Certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible Christianity defending…

Argum. 4. That which hath Evidence of Credibility, ought to be believed. But the profession of men, or their bare words who have not forfeited the Credit of their word•, hath Evidence of Credibility: therefore they ought to be believed.

Argum. 4. That which hath Evidence of Credibili•y, ought to be believed. But the profession of men, or their bare words who have not forfeited the Credit of their word•, hath Evidence of Credibility: therefore they ought to be believed.

The Major is undeniable, taking the measure of belief to be according to the measure of that Evidence.

The M•nor I prove. 1. From the ordination of nature. 2. From the consent of the world, and certain experience 1. Nature hath not given one man an inspection into the breast of another; nor hath God made any Minister a searcher of hearts, and ⟨p. 28⟩beholder of mens thoughts. 2. God hath made man capable of knowing in his own thoughts: though its true, that the heart is so deceitful, that there is a great difficulty of knowing them of our selves; yet the meaning of that Text, Jer. 17, 9, 10. is concerning others, [who can know it?] that is, [who can know another's heart?] But yet for all the deceitfulness, a certain measure of knowledge may be had. For, 3. Man hath a certain knowledge of the Evil of lying, and so a certain credibility naturally, or by the light of nature: as the examples of the very Heathens can witness. 4. The tongue was created to be the Index of the mind. Though mans actual language be acquired, yet his tongue was made for that use. All this set together, shows, ex natura rei, that though the Evidence be imperfect, yet an Evidence it is.