CHAP. VI.

That Luther and the rest of Protestants have added Heresy unto Schism.

1. “BECAUSE vice is best known by the contrary virtue, we cannot well determine what heresy is, nor who be heretics, but by the opposite virtue of faith, whose nature being once understood, as far as belongs to our present purpose, we shall pass on with ease to the definition of heresy, and so be able to discern who be heretics. And this I intend to do, not by entering into such particular questions as are controverted between catholics and protestants, but only by applying some general grounds, either already proved, or else yielded to on all sides.

2. "Almighty God having ordained man to a supernatural end of beatitude by supernatural means, it was requisite that his understanding should be enabled to apprehend that end and means by a supernatural knowledge. And because if such a knowledge were no more than probable it could not be able sufficiently to overbear our will, and encounter with human probabilities, being backed with the strength of flesh and blood; it was further necessary, that this supernatural knowledge should be most certain and infallible; and that faith should believe nothing more certainly than that itself is a most certain belief, and so be able to beat down all gay probabilities of human opinion. And because the aforesaid means and end of beatifical vision do far exceed the reach of natural wit, the certainty of faith could not always be joined with such evidence of reason as is wont to be found in the princi

ples or conclusions of human natural sciences, that so all flesh might not glory in the arm of flesh, but he who glories should glory in the Lorda. Moreover, it was expedient, that our belief or assent to Divine truths should not only be unknown or inevident by any human discourse, but that absolutely also it should be obscure in itself, and (ordinarily speaking) be void even of supernatural evidence, that so we might have occasion to actuate and testify the obedience which we owe to our God, not only by submitting our will to his will and commands, but, by subjecting also our understanding to his wisdom and words, captivating (as the apostle speaks) the same understanding to the obedience of faith which occasion had been wanting, if Almighty God had made clear to us the truths which now are certainly, but not evidently, presented to our minds. For where truth doth manifestly open itself, not obedience, but necessity, commands our assent. For this reason, divines teach, that the objects of faith being not evident to human reason, it is in man's power, not only to abstain from believing, by suspending our judgment, or exercising no act one way or other; but also to disbelieve, that is, to believe the contrary of that which faith proposeth; as the examples of innumerable arch-heretics can bear witness. This obscurity of faith we learn from holy scripture, according to those words of the apostle, Faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, the argument of things not appearing: and, We see now by a glass in a dark manner; but then face to faced: and accordingly St. Peter saith, Which you do well attending unto, as to a candle shining in a dark place.

3. "Faith being then obscure, (whereby it differeth

a 2 Cor. x. 17.

d I Cor. xiii. 12.

b

2 Cor. x. 5.

e 2 Pet. i. 19.

c Heb. xi. 1.

from natural sciences,) and yet being most certain and infallible, (wherein it surpasseth human opinion,) it must rely upon some motive and ground, which may be able to give it certainty, and yet not release it from obscurity. For if this motive, ground, or formal object of faith, were any thing evidently presented to our understanding, and if also we did evidently know, that it had a necessary connection with the articles which we believe, our assent to such articles could not be obscure, but evident; which, as we said, is against the nature of our faith. If likewise the motive or ground of our faith were obscurely propounded to us, but were not in itself infallible, it would leave our assent in obscurity, but could not endue it with certainty. We must therefore, for the ground of our faith, find out a motive obscure to us, but most certain in itself, that the act of faith may remain both obscure and certain. Such a motive as this can be no other but the Divine authority of Almighty God, revealing or speaking those truths which our faith believes. For it is manifest that God's infallible testimony may transfuse certainty to our faith, and yet not draw it out of obscurity; because no human discourse or demonstration can evince that God revealeth any supernatural truth, since God had been no less perfect than he is, although he had never revealed any of those objects which we now believe.

4. "Nevertheless, because Almighty God, out of his infinite wisdom and sweetness, doth concur with his creatures in such sort as may befit the temper and exigence of their natures, and because man is a creature endued with reason, God doth not exact of his will or understanding any other than, as the apostle saith, rationabile obsequium, an obedience sweetened with good

f Rom. xii. 1.

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reason, which could not so appear, if our understanding were summoned to believe with certainty things no way represented as infallible and certain. And therefore Almighty God, obliging us, under pain of eternal damnation, to believe with greatest certainty divers verities, not known by the light of natural reason, cannot fail to furnish our understanding with such inducements, motives, and arguments, as may sufficiently persuade any mind, which is not partial or passionate, that the objects which we believe, proceed from an authority so wise, that it cannot be deceived, and so good, that it cannot deceive; according to the words of David, Thy testimonies are made credible exceedingly. These inducements are by divines called argumenta credibilitatis, arguments of credibility,' which though they cannot make us evidently see what we believe, yet they evidently convince, that in true wisdom and prudence the objects of faith deserve credit, and ought to be accepted as things revealed by God. For without such reasons and inducements, our judgment of faith could not be conceived prudent, holy scripture telling us, that he who soon believes is light of hearth. By these arguments and inducements our understanding is both satisfied with evidence of credibility, and the objects of faith retain their obscurity; because it is a different thing to be evidently credible, and evidently true; as those who were present at the miracles wrought by our blessed Saviour and his apostles did not evidently see their doctrine to be true, (for then it had not been faith, but science, and all had been necessitated to believe; which we see fell out otherwise,) but they were evidently convinced that the things confirmed by such miracles were most credible, and worthy to be embraced as truths revealed by God. h Ecclus. xix. 4.

g Psalm xcii.

5. "These evident arguments of credibility are in great abundance found in the visible church of Christ perpetually existing on earth. For that there hath been a company of men professing such and such doctrines, we have from our next predecessors, and these from theirs upwards, till we come to the apostles and our blessed Saviour; which gradation is known by evidence of sense, by reading books, or hearing what one man delivers to another. And it is evident, that there was neither cause nor possibility, that men so distant in place, so different in temper, so repugnant in private ends, did or could agree to tell one and the selfsame thing, if it had been but a fiction invented by themselves, as ancient Tertullian well saith, How is it likely, that so many and so great churches should err in one faith? Among many events there is not one issue; the error of the churches must needs have varied. But that which among many is found to be one, is not mistaken, but delivered. Dare then any body say, that they erred who delivered it?' With this never-interrupted existence of the church are joined the many and great miracles wrought by men of that congregation or church; the sanctity of the persons; the renowned victories over so many persecutions, both of all sorts of men, and of the infernal spirits; and lastly, the perpetual existence of so holy a church. Being brought up to the apostles themselves, she comes to partake of the same assurance of truth, which they, by so many powerful ways, did communicate to their doctrine, and to the church of their times, together with the Divine certainty which they received from our blessed Saviour himself, revealing to mankind what he heard from his Father; and so we conclude with Tertullian, We receive it from the churches, the i Præscript. c. 28.

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