A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many useful questions and cases of conscience are…A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are…

For satisfaction in this difficulty, First of all, I do not deny but most willingly yield, yea assert as a necessary truth, that as our knowledge (at its best in this world) is imperfect, (for we know but in part) so it ought to be our desire and endeavour to grow in the knowledge of the mind of Christ, to follow on to know the Lord, to seek after more and more light, for the path of the Just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day, Prov. 4. 18. Secondly, I acknowledge that this imperfection of our knowledge, is not only in degrees, but in parts, that is, we may know afterwards not only more of that good, or evil, or truth, or error, of which we knew somewhat before, but we may happily come to know the evil of that whereof we knew no evil before, or the good of that in which we knew no good before, so may we come to know diverse truths which before we knew not. Thirdly, I acknowledge there is not only this imperfection, but oft times a great mistake, misunderstanding, error, and unsoundness in the judgement of Christian persons or Churches, so that godly men and true Churches may come to know that to be evil which they sometime thought good, and that to be false which sometime they thought true, or contrariwise. Which experience hath taught, and may teach again. Fourthly, I confess it is no shame for an Augustine to writ a Book of Retractations. It is the duty, not only of particular Christians, but of reforming, yea reformed, yea the best reformed Churches, ⟨p. 125⟩whensoever any error in their doctrine, or any evil in their Government or form of worship, shall be demonstrated to them from the word of God, (although it were by one single person, and one perhaps of no great reputation for parts or learning, like Paphnu•ius among the many learned Bishops in the council of Nice) to take in and not to shut out further light: to embrace the will of Christ held forth unto them, and to amend what is amiss, being discovered unto them. Fifthly, I also believe that towards the evening of the world, there shall be more light, and knowledge shall be increased, Dan: 12. 4. and many hid things in Scripture better understood, when the Jews shall be brought home, and the Spirit of grace and illumination more abundantly poured forth.

For satisfaction in this difficulty, First of all, I do not deny but most willingly yeeld, yea assert as a necessary truth, that as our knowledge (at its best in this world) is imperfect, (for we know but in part) so it ought to be our desire and endeavour to grow in the knowledge of the minde of Christ, to follow on to know the Lord, to seek after more and more light, for the path of the Iust is as the shyning light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day,