An Antilogy, Section 4
THE FOVRTH SECTION: THAT THE Authors intent and scope is nothing lesse, then to teach a most vndoubted certaintie and vnitie in Popish religion.
Pag. 18.19.THis section hath nothing worth the answering: neither containeth any thing, beside slaunders, bragges, facings, and bold assertions.
Vntruth 23.1. He impudently saith, and with a brasen face, that Protestants may be had in iust suspition, Lin. 10that many doubters or deniers (at least in affection) of all worship are entred in among them. Whereas it is out of all doubt, that many such Atheists are fostered,Sect. 2.3. proof in Rome, Italie, Spaine; where the name Christian is vsed as a word of derision: as is rehearsed before.
Lin. 20.28.2. He telleth vsus, of an ample confutation, which he hath written against all Atheists and enemies to religion, which he calleth a Resolution of Religion, wherein hee hath resolued all doubts that may bee imagined. This sure is a worke indeede, that can meete with mens thoughts and imaginations. This booke we would gladly see, which he so often maketh mention of: some such thing I hauehave heard intended, but it should seeme, the author, like to the Beare, hath not yet licked this deformed lumpe to perfection. If it were ripe, it would be a good present for their mother of fornications and her children at Rome, to perswade them from Atheisme and Epicurisme. And yet considering this yonkers spirituall father, graund prouinciall Frier Robert Parsons, hath written of this argument before in his Resolution, this punie father might hauehave spared this labour, and confessed modestly with Hierome: Supersedendum huic labori sentio, Lib. 3. aduers. Pelagian.ne mihi dicatur illud Horatij, In syluam ne ligna feras, &c. I thinke to giuegive ouer this labour, least that of Horace be said vntounto me; Carrie not sticks into the wood: video enim … clarissimo ingenio occupata esse meliora: For I see a riper head hath brought better stuffe.
3. Where he saith, that their religion, Vntruth 24.which hee calleth most holie and approued (most vnholie and reproued rather) is resolued to the most assured and infallible word and reuelation of God. This speech, it is hard to say, whether it hath more subtiltie or lesse honestie: For if by the word and reuelation of God he vnderstand, not the word written onelyonly, but their blind traditions, which they vsually call, Verbum Dei non scriptum, The word of God vnwritten, he speaketh craftily:Popish religion relieth not vponupon the Scriptures. for this their Anabaptistical reuelation is not assured or infallible, but most vncertaine, and deceitfull. If hee meane hereby onelyonly the Scriptures of God, it is an vnhonest bragge of him: for Poperie differeth as much from the word written, as darknes from light: if it were not so, why doe they not stand to their tackle, and cleaue onelyonly to the Scriptures? why doe they make their traditions vnwritten of equall authoritie with the word written? what need had they to denie the scriptures to containe all things necessarie to saluation? These grosse positions of theirs doe well declare, that they feare to be tried by the Scriptures.
4. He saith further, nothing is more holie, credible, Pag. 19. l. 12.or worthie to be beleeued, then the doctrine he is to teach: Vntruth 25.and to follow S. Augustines phrase, that a man should sooner doubt, whether he liue. He may well follow Augustines phrase, his sense he followeth not: for Augustine in that place, (which hee citeth in the margin) speaketh not of the articles of Popish religion, which he neither knew,Lib. 7. confess. cap. 10. Heretikes many times resolute. nor approueth, but of the certaintie, which we ought to hauehave of the eternal veritie, that is, the Godhead, whereby we were made. And I nothing maruaile to see this fellow so confident in his Popish trash, seeing it hath been the propertie of the greatest Heretikes to shew themselues resolute. Eutyches said: In hac fide genitus sum, vsque hodie vixi in ea, & opto mori: I was borne in this faith,Concil. Chalc. act. 3. and hitherto liued in it, and desire to die. Dioscorus his companion said: Ego cum patribus eijcior, ego defendo patrum dogmata: I am cast out with the fathers, I defend the sentence of the fathers. Constantinus a Monothelite heretike being asked of the Synode if he would continue in that error, answered: Etiam domini, Constantinop. synod. 6. act. 6.sic sentio, sic credo, non est possibile aliter: Yea my Lords, so I thinke, so I beleeue, it is not possible otherwise.