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refift, that is not from baseness but true nobleness of spirit, exceeding both the Greek and Roman genius: in that it proceedeth from a contempt of thofe inferiour trifles, which they rebell for, and from that fatisfaction in the hopes of endless glory, which maketh it eafie to them to bear the lofs of liberty, life, or any thing on earth; and from obedience to their highest Lord. But in a lawful way they can defend their Countries and liberties as gallantly, as ever Heathens did.

Object. IX. If your Religion had reafon for it, what need it be kept up by cruelty and bloud? how many thousands and bundred thousands bath fword, and fire, and inquifition devoured, as for the fupporting of Religion? and when they are thus compelled, how know you who believeth Christianity indeed?

In ecclefia non co- Anfw. This is none of the way or work of Chriftianity; a&tum, fed acquief, but of that fect which is raised by worldly intereft and decentem oportet ad fign, and muft accordingly be kept up. In Chrift's own Non eft enim qui cu- mily, two of his Difciples would have called for fire from rare poffit invitum, heaven to confume those that rejected him; but he rebuked Chryfoft. them, and told them that they knew not what manner of Nemo invitus bene fpirit they were of, and that he came not to destroy mens eft quod facit, Ang. lives, but to fave them: Will you now lay the blame of that Confef confuming zeal onChrift, which he fo rebuketh? The fame two men would have been preferred before the reft, to fit at his right hand and his left hand in his Kingdom; and his Difciples ftrove who should be the greatest: Did Chrift countenance this? or did he not fharply reprehend them, and tell them that they must not have titles and domination as secular Princes have, but be as little children in humility, an their greatness muft confift in being greatlieft serviceable, even in being fervants to all. If men after this will take no warnPræfe&ti vel Antiftet ing, but fight, and kill, and burn, and torment men, in carvitium eft non quam nal zeal, and pride, and tyranny; fhall this be imputed to optimum effe, nec Chrift, who in his doctrine and life hath form'd fuch a testinovas fubinde virtu- mony against this crime, as never was done by any else in tum acceffiones fa- the world, and as is become an offence to unbelievers? tucis fuæ præftantia, Object. X. We fee not that the Leaders in the Chriftian Remultitudinem ad me- ligion do really themselves believe it: Pope Leo the tenth called diocritatem tra&turus it, Fabula de Chrifto: What do men make of it but a Trade to fit. Nazian, Orat. 1. live by? a means to get Abbies, and Bishopricks, and Benefices,

cere: fiquidem vir

P.8.

and

and to live at eafe and fleshly pleasure: and what do Secular Rulers make of it, but a means to keep their subjects in awe ?

fcientiarum mihi effe

Anfw. He that knoweth no other Chriftians in the world Profe&o ars quædam but fuch as thefe, knoweth none at all, and is unfit to judge artium, & fcientia of those whom he knoweth not. True Chriftians are men, videtur, hominem rethat place all their happiness and hopes in the life to come, gere, animal omniand use this life in order to the next, and contemn all the un maxime varium wealth and glory of the world, in comparison of the love of & multiplex. Id ibid. God and their falvation. True Paftors and Bifhops of the Church do thirst after the converfion and happine fs of finners, and spend their lives in diligent labours to these ends ; not thinking it too much to ftoop to the poorest for their good, nor regarding worldly wealth and glory in comparifon of the winning of one foul, nor counting their lives dear, if they may but finish their courfe and miniftery with joy. Luk. 15. Act. 20. Heb. 13.7. 17. &c. They are hypocrites, and not true Chriftians, whom the objection doth defcribe, by what names or titles foever they be dignified, and are more difowned by Chrift than by any other in the world.

Object. XI. Chriftians are divided into fo many fects among themselves, and every one condemning others, that we have reafon to f fped them all: for how know we which of them to be- Sicut noxium eft fi lieve or follow?

borar, dum concor

unitas defit bonis, ita Anfw. 1. Chriftianity is but One, and easily known; and perniciofum eft fi fie all Chriftians do indeed hold this as certain, by common in malis. Perverfos agreement and confent, they differ not at all about that quippe Unitas corrowhich I am pleading for: there may be a difference, whe- dant; & tanto magis ther the Pope of Rome or the Patriarch of Conftantinople be incorrigibiles, quanto the greater, or whether one Bishop muft rule over all, and unanimes fecit, Greg. Sed perturbat nos fuch like matters of carnal quarrel, but there is no difference Moral.. 33. whether Chrift be the Saviour of the world, or whether all opinionum varietas his doctrine be infallibly true: and the more they quarrel hominumque diffenabout their perfonal interefts and by-opinions, the molt valid fo: & quia non idem is their teftimony in the things wherein they all agree; it is contingit in fenfibus, not thofe things which they differ about, that I am now tamus: Illa quæ aliis pleading for, or perfwading any to embrace; but thofe fic, aliis fecus, nec iifdem femper uno wherein they all confent.

hos natura certos pu◄

effe dicimus. Quod

2. But if they agree not in all the Integrals of their Reli- modo videntur, ficta gion, it is no wonder, nor inferreth any more than that they eft longe aliter. Cic. are not all perfect in the knowledge of fuch high and myfte- de leg. 1: p, 226. Kkk 3

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rious things: and when no man understandeth all that is in Aristotle, nor no two interpreters of him agree in every expofition, no, nor any two mea in all the world agree in every opinion, who hold any thing of their own, what wonder if Chriftians differ in many points of difficulty.

3. But their differences are nothing in comparison of the Heathen Philofophers, who were of fo many minds and ways, that there was fcarce any coherence among them, nor many things which they could ever agree in.

4. The very differences of abundance of honeft Chriftians, is occafioned by their earnest defire to please God, and do nothing but what is juft and right, and their high efteem of piety and honefty, while the imperfection of their judgments keepeth them from knowing in all things, what it is which indeed is that good and righteous way which they should take. If children do differ and fall out, if it be but in ftriving who fhall do belt, and please their father, it is the more excufable: enemies do not fo: ideots fall not out in School-difputes or Philofophical controverfies: fwine will not fall out for gold or jewels, if they be caft before them in the streets: but it's like that men may.

5. But the great fidings and factions kept up in the world, and the cruelties exercifed thereupon, are from worldly bypocrites, who under the mask of Chriftianity, are playing their own game: And why muft Chrift be answerable for those whom he most abhorreth, and will most terribly conSpiritus fan&us eft dein? Patris & Filii Amor

qua efficimur unum

Object. XII. You boaft of the holineß of Chriftians, and we & connexio: ad ip fee not but they are worse than Heathens and Mahometans: fum pertinet focietas, they are more drunken, and greater deceivers in their dealings, corpus unici Filii as lustful and unclean, as covetous and carnal, as proud and Dei. Sicut enim ambitious, as tyrannical and perfidious, as cruel and contentious: unum corpus hominis

multis conftat membris, & vegetat omnia membra una anima, faciens in oculo ut videat, in aure ut audiat, &c. Ita Spiritus fan&tus membra corporis Chrifti quod eft ecclefia, continet & vegetat. Et ficut humani corporis membrum præcifum, formam quidem qua membrum cognofcitur retinet, &c. Sic quicunque à prædi&æ pacis unitate divifus eft, facramentum quidema tanquam formam retinet, fed fpiritu præter unitatem non vivit. Fruftra ergo foris de forma gloriantur, nifi intus fpiritu vegetentur. Aug. de Grat.

Nullus Chriftianus malus eft nifi hanc profeffionem fimulaverit. Athenag. leg.pro Chrift. p 3. Nemo (in carceribus veftris) Chriftianus nifi plane tantum Chriftianus : aut fi aliud, jam non Chriftianus. Tert, Apol. c.43.

infomuch

infomuch as among the Turkish Mahometans, and the Indian Banians, the wickedness of Chriftians is the grand cause that they abhor Christianity, and it keepeth out your Religion from mest Nations of the earth: fo that it is a proverb among them, when any is fufpecied of treachery, What, do you think I am a Chriftian And Acolta witneffeth the like of the WeltIndies.

Anfw. 1. Every man knoweth, that the vulgar rabble, who indeed are of no Religion, will feem to be of the Reli gion which is moft for their worldly advantage, or elfe. which their Ancestors and Custom have delivered to them: And who can expect that fuch should live as Chriftians, who are no Chriftians? You may as well blame men, because Images do not labour, and are not learned, wife and virtuous. We never took all for Chriftians indeed, who for carnal intereft, or cuftom, or tradition, take up the bare name, and defire to be called Chriftians: rebels may affect the name. of loyal fubjects: and thieves and robbers, the name of true and honeft men: Shall loyalty, truth and honefty therefore be judged of by fuch as them? Nothing can be more unrighteous, than to judge of Chriftianity by thofe hypocrites, whom Chrift hath told us fhall be condemned to the foreft: punishment, and whom he hateth above all forts of finners. What if Julian, Celfus, Porphyry, or any of these objectors, fhould call themselves Chriftians, and live in drunkenness,, cruelty, perjury or deceit, is it any reason that Chrift fhould be reproached for their crimes? Chriftianity is not a dead opinion or name, but an active heavenly principle, renewing and governing heart and life. I have before fhewed what Christianity is.

2. In the Dominions of the Turks and other Infidel Princes, the Chriftians by oppreffion are kept without the means of knowledge; and fo their ignorance hath caufed them to degenerate, for the greater part, into a sensual fottish fort: of people, unlike to Chriftians.. And in the Dominions of the Mofcovite, tyranny hath fet up a jealoufie of the Gospel, and fuppreffed Preaching, for fear left Preachers fhould injure the Emperour.. And in the Weft, the ufurpation and tyranny of the Papacy hath lock'd up the Scriptures from that people in an unknown tongue, that they know no more

what.

bonum Dei, i 1.c erit

6. Hom. 33.

etiam de noftris ex

what Chrift faith, than the Frieft thinks meet to tell them, left they fhould be loofened from their dependance on the Roman Oracle. And thus Ignorance with the most destroycth Chriftianity, and leaveth men but the fhadow, image and name: For belief is an intellectual act, and a fort of knowing, and no man can believe really he knoweth not what. If any Diftiples in the School of Chrift have met with fuch Teachers, as think it their vertue and proficiency to be ignorant, call not fuch Chriftians as know not what Chriftianity is, and judge not of Chrift's doctrine by them that never read or heard it, or are not able to give you any good account of it. But bleffed be the Lord, there are many thousand better Christians

Object. XIII. But it is not the ignorant rabble only, but many of your most zealous Profeffors of Christianity, who have been as falfe, as proud, and turbulent and feditious, as any others.

Ut ubicunque triti- Anf. 1. That the true genuine Chriftian is not fo, you cum, ibi & zizania: may fee paft doubt by the doctrine and life of Christ and fic ubicunque fuert his Apoftles. And that there are thousands and millions of & fcandalum inimi- humble, holy, faithful Chriftians in the world, is a truth ci. Chryfoft.in Matth. which nothing but ignorance or malice can deny. 2. Hypocrites are no true Chriftians, what zeal foever they pretend : Sed dicet aliquis There is a zeal for felf and intereft, which is oft masked with cedere quofdam à re- the name of zeal for Chrift. It is not the feeming, but the Rula difciplina: De- real Chriftian, which we have to juftifie. 3. It is commonly funt tum Chriftiani a few young unexperienc'd novices, which are tempted into haberi apud nos. I hi- diforders. But Chrift will bring them to repentance for all, lofophi vero illi cum before he will forgive and fave them. Look into the Scrimine & in honore fa- pture, and fee whether it do not difown and contradict every pientiæ perfeverant. fault, both great and fmall, which ever you knew Tertul. Apol. c. 46. ftian commit? If it do, (as vifibly it doth) why muft Chrift See a notable exhorta- be blamed for our faults, when he is condemning them, and tion in Dorothrus,

talibus fatis in no

Dot. 5. ne nos ipfos reproving us, and curing us of them?

informemus, How un:

any Chri

happy they are that go on their own beads, and want good guides in Religion. Bibl. Pat, Gr. lat. To. I. p. 778.

Object. XIV. The greater part of the world is against ChriStianity: Heathens and Infidels are the far greater part of the earth and the greatest Princes and learned Philofophers have been and are on the other fide.

Anfw. 1.

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