UPON the first news of the publication of your Book , I used all diligence with speed to procure it ; and came with such a mind to the reading of it , as S. Austin before he was a setled Catholick , brought to his conference with Faustus the Manichee . For as he thought , that if any thing more then ordinary might be said in defence of the Manichean Doctrine , Faustus was the man from whom it was to be expected : So my persuasion concerning you was , Si Pergama dextrâ defendi possunt , certè hac defensa videbo . If Troy by any Power could stand , 'T would be defended by your hand .

1. For I conceived that among the Champions of the Roman Church , the English in Reason must be the best , or equal to the best , as being by most expert Masters trained up purposely for this war , and perpetually practised in it . Among the English , I saw the Jesuits would yield the first place to none ; and Men so wise in their generation as the Jesuits were , if they had any Achilles among them , I presumed , would make choice of him for this service . And besides , I had good assurance that in the framing of this building , though you were the only Architect , yet you wanted not the assistance of many diligent hands to bring you in choice materials towards it ; nor of many careful and watchful eyes to correct the errors of your work , if any should chance to escape you . Great reason therefore had I to expect great matters from you , and that your Book should have in it the Spirit and Elixir of all that can be said in defence of your Church and Doctrin ; and to assure my self , that if my resolution not to believe it , were not built upon the rock of evident grounds and reasons , but only upon some sandy and deceitful appearances , now the Wind and Storm and Floods were coming , which would undoubtedly overthrow it .

2. Neither truly were you more willing to effect such an alteration in me than I was to have it effected . For my desire is to go the right way to Eternal Happiness . But whether this way lie on the right-hand or the left , or strait forwards ; whether it be by following a living Guide , or by seeking my directions in a Book , or by hearkening to the secret whisper of some private Spirit , to me it is indifferent . And he that is otherwise affected , and has not a Travellers indifference , which Epictetus requires in all that would find the truth , but much desires in respect of his ease , or pleasure , or profit , or advancement , or satisfaction of friends , or any human consideration , that one way should be true rather than another ; it is odds but he will take his desire that it should be so , for an assurance that it is so . But I for my part , unless I deceive my self , was and still am so affected as I have made profession : not willing I confess to take any thing upon trust , and to believe it without asking my self why ; no , nor able to command my self ( were I never so willing ) to follow , like a sheep , every shepheard that should take upon him to guide me ; or every Flock that should chance to go before me : but most apt and most willing to be led by reason to any way , or from it ; and always submitting all other Reasons to this one , God hath said so , therefore it is true . Nor yet was I so unreasonable as to expect Mathematical demonstrations from you in matters plainly incapable of them , such as are to be believed , and if we speak properly , cannot be known ; such therefore I expected not . For as he is an unreasonable Master , who requires a stronger assent to his conclusions than his arguments deserve ; so I conceive him a froward and undisciplin'd Scholar , who desires stronger arguments for a conclusion than the matter will bear . But had you represented to my understanding such reasons of your Doctrine , as being weighed in an even ballance , held by an even hand , with those on the other side , would have turned the Scale , and have made your Religion more credible than the contrary ; certainly I should have despised the shame of one more alteration , and with both mine armes and all my heart most readily have embraced it . Such was my expectation from you , and such my preparation , which I brought with me to the reading of your Book .

3. Would you know now what the event was , what effect was wrought in me by the perusal and consideration of it ? To deal truly and ingenuously with you , I fell somwhat in my good opinion both of your sufficiency and sincerity : but was exceedingly confirmed in the ill opinion of the Cause maintained by you . I found every where Snares that might entrap , and Colours that might deceive the Simple ; but nothing that might persuade , and very little that might move an understanding Man , and one that can discern between Discourse and Sophistry . In short , I was verily perseaded that I plainly saw and could make it appear , to all dis-passionate and unprejudicate Judges , that a vein of Sophistry and Calumny did run clean through it from the beginning to the end . And this I undertook with a full resolution to be an adversary to your Errors , but a Friend and Servant to your Person : and so much the more a Friend to your Person , by how much the severer and more rigid Adversary I was to your Errors .

4. In this work , my Conscience bears me witness , that I have according to your advice proceeded always with this consideration , that I am to give a most strict account of every line , and word that passeth under my Pen ; and therefore have been precisely careful for the matter of my Book to defend truth only , and only by Truth . And then scrupulously fearful of Scandalizing you or any Man with the manner of handling it .

6. In your Pamphlet of Directions to N. N. you have loaded not only my person in particular , but all the Learned and Moderate Divines of the Church of England , and all Protestants in general , nay all wise Men of all Religions but your own , with unworthy Contumelies , and a Mass of portentous and execrable Calumnies .

7. To begin with the last , you stick not in the begining of your first Chapter , to fasten the imputation of Atheism and Irreligion upon all wise and gallant Men , that are not of your own Religion . In which uncharitable and unchristian Judgment , void of all colour or shadow of probability , I know yet by experience that very many of the Bigots of your Faction are partakers with you . God forbid I should think the like of you ! Yet if I should say , that in your Religion there want not some temptations unto , and some Principles of Irreligion and Atheism , I am sure I could make my Assertion much more probable than you have done , or can make this horrible imputation .

8. For to pass by first , that which experience justifies , that where and when your Religion hath most absolutely commanded , there and then Atheism hath most abounded ; To say nothing Secondly , of your notorious and confessed forging of so many false Miracles , and so many lying Legends , which is not unlikely to make suspitious men to question the truth of all : Nor to object to you Thirdly , the abundance of your weak and silly Ceremonies and ridiculous Observances in your Religion , which in all probability cannot but beget secret contempt and scorn of it in wise and considering men , and consequently Atheism and Impiety , if they have this persuasion setled in them ( which is too rife among you , and which you account a piece of Wisdom and Gallantry ) that if they be not of your Religion , they were as good be of none at all : Nor to trouble you Fourthly with this , that a great part of your Doctrine , especially in the Points contested , makes apparently for the temporal ends of the teachers of it ; which yet I fear is a great scandal to many Beaux Esprits among you : Only I should desire you to consider attentively when you conclude so often from the differences of Protestants , that they have no certainty of any part of their Religion , no not of those Points wherein they agree , whether you do not that which so magisterially you direct me not to do , that is , proceed a destructive way , and object arguments against your adversaries , which tend to the overthrow of all Religion ? And whether as you argue thus , Protestants differ in many things , therefore they have no certainty of any thing : So an Atheist or a Sceptick may not conclude as well , Christians , and the Professors of all Religions differ in many things , therefore they have no certainty of any thing ? Again , I should desire you to tell me ingenuously , whether it be not too probable that your portentous Doctrine of Transubstantiation , joyn'd with your foremention'd persuasion of , No Papists no Christians , hath brought a great many others as well as himself , to Averroes's resolution , Quandoquidem Christiani adorant quod comedunt , sit anima mea cum Philosophis ? Forasmuch as the Christians worship that which they eat , let my Soul be with the Philosophers . Whether your requiring men upon only probable and Prudential motives , to yield a most certain assent unto things in humane reason impossible , and telling them , as you do too often , that they were as good not believe at all , as believe with any lower degree of Faith , be not a likely way to make considering men scorn your Religion , ( and consequently all , if they know no other ) as requiring things contradictory , and impossible to be performed ? Lastly , Whether your pretence that there is no good ground to believe Scripture , but your Churches infallibility , joyn'd with your pretending no ground for this but some Texts of Scripture , be not a fair way to make them that understand themselves , believe neither Church nor Scripture ?

9. Your Calumnies against Protestants in general are set down in these words , Chap. 2. § . 2. The very doctrine of Protestants , if it be followed closely , and with coherence to it self , must of necessity induce Socinianism . This I say confidently , and evidently prove , by instancing in one Error , which may well be termed the Capital and Mother-heresie , from which all other must follow at ease ; I mean , their Heresie in affirming that the perpetual visible Church of Christ , descended by a never interrupted Succession from our Saviour to this day , is not infallible in all that it proposeth to be believed as revealed truths .

For if the Infallibility of such a publick Authority be once impeached ; what remains , but that every man is given over to his own wit and discourse ? and talk not here of holy Scripture , for if the true Church may err , in defining what Scriptures be Canonical ; or in delivering the sense and meaning thereof , we are still devolved , either upon the private Spirit ( a foolery now exploded out of England , which finally leaving every man to his own conceits , ends in Socinianism ) or else epon natural wit and judgment , for examining and determining what Scriptures contain true or false Doctrine , and in that respect ought to be received or rejected . And indeed , take away the authority of Gods Church , no man can be assured , that any one Book or parcel of Scripture was written by Divine Inspiration ; or that all the Contents are infallibly true , which are the direct Errors of Socinians . If it were but for this reason alone , no man , who regards the eternal salvation of his Soul , would live or die in Protestancy , from which , so vast absurdities as these of the Socinians must inevitably follow . And it ought to be an unspeakable comfort to all us Catholicks , while we consider , that none can deny the infallible authority of our Church , but jointly he must be left to his own wit and ways , and must abandon all infused Faith and true Religion , if he do but understand himself aright . In all which Discourse , the only true word you speak , is , This I say confidently : As for proving evidently , that I believe you reserved for some other opportunity : for the present I am sure you have been very sparing of it .

10. You say indeed confidently enough , that the denyal of the Churches infallibility is the Mother-heresie , from which all other must follow at ease ; which is so far from being a necessary truth , as you make it , that it is indeed a manifest falshood . Neither is it possible for the wit of man by any good , or so much as probable consequence , from the denialaof the Churches Infallibility to deduce any one of the ancient Heresies , or any one Error of the Socinians , which are the Heresies here entreated of : For who would not laugh at him that should argue thus , Neither the Church of Rome , nor any other Church is infallible , Ergo , The Doctrine of Arrius , Pelagius , Eutyches , Nestorius , Photinus , Manichaeus , was true Doctrine ? On the other side , it may be truly said , and justified by very good and effectual reason , that he that affirms with you the Popes Infallibility , puts himself into his hands and power to be led by him at his ease and pleasure into all Heresie , and even to Hell it self , and cannot with reason say , ( so long as he is constant to his grounds ) Domine cur it a facis ? Sir , Why do you thus ? but must believe white to be black , and black to be white ; vertue to be vice , and vice to be vertue ; nay ( which is a horrible , but a most certain truth ) Christ to be Antichrist , and Antichrist to be Christ , if it be possible for the Pope to say so : Which I say and will maintain , howsoever you daub and disguise it , is indeed to make men apostate from Christ to his pretended Vicar , but real Enemy : For that name , and no better , ( if we may speak truth without offence ) I presume he deserves , who under pretence of interpreting the Law of Christ , ( which Authority , without any word of express warrant , he hath taken upon himself ) doth in many parts evacuate and dissolve it : So dethroning Christ from his dominion over mens consciences , and instead of Christ setting up himself . In as much as he that requires that his Interpretations of any Law should be obeyed as true and genuine , seem they to mens understandings never so dissonant and discordant from it , ( as the Bishop of Rome does ) requires indeed that his Interpretations should be the Laws ; and he that is firmly prepared in mind to believe and receive all such Interpretations without judging of them , and though to his private judgment they seem unreasonable , is indeed congruously disposed to hold Adultery a venial sin , and Fornication no sin , whensoever the Pope and his adherents shall so declare . And whatsoever he may plead , yet either wittingly or ignorantly he makes the Law and the Law-maker both stales , and obeys only the Interpreter . As if I should submit to the Laws of the King of England , but should indeed resolve to obey them in that sence which the King of France should put upon them whatsoever it were ; I presume every understanding man would say that I did indeed obey the King of France and not the King of England . If I should pretend to believe the Bible , but that I would understand it accordingly to the sense which the chief Mufty should put upon it , who would not say that I were a Christian in pretence only , but indeed a Mahumetan ?

11. Nor will it be to purpose for you to pretend that the precepts of Christ are so plain that it cannot be feared , that any Pope should ever go about to dissolve them and pretend to be a Christian : For , not to say that you now pretend the contrary , ( to wit ) , that the Law of Christ is obscure , even in things necessary to be believed and done ; and by saying so , have made a fair way for any foul interpretation of any part of it : certainly that which the Church of Rome hath already done in this kind , is an evident argument , ( that if she once had this Power unquestioned and made expedite and ready for use , by being contracted to the Pope ) she may do what she pleaseth with it . Who that had lived in the Primative Church , would not have thought it as utterly improbable , that ever they should have brought in the Worship of Images and Picturing of God , as now it is that they should legitimate Fornication ? Why may we not think they may in time take away the whole Communion from the Laity , as well as they have taken away half of it ? Why may we not think that any Text and any sense may not be accorded , as well as the whole 14. Ch. of the Ep. of S. Paul to the Corinth . is reconciled to the Latine service ? How is it possible any thing should be plainer forbidden , than the Worship of Angels , in the Ep. to the Colossians ? than the teaching for Doctrines Mens commands in the Gospel of S. Mark ? And therefore seeing we see these things done which hardly any man would have believed , that had not seen them , why should we not fear that this unlimited Power may not be used hereafter with as little moderation ? Seeing devices have been invented how Men may worship Images without Idolatry , and Kill Innocent Men under pretence of Heresie without Murther , who knows not that some tricks may not be hereafter devised , by which lying with other Mens Wives shall be no Adultery , taking away other Mens Goods no Theft ? I conclude therefore , that if Solomon himself were here , and were to determine the difference , which is more likely to be Mother of all Heresie , the denial of the Churches , or the affirming of the Popes Infallibility , that he would certainly say , this is the Mother , give her the Child .

12. You say again confidently , that if this Infallibility be once impeached , every Man is given over to his own Wit and Discourse : which , if you mean , Discourse , not guiding it selfe by Scripture , but only by principles of Nature , or perhaps by prejudices and popular errors , and drawing consequences not by rule but chance , is by no means true ; if you mean by Discourse , right reason , grounded on Divine revelation and common notions , written by God in the hearts of all Men , and deducing , according to the never failing rules of Logick , consequent deductions from them , if this be it , which you mean by Discourse , it is very meet and reasonable and necessary that Men , as in all their actions , so especially in that of greatest importance , the choice of their way to happiness , should be left unto it : and he that follows this in all his opinions and actions , and does not only seem to do so , follows alwaies God ; whereas he that followeth a Company of Men , may oftimes follow a Company of Beasts . And in saying this , I say no more than S. John to all Christians in these words , Dearly beloved , Believe not every spirit , but try the spirits , whether they be of God , or no : and the rule he gives them to make this tryal by , is to consider whether they confess Jesus to be the Christ ; that is , the Guide of their Faith , and Lord of their actions ; not whether they acknowledg the Pope to be his Vicar : I say no more than S. Paul in exhorting all Christians , to try all things and to hold fast that which is good ; than S. Peter in commanding all Christians , to be ready to give a reason of the hope that is in them : than our Saviour himself in forewarning all his followers , that if they blindly followed blind Guides , both leaders and followers should fall into the Ditch ; and again in saying even to the People , Yea and why of your selves Judge ye not what is right ? And though by passion , or precipitation , or prejudice ; by want of Reason , or not using that they have , Men may be and are oftentimes led into Error and mischief ; yet that they cannot be misguided by discourse truly so called , such as I have described , you your self have given them security . For what is discourse , but drawing conclusions out of premises by good consequence ? Now the principles which we have setled , to wit , the Scriptures , are on all sides agreed to be infallibly true . And you have told us in the fourth chap. of this Pamphlet , that from truth no man can by good consequence infer falshood ; Therefore by discourse no Man can possibly be led to Error : but if he Err in his conclusions , he must of necessity either Err in his principles , ( which here cannot have place , ) or commit some Error in his discourse ; that is indeed , not discourse but seem to do so .

13. You say thirdly , with sufficient confidence , that if the true Church may Err in defining what Scriptures be Canonical , or in delivering the sense thereof , then we must follow either the private Spirit , or else natural wit and Judgment , and by them examine what Scriptures contain true or false Doctrine , and in that respect ought to be received or rejected : All which is apparently untrue , neither can any proof of it be pretended . For though the present Church may possibly Err in her judgment touching this matter , yet have we other Directions in it , besides the private spirit , and the examination of the Contents , ( which latter way may conclude the negative very strongly , to wit , that such or such a Book cannot come from God , because it contains irreconcilable contradictions , but the affirmative it cannot conclude , because the Contents of a Book may be all true , and yet the Book not written by Divine inspiration : ) other Direction therefore I say we have , besides either of these three , and that is , the Testimony of the Primitive Christians .

14. You say Fourthly , with convenient boldness , That this infallible Authority of your Church being denied , no man can be assured , that any parcel of Scripture was written by Divine inspiration : Which is an untruth , for which no proof is pretended , and besides , void of modesty and full of impiety . The first , because the experience of innumerable Christians is against it , who are sufficiently assured , that the Scripture is Divinely inspired , and yet deny the infallible Authority of your Church or any other . The second , because if I cannot have ground to be assured of the Divine Authority of Scripture , unless I first believe your Church infallible , then I can have no ground at all to believe it : because there is no ground , nor can any be pretended , why I should believe your Church Infallible , unless I first believe the Scripture Divine .

16. Had I a mind to recriminate now , and to charge Papists ( as you do Protestants ) that they lead Men to Socinianism , I could certainly make a much fairer shew of evidence than you have done . For I would not tell you , you deny the Infallibility of the Church of England , Ergo , you lead to Socinianism , which yet is altogether as good an Argument as this ; Protestants deny the Infallibility of the Roman Church , Ergo , they induce Socinianism : Nor would I resume my former Argument , and urge you , that by holding the Popes Infallibility , you submit your self to that Capital and Mother Heresie , by advantage whereof , he may lead you at ease to believe vertue vice , and vice vertue , to believe Antichristianity Christianism , and Christianity Antichristian ; he may lead you to Socinianism , to Turcism , nay , to the Divel himself if he have a mind to it : But I would shew you that divers ways the Doctors of your Church do the principal and proper work of the Socinians for them , undermining the Doctrine of the Trinity , by denying it to be supported by those Pillars of the Faith , which alone are fit and able to support it , I mean Scripture , and the Consent of the Ancient Doctors .

17. For Scripture , your Men deny very plainly and frequently , that this Doctrine can be proved by it . See if you please , this plainly taught , and urged very carnestly by Cardinal Hosius , De Author . Sac. Scrip. l. 3. p. 53. By Gordonius Huntlaeus , Contr. Tom. 1. Controv. 1. De verbo Dei C. 19. by Gretserus and Tanerus , in Colloquio Ratesbon : And also by Vega , Possevin , Wiekus , and Others .

18. And then for the Consent of the Ancients , that that also delivers it not , by whom are we taught but by Papists only ? Who is it that makes known to all the World , that Eusebius that great searcher and devourer of the Christian Libraries was an Arrian ? Is it not your great Achilles , Cardinal Perron , in his 3. Book 2. Chap. of his Reply to K. James ? Who is it that informs us that Origen ( who never was questioned for any Error in this matter , in or near his time ) denyed the Divinity of the Son and the Holy Ghost ? Is it not the same great Cardinal , in his Book of the Eucharist against M. du Plessis . l. 2. c. 7 ? Who is it that pretends that Irenaeus hath said those things , which he that should now hold , would be esteemed an Arrian ? Is it not the same Perron in his Reply to K. James , in the Fifth Chap. of his Fourth Observation ? And does he not in the same place peach Tertullian also , and in a manner give him away to the Arrians ? And pronounce generally of the Fathers before the Council of Nice , That the Arrians would gladly be tryed by them ? And are not your fellow Jesuits also , even the Prime Men of your Order , prevaricators in this point as well as others ? Doth not your Friend M. Fisher , or M. Flued in his Book of the Nine Questions proposed to him by K. James speak dangerously to the same purpose , in his Discourse of the Resolution of Faith , towards the end ? Giving us to understand , That the new Reformed Arrians bring very many Testimonies of the Ancient Fathers , to prove that in this Point they did contradict themselves , and were contrary one to another : which places whosoever shall read will clearly see , that to common People they are unanswerable , yea , that common People are not capable of the Answers that Learned Men yield unto such obscure passages . And hath not your great Antiquary Petavius , in his Notes upon Epiphanius in Haer. 69. been very liberal to the Adversaries of the Doctrine of the Trinity , and in a manner given them for Patrons and Advocates , first Justin Martyr , and then almost all the Fathers before the Council of Nice , whose Speeches he says , touching this point , cum Orthodoxae fidei regula minime consentiunt : Are no way agreeable to the rule of Orthodox Faith . Hereunto I might add , that the Dominicans and Jesuits between them in another matter of great importance , viz. Gods Prescience of future contingents , give the Socinians the premises , out of which their conclusion doth unavoidably follow . For the Dominicans maintain on the one Side , that God can foresee nothing but what he Decrees : The Jesuits on the other Side , that he doth not Decree all things : And from hence the Socinians conclude ( as it is obvious for them to do ) that he doth not foresee all things . Lastly , I might adjoyn this , that you agree with one consent , and settle for a rule unquestionable , that no part of Religion can be repugnant to Reason , whereunto you in particular subscribe unawares in saying , From truth no Man can by good consequence infer falshood , which is to say in effect , that Reason can never lead any Man to Error : And after you have done so , you proclaim to all the World ( as you in this Pamphlet do very frequently , ) that if Men follow their Reason and Discourse , they will ( if they understand themselves ) be led to Socinianism . And thus you see with what probable matter I might furnish out and justifie my accusation , if I should charge you with leading Men to Socinianism ! Yet I do not conceive that I have ground enough for this odious imputation . And much less should you have charged Protestants with it , whom you confess to abhor and detest it : and who fight against it , not with the broken Reeds , and out of the Paper Fortresses of an imaginary Infallibility , which were only to make sport for their Adversaries ; but with the Sword of the Spirit , the Word of God : of which we may say most truly , what David said of Goliah's Sword , offered him by Abilech , non est sicut iste , There is none comparable to it .