A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

Nay if it be a Truth which is proposed, and a man dissent from it, because he is not convinced that it is revealed, he is in no danger to be induced to question other ⟨p. 344⟩Propositions, which he knows to be so revealed, his faith being built upon, and resolved into that Revelation alone. All that remains of your discourse lies with its whole weight on this presumption, because some men may either wilfully prevaricate from the Truth, or be mistaken in their apprehensions of it, and so dissent from a Church that teacheth the truth, and wherein she so teacheth it, without cause; therefore no man may or ought to relinquish the errors of a Church, which he is really and truly convinced by Scripture and solid reason suitable thereunto, so to be. An inference so wild and so destructive of all assurance in every thing that is knowable in the world, that I wonder how your Interest could induce you to give any countenance unto it. For if no man can certainly and infallibly know any thing by any way or means wherein some or other are ignorantly or wilfully mistaken, we must bid adieu for ever to the certain knowledge of any thing in this world. And how slightly soever you are pleased to speak of Scripture Light, Spirit and Reason, they are the proper names of the ways and helps that God hath graciously given to the sons of men, to come to the knowledge of himself. And if the Scripture by the assistance of the Spirit of God, and the light unto it communicated unto men by him, be not sufficient to lead them in the use and improvement of their Reason unto the saving knowledge of the will of God, and that assurance therein which may be a firm foundation of acceptable obedience unto him, they must be content to go without it; for other ways and means of it, there are none. But this is your manner of dealing with us. All other Churches must be slighted and relinquished, the means appointed and sanctified by God himself to bring us unto the ⟨p. 345⟩knowledge of, and settlement in the Truth must be rejected, that all men may be brought to a fanatical unreasonable resignation of their faith to you and your Church; if this be not done, men may with as good reason renounce Truth as Error; and after they have rejected one error, be inclined to cast off all that Truth, for the sake whereof that error was rejected by them. And I know not what other inconveniences and mischiefs will follow: