they drinke are still the greedier of more. Therfore to haue this greedinesse of knowing satisfied, and to exercise the powers of our soule in the pure and abstracted contemplation of truth, and in the sincere fruiction of spirituall obiects, we must haue patience vntill [Page 12] she arriue vnto an other state of life, wherein being separated from all corpo­rall feces, impediments, and contradictions, she may wholly giue herselfe vp to that which is her naturall operation, and from whence resulteth her true and perfect delight. Besides, euen they who haue attayned to the grea­test blessings (both inward and outward) that this world can afforde, yet are farr from being complete­ly happy: for that state ad­mitteth noe mixture of the contrary, which who was euer yet free from, were his fortune neuer so spe­cious? [Page 13] The very feare of loosing them, that must allwayes necssarily ac­compagny those bles­sings, is such a spoonefull of gall to make their whole draught bitter, as that alone, must needes take of the edge and vi­gour of the contentment that else they might en­ioy. How little can any man relish the obiects of delight which with neuer so great affluence beset him round about, when he knoweth a sharpe and hea­uy sword hangesh by a slender thread ouer his head, and at length must fall, and euer after seuer [Page 14] him from them? A litle distemper, an accidentall feauer, and ill mingled draught (such a one as the miracle of witt and lear­ning Lucretius mett with­all) is enough to turne the braines of the wisest man that is, and in a few houres to blott out all these no­tions he hath bin all his life labouring to possesse himselfe of, and to render him of a more abiect, and despicable condition then the meanest wretch liuing that hath but the common vse of reason. The Genius that presideth ouer hu­man affaires, delighteth in perpetuall changes and [Page 15] variation of mēs fortunes, so that he who late sate en­throned in greatest digni­ty, is all of a suddaine pre­cipitated head-long vnto a condition most opposite therunto: he that but yes­terday had all his ioyes en­larged and swelled vp to their full height by the communication of a per­fect and entire friend (without which can there by any true ioye?) hath to day lost the comfort of all that the world can af­ford him by the irrecoue­rable losse of that one friend. In a word, death growing dayly vpon him, and encroaching vpon his [Page 16] outworks, and by houres reducing him into a nar­rower circle, at leingth seizeth vpon himselfe and maketh an eternall di­uorce betweene him and what was dearest to him heere.

3. Our next consideration then shall be to discouer what will result out of our swifte passadge through this vayle of miseries, and what impressions we shall carry with vs out of this pilgrimage; since we can­not suspect it is aiourney assigned vs in vaine, being the ordinary and naturall course prescribed by the wise author of nature to all [Page 17] mankinde, and the ineui­table through-fare for eue­ry man in particular. Ther­fore to proceed on in this methode, our third con­clusion shall be, that what soeuer iudgemēt the soule once frameth in this life, that iudgement and that affection will perpetually remaine in the soule, vn­lesse some contrary im­pression be made in it to blot it out; which only hath power to expell any former one. For iudge­ments and affections are caused in a man by the im­pression that the obiects make in his soule: and all that any agent aymeth at [Page 18] in any operation whatsoe­uer (be it neuer so forcible in action) is but to pro­duce a resemblance of it selfe in the subiect it wor­keth vpon; and therefore it excludeth nothing that it findeth formerly there (which in our case is the soule) vnlesse it be some such impression as is in­compatible with what it intendeth to effect there; or that the subiect is not large enough, both to re­tayne the old and receaue the new; in which case the first must be blotted out to make roome for the lat­ter. But of iudgements, and affections, none are in­cōpatible [Page 19] to one another, but those that are directly opposite to one another by contradiction: Therfore only such haue power to expell one another; and all that are not such, are immediatly vnited to the very substāce of the soule, which hauing an infinite capacity, it can neuer be filled by any limited ob­iects whatsoeuer: so that they alwayes reside in the soule, although they doe not at all tymes appeare in outward act; which pro­ceedeth from hence, that new and other images are by the fantasie represented to the soule, and she see­meth [Page 20] to busy herselfe one­ly about what she findeth there, which being but one distinct Image at a tyme (for corporall organs haue limited comprehensions, and are quickly filled with corporall species) she ther­upon seemeth to exercise but one iudgement; or but one affectiō at a tyme. But as soone as the soule shall be released out of the bo­dy (which is like a darke prison to wall it in) then she will at one and the same instant actually knowe and loue all those things she knewe, and lo­ued in the body; with on­ly this difference, that her [Page 21] knowledges will then be much more distinct and perfect, and her affe­ctions much more ve­hement then they were in this life, by reason that her coniunction heere with resistent matter was a burden, and a clogge vnto her, and hindered the acti­uitie and force of her ope­rations. The difference of these states, may in some measure be illustrated by a grosse ād materiall exāple: Represent vnto your selfe a man walled vp in a darke tower, that is so close as noe ayre nor light can come into it, excepting only at one little hole, and [Page 22] that hole too affordeth no cleare and free passage to the sight, but hath a thick and muddy glasse before it. Now if this man would looke vpon any of the ob­iects that are about this tower, he must gett them to be placed ouer against that hole, vnto which he must lay his eye; and then, he can discerne but one at a time, and that but dim­mely nether, and if he will see seuerall bodies, it must be by so many seuerall ite­rated actes as they are in number. But suppose some Earthquake or exteriour violence to breake a sun­der and throwe downe to [Page 23] the ground the wals of this tower, leauing the man vntouched and vnhurt; then at one instant, and with one cast of his eyes, he beholdeth distinctly, clearly, ād at ease, all those seuerall obiects that with so much labour and tyme he tooke but a mistakinge suruey of before.

4. The fourth considera­tion shall be, that after the first instant wherein the soule is separated from the body, she is then in her nature no longer subiect or liable to any new im­pression mutatiō or chāge whatsoeuer. For that which should cause any such ef­fect, [Page 24] must be ether a mate­riall or a spirituall agent: But a materiall one cannot worke vpon it, for that re­quireth quantitie in the patient, whereby it may be applyed unto it to exer­cise its operation vpon it: Nor cā any spirituall agēt cause any succession of new alteration; But all that spirits worke one vpō another is done at once and at one instant: which we shall discerne the clea­rer by examining the rea­son why there is succession and tyme taken vp in the alteratiōs that are wrought amongst materiall things, for in them, by reason of [Page 25] their quantity that causeth an extention and distance of the parts, the agent, all­though it haue neuer so much disposition and effi­cacy to worke, must haue his seuerall parts applyed to the seuerall parts of the patient by locall motion; which requireth tyme for the performance thereof. And besides, euen in the agent it selfe, the grosse­nesse ād heauinesse of the matter giueth an allay and is a clogge to the actiuity of the forme, and as it were pulleth it backe whiles it is in action. But this is not so in spirituall substances, and therfore [Page 26] we may conclude that a­mong them in the same in­stant that the agent is dis­posed to worke, the action is performed, for on his part there is nothing to re­tarde it, nor is there requi­red any locall motion which should take vp tyme; and likewise by the same reason, in the very instant that the patient is disposed to receiue any impression, it is wrought in it: And thus, allthough there were neuer so many agents, and euery one of them to performe neuer so many actions, they would be all done, and ended in one and the same instant.

[Page 27]5. The next considera­tion shall be, that those persons who in this world had strong and predomi­nant affections to sensible and materiall obiects; and dyed in that state; shall be eternally miserable in the next, for by what we haue sayed, it appeareth that those affections will eter­nally remaine in the soule; and that after the separatiō of it from the body, they can neuer be blotted out of it, or changed; And the affections of a separated soule are much more ar­dent and vehement then whiles it is in the body. But it is impossible they [Page 28] should euer attayne in that state to the fruitiō of what they so violently couet and loue, and yet for its sake they neglect all other goods whatsoeuer that they might haue, whose beauty and excellēcy, not­withstanding they plainly discerne: they cannot choose therfore but exe­crate themselues for their fondly misplaced (yet thē eternally necessary) affec­ctions, and pine awaye (if so I may say) with perpe­tuall anguish and despaire of what they so impatient­ly, and enragedly desire and ueuer can obtayne.

6. The sixt considera­tion [Page 29] shall be, that to be happy in the next life, one must not settle their pre­dominant affections vpon any creature whatsoeuer, or any good that we can naturally attayne to the knowledge of in this life. For what naturall good soeuer we loue or enioy here, we must by death be diuorced from, and (as we haue sayd before) that se­paration will cause perpe­tuall sorrow, because the affections remaine vn­chāgeable. And allthough we should place our feli­city in naturall knowledge or any other intellectuall good whatsoeuer, yet that [Page 30] cannot satisfy the desi­res and fill the capacity of the soule, though it be neuer so perfectly en­ioyed: for they are infi­nite; and this can be colle­cted but out of particular obiects (for the whole created vniuerse is but so) and therfore they hold on proportiō together; but the soule haueing nothing else to fill it withall, allthough it should not be tormented with the former mentio­ned corrosiues of prepo­sterous affections, yet it cānot be at rest and quiet, and the thirst of it satisfied by that dropp of water in [Page 31] comparison of the vehe­ment ardor of it.

And thus it followeth, that ether man was not created for a determinate end, and for a state conue­nient for his nature, and able to satisfie the origi­nall appetences of his soule; or at the least, no mā can by naturall meanes arriue to the end and pe­riod of happinesse.

7. But now to proceede in the pursuance of this me­thod of reasoning, and to follow hence forward the conduct of a supernaturall guide, since nature quit­teth vs here, haueing lead vs on as long as she was able [Page 32] to see; we may in the sea­uenth place consider that God when he created man did not assigne him to remaine in the state of pure nature, but did out of his goodnesse and liberali­ty conferre something vpō him that exceeded the sphere of his nature. For else, the first part of the preceedent consequence would follow; which were not only impious, but ab­surd to say, to whosoeuer considereth the infinite goodnesse, wisedome and omnipotency of God. For as heate being essentiall to fire, cannot but produce heate in whatsoeuer it [Page 33] application vnto; so God being in his owne essence goodnesse it selfe, cannot chose but doe vnto what­soeuer proceedeth from him, all that good which the nature of it is capable of; (whether by naturall or supernaturall meanes) and his wisedome can rea­dily contriue the meanes to bring that to passe which his goodnesse dis­poseth him to doe; And his omnipotency as easily acteth what his other two attributes haue proiected; so that there wanting an infinit obiect to satisfy the infinite capacity of the soule, and without which [Page 34] she must be eternally mise­rable; it remayneth, that he who gaue that capaci­ty, must allso afforde the obiect, and assigne meanes how to compasse and gaine it. All which we haue all­ready proued is out of the reach of nature to dis­cerne: and therfore it fol­loweth of consequence, that the author of nature must endowe man with some supernaturall giftes, if he be in a fit disposition to receaue them which may bring him to the supernaturall end he was created for.

8 Our eight conclusion shall be that of these super­naturall [Page 35] giftes, the first and the ground and foun­dation of all the rest, is faith. For we haue allready determined that we can­not by any naturall meanes attaine to the knowledge of any obiect that may ren­der vs completely happy in the next life; And yet such knowledge must be had, to the end that we may direct our actions to gaine the fruition of that obiect. Therfore there is no way left to compasse this, but by the in­structions and discipline of some Master whose good­nesse and knowledge we can no wayes doubt of; by [Page 36] which two perfections in him, we may be secure that he nether can be de­ceaued himselfe, nor will deceaue vs. Now the doc­ctrine that such a Master shall teach for such an ende, we call faith.

9. In the ninth place we must determine that this Master must be God and man. For first by our dis­course vpon naturall prin­ciples, we haue proued, that to auoide misery in the next life, we must deny our senses the content and satisfaction that they na­turally desire in corporall things, and that we must withdrawe our affections from all materiall obiects: [Page 37] And next we haue collec­ted that the obiect which we must know and loue to be happy, doth exceede the reach and view of any crea­ted vnderstanding to dis­cerne: Therfore we may safely conclude that this doctrine ought to be deli­uered vnto vs originally by God himselfe. For after the first branch, which is of withdrawing our affec­tions from sensible goods; allthough out of naturall principles that doctrine is to be collected, yet that is not a sufficient meanes to settle mankinde in gene­rall, in the beliefe of it: For the discourse that pro­ueth [Page 38] it, is such an abstrac­ted one, as very few are capable of it, being that it requireth both a mature age to be able to reason so (before which tyme many dye) and likewise strong and vigoroux powers of the vnderstanding which we see more doe want then are indowed withall: And, besides, of those that haue both yeares and ca­pacity to wielde such thoughts, there are so few that are not in a manner forced away from such in­teriour recollections by their particular vacations and the naturall necessities they are obliged vnto; as [Page 39] to beate it out by them­selues is not a sufficient meanes to serue mankind in this case. And to thinke that those few who haue­ing great partes, may with much labour haue attay­ned to the knowledge therof, should instruct o­thers that are simpler and are taken vp by other im­ployments and courses of life, were very irrationall; since no man, be he neuer so wise, is such but may be deceiued; and then, how can it be expected that an­other man should without sensible demonstration be­lieue his single word in a matter so cōtrary to sense, [Page 40] and wherein he must for­goe so great contentments and present vtility?

And for the other branch, which is in the in­structing mankinde con­cerning the right obiect that he is to know and loue to be happy, that is allto­gether out of the reache of any man whatsoeuer by himselfe to discouer; and therfore much lesse can he in his owne name instruct others therin: And if any man should goe about to doe so, and to introduce a new doctrine of faith not formerly heard of, draw­ing the arguments for con­firmation therof onely out [Page 41] of his owne ratiocination and discourse; that alone, were enough to conuince him of falsehoode; since he should thereby vnder­take to know what were impossible for him of him­selfe to attayne to the knowledge of.

Therfore it is necessary that the author of the doc­trine we must belieue, the instructor of the actions we must performe; and the promiser of the happi­nesse we may hope for, be God himselfe; who onely knoweth of himselfe what is sayed in matters of these natures, and who onely is nether liable to be decei­ued, [Page 42] nor can deceiue o­thers; as being the prime verity it selfe.

But because the weake­nesse of our intellectuall nature is such, whiles we remaine here in our earth­ly habitations, imprisoned in our houses of clay, as we cannot lift vp our heauy and drowsie eyes, ād sted­dily fixe our dimme sight vpon the dazeling and in­deed inuisible Deity, nor entertaine an immediate communication with him (like the childrē of Israel, who desired that Moses, not God might speake vnto them) it was necessary that God himselfe should des­cend [Page 43] to some corporall substance that might be more familiar and lesse da­zeling vnto vs; And none was so conuenient as hu­mane nature, to the end that he might not onely conuerse freely and fami­liarly with vs, and so in a gentle and a sweete man­ner teach vs what we should doe; but also preach vnto vs by his example, and himselfe be our leader in the way that he instruc­ted vs to take. The con­clusion then of this dis­course, is, that it was ne­cessary, Christ, God and man, should come into the world to teach vs what to [Page 44] belieue and what to doe.

10. The tenth conclu­sion shall be, that those vnto whom Christ did immediatly preach this faith, and vnto whome he gaue commission to preach it vnto others and spread it through the world, after he ascended to heauen, ought to be be­lieued as firmely as he himselfe. The reason of this assertion is, that their doctrine, though it be de­liuered by secondary mouthes, yet it procee­deth from the same foun­taine: which is God him­selfe, that is the prime ve­rity, and cannot deceiue, [Page 45] nor be deceiued. But all the difficulty here in is, to know who had this imme­diate commission from Christ, and by what seale we should discerne it to haue bin no forged one. The solution of this ariseth out of the same argument which proueth that Christ himselfe was God, and that the doctrine he taught was true and diuine; which is, the miracles and wor­kes he did, exceeding the power of nature, and that could be effected by none but by God hmiselfe: for he being truth it selfe, can­not by any action imme­diatly proceeding from [Page 46] him, witnesse and confir­me à falsehoode: In like manner the Apostles do­ing such admirable workes and miracles as nether by nature nor by art magicke could be brought to passe, that must necessarily in­ferre God himselfe coope­rated with them to iustifie what they sayd; it is euidēt that their doctrine (which was not their owne, but receaued from Christ) must be true and Di­uine.

11. Te eleauenth conclu­sion shall be, that this faith thus taught by Christ and propagated by the Apostles and necessary to [Page 47] mankinde to belieue (as well that part of it, which is written, as the whole which is not) dependeth intrinsecally vpon the te­stimony of the Catholicke Church; which is orday­ned to conserue and deli­uer it from age to age. (By which Catholike Church, I meane the congregation of the faithfull that is spread through-out the whole world) for we haue proued before, that the way to the true faith ought to be open and playne to all men, of all abilities, and in all ages, that haue a desire to embrace it: and this cannot be but ether [Page 48] by the immediate preach­ing of Christ; or else by the information (ether in writing or by word of mouth) of them that lear­ned it from him, and their deliuering it ouer to o­thers, and so from hand to hand vntill any particular tyme you will pitch vpon. But from Christs owne mouth, none could haue it but those who liued in the age when he did, ther­fore there remaineth no o­ther meanes to haue it de­riued downe to after; ages then by this deliuery ouer from hand to hand of the whole congregation of fa­thers or elders dispersed [Page 49] throughout the world, to the whole congregation of sonnes or youngers; which course of deducing faith from Christ we call tradition, so that this con­clusion proueth that the Church is the conseruer both of the whole do­ctrine of faith necessary for saluation, and likewise of the diuine writ dictated by the Holy Ghost, and written by the Prophetes, Euangelists and Apostles, which we are also bound to belieue. And the same assent that we are to giue to the truth of Scriptures (that is to say, that the Scriptures we haue are [Page 50] true Scriptures) the very same we are to giue to other articles of faith pro­posed vnto vs by the Church: for they alike depend of the same autho­rity; which is the veracity of the Church proposing and deliuering thē vnto vs to be belieued. And we may as well doubt that the Church hath corrupted the Scriptures, as that she hath corrupted any article of fayth.

12. The twelueth con­clusion shall be that into the Catholike Church noe false doctrine in any age can be admitted or creepe in, that is to say, [Page 51] no false proposition what­soeuer can euer be recei­ued and imbraced by the Catholike Church as a proposition of faith. For whatsoeuer the Church beleeueth as a proposition of faith, is vpon this ground, that Christ taught it as such vnto the Church he planted himselfe, and so it left it in truste to be by it deliuered ouer to the next age. And the reason why the present Church belieueth any proposition to be of faith, is because the immediate preceeding Church, of the age before, deliuered it as such. And so you may driue it on frō [Page 52] age to age vntill you come to the Apostles and Christ. Therefore to haue any false proposition of faith admitted into the Church in any age, doth Suppose that all they of that age must vnanimous­ly conspire to deceiue their children and youn­gers, telling them that they were taught by theire fathers to belieue, as of faith, some proposition which indeed they were not. Which being impossi­ble (as it will euidently appeare to any prudent person that shall reasona­bly ponder the matter) that so many men spread [Page 53] throughout the whole world, so different in their particular interests and endes, and of such various dispositions and natures, should all agree together in the forgery of any precise lye; it is impossible that any false doctrine should creepe into the Church.

But because the force of this argument may perad­uenture not appeare at the first sight to your Lady­shipp, that happily hath not had much occasion to make deepe reflection vpon the certainty that must needs be in the asse­ueration of any history of matter of fact subiect to [Page 54] the sense, which shall be made by a great compa­ny of men so distant from one another, and of such different interests and affections as they cannot conspire together in the forgery of a falsehood; But that you may happily thinke, since any one man is lyable to be decei­ued, or out of some indirect end may be iuduced to de­ceiue another, it is also pos­sible that a whole multi­tude of men (be it neuer so great) consisting of par­ticular men, may allso de­ceiue or be deceiued: I will therefore for a further de­claration of this matter, [Page 55] propose for the thirteenth Conclusion, that fayth thus deliuered, is absolut­ly more certaine and in­fallible then any naturall science whatsoeuer. And yet sciences are so cer­taine (I meane such as de­pend of experience and de­monstration) as he were not a rationall man that should refuse his assent vnto them: And conse­quently he would incurre the like cēsure that should not yield credēce to faith, in this manner proposed vnto him. In the proofe of this conclusion I must vse two wordes appropria­ted to philosophy (to wit [Page 56] matter and forme) which is contrary to my inten­tion at the first, which was to abstaine from all termes of artificiall learning, and make onely a familiar discourse that should require no precee­dent helpe of study, but onely a cleere and strong iudgement (such as yours is) to weigh the strength of the reason: Butt I am the lesse srcupulous to auoide these words, be­cause I know your La: vnderstandeth what is meaned by them; and they haue often occurred in our discourses. To come then to the examination [Page 57] of this cōclusiō, I say, that faith dependeth on these two propositions; first, that whatsoeuer God sayth is true; Next, that God sayd this (whatso­euer it be) that is deliuered thus by the tradition of the Church. For the for­mer of these assertions, there is noe doubt made by any side; since all a­gree that God being the prime verity, whatsoeuer proceedeth immediatly frō him must necessarily be more infallible then any collections made from creatures ether by expe­rience or ratiocination of men. The second assertion [Page 58] I shall allso proue to be more infallible then any such collections; in this manner. Among materiall things, that are subiect to tyme and place, and are here in the sphere of con­traries, and of action and passion, although the lawes that gouerne them are in the generall certaine (else no science could be acquired of them) yet in the particular they are subiect to contingency and defection from those lawes; which contingency doth proceed from the re­sistence of the matter, and the contagion and le­prosy (if so I may say) [Page 56] that the matter infecteth the forme withall; which, were it not for that, would allwayes constantly worke the same effect in all oca­sions: and according as the forme hath in particu­lar more or lesse predomi­nance ouer the matter, the contingency and defect in them from the true nature of that body considered in his perfection, is the grea­ter or the lesser. Lett vs illustrate this by an exam­ple: According to the or­dinary doctrine of Philo­sophers in the Schooles, we collect by many parti­cular experiences, that the nature of fire proceedinge [Page 60] from the forme of it, is to ascend; and of them we frame a generall doctrine that fire is the lightest of all the elements, and that his naturall place is aboue them all: yet we see that when the forme of fire is introduced into grosse and terrestriall matter, it is wrested from his owne na­turall inclination, and is forced, in steed of ascen­dind, then to descend; as when wood, iron, earth­coale, and such other ter­restriall matter is sett on fire: And it is more or lesse violented from his na­turall place, according as the subiect it resideth in, [Page 61] hath more or lesse power ouer it, and is more or lesse materiall: for it sheweth more of his leuity and na­turall propēsion to ascend, when it setteth an oyly, or ay ery substance on fire and breaketh vp in flames, thē when meeting with a more materiall ād terrestriall sub­stance, as wood, it turneth it into a coale. Now to ap­ply this to our purpose, I say, that of all formes what­soeuer that are ioyned to matter, the noblest and most eleuated aboue the foeculency of matter, is the soule of man: for it is not onely the forme of the noblest materiall creature [Page 62] that is; but besides that, it is so full of efficacy as it euen ouerfloweth the ca­pacity of matter, which not being able to imbibe (as I may say) and take it vp all, it hath a particular subsi­stence belōging to it selfe; from whence Philosophers proue the immortality of it. Therefore we may sa­fely conclude that man­kinde, in the originall appe­tences and naturall desires of his soule, is lesse subiect to contingency, and more secure from hauing his na­ture corrupted and peruer­ted from his due course, then any other materiall creature whatsoeuer is in [Page 63] the performance of those actions that proceed from the actiuity of his forme; and so consequently, being considered in generall, proceedeth most certainly and infallibly to the pur­suance thereof; and it is impossible it should fall of from its owne nature, and, suffer that to be extingui­shed in it; although in some particulars, by the immersion in matter and the terrene habitation it dwelleth in, some soule may be drawne or rather wrested to a contrary byas vnto that which originally nature implanted in it. Now the primary originall [Page 64] naturall appetence of mans soule, is the loue of truth; which it vehemently desi­reth, and is allwayes vn­quiet ād ardēt in the search of it vpon what occasion soeuer, and is neuer appea­sed and at ease, vntill she haue found it out; which she noe sooner hath done, but the violence she was in is calmed; she is conten­ted; and she setleth her selfe to repose, as hauing arriued to her center and naturall place of rest; wherein she continueth enioying the purchase she hath made, vntill some new occasion of disquisi­sion stir her vp againe; in [Page 65] which she vseth the same industry and eagernes as before. And thus we plai­nely see that the acquisi­tion of truth is that which the soule in euery action naturally aymeth at, as fire doth to ascend; and dete­steth falsehood, as flames suffer violence to be reuer­berated downewards. Ther­fore, allthough any par­ticular man may haue his senses or fantasie so depra­ued as to take imperfect and maymed impressions of outward obiects; or the powers of his vnderstand­ing so weake as to make preposterous and disor­derly collections out of [Page 66] them; or his iudgement so misguided by preoccupa­tion of any affectiō or par­ticular end, as he may in himselfe be deceiued, and feede his soule with false­hood in steede of truth; or else, that sinister respects and interests, or sordide ap­prehensions of commodi­ty to himselfe, meeting with à soule so disposed and wrought vpon by the sensuall passions tyranni­sing ouer it, as to cause him to swallow those baytes, may make him employ the faculties of his vnder­standing and the powers of his soule, contrary vnto their naturall inclination, [Page 67] to the maintayning of a lye, and industriously to deceiue others: yet it is impossible that all mankind or such a mul­titude of men as contayne in them all the variety of dispositions and affections incident to the nature of man, and that are dispersed throughout the world, so as they can haue noe com­munion together whereby they might infect one ano­ther, nor can haue sinister ends cōmon alike to them all, which should inuite thē to conspire together to forge a falsehood: it is im­possible (I say) that such a company of men should [Page 68] so degenerate from their owne nature (which is to loue truth) as they should of themselues inuent a lye (and that in so important a matter as faith is) and concurre to deceiue the world of men that should come after them in things of such nature, as their de­ceipt must of necessity damne for all eternity both themselues and all them that shall receiue that lye from them, and take it upon their credit: without which vnanimous conspi­racy of one whole age of men throughout all the world, we proued in our last conclusion that no [Page 69] false proposition could be admitted into the Church as an article of faith. In a word, this generall defec­tion of all makinde from truth, is more impossible then that all one entire ele­ment or any primigeniall nature should absolutely perish or loose its originall proprietie; as for all the fire in the world to be cor­rupted and forsake his heate and leuity, and so consequently to haue noe more fire in nature: all which followeth of what is sayd aboue. And thus I conceiue I haue made good the assertion that hath begotten all this dis­course [Page 70] vpon the thirteēth head; which is that faith conserued in the Catho­like Church, and deliue­red by perpetuall successiō and generall tradition, is more certaine and more infallible then any naturall science whatsoeuer: for naturall sciences being grounded vpon the inde­fectibility of the natures of those things from whence those sciences are collec­ted; and faith depending vpon the indefectibility of humane nature, which is infinitly more noble then they, aud whose forme is eleuated beyond the reach of matter (whereas theirs [Page 71] is comprehended and shutt vp within the wombe of matter and which is in­deed the end and period of all their natures, and of all the whole materiall world) It followeth of conse­quēce that faith must be lesse subiect to contingen­cy, and lesse lyable to er­ror then naturall sciences are. And they being in vniuersall infallible and certaine; faith must like­wise be so too; and more if more may be.

But this is not enough. our disquisition must not rest heere: We must not content ourselues in this diuine affaire and superna­turall [Page 72] doctrine with a cer­titude depending onely vpon naturall causes. The wisedome of God propor­tioneth out congruent meanes to bring on euery thing to their proper end; and according to the no­bility of the effect that he will haue produced, he or­daineth equiualent noble causes. Therefore, mans obtaining beatitude being the highest end that any creature can arriue vnto, and alltogether supernatu­rall; it requireth superna­turall causes to bring vs to that end, and a supernatu­rall infallibility to secure vs in that iourney. We must [Page 73] not onely haue a superna­turall way to trauell in (which is faith) but allso a supernaturall assurance of the right way, vnto the discouery of which, all that we haue allready sayd, doth necessarily cō ­duce; for Gods prouidence that disposeth all things sweetly, will not in any ge­nerall affaire introduce into the materiall world any supernaturall effect, vntill the naturall causes be first disposed fittingly to coo­perate on their partes; and then he neuer faileth of his. As for example, when a naturall creature is to be produced into beeing, the [Page 74] father and mother must both concurre in contri­buting all that is in their power to the generation of a child; and yet we are sure the soule to be pro­duced hath no dependāce of them; yet notwith­standing, without their precedent action no newe soule would be: But when the matter is fittingly dis­posed in the mothers wōbe, he neuer misseth creating of a soule in that body; which is as noble an effect, and as much requiring the omnipotency of God, as the creating of nothinge all the materiall world; and yet we may say that the [Page 75] matter, when it is arriued to its last disposition for the reception of such a forme, may in a manner clayme that miraculous action depending of his omnipotency; since for mankinde he created the rest of the materiall world, and therefore there ought to be as certaine and neces­sary causes for the pro­duction of man, as there are for the production of other materiall things, which we see doe sel­dome m [...]sse in any whē the matter is fitly disposed for the reception of their seue­rall formes. And so in like manner we may rationally [Page 76] conclude, that in this high and supernaturall bu­synesse of deliuering ouer from hand to hand a super­naturall doctrine to bring mankinde to the end it was created for, he will first haue all the naturall causes fittingly disposed for the secure and infallible per­formāce of that worke: and then, that he will adde and infuse into them some su­pernaturall guift whereby to giue them yet further a supernaturall assurance and infallibility; which they may with an humble confidence in his vnlimi­ted goodesse, expect and claime at his diuine hand, [Page 77] when they are reduced to that state as is conuenient for the reception of such a supernaturall guift.

14. Our fourteenth con­clusion therefore shall be that God hath giuen to his Church thus composed, the holy Ghost, to confir­me it in the true faith, and to preserue it from error, and to Illuminate the vn­derstanding of it in right discerning the true sense of those Misteryes of faith that are committed to the custody of it, and to worke supernaturall effects of de­uotion and sanctitie in that Church. And this I proue thus, Considering that the [Page 78] doctrine of Christ is prac­ticall and aymeth at the working of an effect, which is the reduction of man­kinde to beatitude: and that mankinde compre­hendeth not onely those that liued in that age, when he preached, but also all others that euer were since, or shall be till the end of the world: It is apparent that to accomplish that end, it was necessary Christ should so effectually im­print his doctrine in their hearts whom he deliuered it vnto, as it might vpon all occasions and at all ty­mes infallibly expresse it selfe in action, and in the [Page 79] deliuery of it ouer from hand to hand, should in vertue and strength of the first operation, produce euer after like effects in all others. Now to haue this compleately performed, it was to be done both by ex­teriour and by interiour meanes; proportionable to the senses without, and to the soule within. The outward meanes were the miracles that he wrought, of which himselfe sayeth, if I had not wrought those workes that no man else euer did, they were not guilty of sinne, but now, they haue no excuse: (or to this purpose) and he promissed the Apo­stles [Page 80] they should doe grea­ter then those. And that miracles are the proper in­struments to plant a new doctrine and faith withall, the Apostle witnesseth when he sayeth that mira­cles are wrought for the vnfaithfull not for the faithfull, and God him­selfe told Moses that he would once doe some pro­digy in his fauour that the people might for euer after belieue what he sayd to them. But it is manifest by the fall of the Apostles themselues, that onely this exteriour meanes of mira­cles is not sufficient to engrafte supernaturall faith [Page 81] deepe enough in mens hearts, when as they vpon Christs Passion, not onely for feare, through humane frailty, denyed their ma­ster, but had euen the very conceit and beliefe of his doctrine exiled out of their hearts and vnderstanding, notwithstanding all the miracles they had seene him worke in allmost 4. yeares tyme they conti­nually cōuersed with him: which appeareth plainely by the discourse of the di­sciples going to Emaus, when they sayed we hoped, &c. And expressed their sadnesse for the contrary successe to their expecta­tion; [Page 82] and by saint Thomas his saying that he would not belieue his resurrectiō vnlesse he saw him and pnt his fingers into his woundes &c. And by the rest of the Apostles that were so long before they would belieue his resurrec­tion, as hauing giuen ouer the thought of his diuini­ty, and after his death con­sidered him but as a pure man like other mē. Ther­fore it was necessary that some inward light should be giuen them, so cleare, and so strōg, and so power­full, as the senses should not be able to preuaile a­gainst it, but that it should [Page 83] onerflowingly possesse ād fill all their vnderstand­ings and their soules, and make them breake out in exteriour actions corres­pondent to the spirit that steered them within. And the reason is euident: for whiles on the one side the senses discerne, apparant­ly, miracles wrought in confirmation of a doc­trine; and on the other side, the same senses doe stifly contradict the very possi­bility of the doctrine which those miracles te­stifye; the soule within, hauing no assistāce beyond the naturall powers she hath belonging originally [Page 84] vnto her, is in great debate and anxiety which way to giue her assent; and though reason doe preuaile to giue it to the party of the pre­sent miracles, yet it is with great timidity. But if it happen that the course of those miracles be stopped; thē the particular seeming impossibilies of the propo­sed faith remayning al­wayes alike liuely in their apprehension, and the mi­racles wrought to con­firme it residing but in the memory, and the represen­tatiōs of them wearing out dayly more and more, and the present senses and fan­tasy growing proportiona­bly [Page 85] stonger and stronger, and withall obiecting continually new doubts about the reality of those miracles, it cannot be ex­pected otherwise but that the assent of the soule should range it selfe on the side of the impossibilityes appearing to the present senses, and renounce the doctrine formerly confir­med by miracles, vnlesse some inward and superna­turall light be giuen her to disperse all the mistes that the senses rayse against the truth of the doctrine. Now the infusion of this light and feruour, we call the giuing of the holy Ghost, [Page 86] which Christ himselfe foreknowing how neces­sary it was, promised them, assuring thē that he would procure his father to send them the Holy Ghost, the spirit of truth, that should for euer remaine among them, and within them, and suggest vnto their memory and instruct them in the right vnder­stāding of the faith he had preached vnto them. And this was prophesied long before, of the state of the law of grace by Hieremy, whose authority S. Paule bringeth to proue that the law of the Gospell was to be written by the holy [Page 87] Ghost in mens hearts and in their mindes, and ac­cordingly, he calleth the faithfull of the Co­rynthians, the faith of Christ not written with inke, but with the spirit of God; nor grauen in stony tables, but in the fleshy ones of their hearts. And in performance of this prophesy and of Christs promise, the hy­storie telleth vs that on the tenth day after the ascen­sion of Christ, when all his disciples (who were then all his Church, and were to preach and deliuer it to all the world) were assembled together, the holy Ghost was giuen thē; [Page 88] and that, in so full à mea­sure, as they not onely were confirmed so perfect­ly in their faith as they ne­uer after admitted the least vacillation therein, but they immediatly, casting away all other desires and thoughts, were inflamed with admirable loue of God, and broke out into his prayses, and into a ve­hement ardor of teaching and conuerting others; and when, by reason of that zeale of theirs, any thing happened to them contra­ry to flesh and blood, and humane nature (as persecu­tions, ignominies, corpo­rall punishmēts, and euen [Page 89] death it selfe) they not onely not shunned it, as before, but greedily rann to meete and embrace it, and ioyed, and gloryed in it: all which were effects of the holy Ghost residing in them, and filling their myndes, and gouuerning their soules. Where vppō, by the way we may note, that in what Church so­euer we find not à state of life for sanctitie and neere vnion with God, and con­tempt of wordly and tran­sitory things, raysed aboue the pitch of nature and morality, we may con­clude the holy Ghost inha­biteth not there: for euery [Page 90] agent produceth effects proportionable to the dig­nity of it, and the excel­lency of any cause, shineth eminently in the noble­nesse of its effects. Now that this guift of the holy Ghost is to remaine with the Church as long as the Church remaineth, to il­luminate it with the spirit of truth, and to giue it a supernaturall and diuine vnction, will appeare ma­nifestly vpon consideratiō of the cause why the holy Ghost was to be giuen at the first, which remaineth alwayes the same, and ther­fore the same effect must alwayes follow: and ac­cordingly, [Page 91] Christ promised his Church vpō his ascēd­ing into heauen, that he would alwayes ramaine with them vntill the end of the world, to witt, by this holy spirit; for he was then at the point of withdraw­ing his corporall presence from them.

15. Our next conclusion shall be that this Church or congregation of men spread ouer the world, cō ­seruing and deliuering the faith of Christ from hand to hand, is euen in its owne nature perpetuall in tyme, and cannot faile as long as mankinde remayneth in [Page 92] the world. This needeth noe further proofe then that which we haue alrea­dy made; which is deriued from the necessity of su­pernaturall faith to bring mankinde to the end it was created for, and that there is no meanes to deliuer this faith to mankinde in the ages after Christ, but by the traditiō of the Church; and therefore as long as mankinde lasteth, this meanes must be cōtinued. Yet in this way of reaso­ning that I vse, we are to examine our conclusions as well by the genuine and orderly causes that be­get them, and by their [Page 93] owne particular principles, as to assent vnto them for the necessity that we see in them in regarde of the end that they are referred vnto: And when we haue retriued those, and euident­ly discerned theire force, it giueth an admirable con­tent and satisfaction to the vnderstanding. Thus then: as Philosophers conclude that it is impossible any whole species or kinde of beastes should euer be vt­terly exterminated and destroyed, that is diffused vp and downe ouer the whole face of the earth, because the amplitude of the vniuerse is greater then [Page 84] the variety of causes can be from which such a gene­rall and entire corruption must proceed: In like man­ner we may confidently conclude, that it is impos­sible any depraued affec­tions should so vniuersally preuaile, and so absolutly raigne in mens mindes throughout the whole world, as would be requi­site to extirpate and roote out a doctrine vniuersally spread ouer it all, that was at the first taught and con­firmed with such s [...]ales of truth as the miracles that Christ and the Apostles wrought, that in it selfe is so pure and agreable to the [Page 95] seedes that euery man fin­deth sowed, euen by na­ture, in his owne soule; that worketh such admi­rable effects as the refor­mation of manners in mākind; that withdraweth mens affections from hu­mane and wordly content­ments, and carryeth them with a sweete violence to intellectuall obiects, and to hopes of immortality and happinesse in another life; that prescribeth lawes for happy liuing, euen in this world, to all men of what condition soeuer, ether publike or priuate, as working a moderation in mens affections to the [Page 96] commodities and goods of this life, which else in na­ture is apt to blinde mens mindes, and is the cause of all michiefes and euills; and lastly, that is deliuered ouer from hand to hand, from worlds of fathers to worlds of sonnes, with such care and exactnesse as greater cānot be imagi­ned, and as is requisite to the importance of that af­faire; which is infinitly beyond all others, as on which the saluation and damnation of mankinde wholy dependeth. Now, vnto these rationall con­siderations let vs adde the promise which Christ [Page 97] made to his Church, that the gates of hell should not preuaile against it; and I thinke we haue sufficient­ly maintained that the Church of Christ in which the true doctrine of Christ is conserued, can neuer faile, but must infallibly continue vntill the worlds end. Thus hauing proued, that a supernaturall doc­trine is necessary to bring mankind to beatitude; that Christ taught this doc­trine; that from him the Churh receaued it, and is the sacrary in which it is cōserued; that this Church cannot erre in the tradition of this doctrine, that be­sides [Page 98] the infallibility of it, this Church is perpetuall. It remaineth now that we close vp this discourse by applying all these premis­ses vnto the question in hand; which is, where we shall find out this infallible Church, that by it we may gaine the knowledge of the true faith of Christ, whereby we are to be sa­ued,

16. For this end our sixteenth and last con­clusion shall be, that the congregation of men spred ouer the world, ioyning in communion with the Church of Rome, is the true Catholike Church [Page 99] in which is conserued and taught the true sauing faith of Christ.

The truth of this con­clusion will without bring­ing any new proofes ap­peare euidētly by reflect­ing vpon what we haue sayed, and onely examin­ing whether the Romane Church be such a one as we haue determined the true Church of Christ must be; or whether the notes which me may inferre out of our discourse to belong inseparably to the true Church, may not rather with more reason be ac­knowledged of some other then of that in cōmunion [Page 70] with the see of Rome? this point after these groundes layed, requireth no very subtill disquisition, but is discernable euen by the weakest sights: and therefore this way of argu­ing appeareth to me most satisfactory and content­full, when taking the whole body of the que­stion into suruey; and be­ginning with the first and remotest considerations of it, we driue the difficulties still before vs; and pursu­ing of them orderly, at euery steppe we establish a solide principle, and so become secure of the truth and certainty of all we [Page 71] leaue behind vs; which course, although it may at the first sight appeare to be a great way about, and looking but superficially vpon the matter we may seeme to meete with diffi­culties which cōcerne not our question; yet in the ef­fect we shall perceiue it is the most summary me­thod of handling any con­trouersie; and the onely meanes to be secured of the truth of what we con­clude, and that will recom­pense the precedent diffi­culties by making the conclusion (which is the knotte of the affayre) plaine, easy, and open. I [Page 72] say then first that vnity of doctrine in matters of faith is inseparable from the Romane Church, and can neuer be found in any other: it onely, hauing a precise ād determinate rule of faith. For it hath belie­ued in euery age, all that hath bin plainely ād positi­uely taught vnto it by theire fathers as the doctrine of faith deriued from Christ; and admitteth noe other article whatsoeuer as an article of faith. Whereas on the other side, all other Christian Churches amōg vs that pretend reforma­tion, haueing no certaine and common rule of faith, [Page 73] but euery particular man gouerning himselfe in this matter by the collections of his owne braine, and by his owne priuate vnder­standing and interpreta­tion of Scripture (which onely he acknowledgeth as the entire rule of faith) it must consequently fol­low, that according to the variety of their tempers and iudgemēts, there must be a variety and difference of their opinions and be­liefes; which difference of temper happening for the most part betweene euery two men that are, it like­wise followeth scarse any two should in all particu­lars [Page 74] of their opinions agree together. And according­ly we see by experience, that scarce any two au­thors, out of the Romane Church, that haue written of matters of faith haue a­greed in their tenets, but rather haue dissented in fundamentall doctrine, and haue inueighed against one another in their writings with great vehemence and bitternesse. Whereas on the other side, the Doctors of the Romane Church in all tymes, in all places, and of all tempers haue agreed vnanimously in all matters of faith; although in the meane tyme, seuerall [Page 75] of them haue, in diuers other points great de­bates against one ano­ther, and pursue them with much sharpnesse: which strongly confirmeth the ground vpon which we frame this obseruation.

But to insist a little fur­ther vpon this materiall and important consideration; it is euident that the pro­ceeding of the reformers openeth the gate to all dis­sention, schisme, irreue­rence, pride of vnderstand­ing, heresie, and ruine of Christian religion: for to iustify the new births of their rebellions braines, the first stroke of their pen [Page 76] must be to lay a taint of ignorance and error vpon the whole current of An­cient fathers and Doctours of the Church, and gene­rall Councells, and to blast their authority which is so precisely contrary to their doctrine; whose names and recordes ought to be sa­cred with posterity. Which when they haue done; to settle a cōstant and like be­liefe in all men, they giue noe generall and certayne rule; but leauing euery man to the Dictamens of his owne priuate iudge­ment, according to the se­uerall tempers and cir­cumstances (as we sayd [Page 77] before) that sway euery single man in particular, there must result (which we see by experience) as great a variety of opinions as those are different. And lastly since they quarell at Catholickes beliefe in those points where they differ from them, because they captiuate their vnder­standings with reuerence to what the Church pro­poseth and teacheth, and thereby admitt into their beliefe articles which may seeme absurd to common sense; they may as well with presumptuous hands, graspe at and seeke to plucke vp, the very fun­dations [Page 78] of Christian reli­gion; as namely the doc­trine of the Trinity, and of the incarnatiō of Christ, and of the resurrection and state of life of the future world: since there are greater seeming contradic­tions in them (especially in the two first) then in those misteryes the reformers cauill at.

In the next place we may consider that as infallibili­ty is pretended by the Ro­mane Church alone, so it is apparantly entayled vpon it: for we haue proued that no meanes or circumstāce, ether morall, naturall or supernaturall, is wanting [Page 79] in it to begett infallibility in matters of faith. Wher­as on the other side, from the reformers owne posi­tion we inferre by conse­quence that their doctrine cannot be hoped (euen by thēselues) to be infallible; and therefore they that shall submiit their vnder­standing to their conduct, though they belieue with­out controuersy all they say, must needes (euen by reason of what is taught them) floate allwayes in a greate deale of incertitude and anxious apprehension and feare of error. For they looking vpon the Church, but with pure [Page 80] humane considerations as an ordinary company of men, will haue it lyable to mistaking according to the naturall imbecillity of mens wits and vnderstand­ings, and of humane pas­sions, and negligence and other such defects and weakenesses which euery man is by nature subiect vnto: Against which they produce no antidote to pre­serue and secure thēselues from the infectiō and taint they lay vpon the Church. For, if they will haue the conferences of seuerall pas­sages of Scripture to be that which must giue light in the seuerall cōtrouerted [Page 81] obscurities; what eminen­cy haue these few late re­formers shewne, other in knowledge of tongues, in­sight into antiquity, pro­foundnesse in sciēces, and perfection and sanctity of life, which hath not shined admirably more (not to taxe them here of the con­trary) in multitudes of the aduerse party? And none will deny but these are the likelyest meanes to gaine à right intelligence of the true and deepe sense of Scriptures. And besides, we may obserue that the reason why they deny the seuerall articles wherin they differ from the Ca­tholicke [Page 82] Church, is be­cause it teacheth a doc­trine which is repugnant to sense and of hard dige­stion to Philosophy; both which are vncompetent iudges of diuine and super­naturall truths: And who­soeuer steereth by their compasse, cannot hope for infalliblity in a matter that transcendeth their reach.

Thirdly we may consi­der that the vniuersality of the Church in regarde of place (which is necessary to the end that all man­kinde may haue sufficient meanes to gaine know­ledge of the true faith) can be attributed to none but [Page 83] to the Romane Catho­licke Church; which one­ly is diffused throughout the whole world; whereas all others are circled in with narrow limits of parti­cular prouinces; And euen within them, the profes­sors scarce agree among themselues in any poynt of doctrine but in opposing the Romane Church.

And yet further; besides this want of vniuersality in regarde of place; the Religion taught by the re­formers, hath yet a greater restriction then that: for euen in its owne nature, it is not for all sorts of per­sons and for all capacities: [Page 84] whereas the true saueing faith to bring men to bea­titude ought to be obuious to all mankinde, and open as well to the simple as to the learned. For since they lay the Scriptures as the first and highest principle, from whence they deduce all that ought to be belie­ued; And that in all artes and sciences the primary and fundamentall princi­ples thereof ought to be throughly knowne by thē that aspire to the perfect knowledge of those scien­ces; it followeth that one must haue an exact know­ledge of the learned tong­ues to examine punctually [Page 85] the true sense of the Scrip­tures; and that one must be perfectly versed in logicke to be able to reason solidly, and to deduce true conse­quēces from certaine prin­ciples (for want of which, we find by experience that great controuersies arise dayly among the learnedst men; which would not be, if the force of consequen­ces were of their owne na­ture easily discernable) and one must be throughly skilled in naturall philoso­phy and Metaphysickes, since vnto appearing con­tradictions in subiects of those sciences, they re­duce most of their argu­ments [Page 86] against the superna­turall truths that Catho­lickes belieue. And lastly one must be indowed with an excellent iudgemēt and strong naturall witt, to be able to wield and make good vse of these weapons; without which they would but aduāce him the faster to ruine and pernicious error. With which excellencyes, how few are there in the world fairely adorned?

Fourthly, it is euident that the Romane Catho­licke Church onely hath had a constant and vnin­terrupted succession of Pastors and Doctors, and tradition of doctrine from age to age; which we [Page 87] haue established as the one­ly meanes to deriue downe the true faith from Christ. Whereas it is apparant all others haue had late be­ginnings from vnworthy causes: And yet, euen in this little while, haue not bene able to maintaine themsel­ues for one age through­out (or scarce for any con­siderable part of an age) in one tenor of doctrine, or forme of Ecclesiasticall gouerment. Lastly we may consider how the effect of the holy Ghost his inha­biting in the Church, in regard of manners, mak­ing the hearts of men his liuing temples, shineth [Page 88] eminently in the Catho­like Church, and is not so much as to be suspected in any other whatsoeuer. For where this holy spirit raigneth, it giueth a bur­ning loue of God (as we haue touched before) and a vehement desire of ap­proaching vnto him as neere as may be: Now, the soule of man, moueth towards God not by cor­poreall steppes and pro­gressions, but by intellec­tuall actions; the highest of which, are mentall prayer and contēplation; in which exercices, a man shall ad­uance the more, by how much he is the more se­questred [Page 89] from the thought and care of any wordly af­fayres, and hath his pas­sions quieted within him, and is abstracted from cō ­munication with materiall obiects, and is vntied from humane interests, and (ac­cording to the counsailes of Christ in the Gospell) hath cast off all sollicitude of the future, and remitteth himselfe wholy to the pro­uidence of God, liuing in the world as though he were not in it, wholly in­tent to contēplation when the inferiour part of Cha­rity calleth him not downe to comply with the neces­sity of his Neighbours. [Page 09] This forme of life we see continually practised in the Catholicke Church by multitudes of persons of both sexes, that through extreme desire of appro­aching as neere vnto God as this life will permitt, doe banish themselues from all theyr frends, kindred, and what els in the world was naturally dearest vnto thē; and either retire into ex­treme solitudes, or shutt themselues vp for euer within the narrow limits of a straight Monastery and little cell; where hau­ing renounced all the inte­rest and propriety in the [Page 91] goods of this world, and vsing no more of them then is necessary for the poore sustenance of theyr ex­hausted bodyes (which they mortify with great abstinences, watchings and other austerityes, that they may bring them into sub­iection; and roote out, as much as may bee, the very fewell of concupiscence and passions) and hauing of their owne accorde bar­red themselues of all pro­priety of disposing of thē ­selues in any action, and renounced euen the free­dome of their will; and thus in somme, hauing ta­ken an eternall farewell of [Page 92] all the ioyes and delights that this world can afford, and that carnall mē would be so loath to forgoe for any litle while; yet by the internall ioyes that they find in their prayer and cō ­templation (vnto which all these actions of retren­chment from superfluities, or outward solaces, doe serue as a ladder to ascend vnto the topp of it) they liue so happily, and cheer­fully, and with such tran­quillity of minde, and vpō occasions say so much of the ouerflowings of theyr blisse, as it is apparant they inioy there the hundred­fold that Christ promised [Page 93] in this life. Nor can it be obiected that men vsually betake themselues to this course of Religious life, vpon being distempered by melancholy, or for the ill successe and trauerses they haue had in affayres of the world, or out of simplicitie and weakenesse of vnderstanding; since it is euident that this Ange­licall forme of liuing hath euer beene best practised by persons of the best cō ­posed and cheerfullest dis­positions; and by multi­tudes of such is and hath bene imbraced; and that in the world ouerflowed with all the blessings it [Page 94] could afford them; and were of strongest parts of vnderstanding and iudge­ment; and were most emi­nent in learning. So that it is apparent they had no other motiue thereunto, but purely the loue of God and feruour of de­uotion: which being an effect of the holy Ghost re­siding in their heartes; to his inspirations and admi­rable wayes of working in those his temples of flesh and blood, these extraor­dinary effects are to be im­puted. Whereas on the other side noe such exāples or surpernaturall forme of life, are to be mett withall [Page 95] in any other Church what­soeuer: Rather, they dis­claime from them; and like men of this world (which is the expression that Christ vseth in the Gospell to de­signe those that are not of his Church) not being able to discerne things of the spiritt, but being blinded with the luster of them, too great for their weake eyes; they neglect and dis­dayne them, and imagine that all Christian perfec­tion consisteth in an ordi­nary humane morall life: which is the vttermost pe­riode that any among them seeke to attaine vnto. And therefore we may hence [Page 96] cōclude that they haue no interiour worker among them more sublime then their owne humane dis­courses and iudgements; and that supernaturall sāc­tity (an effect of the holy Ghost) is confined only to the Catholicke Church.

Besides; we may obserue by dayly experience, how those persons that addict thēselues to such an extra­ordinary way of life; doe ab­solutly proue ether the best or the worst of mankinde; the one excelling in ad­mirable piety, feruour of denotion, abstraction and sanctity of life, and some of them soaring vp to a [Page 97] pitch euen aboue nature; the other abounding in all sorts of impiety, wicked­nesse and dissolution of manners, till at length theire hearts become euen hardened against correc­tion and all sense of spiri­tuall things; whereas it or­dinarily happeneth that the most flagitious men a­mong those who liue in a vulgar wordly estate of life, doe vpon occasions frequently receaue nota­ble impressions from di­uine obiects to the amen­dement and change of their dissolute course. And this being a constant and certaine effect noted at all [Page 98] tymes and in all places, it must be attributed to a cō ­stant and powerfull cause: which can be noe other thē the neere approaching of those persons to the ori­ginall fontaine of sainctity and goodnesse; which being like a consuming fire, worketh vehement effects in them, accord­ing to the disposition they are in, and to the neerenes that they haue vnto that fire: so that as the sunne beames (which are the authors of life and foe cun­dity to all plants and vege­tables) shinning vpon a tree that hath taken so­ide rootes in the earth, maketh [Page 99] it budd, flourish, and beare fruit, and on the other side, if it bee weakely rooted, their heate and operation vpon that tree maketh it the sooner to wither and die: And as the fyre sen­deth an influence of heate into a pott of water that is symply applyed vnto it, but if that pott be sett in a vessell of snow or ice, and so be held ouer the fire, it driueth vnto the center the cold of the snowe former­ly diffused with out, and in a very short space turneth that water into ice, which else might haue stayed there long enough without con­gealing: in like manner, [Page 100] they who being rooted in charity, approach to that dinine sunne, doe flourish and bring fourth excellent ād ofttymes supernaturall fruites of deuotion, fer­uor, and sanctitye; butt those who haue depraued affections soe inuironing the rootes of theyr hearts as that the soyle of charity cānott introduce her nou­rishing sappe into them; and whose soules are com­passed in with the ice of sensuality and carnall co­gitations; if they come within the beames of this holy sunne, or within the heate of this sanctifying fire, they doe but wither [Page 101] a way the sooner, and their hearts grow daily more and more to be ice, till at lēgth (like that of Pharao, a­midst the wonderous wor­kes of the lord, happy to others) they become mise­rable and stony.

And againe we see that those who hauing addicted themselues wholy to such a course of Seraphy call life, and that being allwayes vehemently intent to the loue and contemplation of the prime verity, and that hauing no other obiect for their actions or thoughts; doe thereby (as wee may reasonably conceaue) ap­proach neerest to God all­mighty [Page 102] and drawe imme­diatly from him (who is the fonntaine of light and truth) strongest emana­tions and cleerest influen­ces to illustrate their vn­derstanding, and enflame their affections: those per­sons (I say) haue euer beene most earnest in the maintenāce of those points of the Romane doctrine which are most repug­nant to sense (as in par­ticular, of that of the reall presence of Christs body in the blessed Sacrement; vnto which all other Sa­crements, and acts of faith and deuotion, are reduced) and adore them with grea­test [Page 103] reuerence, and are en­flamed with feruentest de­uotion vnto them. And therefore wee may con­clude that this confidence, religiousnesse, and feruour, proceedeth from hēce that these men, and such among them as cannot be suspec­ted for simplicity, igno­rance, or sinister ends; are thus cōfirmed in this faith, and are thus sett on fire with this deuotion more vigorously and vehemētly then ordinary secular men; by the immediate working and inspiration of the holy Ghost; from whose strea­mes it is likely they drinke purer and cleerer waters, [Page 104] and neerer the well head, then other men of a more worldly and vulgar con­uersation. And it were not agreeable to the goodnesse of God to permitt those persons that most affec­tionatly seeke him, and who for his sake, out of pure deuotion and desire of contemplating truth, doe abridge themselues of all other wordly contentmēts, to haue theyr vnderstand­ings worse blynded with false doctrine then other men that seeke him more coldly and care lesse for him; and to haue their wills more depraued then theirs with erroneous and false [Page 105] deuotion, as of necessity it would follow theyrs were, if the doctrine that the Ca­tholicke Church profes­seth were not true, and the holy Ghost resided not in it to worke those effects. Now on the contrary part, lett vs make a short inquiry whether it be pro­bable that the late preten­ded reformers haue beene illuminated by God in an extraordinary manner, to discouer truth; which they say hath for many ages layen hidd. Surely if any such thing were, they would haue expressed in theyre manner of life by some extraordinary sancti­ty [Page 106] and excellent actions, and supernaturall wise­dome, that extraordinary cōmunication which they would persuade vs they had with the diuinity. For as by a radiant beame of light shining in at the chinke of a window, wee know assuredly, the sunne beateth vpon it, although we see not his body; soe likewise there should haue broken out frō them some admirable and excellent effect whereby wee might rest confident that the di­uine sunne illuminated theire vnderstanding, and enflamed theyre will. Moyses when hee came [Page 107] downe from the moun­tayne where hee soe long conuersed with God, ex­pressed euen by the luster glittering from his face, that it was not an ordinary or naturall light which had shined vnto him: the Apostles when they were replenished with the holy Ghost receiued immediat­ly the guift of tongues and a cleere intelligence of all the Scriptures; whereby they made cleare vnto the auditors the obscurest pas­sages of them; and con­tinually wrought miracles: and all those that euer since them haue introdu­ced the Gospell into any [Page 108] country where formerly it was not receaued, haue still had thyre commission au­ctorised by the same sea­les; and shall our late par­ticular Reformers be cre­dited in theyr pretended vocation, and in theyr new doctrine that shaketh the very foundations of the faith that hath beene by the whole Christian world for soe many ages belieued and deliuered ouer from hand to hand, when as nothing appeareth in them supernaturall and procee­ding from a diuine cause?

This Madame, is as much as I shall trouble your La: withall vpon this [Page 109] occasion: which indeed is much more then at the first I intended or could haue suspected my pen would haue stollen from mee. The substance of all which may be summed vp and reduced to this follow­ing short question; name­ly, whether in the election of the faith whereby you hope to be saued, you will be guided by the vnani­mous consent of the wisest, the learnedst, ād the piou­sest men of the whole world, that haue bene in­structed in what they be­lieue by men of the like quality liuing in the age before them, and soe from [Page 110] age to age vntill the Apo­stles and Christ; and that in this manner haue deriued from that fountayne, both a perfect ād full knowledge of all that ought to be be­lieued, and likewise a right vnderstāding and interpre­tation of the Scriptures, as farr as concerneth faith; (the true sense of which so farr, is alsoe deliuered ouer by the same tradi­tion.) Or whether you wil assent vnto the new and wrested interpretations of places of Scripture, made by late men that rely mee­rely vpon theire single iud­gement and witt (too slight a barcke to sayle in [Page 111] through soe immense an Ocean) and whose chiefe leaders for humane respects and sinister ends (not to say worse of them) made a desperate defection from the other maine body; since which tyme; noe two of them haue agreed in do­ctrine; and among whom it is impossible your lady­shipps greate iudgement and strong vnderstanding should finde any solide stay to repose securely vpon, and to quiett all those ra­tionall doubts that your perceing wit suggesteth vn­to you. And here, Madame, I shall make an end; hae­ [...]ing sincerily, and as suc­cinctly [Page 112] and playnely as I can deliuered you the chiefe considerations that in this affayre turned the scale of the balance with mee; which in good faith I haue done with all the sim­plicity and ingenuity that I can expresse my sense with; being not at all war­med with any passion or partiality, nor raysed out of my euē pitch and tem­per with any spirit of dis­putation, or siding humor; (which few haue auoyded vpon this subiect) but I haue giuen you a true pic­ture of my seriousest and saddest thoughts and reso­lutions to my selfe in this [Page 113] most important busynesse; wherein you will belieue I would take the greatest paines I was able, to be sure not to be deceiued. I haue not sought to show wittinesse or acutenesse of learning in the debating of these points; or haue affec­ted polished langage in the committing them to pa­per; for this matter should not be handled for often­tation but for vse: and though peraduēture if this discourse should fall into the view of some learned man hee may at the first sight sett but a slight valew vpon it; yett I perswade [Page 114] my selfe whosoeuer he be if hee will ponder it se­riously and leasurely and with a like interior recol­lectiō as I at the first setled the grounds of it in my owne soule, he will then finde it toucheth the life of the matter: and though I haue not deliured my con­ceptions smoothly and well, yett hee will not thinke his tyme lost in reading them; and hauing stronger parts then I, hee will make cleerer vse of them then I haue done. This I am sure of; that all­though I haue sett this downe for your La: in 2. [Page 115] or 3. dayes (for it is noe longer since you comman­ded me to doe it) yet it is the production and result of many howers medita­tions by my selfe; or rather of some yeares: and how drye soeuer they may ap­peare to your La: at the first; yet I dare promise you that vpon your secōd and third readings and reflexions vpon them, they will gaine more credit with you; and you will (I know) by such appli­cation of your thoughts vpon them, enlarge and refine what dependeth of the maine heads far be­yond [Page 116] any thing I haue sayd. For such is the na­ture of notions that are wrought, like the silke wormes ball, of ones owne substance: they afford fine and strong threads for a good workman to weaue into a fayre peece of stuffe: whereas they that like bees doe gather hony from seuerall authors; or that like Aunts, doe make vp their store by what they picke vp in the originall crude substance from others labours; may peraduenture in their workes seeme more plea­sant at the first taste, or ap­peare [Page 117] to haue a fayrer heape at the first view, but the others webb is more vsefull, more substantiall, and more durable.

I beseech God of his grace and goodnesse, in this life to enlighten your La: vnderstanding that you may discerne truth, and to dispose your will that you may imbrace it; and in the next, to giue you part among those glorious Apostles, Fathers, Doctors, and Martyrs that deriuing the same truth from him, haue from hand to hand deliuered it ouer to our tymes.