B. I am not one of them that will cite any scraps of the Fathers, contrary to their current expressions, to contradict you: Vossius hath copiously related their judgments in his Pelagian History, and that as favourably for perseverance as there was cause; And Dr. Twice, who frequently speaketh his distaste of him, saith nothing to prove his History false. Which in this, he that readeth the Fathers must confess to be true. But this should somewhat moderate you in your censure, 1. That the Writers of the first three hundred years are few, and their Writings (except Tertullians, Origen and Cyprian) very short; (even Clements, Alexand. and Justin's not long). And few of them very learned and accurate Writers; who are the common Managers of Controversies: nor was this Controversy started in their times, and therefore not accurately searched into. 2. And if you say that this is the more for your cause, if it were not so much as made a Controversy; I add that the Platonic Philosophy which then most prevailed, might do somewhat to dispose them that way: For as Grotius de fato hath copiously proved (out of above thirty Philosophers and philosophical Christians) most of all the Philosophers, especially Platonists were for Free-will, and most learned Christian Doctors came out of Plato's School, (and most of the learned Heretics too). 3. And yet Laertius in Zenone tells us, That the Stoics were against falling away, and taught that no truly virtuous man did ever cease to be such.
2. But above all, I would have you consider, 1. That this Point was not held by these consenting Doctors for an Article of Faith, and necessary to Church-Concord and Salvation; but as one of those many Opinions which were left free. 2. And that many or most of these Fathers did agree in some Opinions that are not true. 3. Yea that the greater part of them are by the Papists themselves charged with several Errors, and some and not a few with Heresies. 4. And that therefore the holy Scriptures being the only and sufficient Rule of Faith, we need not be so much ashamed as you intimate, in some things to differ from the generality of those Fathers, if the Scripture be more for us than them. There is many a Text of Scripture which Papists themselves interpret contrary to most of the Fathers, notwithstanding their Trent Oath to the contrary.
B. I am not one of them that will cite any scraps of the Fathers, contrary to their current expressions, to contradict you: Vossius hath copiously related their judgments in his Pelagian History, and that as favourably for perseverance as there was cause; And Dr. Twisse, who frequently speaketh his distast of him, saith nothing to prove his History false. Which in this, he that readeth the Fathers must confess to be true. But this should somewhat moderate you in your censure, 1. That the Writers of the first three hundred years are few, and their Writings (except Tertullians, Origine and Cyprian) very short; (even Clements, Alexand. and Justins not long). And few of them very learned and accurate Writers; who are the common Managers of Controversies: nor was this Controversie started in their times, and therefore not accurately searcht into. 2. And if you say that this is the more for your cause, if it were not so much as made a Controversie; I add that the Platonick Philosophy which then most prevailed, might do somewhat to dispose them that way: For as Grotius de fato hath copiously proved (out of above thirty Philosophers and philosophical Christians) most of all the Philosophers, especially Platonists were for Free-will, and most learned Christian Doctors came out of Plato's School, (and most of the learned Hereticks too). 3. And yet Laertius in Zenone tells us, That the Stoicks were against falling away, and taught that no truly virtuous man did ever cease to be such.
2. But above all, I would have you consider, 1. That this Point was not held by these consenting Doctors for an Article of Faith, and necessary to Church-Concord and Salvation; but as one of those many Opinions which were left free. 2. And that many or most of these Fathers did agree in some Opinions that are not true. 3. Yea that the greater part of them are by the Papists themselves charged with several Errors, and some and not a few with Heresies. 4. And that therefore the holy Scriptures being the only and sufficient Rule of Faith, we need not be so much ashamed as you intimate, in some things to differ from the generality of those Fathers, if the Scripture be more for us than them. There is many a Text of Scripture which Papists themselves interpret contrary to most of the Fathers, notwithstanding their Trent Oath to the contrary.
