Animadversions on a treatise entitled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…Animadversions on a treatise intituled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…

It is founded on that of the Apostle to the Corinthians, Did the Word of God come forth from you, ⟨p. 133⟩or came it unto you only? This is pretended the only Rule to determine, with whom the preeminence of Religion doth remain: Now the Word came not out originally from Protestants, or Puritans, nor came it to them alone. So that they have no reason to be imposing their conceptions on one another, or own others that differ from them. But our Author seems here to have fallen upon a great mis-adventure; There is not, as I know of, any one single Text of Scripture, that doth more fatally cut the throat of Papal pretensions, than this that he hath stumbled on. It is known, that the Pope and his adherents claim a preeminence in Religion to be the sole Judges of all its concernments, and the imposers of it in all the world. What men receive from them, that is Truth; what they are any otherwise instructed in, it is all false and naught. On this pretence it is, that this Gentleman pleads Nullity of Title amongst us as to all our contests; though we know, that Truth carries its Title with it, in whose hands soever it be found. Give me leave then to make so bold (at least ⟨p. 134⟩at this distance) as to ask the Pope and his Adherents An à vobis verbum Dei processit, an ad vos solos pervenit? Did the Gospel first come from you, or only unto you, that you thus exalt your selves above your Brethren all the World over? Do we not know by whom it first came to you, and from whom? Did it not come to very many parts of the World before you? to the whole World as well as to you? Why do you then boast your selves as though you had been the first revealers of the Gospel, or that it had come unto you in a way or manner peculiar and distinct from that by which it came to other places? Would you make us believe, that Christ preached at Rome, or suffered, or rose from the dead there, or gave the Holy Ghost first to the Apostles there, or first there founded his Church, or gave order for the empaling it there, when it was built? Would we never so fain, we cannot believe such prodigious Fables. To what purpose then do you talk of Title to impose your conceits in Religion upon us? Did the Gospel first come forth from you, or came it unto you only? Will not Rome ⟨p. 135⟩notwithstanding its seven Hills, be laid in a level with the rest of the World, by virtue of this Rule?