cation.

plauded in France, and put into English for the USF of the Roman Catholicks here) Sets out in the Beginning, with a Definition of the Rule of Faith, of which he makes the first Requifite to be for an Article of Faith, That it be clearly revealed in Scripture. in exprefs Words, or thence to be deduced by "neceffary Confequence. Thus Mr. L. giving us, by a kind of Leger de Main, the Senfe of the VI. of the 39 Articles; inftead of Veron's, whofe words are thefe: () The total and only Rule of the Catholick Faith, is Divine Revelation deliver'd to the Prophets and Apoftles, pro "pofed by the Catholick Church in her General Councils, or by her Univerfal Pra«ctice, to be believ'd as an Article of Catholick Faith. Thus Monfieur Veron.

BUT is it the fame thing, to be reveal'd to the Apoftles, and to be clearly written by them? Is it neceffary,that they writ clearly and inexpress words, all that they knew and taught? or had they a nyCommand to write at all? Where is it expreft?. But Veron could not expect more Justice than his Neighbours. However this Learned Man will tell us what to think of Gratian. diwa'r BIJ 21. As for Gratian's Decrees (faysVeron, p. 6.)key can claim nothing of Faith, and the Writer is Subject to many Mistakes, even in the Citation of Authors

.8:

W

Of taking 7. Mr. L. gives us this Principle, p. 37. It up Religi is Fact, that the Generality of Mankind do not chufe on by Edu- for themselves, bt take their Religion upon Truft, as they are Educated. p. 59. And this is the way of all the Earth. One would be almoft tempted to think him no Exception. For pag. 95, 96. Ha

mno

((') In English: by E. S. Efq; Paris, anno 1660, pag. 1.

ving once more faid, Do we not fee the Generality of Mankind take up their Church, and Religion, just according to their Education: He prefently adds, My Lord, if you and I had been born and bred in Turky, we might have been Mahometans. And yet faved too, by un-covenanted Mercy, p. 39.

C

Of himself, he must be allowed to think and fay what he pleases: But this is dealing a little too freely with his Lordship. For, is Education, any Argument of Truth? Am I out of a Schif matical Communion, and in a fafe way to Heaven, becaufe I was told fo when I was young ? Is the Nation free from Schifm, becaufe my Neighbours, Friends, and Parents are in the fame Communion with me? Because I go to the ParishChurch? Because my Perfwafion is eafy, no need of Fafting in Lent, unless I pleafe; no need of Confeffing my Sins, unless I please; no need of keep

neverb

Vows of Chastity, or Religion, unlefs I please? Or, because what I profefs, is fettled by the Civil Government, and is the prevailing Religion of the Place? Thefe, as they are no Arguments at all of being free from a Sinful and Schifmatical Communion fince they can wanting in any Great Schifm) fo they can never Juftifie any one, that lets himself be carried down the Stream, by the unreasonable Prejudices of his Education, and chufes rather to go to Hell with his Friends, than to go a By-way to Heaven.

EDUCATION hath a strong Influence upon all the World and a dangerous one, upon the grea eft Part of it. But then, all Mankind is inder a ftrict. Obligation to Examine their Religion, and the Bottom of their Hearts: That is, to weigh and confider ferionfly and attentively (according to their Capacity, as they will answer it upon

their

their Trials for Life and Death Everlafting) their Defire of knowing the Truth; their Enquiry after Truth; and the Reasonableness of their Inducements to the Faith, and Religion which they profefsio

Of Infalli. MR... is pleafed to fay, pag. 96. that Infallibility bar- bility bars all Examination; for that implies a ring Exa- Doubt. And p. 59, fpeaking of the Generality mination. of the People, he fays, Nay, they are forbid to

a

Examine, for that implies a Doubt. Is not the Scripture Infallible? And does it hinder any one of us from Examining our Education, and how we came by our Religion? Mr. L. fhall be Judge, pag. 210. (in the firft Edition, p. 211) The Prophet, fays he, calls a due Examination of thefe things, a fhewing our felves to be Men, Ifa. 46. ver. 8. And the Apoftle gives it the Character, of a Nobleness of Spirit, Act. 17. ver. 11, 12. The Apoftle recommends Examining to us, and I will Conclude with this Advice, Prove all things, 1 Theff. 5. ver. 21. If Examination implies a Doubt, Mr. L. not only confeffes his Doubts of Faith; but even thinks them Commendable Qualities. This it is to be an Enemy to the Schoolmen, and to Metaphyficks. For, if he had been better. acquainted with thefe; they would have told him, we may truly and fully Examine (that is, weigh and confider) thofe things of which we have not the leaft Doubt. Even firft Principles may be Examin'd. As, Is the whole greater than its Part? Do Equals, after an Equal Addition, remain Equals?

IF Doubting of Faith be a Commendable Quality, why was St. Peter reprehended for it, St. Matt, 14. ver. 31? Did St. Paul exhort the Corinthians to doubt of their Faith, when he faid,

Examine

Examine your felves, if you be in the Faith, 2 Cor. 13. ver. 5 Or, did he perfwade the Theffalonians, to doubt of all things; of all reveal'd Religion; or of any part of it, of the Rewards and Punishments, of Vertue and Vice; of the Immortality of the Soul; of the Existence of GOD? what is this, but to make Atheism and the Word of God thake hands upon the Point? So dangerous it is, to fall out with Metaphyficks! Iris then the Common Duty of all Mankind,to Examine feriously the Grounds of their Religion; to fee, that they have made the best Use of their Reafon; that they believe nothing rafhly; that Temporal Intereft, Honour, Convenience, Friends, Paffion, Prejudice, Education, or Neglect, have no Sway either in Chafing, or in Adhering to what they profefs. But thofe only are to Doubt of their Religion, who (after they have made this Examination) find they have juft Reafon to Doubt. And, provided they be fincere, humble, and fervent in the Enquiry; they need not fear, but God will direct them to know his Will, as far as ise neceffary for their Salvation.sono svad I us.lw

8. BOT Examination fays Mr. L. p. 96. brings of private us to private Fudgments It doesofo. But the Judgment, Church's Infallibility and my private Judgment are and Infal no more Oppofite, than Scripture and Reafon. libility. The Scripture in all its parts is Infallible, becaufe it is the Word of Go pa The Church of Chrift, in deciding Controverfies of Religion, is alfo Infallible, because he is The Pillar and Ground of the Truth, Timofer. But neither of thefe two Infallibilities can be believed, without a Man's private Fadgment (for what is Believing but Judging?) Neither of them ought to be believed rafhly,

rafhly, and without Reafon; or against Un-conteftable Evidence; as St. Austin grants, lib. contra Epiftolam Fundamenti, cap 4. For, there is nothing which a Man ought either to believe, or do, unreasonably. But after I have firmly and reafonably believed the Infallibility of Scripture, whilft this Conviction remains no other Examination is neceffary of things which are Uncontestably deliver'd in it (how incredible foever they may appear in themfelves, as if it tells me, that God is Man; and that the fame Being is both fingly One in Nature, and really Three in Perfons) or which follow fromit,by undeniableConfequence.

And after I have firmly, and reasonably believ'd the Infallibility of the vifible and standing Church of all Ages, committed to St. Peter and his Succeffors; whilft I am convinc'd of this, no other Examination is neceflary of any thing, which that Church evidently propofeths to her Children,as a reveal'dTruth; as of the Real Prefence, of Tranfubftantiation, of the Lawfulness of Communion under one kind, of Invocation of Saints, of Purgatory, &c.. Not modi

FOR, when I have once found out, by a reasonable Conviction, an Infallible Fudge of Controverfies, or an Infallible Book, Firft, All those things are to me Demonftratively true, which this Judge, or that Book,evidently delivers, provided the Evidence be un-conteftable. As it is un-conteftably Evident that the Church i in Communion with the See of Rome, profefleth Tranfubftantiation, and the other Points now mention'd. Secondly, Reafon it felf tells me, that both my Reafon and Private Judgment, ought to fubmit to all things whatsoever, Evidently contain'd in that Book and to all Con

"

troverfies