Conference with a Lady about choice of Religion.  
Printed at Paris. 1638.   

MADAM,  
My being conscious to myself how confusedly and intricately, I have delivered my conceptions unto your ladyship upon the several occasions of discourse we have had together concerning that important subject of what faith and religion is the true one to bring us to eternal happiness (wherein your Ladyship is so wisely and worthily inquisitive and solicitous) hath begotten this following writing; in the which I will, as ne'er as I can, sum up the heads of those considerations I have sometimes discussed unto you in conversation. And I will briefly and barely lay them before you without any long enlargement upon them; as having a better opinion of the reflections that your Ladyshipps great understanding and strong reasoning soul will by yourself make upon the naked subject sincerely proposed, then of any commentary I can frame upon it. And indeed such discourses as these, are deeper looked into, when they are pondered by a prudential judgement, then when they are examined by scientifical speculations.  
But with your leave I shall take the matter a little higher than where the chief difficulty seemeth to be, at which your Ladyship sticketh; conceiving that if we begin at the root and proceed on step by step, we shall find our search the easier, and the securer, and our assent to the conclusions we shall collect, will be the more firm and vigorours'.  
We will therefore begin with considering why faith and Religion is needful to a man, before we determine the means how to find out the right faith: for that being once settled in the understanding, we shall presently without further dispute reject: what Religion soever is but proposed, that hath not those proprieties which are required to bring that to pass, that Religion in its own nature aimeth at. And this must be done by taking a survey of some of the operations of a human soul, and of the impressions made in it by the objects it is conversant withal,  
1. Your Ladyship may be pleased them to consider in the first place. That it is by nature engrafted in the souls of all mankind to desire beatitude. (By which word I mean an entire, perfect, and secure fruition of all such objects as one hath vehement affections unto, without mixture of any thing one hath aversion from.) For the soul having a perpetual activity in it, must necessarily have something to entertain itself about: and according to the two chief powers of it (which are the understanding and the will) it employeth itself, first in the search and investigatio of what is true and good; and then, according to the judgement it maketh of it, the will followeth and with affections graspeth at it, which if it happen to seize upon, the soul is at content and at rest; but if it miss, it is unquiet, and laboureth with all vehemence to compass it: and if any thing happen that is repugnant to the nature of it, it useth all industry and efficacious means to overcome and banish it: so that all the actions and motions of it, tend to gain contentment and beatitude.  
2. In the next place you may please to consider that this full beatitude which the soul thirsteth after, cannot be enjoyed in this life. For it is apparent, that intellectual goods, as science, contemplation and fruition of spiritual objects and contentments, in their own nature are the chief goods of the soul, and affect her much more strongly and violently than corporal and sensual ones can do: for they are more agreeable to her nature, and therefore move her more efficaciously when they are duly relished. But such intellectual goods cannot be perfectly relished and enjoyed as long as the soul is immersed in the body, by reason that the sensual appetite maketh continual war against the rational part of the soul; and in most men mastereth it, and in the perfectest, this earthly habitation doth so draw down and clog and benumb the noble inhabitant of it (which would always busy itself in sublime contemplations) as it may be said to be but in a jail whiles it resideth here. And experience confirmeth unto us, that the sparks of knowledge we gain here are not pure; but have the nature of salt water, that increaseth the thirst in them who drink most of it; and we swallow the purest streams like men in a dropsy, who the more they drink are still the greedier of more. Therefore to have this greediness of knowing satisfied, and to exercise the powers of our soul in the pure and abstracted contemplation of truth, and in the sincere fruiction of spiritual objects, we must have patience until she arrive unto an other state of life, wherein being separated from all corporal feces, impediments, and contradictions, she may wholly give herself up to that which is her natural operation, and from whence resulteth her true and perfect delight. Besides, even they who have attained to the greatest blessings (both inward and outward) that this world can afford, yet are far from being completely happy: for that state admitteth no mixture of the contrary, which who was ever yet free from, were his fortune never so specious? The very fear of losing them, that must always necssarily accompagny those blessings, is such a spoonful of gall to make their whole draught bitter, as that alone, must needs take of the edge and vigour of the contentment that else they might enjoy. How little can any man relish the objects of delight which with never so great affluence beset him round about, when he knoweth a sharp and heavy sword hangesh by a slender thread over his head, and at length must fall, and ever after sever him from them? A little distemper, an accidental fever, and ill mingled draught (such a one as the miracle of wit and learning Lucretius met withal) is enough to turn the brains of the wisest man that is, and in a few hours to blot out all these notions he hath been all his life labouring to possess himself of, and to render him of a more abject, and despicable condition than the meanest wretch living that hath but the common use of reason. The Genius that presideth over human affairs, delighteth in perpetual changes and variation of men's fortunes, so that he who late sat enthroned in greatest dignity, is all of a sudden precipitated headlong unto a condition most opposite thereunto: he that but yesterday had all his joys enlarged and swelled up to their full height by the communication of a perfect and entire friend (without which can there by any true joy?) hath to day lost the comfort of all that the world can afford him by the irrecoverable loss of that one friend. In a word, death growing daily upon him, and encroaching upon his outworks, and by hours reducing him into a narrower circle, at leingth seizeth upon himself and maketh an eternal divorce between him and what was dearest to him here.  
3. Our next consideration than shall be to discover what will result out of our swift passage through this veil of miseries, and what impressions we shall carry with us out of this pilgrimage; since we cannot suspect it is aiourney assigned us in vain, being the ordinary and natural course prescribed by the wise author of nature to all mankind, and the inevitable thoroughfare for every man in particular. Therefore to proceed on in this method, our third conclusion shall be, that what soever judgement the soul once frameth in this life, that judgement and that affection will perpetually remain in the soul, unless some contrary impression be made in it to blot it out; which only hath power to expel any former one. For judgements and affections are caused in a man by the impression that the objects make in his soul: and all that any agent aimeth at in any operation whatsoever (be it never so forcible in action) is but to produce a resemblance of itself in the subject it worketh upon; and therefore it excludeth nothing that it findeth formerly there (which in our case is the soul) unless it be some such impression as is incompatible with what it intendeth to effect there; or that the subject is not large enough, both to retain the old and receive the new; in which case the first must be blotted out to make room for the latter. But of judgements, and affections, none are incompatible to one another, but those that are directly opposite to one another by contradiction: Therefore only such have power to expel one another; and all that are not such, are immediately united to the very substance of the soul, which having an infinite capacity, it can never be filled by any limited objects whatsoever: so that they always reside in the soul, although they do not at all times appear in outward act; which proceedeth from hence, that new and other images are by the fantasy represented to the soul, and she seemeth to busy herself only about what she findeth there, which being but one distinct Image at a time (for corporal organs have limited comprehensions, and are quickly filled with corporal species) she thereupon seemeth to exercise but one judgement; or but one affection at a tyme. But as soon as the soul shall be released out of the body (which is like a dark prison to wall it in) than she will at one and the same instant actually know and love all those things she knew, and loved in the body; with only this difference, that her knowledges will then be much more distinct and perfect, and her affections much more vehement than they were in this life, by reason that her conjunction here with resistent matter was a burden, and a clog unto her, and hindered the activity and force of her operations. The difference of these states, may in some measure be illustrated by a gross and material example: Represent unto yourself a man walled up in a dark tower, that is so close as no air nor light can come into it, excepting only at one little hole, and that hole too affordeth no clear and free passage to the sight, but hath a thick and muddy glass before it. Now if this man would look upon any of the objects that are about this tower, he must get them to be placed over against that hole, unto which he must lay his eye; and then, he can discern but one at a time, and that but dimmely neither, and if he will see several bodies, it must be by so many several iterated acts as they are in number. But suppose some Earthquake or exterior violence to break a sunder and throw down to the ground the walls of this tower, leaving the man untouched and unhurt; then at one instant, and with one cast of his eyes, he beholdeth distinctly, clearly, and at ease, all those several objects that with so much labour and time he took but a mistaking survey of before.  
4. The fourth consideration shall be, that after the first instant wherein the soul is separated from the body, she is then in her nature no longer subject or liable to any new impression mutation or change whatsoever. For that which should cause any such effect, must be either a material or a spiritual agent: But a material one cannot work upon it, for that requireth quantity in the patient, whereby it may be applied unto it to exercise its operation upon it: Nor can any spiritual agent cause any succession of new alteration; But all that spirits work one upon another is done at once and at one instant: which we shall discern the clearer by examining the reason why there is succession and time taken up in the alterations that are wrought amongst material things, for in them, by reason of their quantity that causeth an extension and distance of the parts, the agent, although it have never so much disposition and efficacy to work, must have his several parts applied to the several parts of the patient by local motion; which requireth time for the performance thereof. And beside, even in the agent itself, the grossness and heaviness of the matter giveth an allay and is a clog to the activity of the form, and as it were pulleth it back whiles it is in action. But this is not so in spiritual substances, and therefore we may conclude that among them in the same instant that the agent is disposed to work, the action is performed, for on his part there is nothing to retard it, nor is there required any local motion which should take up time; and likewise by the same reason, in the very instant that the patient is disposed to receive any impression, it is wrought in it: And thus, although there were never so many agents, and every one of them to perform never so many actions, they would be all done, and ended in one and the same instant.  
5. The next consideration shall be, that those persons who in this world had strong and predominant affections to sensible and material objects; and died in that state; shall be eternally miserable in the next, for by what we have said, it appeareth that those affections will eternally remain in the soul; and that after the separation of it from the body, they can never be blotted out of it, or changed; And the affections of a separated soul are much more ardent and vehement then whiles it is in the body. But it is impossible they should ever attain in that state to the fruition of what they so violently covet and love, and yet for its sake they neglect all other goods whatsoever that they might have, whose beauty and excellency, notwithstanding they plainly discern: they cannot choose therefore but execrate themselves for their fond misplaced (yet then eternally necessary) affecctions, and pine away (if so I may say) with perpetual anguish and despair of what they so impatiently, and enragedly desire and vever can obtain.  
6. The sixth consideration shall be, that to be happy in the next life, one must not settle their predominant affections upon any creature whatsoever, or any good that we can naturally attain to the knowledge of in this life. For what natural good soever we love or enjoy here, we must by death be divorced from, and (as we have said before) that separation will cause perpetual sorrow, because the affections remain unchangeable. And although we should place our felicity in natural knowledge or any other intellectual good whatsoever, yet that cannot satisfy the desires and fill the capacity of the soul, though it be never so perfectly enjoyed: for they are infinite; and this can be collected but out of particular objects (for the whole created universe is but so) and therefore they hold on proportion together; but the soul having nothing else to fill it withal, although it should not be tormented with the former mentioned corrosives of preposterous affections, yet it cannot be at rest and quiet, and the thirst of it satisfied by that drop of water in comparison of the vehement ardour of it.  
And thus it followeth, that either man was not created for a determinate end, and for a state convenient for his nature, and able to satisfy the original appetences of his soul; or at the least, no man can by natural means arrive to the end and period of happiness.  
7. But now to proceed in the pursuance of this method of reasoning, and to follow hence forward the conduct of a supernatural guide, since nature quitteth us here, having lead us on as long as she was able to see; we may in the seaventh place consider that God when he created man did not assign him to remain in the state of pure nature, but did out of his goodness and liberality confer something upon him that exceeded the sphere of his nature. For else, the first part of the precedent consequence would follow; which were not only impious, but absurd to say, to whosoever considereth the infinite goodness, wisdom and omnipotency of God. For as heat being essential to fire, cannot but produce heat in whatsoever it application unto; so God being in his own essence goodness itself, cannot choose but do unto whatsoever proceedeth from him, all that good which the nature of it is capable of; (whether by natural or supernatural means) and his wisdom can readily contrive the means to bring that to pass which his goodness disposeth him to do; And his omnipotency as easily acteth what his other two attributes have projected; so that there wanting an infinite object to satisfy the infinite capacity of the soul, and without which she must be eternally miserable; it remaineth, that he who gave that capacity, must also afford the object, and assign means how to compass and gain it. All which we have already proved is out of the reach of nature to discern: and therefore it followeth of consequence, that the author of nature must endow man with some supernatural gifts, if he be in a fit disposition to receive them which may bring him to the supernatural end he was created for.  
8 Our eight conclusion shall be that of these supernatural gifts, the first and the ground and foundation of all the rest, is faith. For we have already determined that we cannot by any natural means attain to the knowledge of any object that may render us completely happy in the next life; And yet such knowledge must be had, to the end that we may direct our actions to gain the fruition of that object. Therefore there is no way left to compass this, but by the instructions and discipline of some Master whose goodness and knowledge we can no ways doubt of; by which two perfections in him, we may be secure that he neither can be deceived himself, nor will deceive us. Now the docctrine that such a Master shall teach for such an end, we call faith.  
9 In the ninth place we must determine that this Master must be God and man. For first by our discourse upon natural principles, we have proved, that to avoid misery in the next life, we must deny our senses the content and satisfaction that they naturally desire in corporal things, and that we must withdraw our affections from all material objects: And next we have collected that the object which we must know and love to be happy, doth exceed the reach and view of any created understanding to discern: Therefore we may safely conclude that this doctrine ought to be delivered unto us originally by God himself. For after the first branch, which is of withdrawing our affections from sensible goods; although out of natural principles that doctrine is to be collected, yet that is not a sufficient means to settle mankind in general, in the belief of it: For the discourse that proveth it, is such an abstracted one, as very few are capable of it, being that it requireth both a mature age to be able to reason so (before which time many die) and likewise strong and vigoroux powers of the understanding which we see more do want then are endowed withal: And, beside, of those that have both years and capacity to wield such thoughts, there are so few that are not in a manner forced away from such interior recollections by their particular vacations and the natural necessities they are obliged unto; as to beat it out by themselves is not a sufficient means to serve mankind in this case. And to think that those few who having great parts, may with much labour have attained to the knowledge thereof, should instruct others that are simpler and are taken up by other employments and courses of life, were very irrational; since no man, be he never so wise, is such but may be deceived; and then, how can it be expected that another man should without sensible demonstration believe his single word in a matter so contrary to sense, and wherein he must forgo so great contentments and present utility?  
And for the other branch, which is in the instructing mankind concerning the right object that he is to know and love to be happy, that is altogether out of the reach of any man whatsoever by himself to discover; and therefore much less can he in his own name instruct others therein: And if any man should go about to do so, and to introduce a new doctrine of faith not formerly heard of, drawing the arguments for confirmation thereof only out of his own ratiocination and discourse; that alone, were enough to convince him of falsehood; since he should thereby undertake to know what were impossible for him of himself to attain to the knowledge of.  
Therefore it is necessary that the author of the doctrine we must believe, the instructor of the actions we must perform; and the promiser of the happiness we may hope for, be God himself; who only knoweth of himself what is said in matters of these natures, and who only is neither liable to be deceived, nor can deceive others; as being the prime verity itself.  
But because the weakness of our intellectual nature is such, whiles we remain here in our earthly habitations, imprisoned in our houses of clay, as we cannot lift up our heavy and drowsy eyes, and steadily fix our dim sight upon the dazzling and indeed invisible Deity, nor entertain an immediate communication with him (like the children of Israel, who desired that Moses, not God might speak unto them) it was necessary that God himself should descend to some corporal substance that might be more familiar and less dazzling unto us; And none was so convenient as humane nature, to the end that he might not only converse freely and familiarly with us, and so in a gentle and a sweet manner teach us what we should do; but also preach unto us by his example, and himself be our leader in the way that he instructed us to take. The conclusion then of this discourse, is, that it was necessary, Christ, God and man, should come into the world to teach us what to believe and what to do.  
10. The tenth conclusion shall be, that those unto whom Christ did immediately preach this faith, and unto whom he gave commission to preach it unto others and spread it through the world, after he ascended to heaven, aught to be believed as firmly as he himself. The reason of this assertion is, that their doctrine, though it be delivered by secondary mouths, yet it proceedeth from the same fountain: which is God himself, that is the prime verity, and cannot deceive, nor be deceived. But all the difficulty here in is, to know who had this immediate commission from Christ, and by what seal we should discern it to have been no forged one. The solution of this ariseth out of the same argument which proveth that Christ himself was God, and that the doctrine he taught was true and divine; which is, the miracles and works he did, exceeding the power of nature, and that could be effected by none but by God hmiselfe: for he being truth itself, cannot by any action immediately proceeding from him, witness and confirm à falsehood: In like manner the Apostles doing such admirable works and miracles as neither by nature nor by art magic could be brought to pass, that must necessarily infer God himself cooperated with them to justify what they said; it is evident that their doctrine (which was not their own, but received from Christ) must be true and Divine.  
11. Te eleventh conclusion shall be, that this faith thus taught by Christ and propagated by the Apostles and necessary to mankind to believe (as well that part of it, which is written, as the whole which is not) dependeth intrinsically upon the testimony of the Catholic Church; which is ordained to conserve and deliver it from age to age. (By which Catholic Church, I mean the congregation of the faithful that is spread throughout the whole world) for we have proved before, that the way to the true faith ought to be open and plain to all men, of all abilities, and in all ages, that have a desire to embrace it: and this cannot be but either by the immediate preaching of Christ; or else by the information (either in writing or by word of mouth) of them that learned it from him, and their delivering it over to others, and so from hand to hand until any particular time you will pitch upon. But from Christ's own mouth, none could have it but those who lived in the age when he did, therefore there remaineth no other means to have it derived down to after; ages then by this delivery over from hand to hand of the whole congregation of fathers or elders dispersed throughout the world, to the whole congregation of sons or youngers; which course of deducing faith from Christ we call tradition, so that this conclusion proveth that the Church is the conserver both of the whole doctrine of faith necessary for salvation, and likewise of the divine writ dictated by the Holy Ghost, and written by the Prophets, Evangelists and Apostles, which we are also bound to believe. And the same assent that we are to give to the truth of Scriptures (that is to say, that the Scriptures we have are true Scriptures) the very same we are to give to other articles of faith proposed unto us by the Church: for they alike depend of the same authority; which is the veracity of the Church proposing and delivering them unto us to be believed. And we may as well doubt that the Church hath corrupted the Scriptures, as that she hath corrupted any article of faith.  
12. The twelfth conclusion shall be that into the Catholic Church no false doctrine in any age can be admitted or creep in, that is to say, no false proposition whatsoever can ever be received and embraced by the Catholic Church as a proposition of faith. For whatsoever the Church believeth as a proposition of faith, is upon this ground, that Christ taught it as such unto the Church he planted himself, and so it left it in trust to be by it delivered over to the next age. And the reason why the present Church believeth any proposition to be of faith, is because the immediate preceding Church, of the age before, delivered it as such. And so you may drive it on from age to age until you come to the Apostles and Christ. Therefore to have any false proposition of faith admitted into the Church in any age, doth Suppose that all they of that age must unanimously conspire to deceive their children and youngers, telling them that they were taught by their fathers to believe, as of faith, some proposition which indeed they were not. Which being impossible (as it will evidently appear to any prudent person that shall reasonably ponder the matter) that so many men spread throughout the whole world, so different in their particular interests and ends, and of such various dispositions and natures, should all agree together in the forgery of any precise lie; it is impossible that any false doctrine should creep into the Church.  
But because the force of this argument may peradventure not appear at the first sight to your Ladyship, that happily hath not had much occasion to make deep reflection upon the certainty that must needs be in the asseveration of any history of matter of fact subject to the sense, which shall be made by a great company of men so distant from one another, and of such different interests and affections as they cannot conspire together in the forgery of a falsehood; But that you may happily think, since any one man is liable to be deceived, or out of some indirect end may be iuduced to deceive another, it is also possible that a whole multitude of men (be it never so great) consisting of particular men, may also deceive or be deceived: I will therefore for a further declaration of this matter, propose for the thirteenth Conclusion, that faith thus delivered, is absolutely more certain and infallible than any natural science whatsoever. And yet sciences are so certain (I mean such as depend of experience and demonstration) as he were not a rational man that should refuse his assent unto them: And consequently he would incur the like censure that should not yield credence to faith, in this manner proposed unto him. In the proof of this conclusion I must use two words appropriated to philosophy (to wit matter and form) which is contrary to my intention at the first, which was to abstain from all terms of artificial learning, and make only a familiar discourse that should require no precedent help of study, but only a clear and strong judgement (such as yours is) to weigh the strength of the reason: Butt I am the less srcupulous to avoid these words, because I know your La: understandeth what is meaned by them; and they have often occurred in our discourses. To come then to the examination of this conclusion, I say, that faith dependeth on these two propositions; first, that whatsoever God saith is true; Next, that God said this (whatsoever it be) that is delivered thus by the tradition of the Church. For the former of these assertions, there is no doubt made by any side; since all agree that God being the prime verity, whatsoever proceedeth immediately from him must necessarily be more infallible than any collections made from creatures either by experience or ratiocination of men. The second assertion I shall also prove to be more infallible than any such collections; in this manner. Among material things, that are subject to time and place, and are here in the sphere of contraries, and of action and passion, although the laws that govern them are in the general certain (else no science could be acquired of them) yet in the particular they are subject to contingency and defection from those laws; which contingency doth proceed from the resistance of the matter, and the contagion and leprosy (if so I may say) that the matter infecteth the form withal; which, were it not for that, would always constantly work the same effect in all ocasions: and according as the form hath in particular more or less predominance over the matter, the contingency and defect in them from the true nature of that body considered in his perfection, is the greater or the lesser. Let us illustrate this by an example: According to the ordinary doctrine of Philosophers in the Schools, we collect by many particular experiences, that the nature of fire proceeding from the form of it, is to ascend; and of them we frame a general doctrine that fire is the lightest of all the elements, and that his natural place is above them all: yet we see that when the form of fire is introduced into gross and terrestrial matter, it is wrested from his own natural inclination, and is forced, in steed of ascendind, then to descend; as when wood, iron, earth-coale, and such other terrestrial matter is set on fire: And it is more or less violented from his natural place, according as the subject it resideth in, hath more or less power over it, and is more or less material: for it showeth more of his levity and natural propension to ascend, when it setteth an oily, or ay ery substance on fire and breaketh up in flames, them when meeting with a more material and terrestrial substance, as wood, it turneth it into a coal. Now to apply this to our purpose, I say, that of all forms whatsoever that are joined to matter, the noblest and most elevated above the foeculency of matter, is the soul of man: for it is not only the form of the noblest material creature that is; but besides that, it is so full of efficacy as it even overfloweth the capacity of matter, which not being able to imbibe (as I may say) and take it up all, it hath a particular subsistence belonging to itself; from whence Philosophers prove the immortality of it. Therefore we may safely conclude that mankind, in the original appetences and natural desires of his soul, is less subject to contingency, and more secure from having his nature corrupted and perverted from his due course, than any other material creature whatsoever is in the performance of those actions that proceed from the activity of his form; and so consequently, being considered in general, proceedeth most certainly and infallibly to the pursuance thereof; and it is impossible it should fall of from its own nature, and, suffer that to be extinguished in it; although in some particulars, by the immersion in matter and the terrene habitation it dwelleth in, some soul may be drawn or rather wrested to a contrary bias unto that which originally nature implanted in it. Now the primary original natural appetence of man's soul, is the love of truth; which it vehemently desireth, and is always unquiet and ardent in the search of it upon what occasion soever, and is never appeased and at ease, until she have found it out; which she no sooner hath done, but the violence she was in is calmed; she is contented; and she settleth herself to repose, as having arrived to her centre and natural place of rest; wherein she continueth enjoying the purchase she hath made, until some new occasion of disquisision stir her up again; in which she useth the same industry and eagernes as before. And thus we plainly see that the acquisition of truth is that which the soul in every action naturally aimeth at, as fire doth to ascend; and detesteth falsehood, as flames suffer violence to be reverberated downwards. Therefore, although any particular man may have his senses or fantasy so depraved as to take imperfect and maimed impressions of outward objects; or the powers of his understanding so weak as to make preposterous and disorderly collections out of them; or his judgement so misguided by preoccupation of any affection or particular end, as he may in himself be deceived, and feed his soul with falsehood in steed of truth; or else, that sinister respects and interests, or sordid apprehensions of commodity to himself, meeting with à soul so disposed and wrought upon by the sensual passions tyrannising over it, as to cause him to swallow those baits, may make him employ the faculties of his understanding and the powers of his soul, contrary unto their natural inclination, to the maintaining of a lie, and industriously to deceive others: yet it is impossible that all mankind or such a multitude of men as contain in them all the variety of dispositions and affections incident to the nature of man, and that are dispersed throughout the world, so as they can have no communion together whereby they might infect one another, nor can have sinister ends common alike to them all, which should invite them to conspire together to forge a falsehood: it is impossible (I say) that such a company of men should so degenerate from their own nature (which is to love truth) as they should of themselves invent a lie (and that in so important a matter as faith is) and concur to deceive the world of men that should come after them in things of such nature, as their deceit must of necessity damn for all eternity both themselves and all them that shall receive that lie from them, and take it upon their credit: without which unanimous conspiracy of one whole age of men throughout all the world, we proved in our last conclusion that no false proposition could be admitted into the Church as an article of faith. In a word, this general defection of all makinde from truth, is more impossible than that all one entire element or any primigenial nature should absolutely perish or lose its original propriety; as for all the fire in the world to be corrupted and forsake his heat and levity, and so consequently to have no more fire in nature: all which followeth of what is said above. And thus I conceive I have made good the assertion that hath begotten all this discourse upon the thirteenth head; which is that faith conserved in the Catholic Church, and delivered by perpetual succession and general tradition, is more certain and more infallible than any natural science whatsoever: for natural sciences being grounded upon the indefectibility of the natures of those things from whence those sciences are collected; and faith depending upon the indefectibility of humane nature, which is infinitely more noble than they, and whose form is elevated beyond the reach of matter (whereas theirs is comprehended and shut up within the womb of matter and which is indeed the end and period of all their natures, and of all the whole material world) It followeth of consequence that faith must be less subject to contingency, and less liable to error then natural sciences are. And they being in universal infallible and certain; faith must likewise be so too; and more if more may be.  
But this is not enough. our disquisition must not rest here: We must not content ourselves in this divine affair and supernatural doctrine with a certitude depending only upon natural causes. The wisdom of God proportioneth out congruent means to bring on every thing to their proper end; and according to the nobility of the effect that he will have produced, he ordaineth equivalent noble causes. Therefore, man's obtaining beatitude being the highest end that any creature can arrive unto, and altogether supernatural; it requireth supernatural causes to bring us to that end, and a supernatural infallibility to secure us in that journey. We must not only have a supernatural way to travel in (which is faith) but also a supernatural assurance of the right way, unto the discovery of which, all that we have already said, doth necessarily conduce; for God's providence that disposeth all things sweetly, will not in any general affair introduce into the material world any supernatural effect, until the natural causes be first disposed fittingly to cooperate on their parts; and then he never faileth of his. As for example, when a natural creature is to be produced into being, the father and mother must both concur in contributing all that is in their power to the generation of a child; and yet we are sure the soul to be produced hath no dependence of them; yet notwithstanding, without their precedent action no new soul would be: But when the matter is fittingly disposed in the mother's womb, he never misseth creating of a soul in that body; which is as noble an effect, and as much requiring the omnipotency of God, as the creating of nothing all the material world; and yet we may say that the matter, when it is arrived to its last disposition for the reception of such a form, may in a manner claim that miraculous action depending of his omnipotency; since for mankind he created the rest of the material world, and therefore there ought to be as certain and necessary causes for the production of man, as there are for the production of other material things, which we see do seldom m●sse in any when the matter is fitly disposed for the reception of their several forms. And so in like manner we may rationally conclude, that in this high and supernatural business of delivering over from hand to hand a supernatural doctrine to bring mankind to the end it was created for, he will first have all the natural causes fittingly disposed for the secure and infallible performance of that work: and then, that he will add and infuse into them some supernatural gift whereby to give them yet further a supernatural assurance and infallibility; which they may with an humble confidence in his unlimited goddess, expect and claim at his divine hand, when they are reduced to that state as is convenient for the reception of such a supernatural gift.  
14. Our fourteenth conclusion therefore shall be that God hath given to his Church thus composed, the holy Ghost, to confirm it in the true faith, and to preserve it from error, and to Illuminate the understanding of it in right discerning the true sense of those Misteryes of faith that are committed to the custody of it, and to work supernatural effects of devotion and sanctity in that Church. And this I prove thus, Considering that the doctrine of Christ is practical and aimeth at the working of an effect, which is the reduction of mankind to beatitude: and that mankind comprehendeth not only those that lived in that age, when he preached, but also all others that ever were since, or shall be till the end of the world: It is apparent that to accomplish that end, it was necessary Christ should so effectually imprint his doctrine in their hearts whom he delivered it unto, as it might upon all occasions and at all times infallibly express itself in action, and in the delivery of it over from hand to hand, should in virtue and strength of the first operation, produce ever after like effects in all others. Now to have this completely performed, it was to be done both by exterior and by interior means; proportionable to the senses without, and to the soul within. The outward means were the miracles that he wrought, of which himself sayeth, if I had not wrought those works that no man else ever did, they were not guilty of sin, but now, they have no excuse: (or to this purpose) and he promised the Apostles they should do greater than those. And that miracles are the proper instruments to plant a new doctrine and faith withal, the Apostle witnesseth when he sayeth that miracles are wrought for the unfaithful not for the faithful, and God himself told Moses that he would once do some prodigy in his favour that the people might for ever after believe what he said to them. But it is manifest by the fall of the Apostles themselves, that only this exterior means of miracles is not sufficient to engrafte supernatural faith deep enough in men's hearts, when as they upon Christ's Passion, not only for fear, through humane frailty, denied their master, but had even the very conceit and belief of his doctrine exiled out of their hearts and understanding, notwithstanding all the miracles they had seen him work in almost 4. years' time they continually conversed with him: which appeareth plainly by the discourse of the disciples going to Emaus, when they said we hoped, etc. And expressed their sadness for the contrary success to their expectation; and by saint Thomas his saying that he would not believe his resurrection unless he saw him and pnt his fingers into his wounds etc. And by the rest of the Apostles that were so long before they would believe his resurrection, as having given over the thought of his divinity, and after his death considered him but as a pure man like other men. Therefore it was necessary that some inward light should be given them, so clear, and so strong, and so powerful, as the senses should not be able to prevail against it, but that it should onerflowingly possess and fill all their understandings and their souls, and make them break out in exterior actions correspondent to the spirit that steered them within. And the reason is evident: for whiles on the one side the senses discern, apparently, miracles wrought in confirmation of a doctrine; and on the other side, the same senses do stiffly contradict the very possibility of the doctrine which those miracles testify; the soul within, having no assistance beyond the natural powers she hath belonging originally unto her, is in great debate and anxiety which way to give her assent; and though reason do prevail to give it to the party of the present miracles, yet it is with great timidity. But if it happen that the course of those miracles be stopped; them the particular seeming impossibilies of the proposed faith remaining always alike lively in their apprehension, and the miracles wrought to confirm it residing but in the memory, and the representations of them wearing out daily more and more, and the present senses and fantasy growing proportionably stonger and stronger, and withal objecting continually new doubts about the reality of those miracles, it cannot be expected otherwise but that the assent of the soul should range itself on the side of the impossibilityes appearing to the present senses, and renounce the doctrine formerly confirmed by miracles, unless some inward and supernatural light be given her to disperse all the mists that the senses raise against the truth of the doctrine. Now the infusion of this light and fervour, we call the giving of the holy Ghost, which Christ himself foreknowing how necessary it was, promised them, assuring them that he would procure his father to send them the Holy Ghost, the spirit of truth, that should for ever remain among them, and within them, and suggest unto their memory and instruct them in the right understanding of the faith he had preached unto them. And this was prophesied long before, of the state of the law of grace by Hieremy, whose authority S. Paul bringeth to prove that the law of the Gospel was to be written by the holy Ghost in men's hearts and in their minds, and accordingly, he calleth the faithful of the Corynthians, the faith of Christ not written with ink, but with the spirit of God; nor graven in stony tables, but in the fleshy ones of their hearts. And in performance of this prophecy and of Christ's promise, the history telleth us that on the tenth day after the ascension of Christ, when all his disciples (who were then all his Church, and were to preach and deliver it to all the world) were assembled together, the holy Ghost was given them; and that, in so full à measure, as they not only were confirmed so perfectly in their faith as they never after admitted the least vacillation therein, but they immediately, casting away all other desires and thoughts, were inflamed with admirable love of God, and broke out into his praises, and into a vehement ardour of teaching and converting others; and when, by reason of that zeal of theirs, any thing happened to them contrary to flesh and blood, and humane nature (as persecutions, ignominies, corporal punishments, and even death itself) they not only not shunned it, as before, but greedily ran to meet and embrace it, and joyed, and gloryed in it: all which were effects of the holy Ghost residing in them, and filling their minds, and gowerning their souls. Where upon, by the way we may note, that in what Church soever we find not à state of life for sanctity and near union with God, and contempt of worldly and transitory things, raised above the pitch of nature and morality, we may conclude the holy Ghost inhabiteth not there: for every agent produceth effects proportionable to the dignity of it, and the excellency of any cause, shineth eminently in the nobleness of its effects. Now that this gift of the holy Ghost is to remain with the Church as long as the Church remaineth, to illuminate it with the spirit of truth, and to give it a supernatural and divine unction, will appear manifestly upon consideration of the cause why the holy Ghost was to be given at the first, which remaineth always the same, and therefore the same effect must always follow: and accordingly, Christ promised his Church upon his ascending into heaven, that he would always ramaine with them until the end of the world, to wit, by this holy spirit; for he was then at the point of withdrawing his corporal presence from them.  
15. Our next conclusion shall be that this Church or congregation of men spread over the world, conserving and delivering the faith of Christ from hand to hand, is even in its own nature perpetual in time, and cannot fail as long as mankind remaineth in the world. This needeth no further proof then that which we have already made; which is derived from the necessity of supernatural faith to bring mankind to the end it was created for, and that there is no means to deliver this faith to mankind in the ages after Christ, but by the tradition of the Church; and therefore as long as mankind lasteth, this means must be continued. Yet in this way of reasoning that I use, we are to examine our conclusions as well by the genuine and orderly causes that beget them, and by their own particular principles, as to assent unto them for the necessity that we see in them in regard of the end that they are referred unto: And when we have retrived those, and evidently discerned their force, it giveth an admirable content and satisfaction to the understanding. Thus then: as Philosophers conclude that it is impossible any whole species or kind of beasts should ever be utterly exterminated and destroyed, that is diffused up and down over the whole face of the earth, because the amplitude of the universe is greater than the variety of causes can be from which such a general and entire corruption must proceed: In like manner we may confidently conclude, that it is impossible any depraved affections should so universally prevail, and so absolutely reign in men's minds throughout the whole world, as would be requisite to extirpate and root out a doctrine universally spread over it all, that was at the first taught and confirmed with such s●ales of truth as the miracles that Christ and the Apostles wrought, that in itself is so pure and agreeable to the seeds that every man findeth sowed, even by nature, in his own soul; that worketh such admirable effects as the reformation of manners in mankind; that withdraweth men's affections from humane and worldly contentments, and carrieth them with a sweet violence to intellectual objects, and to hopes of immortality and happiness in another life; that prescribeth laws for happy living, even in this world, to all men of what condition soever, either public or private, as working a moderation in men's affections to the commodities and goods of this life, which else in nature is apt to blind men's minds, and is the cause of all mischief's and evils; and lastly, that is delivered over from hand to hand, from worlds of fathers to worlds of sons, with such care and exactness as greater cannot be imagined, and as is requisite to the importance of that affair; which is infinitely beyond all others, as on which the salvation and damnation of mankind wholly dependeth. Now, unto these rational considerations let us add the promise which Christ made to his Church, that the gates of hell should not prevail against it; and I think we have sufficiently maintained that the Church of Christ in which the true doctrine of Christ is conserved, can never fail, but must infallibly continue until the world's end. Thus having proved, that a supernatural doctrine is necessary to bring mankind to beatitude; that Christ taught this doctrine; that from him the Church received it, and is the sacrary in which it is conserved; that this Church cannot err in the tradition of this doctrine, that besides the infallibility of it, this Church is perpetual. It remaineth now that we close up this discourse by applying all these premises unto the question in hand; which is, where we shall find out this infallible Church, that by it we may gain the knowledge of the true faith of Christ, whereby we are to be saved,  
16. For this end our sixteenth and last conclusion shall be, that the congregation of men spread over the world, joining in communion with the Church of Rome, is the true Catholic Church in which is conserved and taught the true saving faith of Christ.  
The truth of this conclusion will without bringing any new proofs appear evidently by reflecting upon what we have said, and only examining whether the Roman Church be such a one as we have determined the true Church of Christ must be; or whether the notes which me may infer out of our discourse to belong inseparably to the true Church, may not rather with more reason be acknowledged of some other then of that in communion with the see of Rome? this point after these grounds laid, requireth no very subtle disquisition, but is discernible even by the weakest sights: and therefore this way of arguing appeareth to me most satisfactory and contentful, when taking the whole body of the question into survey; and beginning with the first and remotest considerations of it, we drive the difficulties still before us; and pursuing of them orderly, at every step we establish a solid principle, and so become secure of the truth and certainty of all we leave behind us; which course, although it may at the first sight appear to be a great way about, and looking but superficially upon the matter we may seem to meet with difficulties which concern not our question; yet in the effect we shall perceive it is the most summary method of handling any controversy; and the only means to be secured of the truth of what we conclude, and that will recompense the precedent difficulties by making the conclusion (which is the knot of the affair) plain, easy, and open. I say then first that unity of doctrine in matters of faith is inseparable from the Roman Church, and can never be found in any other: it only, having a precise and determinate rule of faith. For it hath believed in every age, all that hath been plainly and positively taught unto it by their fathers as the doctrine of faith derived from Christ; and admitteth no other article whatsoever as an article of faith. Whereas on the other side, all other Christian Churches among us that pretend reformation, having no certain and common rule of faith, but every particular man governing himself in this matter by the collections of his own brain, and by his own private understanding and interpretation of Scripture (which only he acknowledgeth as the entire rule of faith) it must consequently follow, that according to the variety of their tempers and judgements, there must be a variety and difference of their opinions and beliefs; which difference of temper happening for the most part between every two men that are, it likewise followeth scarce any two should in all particulars of their opinions agree together. And accordingly we see by experience, that scarce any two authors, out of the Roman Church, that have written of matters of faith have agreed in their tenets, but rather have dissented in fundamental doctrine, and have inveighed against one another in their writings with great vehemence and bitterness. Whereas on the other side, the Doctors of the Roman Church in all times, in all places, and of all tempers have agreed unanimously in all matters of faith; although in the mean time, several of them have, in diverse other points great debates against one another, and pursue them with much sharpness: which strongly confirmeth the ground upon which we frame this observation.  
But to insist a little further upon this material and important consideration; it is evident that the proceeding of the reformers openeth the gate to all dissension, schism, irreverence, pride of understanding, heresy, and ruin of Christian religion: for to justify the new births of their rebellion's brains, the first stroke of their pen must be to lay a taint of ignorance and error upon the whole current of Ancient fathers and Doctors of the Church, and general Counsels, and to blast their authority which is so precisely contrary to their doctrine; whose names and records ought to be sacred with posterity. Which when they have done; to settle a constant and like belief in all men, they give no general and certain rule; but leaving every man to the Dictamen of his own private judgement, according to the several tempers and circumstances (as we said before) that sway every single man in particular, there must result (which we see by experience) as great a variety of opinions as those are different. And lastly since they quarrel at Catholics belief in those points where they differ from them, because they captivate their understandings with reverence to what the Church proposeth and teacheth, and thereby admit into their belief articles which may seem absurd to common sense; they may as well with presumptuous hands, grasp at and seek to pluck up, the very fundations of Christian religion; as namely the doctrine of the Trinity, and of the incarnation of Christ, and of the resurrection and state of life of the future world: since there are greater seeming contradictions in them (especially in the two first) than in those misteryes the reformers cavil at.  
In the next place we may consider that as infallibility is pretended by the Roman Church alone, so it is apparently entailed upon it: for we have proved that no means or circumstance, either moral, natural or supernatural, is wanting in it to beget infallibility in matters of faith. Whereas on the other side, from the reformers own position we infer by consequence that their doctrine cannot be hoped (even by themselues) to be infallible; and therefore they that shall submiit their understanding to their conduct, though they believe without controversy all they say, must needs (even by reason of what is taught them) float always in a great deal of incertitude and anxious apprehension and fear of error. For they looking upon the Church, but with pure humane considerations as an ordinary company of men, will have it liable to mistaking according to the natural imbecility of men's wits and understandings, and of humane passions, and negligence and other such defects and weaknesses which every man is by nature subject unto: Against which they produce no antidote to preserve and secure themselues from the infection and taint they lay upon the Church. For, if they will have the conferences of several passages of Scripture to be that which must give light in the several controverted obscurities; what eminency have these few late reformers shown, other in knowledge of tongues, insight into antiquity, profoundness in sciences, and perfection and sanctity of life, which hath not shined admirably more (not to tax them here of the contrary) in multitudes of the adverse party? And none will deny but these are the likeliest means to gain à right intelligence of the true and deep sense of Scriptures. And beside, we may observe that the reason why they deny the several articles wherein they differ from the Catholic Church, is because it teacheth a doctrine which is repugnant to sense and of hard digestion to Philosophy; both which are uncompetent judges of divine and supernatural truths: And whosoever steereth by their compass, cannot hope for infalliblity in a matter that transcendeth their reach.  
Thirdly we may consider that the universality of the Church in regard of place (which is necessary to the end that all mankind may have sufficient means to gain knowledge of the true faith) can be attributed to none but to the Roman Catholic Church; which only is diffused throughout the whole world; whereas all others are circled in with narrow limits of particular provinces; And even within them, the professors scarce agree among themselves in any point of doctrine but in opposing the Roman Church.  
And yet further; besides this want of universality in regard of place; the Religion taught by the reformers, hath yet a greater restriction than that: for even in its own nature, it is not for all sorts of persons and for all capacities: whereas the true saveing faith to bring men to beatitude ought to be obvious to all mankind, and open as well to the simple as to the learned. For since they lay the Scriptures as the first and highest principle, from whence they deduce all that aught to be believed; And that in all arts and sciences the primary and fundamental principles thereof ought to be throughly known by them that aspire to the perfect knowledge of those sciences; it followeth that one must have an exact knowledge of the learned tongues to examine punctually the true sense of the Scriptures; and that one must be perfectly versed in logic to be able to reason solidly, and to deduce true consequences from certain principles (for want of which, we find by experience that great controversies arise daily among the learnedst men; which would not be, if the force of consequences were of their own nature easily discernible) and one must be throughly skilled in natural philosophy and Metaphysics, since unto appearing contradictions in subjects of those sciences, they reduce most of their arguments against the supernatural truths that Catholics believe. And lastly one must be endowed with an excellent judgement and strong natural wit, to be able to wield and make good use of these weapons; without which they would but advance him the faster to ruin and pernicious error. With which excellencyes, how few are there in the world fairly adorned?  
Fourthly, it is evident that the Roman Catholic Church only hath had a constant and uninterrupted succession of Pastors and Doctors, and tradition of doctrine from age to age; which we have established as the only means to derive down the true faith from Christ. Whereas it is apparent all others have had late beginnings from unworthy causes: And yet, even in this little while, have not been able to maintain themselves for one age throughout (or scarce for any considerable part of an age) in one tenor of doctrine, or form of Ecclesiastical government. Lastly we may consider how the effect of the holy Ghost his inhabiting in the Church, in regard of manners, making the hearts of men his living temples, shineth eminently in the Catholic Church, and is not so much as to be suspected in any other whatsoever. For where this holy spirit reigneth, it giveth a burning love of God (as we have touched before) and a vehement desire of approaching unto him as near as may be: Now, the soul of man, moveth towards God not by corporeal steps and progressions, but by intellectual actions; the highest of which, are mental prayer and contemplation; in which exercices, a man shall advance the more, by how much he is the more sequestered from the thought and care of any worldly affairs, and hath his passions quieted within him, and is abstracted from communication with material objects, and is untied from humane interests, and (according to the counsels of Christ in the Gospel) hath cast off all solicitude of the future, and remitteth himself wholly to the providence of God, living in the world as though he were not in it, wholly intent to contemplation when the inferior part of Charity calleth him not down to comply with the necessity of his Neighbours. This form of life we see continually practised in the Catholic Church by multitudes of persons of both sexes, that through extreme desire of approaching as near unto God as this life will permit, do banish themselves from all their friends, kindred, and what else in the world was naturally dearest unto them; and either retire into extreme solitudes, or shut themselves up for ever within the narrow limits of a strait Monastery and little cell; where having renounced all the interest and propriety in the goods of this world, and using no more of them then is necessary for the poor sustenance of their exhausted bodies (which they mortify with great abstinences, watchings and other austerityes, that they may bring them into subjection; and root out, as much as may be, the very fuel of concupiscence and passions) and having of their own accord barred themselves of all propriety of disposing of themselues in any action, and renounced even the freedom of their will; and thus in some, having taken an eternal farewell of all the joys and delights that this world can afford, and that carnal men would be so loath to forgo for any little while; yet by the internal joys that they find in their prayer and contemplation (unto which all these actions of retrenchment from superfluities, or outward solaces, do serve as a ladder to ascend unto the top of it) they live so happily, and cheerfully, and with such tranquillity of mind, and upon occasions say so much of the overflowings of their bliss, as it is apparent they enjoy there the hundred-fold that Christ promised in this life. Nor can it be objected that men usually betake themselves to this course of Religious life, upon being distempered by melancholy, or for the ill success and traverses they have had in affairs of the world, or out of simplicity and weakness of understanding; since it is evident that this Angelical form of living hath ever been best practised by persons of the best composed and cheerfullest dispositions; and by multitudes of such is and hath been embraced; and that in the world overflowed with all the blessings it could afford them; and were of strongest parts of understanding and judgement; and were most eminent in learning. So that it is apparent they had no other motive thereunto, but purely the love of God and fervour of devotion: which being an effect of the holy Ghost residing in their hearts; to his inspirations and admirable ways of working in those his temples of flesh and blood, these extraordinary effects are to be imputed. Whereas on the other side no such examples or surpernaturall form of life, are to be met withal in any other Church whatsoever: Rather, they disclaim from them; and like men of this world (which is the expression that Christ useth in the Gospel to design those that are not of his Church) not being able to discern things of the spirit, but being blinded with the lustre of them, too great for their weak eyes; they neglect and disdain them, and imagine that all Christian perfection consisteth in an ordinary humane moral life: which is the uttermost period that any among them seek to attain unto. And therefore we may hence conclude that they have no interior worker among them more sublime than their own humane discourses and judgements; and that supernatural sanctity (an effect of the holy Ghost) is confined only to the Catholic Church.  
Besides; we may observe by daily experience, how those persons that addict themselues to such an extraordinary way of life; do absolutely prove either the best or the worst of mankind; the one excelling in admirable piety, fervour of denotion, abstraction and sanctity of life, and some of them soaring up to a pitch even above nature; the other abounding in all sorts of impiety, wickedness and dissolution of manners, till at length their hearts become even hardened against correction and all sense of spiritual things; whereas it ordinarily happeneth that the most flagitious men among those who live in a vulgar worldly estate of life, do upon occasions frequently receive notable impressions from divine objects to the amendment and change of their dissolute course. And this being a constant and certain effect noted at all times and in all places, it must be attributed to a constant and powerful cause: which can be no other than the near approaching of those persons to the original fontaine of sainctity and goodness; which being like a consuming fire, worketh vehement effects in them, according to the disposition they are in, and to the nearness that they have unto that fire: so that as the sun beams (which are the authors of life and foe cundity to all plants and vegetables) shining upon a tree that hath taken soide roots in the earth, maketh it bud, flourish, and bear fruit, and on the other side, if it be weakly rooted, their heat and operation upon that tree maketh it the sooner to wither and die: And as the fire sendeth an influence of heat into a pot of water that is simply applied unto it, but if that pot be set in a vessel of snow or ice, and so be held over the fire, it driveth unto the centre the cold of the snow formerly diffused with out, and in a very short space turneth that water into ice, which else might have stayed there long enough without congealing: in like manner, they who being rooted in charity, approach to that dinine sun, do flourish and bring fourth excellent and oft-times supernatural fruits of devotion, fervour, and sanctitye; butt those who have depraved affections so environing the roots of their hearts as that the soil of charity camnott introduce her nourishing sap into them; and whose souls are compassed in with the ice of sensuality and carnal cogitations; if they come within the beams of this holy sun, or within the heat of this sanctifying fire, they do but wither a way the sooner, and their hearts grow daily more and more to be ice, till at length (like that of Pharaoh, amidst the wondrous works of the lord, happy to others) they become miserable and stony.  
And again we see that those who having addicted themselves wholly to such a course of Seraphy call life, and that being always vehemently intent to the love and contemplation of the prime verity, and that having no other object for their actions or thoughts; do thereby (as we may reasonably conceive) approach nearest to God almighty and draw immediately from him (who is the fonntaine of light and truth) strongest emanations and clearest influences to illustrate their understanding, and inflame their affections: those persons (I say) have ever been most earnest in the maintenance of those points of the Roman doctrine which are most repugnant to sense (as in particular, of that of the real presence of Christ's body in the blessed Sacrament; unto which all other Sacrements, and acts of faith and devotion, are reduced) and adore them with greatest reverence, and are inflamed with feruentest devotion unto them. And therefore we may conclude that this confidence, religiousness, and fervour, proceedeth from hence that these men, and such among them as cannot be suspected for simplicity, ignorance, or sinister ends; are thus confirmed in this faith, and are thus set on fire with this devotion more vigorously and vehemently then ordinary secular men; by the immediate working and inspiration of the holy Ghost; from whose streams it is likely they drink purer and clearer waters, and nearer the well head, than other men of a more worldly and vulgar conversation. And it were not agreeable to the goodness of God to permit those persons that most affectionately seek him, and who for his sake, out of pure devotion and desire of contemplating truth, do abridge themselves of all other worldly contentments, to have their understandings worse blinded with false doctrine than other men that seek him more coldly and care less for him; and to have their wills more depraved then theirs with erroneous and false devotion, as of necessity it would follow theirs were, if the doctrine that the Catholic Church professeth were not true, and the holy Ghost resided not in it to work those effects. Now on the contrary part, let us make a short inquiry whether it be probable that the late pretended reformers have been illuminated by God in an extraordinary manner, to discover truth; which they say hath for many ages lain hid. Surely if any such thing were, they would have expressed in theyre manner of life by some extraordinary sanctity and excellent actions, and supernatural wisdom, that extraordinary communication which they would persuade us they had with the divinity. For as by a radiant beam of light shining in at the chink of a window, we know assuredly, the sun beateth upon it, although we see not his body; so likewise there should have broken out from them some admirable and excellent effect whereby we might rest confident that the divine sun illuminated their understanding, and inflamed theyre will. Moses when he came down from the mountain where he so long conversed with God, expressed even by the lustre glittering from his face, that it was not an ordinary or natural light which had shined unto him: the Apostles when they were replenished with the holy Ghost received immediately the gift of tongues and a clear intelligence of all the Scriptures; whereby they made clear unto the auditors the obscurest passages of them; and continually wrought miracles: and all those that ever since them have introduced the Gospel into any country where formerly it was not received, have still had there commission auctorised by the same seals; and shall our late particular Reformers be credited in their pretended vocation, and in their new doctrine that shaketh the very foundations of the faith that hath been by the whole Christian world for so many ages believed and delivered over from hand to hand, when as nothing appeareth in them supernatural and proceeding from a divine cause?  
This Madam, is as much as I shall trouble your La: withal upon this occasion: which indeed is much more than at the first I intended or could have suspected my pen would have stolen from me. The substance of all which may be summed up and reduced to this following short question; namely, whether in the election of the faith whereby you hope to be saved, you will be guided by the unanimous consent of the wisest, the learnedst, and the piousest men of the whole world, that have been instructed in what they believe by men of the like quality living in the age before them, and so from age to age until the Apostles and Christ; and that in this manner have derived from that fountain, both a perfect and full knowledge of all that aught to be believed, and likewise a right understanding and interpretation of the Scriptures, as far as concerneth faith; (the true sense of which so far, is also delivered over by the same tradition.) Or whether you will assent unto the new and wrested interpretations of places of Scripture, made by late men that rely merely upon their single judgement and wit (too slight a bark to sail in through so immense an Ocean) and whose chief leaders for humane respects and sinister ends (not to say worse of them) made a desperate defection from the other main body; since which time; Noah two of them have agreed in doctrine; and among whom it is impossible your ladyshipps great judgement and strong understanding should find any solid stay to repose securely upon, and to quiett all those rational doubts that your perceing wit suggesteth unto you. And here, Madam, I shall make an end; haering sincerily, and as succinctly and plainly as I can delivered you the chief considerations that in this affair turned the scale of the balance with me; which in good faith I have done with all the simplicity and ingenuity that I can express my sense with; being not at all warmed with any passion or partiality, nor raised out of my even pitch and temper with any spirit of disputation, or siding humour; (which few have avoided upon this subject) but I have given you a true picture of my seriousest and saddest thoughts and resolutions to myself in this most important business; wherein you will believe I would take the greatest pains I was able, to be sure not to be deceived. I have not sought to show wittiness or acuteness of learning in the debating of these points; or have affected polished language in the committing them to paper; for this matter should not be handled for ostentation but for use: and though peradventure if this discourse should fall into the view of some learned man he may at the first sight set but a slight value upon it; yet I persuade myself whosoever he be if he will ponder it seriously and leisurely and with a like interior recollection as I at the first settled the grounds of it in my own soul, he will then find it toucheth the life of the matter: and though I have not delivered my conceptions smoothly and well, yet he will not think his time lost in reading them; and having stronger parts than I, he will make clearer use of them then I have done. This I am sure of; that although I have set this down for your La: in 2. or 3. days (for it is no longer since you commanded me to do it) yet it is the production and result of many hour's meditations by myself; or rather of some years: and how dry soever they may appear to your La: at the first; yet I dare promise you that upon your second and third readings and reflections upon them, they will gain more credit with you; and you will (I know) by such application of your thoughts upon them, enlarge and refine what dependeth of the main heads far beyond any thing I have said. For such is the nature of notions that are wrought, like the silk worm's ball, of ones own substance: they afford fine and strong threads for a good workman to weave into a fair piece of stuff: whereas they that like bees do gather honey from several authors; or that like Aunts, do make up their store by what they pick up in the original crude substance from others labours; may peradventure in their works seem more pleasant at the first taste, or appear to have a fairer heap at the first view, but the others web is more useful, more substantial, and more durable.  
I beseech God of his grace and goodness, in this life to enlighten your La: understanding that you may discern truth, and to dispose your will that you may embrace it; and in the next, to give you part among those glorious Apostles, Fathers, Doctors, and Martyrs that deriving the same truth from him, have from hand to hand delivered it over to our times.  
FINIS.