A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

and sundry others of the ancient Writers of the Church. But that no just offence as to the truth, or any of the ways of Christ might hence be taken, we are as I said before, forewarned of all these things by the Lord himself, and his Apostles; as also of the use and necessity of such events and issues: Whence Origen cries out [Greek or Hebrew] [Greek or Hebrew], Most admirable unto me seems the saying of Paul, There must be Heresies amongst you, that those who are approved may be manifest. Nor can any just exception be hence taken against the Gospel it self. For it doth not belong unto the excellency or dignity of any thing to free it self from all opposition, but only to preserve it self from being prevailed against, and to remain victorious, as the sacred truths of Christ have done, and will do unto the end. Not a few indeed in these evil days wherein we live, the ends of the world, and the difficulties with ⟨image 6⟩which they are attended being come upon us, persons ignorant of things past, and regardless of things to come, in bondage to their present lusts and pleasures, are ready to make use of the pretence of divisions and differences among Christians, to give up themselves unto Atheism, and indulge to their pleasures like the beasts that perish Let us eat and drink for too morrow we shall dye: Quid aliud inscribi poterat sepulchro bovis! But whatever they pretend to the contrary, it may be easily evinced, that it is their personal dislike of that holy obedience which the Gospel requireth, not the differences that are about the Doctrines of it, which alienates their minds from the truth. They will not some of them forego all Philosophical inquiries after the nature and causes of things here below, though they know well enough that there was never any agreement amongst the wisest and severest that at any time have been engaged in that disquisition, nor is it likely that ever there will be so. And herein they can countenance themselves with the difficulty, obscurity and importance of the things inquired after. But as for the high and heavenly mysteries of the Gospel, the least whereof is infinitely of more importance, then any thing that the utmost reach and comprehension of humane wisdom can attain unto, they may be neglected and ⟨image 6⟩despised because there are contentions about them. Hic nigrae succus loliginis, haec est Erugo mera.

and sundry others of the antient Writers of the Church. But that no just offence as to the truth, or any of the wayes of Christ might hence be taken, we are as I said before, forewarned of all these things by the Lord himself, and his Apostles; as also of the use and necessity of such events and issues: Whence Origen cryes out , Most admirable unto me seems the saying of Paul, There must be Heresies amongst you, that those who are approved may be manifest. Nor can any just excception be hence taken against the Gospel it self. For it doth not belong unto the excellency or ignity of any thing to free it self from all opposition, but only to preserve it self from being prevailed against, and to remain victorious, as the sacred truths of Christ have done, and will do unto the end. Not a few indeed in these evil dayes wherein we live, the ends of the world, and the difficulties with